History of Today in India – 10 April

Explore the history of today 10 April in India, including important events, famous personalities, and milestones for UPSC SSC,Banking & PSC exams.

Last updated on 10 April 2026, 04:22 AM

📜 Important Events on 10 April in World History

10 Apr 2023: A mass shooting occurs at the Old National Bank in Louisville, Kentucky that leaves five victims dead and eight wounded. Read more
10 Apr 2016: The Paravur temple accident in which a devastating fire caused by the explosion of firecrackers stored for Vishu, kills more than one hundred people out of the thousands gathered for seventh day of Bhadrakali worship. Read more
10 Apr 2016: An earthquake of 6.6 magnitude strikes 39 km west-southwest of Ashkasham, impacting India, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Srinagar and Pakistan. Read more
10 Apr 2010: Polish Air Force Tu-154M crashes near Smolensk, Russia, killing 96 people, including Polish President Lech Kaczyński, his wife, and dozens of other senior officials and dignitaries. Read more
10 Apr 2009: President of Fiji Ratu Josefa Iloilo announces the abrogation of the constitution and assumes all governance in the country, creating a constitutional crisis. Read more
10 Apr 1998: The Good Friday Agreement is signed in Northern Ireland. Read more
10 Apr 1991: Italian ferry MS Moby Prince collides with an oil tanker in dense fog off Livorno, Italy, killing 140. Read more
10 Apr 1991: A rare tropical storm develops in the South Atlantic Ocean near Angola; the first to be documented by satellites. Read more
10 Apr 1988: The Ojhri Camp explosion kills or injures more than 1,000 people in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan. Read more
10 Apr 1981: Imprisoned IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands was elected to Westminster as the MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, Northern Ireland. He died twenty-six days later. Read more
10 Apr 1979: Red River Valley tornado outbreak: A tornado lands in Wichita Falls, Texas killing 42 people. Read more
10 Apr 1973: Invicta International Airlines Flight 435 crashes in a snowstorm on approach to Basel, Switzerland, killing 108 people. Read more
10 Apr 1972: Tombs containing bamboo slips, among them Sun Tzu's Art of War and Sun Bin's lost military treatise, are discovered by construction workers in Shandong. Read more
10 Apr 1972: Vietnam War: For the first time since November 1967, American B-52 bombers reportedly begin bombing North Vietnam. Read more
10 Apr 1970: Paul McCartney announces that he is leaving The Beatles for personal and professional reasons. Read more
10 Apr 1968: The TEV Wahine, a New Zealand ferry sinks in Wellington harbour due to a fierce storm – the strongest winds ever in Wellington. Out of the 734 people on board, fifty-three died. Read more
10 Apr 1963: One hundred twenty-nine American sailors die when the submarine USS Thresher sinks at sea. Read more
10 Apr 1944: Rudolf Vrba and Alfréd Wetzler escape from Birkenau death camp. Read more
10 Apr 1941: World War II: The Axis powers establish the Independent State of Croatia. Read more
10 Apr 1925: The Russian city of Tsaritsyn was renamed Stalingrad to honor the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, Soviet Communist Party General Secretary, who had guided the defense of Tsaritsyn during the Russian Civil War in 1920. Read more
10 Apr 1919: Mexican Revolution leader Emiliano Zapata is ambushed and shot dead by government forces in Morelos. Read more
10 Apr 1919: The Third Regional Congress of Peasants, Workers and Insurgents is held by the Makhnovshchina at Huliaipole. Read more
10 Apr 1912: RMS Titanic sets sail from Southampton, UK, on her maiden and only voyage. Read more
10 Apr 1900: British suffer a sharp defeat by the Boers south of Brandfort. 600 British troops are killed and wounded and 800 taken prisoner. Read more
10 Apr 1896: 1896 Summer Olympics: The Olympic marathon is run ending with the victory of Greek athlete Spyridon Louis. Read more
10 Apr 1887: On Easter Sunday, Pope Leo XIII authorizes the establishment of the Catholic University of America. Read more
10 Apr 1872: The first Arbor Day is celebrated in Nebraska. Read more
10 Apr 1868: At Arogee in Abyssinia, British and Indian forces defeat an army of Emperor Tewodros II. While 700 Ethiopians are killed and many more injured, only two British/Indian troops die. Read more
10 Apr 1866: The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) is founded in New York City by Henry Bergh. Read more
10 Apr 1865: American Civil War: A day after his surrender to Union forces, Confederate General Robert E. Lee addresses his troops for the last time. Read more
10 Apr 1864: Archduke Maximilian of Habsburg is proclaimed emperor of Mexico during the French intervention in Mexico. Read more
10 Apr 1858: After the original Big Ben, a 14.5 tonnes (32,000 lb) bell for the Palace of Westminster, had cracked during testing, it is recast into the current 13.76 tonnes (30,300 lb) bell by Whitechapel Bell Foundry. Read more
10 Apr 1826: The 10,500 inhabitants of the Greek town of Missolonghi begin leaving the town after a year's siege by Turkish forces. Very few of them survive. Read more
10 Apr 1821: Patriarch Gregory V of Constantinople is hanged by the Ottoman government from the main gate of the Patriarchate and his body is thrown into the Bosphorus. Read more
10 Apr 1821: Greek War of Independence: the island of Psara joins the Greek struggle for independence. Read more
10 Apr 1816: The Federal government of the United States approves the creation of the Second Bank of the United States. Read more
10 Apr 1815: The Mount Tambora volcano begins a three-month-long eruption, lasting until July 15. The eruption ultimately kills 71,000 people and affects Earth's climate for the next two years. Read more
10 Apr 1814: Allied forces under the Duke of Wellington attack Toulouse held by Marshall Soult, driving out the French after fierce fighting. Read more
10 Apr 1809: Napoleonic Wars: The War of the Fifth Coalition begins when forces of the Austrian Empire invade Bavaria. Read more

🎂 Important Births on 10 April in World History

10 Apr 2004: Ismaël Gharbi, French-Spanish footballer Ismaël Seifallah Gharbi is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Bundesliga club FC Augsburg, on loan from Primeira Liga club Braga. Born in France and a former youth international for France and Spain, he plays for the Tunisia national team. Read more
10 Apr 2004: Savinho, Brazilian footballer Sávio Moreira de Oliveira, known as Savinho or simply Sávio, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Premier League club Manchester City and the Brazil national team. Read more
10 Apr 2000: Fidias Panayiotou, Cypriot internet celebrity and politician Fidias Panayiotou, known mononymously as Fidias, is a Greek-Cypriot politician, influencer, YouTuber, and former prankster who has served as a Member of the European Parliament for Cyprus since July 2024. Originally elected as an independent in the 2024 European Parliament election, Panayiotou founded the political party Direct Democracy Cyprus in October 2025. Read more
10 Apr 1997: Claire Wineland, American activist and author (died 2018) Claire Lucia Wineland was an American activist, author, speaker and social media personality. Through her non-profit organization, Claire's Place Foundation, she provided support to children and families affected by cystic fibrosis (CF). She died from a blood clot one week after receiving a double lung transplant at the age of 21. Read more
10 Apr 1996: Andreas Christensen, Danish footballer Andreas Bødtker Christensen is a Danish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for La Liga club Barcelona and the Denmark national team. Read more
10 Apr 1994: Siobhan Hunter, Scottish footballer Siobhan Hunter is a Scottish footballer who plays as a defender for Hibernian in the Scottish Women's Premier League. Read more
10 Apr 1992: Jack Buchanan, Australian rugby league player Jack Buchanan is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a prop for the Burleigh Bears in the Queensland Cup. Read more
10 Apr 1992: Chaz Mostert, Australian racing driver Chaz Michael Mostert is an Australian professional racing driver competing in the Repco Supercars Championship. He currently drives the No. 1 Toyota GR Supra for Walkinshaw TWG Racing. Mostert won the 2025 Supercars Championship and the inaugural Supercars Finals Series driving for Walkinshaw Andretti United. Read more
10 Apr 1992: Daisy Ridley, English actress Daisy Jazz Isobel Ridley is an English actress. She rose to prominence for her role as Rey in the Star Wars sequel trilogy from 2015 until 2019. Following the Star Wars films, Ridley appeared in the mystery film Murder on the Orient Express (2017), and played Ophelia in the romantic drama Ophelia (2018). She had voice roles in the animated film Peter Rabbit (2018) and the video game Twelve Minutes (2021). She subsequently had leading roles in the science-fiction film Chaos Walking (2021), the independent drama Sometimes I Think About Dying (2023), and the psychological thriller The Marsh King's Daughter (2023). She also portrayed Gertrude Ederle in the biographical drama Young Woman and the Sea (2024). Read more
10 Apr 1990: Ben Amos, English footballer Benjamin Paul Amos is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for EFL League One club Port Vale. He was capped by England up to under-21 level. Read more
10 Apr 1990: Andile Jali, South African footballer Andile Ernest Jali is a South African professional soccer player who once played for Orlando Pirates, Mamelodi Sundowns and is currently signed to Chippa United. He also plays for the South African national team. Read more
10 Apr 1990: Alex Pettyfer, English actor Alexander Richard Pettyfer is an English actor and model. He appeared in school plays and on television before being cast as Alex Rider, the main character in the 2006 film version of Stormbreaker. Pettyfer was nominated for a Young Artist Award and an Empire Award for his role. Read more
10 Apr 1989: Charlie Culberson, American baseball player Charles Edward Culberson is an American former professional baseball infielder. The San Francisco Giants drafted Culberson in the first round in the 2007 MLB draft. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Giants, Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, and Texas Rangers. Read more
10 Apr 1988: Chris Heston, American baseball pitcher Christopher Lee Heston is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played college baseball for East Carolina University and played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants, the Seattle Mariners and the Minnesota Twins. On June 9, 2015, he threw the 17th no-hitter in Giants franchise history. Read more
10 Apr 1988: Kareem Jackson, American football player Kareem Jackson is an American professional football executive and former defensive back and who is an area scout for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Jackson was selected by the Houston Texans in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft. He has also played for the Broncos and Buffalo Bills. Read more
10 Apr 1988: Haley Joel Osment, American actor Haley Joel Osment is an American actor. Beginning his career as a child actor, Osment's role in the comedy-drama film Forrest Gump (1994) won him a Young Artist Award. His breakthrough came with the psychological thriller film The Sixth Sense (1999), for which he won a Saturn Award and was nominated for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Osment achieved further success with the drama film Pay It Forward (2000), the science fiction film A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001), which won him a second Saturn Award, the comedy film Secondhand Lions (2003), which won him a Critics Choice Award, and the animated film The Jungle Book 2 (2003). Read more
10 Apr 1988: Jan-Phillip Tadsen, German politician Jan-Phillip Tadsen is a German politician serving as a member of the Landtag of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern since 2021. He has been a member of the Alternative for Germany since 2015. Read more
10 Apr 1987: Ahmed Adel Abdel Moneam, Egyptian footballer Ahmed Adel Abdel Moneam is an Egyptian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Egyptian League club Ismaily SC. Read more
10 Apr 1987: Hayley Westenra, New Zealand soprano Hayley Dee Westenra is a New Zealand classical crossover singer. Her first internationally released album, Pure, reached number one on the UK classical charts in 2003 and has sold more than two million copies worldwide, making it one of the fastest selling albums in her country's history. Read more
10 Apr 1986: Olivia Borlée, Belgian sprinter Olivia Borlée is a retired Belgian sprinter who specialized in the 200 metres. Her personal best time in the 200 is 22.98 seconds, achieved in July 2006 in Brussels. She has a personal best of 11.39 seconds in the 100 metres. She won a gold medal in the 4 × 100 m relay at the 2008 Summer Olympics with teammates Hanna Mariën, Élodie Ouédraogo, and Kim Gevaert in a time of 42.54 seconds, which set a new Belgian record. Read more
10 Apr 1986: Fernando Gago, Argentine footballer and manager Fernando Rubén Gago is an Argentine football manager and former player. He is the manager of Universidad de Chile. Read more
10 Apr 1986: Corey Kluber, American baseball pitcher Corey Scott Kluber is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox. He made his MLB debut in 2011 as a member of the Indians. A power pitcher, Kluber achieved high strikeout rates through a two-seam sinker and a breaking ball that variously resembled a slider and a curveball. Read more
10 Apr 1986: Vincent Kompany, Belgian footballer and manager Vincent Jean Mpoy Kompany is a Belgian professional football manager and former player who played as a centre-back. He is the head coach of Bundesliga club Bayern Munich. As a player, he is best known for his eleven seasons at Manchester City, eight of which he served as captain. Kompany also represented the Belgium national team for fifteen years and served as its captain. He has been cited as one of the best defenders in Premier League history. Read more
10 Apr 1986: Tore Reginiussen, Norwegian footballer Tore Reginiussen is a Norwegian former professional footballer. Reginiussen has previously played for the clubs Tromsø, Schalke 04, Lecce, OB, Rosenborg, FC St. Pauli and Alta and has been capped playing for Norway. Reginiussen played as a centre back, but could also play as a central midfielder. Read more
10 Apr 1985: Barkhad Abdi, Somali-American actor and director Barkhad Abdi is a Somali actor. He made his acting debut as the pirate Abduwali Muse in the biographical drama film Captain Phillips (2013), which earned him a British Academy Film Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, along with Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, and Actor Award nominations. Read more
10 Apr 1985: Willo Flood, Irish footballer William Robert Flood is an Irish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He earned 15 caps for his country at under-20 and under-21 levels. He represented eight clubs in England and Scotland including Manchester City, Cardiff City, Dundee United, Celtic, Middlesbrough and Aberdeen. Read more
10 Apr 1985: Jesús Gámez, Spanish footballer Jesús Gámez Duarte is a Spanish former professional footballer who played mainly as a right-back. Read more
10 Apr 1985: Dion Phaneuf, Canadian ice hockey player Dion Phaneuf is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenseman who played for the Calgary Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators and Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted ninth overall in the 2003 NHL entry draft by Calgary and made his NHL debut in 2005 after a four-year junior career with the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League (WHL), in which he was twice named the Defenceman of the Year. Read more
10 Apr 1984: Faustina Agolley, Australian television host Faustina "Fuzzy" Agolley is an Australian television presenter best known for her role as the host of long-running Australian music program Video Hits on Channel 10. She was also the host of late-night game and gadget review program Cybershack and is a graduate from the University of Melbourne and RMIT University. She previously co-hosted The Voice alongside Darren McMullen. Read more
10 Apr 1984: Jeremy Barrett, American figure skater Jeremy Barrett is an American former pair skater. With Caydee Denney, he became the 2010 U.S. national champion and competed at the 2010 Winter Olympics. During the pairs short program at the 2010 Olympics, Denney and Barrett became the first team to land a throw triple Lutz jump at any Winter Olympic competition. Read more
10 Apr 1984: Mandy Moore, American singer-songwriter and actress Amanda Leigh Moore is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She rose to fame with her 1999 debut single "Candy", which peaked at number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100. Her debut studio album, So Real (1999), received Platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The title track from her reissue of So Real, I Wanna Be With You (2000), became Moore's first top 40 single, peaking at 24. Moore then released the albums Mandy Moore (2001), Coverage (2003), Wild Hope (2007), Amanda Leigh (2009), Silver Landings (2020), and In Real Life (2022). Read more
10 Apr 1984: David Obua, Ugandan footballer David Obua is a Ugandan football coach and former professional football player. He is the coach of URA FC in the Ugandan Premier League. He was appointed in November 2023. During his playing career, Obua played for Police FC, Raleigh Capital Express, Wilmington Hammerheads, Kaizer Chiefs and Heart of Midlothian in the Scottish Premier League. At international level, he represented Uganda national team and has a record of being the country's all-time goal scorer record in the Africa Nations Cup and World Cup qualifiers. Read more
10 Apr 1984: Damien Perquis, French-Polish footballer Damien Albert René Perquis is a former professional footballer and current assistant coach of Gazélec Ajaccio's B-team. Read more
10 Apr 1984: Gonzalo Javier Rodríguez, Argentinian footballer Gonzalo Javier Rodríguez Prado is an Argentine former professional footballer who played as a central defender. Read more
10 Apr 1983: Jamie Chung, American actress Jamie Jilynn Chung is an American actress and former reality television personality. She began her career in 2004 as a cast member on the MTV reality series The Real World: San Diego and subsequently through her appearances on its spin-off series, Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Inferno II. She is regarded by many as the Real World alumna with the most successful media career. Read more
10 Apr 1983: Andrew Dost, American guitarist and songwriter Andrew Paul Dost is an American musician and singer; he is a member of the indie bossa nova/jazz band Metal Bubble Trio, in which he is the lead singer. He was formerly a member of the indie rock band Anathallo from 2003 to 2007, as well as the indie rock band Fun. from 2008 to 2015. Read more
10 Apr 1983: Ryan Merriman, American actor Ryan Earl Merriman is an American actor. He began his career at the age of ten and has appeared in several feature films and television shows. He is best known for a handful of Disney Channel original movies and for portraying Jake Pierce in The Ring Two, Kevin Fischer in Final Destination 3, and Ian Thomas in Pretty Little Liars. Read more
10 Apr 1983: Hannes Sigurðsson, Icelandic footballer Hannes Þorsteinn Sigurðsson is an Icelandic football manager and former player who played as a forward. He is the manager of German club SV Wacker Burghausen. Read more
10 Apr 1982: Andre Ethier, American baseball player Andre Everett Ethier is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2006 to 2017. Read more
10 Apr 1981: Laura Bell Bundy, American actress and singer Laura Ashley Bell Bundy-Hinkle is an American actress and singer-songwriter. Her career started as a child, when her mother entered her in beauty pageants, where she would sing as a talent. After recognizing her singing ability, her mother took her to New York City, where she found success as a child actress and model, signing with Ford Modeling Agency in 1986. She was cast as the lead in Ruthless! at age 9 in 1991. She later gained wider recognition for her role as the young Sarah Whittle in 1995's Jumanji. Later she played Marah Lewis on the daytime soap Guiding Light from 1998 to 2001. Read more
10 Apr 1981: Liz McClarnon, English singer and dancer Elizabeth Margaret McClarnon-Cho is an English singer, songwriter and actress, who is the longest serving member of the girl group Atomic Kitten, with whom she has scored three number-one singles and two number-one albums. McClarnon co-wrote several Atomic Kitten songs, including the UK top 10 hits "See Ya", "I Want Your Love" and "Someone Like Me". Read more
10 Apr 1981: Michael Pitt, American actor, model and musician Michael Carmen Pitt is an American actor and model. In film, he has appeared in Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001), Bully (2001), Murder by Numbers (2002), The Dreamers (2003), Last Days (2005), Silk (2007), Funny Games (2007), I Origins (2014), and Ghost in the Shell (2017). In television, he portrayed Henry Parker in the teen drama Dawson's Creek (1999–2000), Jimmy Darmody in the HBO series Boardwalk Empire (2010–2011), and Mason Verger in the second season of the NBC series Hannibal (2014). Read more
10 Apr 1981: Alexei Semenov, Russian ice hockey player Alexei Anatolevich Semenov is a Russian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Semenov was selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the second round of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, 36th overall. Read more
10 Apr 1980: Sean Avery, Canadian ice hockey player and model Sean Christopher Avery is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and actor. During his career in the National Hockey League (NHL), he played left wing for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers, and Dallas Stars, gaining recognition for controversial and disrespectful behaviour both on and off the ice. His agitating playing style led to multiple teams waiving him and to having a contract terminated. He led the league in penalty minutes twice, during the 2003–04 and 2005–06 NHL seasons. Read more
10 Apr 1980: Charlie Hunnam, English actor Charles Matthew Hunnam is an English actor. He portrayed Jax Teller in the FX drama series Sons of Anarchy (2008–2014), for which he was twice nominated for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actor. Read more
10 Apr 1980: Shao Jiayi, Chinese footballer Shao Jiayi is a Chinese professional football manager and a former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He is the head coach of the China national football team. He represented Beijing Guoan, TSV 1860 Munich, Energie Cottbus and MSV Duisburg as well as the China national team with which he participated in the 2000 AFC Asian Cup, 2002 FIFA World Cup and 2004 AFC Asian Cup. Read more
10 Apr 1980: Kasey Kahne, American race car driver Kasey Kenneth Kahne is an American professional dirt track racing and stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 33 Chevrolet Camaro SS for Richard Childress Racing. Currently, Kahne competes in High Limit Racing, driving the No. 9 sprint car for his own team, Kasey Kahne Racing. Read more
10 Apr 1980: Andy Ram, Israeli tennis player Andreas "Andy" Ram is an Israeli retired professional tennis player. He was primarily a doubles player, and competed in three Olympics. Read more
10 Apr 1980: Bryce Soderberg, American singer-songwriter and bass player Bryce Dane Soderberg is a Canadian musician and songwriter, best known as the bassist and vocalist for American rock band Lifehouse. Read more
10 Apr 1979: Iván Alonso, Uruguayan footballer Iván Daniel Alonso Vallejo is a Uruguayan former professional footballer who played as a striker. He is the sporting director of Liga MX club Cruz Azul. Read more
10 Apr 1979: Kenyon Coleman, American football player Kenyon Octavia Coleman is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for the Oakland Raiders, Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, and New Orleans Saints. He played college football for UCLA Bruins. Read more
10 Apr 1979: Rachel Corrie, American author and activist (died 2003) Rachel Aliene Corrie was an American nonviolence activist and diarist. She was a member of the pro-Palestinian International Solidarity Movement (ISM), and was active throughout the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories. In 2003, she was in Rafah, a city in the Gaza Strip then under Israeli occupation, where the demolishment of Palestinian houses by Israeli forces was taking place at the height of the Second Intifada. While protesting the demolitions as they were being carried out, she was killed by an Israeli armored bulldozer that crushed her. Read more
10 Apr 1979: Tsuyoshi Domoto, Japanese singer-songwriter and actor Tsuyoshi Domoto is a Japanese idol, singer, songwriter, actor, and television personality. Along with Koichi Domoto, he is a member of Domoto, which is a Japanese duo under the management of Starto Entertainment and the record holder of Guinness World Records for having the record of the most consecutive number-one singles since their debut single. Read more
10 Apr 1979: Sophie Ellis-Bextor, English singer-songwriter Sophie Michelle Ellis-Bextor is an English singer and songwriter. She first came to prominence in the late 1990s as the lead vocalist of the indie rock band theaudience. After the group disbanded, Ellis-Bextor went solo and achieved success beginning in the early 2000s. Her music is mainstream pop and dance with influences of disco, nu-disco, and 1980s electronic music. Read more
10 Apr 1979: Pavlos Fyssas, Greek rapper (died 2013) Pavlos Fyssas, also known by his stage name Killah P, was a Greek rapper, notable for his participation and performance in musical projects, as well as for his anti-fascist activism. He toured well-known venues in Athens and throughout Greece. He was murdered on 18 September 2013 by a member of the neo-fascist group Golden Dawn. Read more
10 Apr 1979: Peter Kopteff, Finnish footballer Peter Kopteff is a Finnish former professional footballer who played as a left winger. Read more
10 Apr 1978: Sir Christus, Finnish guitarist (died 2017) Sir Christus was a Finnish guitarist, best known as the former rhythm guitarist of the glam rock band Negative. His father was Arwo Mikkonen, guitarist of the Finnish rock band Popeda. His father died in 1986, leaving eight-year-old Christus and his four-year-old brother Matthau without a father figure in their life. Read more
10 Apr 1977: Stephanie Sheh, Taiwanese-American voice actress, director, and producer Stephanie Ru-Phan Sheh is an American voice actress, ADR director, writer, and producer who has worked for several major companies. She is often involved with work in English dubs of anime, cartoons, video games, and films. Her notable voice roles include Hinata Hyuga in the Naruto franchise, Orihime Inoue in Bleach, Usagi Tsukino/Sailor Moon in the Viz Media redub of Sailor Moon, Lotte Jansson in Little Witch Academia, Yui Hirasawa in K-On!, Eureka in Eureka Seven, Armor in X-Men, Katana in DC Super Hero Girls, Mikuru Asahina in The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Yui in Sword Art Online, Illyasviel von Einzbern in Fate/stay night, Mamimi Samejima in FLCL, Blanca in White Snake and Green Snake and Mitsuha Miyamizu in Your Name. Read more
10 Apr 1976: Clare Buckfield, English actress Clare Buckfield is an English actress, best known for playing the role of Jenny Porter in the BBC sitcom 2point4 Children for most of the nineties and Natasha Stevens in the CBBC series Grange Hill. Read more
10 Apr 1976: Yoshino Kimura, Japanese actress and singer Yoshino Kimura is a Japanese actress and singer. She appeared on an episode of the Showtime series Masters of Horror. Kimura won the "Rookie of the Year" prize at the 21st Japan Academy Awards for her appearance in Shitsurakuen. Read more
10 Apr 1976: Sara Renner, Canadian skier Sara Renner is a Canadian former cross-country skier who competed from 1994 to 2010. With Beckie Scott, she won the silver medal in the team sprint event at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin and earned her best individual finish of eight in the 10 km classical event in those same games. She was born in Golden, British Columbia. Read more
10 Apr 1975: Chris Carrabba, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Christopher Andrew Carrabba is an American musician who is the primary songwriter, lead singer, and guitarist of the band Dashboard Confessional, lead singer of the band Further Seems Forever, and lead vocalist for the folk band Twin Forks. Read more
10 Apr 1975: Terrence Lewis, Indian dancer and choreographer Terence Lewis is an Indian dancer and choreographer. He is known for judging the reality dance shows Dance India Dance (2009–2012) and Nach Baliye (2012–2017). Read more
10 Apr 1974: Eric Greitens, American soldier, author and politician Eric Robert Greitens is an American politician, humanitarian, and former United States Navy SEAL. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 56th governor of Missouri from January 2017 until his resignation in June 2018. His resignation followed multiple investigations involving allegations related to an extramarital relationship, in which he was accused of blackmail and sexual assault, and improper campaign‑finance practices, although all the associated criminal charges were later dropped. Read more
10 Apr 1974: Petros Passalis, Greek footballer Petros Passalis is a Greek former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. He started his career at Edessaikos and transferred as a great talent at Olympiakos in 1994 where he starred for some years before joining Aris FC in 2001. He retired in 2007. Read more
10 Apr 1973: Guillaume Canet, French actor and director Guillaume Arthur Jean-Louis Canet is a French actor, film director and screenwriter, and show jumper. Read more
10 Apr 1973: Roberto Carlos, Brazilian footballer and manager Roberto Carlos da Silva Rocha, often recognized as Roberto Carlos and sometimes RC3, is a Brazilian former professional footballer. He has been described as the "most offensive-minded left-back in the history of the game", and one of the greatest full-backs in history. In 1997, he was runner-up in the FIFA World Player of the Year and in 2002, was runner-up for the Ballon d'Or. He is primarily known for his long career at Real Madrid and constant presence on the Brazilian national team. Read more
10 Apr 1973: Aidan Moffat, Scottish singer-songwriter Aidan John Moffat is a Scottish vocalist and musician, and a member of the band Arab Strap. Read more
10 Apr 1973: Christopher Simmons, Canadian-American graphic designer, author, and academic Christopher Simmons, is a Canadian-born American graphic designer, design leader, writer, and educator. He is based in San Francisco, California. Read more
10 Apr 1972: Ian Harvey, Australian cricketer Ian Joseph Harvey is a former Australian cricketer. He was an all-rounder who played 73 One Day Internationals for Australia and was named as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year for 2004 for his performances in county cricket. He was a part of the Australian squad which won the 2003 Cricket World Cup. Read more
10 Apr 1972: Priit Kasesalu, Estonian computer programmer, co-created Skype Priit Kasesalu is an Estonian programmer and software developer best known for his participation in the development of Kazaa, Skype and, most recently, Joost. He currently works for Ambient Sound Investments and lives in Tallinn, Estonia. Read more
10 Apr 1971: Indro Olumets, Estonian footballer and coach Indro Olumets is a former Estonian footballer who played as an offensive-minded midfielder. His last years of playing professional football were in the Estonian Meistriliiga side Nõmme Kalju. After that he has played for amateur teams including JK Kaitseliit Kalev. Read more
10 Apr 1971: Al Reyes, Dominican-American baseball player Rafael Alberto "Al" Reyes is a Dominican former Major League Baseball pitcher. A right-handed pitcher and career reliever, he played for seven teams; debuting on April 27, 1995, with the Milwaukee Brewers and playing for the Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays/Rays, over the years. Read more
10 Apr 1970: Enrico Ciccone, Canadian ice hockey player Enrico Pasquale Ciccone is a Canadian politician and former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). He currently represents Marquette as a member of the Quebec Liberal Party. Read more
10 Apr 1970: Leonard Doroftei, Romanian-Canadian boxer Leonard Dorin Doroftei is a Romanian
former boxer, the WBA Lightweight World Champion from 5 January 2002 to 24 October 2003. Read more
10 Apr 1970: Kenny Lattimore, American singer-songwriter Kenneth Lee Lattimore is an American R&B singer known for his smooth, soulful voice and romantic ballads. He rose to prominence in the mid-1990s with the release of his self-titled album, Kenny Lattimore. In 2024, Lattimore was inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame. Read more
10 Apr 1970: Q-Tip, American rapper, producer, and actor Kamaal Ibn John Fareed, better known by his stage name Q-Tip, is an American rapper and record producer. Nicknamed the Abstract, he is noted for his innovative jazz-influenced style of hip hop production and his philosophical, esoteric and introspective lyrical themes. He embarked on his music career in the late 1980s, as an MC and main producer of the influential alternative hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest. In the mid-1990s, he co-founded the production team The Ummah, followed by the release of his gold-certified solo debut Amplified in 1999. In the following decade, he released the Grammy Award-nominated album The Renaissance (2008) and the experimental album Kamaal the Abstract (2009). Read more
10 Apr 1969: Steve Glasson, Australian lawn bowler Stephen John Glasson OAM is an Australian bowls player. He was number one in the world in 2004 and was ranked first in Australia between 1997 and 2005. He is currently the Australian national bowls coach. Read more
10 Apr 1969: Ekaterini Koffa, Greek sprinter Ekaterini "Katerina" Koffa is a retired Greek sprinter who won the 200 metres at the 1997 IAAF World Indoor Championships. Koffa still holds the indoor and outdoor Greek records in 200 metres. Read more
10 Apr 1968: Metin Göktepe, Turkish photographer and journalist (died 1996) Metin Göktepe was a Kurdish photojournalist who was tortured and murdered in police custody in Istanbul on January 8, 1996. Read more
10 Apr 1968: Orlando Jones, American actor, producer, and screenwriter Orlando Jones is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He is known for being one of the original cast members of the sketch comedy series MADtv, for his role as the 7 Up spokesman from 1999 to 2002, and for his role as the African god Anansi on Starz's American Gods. Read more
10 Apr 1967: Donald Dufresne, Canadian ice hockey player and coach Donald Alain Joseph Dufresne is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. Read more
10 Apr 1967: David Rovics, American singer-songwriter David Stefan Rovics is an American indie singer/songwriter. His music concerns both topical subjects such as the Iraq War, anti-globalization, anarchism, and social justice issues, and also labor history. Rovics has been an outspoken critic of former president George W. Bush, the Republican Party, John Kerry, and the Democratic Party. Read more
10 Apr 1965: Tim Alexander, American drummer and songwriter Timothy Wayne Alexander, also credited as "Herb" Alexander, is an American retired musician best known as the drummer for the rock band Primus. Prior to Primus, Alexander was the drummer for Arizona's Major Lingo from 1985-1990. Alexander has been in Primus across three stints; he initially left the band in 1996 and rejoined in 2003 before leaving again in 2010 and re-joining in 2013, again departing in October 2024. Alexander has played in several projects with Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan including the bands Puscifer and A Perfect Circle. He earned the nickname "Herb" from his Primus bandmates after carrying a fanny pack full with herbs like ginseng that he would distribute. Read more
10 Apr 1965: Anna-Leena Härkönen, Finnish author Anna-Leena Mirjami Härkönen is a Finnish writer and actress. Read more
10 Apr 1963: Warren DeMartini, American guitarist and songwriter Warren Justin DeMartini is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist for glam metal band Ratt, which achieved international stardom in the 1980s. Read more
10 Apr 1963: Jeff Gray, American baseball player and coach Jeffrey Edward Gray is a former professional baseball relief pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds in 1988 and for the Boston Red Sox in 1990 and 1991. Listed at 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) and 175 pounds (79 kg), Gray batted and threw right-handed. He was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1984 out of Florida State University. Read more
10 Apr 1963: Doris Leuthard, Swiss lawyer and politician, 162nd President of the Swiss Confederation Doris Leuthard is a Swiss politician and lawyer who served as a Member of the Swiss Federal Council from 2006 to 2018. A member of the Christian Democratic People's Party (CVP/PDC), she was elected as President of the Swiss Confederation for 2010 and 2017. Leuthard headed the Federal Department of Economic Affairs until 2010, when she became head of the Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications. As of 19 December 2019 she is a member of the board of the Kofi Annan Foundation and Stadler Rail. Read more
10 Apr 1962: Steve Tasker, American football player and sportscaster Steven Jay Tasker is an American sports reporter and former professional football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He spent the majority of his career with the Buffalo Bills but began his career with the Houston Oilers. He was a five-time first-team All-Pro and a seven-time Pro Bowl selection, primarily as a special teams player. Read more
10 Apr 1961: Nicky Campbell, Scottish broadcaster and journalist Nicholas Andrew Argyll Campbell OBE is a Scottish broadcaster and journalist. He has worked in television and radio since 1981 and as a network presenter with BBC Radio since 1987. Read more
10 Apr 1961: Carole Goble, English computer scientist and academic Carole Anne Goble is a Professor of Computer Science at the University of Manchester. Goble co-founded the Software Sustainability Institute (SSI) in 2010, serves as joint head of node at the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructure (ESFRI) ELIXIR project of the European Union and is a co-author of the influenential FAIR data principles. She previously served as principal investigator (PI) of the myGrid, BioCatalogue and myExperiment projects and co-lead the Information Management Group (IMG) with Norman Paton. Read more
10 Apr 1961: Mark Jones, American basketball player Mark Anthony Jones is an American former professional basketball player. He played point guard. Jones played college basketball for the St. Bonaventure Bonnies before being selected by the New York Knicks in the fourth round of the 1983 NBA draft with the 82nd overall pick. He never played for the Knicks and instead played six games in the NBA for the New Jersey Nets during the 1983–84 season. Read more
10 Apr 1960: Steve Bisciotti, American businessman, co-founded Allegis Group Stephen J. Bisciotti is an American business executive and the current majority owner of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He founded Aerotek, the largest privately owned staffing and recruiting company in the U.S. based in Hanover, Maryland, and co-founded Allegis Group, an international talent management firm headquartered in Hanover, Maryland, that owns Aerotek; TEKsystems; Actalent; MarketSource; Major, Lindsey & Africa; Aston Carter; and Allegis Global Solutions. Read more
10 Apr 1960: Katrina Leskanich, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Katrina Elizabeth Leskanich is an American-born, UK-based singer and musician and the former lead singer of the British pop rock band Katrina and the Waves. Their song "Walking on Sunshine" was an international hit in 1985. In 1997, the band won the Eurovision Song Contest for the United Kingdom with the song "Love Shine a Light". Both songs were written by Leskanich's long-term bandmate Kimberley Rew. Read more
10 Apr 1960: Terry Teagle, American basketball player Terry Michael Teagle is an American former professional basketball player, whose National Basketball Association (NBA) career lasted from 1982 to 1993. During his playing career, at a height of 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) tall, he played at the shooting guard position. Read more
10 Apr 1959: Babyface, American singer-songwriter and producer Kenneth Brian Edmonds, better known by his stage name Babyface, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He has written and produced 26 number-one R&B hit songs and
won 13 Grammy Awards. He was ranked number 20 on NME's 50 of The Greatest Producers Ever list. Read more
10 Apr 1959: Yvan Loubier, Canadian economist and politician Yvan Loubier is a Canadian politician and one of the founders of the Bloc Québécois. He was a Bloc Québécois member of the House of Commons of Canada representing the district of Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, from the since he was first elected in the 1993 election, until his resignation on February 21, 2007. Read more
10 Apr 1959: Brian Setzer, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Brian Robert Setzer is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He found widespread success in the early 1980s with the 1950s-style rockabilly group Stray Cats, and returned to the music scene in the early 1990s with his swing revival band, the Brian Setzer Orchestra. In 1987, he made a cameo appearance as Eddie Cochran in the film La Bamba. Read more
10 Apr 1958: Bob Bell, Northern Irish engineer Robert Charles Bell is a Formula One engineer and technical director, best known for his work with the Renault Formula One team. He is currently the Executive Director – Technical for the Aston Martin F1 Team. Read more
10 Apr 1958: Yefim Bronfman, Uzbek-American pianist Yefim "Fima" Naumovich Bronfman is a Soviet-born Israeli-American pianist. He has performed as a soloist and with major symphony orchestras globally since 1975. He won a Grammy Award in 1997. Read more
10 Apr 1958: Brigitte Holzapfel, German high jumper Brigitte Elisabeth Holzapfel is a retired West German high jumper. Read more
10 Apr 1957: Aliko Dangote, Nigerian businessman, founded Dangote Group Aliko Mohammad Dangote is a Nigerian businessman known for his key roles in Dangote Group and Dangote Refinery. In 2011, he was appointed as member of the economic management team by President Goodluck Jonathan. Globally, according to Bloomberg Billionaires Index and Forbes he is the 69th richest person and the wealthiest Black individual, with a net worth of nearly US$32.5 billion as of 2026. Read more
10 Apr 1957: John M. Ford, American author and poet (died 2006) John Milo "Mike" Ford was an American science fiction and fantasy writer, game designer, and poet. Read more
10 Apr 1957: Steve Gustafson, Spanish-American bass player Steven E. "Steve" Gustafson is the bass guitarist for the American alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs. He, Dennis Drew and John Lombardo are the only remaining founding members of the group. Drummer Jerome Augustyniak has been with the band since 1982. Singer Mary Ramsey has been working with the band since 1992 and has been the band's lead singer since 1994. Guitarist Jeff Erickson, former tech for Robert Buck, has been playing lead guitar with the band since 2001. Read more
10 Apr 1957: Rosemary Hill, English historian and author Rosemary Hill FRSL, FSA is an English writer, historian and independent scholar who specialises on the cultural history of the 19th and 20th centuries. Read more
10 Apr 1956: Carol V. Robinson, English chemist and academic Dame Carol Vivien Robinson is a British chemist and former president of the Royal Society of Chemistry (2018–2020). She was a Royal Society Research Professor and is the Dr Lee's Professor of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, and a professorial fellow at Exeter College, University of Oxford. She is the founding director of the Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, University of Oxford, and she was previously professor of mass spectrometry at the chemistry department of the University of Cambridge. Read more
10 Apr 1955: Marit Breivik, Norwegian handball player and coach Marit Breivik is a Norwegian former handball player and coach. She is one of the most decorated national team coaches in handball history and won thirteen championship medals with the Norwegian women's national handball team during a fifteen-year reign, including the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics, the World Championship in 1999, and the European Championship in 1998, 2004, 2006 and 2008. Breivik won three Norwegian national championships and two league titles during her career as a player. She was capped 140 times and scored 286 goals for the Norwegian national team from 1975 to 1983. Read more
10 Apr 1955: Lesley Garrett, English soprano and actress Lesley Garrett is an English soprano singer, musician, broadcaster and media personality who is noted for being at home in opera and "crossover music". Read more
10 Apr 1955: Mike Rinder, Australian-American former Scientologist, critic (died 2025) Michael John Rinder was an Australian and American former senior executive of the Church of Scientology International (CSI) and Sea Org based in the United States. From 1982 to 2007, Rinder was on the board of directors of CSI and also held the post of executive director of its Office of Special Affairs, overseeing the corporate, legal and public relations matters of Scientology at the international level. Read more
10 Apr 1954: Paul Bearer, American wrestler and manager (died 2013) William Alvin Moody was an American professional wrestling manager. He performed in the World Wrestling Federation under the ring name and gimmick of Paul Bearer, manager of The Undertaker and his storyline son/Undertaker's storyline half-brother, Kane. Read more
10 Apr 1954: Anne Lamott, American author and educator Anne Lamott is an American novelist and nonfiction writer. Read more
10 Apr 1954: Peter MacNicol, American actor Peter MacNicol is an American actor. He received a Theatre World Award for his 1981 Broadway debut in the play Crimes of the Heart. His film roles include Galen in Dragonslayer (1981), Stingo in Sophie's Choice (1982), Janosz Poha in Ghostbusters II (1989), Gary Granger in Addams Family Values (1993), Renfield in Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995), and David Langley in Bean (1997). Read more
10 Apr 1954: Juan Williams, Panamanian-American journalist and author Juan Antonio Williams is a Panamanian-American journalist and political analyst for Fox News Channel. He writes for several newspapers, including The Washington Post, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal, and has been published in magazines such as The Atlantic and Time. Williams has worked as an editorial writer, an op-ed columnist, a White House correspondent, and a national correspondent. He is a registered Democrat. Read more
10 Apr 1953: David Moorcroft, English runner and businessman David Robert Moorcroft is a former middle-distance and long-distance runner from England, and former world record holder for 5,000 metres. His athletic career spanned the late-1970s and 1980s. He subsequently served as the Chief Executive of UK Athletics from 1997 to 2007. He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1983 and promoted to an Officer (OBE) in 1999, in both cases for services to athletics. In March 2023, he was appointed a Deputy lieutenant of the West Midlands. Read more
10 Apr 1953: Pamela Wallin, Swedish-Canadian journalist, academic, and politician Pamela Wallin is a Canadian politician, former journalist, and diplomat. Wallin was appointed to the Senate of Canada by Governor General Michaëlle Jean on January 2, 2009. Read more
10 Apr 1952: Narayan Rane, Indian politician, 16th Chief Minister of Maharashtra Narayan Tatu Rane is an Indian politician and Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha from Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg. He was a Chief Minister of Maharashtra. He formerly served as Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in the Second Modi ministry. He has previously held Cabinet Ministry positions for Industry, Port, Employment and Self-employment; Revenue; and Industry in the Government of Maharashtra. Read more
10 Apr 1952: Masashi Sada, Japanese singer, lyricist, composer, novelist, actor, and producer Masashi Sada is a Japanese singer, lyricist, and composer. Read more
10 Apr 1952: Steven Seagal, American actor, producer, and martial artist Steven Frederic Seagal is an American actor, producer, screenwriter, martial artist, and musician. A 7th-dan black belt and shihan in Aikikai aikido, he began his adult life as a martial arts instructor in Japan, where he became the first non-Japanese and American to operate an aikido dojo. He later moved to Los Angeles, where he continued teaching aikido. In 1988, Seagal made his acting debut in Above the Law, which is regarded as the first American film to feature aikido in fight sequences. Read more
10 Apr 1951: David Helvarg, American journalist and activist David Helvarg is an American journalist and environmental activist. He is the founder and president of the marine conservation lobbying organization Blue Frontier Campaign.He is associated with the 'Seaweed rebellion' marine environmentalist movement. He is an author; his writing is often related to marine environmental activism, such as his second book, Blue Frontier. His first book, The War against the Greens, argues that violent organized resistance is being orchestrated against the environmental movement. Read more
10 Apr 1950: Ken Griffey, Sr., American baseball player and manager George Kenneth Griffey Sr. is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1973 through 1991, most notably as a member of the Cincinnati Reds team that won three division titles and two World Series championships between 1973 and 1976. He also played for the New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, and Seattle Mariners. Read more
10 Apr 1950: Eddie Hazel, American guitarist (died 1992) Edward Earl Hazel was an American guitarist and singer in early funk music who played lead guitar with Parliament-Funkadelic. Hazel was a posthumous inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic. His ten-minute guitar solo in the Funkadelic song "Maggot Brain" is regarded as "one of the greatest solos of all time on any instrument". In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Hazel at no. 29 in its list of 250 of the greatest guitarists of all time. Read more
10 Apr 1949: Daniel Mangeas, French banker and sportscaster Daniel Mangeas, is a former baker who was the commentator of the Tour de France and other important cycle races in France and Belgium between 1974 and 2014. During his career he commentated on 200 events a year, and tried to never speak for the rest of the day after races, to preserve his voice. Read more
10 Apr 1948: Mel Blount, American football player Melvin Cornell Blount is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) for fourteen seasons. A five-time Pro Bowler, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1989. Read more
10 Apr 1948: Jim Burns, Welsh artist Jim Burns is a Welsh artist born in Cardiff, Wales. He has been called one of the Grand Masters of the science fiction art world. Read more
10 Apr 1947: David A. Adler, American author and educator David Abraham Adler is an American writer of 265 books for children and young adults, most notably the Cam Jansen mystery series, the "Picture Book of…" series, and several acclaimed works about the Holocaust for young readers. Read more
10 Apr 1947: Bunny Wailer, Jamaican singer-songwriter and drummer (died 2021) Neville O'Riley Livingston, known professionally as Bunny Wailer, was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and percussionist. He was an original member of reggae group The Wailers along with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. A three-time Grammy Award winner, he is considered one of the longtime standard-bearers of reggae music. He was also known as Jah B, Bunny O'Riley, and Bunny Livingston. Read more
10 Apr 1946: David Angell, American screenwriter and producer (died 2001) David Lawrence Angell was an American screenwriter and television producer, known for his work in sitcoms. He won multiple Emmy Awards as a Cheers writer and as the creator and executive producer of the sitcoms Wings and Frasier with Peter Casey and David Lee. Heading home from their vacation on Cape Cod, Angell and his wife, Lynn, were killed aboard American Airlines Flight 11, the first plane to hit the World Trade Center during the September 11 attacks. Read more
10 Apr 1946: Bob Watson, American baseball player and manager (died 2020) Robert José Watson was an American professional baseball player, coach and general manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman and left fielder from 1966 to 1984, most prominently as a member of the Houston Astros where he was a two-time All-Star player. Watson had a .295 batting average over a career that also saw him play for the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and the Atlanta Braves. Read more
10 Apr 1946: Adolf Winkelmann, German director, producer, and screenwriter Adolf Winkelmann is a German film director, film producer and screenwriter. He is also a professor of film design in the department of design at the Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts. Read more
10 Apr 1945: Kevin Berry, Australian swimmer (died 2006) Kevin John Berry OAM was an Australian butterfly swimmer of the 1960s who won the gold medal in the 200-metre butterfly at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. He set twelve world records in his career. Read more
10 Apr 1943: Andrzej Badeński, Polish-German sprinter (died 2008) Andrzej Stanisław Badeński was a Polish sprinter who specialized in the 400 metres. He won a bronze medal in that event at the 1964 Summer Olympics, and won the gold medal in that event at the European Indoor Championships in 1968 and in 1971. Read more
10 Apr 1943: Margaret Pemberton, English author Margaret Pemberton is a British writer of women's fiction since 1975. Beside her married name Margaret Pemberton, her writings have been published under her maiden name Maggie Hudson and the pseudonyms Carris Carlisle, Christina Harland, and Rebecca Dean. Read more
10 Apr 1942: Nick Auf der Maur, Canadian journalist and politician (died 1998) Nikolaus Erik Auf der Maur was a Canadian journalist and politician from Montreal, Quebec. He was the father of rock musician Melissa Auf der Maur. Read more
10 Apr 1942: Ian Callaghan, English footballer Ian Robert Callaghan is an English former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He holds the record for most appearances for Liverpool and the FA Cup. He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1975 New Year Honours. Read more
10 Apr 1942: Stuart Dybek, American novelist, short story writer, and poet Stuart Dybek is an American writer of fiction and poetry. Read more
10 Apr 1941: Chrysostomos II of Cyprus, (died 2022) Chrysostomos II, was the Archbishop of Cyprus from 2006 to 2022. Read more
10 Apr 1941: Harold Long, Canadian politician (died 2013) Harold Long was a politician in British Columbia (BC), Canada. Read more
10 Apr 1941: Paul Theroux, American novelist, short story writer, and travel writer Paul Edward Theroux is an American novelist and travel writer who has written numerous books, including the travelogue The Great Railway Bazaar (1975). Some of his works of fiction have been adapted as feature films. He was awarded the 1981 James Tait Black Memorial Prize for his novel The Mosquito Coast, which was adapted for the 1986 movie of the same name and the 2021 television series of the same name. Read more
10 Apr 1940: Gloria Hunniford, British radio and television host Mary Winifred Gloria Hunniford(born 10 April 1940) is a television and radio presenter, broadcaster and singer from Northern Ireland. She is known for presenting programmes on the BBC and ITV, such as Rip Off Britain, and her regular appearances as a panellist on Loose Women. She has been a regular reporter on This Morning and The One Show. She also enjoyed a singing career from the 1960s to the 1980s. Read more
10 Apr 1939: Claudio Magris, Italian scholar, author, and translator Claudio Magris is an Italian scholar, translator and writer. He was a senator for Friuli-Venezia Giulia from 1994 to 1996. Read more
10 Apr 1938: Don Meredith, American football player and sportscaster (died 2010) Joseph Donald Meredith, nicknamed "Dandy Don", was an American football player, sports commentator, and actor. He played as a quarterback for nine seasons with the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the SMU Mustangs, and was selected by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 1960 NFL draft, which took place in November 1959. This draft occurred before the Dallas Cowboys were officially established in January 1960. The Cowboys later acquired Meredith's rights through a trade, allowing them to sign him. He was the second starting quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, following Eddie LeBaron, and is the first major franchise quarterback in Cowboys history. Under the mentorship of head coach Tom Landry, Meredith led the Cowboys to three straight postseason appearances from the 1966 to 1968 seasons, including back-to-back NFL Championship Game appearances in the 1966 and 1967 seasons. He was selected a second-team All-Pro in 1966 and made three straight Pro Bowls from 1966 to 1968. Read more
10 Apr 1937: Bella Akhmadulina, Soviet and Russian poet, short story writer, and translator (died 2010) Izabella Akhatovna Akhmadulina was a Soviet and Russian poet, short story writer, and translator, known for her apolitical writing stance. She was part of the Russian New Wave literary movement. She was cited by Joseph Brodsky as the best living poet in the Russian language. She is known in Russia as "the voice of the epoch". Read more
10 Apr 1936: John A. Bennett, American soldier (died 1961) John Arthur Bennett was a U.S. Army soldier who remains the last person to be executed after a court-martial by the United States Armed Forces. The 18-year-old private was convicted of the rape and attempted murder of an 11-year-old girl in Austria. Despite last minute appeals for clemency and pleas to President John F. Kennedy by the victim and her family to spare his life, Kennedy refused. Bennett was hanged at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas in 1961. Read more
10 Apr 1936: David A. Hardy, British artist David A. Hardy is a British space artist. Read more
10 Apr 1936: John Howell, English long jumper John David Howell is a former British long jumper. Read more
10 Apr 1936: John Madden, American football player, coach, and sportscaster (died 2021) John Earl Madden was an American professional football coach and sports commentator in the National Football League (NFL). He served as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders from 1969 to 1978, leading them to eight playoff appearances, seven division titles, seven AFL/AFC Championship Game appearances, and the franchise's first Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XI. Never having a losing season, Madden holds the highest winning percentage among NFL head coaches who coached at least 100 games. He is considered one of the greatest coaches of all time. Read more
10 Apr 1936: Bobby Smith, American singer (died 2013) Robert Steel Smith, professionally known as Bobby Smith, also spelled Bobbie, was an American R&B singer notable as the principal lead singer of the classic Motown/Philly group, The Spinners, throughout its history. He was the principal lead singer from its formation in 1954 when he was eighteen, until his death in 2013. Read more
10 Apr 1935: Patrick Garland, English actor and director (died 2013) Patrick Ewart Garland was a British director, writer and actor. Read more
10 Apr 1935: Peter Hollingworth, Australian bishop, 23rd Governor General of Australia Peter John Hollingworth is an Australian retired Anglican bishop. Engaged in social work for several decades, he served as the archbishop of the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane in Queensland for 11 years from 1989 and was the 1991 Australian of the Year. He served as the 23rd governor-general of Australia from 2001 until 2003. He is also an author and recipient of various civil and ecclesiastical honours. In May 2003 Hollingworth became the third Australian governor-general to resign, after criticisms were aired over his conduct as Anglican Archbishop of Brisbane in the 1990s. Read more
10 Apr 1935: Christos Yannaras, Greek philosopher, theologian and author (died 2024) Christos Yannaras was a Greek philosopher, Eastern Orthodox theologian and author of more than 50 books which have been translated into many languages. He was a professor emeritus of philosophy at the Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, Athens. Read more
10 Apr 1934: David Halberstam, American journalist and author (died 2007) David Halberstam was an American writer, journalist, and historian, known for his work on the Vietnam War, politics, history, the Civil Rights Movement, business, media, American culture, Korean War, and later, sports journalism. He won a Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting in 1964. Halberstam was killed in a car crash in 2007 while doing research for a book. Read more
10 Apr 1933: Rokusuke Ei, Japanese composer and author (died 2016) Rokusuke Ei was a Japanese lyricist, composer, author, essayist, and television personality of Chinese descent. Read more
10 Apr 1933: Helen McElhone, Scottish politician (died 2013) Helen Margaret McElhone was a Scottish politician. She worked together with her husband, Frank McElhone, during his time as a Member of Parliament (MP) representing Glasgow from 1969. After his sudden death, McElhone was elected as his successor; but within six months her Glasgow Queen's Park constituency was abolished in boundary changes and she lost out to a neighbouring MP in the selection for a new seat. She continued her political activity after leaving Parliament. Read more
10 Apr 1932: Delphine Seyrig, Swiss/Alsatian French actress (died 1990) Delphine Claire Beltiane Seyrig was a Lebanese-born French actress and film director. She came to prominence in Alain Resnais's 1961 film Last Year at Marienbad, and later acted in films by Chantal Akerman, Luis Buñuel, Jacques Demy, Marguerite Duras, Ulrike Ottinger, François Truffaut, and Fred Zinneman. She directed three films, including the documentary Sois belle et tais-toi (1981). Read more
10 Apr 1932: Omar Sharif, Egyptian actor and screenwriter (died 2015) Omar Sharif was an Egyptian actor, generally regarded as his country's greatest male film star. He began his career in Egypt in the early 1950s. He is best known for his appearances in American, British, French, and Italian productions, and has been described as "the first Egyptian and Arab to conquer Hollywood". His career encompassed over 100 films spanning 50 years, and brought him many accolades including three Golden Globe Awards and a César Award for Best Actor. Read more
10 Apr 1930: Claude Bolling, French pianist, composer, and actor (died 2020) Claude Bolling was a French jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and occasional actor. Read more
10 Apr 1930: Dolores Huerta, American activist, co-founded the United Farm Workers Dolores Huerta is an American labor leader and feminist activist. After working for several years with the Community Service Organization (CSO), she co-founded the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA) with fellow activists Cesar Chavez and Gilbert Padilla, which eventually merged with the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee (AWOC) to become the United Farm Workers (UFW). Huerta joined Filipino leader Larry Itliong in the Delano grape strike in 1965, managing boycott campaigns on the east coast and negotiating with the grape companies to end the strike. Some credit her with inventing the UFW slogan "sí se puede". Read more
10 Apr 1930: Spede Pasanen, Finnish film director and producer, comedian, and inventor (died 2001) Pertti Olavi "Spede" Pasanen was a Finnish film director and producer, comedian, and inventor, who has been called an "all-around entertainer". During his career he directed, wrote, produced or acted in about 50 movies and participated in numerous TV productions, including the comedy Spede Show and the game-show Speden Spelit. Much of his more commercial work was in collaboration with Vesa-Matti Loiri and Simo Salminen. Pasanen's films and TV shows, often made quickly and on a low budget, usually received little critical recognition but were popular among Finnish audiences from the 1960s onwards. He was the owner of his own film production company, Filmituotanto Spede Pasanen Ky. Pasanen was ranked 17th at the Suuret suomalaiset competition show broadcast by Yleisradio. Read more
10 Apr 1929: Mike Hawthorn, English racing driver (died 1959) John Michael Hawthorn was a British racing driver who competed in Formula One from 1952 to 1958. Hawthorn won the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in 1958 with Ferrari, and won three Grands Prix across seven seasons. In endurance racing, Hawthorn won both the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1955 with Jaguar. Read more
10 Apr 1929: Liz Sheridan, American actress (died 2022) Elizabeth Ann Sheridan was an American actress. While best known for her roles as the nosy neighbor, Mrs. Ochmonek, on the sitcom ALF (1986–1990), and Jerry's mother, Helen, in Seinfeld (1990–1998), her decades-long career was extensive and included work on the stage and on large and small screens. Read more
10 Apr 1929: Max von Sydow, Swedish-French actor (died 2020) Max von Sydow was a Swedish and French actor. He had a 70-year career in European and American cinema, television, and theatre, appearing in more than 150 films and several television series in multiple languages. Capable in roles ranging from stolid, contemplative protagonists to sardonic artists and menacing, often gleeful villains, von Sydow received numerous accolades including honors from the Cannes Film Festival and the Venice Film Festival. He was nominated for two Academy Awards: for Best Actor for Pelle the Conqueror (1987) and for Best Supporting Actor for Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011). Read more
10 Apr 1927: Norma Candal, Puerto Rican actress (died 2006) Norma Daniela Candal Penedo, was a Puerto Rican actress and comedian who was best known for her role as Petunia on La criada malcriada. Read more
10 Apr 1927: Marshall Warren Nirenberg, American biochemist and geneticist, Nobel Prize laureate (died 2010) Marshall Warren Nirenberg was an American biochemist and geneticist. He shared a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1968 with Har Gobind Khorana and Robert W. Holley for "breaking the genetic code" and describing how it operates in protein synthesis. In the same year, together with Har Gobind Khorana, he was awarded the Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize from Columbia University. Read more
10 Apr 1926: Jacques Castérède, French pianist and composer (died 2014) Jacques Castérède was a French composer and pianist. Read more
10 Apr 1926: Junior Samples, American comedian (died 1983) Alvin Samples Jr., better known as Junior Samples, was an American comedian best known for his 14-year run as a cast member of the television show Hee Haw. Read more
10 Apr 1925: Angelo Poffo, American wrestler and promoter (died 2010) Angelo John Poffo was an American professional wrestler and wrestling promoter. He ran International Championship Wrestling for a number of years, holding cards in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Arkansas. He is the father of "Macho Man" Randy Savage and "The Genius" Lanny Poffo and the father-in-law of Miss Elizabeth. Read more
10 Apr 1924: Kenneth Noland, American soldier and painter (died 2010) Kenneth Noland was an American painter. He was one of the best-known American color field painters, although in the 1950s he was thought of as an abstract expressionist and in the early 1960s as a minimalist painter. Noland helped establish the Washington Color School movement. In 1977, he was honored with a major retrospective at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York that then traveled to the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C., and Ohio's Toledo Museum of Art in 1978. In 2006, Noland's Stripe Paintings were exhibited at the Tate in London. Read more
10 Apr 1923: Roger Gaillard, Haitian historian and author (died 2000) Roger Gaillard was a Haitian historian and novelist. Born in Port-au-Prince, Gaillard earned a philosophy degree at the University of Paris in France. He is best known for his multiple-volume chronicle of the United States' occupation of Haiti. Read more
10 Apr 1923: Jane Kean, American actress and singer (died 2013) Jane Kean was an American actress and singer whose career in show business spanned seven decades and included appearing in nightclubs, on recordings, and in radio, television, Broadway and films. Among her most famous roles were as Trixie Norton on The Jackie Gleason Show, and as the voice of Belle in the perennial favorite Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol. Read more
10 Apr 1923: Floyd Simmons, American decathlete and actor (died 2008) Floyd Macon Simmons was an American athlete and actor who competed mainly in the Olympics decathlon in 1948 and 1952 winning bronze at both Olympic Games. He was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. Read more
10 Apr 1923: Sid Tickridge, English footballer (died 1997) Sidney Tickridge was a professional footballer who played for Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, Brentford and represented England at schoolboy level. Read more
10 Apr 1923: John Watkins, South African cricketer (died 2021) John Cecil Watkins was a South African cricketer who played in 15 Test matches for South Africa between 1949 and 1957. At the time of his death aged 98, Watkins was the oldest living Test cricketer and the last surviving member of the side that toured Australasia in 1952–53. Read more
10 Apr 1921: Chuck Connors, American baseball player and actor (died 1992) Kevin Joseph "Chuck" Connors was an American actor and professional basketball and baseball player. He is one of only 13 athletes in the history of American professional sports to have played in both the National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball. With a 40-year film and television career, he is best known for his role as Lucas McCain on the ABC series The Rifleman (1958–1963). Read more
10 Apr 1921: Jake Warren, Canadian soldier and diplomat, Canadian Ambassador to the United States (died 2008) Jack Hamilton (Jake) Warren was a diplomat, civil servant and banker. Jake Warren began his career at the Department of External Affairs in 1945 after serving in the Royal Canadian Navy during World War II, but served in civil service posts from the late 1950s to early 1970s:Deputy Minister, Department of Trade and Commerce
Canadian representative to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (1960–1964) Read more
10 Apr 1921: Sheb Wooley, American singer-songwriter and actor (died 2003) Shelby Fredrick Wooley was an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He recorded a series of novelty songs, including the 1958 hit rock-and-roll comedy single "The Purple People Eater", and under the name Ben Colder, the country hit "Almost Persuaded No. 2". As an actor, he portrayed Cletus Summers, the principal of Hickory High School and assistant coach in the 1986 film Hoosiers; Ben Miller, brother of Frank Miller in the film High Noon; Travis Cobb in The Outlaw Josey Wales; and scout Pete Nolan in the television series Rawhide. Wooley is also credited as the voice actor who provided the Wilhelm scream and all of the other stock sound effects for Thomas J. Valentino's Major record label during the 1940s. Read more
10 Apr 1919: John Houbolt, American engineer and academic (died 2014) John Cornelius Houbolt was an aerospace engineer credited with leading the team behind the lunar orbit rendezvous (LOR) mission mode, a concept that was used to successfully land humans on the Moon and return them to Earth. This flight path was chosen for the Apollo program in July 1962. The critical decision to use LOR was viewed as vital to ensuring that man reached the Moon by the end of the decade as proposed by President John F. Kennedy. In the process, LOR saved time and billions of dollars by efficiently using the available rocket and spacecraft technologies. Read more
10 Apr 1917: Jagjit Singh Lyallpuri, Indian politician (died 2013) Jagjit Singh Lyallpuri was an Indian politician. He was the oldest surviving member of the founding Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). Read more
10 Apr 1917: Robert Burns Woodward, American chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1979) Robert Burns Woodward was an American organic chemist. He is considered by many to be the preeminent synthetic organic chemist of the twentieth century, having made many key contributions to the subject, especially in the synthesis of complex natural products and the determination of their molecular structure. He worked closely with Roald Hoffmann on theoretical studies of chemical reactions. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1965. Read more
10 Apr 1916: Lee Jung-seob, Korean painter (died 1956) Lee Jung-seob was a Korean artist most known for his oil paintings, such as White Ox. Read more
10 Apr 1915: Harry Morgan, American actor and director (died 2011) Harry Morgan was an American actor whose television and film career spanned six decades. Morgan's major roles included Pete Porter in both December Bride (1954–1959) and Pete and Gladys (1960–1962); Officer Bill Gannon on Dragnet (1967–1970); Amos Coogan on Hec Ramsey (1972–1974); and his starring role as Colonel Sherman T. Potter in M*A*S*H (1975–1983) and AfterMASH (1983–1985). Morgan also appeared as a supporting player in more than 100 films. Read more
10 Apr 1915: Leo Vroman, Dutch-American hematologist, poet, and illustrator (died 2014) Leo Vroman was a Dutch-American hematologist, a prolific poet mainly in Dutch and an illustrator. Read more
10 Apr 1914: Jack Badcock, Australian cricketer (died 1982) Clayvel Lindsay "Jack" Badcock was an Australian cricketer who played in seven Tests from 1936 to 1938. Read more
10 Apr 1913: Stefan Heym, German-American soldier and author (died 2001) Helmut Flieg was a German writer, known by his pseudonym Stefan Heym. He lived in the United States and trained at Camp Ritchie in 1943, making him one of the Ritchie Boys of World War II. In 1952, he returned to his home to the part of his native Germany which was, from 1949 to 1990, the German Democratic Republic, or East Germany. He published works in English and German at home and abroad, and despite longstanding criticism of the GDR remained a committed socialist. He was awarded the 1953 Heinrich Mann Prize, the 1959 National Prize of East Germany, and the 1993 Jerusalem Prize. Read more
10 Apr 1912: Boris Kidrič, Austrian-Slovenian politician, 1st Prime Minister of Slovenia (died 1953) Boris Kidrič was a Slovene and Yugoslav politician and revolutionary who was one of the chief organizers of the Slovene Partisans, the Slovene resistance against occupation by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy after Operation Barbarossa in June 1941. He became the de facto leader of the Liberation Front of the Slovenian People. As such, he had a crucial role in the anti-Fascist liberation struggle in Slovenia between 1941 and 1945. After World War II he was, together with Edvard Kardelj, a leading Slovenian politician in communist Yugoslavia. Read more
10 Apr 1911: Martin Denny, American pianist and composer (died 2005) Martin Denny was an American pianist, composer, and arranger. Known as the "father of exotica", he was a multi-instrumentalist and could play a number of percussion instruments. In a long career that saw him performing up to 3 weeks prior to his death, he toured the world popularizing his brand of lounge music which included exotic percussion, imaginative rearrangements of popular songs, and original songs that celebrated Tiki culture. Read more
10 Apr 1911: Maurice Schumann, French journalist and politician, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs for France (died 1998) Maurice Schumann was a French politician, journalist, writer, and hero of the Second World War who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs under Georges Pompidou from 22 June 1969 to 15 March 1973. Schumann was a member of the Christian democratic Popular Republican Movement. Read more
10 Apr 1910: Margaret Clapp, American scholar and academic (died 1974) Margaret Antoinette Clapp was an American scholar, educator and Pulitzer Prize winner. She was the president of Wellesley College from 1949 to 1966. Read more
10 Apr 1910: Helenio Herrera, Argentinian footballer and manager (died 1997) Helenio Herrera Gavilán was an Argentine and naturalised French football player and manager. He is best remembered for his success with the Inter Milan team known as Grande Inter in the 1960s. Read more
10 Apr 1906: Steve Anderson, American hurdler (died 1988) Stephen Eugene Anderson was an American track and field athlete who competed mainly in the 110 meter hurdles. Read more
10 Apr 1903: Patroklos Karantinos, Greek architect (died 1976) Patroklos Karantinos was a Greek architect of early modernism in Greece. He was born in Constantinople and died in Athens. Read more
10 Apr 1903: Clare Turlay Newberry, American author and illustrator (died 1970) Clare Turlay Newberry was an American writer and illustrator of 17 published children's books, who achieved fame for her drawings of cats, the subject of all but three of her books. Four of her works were named Caldecott Honor Books. Read more
10 Apr 1901: Dhananjay Ramchandra Gadgil, Indian economist (died 1971) Dhananjay Ramchandra Gadgil, also known as D. R. Gadgil, was an Indian economist, institution builder and the vice-chairman of the Planning Commission of India. He was the founder Director of the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Pune and the author of the Gadgil formula, which served as the base for the allocation of central assistance to states during the Fourth and Fifth Five Year Plans of India. He is credited with contributions towards the development of Farmers' Cooperative movement in Maharashtra. The Government of India recognised his services by issuing a commemorative postage stamp in his honour in 2008. Read more
10 Apr 1900: Arnold Orville Beckman, American chemist, inventor, and philanthropist (died 2004) Arnold Orville Beckman was an American chemist, inventor, investor, and philanthropist. While a professor at California Institute of Technology, he founded Beckman Instruments based on his 1934 invention of the pH meter, a device for measuring acidity, later considered to have "revolutionized the study of chemistry and biology". He also developed the DU spectrophotometer, "probably the most important instrument ever developed towards the advancement of bioscience". Beckman funded the Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory, the first silicon transistor company in California, thus giving rise to Silicon Valley. In 1965, he retired as president of Beckman Instruments, instead becoming the chairman of its board of directors. On November 23, 1981, he agreed to sell the company, which was then merged with SmithKline to form SmithKline Beckman. After retirement, he and his wife Mabel (1900–1989) were numbered among the top philanthropists in the United States. Read more
10 Apr 1897: Prafulla Chandra Sen, Indian accountant and politician, 3rd Chief Minister of West Bengal (died 1990) Prafulla Chandra Sen was an Indian politician and independence activist who was Chief Minister of West Bengal from 1962 to 1967. Read more
10 Apr 1894: Ben Nicholson, British painter (died 1982) Benjamin Lauder Nicholson, OM was an English painter of abstract compositions, landscapes, and still-life. He was one of the leading promoters of abstract art in England. Read more
10 Apr 1893: Otto Steinböck, Austrian zoologist (died 1969) Otto Steinböck was an Austrian zoologist. Read more
10 Apr 1891: Frank Barson, English footballer and coach (died 1968) Frank Barson was an English footballer from Grimesthorpe who played for several English football clubs including Barnsley, Manchester United, Aston Villa and Watford. He had a reputation for aggressive play, and is regarded as one of the "hard men" of English football. Read more
10 Apr 1889: Louis Rougier, French philosopher from the Vienna Circle (died 1982) Louis Auguste Paul Rougier was a French philosopher who introduced the idea of neoliberalism to France in the 1930s. Rougier made many important contributions to epistemology, philosophy of science, political philosophy and the history of Christianity. Read more
10 Apr 1887: Bernardo Houssay, Argentinian physiologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1971) Bernardo Alberto Houssay was an Argentine physiologist. Houssay was a co-recipient of the 1947 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for discovering the role played by pituitary hormones in regulating the amount of glucose in animals, sharing the prize with Carl Ferdinand Cori and Gerty Cori. He is the first Latin American Nobel laureate in the sciences. Read more
10 Apr 1886: Johnny Hayes, American runner and trainer (died 1965) John Joseph Hayes was an American athlete, a member of the Irish American Athletic Club, and winner of the marathon race at the 1908 Summer Olympics. Hayes' Olympic victory contributed to the early growth of long-distance running and marathoning in the United States. He was also the first man to win a marathon at the now official standard distance of 26 miles 385 yards when Olympic officials lengthened the distance to put the finish line in front of the Royal Box. Read more
10 Apr 1880: Frances Perkins, American sociologist, academic, and politician, United States Secretary of Labor (died 1965) Frances Perkins was an American workers-rights advocate who served as the fourth United States secretary of labor from 1933 to 1945, the longest serving in that position. A member of the Democratic Party, Perkins was the first woman ever to serve in a presidential cabinet. As a loyal supporter of her longtime friend, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, she helped make labor issues important in the emerging New Deal coalition. She advocated for immigrants’ rights as well. She was one of two Roosevelt cabinet members to remain in office for his entire presidency. Read more
10 Apr 1880: Montague Summers, English clergyman and author (died 1948) Augustus Montague Summers was an English author, clergyman, and teacher. As an independent scholar, he published many works on the English drama of the Stuart Restoration (1660–1688) and helped to organise and to promote the performance of plays from that period. He also wrote extensively on the occult and has been characterized as "arguably the most seminal twentieth-century purveyor of pop culture occultism." Read more
10 Apr 1879: Coenraad Hiebendaal, Dutch rower and physician (died 1921) Coenraad Christiaan Hiebendaal was a Dutch rower who competed in the 1900 Summer Olympics. He was part of the Dutch boat Minerva Amsterdam, which won the silver medal in the coxed fours final B. Coenraad Hiebendaal studied at the University of Amsterdam. Later in his life he became a physician. Read more
10 Apr 1877: Alfred Kubin, Austrian author and illustrator (died 1959) Alfred Leopold Isidor Kubin was an Austrian artist, printmaker, illustrator, and writer of a single novel, The Other Side. Kubin is considered an important exponent of Symbolism and Expressionism. Read more
10 Apr 1875: George Clawley, English footballer (died 1920) George Clawley was an English professional goalkeeper who played for Stoke, Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. He was the goalkeeper for the Spurs side that won the 1901 FA Cup final. Read more
10 Apr 1873: Kyösti Kallio, Finnish farmer, banker, and politician, 4th President of Finland (died 1940) Kyösti Kallio was a Finnish politician who served as the president of Finland from 1937 to 1940. His presidency included leading the country through the Winter War; while he relinquished the post of commander-in-chief to Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim, he played a role as a spiritual leader. After the war, he became both the first president of Finland to resign and the only one to die in office, dying of a heart attack while returning home after submitting his resignation. Read more
10 Apr 1868: George Arliss, English actor and playwright (died 1946) George Arliss was an English actor, author, playwright, and filmmaker who found success in the United States. He was the first British actor to win an Academy Award – which he won in the Best Actor category for his performance as Victorian-era British prime minister Benjamin Disraeli in Disraeli (1929) – as well as the earliest-born actor of any category to win the honour. He specialized in successful biopics, such as Disraeli, Voltaire (1933), and Cardinal Richelieu (1935), as well as light comedies, which included The Millionaire (1931) and A Successful Calamity (1932). Read more
10 Apr 1868: Asriel Günzig, Moravian rabbi (died 1931) Asriel Günzig (also known as Azriel Günzig, Ezriel Günzig, Israel Günzig, Izrael Günzig, or J. Günzig; 10 April 1868, Kraków – 1931, Antwerp) was a rabbi, scholar, bookseller, editor and writer. He served as the rabbi of Loštice, Moravia, from 1899 until 1920. Read more
10 Apr 1867: George William Russell, Irish author, poet, and painter (died 1935) George William Russell, who wrote with the pseudonym Æ, was an Irish writer, editor, critic, poet, painter and Irish nationalist. He was also a writer on mysticism, and a central figure in the group of devotees of theosophy which met in Dublin for many years. Read more
10 Apr 1865: Jack Miner, American-Canadian farmer, hunter, and environmentalist (died 1944) John Thomas Miner, OBE, or "Wild Goose Jack," was a Canadian conservationist called by some the "father" of North American conservationism. Read more
10 Apr 1864: Eugen d'Albert, Scottish-German pianist and composer (died 1932) Eugen Francis Charles d'Albert was a Scottish-born pianist and composer who immigrated to Germany. Read more
10 Apr 1847: Joseph Pulitzer, Hungarian-American journalist, publisher, and politician, founded Pulitzer, Inc. (died 1911) Joseph Pulitzer was a Hungarian-American politician and a newspaper publisher of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the New York World. He became a leading national figure in the U.S. Democratic Party and served one term representing New York's 9th congressional district. Read more
10 Apr 1829: William Booth, English minister, founded The Salvation Army (died 1912) William Booth was an English Methodist preacher who, along with his wife, Catherine, founded the Salvation Army and became its first General (1878–1912). This Christian movement, founded in 1865, has a quasi-military structure and government and has spread from London to many parts of the world. It is one of the largest distributors of humanitarian aid. Read more
10 Apr 1827: Lew Wallace, American general, lawyer, and politician, 11th Governor of New Mexico Territory (died 1905) Lewis Wallace was an American lawyer, Union general in the American Civil War, governor of New Mexico Territory, politician, diplomat, artist, and author from Indiana. Among his novels and biographies, Wallace is best known for his historical adventure story, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1880), a bestselling novel that has been called "the most influential Christian book of the nineteenth century." Read more
10 Apr 1806: Juliette Drouet, French actress (died 1883) Juliette Drouet was a French actress. She abandoned her career on the stage after becoming the mistress of Victor Hugo, to whom she acted as a secretary and travelling companion. Juliette accompanied Hugo in his exile to the Channel Islands, and wrote thousands of letters to him throughout her life. Read more
10 Apr 1806: Leonidas Polk, Scottish-American general and bishop (died 1884) Leonidas Polk was a Confederate general, a bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana and founder of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Confederate States of America, which separated from the Episcopal Church of the United States. He was a planter in Maury County, Tennessee, and a second cousin of President James K. Polk. He resigned his ecclesiastical position to become a major-general in the Confederate States Army, when he was called "Sewanee's Fighting Bishop". His official portrait at the University of the South depicts him as a bishop with his army uniform hanging nearby. He is often erroneously referred to as "Leonidas K. Polk" but he had no middle name and never signed any documents as such. Read more

🕊️ Important Deaths on 10 April in World History

10 Apr 2025: Leo Beenhakker, Dutch football manager (born 1942) Leo Beenhakker was a Dutch football player and coach. Nicknamed "Don Leo" for his role in Spanish football, he had an extensive and successful career both at club and international level. Read more
10 Apr 2025: Ted Kotcheff, Canadian film and television director (born 1931) William Theodore Kotcheff was a Canadian director and producer of film, television, and theatre. He worked at various times in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. He was known for having directed such films as the seminal Australian New Wave picture Wake in Fright (1971), the Mordecai Richler adaptations The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (1974) and Joshua Then and Now (1985), the original Rambo film First Blood (1982), and the comedies Fun with Dick and Jane (1977), North Dallas Forty (1979), and Weekend at Bernie's (1989). Read more
10 Apr 2025: Peter Lovesey, British writer (born 1936) Peter Harmer Lovesey, also known by his pen name Peter Lear, was a British writer of historical and contemporary detective novels and short stories. His best-known series characters are Sergeant Cribb, a Victorian-era police detective based in London, and Peter Diamond, a modern-day police detective in Bath. He was also one of the world's leading track and field statisticians. Read more
10 Apr 2024: O. J. Simpson, American football player, actor, and broadcaster (born 1947) Orenthal James Simpson, also known by his nickname "the Juice", was an American professional football player, actor, and media personality who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons, primarily with the Buffalo Bills. Simpson is regarded as one of the greatest running backs of all time, but his success was overshadowed by his criminal trial and contentious acquittal for the murders of his former wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman in 1994. Read more
10 Apr 2023: Al Jaffee, American cartoonist (born 1921) Allan Jaffee was an American cartoonist. He was known for his work in the satirical magazine Mad, including his trademark feature, the Mad Fold-in. Jaffee was a regular contributor to the magazine for 65 years and is its longest-running contributor. In a 2010 interview, Jaffee said, "Serious people my age are dead." Read more
10 Apr 2016: Howard Marks, Welsh cannabis smuggler, writer, and legalisation campaigner (born 1945) Dennis Howard Marks was a Welsh drug smuggler and author who achieved notoriety as an international cannabis smuggler through high-profile court cases. Read more
10 Apr 2015: Richie Benaud, Australian cricketer and sportscaster (born 1930) Richard Benaud was an Australian cricketer who played for New South Wales and Australia. Following his retirement from international cricket in 1964, Benaud became a highly regarded commentator on the game. Read more
10 Apr 2015: Rose Francine Rogombé, Gabonese lawyer and politician, President of Gabon (born 1942) Rose Francine Rogombé was a Gabonese politician who was acting president of Gabon from June to October 2009, following the death of long-time President Omar Bongo. She constitutionally succeeded Bongo due to her role as president of the Senate, a post to which she was elected in February 2009. She was a lawyer by profession and a member of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG). Rogombé was the first female head of state of Gabon. After her interim presidency, she returned to her post as President of the Senate. Read more
10 Apr 2015: Peter Walsh, Australian farmer and politician, 6th Australian Minister for Finance (born 1935) Peter Alexander Walsh was an Australian politician. He was a Senator for Western Australia from 1974 to 1993, representing the Australian Labor Party (ALP). He held senior ministerial office in the Hawke government, serving as Minister for Resources and Energy (1983–1984) and Minister for Finance (1984–1990). Read more
10 Apr 2013: Robert Edwards, English physiologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1925) Sir Robert Geoffrey Edwards was a British physiologist and pioneer in reproductive medicine, and in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) in particular. Along with obstetrician and gynaecologist Patrick Steptoe and nurse and embryologist Jean Purdy, Edwards successfully pioneered conception through IVF, which led to the birth of Louise Brown on 25 July 1978. They founded the first IVF programme for infertile patients and trained other scientists in their techniques. Edwards was the founding editor-in-chief of Human Reproduction in 1986. In 2010, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine "for the development of in vitro fertilization". Read more
10 Apr 2013: Gordon Thomas, English cyclist (born 1921) Gordon W. "Tiny" Thomas was a British cyclist who competed at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London. There he won a silver medal in the team road race alongside Bob Maitland and Ian Scott. He also competed in the individual event, finishing 8th in a field of 101 participants. Born in Shipley, West Riding of Yorkshire, he served during World War II with the Royal Artillery in Africa and Italy. After his Olympic experience, he went on to win the 1953 Tour of Britain before retiring from cycling to enter the wool business. Read more
10 Apr 2012: Raymond Aubrac, French engineer and activist (born 1914) Raymond Aubrac was a member of the French Resistance in World War II. A civil engineer by trade, he assisted General Charles Delestraint within the Armée secrète. Aubrac and his wife Lucie, both communist Resistance members, were friends with Ho Chi Minh; US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger solicited his help amid the Vietnam War to establish contact with North Vietnam. Read more
10 Apr 2012: Barbara Buchholz, German theremin player and composer (born 1959) Barbara Buchholz was a Berlin-based German musician and composer. She was one of the leading theremin players of the world. Read more
10 Apr 2012: Lili Chookasian, Armenian-American operatic singer (born 1921) Lili Chookasian was an American contralto of Armenian ethnicity, who appeared with many of the world's major symphony orchestras and opera houses. She began her career in the 1940s as a concert singer but did not draw wider acclaim until she began singing opera in her late thirties. She arose as one of the world's leading contraltos during the 1960s and 1970s, and notably had a long and celebrated career at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City from 1962 through 1986. She was admired for her sonorous, focused tone as well as her excellent musicianship. She often chose, against tradition, to sing oratorios from memory. Read more
10 Apr 2012: Luis Aponte Martínez, Puerto Rican cardinal (born 1922) Luis Aponte Martínez was a Puerto Rican Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of San Juan from 1965 to 1999. He is the only Puerto Rican to have been named a cardinal of the Catholic Church. He participated as an elector in the two conclaves of 1978, which elected Popes John Paul I and John Paul II. Read more
10 Apr 2012: Akin Omoboriowo, Nigerian lawyer and politician (born 1932) Akinwole Michael Omoboriowo was a Nigerian lawyer and politician who was Deputy Governor of Ondo State, later switching parties and contested for the governorship election of 1983 in Ondo State during the Nigerian Second Republic. He was initially declared the winner but was disputed and later reversed by a court of appeal before he could take office. Read more
10 Apr 2010: Casualties in the 2010 Polish Air Force Tu-154 crash included: Ryszard Kaczorowski, GCMG was a Polish statesman. From 1989 to 1990, he served as the last president of Poland-in-exile. He succeeded Kazimierz Sabbat, and resigned his post following Poland's regaining independence from the Soviet sphere of influence and the election of Lech Wałęsa as the first democratically elected president of Poland since before the Second World War. He died on 10 April 2010 in the plane crash near Smolensk, Russia, along with the president of Poland Lech Kaczyński and other senior government officials. Read more
10 Apr 2010: Casualties in the 2010 Polish Air Force Tu-154 crash included: Maria Helena Kaczyńska was the First Lady of Poland from 2005 to 2010 as the wife of President Lech Kaczyński. She and her husband died in a plane crash in the Russian city of Smolensk. Read more
10 Apr 2010: Casualties in the 2010 Polish Air Force Tu-154 crash included: Lech Aleksander Kaczyński was a Polish politician who served as the 4th president of Poland from 2005 to 2010, when he died in the Smolensk air disaster. Earlier he served as the city mayor of Warsaw from 2002 to 2005. Prior to these tenures, Kaczyński served as President of the Supreme Audit Office from 1992 to 1995 and later Minister of Justice and Public Prosecutor General in Jerzy Buzek's cabinet from 2000 until his dismissal in July 2001. Read more
10 Apr 2010: Casualties in the 2010 Polish Air Force Tu-154 crash included: Anna Walentynowicz was a Polish trade unionist and co-founder of Solidarity, the first recognised independent trade union in the Eastern Bloc. Her firing from her job at the Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk in August 1980 was the event that ignited the strike at the shipyard, set off a wave of strikes across Poland, and quickly paralyzed the Baltic coast. The Interfactory Strike Committee (MKS) based in the Gdańsk shipyard eventually transformed itself into Solidarity; by September, more than one million workers were on strike in support of the 21 demands of MKS, making it the largest strike ever. Read more
10 Apr 2010: Dixie Carter, American actress and singer (born 1939) Dixie Virginia Carter was an American actress. She starred as Julia Sugarbaker on the sitcom Designing Women (1986–1993) and as Randi King on the drama series Family Law (1999–2002). She was nominated for the 2007 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Gloria Hodge on Desperate Housewives (2006–2007). Read more
10 Apr 2009: Deborah Digges, American poet and educator (born 1950) Deborah Digges was an American poet and teacher. Read more
10 Apr 2009: Ioannis Patakis, Greek politician (born 1940) Ioannis Patakis was a Greek politician who was a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from 2001 to 2004 for the Communist Party of Greece (KKE). Read more
10 Apr 2007: Charles Philippe Leblond, French-Canadian biologist and academic (born 1910) Charles Philippe Leblond was a pioneer of cell biology and stem cell research and a Canadian former professor of anatomy. Leblond is notable for developing autoradiography and his work showing how cells continuously renew themselves, regardless of age. Read more
10 Apr 2007: Dakota Staton, American singer (born 1930) Dakota Staton was an American jazz vocalist who found international acclaim with the 1957 No. 4 hit "The Late, Late Show". She was also known by the Muslim name Aliyah Rabia for a period due to her conversion to Islam as interpreted by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. Read more
10 Apr 2006: Kleitos Kyrou, Greek poet and translator (born 1921) Kleitos-Dimitrios Kyrou was a Greek poet and translator. He was born in Thessaloniki and he studied at Anatolia College. In 1939, he entered the Law School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He worked in banking between 1951 and 1983, and he was General Secretary of the National Theatre of Northern Greece between 1974 and 1976. Read more
10 Apr 2005: Norbert Brainin, Austrian violinist (born 1923) Norbert Brainin was the first violinist of the Amadeus Quartet, one of the world's most highly regarded string quartets. Read more
10 Apr 2005: Scott Gottlieb, American drummer (born 1970) Bleed the Dream is an American post-hardcore/alternative rock band from Southern California. Read more
10 Apr 2005: Archbishop Iakovos of America (born 1911) Archbishop Iakovos of North and South America was the primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America from 1959 until his resignation in 1996. Read more
10 Apr 2005: Al Lucas, American football player (born 1978) Albert Lucas was an American professional football player who played in the National Football League (NFL) and Arena Football League (AFL). He died from a game-related spinal cord injury while playing for the Los Angeles Avengers. Read more
10 Apr 2005: Wally Tax, Dutch singer-songwriter (born 1948) Wladimir "Wally" Tax was a Dutch singer and songwriter. He was founder and frontman of the Nederbeat group The Outsiders (1959–1969) and the rock group Tax Free (1969–1971). Read more
10 Apr 2004: Jacek Kaczmarski, Polish singer-songwriter, guitarist, and poet (born 1957) Jacek Marcin Kaczmarski was a Polish singer, songwriter, poet and author. Read more
10 Apr 2004: Sakıp Sabancı, Turkish businessman and philanthropist, founded Sabancı Holding (born 1933) Sakıp Sabancı was a Turkish business tycoon and philanthropist. Read more
10 Apr 2003: Little Eva, American singer (born 1943) Eva Narcissus Boyd, known by her stage name Little Eva, was an American singer best known for her 1962 hit "The Loco-Motion". Read more
10 Apr 2000: Peter Jones, English actor and screenwriter (born 1920) Peter Geoffrey Francis Jones was an English actor, screenwriter and broadcaster. Read more
10 Apr 2000: Larry Linville, American actor (born 1939) Lawrence Lavon Linville was an American actor known for his portrayal of the surgeon Major Frank Burns on the television series M*A*S*H. Read more
10 Apr 1999: Heinz Fraenkel-Conrat, German-American biochemist and physician (born 1910) Heinz Ludwig Fraenkel-Conrat was a biochemist, famous for his research on viruses. Read more
10 Apr 1999: Jean Vander Pyl, American actress and voice artist (born 1919) Jean Thurston Vander Pyl was an American voice actress. Although her career spanned many decades, she is best known as the voice of Wilma Flintstone for the Hanna-Barbera cartoon The Flintstones. In addition to Wilma Flintstone, she also provided the voices of Pebbles Flintstone; Rosie the robot maid from The Jetsons; Goldie, Lola Glamour, Nurse LaRue, and other characters in Top Cat; Winsome Witch on The Secret Squirrel Show; and Ogee on The Magilla Gorilla Show. Read more
10 Apr 1998: Seraphim of Athens, Greek archbishop (born 1913) Seraphim born Vissarion Tikas was Archbishop of Athens and All Greece from 1974 to 1998. Read more
10 Apr 1997: Michael Dorris, American author and academic (born 1945) Michael Anthony Dorris was an American novelist and scholar who was the first Chair of the Native American Studies program at Dartmouth College. His works include the novel A Yellow Raft in Blue Water (1987) and the memoir The Broken Cord (1989). Read more
10 Apr 1995: Morarji Desai, Indian politician, 4th Prime Minister of India (born 1896) Morarji Ranchhodji Desai was an Indian politician and independence activist who served as the prime minister of India between 1977 and 1979 leading the government formed by the Janata Party. During his long career in politics, he held many important posts in government such as the chief minister of Bombay State, the home minister, the finance minister, and the deputy prime minister. Read more
10 Apr 1994: Sam B. Hall, Jr., American lawyer, judge, and politician (born 1924) Samuel Blakeley Hall Jr. was an American lawyer, politician, and judge. He was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Texas's 1st congressional district from 1976 to 1985 and a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas from 1985 until his death in 1994. Read more
10 Apr 1993: Chris Hani, South African activist and politician (born 1942) Chris Hani was a South African military commander, politician and revolutionary who served as the leader of the South African Communist Party (SACP) and chief of staff of uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), the former armed wing of the African National Congress (ANC). He was a fierce opponent of the apartheid government, and was assassinated by Janusz Waluś, a Polish immigrant and sympathiser of the Conservative opposition on 10 April 1993, during the unrest preceding the transition to democracy. Read more
10 Apr 1992: Sam Kinison, American comedian and actor (born 1953) Samuel Burl Kinison was an American stand-up comedian and actor. A former Pentecostal preacher, he performed stand-up routines that were characterized by intense sudden tirades, punctuated with his distinctive scream. Initially performing for free, Kinison became a regular fixture at The Comedy Store, where he met and eventually befriended such comics as Robin Williams and Jim Carrey. Read more
10 Apr 1991: Kevin Peter Hall, American actor (born 1955) Kevin Peter Hall was an American actor. Hall stood 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) tall, and frequently played monster characters. He was the original title monster in the science fiction Predator franchise, appearing in the first 1987 film and its 1990 sequel. Hall also portrayed the eponymous Harry in the fantasy comedy film Harry and the Hendersons (1987), a role he reprised for the first season of the syndicated television adaptation (1990–1991). His human roles included Dr. Elvin "El" Lincoln on the NBC science fiction series Misfits of Science (1985–1986) and Warren Merriwether on the sitcom 227 (1989–1990). Read more
10 Apr 1991: Martin Hannett, English guitarist and producer (born 1948) James Martin Hannett, was an English record producer, musician, and an original partner and director at Tony Wilson's Factory Records. He was also a co-founder of the musicians' collective Music Force, and the record label Rabid in the late 1970s. Read more
10 Apr 1991: Natalie Schafer, American actress (born 1900) Natalie Schafer was an American actress, best known today for her role as Lovey Howell on the sitcom Gilligan's Island (1964–1967). Read more
10 Apr 1988: Ezekias Papaioannou, Greek Cypriot politician (born 1908) Ezekias Papaioannou was a Greek Cypriot communist politician and Secretary General of AKEL. Read more
10 Apr 1986: Linda Creed, American singer-songwriter (born 1948) Linda Diane Creed, also known by her married name Linda Epstein, was an American songwriter, lyricist, background singer and record producer who teamed up with Thom Bell to produce some of the most successful Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s. Read more
10 Apr 1985: Zisis Verros, Greek chieftain of the Macedonian Struggle (born 1880) Zisis Verros was a notable Greek chieftain of the Macedonian Struggle. Read more
10 Apr 1983: Issam Sartawi, Palestinian activist (born 1935) Issam Sartawi was a Palestinian cardiologist, guerrilla leader, politician and diplomat. He led a small fedayeen organisation in Jordan between 1968 and 1971 and became during that time a senior member of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO). He merged his organisation into Fatah, and became the personal envoy of Yasser Arafat to both European governments and moderate Israeli civil society. He is remembered for both his moderate stance within the PLO and his participation in dialogues with his Israeli counterparts during the 1970s. Read more
10 Apr 1981: Howard Thurman, American author, philosopher and civil rights activist (born 1899) Howard Washington Thurman was an American author, philosopher, minister, theologian, Christian mystic, educator, and civil rights leader. Read more
10 Apr 1980: Kay Medford, American actress and singer (born 1919) Margaret Kathleen Regan, better known as Kay Medford, was an American actress and singer. For her performance as Rose Brice in the musical Funny Girl and the film adaptation of the same name, she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress respectively. Read more
10 Apr 1979: Nino Rota, Italian pianist, composer, and conductor (born 1911) Giovanni "Nino" Rota Rinaldi was an Italian composer, pianist, conductor and academic who is best known for his film scores, notably for the films of Federico Fellini and Luchino Visconti. He also composed the music for two of Franco Zeffirelli's Shakespeare screen adaptations, and for the first two installments of Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather trilogy, earning the Academy Award for Best Original Score for The Godfather Part II (1974). Read more
10 Apr 1978: Hjalmar Mäe, Estonian politician (born 1901) Hjalmar-Johannes Mäe was an Estonian politician and Nazi collaborator. In 1941–1944 he headed the Estonian Self-Administration, a puppet government set up during the country's occupation by Nazi Germany during World War II. Read more
10 Apr 1975: Walker Evans, American photographer (born 1903) Walker Evans was an American photographer and photojournalist best known for his work for the Resettlement Administration and the Farm Security Administration (FSA) documenting the effects of the Great Depression. Evans published his first photos at the age of 27. Much of Evans' New Deal work uses the large format, 8 × 10-inch (200×250 mm) view camera. He said that his goal as a photographer was to make pictures that are "literate, authoritative, transcendent". Read more
10 Apr 1975: Marjorie Main, American actress (born 1890) Mary Tomlinson, professionally known as Marjorie Main, was an American character actress and singer of the Classical Hollywood period, best known as a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract player in the 1940s and 1950s, and for her role as Ma Kettle in 10 Ma and Pa Kettle movies. Main started her career in vaudeville and theatre, and appeared in film classics, such as Dead End (1937), The Women (1939), Dark Command (1940), The Shepherd of the Hills (1941), Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), and Friendly Persuasion (1956). Main, best known for playing "raucous, rough, and cantankerous women" on-screen, was characterized as "soft-spoken, shy," and "dignified" off-screen. Read more
10 Apr 1969: Harley Earl, American businessman (born 1893) Harley Jarvis Earl was an American automotive designer and business executive. He was the initial designated head of design at General Motors, later becoming vice president, the first top executive ever appointed in design of a major corporation in American history. He was an industrial designer and a pioneer of transportation design. A coachbuilder by trade, Earl pioneered the use of freeform sketching and hand sculpted clay models as automotive design techniques. He subsequently introduced the "concept car" as both a tool for the design process and a clever marketing device. Read more
10 Apr 1968: Gustavs Celmiņš, Latvian lieutenant and politician (born 1899) Gustavs Celmiņš was a Latvian politician, who was the founder of the ultranationalist, Anti-Baltic, anti-Slavic, and antisemitic political party Pērkonkrusts. Read more
10 Apr 1966: Evelyn Waugh, English soldier, novelist, journalist and critic (born 1903) Arthur Evelyn St. John Waugh was an English writer of novels, biographies, and travel books; he was also a prolific journalist and book reviewer. His most famous works include the early satires Decline and Fall (1928) and A Handful of Dust (1934), the novel Brideshead Revisited (1945), and the Second World War trilogy Sword of Honour (1952–1961). He is recognised as one of the great prose stylists of the English language in the 20th century. Read more
10 Apr 1965: Lloyd Casner, American race car driver, founded Casner Motor Racing Division (born 1928) Lloyd Perry Casner was an American race car driver and the creator of the Casner Motor Racing Division team. Read more
10 Apr 1965: Linda Darnell, American actress (born 1923) Linda Darnell was an American actress. Darnell progressed from modelling as a child to acting in theatre and film. At the encouragement of her mother, she made her first film in 1939, and appeared in both lead and supporting roles in big-budget films for 20th Century Fox throughout the 1940s. She co-starred with Tyrone Power in four films, including the classic The Mark of Zorro (1940). Her biggest commercial success was the controversial Forever Amber (1947), an adaptation of the best-selling novel of the 1940s and Fox's biggest hit of 1947. She won critical acclaim for her work in Summer Storm (1944), Hangover Square (1945), Fallen Angel (1945), Unfaithfully Yours (1948), A Letter to Three Wives (1949), and No Way Out (1950). Read more
10 Apr 1962: Michael Curtiz, Hungarian-American director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1886) Michael Curtiz was a Hungarian and American film director, recognized as one of the most prolific directors in history. He directed classic films from the silent era and numerous others during
Hollywood's Golden Age, when the studio system was prevalent. Read more
10 Apr 1962: Stuart Sutcliffe, Scottish artist and musician (born 1940) Stuart Fergusson Victor Sutcliffe was a British painter and musician from Edinburgh, Scotland, best known as the original bass guitarist of the Beatles. Sutcliffe left the band to pursue his career as a painter, having previously attended the Liverpool College of Art. Sutcliffe and John Lennon are credited with inventing the name "Beetles" [sic], as they both liked Buddy Holly's band, the Crickets. They also had a fascination with group names with double meanings, so Lennon then came up with "The Beatles", from the word beat. As a member of the group when it was a five-piece band, Sutcliffe is one of several who are sometimes referred to as the "Fifth Beatle". Read more
10 Apr 1960: André Berthomieu, French director and screenwriter (born 1903) André Berthomieu was a French screenwriter and film director. He was married to the actress Line Noro. Read more
10 Apr 1958: Chuck Willis, American singer-songwriter (born 1928) Harold "Chuck" Willis was an American blues, rhythm and blues, and rock and roll singer and songwriter. His biggest hits, "C. C. Rider" (1957) and "What Am I Living For" (1958), both reached No. 1 on the Billboard R&B chart. He was known as 'The King of the Stroll' for his performance of the 1950s dance, the stroll. Read more
10 Apr 1955: Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, French priest, theologian, and philosopher (born 1881) Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, S.J. was a French Jesuit, Catholic priest, scientist, paleontologist, philosopher, mystic, and teacher. Teilhard de Chardin investigated the theory of evolution from a perspective influenced by Henri Bergson and Christian mysticism, writing multiple scientific and religious works on the subject. His mainstream scientific achievements include his paleontological research in China, taking part in the discovery of the significant Peking Man fossils from the Zhoukoudian cave complex near Beijing. His more speculative ideas, sometimes criticized as pseudoscientific, have included a vitalist conception of the Omega Point. Along with Vladimir Vernadsky, he contributed to the development of the concept of the noosphere. Read more
10 Apr 1954: Auguste Lumière, French director and producer (born 1862) The Lumière brothers, Auguste Marie Louis Nicolas Lumière and Louis Jean Lumière, were French manufacturers of photography equipment, best known for their Cinématographe motion picture system and the short films they produced between 1895 and 1905, which places them among the earliest filmmakers. Read more
10 Apr 1954: Oscar Mathisen, Norwegian speed skater (born 1888) Oscar Wilhelm Mathisen was a Norwegian speed skater and celebrity, almost rivalling Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen as symbols for a young nation. He represented Kristiania Skøiteklub. Read more
10 Apr 1950: Fevzi Çakmak, Turkish field marshal and politician, 2nd Prime Minister of Turkey (born 1876) Mustafa Fevzi Çakmak was a Turkish field marshal (Mareşal) and politician. He served as the Chief of General Staff from 1918 and 1919 and later the Minister of War of the Ottoman Empire in 1920. He later joined the provisional Government of the Grand National Assembly and became the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Defense and later as the prime minister of Turkey from 1921 to 1922. He was the second chief of the General Staff of the provisional Ankara Government and the first chief of the General Staff of the Republic of Turkey. Read more
10 Apr 1947: Charles Nordhoff, English-American lieutenant and author (born 1887) Charles Bernard Nordhoff was an American novelist and traveler, born in England. Nordhoff is perhaps best known for The Bounty Trilogy, three historical novels he wrote with James Norman Hall: Mutiny on the Bounty (1932), Men Against the Sea (1934) and Pitcairn's Island (1934). During World War I, he served as a driver in the Ambulance Corps as well as an aviator in both the French Air Force's Lafayette Flying Corps and the United States Army Air Service, reaching the rank of lieutenant. After the war, Nordhoff spent much of his life on the island of Tahiti, where he and Hall wrote a number of successful adventure books, many adapted for film. Read more
10 Apr 1945: Hendrik Nicolaas Werkman, Dutch printer and typographer (born 1882) Hendrik Nicolaas Werkman was an experimental Dutch artist, typographer, and printer. He set up a clandestine printing house during the Nazi occupation (1940–1945) and was shot by the Gestapo in the closing days of the war. Read more
10 Apr 1943: Andreas Faehlmann, Estonian-German sailor and engineer (born 1898) Andreas R. Faehlmann was an Estonian aviation engineer and yachtsman who competed in the 1928 Summer Olympics. Read more
10 Apr 1942: Carl Schenstrøm, Danish actor and director (born 1881) Karl Georg Harald Schenstrøm was a Danish stage and film actor of the silent era in Denmark. He worked under directors such as August Blom and Lau Lauritzen Sr. Read more
10 Apr 1938: King Oliver, American cornet player and bandleader (born 1885) Joseph Nathan "King" Oliver was an American jazz cornet player and bandleader. He was particularly recognized for his playing style and his pioneering use of mutes in jazz. Also a notable composer, he wrote many tunes still played today, including "Dippermouth Blues", "Sweet Like This", "Canal Street Blues", and "Doctor Jazz". He was the mentor and teacher of Louis Armstrong. His influence was such that Armstrong claimed, "if it had not been for Joe Oliver, jazz would not be what it is today." Read more
10 Apr 1935: Rosa Campbell Praed, Australian novelist (born 1851) Rosa Campbell Praed was an Australian author. Born in Bromelton, Queensland, in 1851, she grew up on properties across rural Queensland. She married in 1872 and spent two unhappy years on a cattle station on Curtis Island before moving to England with her husband. She became a successful novelist and published more than 45 books over the course of her career. After separating from her husband in the late 1890s, she lived for more than thirty years with a medium named Nancy Harward and developed an interest in reincarnation, spiritualism, and the occult. Praed has been described by the scholar Elizabeth Webby as "the first Australian-born novelist to achieve a significant international reputation". Read more
10 Apr 1931: Kahlil Gibran, Lebanese-American poet, painter, and philosopher (born 1883) Jubrān Khalīl Jubrān, usually referred to in English as Kahlil Gibran, was a Lebanese-American writer, poet and visual artist. He was also considered a philosopher, although he himself rejected the title. He is best known as the author of The Prophet, which was first published in the United States in 1923 and has since become one of the best-selling books of all time, having been translated into more than 100 languages. Read more
10 Apr 1922: Luisa Capetillo, Puerto Rican labor organizer Luisa Capetillo Perón was a Puerto Rican labor organizer, writer, journalist, and cigar factory reader. She organized workers in Puerto Rico, the Republic of Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and the United States. She also published four books in her lifetime, covering a wide variety of forms, genres, and topics. As an anarcha-feminist and social anarchist, she advocated for free love, universal education, women's rights, and collective ownership of scientific advances while opposing state control. Read more
10 Apr 1920: Moritz Cantor, German mathematician and historian (born 1829) Moritz Benedikt Cantor was a German historian of mathematics. Read more
10 Apr 1919: Emiliano Zapata, Mexican general (born 1879) Emiliano Zapata Salazar was a Mexican revolutionary and guerrilla leader. He was a leading figure in the Mexican Revolution of 1910–1920, the main leader of the people's revolution in the Mexican state of Morelos, and the inspiration of the agrarian movement called Zapatismo. Read more
10 Apr 1909: Algernon Charles Swinburne, English poet, playwright, novelist, and critic (born 1837) Algernon Charles Swinburne was an English poet, playwright, novelist, and critic. He was a major contributor to the Pre-Raphaelite movement in poetry, along with Dante Gabriel Rossetti and William Morris. His greatest works are the verse drama Atalanta in Calydon (1865), written in the form of an Ancient Greek tragedy, and his Pre-Raphaelite Poems and Ballads (1866). Read more
10 Apr 1889: William Crichton, Scottish engineer and shipbuilder (born 1827) William Crichton was a Scottish engineer and shipbuilder who spent most of his career in Turku, located in the Grand Duchy of Finland. Read more
10 Apr 1871: Lucio Norberto Mansilla, Argentinian general and politician (born 1789) Lucio Norberto Mansilla was an Argentine military officer, surveyor and politician who played a prominent role in the Argentine War of Independence, the Cisplatine War and the Anglo-French blockade of the Río de la Plata. He was the first governor of the Entre Ríos Province. Although he commanded several units in many battles, he is most renowned for commanding the Argentine forces in the battle of Vuelta de Obligado on the Paraná River during the Anglo-French blockade of the Río de la Plata. Read more
10 Apr 1823: Karl Leonhard Reinhold, Austrian philosopher and academic (born 1757) Karl Leonhard Reinhold was an Austrian philosopher who helped to popularise the work of Immanuel Kant in the late 18th century. His "elementary philosophy" (Elementarphilosophie) also influenced German idealism, notably Johann Gottlieb Fichte, as a critical system grounded in a fundamental first principle. Read more
10 Apr 1821: Gregory V of Constantinople, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople (born 1746) Gregory V of Constantinople, born Georgios Angelopoulos, was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 1797 to 1798, from 1806 to 1808, and from 1818 to 1821. He was responsible for much restoration work to the Patriarchal Cathedral of St George, which had been badly damaged by fire in 1738. Read more
10 Apr 1813: Joseph-Louis Lagrange, Italian mathematician and astronomer (born 1736) Joseph-Louis Lagrange, also reported as Giuseppe Luigi Lagrange or Lagrangia, was an Italian and naturalized French mathematician, physicist and astronomer. He made significant contributions to the fields of analysis, number theory, and both classical and celestial mechanics. Read more
10 Apr 1806: Horatio Gates, English-American general (born 1727) Major General Horatio Lloyd Gates was a British-born American army officer and politician who served in the British Army and Continental Army. He played a major role during the American Revolutionary War in the American victory at the 1777 Battles of Saratoga. His career was subsequently tarnished when he was defeated by the British at the 1780 Battle of Camden. He has been described as "one of the Revolution's most controversial military figures" due to his role in the Conway Cabal, which attempted to discredit and replace George Washington as the Continental Army's commander-in-chief, along with his controversial actions at Saratoga and Camden. Read more

Why is 10 April Important in World History?

Several significant political, cultural, educational, and sporting events took place on 10 April, making it an important topic for general knowledge and competitive examinations.

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What happened on 10 April in World history?

On 10 April, several important historical events, notable births, and major milestones occurred in World history.

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