• 1544 - Torquato Tasso, Italy, Renaissance poet (Aminta, Apologia)
• 1549 - Hendrik L Spieghel, Dutch merchant/writer
• 1549 - Henric Spieghel, Dutch Renaissance poet (Hertspiegel)
• 1596 - Isaac Elsevier, book publisher
• 1654 - Heinrich Georg Neuss, composer
• 1683 - Giovanni Veneziano, composer
• 1726 - Louise-Florence d'pinay, France, writer (Woman, Man & 2 Kingdoms)
• 1731 - Robert Treat Paine, judge, signer (Declaration of Independence)
• 1754 - Juan Mel‚ndez Vald‚s, Spanish lawyer/poet
• 1781 - Anthony Philip Heinrich, composer
• 1793 - Jan F Willems, Flemish writer/philologist
• 1811 - Marsena Rudolph Patrick, Bvt Major General (Union volunteers)
• 1811 - Urbain Jean Joseph le Verrier, co-discoverer (Neptune)
• 1812 - James Speed, Atty Gen (Union), died in 1887
• 1812 - Pieter Bluss‚ van Oud-Alblas, Dutch liberal minister of Finance
• 1812 - William Vincent Wallace, composer
• 1818 - John Wilkins Whitfield, Brig General (Confederate Army), died in 1879
• 1819 - Henry Tate, English sugar producer (Tate Gallery)
• 1819 - Marius Petipa, French ballet dancer/choreographer (Don Quiotte)
• 1822 - Allison Nelson, Brig General (Confederate Army), died in 1862
• 1827 - Septimus Winner, composer
• 1832 - Franz Melde, German phyicist (Melde test)
• 1832 - William Ruffin Cox, Brig General (Confederate Army), died in 1919
• 1840 - Edmund Kirby Jr, Brig General (Union volunteers), died in 1863
• 1846 - Ant¢nio C G Crespo, Brazilian/Portuguese poet
• 1860 - Thomas Hastings, NYC, architect (NY Public Library)
• 1863 - Andrew Stoddart, cricketer (My Dear Victorious Stod)
• 1863 - Wobbe de Vries, Dutch linguist
• 1872 - Abraham van Stolk Jzn, lumber merchant/art collector
• 1876 - Carl Ruggles, Marion Mass, composer (Evocations)
• 1876 - David Wijnkoop, Dutch revolutionary socialist
• 1879 - Justus Hermann Wetzel, composer
• 1879 - Niels Bjerrum, Danish chemist (ph tests)
• 1884 - Jan Lemaire, Dutch writer/actor (Beautiful Juliet)
• 1885 - Malcolm Campbell, 1st auto racer to travel 5 miles/min (8 km/min)
• 1890 - Vannevar Bush, developed 1st electronic analogue computer
• 1892 - Raoul Walsh, NYC, director (Thief of Baghdad, Battle Cry)
• 1892 - Wladyslaw Anders, Polish general (WW I, WW II)
• 1897 - Henry Dixon Cowell, Menlo Park Calif, composer (New Musical Resources)
• 1898 - Dorothy Gish, Massillon OH, film actress (Orphans of the Storm)
• 1899 - Frederick IX, [Christian FFMKWG], King of Denmark (1947-72)
• 1902 - Josef Martin Bauer, writer
• 1903 - Dorothy Schiff, publisher (NY Post)
• 1903 - George Dickinson, cricketer (bowled for NZ in their 1st 3 Tests)
• 1904 - Cornelis Jan Bakker, Dutch/US nuclear physicist
• 1904 - Maurits Wertheim, Dutch writer (Isaac De Fuentes)
• 1906 - Aasan Ferit Alnar, composer
• 1907 - Eleni Gatzoyiannis, heroine (saved her kids)
• 1907 - Helmuth J von Moltke, German politician (July 20th plot)
• 1907 - Jessie Matthews, London England, actress (Gangway, First a Girl)
• 1907 - Margaret Herbison, British minister (Lab)
• 1908 - Lawrence Welk, Strasburg ND, orch leader (Lawrence Welk Show)
• 1909 - Ljubica Maric, composer
• 1910 - Robert H G Havemann, German chemist
• 1911 - Alan Gifford, Boston MA, actor (Time Lock, Up Periscope)
• 1911 - Fitzroy Maclean, British diplomat soldier politician/historian
• 1912 - Robert Clifford Latham, pepys Scholar
• 1912 - Xavier Montsalvatge, Spanish composer (El gato con botas)
• 1913 - John Jacob Weinzweig, Toronto Canada, composer (Enchanted Hill)
• 1913 - Thomas Gray, professor/anaesthetist
• 1915 - Karl Krolow, writer
• 1915 - Vijay Hazare, cricketer (prolific Indian batsman 1946-54)
• 1916 - [James] Harold Wilson, (L) British PM (1964-70, 1974-76)
• 1917 - GE G”ran Schildt, Finnish art historian/writer (Solb†ten)
• 1919 - Mercer Ellington, son of Duke Ellington/bandleader
• 1920 - D J Enright, England, poet/novelist (Some Men are Brothers)
• 1920 - Henry Marking, CEO (British Airways)
• 1920 - Kenneth Dover, chancellor (St Andrews University)
• 1921 - Astor Piazzolla, Argentina composer (Tango Nuevo)
• 1921 - F[rancis] M[arion] Busby Jr, US, sci-fi author (Star Rebel)
• 1922 - Abdul Razak bin Hussain, premier of Malaysia (1970-77)
• 1922 - Thom Kelling, Dutch singer/guitarist (Programa de Manha)
• 1922 - Vinnette Carroll, NYC, actress (Alice's Restaurant, Reivers)
• 1923 - A Louise Brough Clapp, Okla, tennis player (4 time Wimbledon champ)
• 1923 - A X Gwerder, writer
• 1923 - Ad[rianus C] de Besten, Dutch literary (River Basin)
• 1923 - Morschi Mirando, [Thomas Weiss], German/Dutch gypsy artist
• 1923 - Terry Alexander, London, actor (Tony-Behind the Scenes)
• 1925 - James Miskin, QC/recorder of London
• 1926 - Adrienne Keith Cohen, travel editor
• 1926 - Ilhan Mimaroglu, composer
• 1926 - Patricia Tindaole, England, architect
• 1926 - Ralph Abernathy, civil rights leader (Southern Christian Leadership)
• 1927 - Alan Betts, emeritus professor (Royal Veterinary College)
• 1927 - Raymond Jackson, [Jaki], British cartoonist
• 1927 - Robert Mosbacher, US politician(?)
• 1927 - Ron Todd, British trade unionist
• 1928 - Albert Salmi, Bkln NY, actor (Daniel Boone, 79 Park Avenue)
• 1928 - Peter Roger Hunt, London England, director (Dr No)
• 1929 - Erskine Childers, unofficial/civil servant
• 1929 - Francisco Bernardo Pulgar Vidal, composer
• 1929 - Jackie McGlew, cricketer (dour South African opening bat of the 50')
• 1930 - David Gentleman, designer/painter
• 1931 - Peter Walters, CEO (Midland Bank)
• 1931 - Rupert Murdoch, Australia, publisher (NY Post)/CEO (FOX-TV)
• 1932 - Nigel Lawson, British government official (The Power Game)
• 1932 - Valerie French, London England, actress (Jubal)
• 1933 - Terry J Hatter Jr, US judge in California
• 1934 - George Stamatoyannopoulos, Greece, medical genetics researcher
• 1934 - Joep Straesser, composer (Blossom songs, Ramasasiri)
• 1934 - Keith Speed, British MP
• 1934 - Sam Donaldson, El Paso Tx, ABC White House correspondent (Prime Time)
• 1934 - Sydney Burke, cricketer (S Afr quick, 11 wkts on Test debut v NZ 1961)
• 1936 - Antonin Scalia, Trenton NJ, 105th Supreme Court Justice (1986- )
• 1937 - John Ward, NZ cricket wicket-keeper (8 Tests 1964-68)
• 1938 - Malcolm Keith Speed, British high court judge
• 1942 - Peter Eyre, actor (Hedda)
• 1944 - Ric Rothwell, drummer (Mindbenders-Games of Love)
• 1945 - Harvey Mandel, rock guitarist (Drei Amerikanische LP's)
• 1945 - Mark Stein, vocalist/organist (Vanilla Fudge-You Keep Me Hanging On)
• 1945 - Timothy Mason, consultant (British Arts Council)
• 1945 - Tricia O'Neal, Shreveport Louisiana, actress (Piranha Part II)
• 1946 - Brigitte Fossey, Tourcoing France, actress (Man Who Died Twice)
• 1947 - Dominique Sanda, [Varaigne], Paris France, actress (1900, First Love)
• 1947 - Geoffrey Hunt, Australia, world-champion squash player
• 1947 - Mark Stein, singer/organist/keyboardist (Vanilla Fudge)
• 1948 - George Kooymans, Dutch guitarist/singer (Golden Earring)
• 1949 - Richard de Bois, Dutch drummer/producer
• 1950 - Bobby McFerrin, singer (Don't Worry Be Happy-Grammy 1989)
• 1950 - Jerry Zucker, Milwaukee WI, director (Airplane, Naked Gun)
• 1952 - Douglas Adams, England, author (Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy)
• 1952 - Susan Richardson, Coatesville Pa, actress (Susan-8 is Enough)
• 1955 - [Kater]Nina Hagen, East Berlin German DR, actress (Blue Angel)
• 1956 - Curtis L Brown Jr, NC, astronaut (STS 47, STS 66, 77, 85, sk:95)
• 1961 - Bruce Watson, Ontario Canada, rock guitarist (Big Country-Wonderland)
• 1961 - Mike Percy, rocker (Dead or Alive-Spin Me Round)
• 1962 - Peter Berg, actor (Chicago Hope)
• 1964 - Raimo Helminen, Tampere FIN, hockey forward (Team Finland, Oly-Br-98)
• 1965 - Eric Jelen, West Germany, tennis star
• 1966 - Pavel Petrovich Mukhortov, Russian cosmonaut
• 1966 - Ralph Tamm, NFL guard/center (Denver Broncos, KC Chiefs)
• 1966 - Steve Reed, LA Calif, pitcher (Colorado Rockies)
• 1967 - Andrew Zesers, cricketer (played for Australia in 1987 World Cup)
• 1967 - Bill Houlder, Thunder Bay, NHL defenseman (Tampa Bay Lightning)
• 1968 - John Barrowman, actor (Peter Fairchild-Central Park West)
• 1969 - Dan Lacroix, Montreal, NHL left wing (NY Rangers)
• 1969 - John Fina, NFL offensive tackle (Buffalo Bills)
• 1970 - Brett Liddle, Boksburg S Afr, Canadian Tour golfer (1993 Newcastle)
• 1970 - Evgeniy Koreshkov, hockey forward (Team Kazakhstan Oly-1998)
• 1971 - Bob Kronenberg, WLAF corner (Rhein Fire)
• 1971 - Jiri Vykoukai, Olomouc CZ, hockey player (Team Czech Rep, Oly-gold-98)
• 1971 - Marta Lovera Parquet, Miss Universe-Paraguay (1996)
• 1971 - Martin Rucinsky, Most Cze, NHL left wing (Canadiens, Oly-Gold-1998)
• 1972 - Carl Greenwood, NFL cornerback (NY Jets)
• 1972 - Chris Shelling, WLAF cornerback (Rhein Fire)
• 1972 - Jamal Duff, NFL defensive end (NY Giants, Wash Redskins)
• 1973 - Kennedy Otieno, Kenya cricket wicket-keeper (85 v Aust 1996 World Cup)
• 1973 - Mike Mihelic, CFL offensive tackle (Winnipeg Blue Bombers)
• 1973 - Sammie Brennan, CFL defensive back (BC Lions)
• 1973 - Tony Veland, NFL defensive back (Denver Broncos-Superbowl 32)
• 1974 - Billy Granville, linebacker (Cincinnati Bengals)
• 1974 - David Cameron, Australian rower (Olympics-96)
• 1974 - Kevin Donovan, Des Plaines Ill, figure skater (1997 Great Lakes-2nd)
• 1975 - Cedric Henderson, NBA forward (Cleveland Cavaliers)
• 1975 - Shawn Springs, cornerback (Seattle Seahawks)
• 1982 - Hasan Raza, cricketer (Test cricketer at the age of 14)

Famous deaths for this day ..

• 0222 - Varius A Bassianus, Syrian emperor of Rome (218-22), murdered at 18?
• 0638 - Sophronius of Jerusalem, saint/patriarch of Jerusalem, dies
• 1486 - Albrecht III Achilles, elector of Brandenburg, dies at 71
• 1715 - Jan-Erasmus Quellinus, Flemish painter, dies at 80
• 1772 - George Reuter, composer, dies at 63
• 1786 - Jacobus Bellamy, [Zelandus], Dutch/Swiss poet, dies at 28
• 1787 - Maximilian JLP Gardel, French ballet dancer/choreographer, dies at 45
• 1807 - Anton Eberl, composer, dies at 41
• 1820 - Benjamin West, British painter (Death of General Wolfe), dies at 81
• 1826 - Gervais-Fran‡ois Couperin, composer, dies at 66
• 1833 - Fridolin Weber, composer, dies at 71
• 1845 - John Chapman, [Johnny Appleseed], dies in Allen County Indiana
• 1857 - Manuel Jos‚ Quintana, Spanish author/poet (A la paz), dies at 84
• 1874 - Charles Sumner, a white civil rights leader, dies at 63
• 1894 - John Selby, cricketer (6 Tests for England 1877-82), dies
• 1897 - Berthold Tours, composer, dies at 58
• 1897 - Henry Drummond, Scottish geologist/evangelist, dies at 45
• 1900 - Edmund Peate, cricketer (9 Tests for England 1881-86), dies
• 1907 - Nikola Petkow, premier (Bulgaria), murdered
• 1908 - Peter Milne, composer, dies at 83
• 1919 - Harald Fryklof, composer, dies at 36
• 1921 - Sherburne W Burnham, US astronomer (binary stars), dies at 83
• 1925 - Andreas Hallen, composer, dies at 78
• 1926 - John Henry Anderson, cricketer (score 32 & 11 in Test for S Afr), dies
• 1937 - Paul Scheinpflug, composer, dies at 61
• 1941 - Walford Davies, British organist/composer, dies at 71
• 1944 - Hendrik W van Loon, Neth/US radio commentator/writer, dies at 62
• 1947 - Victor Hely-Hutchinson, composer, dies at 45
• 1949 - Henri-Honor‚ Giraud, French genl/MP, dies at 70
• 1949 - Juan Lamonte de Grignon, composer, dies at 76
• 1950 - Florence Arliss, actress (Disraeli), dies at 78
• 1951 - Philippe of Isacker, Belgian minister, dies at 66
• 1955 - Alexander Fleming, English bacteriologist (penicillin), dies at 73
• 1956 - Sergey Nikiforovich Vasilenko, Russian opera composer, dies at 83
• 1957 - Richard E Byrd, US, explorer (Antarctica), dies at 68
• 1959 - Haydn Wood, composer, dies at 76
• 1960 - Roy Chapman Andrews, US biologist/explorer, dies at 76
• 1962 - Will Vesper, German author (Tristan und Isolde), dies at 79
• 1963 - Mahomed Nissar, cricketer (6 Tests for India 1932-36, 25 wkts), dies
• 1965 - James Reeb, US vicar/civil rights activist, murdered
• 1967 - Geraldine Farrar, soprano/actress (Such Sweet Compulsion), dies at 85
• 1969 - John Wyndham, [Parkes Lucas B Harris], author (Chrysalids), dies at 65
• 1970 - Erle Stanley Gardner, US writer (Perry Mason), dies at 80
• 1971 - Philo T Farnsworth, US TV pioneer, dies at 64
• 1971 - Roy Glenn, dies in Los Angeles at 56
• 1971 - Whitney M Young Jr, leader (National Urban League 1961-71), dies at 49
• 1972 - Fredric [William] Brown, sci-fi author (Martians Go Home), dies at 65
• 1973 - Manuel Rojas Sep£lveda, writer
• 1975 - Philip Bezanson, composer, dies at 59
• 1975 - Sammy Spear, orch leader (Dom Deluise Show), dies at 65
• 1975 - Walter Kinsella, actor (Happy-Martin Kane Private Eye), dies at 74
• 1979 - Victor Kilian, actor (Gentleman's Agreement), dies at 88
• 1982 - Edmund Cooper, British sci-fi writer (Tomorrow Came), dies at 55
• 1984 - Nakagawa Soen, Zen teacher/poet, dies in Rytutakuji monastery at 76
• 1987 - [Wayne] Woody Hayes, football coach (Ohio State), dies at 74
• 1988 - Pham Hung, premier of Vietnam, dies at about 74
• 1989 - Johan Fleerackers, Flemish linguist, dies at 57
• 1992 - David Carroll, actor (Grand Hotel), dies of pulmonary embolism at 41
• 1992 - Heinz Khn, PM (Northrhine-Westphalia, Germany), dies at 80
• 1992 - Manuel De Dios Unanue, US anti-drug journalist, murdered at 48
• 1992 - Richard Brooks, director (Blackboard Jungle, Key Largo), dies at 79
• 1993 - Dino Bravo, wrestler (WWF), shot to death at 44
• 1993 - Edgar Nelson Barclift, dancer, dies after lengthy illness at 76
• 1993 - Manuel da Fonseca, Portuguese writer (Cerro Maior), dies at 81
• 1994 - Jacques Doucet, French painter (Mostar Sarajevo), dies at 69
• 1995 - Carel Birnie, found Utrecht Opera/Dutch Dance Theater, dies at 69
• 1995 - Ernest Kabushemeye, Burundese minister of Mijnbouw, murdered
• 1995 - Frank Fidler, artist, dies at 84
• 1996 - Barry Appleby, cartoonist, dies at 86
• 1996 - Charles William Oatley, electrical engineer, dies at 92
• 1996 - Clifton Eugene Bancroft Robinson, public servant, dies at 70
• 1996 - John Henry Pyle Pafford, librarian, dies at 96
• 1996 - Vince Edwards, actor (Ben Casey), dies of cancer at 67