Category: Famous Birthdays

891 – Abd al-Rahman III, Umayyad Emir (912-29) and 1st Caliph of Córdoba (929-961) [birthdate disputed], born in Córdoba (d. 961)
1653 – Bernhard Albinus, German-Dutch court-physician (Frederick of Prussia), born in Dessau (d. 1721)
1910 – Orval Faubus, American politician, Governor of Arkansas (1955-67), tried to prevent black students attending a high school during Little Rock Crisis, born in Madison County, Arkansas (d. 1994)
1929 – Ken Henry, American speed skater (Olympic gold 500m, 1952), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2009)
1930 – Eddie LeBaron, American football quarterback (Pro Bowl 1955, 57, 58, 62; Washington Redskins, Dallas Cowboys), born in San Rafael, California (d. 2015)
1942 – Danny Williams, British pop singer, known as ‘Britain’s Johnny Mathis’ (“Moon River”; “White on White”), born in Port Elizabeth, Union of South Africa (d. 2005)
1946 – Andy Brown, British rock drummer (The Fortunes, 1963-77 – “You’ve Got Your Troubles”; “Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again”), born in Birmingham, England
1977 – Dustin Diamond, American actor (Saved By Bell – “Screech”), born in San Jose, California (d. 2021)
1977 – Vanesa Lorenzo, Spanish fashion model (Marie Claire, Vogue), born in Barcelona, Spain
1980 – Ivan L. Moody [Greening] American heavy metal singer and songwriter (Five Finger Death Punch), born in Denver, Colorado

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1486 – Martin Agricola [Sohr], German Renaissance composer, cantor, and music theorist, born in Świebodzin, Bohemian Silesia (d. 1556)
1730 – Thomas Chittenden, American politician (1st Governor of Vermont, 1791-97; Governor of Vermont Republic, 1778-89 and 1790-91), born in East Guilford, British Colony of Connecticut (d. 1797)
1827 – John Calvin Brown, Major General (Confederate Army), born in Giles County, Tennessee (d. 1889)
1922 – Finn Einar Mortensen, Norwegian composer, born in Oslo, Norway (d. 1983)
1935 – Paul Wilson, American doo-wop baritone singer (Flamingos, 1953-64 – “I Only Have Eyes For You”; “Lovers Never Say Goodbye”), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1988)
1945 – Barry John, Welsh rugby union fly-half (25 Tests Wales, 5 British and Irish Lions; Cefneithin RFC, Llanelli RFC, Cardiff RFC, Barbarian FC), born in Cefneithin, Wales (d. 2024)
1959 – Kathy Sledge, American vocalist (Sister Sledge – “We are Family”), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1961 – Howie Long, American NFL tackle/actor/broadcaster (Broken Arrow), born in Somerville, Massachusetts
1967 – Peter Loran, American rock vocalist (Trixter – “Give It To Me Good”), born in Teaneck, New Jersey
1978 – Tara Spencer-Nairn, Canadian actress (Corner Gas, You’re My Hero), born in Montréal, Québec

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1846 – Rudolf Christoph Eucken, German idealist philosopher (Nobel 1908), born in Aurich, Germany (d. 1926)
1855 – King C. Gillette, American businessman and inventor of inexpensive and disposable safety razor blades, born in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin (d. 1932)
1893 – Friedrich Blume, German musicologist (Das Rassenproblem in der Musik), born in Schlüchtern, Germany (d. 1975)
1908 – George Dolenz [Jure Dolenc], Italian actor (Scared Stiff, Count of Monte Cristo), born in Trieste, Austria-Hungary (d. 1963)
1932 – Umberto Eco, Italian philosopher and author (Name of the Rose), born in Alessandria, Piedmont (d. 2016)
1950 – John Manley, Canadian politician, born in Ottawa, Canada
1953 – Dwight Muhammad Qawi, American boxer (WBC light-heavyweight title 1981–1983; WBA cruiserweight title 1985–1986; International Boxing HOF), born in Baltimore, Maryland (d. 2025)
1969 – David Dixon, NFL guard (Minnesota Vikings), born in Papakura, New Zealand
1978 – Franck Montagny, French Formula One driver, born in Feurs, France
1980 – Garette Patrick Ratliff, American actor (Return to Blue Lagoon), born in Burbank, California

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1890 – Mosa Pijade, Yugoslavian communist politician who worked with Tito, born in Belgrade, Serbia (d. 1957)
1893 – Manuel Palau, Spanish composer (Concierto Levantino; Mascarada sarcástica), and educator (Conservatory of Valencia), born in Alfara del Patriarca, Spain (d. 1967)
1894 – Manoel de Abreu, Brazilian radiologist who developed chest photofluorography, born in São Paulo, Brazil (d. 1962)
1935 – Floyd Patterson, American boxer (world heavyweight champion 1956-59, 1960-62, Olympic gold 1952), born in Waco, North Carolina (d. 2006)
1937 – Grace Bumbry, American mezzo-soprano (Venus in Tannhäuser, 1st Black singer to sing at Bayreuth Festival), born in St. Louis, Missouri (d. 2023)
1951 – Pete Haycock, British blues-rock guitarist, vocalist, and composer (Climax Blues Band – “Couldn’t Get It Right”), born in Stafford, England (d. 2013)
1960 – Michael Stipe, American rock vocalist and songwriter (R.E.M. – “Losing My Religion”; “Stand”; “Everybody Hurts”), born in Decatur, Georgia
1963 – Till Lindemann, German heavy metal singer (Rammstein), born in Leipzig, East Germany
1967 – Benjamin Darvill, Canadian harmonic player, guitarist, and mandolinist (Crash Test Dummies -“Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm”; Son of Dave), born in Winnipeg, Manitoba
1976 – Benoît Joachim, Luxembourg cyclist, born in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg

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1895 – Borys Lyatoshynsky, Ukrainian composer, conductor, teacher, known as the father of modern Ukrainian music, born in Zhytomyr, Russian Empire (now Ukraine) (d. 1968)
1920 – Renato Carosone, Italian canzone napoletana singer, pianist, songwriter (“Tu vuò fà l’americano” – “You Want to Be American”), and accordionist, born in Naples, Kingdom of Italy (d. 2001)
1924 – Nell Rankin, American operatic mezzo-soprano (Carmen; Metropolitan Opera, 1951-76), born in Montgomery, Alabama (d. 2005)
1933 – Geoffrey Bindman, British human rights lawyer and legal advisor to the Race Relations Board (1966-76) and the Commission for Racial Equality (1976-83), born in Newcastle, England (d. 2025)
1943 – Van Dyke Parks, American songwriter, producer, arranger (Song Cycle; Orange Crate Art), born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi
1946 – John Paul Jones [Baldwin], English rock bassist and songwriter (Led Zeppelin – “Stairway to Heaven”), born in London, England
1963 – Jerome Young, American pro wrestler (New Jack), born in Greensboro, North Carolina
1970 – Christian Duguay, American sketch comedy actor (MADtv), born in Stanford, California
1980 – Bryan Clay, American decathlete (Olympic gold 2008; World C’ship gold 2005), born in Austin, Texas
1989 – Alex D. Linz, American child actor (Max Keeble’s Big Move, One Fine Day), born in Santa Barbara, California

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1752 – Philip Freneau, American poet of the American Revolution (The American Village), born in New York City (d. 1832)
1866 – Gilbert Murray, Australian professor and scholar of Ancient Greece, born in Sydney, Australia (d. 1957)
1896 – Ernst-Lothar von Knorr, German composer, and music educator, born in Eitorf, Germany (d. 1973)
1931 – Toshiki Kaifu, Prime Minister of Japan (1989-91), born in Nagoya, Japan (d. 2022)
1949 – Christopher Durang, American playwright (Sister Mary Ignatius, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike), born in Montclair, New Jersey (d. 2024)
1964 – Rumesh Ratnayake, Sri Lankan cricket fast bowler (23 Tests, 73 wickets; 70 ODIs), born in Colombo, Sri Lanka
1970 – Anthony Stuart, Australian cricket fast bowler and coach (3 ODIs; 8 wickets @ 13.62; hat trick 1997), born in Newcastle, Australia
1982 – Athanasia Tsoumeleka, Greek race walker (Olympic gold 20k 2004), born in Preveza, Greece
1983 – Anthony Carrigan, American actor (Barry), born in Boston, Massachusetts
1985 – Heather O’Reilly, American soccer midfielder (231 caps; FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015; Olympic gold 2004, 08, 12), born in East Brunswick, New Jersey

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1815 – Charles Renouvier, French philosopher, born in Montpellier, France (d. 1903)
1849 – Benjamin Holt, American businessman (Holt Manufacturing; Caterpillar), and inventor (crawler-type tread tractor), born in Concord, New Hampshire (d. 1920)
1863 – Pierre de Coubertin, French educator and historian (founder International Olympic Committee; President IOC 1896–1925), born in Paris, France (d. 1937)
1867 – Jeanne Lanvin, French fashion designer and perfumer (Lavin), born in Paris, France (d. 1946)
1888 – John C. Garand, Canadian-American designer of the M1 semi-automatic rifle, born in St. Rémi, Quebec (d. 1974)
1901 – Century Milstead, American College Football Hall of Fame tackle (Yale; NFL C’ship 1927, NY Giants), born in Allegheny, Pennsylvania (d. 1963)
1909 – Barry Goldwater, American politician (Senator-R-Arizona, 1953-65, 69-87) and 1964 presidential candidate (R), born in Phoenix, Arizona (d. 1998)
1909 – Dana Andrews, American actor (Battle of the Bulge, Laura), born in Covington County, Mississippi (d. 1992)
1944 – Ziya Şengül, Turkish soccer defender (20 caps; Fenerbahçe SK, PTT Ankara), born in Istanbul, Turkey (d. 2023)
1964 – (Dorothy) “DeDee” Pfeiffer, American actress (Cybill; For Your Love; Big Sky, born in Midway City, California

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1552 – Simon Forman, English Elizabethan astrologer and occultist, born in Quidhampton, England (d. 1611)
1668 – Hermannus Boerhaave, Dutch botanist and physician, born in Voorhout, Netherlands (d. 1738)
1830 – Isma’il Pasha, Khedive of Egypt (1863-79), born in Cairo, Egypt (d. 1895)
1869 – Henri Matisse, French impressionist painter (Odalisque), born in Le Cateau-Cambresis, France (d. 1954)
1885 – Princess Victoria Adelaide of Schleswig-Holstein, born in Province of Schleswig-Holstein (d. 1970)
1919 – Tommy Byrne, American baseball pitcher (MLB All-Star 1950; World Series 1949, 56; NY Yankees), born in Baltimore, Maryland (d. 2007)
1919 – Recy Taylor, American civil rights activist and sexual assault victim, born in Abbeville, Alabama (d. 2017)
1921 – Lynn Compton, American jurist (Sirhan Sirhan prosecutor) and commissioned officer (Easy Company, 101st Airborne), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2012)
1954 – Hermann Tilke, German racing circuit architect, born in Olpe, Germany
1959 – Val Kilmer, American actor (Iceman in “Top Gun”; Batman in “Batman Forever”), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2025)

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1673 – Ahmed III, 23rd Sultan of the Ottoman Empire (1703-30), born in Dobrich, Ottoman Empire (d. 1736)
1741 – Bartolomeo Giacometti, Italian composer, born in Verona, Republic of Venice (d. 1809)
1907 – Christine Auwen, Dutch model, singer and actress (Haghezangers), born in Amsterdam, The Netherlands (d. 1983)
1921 – Rashid Karami, Lebanese statesman (elected Prime Minister 8 times between 1958-87), born in Miriata, State of Greater Lebanon (d. 1987)
1926 – Stanley Tracey, British jazz pianist and composer (Under Milk Wood), born in Denmark Hill, South London, England (d. 2013)
1933 – Andy Stewart, Scottish singer (“Donald Where’s Your Troosers?”, “A Scottish Soldier”), lyricist, and television presenter (The White Heather Club; Scotch Corner), born in Glasgow, Scotland (d. 1993)
1942 – Vladimir Bukovsky, Russian author, activist, and dissident (To Build a Castle; Judgment In Moscow: Soviet Crimes and Western Complicity), born in Belebey, Soviet Union
1959 – Alfie Anido, Filipino model and actor (Temptation Island), born in Calamba, Laguna, Philippines (d. 1981)
1962 – Paavo Järvi, Estonian-American conductor (Cincinnati Symphony, 2001-11; Orchestre de Paris, 2010-16; NHK Symphony, 2015-22), born in Tallinn, Estonian SSR, USSR
1973 – Jon Theodore, American drummer (The Mars Volta, 2001-06; Queens of the Stone Age, 2013-present), born in Baltimore, Maryland

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1850 – Tomás Bretón, Spanish conductor and composer (La Dolores; La verbena de la Paloma), born in Salamanca, Spain (d. 1923)
1920 – Syd Dernley, British hangman (1949-54), born in Mansfield Woodhouse, Nottinghamshire (d. 1994)
1927 – Andy Stanfield, American athlete (Olympic gold 200m, 4x100m relay 1952, silver 200m 1956; WR 200m: 20.60 1952), born in Washington, D.C. (d. 1985)
1930 – Willy Giefer, German composer (Everything That Breathes), born in Koblenz, Germany (d. 2020)
1944 – Rodney Redmond, New Zealand cricket batsman (1 Test, 1 x 100, HS 107; Auckland, Wellington), born in Whangarei, New Zealand
1949 – Michèle Burke, Irish makeup artist and one of the first women to win the Academy Award for Best Makeup (Quest for Fire, Interview with the Vampire), born in Dublin, Ireland (d. 2025)
1954 – Glenn Myernick, American soccer player and coach (Olympic gold 1996), born in Trenton, New Jersey
1965 – (Bryan) “Dexter” Holland, American rock singer-songwriter (The Offspring), born in Garden Grove, California
1970 – Hidetoshi Mitsusada, Japanese racing driver, born in Osaka, Japan
1979 – Ariel Schrag, American cartoonist, born in Berkeley, California

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