• 1265 - Dante Alighieri, Italian poet (Divina Commedia)
• 1596 - Abraham van Diepenbeeck, painter
• 1738 - John Pindar, [Peter], physician/poet
• 1740 - Giovanni Paisiello, Italian composer (Barber of Seville)
• 1783 - Alexander Ross, Canada, pioneer/fur trader
• 1785 - James Pollard Espy, Penns, meteorologist (Philosphy of Storms)
• 1793 - Johannes C de Jonge, Dutch historian/archivist
• 1796 - August Pauly, German classicus (Real Encyclopedia)
• 1800 - John Brown, abolitionist; led attack on Harpers Ferry
• 1801 - Samuel Cousins, mezzotint engraver
• 1810 - Louis Gallait, historical painter
• 1810 - WFLC Marianne, princess of Orange-Nassau/daughter of king Willem I
• 1814 - Adolph von Henselt, composer
• 1824 - William Edmonson "Grumble" Jones, Brig General (Confederate Army)
• 1829 - Ciro Pinsuti, pianist/composer
• 1833 - Boleslaw Dembinski, composer
• 1837 - Adam Opel, German manufacturer (cycling, motorcars)
• 1843 - Belle Boyd, spy (Confederate)/actress/lecturer
• 1844 - [Maria] Catharina Beersmans, Belgian actress (Bad Herders)
• 1846 - Nikolay Feopemptovich Solov'yov, composer
• 1855 - Julius Rontgen, composer
• 1860 - James Matthew Barrie, Scotland, novelist (Margaret Ogilvy, Peter Pan)
• 1865 - August de Boeck, composer
• 1873 - Howard Carter, British archaeologist (found King Tutankhamen's tomb)
• 1873 - Lilian Mary Baylis, manager (Old Vic & Sadler's Wells Theater)
• 1882 - Henry J Kaiser, builder (Liberty Ships, Jeeps, Boulder Dam)
• 1887 - Jules Van de Leene, Belgian writer
• 1892 - Eric Westberg, composer
• 1892 - Zita, empress (Austria)/Queen (Hungary)
• 1895 - Lucian Blaga, Romaniams philosopher/poet (Dogmatic Aeon)
• 1895 - Richard Barthelmess, NYC, actor (Broken Blossoms, Noose)
• 1899 - Edward Pollock, saxophone/clarinet
• 1901 - Fuzzy Knight, Fairmont WV, actor (Oklahoma Annie, Cowby & the Lady)
• 1901 - George Duckworth, cricket wicket-keeper (England late 20's early 30's)
• 1903 - Walter Dehmel, writer
• 1906 - Eleanor Estes, author (Ginger Pye, Moffats)
• 1907 - Baldur von Schirach, German writer/nazi politician (Frame)
• 1910 - Barbara Woodhouse, dog training expert
• 1910 - P E Palia, cricketer (appeared in India's 1st Test-Lord's 1932)
• 1911 - Harry Simeone, Newark NJ, choral director (Kate Smith Show)
• 1912 - Pedro Armendariz, Mexico, actor (From Russia With Love)
• 1913 - John Hayes, Admiral
• 1913 - Victor Smith, Admiral (Australian Chiefs of Staff)
• 1914 - Carlo Maria Giulini, conductor
• 1914 - Frank Chacksfield, arranger/orch leader
• 1914 - Hank Snow, Nova Scotia Canada, country singer (I Went to Your Wedding)
• 1914 - Josef Muller-Brockmann, graphic designer/writer
• 1914 - Theodore Kheel, labor negotiator (Fair Employment Practices)
• 1915 - Richard Janvrin, British vice admiral
• 1916 - Bernard William George Rose, composer/organist
• 1916 - Cyril Bowles, bishop of Derby
• 1916 - Douglas Guest, organist
• 1917 - George Fleming, cyclist
• 1917 - John Arnatt, actor (Circumstantial Evidence)
• 1918 - Mike Wallace, Brookline Mass, newscaster (Biography, 60 Minutes)
• 1918 - Orville Freeman, Minneapolis, (Sen-D-Mn)/Sec of Agriculture (1961-69)
• 1919 - Arthur English, comedian/actor (Malachi's Cove)
• 1920 - Richard Adams, author (Day Gone By)
• 1922 - Sheila Burrell, actress (Black Orchid, Paranoiac, Laughter in Dark)
• 1924 - Bulat S Okudzjava, Russian author (Student!)
• 1924 - Connie Russell, NYC, singer (Club Embassy, Garroway at Large)
• 1924 - Gerard Wernars, Dutch graphic designer (Library stamps 1991)
• 1924 - Jean J A Girault, French director/screenwriter (l'Amour)
• 1925 - Peter Leng, Master General of the Ordnance
• 1926 - Alistair MacFarlane, principal (Heriot-Watt University England)
• 1926 - Francis Kennedy, British diplomat
• 1926 - Joshua Hassan, chief minister (Gibralter)
• 1926 - Robin Cooke, pres (NZ Court of Appeal)
• 1927 - John McDermott, Lord Justice of Appeal (Northern Ireland)
• 1927 - Manfred Eigen, German physicist/chemist (Nobel 1967)
• 1927 - Ray Katt, baseball player
• 1928 - Barbara Ann Scott, Ottawa Ontario, figure skater (Olympic-gold-1948)
• 1928 - Pall Pampichier Palsson, composer
• 1928 - Richard A "Pancho" Gonzalez, LA Calif, tennis star (US 1948-49)
• 1929 - Anthony Lloyd, Lord Justice of Appeal
• 1930 - Joan Sims, actress (Carry on Behind, Carry on Cleo)
• 1931 - Vance DeVoe Brand, Longmont Co, astro (Apollo 18, STS-5, 41B, 35)
• 1932 - Conrad Hunte, cricketer (great West Indian opener 1958-66)
• 1932 - David Plastow, CEO (Medical Research Council)
• 1932 - Gavin Lyall, author (Conduct of Major Maxim)
• 1932 - Geraldine McEwan, actress (Henry V)
• 1932 - J Alex McMillan, (Rep-R-NC, 1985- )
• 1933 - Johnny Grant, unofficial mayor of Hollywood
• 1934 - Alan Bennett, Engld, playwright/actor (Secret Policeman's Other Ball)
• 1934 - John Robertson, deputy chairman (Barclays de Zoete Wedd)
• 1934 - Roy Massey, Master of Choristers (Hereford Cathedral)
• 1936 - Albert Finney, Salford UK, actor (Dresser, Under the Volcano)
• 1936 - Floyd Robinson, baseball player (White Sox, Reds, A's)
• 1936 - Glenda Jackson, Cheshire England, actress (Women in Love)
• 1936 - Terry Downes, middleweight boxing champ (1961-62)
• 1936 - Terry Drinkwater, TV newsman (CBS)
• 1937 - Dave Prater, Ocilla Ga, rock vocalist (Sam & Dave)
• 1937 - Sonny Curtis, Texas, guitarist (Crickets)
• 1938 - Geoffrey Holland, civil servant
• 1938 - Nokie Edwards, rocker (Ventures)
• 1939 - Bruce Mather, composer
• 1939 - Herbert Hippauf, baseball player
• 1939 - Jim Dent, Augusta GA, PGA golfer (1989 MONY Syracuse Senior)
• 1939 - Kenneth Warby, fastest man on water at 300 knots (345 mph)
• 1939 - Nokle Edwards, rocker
• 1939 - Ralph Boston, Laurel Miss, long jumper (Oly-gold/sil/brz-60, 64, 68)
• 1940 - Dick Morrissey, saxophonist
• 1940 - James L Brooks, producer/director (Broadcast News, Taxi, Critic)
• 1941 - Dorothy Hyman, England, sprinter (Oly-silver-60)
• 1941 - Jan Dibbets, sculptor/artist (Dutch Mountains)
• 1941 - Pete Birrell, rock bassist (Freddie & The Dreamers)
• 1942 - John D Ashcroft, (Gov-MO)
• 1942 - Mike Millward, rocker
• 1942 - Tommy Roe, Atlanta, rocker (Hooray for Hazel)
• 1942 - William Olner, MP
• 1943 - Bruce Milner, rocker (Every Mother's Son)
• 1943 - Maurice Foster, cricketer (West Indies batsman of 70's)
• 1943 - Tommy Roe, rocker
• 1944 - Don Dannemann, rocker (Cyrkle)
• 1944 - Richard Furay, Ohio, rock vocalist (Buffalo Springfield, Poco)
• 1945 - Steve Katz, NYC, rock guitarist/vocalist (Blood, Sweat & Tears)
• 1946 - Candice Bergen, Beverly Hills, actr (Carnal Knowledge, Murphy Brown)
• 1947 - Anthony Corlan, Cork City Ireland, actor (Something for Everyone)
• 1948 - John Drayton Mahaffey, Kerrville TX, PGA golfer (1978 PGA Champ)
• 1949 - Billy Joel, Bronx, rock vocalist (Pianoman, Capt Jack, Bridge)
• 1949 - Oleg Yuriyevich Atkov, Russian cosmonaut (Soyuz T-10)
• 1950 - James A Butts, LA Calif, triple jumper (Olympic-silver-1976)
• 1950 - Matthew Kelly, actor/TV host (Holding the Fort, Relative Strangers)
• 1950 - Tom Petersson, Rockford Il, rock bassist (Cheap Trick)
• 1951 - Alley Mills, Chicago Ill, actress (Norma Arnold-Wonder Years)
• 1952 - Patrick Ryecart, actor (Silas Mariner)
• 1953 - Daniel Talbot, Montreal Que, golfer (Quebec Open-1979, 81, 84)
• 1953 - Gregory Beecroft, Chorpus Christi TX, actor (Guiding Light)
• 1953 - Ron Jackson, baseball player
• 1953 - Scott McInnis, (Rep-R-Colorado)
• 1954 - Balazs Taroczy, Hungary, tennis star
• 1955 - Kevin Peter Hall, Pitts Pa, actor (Misfits of Science)
• 1955 - Myra Blackwelder, LPGA golfer
• 1957 - Fred Markham, 1st man to pedal a bike 65 mph
• 1957 - John Stuper, baseball pitcher (St Louis Cardinals)
• 1958 - Esko Rechardt, Finland, yachtsman (Olympic-gold-1980)
• 1959 - Andrew Jones, cricketer (highly consistent for NZ at 1st drop)
• 1959 - Asantha De Mel, cricketer (pioneering Sri Lankan Test opening bowler)
• 1960 - Iain Butchart, cricket all-rounder (Zimbabwe, Test v Pak 1995)
• 1960 - Jim Reilly, rocker (Red Rockers)
• 1960 - Tony Gwynn, LA CA, outfielder (San Diego Padres)
• 1961 - Rene Capo, Pinal del Rio Cuba, half-heavyweight judoka (Olympics-96)
• 1962 - Dave Gahan, Essex, rock vocalist (Depeche Mode-Dreaming of Me)
• 1962 - John Corbett, actor/singer (Chris-Northern Exposure)
• 1962 - Paul Heaton, rocker (Housemartins-Happy Hour, Over There)
• 1964 - Miloslav Mecir, Czechoslovakia, tennis player (Olympic-gold-1988)
• 1965 - Ben Volpeliere-Pierrot, rocker (Curiosity Killed Cat-Keep Distance)
• 1965 - Marc Logan, NFL running back (Washington Redskins)
• 1965 - Steve Yzerman, Cranbrook BC, NHL forward (Team Canada, Detroit)
• 1966 - Mark Tinordi, Red Deer, NHL defenseman (Washington Capitals)
• 1968 - Bruce Pickens, NFL cornerback (Oakland Raiders)
• 1968 - David Benoit, NBA forward (Utah Jazz, NJ Nets)
• 1968 - Marie-Jos‚ P‚rec, Guadeloupe, French 200m/400m runner (Oly-2 gold-96)
• 1968 - Vince Workman, NFL running back (Packers, Panthers, Colts)
• 1969 - Carla Overbeck, Pasadena Calif, soccer defender (Olympics-96)
• 1969 - Renn Crichlow, Ottawa Ontario, canoeist (Olympics-8-92, 96)
• 1970 - Doug Christie, NBA guard/forward (Toronto Raptors)
• 1972 - Dan Hollander, Royal Oak Mich, figure skater (1996 Great Lakes champ)
• 1972 - Dave Barr, WLAF quarterback (Scotland Claymores)
• 1972 - Simon Hollingsworth, Australian 400m hurdler (Olympics-92, 96)
• 1974 - Pete Kelley, 218¬ lbs (99 kg) US weightlifter (Olympics-14th-1996)
• 1974 - Shin Yahata, hockey forward (Team Japan 1998)
• 1974 - Stephane Yelle, Ottawa, NHL center (Colorado Avalanche)
• 1976 - Faye Johnstone, Auckland NZ, archer (Olympics-96)
• 1980 - Angela Nikodinov, Spartanburg SC, figure skater (1997 Pacif Sr champ)
• 1980 - Tatewin Means, Miss South Dakota Teen USA (1996)

Famous deaths for this day ..

• 1079 - Stanislaus, Polish bishop of Cracow, murdered
• 1280 - Magnus VI Lagaboeter, King of Norway (1263-80), dies at 42
• 1443 - Niccol¢ d'Albergati, Italian cardinal, dies
• 1460 - Jean Lavite, Atrechts painter, dies
• 1474 - Peter van Hagenbach, Elzasser knight/land guardian, beheaded
• 1590 - Karel "Cardinal" van Bourbon, archbishop of Rouen, dies at 66
• 1657 - William Bradford, Governor (Plymouth Colony, Mass), dies
• 1667 - Marie Louise de Gonzague-Nevers, French Queen of Poland (1645-48)
• 1688 - Frederick William, Great Elector of Brandenburg, dies at 68
• 1707 - Dietrich Buxtehude, German organist/composer, dies at about 69
• 1745 - Tomaso Antonio Vitali, composer, dies at 82
• 1760 - Nikolaus Ludwig und Pottendorf, Austrian composer, dies at 59
• 1770 - Charles Avison, composer, dies at 61
• 1785 - Franz Xaver Schnitzer, composer, dies at 44
• 1791 - Francis Hopkinson, US writer/music/lawyer, dies at 53
• 1799 - Claude-Benigne Balbastre, composer, dies at 72
• 1805 - Friedrich Schiller, writer, dies at 45
• 1805 - Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller, poet/playwright, dies at 45
• 1822 - Charles Duquesnoy, composer, dies at 62
• 1850 - Louis-Joseph Gay-Lussac, chemist/physicist, dies
• 1853 - Johann Philipp Samuel Schmidt, composer, dies at 73
• 1864 - "Uncle" John Sedgwick, US Union general-major, dies in battle at 50
• 1864 - Thomas Donnely Doubleday, US Union Col, dies in an accident
• 1880 - Johann Hermann Berens, composer, dies at 54
• 1884 - Hermanus W Witteveen, theologist, dies at 69
• 1903 - Rudolf Serkin, Bohemian/US pianist, dies
• 1905 - Ernst Pauer, composer, dies at 78
• 1926 - Joseph Mallaby Dent, publisher, dies
• 1927 - Tommy Routledge, cricketer (4 Tests for S Africa 1892-96), dies
• 1928 - Constantin Dimitrescu, composer, dies at 81
• 1931 - A[lbert] A[braham] Michelson, US physicist (1907 Nobel), dies at 78
• 1937 - Walter Mittelholzer, Swiss aviation pioneer, dies in crash at 43
• 1944 - Ethel Mary Smyth, composer, dies at 86
• 1945 - Clem Hill, cricketer (49 Tests for Australia 1896-1912), dies
• 1949 - Louis II, Prince of Monaco, dies
• 1951 - Marie Ault, dies at 80
• 1952 - Canada Lee, black actor (Lost Boundaries), dies in NYC at 45
• 1957 - Ezio F Pinza, Italian bass (Scale of Milan, NY Met Opera), dies
• 1957 - Heinrich Campendonk, German painter/wood carver/glasier, dies at 67
• 1958 - Bill Goodwin, TV announcer (Burns & Allen), dies at 47
• 1965 - Leopold Figl, premier Austria, dies at 62
• 1966 - Alfred Mendelsohn, composer, dies at 56
• 1966 - Wilhelmus M Bekkers, bishop of Dukeenbosch, dies
• 1967 - Elmar Berkovich, Dutch industrial designer (Eindhoven theater), dies
• 1967 - Philippa Duke Schuyler, composer, dies at 35
• 1968 - Finlay Currie, dies at 90
• 1968 - Harold Gray, US comic strip artist (Little Orphan Annie), dies at 74
• 1968 - Marion Lorne, actress (Aunt Clara-Bewitched), dies at 81
• 1968 - Phil Arnold, actor (Skidoo, Errand Boy, Damn Yankees), dies at 58
• 1970 - Percy Brier, composer, dies at 84
• 1970 - Walter P Reuther, US worker's union leader/president (CIO), dies
• 1974 - Lyubomir Pipkov, composer, dies at 69
• 1975 - Philip Dorn, dies at 73
• 1976 - Raymond Chevreuille, Belgian composer, dies at 74
• 1976 - Valentino Bucchi, composer, dies at 59
• 1977 - James Jones, US writer (Bad Blood, From Here to Eternity), dies at 55
• 1977 - Walter Kraft, composer, dies at 71
• 1979 - Cyrus S Eaton, Canada/US multi-millionaire, dies at 95
• 1979 - Lan Adomian, composer, dies at 73
• 1981 - C E "Nip" Pellew, cricketer (10 Tests 484 runs at 37), dies
• 1981 - Nelson Algren, US writer (Man with the Golden Arm), dies at 72
• 1982 - Ab [Albert] Visser, poet/writer (Ka‹n sloeg Abel), dies
• 1985 - Edmond O'Brien, actor (Moon Pilot, Wild Bunch), dies at 69
• 1986 - Dirk de Vroome, [Red Giant], Limbourg activist, dies at 60
• 1986 - Herschel Bernardi, actor (Lt Jacoby-Peter Gunn, Arnie), dies at 62
• 1986 - Tenzing Norgay, Tibetan climber (Mount Everest 1953), dies at 71
• 1987 - Obafemi Awolowo, Nigeria, pres of Nigeria (1979-83), dies at 78
• 1989 - Keith Whitley, country singer (Don't Close Your Eyes), dies at 33
• 1989 - Paul J Steenbergen, actor (Ciske de Rat), dies at 82
• 1990 - Luigi Nono, Ital composer (Intolleranza), dies at 66
• 1990 - Pauline Frederick, 1st women to moderate Pres debate, dies at 84
• 1991 - James L Reinsch, media-advisor (Roosevelt/Churchill/Kennedy), dies
• 1991 - Ronnie Brody, British actor (Superman III, Whats Up Nurse), dies at 72
• 1991 - Rudolf Serkin, Bohemian/US pianist, dies
• 1992 - Mike Tyrell [Red Baron], British air acrobat, dies in an accident
• 1993 - Freya Stark, English author (Sunday Bloody Sunday), dies at 61
• 1993 - Mary Duncan Sanford, dies at 98
• 1993 - Penelope Gilliatt [Conner], British author
• 1995 - Abha Gandhi, servant to Gandhi, dies at 68
• 1995 - Charles Montgomery Monteith, publisher, dies at 74
• 1995 - Marshall Royal, jazz Sax/Clarinet, dies at 82
• 1995 - Percy Mansell, cricketer (355 runs in 13 Tests for S Afr), dies