• 1500 - Reginald Pole, English Cardinal/"heretic"
• 1583 - Edward Herbert of Cherbury, English military/philosopher
• 1589 - Gisbertus Voetius, [Gijsbert Voet], Dutch reformed theologist
• 1606 - Edmund Waller, England, poet (Penshust)
• 1652 - Thomas Otway, England, playwright/poet (Venice Preserved)
• 1705 - Michael Schevenstuhl, composer
• 1747 - Kasamir Pulaski, US general (Revolutionary War)
• 1756 - William Godwin, philosopher/political writer (Caleb Williams)
• 1793 - Ch Sealsfield, writer
• 1809 - Sophia Hawthorne, writer
• 1811 - Vissarion Belinsky, Sveaborg Finland, Russian author (Literary Review)
• 1814 - Charles Kensington Salaman, composer
• 1820 - Eduard Douwes Dekker, [Multatuli], Dutch writer (Max Havelaar)
• 1823 - Guyla Andr ssy Sr, premier of Hungary (1867-71)
• 1828 - Karl Collan, composer
• 1831 - George M Pullman, inventor (railway sleeping car)
• 1838 - George W Hill, US astronomer (Moon orbit)
• 1841 - John Murray, Canada oceanographer (Depths of the Ocean)
• 1845 - Georg Cantor, German mathematician (discover transfinite numbers)
• 1846 - Desiderio FA Pietri, Italian baker/marathon runner Dorando's father
• 1847 - Alexander Graham Bell, Scotland, inventor (telephone)
• 1849 - Jacques Oppenheim, Dutch lawyer
• 1853 - Vincent Van Gogh, Dutch painter
• 1857 - Alfred Bruneau, composer
• 1865 - Alexander Gustav Adolfovich Winkler, composer
• 1867 - Gustav Strube, composer
• 1868 - Alain, [Emile-Auguste Chartier], French philosopher/writer
• 1869 - Henry J Wood, English conductor (Gentle Art of Singing, Proms)
• 1872 - Wee Willie Keeler, outfielder (Baltimore Orioles); hit .432 in 1897
• 1873 - William Green, president of American Federation of Labor (1924-52)
• 1877 - Garrett Morgan, African-American inventor
• 1880 - Anne C Veth, Dutch cartoonist/art critic
• 1882 - Floris H L Prims, Flemish priest/historian/archivist of Antwerp
• 1886 - James Friskin, composer
• 1886 - Reginald Owen Morris, composer
• 1889 - Fritz Behrend, composer
• 1890 - Norman Bethune, Canada, Doctor in Spain & China
• 1891 - Federico Moreno Torroba, composer
• 1891 - Jan Donner, Dutch minister of Justice/president High Council
• 1892 - Edmund Lowe, actor (Black Sheep, Good Sam, Dillinger, Hot Pepper)
• 1892 - Rui Coelho, composer
• 1893 - Beatrice Wood, potter/artist/author
• 1893 - Bill Nestell, CA, actor (Dangerous Venture, Buckskin Frontier)
• 1893 - Karel Lotsy, Dutch insurance director/Olympic-chief d'‚quipe
• 1895 - Alex[ander] Nearmolen, composer
• 1895 - Alexander Nicholas Voormolen, Dutch composer
• 1895 - Juanita Hansen, Iowa, actress (Fast Company, Broadway Love)
• 1895 - Matthew B Ridgway, US gen (WW II/China/Nicaragua/Korea/NATO)
• 1895 - Ragnar Frisch, Norway, economist (1st Nobel prize in economy-1969)
• 1895 - Robert Gordon, Ks, actor (Loveless)
• 1897 - Jose Moreno Gans, composer
• 1899 - Alfred M Gruenther, US, commanding general (NATO, 1953-56)
• 1899 - Juri Olescha, writer
• 1900 - Edna Best, Hove England, actress (Key, Calendar, Escape, Intermezzo)
• 1902 - Ruby Dandridge, Memphis Tenn, actress (Father of the Bride)
• 1903 - Gilbert Adrian, [Greenberg], Naugatuck CT, costume designer
• 1903 - Rabbe A Enckell, Fins author/poet (Lutad about Brunnen)
• 1906 - Artur Lundkvist, Swedish writer/Swedish Academy (Agadir)
• 1906 - Donald Novis, Hastings England, actor (Monte Carlo)
• 1906 - Krishnarao Shiva Shelvankar, journalist/diplomat
• 1907 - Aar van de Werfhorst, [Pieter G Jansen], Dutch writer
• 1907 - Canada Lee, NYC, actor (Lost Boundaries)
• 1907 - Joy Finzi, [Joyce A Black], British painter
• 1908 - Riccardo Nielsen, composer
• 1909 - Jay Morris Arena, inventor/pediatrician
• 1909 - Kenton Kilmer, poet/translator
• 1911 - Francesco Siciliani, opera composer
• 1911 - Jean Harlow, [Harlean Carpentier], KS, 30s' sex goddess (Dinner at 8)
• 1912 - Joe Stydahar, NFL tackle (Chicago Bears)
• 1913 - Margaret AR Bonds, US pianist/composer/arranger
• 1913 - Roger Caillois, French writer (Les Jeux et les Hommes)
• 1914 - Martin Ritt, actor/director (Slugger's Wife, End of the Game)
• 1915 - George Brian Snape, businessman/rugby league entrepreneur
• 1917 - Bert van Aerschot, Flemish writer (Elevator, Women)
• 1918 - Arnold Newman, photographer (Faces USA)
• 1918 - Arthur Kornberg, US biochemist (Nobel 1959)
• 1918 - Frank Wigglesworth, composer
• 1920 - James Doohan, Vancouver BC, actor (Montgomery Scott-Star Trek)
• 1920 - Julius Boros, golfer (PGA Champ 1968, US Open 1952, 63)
• 1921 - Allen Ginsberg, beat generation poet (1969 Arts & Letters Award)
• 1921 - Diana Barrymore, NYC, actress (Nightmare, Lady Courageous, Fired Wife)
• 1921 - Junior Parker, Arkansas, blues vocalist/songwriter (Mystery Train)
• 1922 - Kazimierz Serocki, composer
• 1925 - Enzo Stuarti, Italy, singer (Yesterday)
• 1925 - Richard Vernon, England, actor (Servant, Gandhi, Hard Days Night)
• 1926 - James Ingram Merrill, US poet/author (Scripts for the Pageant)
• 1927 - Charles O Whitley, (Rep-D-NC, 1977- )
• 1927 - Frank Singleton, librarian
• 1927 - John McLaughlin, commentator (McLaughlin Report)
• 1927 - [Herman] Junior Parker, rocker (Driving Wheel, In the Dark)
• 1928 - Dave Dudley, singer (Six Days on the Road)
• 1928 - Don Gibson, singer/writer (I can't Stop Loving You, Oh Lonesome Me)
• 1928 - G Pausewang, writer
• 1929 - Nicos Mamangakis, composer
• 1931 - Henk Knol, Dutch 2nd chamber member (PvdA)
• 1931 - Piet [van] Bambergen, Dutch cabaretier (Mounties, Sherlock Jones)
• 1932 - Mara Corday, Santa Monica CA, playmate (Oct, 1958)
• 1933 - Lee Radziwell Ross, NYC, princess (Jackie O's sister)
• 1933 - Marco Antonio Mu¤oz, Mexico, spanish singer (Murmullos)
• 1934 - Gia Scala, Italy, actress (Angry Hills, Don't Go Near the Water)
• 1935 - Zhelyu Zhelev, president of Bulgaria (1990- )
• 1936 - Jim Clark, Formula 1 racer (1963 champ)
• 1938 - Douglas Leedy, composer
• 1938 - Lew De Witt, singer (Statler Brothers-Flowers on the Wall)
• 1938 - Willie Chambers, guitarist/vocalist (Chambers Brothers)
• 1939 - Hans Pieter Verhagen, poet (Hoepla/Holland's Hole)
• 1939 - M L Jaisimha, cricketer (Indian batsman of the sixties)
• 1942 - Mike Pender, Liverpool, vocalist/guitarist (Searchers-Needles & Pins)
• 1942 - Vladimir Vasilyevich Kovolyonok, USR, cosmonaut (Soyuz 25, 29/31, T-4)
• 1943 - Roger Swaybill, actor/writer (Porky's II, Breaking Point)
• 1944 - Janice Garfat, rocker (Dr Hook)
• 1945 - Farooq Hamid, cricketer (1-107 in Test, Pakistan v Australia 1964)
• 1945 - Hattie Winston, Greenville Miss, actress (Nurse, Electric Company)
• 1946 - James C Adamson, Warsaw NY, Lt Col USA/astronaut (STS 28, STS 43)
• 1947 - Dave Mount, rocker
• 1948 - Byron MacGregor, newscaster
• 1948 - Reed Hundt, FCC chairman
• 1949 - Bonnie J Dunbar, Sunnyside Wash, PhD/astro (STS 61-A, 32, 50, 71, 89)
• 1949 - James S Voss, Cordova Alabama, Major USA/astronaut (STS 44, 53, 69)
• 1950 - Ed Marinaro, actor (Hill Street Blues)
• 1950 - Re Styles, rock vocalist (Tubes)
• 1950 - Tim Kazurinsky, Johnstown Pa, comedian (SNL, Police Academy 2, 3, 4)
• 1951 - Sergei Aleksandrovich Yemelyanov, Russian cosmonaut
• 1952 - Robyn Hitchcock, rocker (Moss Elixir)
• 1953 - Aleksandr Viktorovich Borodin, Russia, cosmonaut
• 1953 - Dave Amato, rocker (REO Speedwagon-Can't Fight this Feeling)
• 1954 - Christopher Hughes, drummer
• 1954 - Keith Carlton Fergus, Temple TX, PGA golfer (1995 Honda Classic-8th)
• 1954 - Merrick, [Chris Hughes] rock drummer (Adam & The Ants)
• 1956 - Jim Barton, Lincoln Neb, soling yachter (Olympics-bronze-1996)
• 1956 - John F Reid, cricketer (New Zealand batsman of 70's/80's)
• 1956 - Miguel Bos‚, Panama, spanish actor (Lo Mejor del A¤o)
• 1958 - Bob Bradley, Montclair NJ, soccer coach (Olympics-gold-96)
• 1958 - Miranda Richardson, Southport England, actress (Damage, Crying Game)
• 1959 - Romeo Zondervan, Dutch soccer player (NAC)
• 1961 - Mary Page Keller, actress (Duet, Scared Stiff, Baby Talk)
• 1962 - Herschel Walker, WFL/NFL running back (NJ Generals, Dallas Cowboys)
• 1962 - Jackie Joyner-Kersee, E St Louis IL, heptathele (Olympic-gold-88, 92)
• 1963 - Elizabeth Chavez, Santa Monica Ca, WPVA volleyballer (US Open-13th-91)
• 1963 - Jacqueline Sheen, Dallas Texas, playmate (July, 1990)
• 1963 - Kelly Miller, Detroit, NHL left wing (Washington Capitals)
• 1964 - Arturo Huerta, Mexico, Canadian walker (Olympics-96)
• 1964 - Atif Rauf, cricketer (Pakistani Test batsman v New Zealand 1994)
• 1964 - Laura Martinez-Herring, Sinaloa Mexico, Miss USA (1985)/(Gen Hospital)
• 1964 - Lisa Ann Poggi, Grand Rapids Mich, actress (Jolie-Loving)
• 1965 - A J Sager, Columbus Ohio, pitcher (Detroit Tigers)
• 1966 - Claus Boekweg, Dutch soccer player (FC Groningen, FC Zwolle)
• 1966 - Dmitri Volkov, Russian swimmer (world record)
• 1966 - Ellen Minzner, Lawrence Mass, rower (Olympics-96)
• 1966 - Gary Parker, WLAF kicker (Scotland Claymores)
• 1966 - Hope Marie Carlton, Riverhead NY, playmate (July, 1985)
• 1966 - Noelle Daghe, Decatur IL, LPGA golfer (1994 PING-Cellular One-21st)
• 1966 - Tone-Loc, [Anthony Terrell Smith], LA Calif, rocker (Let's Do It)
• 1966 - Wendy Fletcher, Boston Mass, WPVA volleyballer (National-5th-1993)
• 1967 - Alexander Volkov, Russia, tennis star
• 1967 - Calvin Williams, NFL wide receiver (Phila Eagles)
• 1967 - Elizabeth Cheshire, Burbank Calif, actress (Jill-Sunshine)
• 1968 - Brian Leetch, Corpus Christi TX, NHL defenseman (Team USA, NY Rangers)
• 1968 - Diann Roffe-Steinrotter, Warsaw NY, alpine skier (Oly-gold/silver-92)
• 1968 - Scott Radinsky, Simi Valley CA, pitcher (LA Dodgers)
• 1969 - Ronald Humphrey, NFL running back (Indianapolis Colts)
• 1970 - Donovan Bergstrom, US 3K steeplechase runner
• 1970 - Inzamam-ul-Haq, cricketer (dashing Pakistani batsman)
• 1970 - Kristine Radford, Sydney Australia, tennis star (1996 ITF/Lyneham)
• 1970 - Rick Mirer, NFL QB (Seattle Seahawks)
• 1970 - Scott Keswick, Nevada, gymnast (Coca-Cola-1st-94, Olympics-96)
• 1970 - Shawn Marie Brogan, Miss USA-Iowa (1997)
• 1971 - Terryl Ulmer, CFL defensive back (Saskatchewan Roughriders)
• 1972 - Christian Oliver, actor (Baby Sitters Club, Brian-Saved by the Bell)
• 1972 - Martin Prochazka, Slany CZ, NHL forward (Toronto, Czech Oly-Gold-98)
• 1973 - Cory Raymer, NFL center (Washington Redskins)
• 1973 - James Dexter, tackle (Arizona Cardinals)
• 1973 - Jim Mills, tackle (San Diego Chargers)
• 1973 - Tisha Venturini, Modesto Calif, soccer midfielder (Olympics-96)
• 1973 - Victoria Nika Zdrok, Kiev Ukraine, playmate (Oct, 1994)
• 1973 - Winslow Oliver, running back (Carolina Panthers)
• 1974 - Jared Rushton, actor (Big, Honey I Shrank the Kids)
• 1975 - Albert Fields, Gary Indiana, rocker (Party-Rodeo, That's Why)
• 1975 - Danica McKellar, actress (Winnie Cooper-Wonder Years) [or Jan 3]
• 1975 - David Faustino, CA, actor (I Had 3 Wives, Bud-Married With Children)
• 1977 - Bas Zuiderent, cricketer (Holland all-rounder 1996 World Cup)
• 1977 - Ronan Keating, Bayside Dublin Ireland, Irish singer (Boyzone)
• 1978 - Carol Aquino, Miss Guatemala Universe (1997)
• 1978 - Douglas Osmond, Provo Utah, vocalist (Osmond Boys)

Famous deaths for this day ..

• 0561 - Pelagius I, Italian Pope (547-51, 556-61), dies
• 1191 - Saladin [Salah ad-Din]) Yusuf, sultan of Egypt/Syria, dies at 52
• 1459 - Ausias March, Catalan poet, dies
• 1554 - Johan F de Greatmoedige, ruler of Saxon, dies
• 1554 - Johan Frederik, the Generous, elector of Saxon (1532-47), dies at 50
• 1580 - Jacob Hillebrand, Dutch mayor of Groningen, dies
• 1635 - Philips de l'Espinoy, historian/mayor of Ghent, dies
• 1703 - Robert Hooke, scientific genius, dies in London
• 1706 - Johann Pachelbel, organist/composer (Sterbens-Gedancken), dies at 52
• 1707 - Aurangzeb, Emperor of India (1658-1707), dies at 88
• 1717 - Pierre Allix, French/British theologist/vicar, dies at about 75
• 1766 - Gregor Joseph Werner, composer, dies at 73
• 1768 - Nicola Antonio Porpora, composer, dies at 81
• 1792 - Robert Adam, Scottish architect (Syon House, Middlesex), dies at 63
• 1800 - Johann Baptist Christoph Toeschi, composer, dies at 64
• 1822 - Franz Adam Veichtner, composer, dies at 81
• 1824 - Giovanni Battista Viotti, Italian violist/composer, dies at 70
• 1848 - Heinrich Olivier, German painter, dies
• 1858 - J¢zsef Bajza, Hungarian author/poet/critic, dies at 54
• 1864 - Ulric Dahlgren, Union colonel, dies in battle at 21
• 1889 - Edward Sydney Smith, composer, dies at 49
• 1896 - ... Dabormida, Italian general (Eritrea), dies of injuries
• 1902 - Isaac D France van de Putte, Dutch premier (1866), dies at 79
• 1921 - Petrus Cuypers, architect (Amsterdam museum), dies at 93
• 1926 - Cyril Metodej Hrazdira, composer, dies at 58
• 1928 - Jan [Jean] T Toorop, Dutch graphic artist (3 Brides), dies at 69
• 1932 - Eugene Francis Charles D'albert, composer, dies at 67
• 1934 - Norman Houstoun O'Neill, composer, dies at 58
• 1935 - Neville Knox, cricketer (bowled in 2 Tests for England 1907), dies
• 1938 - Arthur Koestler, writer, dies at 32
• 1941 - Constant W L Scheurleer, archaeologist/banker/art expert, dies at 59
• 1941 - Ernst Cahn, owner of Amsterdam Koco ice cream parlor, executed
• 1942 - Amedeo, Duke of Aosta, viceroy (Ethiopia), dies at 43
• 1943 - George Thomson, cricketer (all-rounder-6 Tests for Eng 1909-10), dies
• 1945 - Arthur Vanderpoorten, Flemish Internal minister (1940), dies at 61
• 1945 - Koos Speenhoff, Dutch singer, killed in bombing raid at 75
• 1948 - Antonin Artaud, writer, dies at 51
• 1956 - Willem H Keesom, Dutch physicist (Helium I/II), dies at 79
• 1959 - Lou Costello, comedian (Abbott & Costello), dies at 52
• 1960 - Sammy White, actor (711 Ocean Drive, Sound Off), dies at 65
• 1965 - Carlo Gatti, composer, dies at 88
• 1966 - Alice Pearce, comedienne (Gladys Kravitz-Bewitched), dies at 52
• 1966 - William Frawley, actor (Fred Mertz-I Love Lucy), dies at 89
• 1967 - Georges Lonque, composer, dies at 66
• 1974 - Barbara Ruick, actress (Carousel, Fearless Fagan), dies at 43
• 1974 - Frank Wilcox, actor (John-Beverly Hillbillies), dies at 66
• 1975 - L szl¢ N‚meth, Hungarian physician/author (Galilei/Iszony), dies at 73
• 1976 - Alfred Sendrey, composer, dies at 92
• 1977 - Percy Marmont, actor (Secret Agent, Lisbon), dies at 93
• 1982 - Georges Perec, French writer, dies at 45
• 1983 - Arthur Koestler, Hung/Brit writer (Dialogue With Death), dies at 77
• 1985 - Sarah Blanding, 1st US fem college head (Vassar 1946-64), dies at 86
• 1987 - Danny Kaye, comedian (Danny Kaye Show), dies at 74
• 1988 - Lois Wilson, actress (Crash, Deluge, Bright Eyes), dies
• 1988 - Sewall Wright, US geneticist (evolution model), dies at 98
• 1990 - Frans Goedhart, Dutch journalist/founder (Parool), dies at 86
• 1990 - Gerard Blitz, Belgian swimmer/founder (Club M‚d), dies at 88
• 1991 - Arthur Murray, dance instructor, dies at 95 of pneumonia
• 1991 - Clara Eggink, [Ebbele], Dutch poet (Life with J C Bloem), dies at 84
• 1992 - Robert Beatty, actor (Odd Man Out), dies at 82
• 1992 - Sandy Dennis, actress (Up the Down Staircase), dies of cancer at 54
• 1992 - Ted Liss, actor (Child's Play), dies of heart attack at 72
• 1993 - Albert Sabin, physician (oral polio vaccine), dies at 86
• 1993 - Carlos Montoya, flamenco guitarist, dies at 89
• 1993 - Cyril Collard, French composer/dir/actor (A Nos Amours), dies at 35
• 1994 - Anita Morris, actress (Nine), dies of cancer at 50
• 1994 - Bob Crisp, cricketer (9 Tests for S Afr, 20 wickets at 37 35), dies
• 1994 - Karel Kryl, folk singer, dies at 49
• 1995 - Gilbert Gadoffre, French scholar, dies at 84
• 1995 - Howard Hunter, US leader of Mormon Church (1994-95), dies at 87
• 1995 - Howard Yanks, founder of the Philadelphia folk festival, dies at 65
• 1995 - Pierre Tisseyre, publisher (Circle du livre de France), dies at 85
• 1995 - Shiv Verma, soldier, dies at 85
• 1996 - David Bowman, trade unionist, dies at 82
• 1996 - John Joseph Krol, cardinal, dies at 95
• 1996 - Leo Malet, writer, dies at 86
• 1996 - Ludwig Freiherr von Hammerstein-Equord, journalist, dies at 76
• 1996 - Lyle Talbot, [Henderson], actor (Plan 9 From Outer Space), dies at 76
• 1996 - Marguerite Duras, writer, dies at 81
• 1996 - Meyer Schapiro, art historian, dies at 91
• 1997 - Stanislav Shatalin, Russian economist (500 Days), dies