Portal:Biography

A page from the first edition of Foxe's Book of Martyrs, published in 1563
Third Volume of a 1727 edition of Plutarch's Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans printed by Jacob Tonson
Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. Cover of the first English publication, J. Parson's, London, 1793

A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or curriculum vitae (résumé), a biography presents a subject's life story, highlighting various aspects of their life, including intimate details of experience, and may include an analysis of the subject's personality. (Full article...)

Featured biographies

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William Alfred Brown, (31 July 1912 – 16 March 2008) was an Australian cricketer who played 22 Test matches between 1934 and 1948, captaining his country in one Test. A right-handed opening batsman, his partnership with Jack Fingleton in the 1930s is regarded as one of the finest in Australian Test history. After the interruption of World War II, Brown was a member of the team dubbed "The Invincibles", who toured England in 1948 without defeat under the leadership of Don Bradman. In a match in November 1947, Brown was the unwitting victim of the first instance of "Mankading".

Raised in New South Wales, Brown initially struggled in both work and cricket, before gradually rising through the cricket ranks. He made his first-class debut for New South Wales in the 1932–33 season and forced his way into the national side during the 1934 tour of England. When long-term openers Bill Ponsford and Bill Woodfull retired at the end of the tour, Brown and his state opening partner Fingleton took over. After poor form made his selection for the 1938 tour of England controversial, Brown responded with a total of 1,854 runs, including an unbeaten 206 that saved Australia from defeat in the Second Test, and was honoured as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year. (Full article...)
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Fuller, c. 1900-10

Melville Weston Fuller (February 11, 1833 – July 4, 1910) was an American politician, attorney, and jurist who served as the eighth chief justice of the United States from 1888 until his death in 1910. Staunch conservatism marked his tenure on the Supreme Court, exhibited by his tendency to support unfettered free enterprise and to oppose broad federal power. He wrote major opinions on the federal income tax, the Commerce Clause, and citizenship law, and he took part in important decisions about racial segregation and the liberty of contract. Those rulings often faced criticism in the decades during and after Fuller's tenure, and many were later overruled or abrogated. The legal academy has generally viewed Fuller negatively, although a revisionist minority has taken a more favorable view of his jurisprudence.

Born in Augusta, Maine, Fuller established a legal practice in Chicago after graduating from Bowdoin College. A Democrat, he became involved in politics, campaigning for Stephen A. Douglas in the 1860 presidential election. During the Civil War, he served a single term in the Illinois House of Representatives, where he opposed the policies of President Abraham Lincoln. Fuller became a prominent attorney in Chicago and was a delegate to several Democratic national conventions. He declined three separate appointments offered by President Grover Cleveland before accepting the nomination to succeed Morrison Waite as chief justice. Despite some objections to his political past, Fuller won Senate confirmation in 1888. He served as chief justice until his death in 1910, gaining a reputation for collegiality and able administration. (Full article...)
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1807 portrait of Joseph Grimaldi by John Cawse

Joseph Grimaldi (18 December 1778 – 31 May 1837) was an English actor, comedian and dancer, who became the most popular English entertainer of the Regency era. In the early 19th century, he expanded the role of Clown in the harlequinade that formed part of British pantomimes, notably at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and the Sadler's Wells and Covent Garden theatres. He became so dominant on the London comic stage that the harlequinade role of Clown became known as "Joey", and both the nickname and Grimaldi's whiteface make-up design were, and still are, used by other types of clowns. Grimaldi originated catchphrases such as "Here we are again!", which continue to feature in modern pantomimes.

Born in London to an entertainer father, Grimaldi began to perform as a child, making his stage debut at Drury Lane in 1780. He became successful at the Sadler's Wells Theatre the following year; his first major role was as Little Clown in the pantomime The Triumph of Mirth; or, Harlequin's Wedding in 1781, in which he starred alongside his father. After a brief schooling, he appeared in various low-budget productions and became a sought-after child performer. He took leading parts in Valentine and Orson (1794) and The Talisman; or, Harlequin Made Happy (1796), the latter of which brought him wider recognition. (Full article...)
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Antiochus X's portrait on the obverse of a tetradrachm

Antiochus X Eusebes Philopator (Ancient Greek: Ἀντίοχος Εὐσεβής Φιλοπάτωρ; c. 113 BC – 92 or 88 BC) was a Seleucid monarch who reigned as King of Syria during the Hellenistic period between 95 BC and 92 BC or 89/88 BC (224 SE [Seleucid year]). He was the son of Antiochus IX and perhaps his Egyptian wife Cleopatra IV. Eusebes lived during a period of general disintegration in Seleucid Syria, characterized by civil wars, foreign interference by Ptolemaic Egypt and incursions by the Parthians. Antiochus IX was killed in 95 BC at the hands of Seleucus VI, the son of his half-brother and rival Antiochus VIII. Antiochus X then went to the city of Aradus where he declared himself king. He avenged his father by defeating Seleucus VI, who was eventually killed.

Antiochus X did not enjoy a stable reign as he had to face three of Seleucus VI's brothers, Antiochus XI, Philip I and Demetrius III. Antiochus XI defeated Antiochus X and expelled him from the capital Antioch in 93 BC. A few months later, Antiochus X regained his position and killed Antiochus XI. This led to both Philip I and Demetrius III becoming involved. The civil war continued but its outcome is uncertain due to the contradictions between different ancient historians' accounts. Antiochus X married his stepmother, Antiochus IX's widow Cleopatra Selene, and had several children with her, including a future king Antiochus XIII. (Full article...)
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Medieval south-east Wales. Ergyng, north of Gwent, is shown as part of Mercia. Glywysing is the number "9" west of Gwent

Cyfeilliog (Welsh pronunciation: [kəˈvɛiɬjɔɡ]) or Cyfeiliog (Welsh: [kəˈvɛiljɔɡ], in Old Welsh Cemelliauc; probably died 927), was a bishop in south-east Wales. The location and extent of his diocese is uncertain, but lands granted to him are mainly close to Caerwent, suggesting that his diocese covered Gwent. There is evidence that his diocese extended into Ergyng (now south-west Herefordshire). He is recorded in charters dating from the mid-880s to the early tenth century.

In 914 he was captured by the Vikings and ransomed by Edward the Elder, King of the Anglo-Saxons, for 40 pounds of silver. Edward's assistance is regarded by historians as evidence that he inherited the overlordship of his father, Alfred the Great, over the south-east Welsh kingdoms. (Full article...)
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In this c. 1772 portrait, Adams points at the Massachusetts Charter, which he viewed as a constitution that protected the peoples' rights.

Samuel Adams (September 27 [O.S. September 16], 1722 – October 2, 1803) was an American statesman, political philosopher, and a Founding Father of the United States. He was a politician in colonial Massachusetts, a leader of the movement that became the American Revolution, a signatory of the Declaration of Independence and other founding documents, and one of the architects of the principles of American republicanism that shaped the political culture of the United States. He was a second cousin to his fellow Founding Father, President John Adams. He founded the Sons of Liberty.

Adams was born in Boston, brought up in a religious and politically active family. A graduate of Harvard College, he was an unsuccessful businessman and tax collector before concentrating on politics. He was an influential official of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and the Boston Town Meeting in the 1760s, and he became a part of a movement opposed to the British Parliament's efforts to tax the British American colonies without their consent. His 1768 Massachusetts Circular Letter calling for colonial non-cooperation prompted the occupation of Boston by British troops, eventually resulting in the Boston Massacre of 1770. Adams and his colleagues devised a committee of correspondence system in 1772 to help coordinate resistance to what he saw as the British government's attempts to violate the British Constitution at the expense of the colonies, which linked like-minded Patriots throughout the Thirteen Colonies. Continued resistance to British policy resulted in the 1773 Boston Tea Party and the coming of the American Revolution. Adams was actively involved with colonial newspapers publishing accounts of colonial sentiment over British colonial rule, which were fundamental in uniting the colonies. (Full article...)
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Colin Robert Chase (February 5, 1935 – October 13, 1984) was an American academic. An associate professor of English at the University of Toronto, he was known for his contributions to the studies of Old English and Anglo-Latin literature. His best-known work, The Dating of Beowulf, challenged the accepted orthodoxy of the dating of the Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf—then thought to be from the latter half of the eighth century—and left behind what was described in A Beowulf Handbook as "a cautious and necessary incertitude".

Born in Denver, Chase was one of three sons of a newspaper executive and a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, Mary Coyle Chase. Chase's two brothers became actors; he considered such a career, but ultimately studied English literature, classics, and philosophy. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University, Master of Arts from Saint Louis and Johns Hopkins Universities, and Ph.D. from the University of Toronto in 1971, the same year the university named him an assistant professor. (Full article...)
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1894 engraving of a photograph of Slack

William Yarnel Slack (August 1, 1816 – March 21, 1862) was an American lawyer, politician, and military officer who fought for the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. Born in Kentucky, Slack moved to Missouri as a child and later entered the legal profession. After serving in the Missouri General Assembly from 1842 to 1843, he fought as a captain in the United States Army for fourteen months during the Mexican–American War, beginning in 1846. He saw action at the Battle of Embudo Pass and the Siege of Pueblo de Taos. Returning to a legal career, Slack became influential in his area.

After the outbreak of the American Civil War in April 1861, Slack, who held pro-slavery views, supported the Confederate cause. When the Missouri State Guard (MSG) was formed the next month to oppose the Union Army, he was appointed as a brigadier general in the MSG's 4th Division. After participating in the Battle of Carthage in July, he fought in the Battle of Wilson's Creek on August 10. After a surprise Union attack, Slack's deployment of his division gave time for further Confederate States Army and MSG troops to deploy. Suffering a bad hip wound at Wilson's Creek, he was unable to rejoin his command until October. (Full article...)
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Air Vice-Marshal Drummond in the Middle East, 1940

Air Marshal Sir Peter Roy Maxwell Drummond, (2 June 1894 – 27 March 1945) was an Australian-born senior commander in the Royal Air Force (RAF). He rose from private soldier in World War I to air marshal in World War II. Drummond enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in 1914 and the following year saw service as a medical orderly during the Gallipoli campaign. He joined the Royal Flying Corps in 1916 and became a fighter ace in the Middle Eastern theatre, where he was awarded the Military Cross and the Distinguished Service Order and Bar. Transferring to the RAF on its formation in 1918, he remained in the British armed forces for the rest of his life.

Between the wars, Drummond saw action in the Sudan—earning appointment as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire—and was posted to Australia on secondment to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as Director of Operations and Intelligence. In Britain, he commanded RAF stations Tangmere and Northolt. Ranked air commodore at the outbreak of World War II, he was Air Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder's Deputy Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief RAF Middle East from 1941 to 1943. Drummond was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1941 for his services in the Middle East, and knighted in the same order two years later. He was twice offered command of the RAAF during the war but the RAF was unwilling to release him to take up the position. Britain's Air Member for Training from 1943, Drummond was killed in a plane crash at sea in 1945. (Full article...)
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Nielsen, c. 1908

Carl August Nielsen (Danish: [ˈkʰɑˀl ˈne̝lsn̩]; 9 June 1865 – 3 October 1931) was a Danish composer, conductor, and violinist, widely recognized as his country's most prominent composer.

Brought up by poor yet musically talented parents on the island of Funen, he demonstrated his musical abilities at an early age. He initially played in a military band before attending the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen from 1884 until December 1886. He premiered his Op. 1, Suite for Strings, in 1888, at the age of 23. The following year, Nielsen began a 16-year stint as a second violinist in the Royal Danish Orchestra under the conductor Johan Svendsen, during which he played in Verdi's Falstaff and Otello at their Danish premieres. In 1916, he took a post teaching at the Royal Danish Academy and continued to work there until his death. (Full article...)
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Dylan in 2019

Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Considered one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his 60-year career. He rose to prominence in the 1960s, when songs such as "Blowin' in the Wind" (1963) and "The Times They Are a-Changin'" (1964) became anthems for the civil rights and antiwar movements. Initially modeling his style on Woody Guthrie's folk songs, Robert Johnson's blues and what he called the "architectural forms" of Hank Williams's country songs, Dylan added increasingly sophisticated lyrical techniques to the folk music of the early 1960s, infusing it "with the intellectualism of classic literature and poetry". His lyrics incorporated political, social, and philosophical influences, defying pop music conventions and appealing to the burgeoning counterculture.

Dylan was born and raised in St. Louis County, Minnesota. Following his self-titled debut album of traditional folk songs in 1962, he made his breakthrough with The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan (1963). The album featured "Girl from the North Country" and "A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall", which adapted the tunes and phrasing of older folk songs. He released the politically charged The Times They Are a-Changin' and the more lyrically abstract and introspective Another Side of Bob Dylan in 1964. In 1965 and 1966, Dylan drew controversy among folk purists when he adopted electrically amplified rock instrumentation, and in the space of 15 months recorded three of the most influential rock albums of the 1960s: Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited (both 1965) and Blonde on Blonde (1966). Dylan's move from acoustic folk and blues music to rock contributed to the development of folk rock, as his musical and lyrical output grew in complexity. His six-minute single "Like a Rolling Stone" (1965) expanded commercial and creative boundaries in popular music. (Full article...)
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Cora Agnes Benneson, pictured in Julia Ward Howe's Sketches of Women of New England (1904)

Cora Agnes Benneson (June 10, 1851 – June 8, 1919) was an American attorney, lecturer, and writer. She was one of the first women to practice law in New England. Benneson was raised in Quincy, Illinois, to parents involved in local politics, religious organizing, and philanthropy; her parents regularly invited prominent guests to their home, including the writers and philosophers Amos Bronson Alcott and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Benneson began her university studies in 1875 at the University of Michigan, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1878, a Bachelor of Laws in 1880, and a Master of Arts in 1883. After earning her master's degree, she was admitted to the bars of Illinois and Michigan.

From 1883 to 1885, Benneson traveled the world to learn about legal cultures, and in particular how they affected women; however, she often took a nativist and racist or stereotypical view of those cultures. When she returned to the United States, Benneson undertook a nationwide lecture tour to speak about her travels and observations. In 1886, she briefly worked as an editor of West Publishing's law reports before taking up a history fellowship at Bryn Mawr College under then-professor Woodrow Wilson. (Full article...)
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Markham in 1905

Sir Clements Robert Markham (20 July 1830 – 30 January 1916) was an English geographer, explorer and writer. He was secretary of the Royal Geographical Society (RGS) between 1863 and 1888, and later served as the Society's president for a further 12 years. In the latter capacity he was mainly responsible for organising the British National Antarctic Expedition of 1901–1904, and for launching the polar career of Robert Falcon Scott.

Markham began his career as a Royal Navy cadet and midshipman, during which time he went to the Arctic with HMS Assistance in one of the many searches for Franklin's lost expedition. Later, Markham served as a geographer to the India Office, and was responsible for the collection of cinchona plants from their native Peruvian forests, and their transplantation in India. By this means, the Indian government acquired a home source from which quinine could be extracted. Markham also served as geographer to Sir Robert Napier's Abyssinian expeditionary force, and was present in 1868, at the fall of Magdala. (Full article...)
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Wilco at Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, Solid Sound Fest, 2011. Pictured left to right: Patrick Sansone, Mikael Jorgensen, Jeff Tweedy, Nels Cline, Glenn Kotche, John Stirratt

Wilco is an American rock band based in Chicago. The band was formed in 1994 by the remaining members of alternative country group Uncle Tupelo after singer Jay Farrar's departure. Wilco's lineup changed frequently during its first decade, with only singer Jeff Tweedy and bassist John Stirratt remaining from the original incarnation. Since early 2004 the lineup has been unchanged, consisting of Tweedy, Stirratt, guitarist Nels Cline, multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone, keyboard player Mikael Jorgensen, and drummer Glenn Kotche. Wilco has released thirteen studio albums, a live double album, and four collaborations: three with Billy Bragg and one with the Minus 5.

Wilco's music has been inspired by a wide variety of artists and styles including Bill Fay, the Beatles, and Television; in turn the band has influenced music by many modern alternative rock acts. The band continued in the alternative country style of Uncle Tupelo on its debut album A.M. (1995), but has since introduced more experimental aspects to their music, including elements of alternative rock and classic pop. Wilco's musical style has evolved from a 1990s country rock sound to a current "eclectic indie rock collective that touches on many eras and genres". (Full article...)
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Winfield Scott Hancock (February 14, 1824 – February 9, 1886) was a United States Army officer and the Democratic nominee for President of the United States in 1880. He served with distinction in the Army for four decades, including service in the Mexican–American War and as a Union general in the American Civil War. Known to his Army as "Hancock the Superb," he was noted in particular for his personal leadership at the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863. His military service continued after the Civil War, as Hancock participated in the military Reconstruction of the South and the U.S.'s western expansion and war with the Native Americans at the Western frontier. This concluded with the Medicine Lodge Treaty. From 1881 to 1885 he was president of the Aztec Club of 1847 for veteran officers of the Mexican-American War.

Hancock's reputation as a war hero at Gettysburg, combined with his status as a Unionist and supporter of states' rights, made him a potential presidential candidate. When the Democrats nominated him for president in 1880, he ran a strong campaign, but was narrowly defeated by Republican James A. Garfield. Hancock's last public service involved the oversight of President Ulysses S. Grant's funeral procession in 1885. (Full article...)

Today anniversaries

Pre-1600

1250 – John IV Laskaris, Byzantine emperor (d. 1305)
1281 – Alice de Lacy, 4th Countess of Lincoln (d. 1348)
1400 – John Sutton, 1st Baron Dudley, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (d. 1487)
1424 – Margaret Stewart, Dauphine of France (d. 1445)
1461 – Christina of Saxony, Queen consort of Denmark (d. 1521)
1490 – Francesco Marinoni, Italian Roman Catholic priest (d. 1562)
1493 – Antoinette de Bourbon, French noblewoman (d. 1583)
1505 – Christine of Saxony, German noblewoman (d. 1549)
1564 – Johannes Buxtorf, German Calvinist theologian (d. 1629)
1583 – Orlando Gibbons, English organist and composer (d. 1625)
1584 – Margaret of Austria, Queen of Spain (d. 1611)

1601–1900

1601 – Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha (d. 1675)
1628 – Noël Coypel, French painter and educator (d. 1707)
1642 – Isaac Newton, English physicist and mathematician (d. 1727)
1652 – Archibald Pitcairne, Scottish physician, anatomist, and scholar (d. 1713)
1665 – Lady Grizel Baillie, Scottish-English poet and songwriter (d. 1746)
1674 – Thomas Halyburton, Scottish minister and theologian (d. 1712)
1686 – Giovanni Battista Somis, Italian violinist and composer (d. 1763)
1700 – Leopold II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (d. 1758)
1711 – Jean-Joseph de Mondonville, French violinist and composer (d. 1772)
1716 – Johann Jakob Reiske, German physician and scholar (d. 1774)
1717 – Pope Pius VI (d. 1799)
1728 – Johann Adam Hiller, German composer and conductor (d. 1804)
1730 – Filippo Mazzei, Italian-American physician and philosopher (d. 1816)
1745 – Chevalier de Saint-Georges, Caribbean-French violinist, composer, and conductor (d. 1799)
1757 – Benjamin Pierce, American general and politician, 17th Governor of New Hampshire (d. 1839)
1766 – Christmas Evans, Welsh Nonconformist preacher (d. 1838)
1771 – Dorothy Wordsworth, English diarist and poet (d. 1855)
1776 – Sydney, Lady Morgan, Irish author and poet (d. 1859)
1810 – L. L. Langstroth, American apiarist, clergyman and teacher (d. 1895)
1821 – Clara Barton, American nurse and humanitarian, founder of the American Red Cross (d. 1912)
1825 – Stephen F. Chadwick, American lawyer and politician, 5th Governor of Oregon (d. 1895)
1829 – Patrick Gilmore, Irish-American composer and bandleader (d. 1892)
1856 – Pud Galvin, American baseball player and manager (d. 1902)
1861 – Francis Henry Buzzacott, American hunter, explorer and army scout famous for writing Buzzacott's Masterpiece (d. 1947)
1861 – Madan Mohan Malaviya, Indian educator, lawyer, and politician, President of the Indian National Congress (d. 1946)
1865 – Evangeline Booth, English 4th General of The Salvation Army (d. 1950)
1869 – Charles Finger, English-American journalist and author (d. 1941)
1872 – Helena Rubinstein, Polish-American businesswoman and philanthropist (d. 1965)
1873 – Otto Frederick Hunziker, Swiss-American agriculturalist and educator (d. 1959)
1874 – Lina Cavalieri, Italian soprano and actress (d. 1944)
1875 – Francis Aveling, Canadian psychologist and priest (d. 1941)
1875 – Theodor Innitzer, Austrian cardinal (d. 1955)
1876 – Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Indian-Pakistani lawyer and politician, 1st Governor-General of Pakistan (d. 1948)
1876 – Adolf Otto Reinhold Windaus, German chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1959)
1878 – Louis Chevrolet, American race car driver and businessman, co-founded Chevrolet (d. 1941)
1878 – Noël, Countess of Rothes, British philanthropist, social leader and heroine of Titanic disaster (d. 1956)
1878 – Joseph M. Schenck, Russian-American film producer (d. 1961)
1883 – Hugo Bergmann, Czech-Israeli philosopher and academic (d. 1975)
1883 – Hana Meisel, Belarusian-Israeli agronomist and politician (d. 1972)
1884 – Samuel Berger, American boxer (d. 1925)
1884 – Evelyn Nesbit, American model and actress (d. 1967)
1886 – Malak Hifni Nasif, Egyptian poet and activist (d. 1918)
1886 – Kid Ory, American trombonist and bandleader (d. 1973)
1887 – Conrad Hilton, American entrepreneur (d. 1979)
1889 – Lila Bell Wallace, American publisher and philanthropist, co-founded Reader's Digest (d. 1984)
1890 – Noel Odell, English geologist and mountaineer (d. 1987)
1891 – Kenneth Anderson, Indian-English general and politician, Governor of Gibraltar (d. 1959)
1891 – Clarrie Grimmett, New Zealand-Australian cricketer (d. 1980)
1899 – Humphrey Bogart, American actor (d. 1957)

1901–present

1901 – Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester (d. 2004)
1902 – William Bell, American tuba player and educator (d. 1971)
1902 – Barton MacLane, American actor, playwright, and screenwriter (d. 1969)
1903 – Antiochos Evangelatos, Greek composer and conductor (d. 1981)
1904 – Gerhard Herzberg, German-Canadian physicist and chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1999)
1904 – Philip Vera Cruz, Filipino-American labor leader and farmworker (d. 1994)
1906 – Lew Grade, Baron Grade, Ukrainian-English film producer (d. 1998)
1906 – Ernst Ruska, German physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1988)
1907 – Cab Calloway, American singer-songwriter and bandleader (d. 1994)
1907 – Mike Mazurki, Ukrainian-American wrestler and actor (d. 1990)
1907 – Glenn McCarthy, American businessman, founded the Shamrock Hotel (d. 1988)
1908 – Quentin Crisp, English author and illustrator (d. 1999)
1908 – Ernest L. Massad, American general (d. 1993)
1908 – Jo-Jo Moore, American baseball player (d. 2001)
1909 – Zora Arkus-Duntov, Belgian-American engineer (d. 1996)
1911 – Louise Bourgeois, French-American sculptor and painter (d. 2010)
1913 – Candy Candido, American singer, bass player, and voice actor (d. 1999)
1913 – Tony Martin, American singer (d. 2012)
1914 – James Fletcher Jnr, New Zealand businessman (d. 2007)
1914 – Oscar Lewis, American anthropologist of Latin America (d. 1970)
1915 – Pete Rugolo, Italian-American composer and producer (d. 2011)
1916 – Ahmed Ben Bella, Algerian soldier and politician, 1st President of Algeria (d. 2012)
1917 – Arseny Mironov, Russian scientist, engineer, pilot, oldest active researcher in aircraft aerodynamics and flight testing (d. 2019)
1917 – Lincoln Verduga Loor, Ecuadorian journalist and politician (d. 2009)
1918 – Anwar Sadat, Egyptian lieutenant and politician, 3rd President of Egypt, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1981)
1919 – Naushad Ali, Indian composer and director (d. 2006)
1919 – Paul David, Canadian cardiologist and politician, founded the Montreal Heart Institute (d. 1999)
1919 – Noele Gordon, English actress (d. 1985)
1921 – Zaib-un-Nissa Hamidullah, Indian-Pakistani journalist and author (d. 2000)
1921 – Steve Otto, Polish-Canadian lawyer and politician (d. 1989)
1922 – William Demby, American author (d. 2013)
1923 – René Girard, French-American historian, philosopher, and critic (d. 2015)
1923 – Louis Lane, American conductor and educator (d. 2016)
1924 – Rod Serling, American screenwriter and producer, created The Twilight Zone (d. 1975)
1924 – Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Indian poet and politician, 10th Prime Minister of India (d. 2018)
1925 – Carlos Castaneda, Peruvian-American anthropologist and author (d. 1998)
1925 – Ned Garver, American baseball player (d. 2017)
1925 – Sam Pollock, Canadian businessman (d. 2007)
1926 – Enrique Jorrín, Cuban violinist and composer (d. 1987)
1927 – Nellie Fox, American baseball player and coach (d. 1975)
1927 – Ram Narayan, Indian sarangi player (d. 2024)
1928 – Irish McCalla, American actress and model (d. 2002)
1928 – Dick Miller, American actor, director, and screenwriter (d. 2019)
1929 – Christine M. Jones, American educator and politician (d. 2013)
1929 – China Machado, Chinese-born Portuguese-American fashion model, editor and television producer (d. 2016)
1929 – Chris Kenner, American singer and songwriter (d. 1976)
1930 – Emmanuel Agassi, Iranian-American boxer and coach (d. 2021)
1930 – Armenak Alachachian, Armenian basketball player and coach (d. 2017)
1930 – Mary Rose Tuitt, Montserrat politician (d. 2005)
1932 – Mabel King, American actress and singer (d. 1999)
1933 – Basil Heatley, English runner (d. 2019)
1935 – Sadiq al-Mahdi, Sudanese politician, Prime Minister of Sudan (d. 2020)
1935 – Stephen Barnett, American scholar and academic (d. 2009)
1935 – Jeanne Hopkins Lucas, American educator and politician (d. 2007)
1936 – Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy
1936 – Ismail Merchant, Indian-English director and producer (d. 2005)
1937 – Maung Aye, Burmese military officer
1937 – O'Kelly Isley Jr., American R&B/soul singer-songwriter (d. 1986)
1938 – Duane Armstrong, American painter
1938 – Noel Picard, Canadian ice hockey player (d. 2017)
1939 – Ghulam Ahmad Bilour, Pakistani businessman and politician
1939 – Bob James, American keyboard player, songwriter, and producer
1939 – Akong Rinpoche, Tibetan-Chinese spiritual leader (d. 2013)
1940 – Hilary Spurling, English journalist and author
1941 – Kenneth Calman, Scottish physician and academic
1942 – Françoise Dürr, French tennis player and coach
1942 – Barbara Follett, English politician
1942 – Barry Goldberg, American keyboard player, songwriter, and producer
1942 – Enrique Morente, Spanish singer-songwriter (d. 2010)
1943 – Wilson Fittipaldi Júnior, Brazilian race car driver and businessman (d. 2024)
1943 – Ravish Malhotra, Indian pilot and military officer
1943 – Eve Pollard, English journalist and author
1943 – Hanna Schygulla, German actress
1943 – Jacqui McShee, English singer
1944 – Kenny Everett, British comedian and broadcaster (d. 1995)
1944 – Jairzinho, Brazilian footballer
1944 – Sam Strahan, New Zealand rugby player (d. 2019)
1945 – Rick Berman, American screenwriter and producer
1945 – Mike Pringle, Zambian-Scottish lawyer and politician
1945 – Noel Redding, English singer-songwriter and bass player (d. 2003)
1945 – Ken Stabler, American football player and sportscaster (d. 2015)
1946 – Jimmy Buffett, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, and actor (d. 2023)
1948 – Merry Clayton, American singer and actress
1948 – Kay Hymowitz, American sociologist and writer
1948 – Barbara Mandrell, American singer-songwriter and actress
1948 – Joel Santana, Brazilian footballer and manager
1949 – Simone Bittencourt de Oliveira, Brazilian singer
1949 – Nawaz Sharif, Pakistani politician, 12th Prime Minister of Pakistan
1949 – Sissy Spacek, American actress
1950 – Peter Boardman, English mountaineer and author (d. 1982)
1950 – Karl Rove, American political strategist and activist
1950 – Manny Trillo, Venezuelan baseball player and manager
1952 – Tolossa Kotu, Ethiopian runner and coach
1952 – CCH Pounder, Guyanese-American actress
1952 – Desireless, French singer and songwriter
1953 – Kaarlo Maaninka, Finnish runner
1954 – Annie Lennox, Scottish singer-songwriter and pianist
1957 – Mansoor Akhtar, Pakistani cricketer
1957 – Chris Kamara, English footballer and sportscaster
1957 – Shane MacGowan, English-Irish singer-songwriter (d. 2023)
1958 – Cheryl Chase, American voice actress and singer
1958 – Rickey Henderson, American baseball player and coach (d. 2024)
1958 – Konstantin Kinchev, Russian singer-songwriter and guitarist
1958 – Alannah Myles, Canadian singer-songwriter and actress
1959 – Michael P. Anderson, American colonel, pilot, and astronaut (d. 2003)
1959 – Ramdas Athawale, Indian poet and politician
1961 – Íngrid Betancourt, Colombian political scientist and politician
1962 – Francis Dunnery, English musician
1964 – Ian Bostridge, English tenor
1964 – Gary McAllister, Scottish footballer and manager
1964 – Bob Stanley, British musician and writer
1965 – Ed Davey, English politician, Leader of the Liberal Democrats
1965 – Dmitri Mironov, Russian ice hockey player
1965 – David Rath, Czech physician and politician
1966 – Toshi Arai, Japanese race car driver
1967 – Andreas Haitzer, Austrian politician
1967 – Jason Thirsk, American bass player (d. 1996)
1968 – Helena Christensen, Danish model and actress
1968 – Jim Dowd, American ice hockey player
1969 – Nicolas Godin, French musician
1969 – Noel Goldthorpe, Australian rugby league player
1969 – Frederick Onyancha, Kenyan runner
1970 – Emmanuel Amunike, Nigerian footballer and manager
1970 – Rodney Dent, American basketball player
1971 – Dido, English singer-songwriter
1971 – Noel Hogan, Irish musician and songwriter
1971 – Justin Trudeau, Canadian educator and politician, 23rd Prime Minister of Canada
1972 – Mac Powell, American singer-songwriter and producer
1972 – Qu Yunxia, Chinese runner
1973 – Robbie Elliott, English footballer and coach
1973 – Chris Harris, American wrestler
1973 – Daisuke Miura, Japanese baseball player and coach
1973 – Alexandre Trudeau, Canadian journalist and director
1975 – Hideki Okajima, Japanese baseball player
1975 – Choi Sung-yong, South Korean footballer and manager
1975 – Marcus Trescothick, English cricketer
1976 – Tuomas Holopainen, Finnish keyboard player, songwriter, and producer
1976 – Atko Väikmeri, Estonian footballer
1976 – Armin van Buuren, Dutch DJ and record producer
1977 – Ali Tandoğan, Turkish footballer
1977 – Israel Vázquez, Mexican boxer (d. 2024)
1978 – Simon Jones, Welsh cricketer
1978 – Joel Porter, Australian footballer and manager
1978 – Jeremy Strong, American actor
1979 – Ferman Akgül, Turkish singer-songwriter
1979 – Laurent Bonnart, French footballer
1979 – Robert Huff, English race car driver
1979 – Hyun Young-min, South Korean footballer
1980 – Laura Sadler, English actress (d. 2003)
1980 – Marcus Trufant, American football player
1981 – Trenesha Biggers, American wrestler and model
1981 – Camille Herron, American ultramarathon runner
1981 – Christian Holst, Danish-Faroese footballer
1981 – Willy Taveras, Dominican baseball player
1982 – Shawn Andrews, American football player
1982 – Rob Edwards, Welsh footballer
1982 – Ethan Kath, Canadian keyboard player, songwriter and producer
1982 – Chris Rene, American singer-songwriter and producer
1984 – Chris Cahill, Samoan footballer
1984 – Alastair Cook, English cricketer
1984 – Jessica Origliasso, Australian singer, actress, and fashion designer
1984 – Lisa Origliasso, Australian singer, actress, and fashion designer
1984 – Chris Richard, American basketball player
1985 – Martin Mathathi, Kenyan runner
1985 – Rusev, Bulgarian-American professional wrestler
1985 – Perdita Weeks, Welsh actress
1987 – Ceyhun Gülselam, Turkish footballer
1987 – Demaryius Thomas, American football player (d. 2021)
1988 – Eric Gordon, American basketball player
1988 – Lukas Hinds-Johnson, German rugby player
1988 – Joãozinho, Brazilian footballer
1991 – Avu-chan, Japanese musician, songwriter, actor, model and producer
1992 – Mitakeumi Hisashi, Japanese sumo wrestler
1993 – Emi Takei, Japanese actress, fashion model and singer
1999 – Adut Akech, South Sudanese-Australian fashion model (Full article...)

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