• 1588 - Thomas Hobbes, England, philosopher (Leviathan)
• 1595 - John Wilson, composer
• 1598 - Laurentius Erhard, composer
• 1626 - Jan van Kessel, Flemish painter
• 1643 - Charles V Leopold, Duke of Lorraine/fieldmarshal in Austria
• 1649 - Elihu Yale, England, philanthropist founded Yale
• 1698 - Georg Gottfried Wagner, composer
• 1725 - Giacomo Casanova, Italian writer/philanderer/adventurer (uncertain)
• 1727 - Pasquale Ankossi, composer
• 1732 - Jean-Honor‚ Fragonard, France, painter
• 1752 - S‚bastien Erard, piano/harp manufacturer
• 1784 - Louis [Ludwig] Spohr, Germany, violin virtuoso/composer (Faust)
• 1784 - Ludwig Spohr, composer
• 1788 - Franz Pforr, German painter/cartoonist (Lukasbund)
• 1795 - Henry Havelock, British soldier (War in Afghanistan 1838-39)
• 1799 - Vincenzo Fioravanti, composer
• 1811 - Jules Dupr‚, landscape painter
• 1818 - Lewis Baldwin Parsons, Bvt Major General (Union volunteers)
• 1820 - Nadar, [F‚lix Tournachon], French painter/cartoonist/author/ballonist
• 1822 - James Nagle, Brig General (Union volunteers), died in 1866
• 1824 - Sydney Thompson Dobell, poet (Roman)
• 1825 - David Rumph "Neighbor" Jones, Major General (Confederate Army)
• 1827 - Joseph Lister, England, physician (founded aseptic surgery)
• 1828 - Pietro Plantania, composer
• 1830 - Alexander Muir, Lesmahagow Scotland, poet (Maple Leaf Forever)
• 1832 - Jules-Fran‡ois Camille Ferry, French statesman
• 1837 - Algernon Charles Swinburne, England, poet (Atalanta in Calydon)
• 1838 - Alpheus Hyatt, US, invertebrate paleontologist
• 1839 - Robert Smalls, Beaufort SC, black congressman 1875-87 (Rep-SC)
• 1839 - Stanislaw Pilinski, composer
• 1845 - Jules M Cambon, French gov-gen of Algeria/ambassador
• 1853 - Alfonso Randano, composer
• 1854 - Vicente Goicoechea Errasti, composer
• 1856 - Booker Taliaferro Washington, pioneer educator (1st black on US stamp)
• 1857 - Alexander-Jozef von Battenberg, ruler of Bulgaria (1879-86)
• 1859 - Wilhelm Harteveld, composer
• 1862 - Louis Ganne, composer
• 1868 - J F "Flooi" Du Toit, cricketer (one Test S Africa 1892)
• 1869 - Albert Roussel, Tourcoing France, composer (Rapsodie Flamende)
• 1869 - Karl Wagenfeld, Low German writer (Daud un D�wel)
• 1871 - Jeanne Bougeois, [La Mistinguette], artist (French revue)
• 1876 - Viktor Patrick Vretblad, composer
• 1882 - Don Blackie, cricketer (Australian off-spinner in 1928-29 yes, age 46)
• 1885 - Dimitrie Cuclin, composer
• 1886 - Jacques Handschin, Swiss musicologist (Der Toncharakter)
• 1890 - Fie Carelsen, Dutch actress (Malle Gervallen)
• 1893 - Clas Thunberg, Finland, speed skater (Olympic-gold-1924, 28)
• 1893 - P l Szab¢, Hungarian farmer/author (Talpalatnyi F”ld)
• 1899 - William Hornby Steer, barrister/judge
• 1900 - Spencer Tracy, Milwaukee, actor (Father's Little Dividend, Adam's Rib)
• 1901 - Alexander Alexeieff, Russian/French painter/graphic artist
• 1901 - Chester Bowles, Mass, ambassador/writer (Conscience of a Liberal)
• 1901 - Melvyn Douglas, [Hesselberg], Macon Ga, actor (Hud, Ghost Story)
• 1903 - Thomas Baron Pitfield, composer
• 1905 - Bill Raisch, one armed actor (Fred Johnson-Fugitive)
• 1905 - Jef Maes, composer
• 1906 - Arthur Guy Clutton-Brock, English agronomist
• 1907 - J Zeldenrust, Dutch pathologist/anatomist
• 1908 - Bette Davis, Lowell Mass, famous eyes (Of Human Bondage, Jezebel)
• 1908 - George Schick, Prague Czech, conductor (Chicago Symphony)
• 1908 - Grady Sutton, Chattanooga Tn, actor (Pruitts of South Hampton)
• 1908 - Herbert von Karajan, Austria, Nazi/conductor (Berlin Philharmonic)
• 1908 - Mary Hemingway, writer (Ernest Hemmingway Biography)
• 1909 - Alberto Romero "Cubby" Broccoli, NYC, film producer (James Bond)
• 1909 - Cubby Alberto Romolo Broccoli, movie producer
• 1909 - Gerald Bond, cricketer (one Test S Africa v England 1938, 0 & 0-16)
• 1911 - Goddard Lieberson, Hanley Staffordshire England, recording exec
• 1911 - Gordon Jones, Alden Iowa, actor (Mike the Cop-Abbott & Costello)
• 1912 - John Le Mesurier, Bedford England, actor (Jabberwocky, Dad's Army)
• 1913 - Alan Cheales, dominican priest
• 1914 - Frederick Angus Armstrong, journalist
• 1916 - Baroness Delacourt-Smith of Alteryn
• 1916 - Bernard Baily, comic artist
• 1916 - Gregory Peck, La Jolla Calif, actor (To Kill a Mockingbird, MacArthur)
• 1917 - Richard Yardumian, Philadelphia, composer (Come Creator Spirit)
• 1917 - Robert [Albert] Bloch, US, sci-fi author (Hugo, Psycho)
• 1919 - Douglas Henley, British auditor-general
• 1920 - Arthur Hailey, Luton England, novelist (Hotel, Airport)
• 1920 - Barend Biesheuvel, Dutch premier (1971-73)
• 1921 - Lady Fisher, founder (British Women Caring Trust)
• 1921 - Les Jackson, cricket bowler (England twice, 1949 & 1961)
• 1921 - Robert Q Lewis, NYC, TV host (Masquerade Party, Robert Q Lewis Show)
• 1922 - Gale Storm, Bloomington Tx, actr (My Little Margie, Gale Storm Show)
• 1922 - Harry Freedman, composer
• 1922 - Tom Finney, British soccer star
• 1923 - Ernest Mandel, Belgian philosopher/economist
• 1923 - Michael V Gazzo, Hillside NJ, actor (Cookie, Fear City)
• 1923 - Nguyen Van Thieu, South Vietnam president (1965-75)
• 1923 - Stanley Orme, Chairman (British Labour Party)
• 1924 - Mart Kempers, Dutch graphic artist/sculptor
• 1925 - Oldrich Flosman, composer
• 1926 - Ann B Davis, actress (Alice-Brady Bunch)
• 1926 - Milton O Thompson, astronaut (Dynasoar, X-15)
• 1926 - Roger Corman, Detroit, producer/director (Little Shop of Horrors)
• 1927 - John Gilbert, MP
• 1928 - David Farquhar Andress, composer
• 1928 - Michael Bryant, London England, actor (Sakharov, Girly)
• 1928 - Peter Moore, Principal (London Business School)
• 1928 - Tony Williams, Elizabeth NJ, singer (Platters-Only You, Harbor Lights)
• 1928 - Will Gaines, jazz dancer
• 1929 - Hugo Claus, Flemish writer/director (Cool Lover, Sugar)
• 1929 - Nigel Hawthorne, actor (Tartuffe, Pope John Paul II)
• 1931 - Denis Lawton, director (London University Institute of Educ)
• 1933 - Frank Gorshin, Pittsburgh Pa, comedian/impersonator (Riddler-Batman)
• 1934 - Stanley Turrentine, jazz saxophonist (Wonderland)
• 1934 - Tina Maria Stone, runner (1 year distance record of 15,472 miles)
• 1935 - Donald Lynden-Bell, British astronomer
• 1935 - Peter Grant, rock band manager
• 1936 - John Albert, professor (Master of University College Oxford)
• 1936 - John White, composer
• 1936 - Michael Livesay, British admiral/pres (RN College Greenwich)
• 1937 - Colin Powell, Bronx NY, general/asst to president (Nat Sec Affairs)
• 1937 - Stuart May, senior partner (Theodore Goddard)
• 1938 - Colin Bland, cricketer (South African bat Maybe the best cover field)
• 1938 - Ronald Anthony White Jr, singer
• 1939 - Andrew Buxton, CEO (Barclays Bank)
• 1939 - David Winters, London England, choreographer (Steve Allen Comedy Hour)
• 1939 - Lonnie White, vocalist (Smokey Robinson & Miracles-Shop Around)
• 1940 - Aliza Kashi, Israel, actress/singer (Merv Griffin regular)
• 1941 - Dave Swarbrick, rocker (Fairport Convention)
• 1941 - David LaFlamme, Utah, electric violinist (It's a Beautiful Day)
• 1941 - Eric Burdon, England, rocker (Animals-House of the Rising Sun)
• 1941 - Michael Moriarty, Detroit, actor (Bang the Drum Slowly, Q, Stuff)
• 1941 - Roman Balayan, Nerke Azerbaijan, director (Filer, Biryuk)
• 1942 - Allan Clarke, rock vocalist (Hollies-Air That I Breathe)
• 1942 - Arthur Barrett, cricketer (WI leggie early 70's)
• 1943 - Jonathan Lynn, Bath England, actor (Danny-Doctor in the House)
• 1943 - Max Gail, Detroit, (Barney Miller, Whiz Kids, DC Cab, Normal People)
• 1944 - Ann [Elizabeth] Maxwell, US, sci-fi author (Jaws of Menx)
• 1944 - Crispian St Peters, rocker
• 1944 - Dave Holland, heavy metal rocker (Judas Priest-Breakin' the Law)
• 1944 - James Buckley, CEO (Baltic Exchange)
• 1944 - Lord Rockley
• 1944 - Nicholas Caldwell, rocker (Whispers)
• 1944 - Peter T King, (Rep-R-New York)
• 1944 - Willeke van Ammelrooy, Amsterdam, actress (Cidke de Rat, Antonia)
• 1946 - Jane Asher, Paul McCartney's girlfriend/actress (Deep End)
• 1946 - Jennifer Penney, ballerina
• 1946 - Larry Frederick Wendt, composer
• 1946 - Robert E McKee, CEO/managing director (Conoco-UK)
• 1949 - Judith Arlene Resnik, Akron Ohio, ast (STS 41D, 51L-Chal disaster)
• 1950 - Agnetha F„ltskog, Stockholm Sweden, rocker (ABBA-Waterloo)
• 1950 - Anna Ulvaeus, rocker (Aha-Take on Me)
• 1950 - Franklin R Chang-Diaz, Costa Rica, astro (STS 61C, 34,46,60,75, sk:91)
• 1950 - Mildred Douglas, Surinames/Dutch singer (Mai Tai)
• 1951 - Everett Morton, rocker (English Beat)
• 1951 - Roosevel Ferguson, Arkansas, murderer (FBI Most Wanted List)
• 1953 - John Buchanan, cricketer (Qld batsman 78-79, Shield coach 1995)
• 1954 - Christopher S Nelson, New Orleans LA, actor (Sons & Daughters)
• 1954 - Michael W Butler, computer programmer (created TODAY program)
• 1954 - Stan Ridgeway, rocker (Mosquito-Garage Sale)
• 1955 - Janice Long, British radio host (Crash FM)
• 1955 - Renate Bruemmer, astronaut/cosmonaut
• 1957 - Vince Gill, Norman Okla, country singer (When I Call Your Name)
• 1958 - Cammie Lusko, LA Calif, Guinness' World Strongest Woman
• 1958 - Johan Kriek, South Africa, tennis player (US Indoor 1982)
• 1964 - Martha Faulconer, Indianapolis IN, golfer (1993 ShopRite LPGA-5th)
• 1964 - Robert "Bob" Kaehler, Burlingame Calif, rower (Olympics-5th-1992, 96)
• 1966 - Brent Hughes, New Westminster Ca, NHL left wing (Buffalo Sabres)
• 1966 - Larry Norman, Toronto Ontario, canoeist (Olympics-19-92, 96)
• 1966 - Scott Dill, NFL tackle/guard (Tampa Bay Bucs, Minnesota Vikings)
• 1968 - Gianna Amore, Warwick RI, playmate (August, 1989)
• 1968 - Tasia Valenza, NYC, actress (All My Children)
• 1970 - Erlan Sagymbayev, hockey forward (Team Kazakhstan Oly-1998)
• 1970 - Tim Jacobs, NFL running back (Cleve Browns, Miami Dolphins)
• 1971 - Bob Kuberski, NFL defensive tackle (Green Bay Packers-Superbowl 31)
• 1971 - Finidi George, soccer player (Ajax)
• 1971 - Stuart Peele, Australian rower (Olympics-96)
• 1972 - Shigemasa Ito, WLAF offensive linebacker (Rhein Fire)
• 1973 - Ed Hobbs, WLAF RB (London Monarchs)
• 1973 - Emile Palmer, WLAF DT (London Monarchs)
• 1973 - Estefania Knuth, Barcelona Spain, LPGA golfer (1992 French Intl)
• 1973 - Spencer Folau, NFL/WLAF offensive tackle (Balt Ravens, Rhein Fire)
• 1973 - Tony Banks, quarterback (St Louis Rams)
• 1973 - Yutaka Kawaguchi, hockey defenseman (Team Japan 1998)
• 1974 - Mike DuHaney, New Haven Ct, soccer defender (Olympics-gold-96)
• 1974 - Rick Terry, NFL defensive tackle (NY Jets)
• 1975 - Nikki Dryden, Calgary Alberta, 800m swimmer (Olympics-6th-92, 96)
• 1976 - Ike Hilliard, NFL wide receiver (NY Giants)
• 1976 - Ryan Drese, SF Calif, baseball pitcher (Olympics-bronze-96)
• 1977 - JoAnn Sevin, Dubois PA, air pistol (Olympics-1996)
• 1977 - Sevilay Ozturk, Miss Universe-Turkey (1996)
• 2173 - Harcourt Fenton "Harry" Mudd, New Amsterdam, Arcturus (Star Trek)

Famous deaths for this day ..

• 0828 - Nicephorus, patriarch of Constantinopel (806-15), dies at about 77
• 1258 - Julian of Cornillon/Liege, Flemish visionary/saint, dies
• 1270 - Ramban Nachmanides, Talmudic scholar (Hiddushei Ha-Ramden), dies
• 1531 - Richard Roose, boiled to death for trying to poison an archbishop
• 1649 - John Winthrop, 1st governor Mass Bay Colony, dies at 61
• 1673 - Fran‡ois Caron, admiral/governor (Formosa), drowns at about 72
• 1684 - William Brouncker, 2nd viscount/1st pres of Royal Society, dies
• 1693 - Anne M L of Orl‚ans, duchess (Grande Mademoiselle), dies at 65
• 1695 - George Savile, 1st marquis of Halifax, dies at 61
• 1697 - Charles XI, King of Sweden (1660-97), dies at 41
• 1712 - John Luyken, poet/etcher (species company), dies at 63
• 1723 - J Fischer von Erlach, Austrian architect (Hofburg, Vienna), dies at 66
• 1732 - Johann Christian Schieferdecker, composer, dies at 52
• 1765 - Edward Young, English poet (Love of Fame), dies at 81
• 1794 - Georges-Jacques Danton, French revolutionary leader, guillotined at 34
• 1794 - Marie Jean H‚rault de S‚chelles, French author/politician, dies
• 1811 - Robert Raikes, founder of Sunday Schools, dies
• 1820 - Henrik C Cras, lawyer (Laudatio Hugonis Grotii), dies at 81
• 1871 - Georg Andreas Henkel, composer, dies at 66
• 1878 - Wilhelm Speyer, composer, dies at 87
• 1884 - John Wisden, publisher/cricketer (prominent Sussex player), dies
• 1896 - John Rogers Thomas, composer, dies at 66
• 1900 - Comte de Villebois-Marevil, French/S African general, dies in battle
• 1907 - Anton G van Hamel, founder (Roman philosphy in Neth), dies at 65
• 1908 - Gaetano Coronaro, composer, dies at 55
• 1918 - Paul Vidal de la Blanche, French geographer, dies at 73
• 1921 - Alphonsus J M Diepenbrock, Dutch composer (Missa), dies at 58
• 1922 - Charles F A Woeste, Belgian count/min of Justice, dies at 85
• 1923 - George Edward Stanhope Molyne£x Herbert, egyptologist, dies at 56
• 1928 - Jane Ellen Harrison, scholar/archaeologist, dies
• 1928 - Roy Kilner, cricketer (9 Tests for England 1924-26), dies at 38
• 1934 - Salvatore Di Giacomo, composer, dies at 74
• 1935 - Emil Mlynarski, composer, dies at 64
• 1939 - William Cooper, cricketer (two Tests for Australia 1882-84), dies
• 1944 - Isolde Kurz, German writer/poetess (Meine Mutter), dies at 90
• 1944 - Willy Derby, [Dieben], singer (Hello Bandoeng), dies
• 1945 - Huldreich Georg Fruh, composer, dies at 41
• 1946 - Vincent Millie Youmans, US composer (Tea For Two), dies at 47
• 1951 - Edward Rigby, dies at 72
• 1952 - Henri Vandeputte, Belgian writer (L'Autre Vie), dies at 75
• 1954 - Claude Delvincourt, composer, dies at 66
• 1958 - Jozef Brems, Flemish apostole vicar of Denmark, dies at 87
• 1960 - Alma Kruger, actor (Made For Each Other), dies at 88
• 1963 - Jacobus JP Old, architect/co-founder (The Style), dies at 73
• 1963 - Julius Harrison, composer, dies at 78
• 1964 - Douglas MacArthur, US general (Pacific theater-WW II), dies at 84
• 1966 - Sven Fleuron, writer, dies at 91
• 1968 - Lois Andrews, dies of lung cancer at 44
• 1969 - Gabriel M-E-R Chevallier, French author (La Peur), dies at 73
• 1969 - R¢mulo Gallegos, Venezuela author/president (1947-48), dies at 84
• 1970 - Jacob H "Jaap" Stotijn, oboist/conductor, dies at 78
• 1972 - Brian Donlevy, actor (Steve-Dangerous Assignment), dies at 73
• 1972 - Isabel Jewell, dies at 62
• 1974 - William Hudson, actor (I Led 3 Lives), dies at 49
• 1975 - Inez Courtney, dies at 67
• 1975 - Victor GM Marijnen, Dutch premier (1963-65), dies at 58
• 1976 - Howard Hughes, reclusive billionaire, dies at 72
• 1977 - John Marriott, dies at 83
• 1981 - Bob "Bear" Hite, rocker (Canned Heat), dies of a heart attack at 36
• 1981 - Cornelis Verolme, Dutch ship builder, dies at 80
• 1982 - Abe Fortas, Supreme court justice, dies at 71
• 1984 - Arthur Travors Harris, marshal of British RAF, dies
• 1984 - Theo Koomen, Dutch sportscaster, dies in auto-accident at 54
• 1985 - Tyrell Johnson, cricketer (WI left-arm quickie, one Test 1939), dies
• 1986 - Colin McCool, cricketer (14 Tests for Australia, 36 wkts), dies
• 1986 - Manly Wade Wellman, sci-fi author (Devil's Planet), dies at 82
• 1988 - Alf Kjellin, Swedish actor/director (Juggler), dies
• 1990 - Nico Scheepmaker, Dutch columnist/poet, dies at 59
• 1991 - John Tower, (Sen-R-Tx), dies in a plane crash at 65
• 1991 - Manley Lanier "Sonny" Carter Jr, USN/astro (STS 33), dies at 43
• 1992 - Anthony "Tony" Papa, big band leader, dies at 65
• 1992 - Sam Walton, Billionaire CEO (Wal-Mart), dies of cancer at 74
• 1992 - Samuel H Reshevsky, Polish/US chess grandmaster, dies at 80
• 1994 - Andre Victor Tchelistcheff, winemaker, dies at 92
• 1994 - Aubrey J Watson Sr, bishop, dies at 65
• 1994 - Marlon Riggs, US writer/director/producer (Ethnic notions), dies at 37
• 1994 - Roy Smeck, guitarist/banjoist, dies at 94
• 1995 - Christian Pineau, French politician, dies
• 1996 - Peter Nailor, civil servant/historian, dies at 67
• 1997 - Allen Ginsberg, beat poet, dies at 80
• 1997 - Alparslan Turkes, Turkish politician (MHP), dies