• 1367 - Sigismund, German Emperor/king of Hungary/Bohemia
• 1476 - Paul IV, [Giampietro Caraffa], inquisition/Pope (1555-59)
• 1490 - Albrecht von Brandenburg, German archbishop/monarch of Mainz/cardinal
• 1547 - Cristofano Malvezzi, composer
• 1550 - John Drusius, Flemish hebrew translator
• 1577 - Peter Paul Rubens, Siegen, Flemish Baroque painter (Circumcision)
• 1586 - Paul Siefert, composer
• 1712 - Jean Jacques Rousseau, France, composer/social contractor (Confession)
• 1734 - Jean-Jacques Beauvarget-Charpentier, composer
• 1787 - Henry G W Smith, leader of British-Indian forces
• 1806 - Napoleon Coste, composer
• 1808 - Cristina di Trivulzio di Belgioioso, Italian princess/politican
• 1812 - Rudolf von Alt, Austrian painter
• 1816 - Jacob P P baron van Zuylen van Nijevelt, Min Foreign Affairs (1852-53)
• 1824 - Paul Broca, France, brain surgeon/anthro (located speech center)
• 1824 - William Tatus Wofford, Brig General (Confederate Army), died in 1884
• 1825 - Richard ACE Erlenmeyer, German chemist (Erlenemyer kolf)
• 1831 - Joseph Joachim, Kittsee Germany, violinist (Hungarian Concerto)
• 1847 - Sveinbjorn Sveinbjornsson, composer
• 1852 - Hans Huber, composer
• 1853 - Edwin Arthur Jones, composer
• 1865 - Otto Julius Bierbaum, German writer/journalist (Remarkable Stories)
• 1867 - Luigi Pirandello, Italy, writer (6 Characters-Nobel 1934)
• 1867 - William Courtleigh, Guelph Ontario, actor (Eyes of Youth, Madame X)
• 1873 - Alexis Carrel, France, surgeon/sociologist/biologist (Nobel 1912)
• 1874 - Oley Speaks, composer
• 1879 - Sigurd von Koch, composer
• 1885 - Berthold Viertel, writer
• 1885 - Giuseppe Mule, composer
• 1886 - Joe Cox, cricketer (S African pace bowler in 1913-14 series v England)
• 1887 - Boleslav Vomacka, composer
• 1888 - George Challenor, cricketer (pioneering West Indian batsman)
• 1889 - Frank Mayo, silent screen actor (Burning Gold, Hell's Headquarters)
• 1892 - Edward H Carr, England, historian (History of Soviet Russia)
• 1893 - Luciano Gallet, composer
• 1893 - Nils Bjorkander, composer
• 1894 - Lois Wilson, Pitts Pa, actress (Alice-Aldrich Family)
• 1895 - Kazimierz Sikorski, composer
• 1897 - Jacobus J E Hondius, graphic artist
• 1900 - Leon Kruczkowski, Polish author (Kordian into Cham)
• 1902 - John Dillinger, US bank robber (public enemy #1)
• 1902 - Pierre Brunet, France, figure skater pair (Olympic-gold-1928, 32)
• 1902 - Richard Rodgers, Hammels Station NY, composer (Rodgers & Hammerstein)
• 1903 - Alan Bunce, Westfield NJ, actor (Albert-Ethel & Albert)
• 1904 - Wlodzimierz Pozniak, composer
• 1906 - Maria Goeppert Mayer, US atomic physicist (Nobel 1963)
• 1906 - Nancy Mayhew Youngman, artist/educator
• 1906 - Safford Cape, US/Belgian conductor/composer/music historian
• 1907 - Paul-Emile Victor, French pole explorer (La civilisation du phoque)
• 1908 - James L Reinsch, media-adviser (Roosevelt/Churchill/Kennedy)
• 1909 - Arnold Shaw, composer
• 1909 - Eric Ambler, London, suspense writer (Epitaph for a Spy)
• 1909 - French van Immerseel, Belgian graphic artist
• 1912 - Audrey Langford, singing teacher
• 1912 - Carl F von Weisz„cker, German physicist/philosopher
• 1912 - Sergiu Celibidache, conductor
• 1913 - George Walter Selwyn Lloyd, English composer (Serf, John Socman)
• 1914 - Charles Urbanus, Dutch baseball player
• 1914 - Lester Raymond Flatt, TN, bluegrass (Earl-Ballad of Jed Clampett)
• 1917 - Willem "Wim" Sonneveld, Dutch singer/actor (My Fair Lady)
• 1918 - Bert Schierbeek, [Lambertus], Dutch writer/poet (Cross Roads)
• 1921 - P V Narasimha Rao, premier of India (1991- )
• 1922 - Terje Stigen, Norwegian author (Det siste paradiset)
• 1923 - Lloyd Labeach, Panama City, 100m/200m runner (Olympic-bronze-1948)
• 1924 - Henk van Stipriaan, Dutch radio host
• 1925 - Giselher W Kleber, German (opera)composer (Die R„uber)
• 1926 - Mel Brooks, NYC, comedian/actor/director (Blazing Saddles, Spaceballs)
• 1926 - Robert Shelton Shapiro, journalist
• 1927 - Theo van Tijn, Dutch marxist/social-historian
• 1928 - Andrew Gordon Speedie-Pask, cybernetician stage producer/lyricist
• 1928 - Peter Heine, cricketer (solid South African fast bowler in 1950's)
• 1928 - Ronald Alfred Gardyne "Rags" Butler, sailor
• 1929 - Don Dubbins, Brooklyn, actor (Enchanted Island, Fix)
• 1930 - Nikolay Nikolayevich Karetnikov, composer
• 1933 - Gunnar Reynir Sveinsson, composer
• 1933 - Pat Morita, Berkeley CA, actor (Happy Days, Karate Kid)
• 1934 - Carl M Levin, (Sen-D Michigan, 1979- )
• 1934 - Roy Gilchrist, cricketer (volatile WI fast bowler of late 50s)
• 1936 - Bill Orton, (Rep-R-UT, 1983- )
• 1936 - Gisela Kraft, writer
• 1936 - Major R Owens, (Rep-D-NY)
• 1936 - Peter Hall, folklorist/musician
• 1938 - Leon E Panetta, (Rep-D-CA, 1977- )
• 1942 - "Chris" Martin Thembisile Hani, sec-gen (S Africa Communist Party)
• 1942 - Jim Kolbe, (Rep-R-AZ, 1985- )
• 1942 - Sjoukje Dijkstra, Holland, figure skater (Olympic-gold-1964)
• 1943 - Bobby Harrison, England, rock drummer (Procol Harum-Conquistador)
• 1943 - Ed Pastor, (Rep-D-Arizona)
• 1945 - Dave Knights, London, rock bassist (Procol Harum-Conquistador)
• 1945 - Jane Harmon, (Rep-D-California)
• 1946 - Bruce Davison, Phila, actor (Capt Wyler-Hunter, Willard, High Risk)
• 1946 - Gilda Radner, Detroit Mich, actress (SNL, Haunted Honeymoon)
• 1946 - John "Mike" Lounge, Denver Colo, astr (STS 51-I, STS 26, STS 35)
• 1946 - Robert L Asprin, US, sci-fi writer (Thieves World, Cold Cash War)
• 1946 - Robert Xavier Rodriguez, composer
• 1947 - Mark Helprin, US writer
• 1947 - Patrick Kincaid, who wrote the TODAY program; send him a card
• 1948 - Kathy Bates, Memphis TN, academy award winning actress (Misery)
• 1949 - Don Baylor, Tx, baseball player (Rockies, 1979 AL RBI leader, 267 HBP)
• 1949 - Edward Totah, art dealer
• 1950 - Ken Arthur, Australian softball asst coach (Olympics-bronze-96)
• 1952 - Pietro Mennea, Italian runner (200m world record)
• 1954 - Alice Krige, South Africa, actress (Chariots of Fire, Ladykiller)
• 1954 - Ava Barber, Knoxville Tn, country singer (Lawrence Welk Show)
• 1955 - Mitch Addock, Macon MS, Nike golfer (1992 BC Open-11th)
• 1955 - Nikolai Simyatov, USSR, nordic skier (Olympic-3 golds-1976)
• 1958 - Oran "Juice" Jones, rocker (Curiosity, Here I Go Again)
• 1958 - Sergei Shakrai, USSR, figure skater (Olympic-silver-1980)
• 1960 - John Elway, NFL quarterback (Denver Broncos-Superbowl 32)
• 1961 - Jay Schroeder, NFL quarterback (Wash Redskins, LA Raiders)
• 1961 - Jeff Malone, NBA guard (Washington Bullets, Miami Heat)
• 1962 - Anisoara Stanciu-Cusmir, Romania, long jumper (Olympic-gold-1984)
• 1963 - Allen Pitts, CFL slot back (Calgary Stampeders)
• 1963 - Andy Cousin, rocker (All About Eve-All About Scarlet & Other Stories)
• 1964 - Bryan Barker, NFL punter (Jacksonville Jaguars)
• 1964 - Stephanie Maynor, Chester England, golfer (1995 PING Welch's-13th)
• 1964 - Susan Mascarin, Detroit Mich, tennis star
• 1965 - Michele Timms, WNBA guard (Phoenix Mercury, Olympics-1988, 96)
• 1966 - Andrew Lang, NBA center (Minnesota Timberwolves, Milwaukee Bucks)
• 1966 - John Cusack, Chicago, actor (Stand By Me, Sure Thing, Better Off Dead)
• 1966 - Mary Stuart Masterson, Houston Tx, actress (Some Kind of Wonderful)
• 1966 - Mike Bellamy, WLAF receiver (Frankfurt Galaxy)
• 1967 - Anthony Smith, NFL defensive end (Oakland Raiders)
• 1967 - Matt Karchner, Berwick PA, pitcher (Chic White Sox)
• 1969 - Danielle Brisebois, Bkln NY, actress (Archie's Place, Big Bad Mama 2)
• 1969 - Tichina Arnold, Queens, actress (Ryan's Hope, Sharla-All My Children)
• 1970 - Mushtaq Ahmed, cricketer (prodigious Pakistani leggie 1990-)
• 1970 - [Jack] Stephen Burton, Indianapolis, actor (Chris-Out of this World)
• 1971 - Aileen Quinn, actress (Annie)
• 1971 - Bobby Hurley, NBA guard (Sacramento Kings)
• 1971 - Gary Downs, NFL running back (Denver Broncos)
• 1971 - Greg Evans, NFL/WLAF safety (Buffalo Bills, Frankfurt Galaxy)
• 1971 - Greg Keagle, Corning NY, pitcher (Detroit Tigers)
• 1971 - Jeff Cothran, NFL fullback (Cin Bengals)
• 1972 - Arie van de Padt, Dutch soccer player (Tonegido, Sparta)
• 1972 - Eric Johnson, CFL linebacker (Toronto Argonauts)
• 1972 - Jerry Colquitt, WLAF quarterback (Frankfurt Galaxy)
• 1972 - Kelly Wiltshire, CFL defensive back (Toronto Argonauts)
• 1972 - Marvin Jones, NFL linebacker (NY Jets)
• 1972 - Ryan Fujita, hockey forward (Team Japan 1998)
• 1973 - Alberto Berastegui, Spain, tennis star
• 1973 - Brian Maisonneuve, Detroit Mich, soccer midfielder (Olympics-gold-96)
• 1973 - Ingrid Seynhaeve, Brussels Belgium, model (Look of the Year 1991)
• 1974 - Atilla Buday, Budapest Hungary, Canadian canoeist (Olympics-96)
• 1974 - Josh[ua] Crosby, Manchester Mass, rower (Olympics-1996)
• 1974 - Karim Abdul-Jabaar, running back (Miami Dolphins)
• 1975 - Chad Green, Dunkirk NY, baseball outfielder (Olympics-bronze-96)
• 1977 - Lindsay Lee, Okla City Okla, tennis star (1995 Futures-Woodlands TX)
• 1979 - ? Papajohn, Englewood Co, 1996 US Ladies' Figure Champion

Famous deaths for this day ..

• 0548 - Theodora, dancer/empress of Byzantine (Nika-oproer), dies
• 0573 - Alboin, king of Longobarden, probably poisoned by his wife
• 0767 - Paul I, [Paolo Orsini?], Italian Pope (757-67), dies
• 1061 - Floris I, count of Holland, dies
• 1385 - Andronicus IV Paleologus, Byzantine anti-emperor, dies
• 1598 - Abraham Ortelius, [Ortels/Hortels], South Neth geographer, dies at 71
• 1617 - Johan Evertsen de Captain, Swiss admiral, dies in battle
• 1714 - Cornelis Chastelein, colonial director, dies at 56
• 1714 - Daniel van Papenbroeck, Flemish jesuit/historian, dies at 86
• 1742 - Johann Joseph Ignaz Brentner, composer, dies at 52
• 1748 - Marretje Arends, [Matje of Nieuwendijk], Amsterdam plunderer, hanged
• 1748 - Pieter van Dort, Amsterdam plunderer, hanged
• 1776 - Thomas Hickey, American sergeant convicted of treason, hanged
• 1788 - Johann Christoph Vogel, composer, dies at 32
• 1798 - Pierre Dutillieu, composer, dies at 44
• 1802 - Johann J Angel, German author/director, dies at 60
• 1806 - Johann Friedrich Ludwig Sievers, composer, dies at 64
• 1813 - Gerhard JD von Scharnhorst, Prus min of War (1807-10), dies in battle
• 1830 - David Walker, abolitionist (Appeal to Colored Citizens), dies at 44
• 1836 - James Madison, 4th US pres (1809-17), dies in Montpelier Va at 85
• 1844 - Gabriel de la Concepci¢n Vald‚s, "Placido", Cuban poet, dies at 35
• 1846 - Adrian van de Ende, vicar/protestant reformer, dies at 77
• 1855 - Giovanni Agostino Perotti, composer, dies at 86
• 1857 - Joseph Fischhof, composer, dies at 53
• 1872 - Ludwig Friedrich Hetsch, composer, dies at 66
• 1876 - August W Ambros, Austria musicologist, dies at 59
• 1889 - Maria Mitchell, 1st US woman astronomer (Vassar), dies at 70
• 1890 - Edouard Gregoir, composer, dies at 67
• 1891 - Jose Inzenga y Castellanos, composer, dies at 63
• 1909 - Israel Durham, Phillies president dies
• 1910 - Gustave Leon Huberti, composer, dies at 67
• 1912 - Josef V Sl dek, Czech poet (Za soumraku), dies at 66
• 1914 - Franz Ferdinand, Austrian archduke (Sarajevo, Bosnia), assassinated
• 1914 - Sophie, Princess of Austria, assassinated
• 1915 - Victor Trumper, cricketer (48 Tests for Australia, 3163 runs), dies
• 1937 - Max Adler, Austrian socialist theorist, dies at 64
• 1940 - Italo Balbo, Italian pilot/gov-gen of Libya, dies at 44
• 1946 - Eduard Veterman, Dutch painter/playwright, dies in an auto accident
• 1947 - Stanislav K Neumann, Czech poet (Anti-Guide), dies at 72
• 1950 - Henry Balfour Gardiner, composer, dies at 72
• 1954 - Red deer, in Milwaukee Zoo, oldest known deer, dies at 26
• 1957 - Alfred D”blin, German/French author/co-founder (Sturm), dies at 78
• 1957 - Ede Poldini, composer, dies at 88
• 1958 - Alfred Noyes, British poet/essayist (Robin Hood), dies at 77
• 1958 - George Gunn, cricketer (15 Tests for England), dies at 50
• 1962 - Mickey Cochrane, baseball hall of fame catcher, dies at 59
• 1963 - Frank "Home Run" Baker, (hit 2 HRs in 1911 world series) dies at 77
• 1964 - King Calder, actor (Lt Grey-Martin Kane Private Eye), dies at 64
• 1965 - [Theodora E] Betsy Ranucci-Beckman, actress (Dood Water), dies at 88
• 1971 - Henri Puvrez, Belgian sculptor (Serenity), dies at 78
• 1971 - Joseph Colombo, mobster, shot dead at 48
• 1974 - Frank Sutton, actor (Sgt Vince Carter-Gomer Pyle USMC), dies at 50
• 1975 - Rod Serling, writer/host (Twilight Zone, Night Gallery), dies at 50
• 1976 - Stanley Baker, actor (Accident, Guns of Navarone), dies at 49
• 1979 - Paul Dessau, German composer/conducter (Berlin, 1925-33), dies at 84
• 1980 - Heal Gahagan Douglas, (Rep-D-Ca), lost to Nixon, dies at 79
• 1980 - Herbie Faye, comedian (Doc, Phil Silvers Show), dies at 81
• 1980 - Jos‚ Iturbi, Spanish/US pianist (Peque¤a danza Espa¤ola), dies at 84
• 1980 - Yoshiro Irino, composer, dies at 58
• 1981 - Ayatollah Mohammad Beheshti, Iran Islamic Rep Party founder, bombed
• 1981 - Peter Paul Kreuder, German composer, dies at 75
• 1982 - Gerard[us M] Rutten, director (Sterren stralen overal), dies
• 1982 - Harry Mills, US, singer (Mills Brothers), dies at 70
• 1985 - James Craig, actor (Human Comedy, Kismet), dies of lung cancer at 74
• 1988 - Kurt Raab, writer/actor (Boarding School, Stationmaster's Wife), dies
• 1989 - Joris Ivens, director (Indonesia), dies at 90
• 1990 - Estelle Lamont, entertainer, dies
• 1991 - Ernie McCormick, cricketer (12 Tests for Australia), dies
• 1991 - Klas Bruinsma, clergyman, dies
• 1992 - Mikhail Tai, World chess champion (1960-61), dies at 55
• 1993 - Boris Christoff, Bulgaria/Italian bass (Don Carlos), dies at 79
• 1994 - Fredericka Carolyn Washington, actress (Black & Tan), dies at 90
• 1994 - William A Henry III, critic (Time Mag), dies of heart attack at 44
• 1995 - Donald Sinclair, vet, dies at 83
• 1996 - George Ghita Ionescu, academic, dies at 83
• 1996 - Michael Wishart, artist, dies at 68
• 1996 - Piers Gray, critic/writer, dies at 49
• 1996 - Ronald George Woodman, pilot, dies at 82
• 1996 - Willard F. McMurry, musician, dies at 89