History of Today 12 August: Important Events, Births and Deaths

Welcome to History of Today 12 August. On this page, you can read important historical events, famous births, notable deaths and general knowledge facts related to 12 August. This information is useful for UPSC, SSC, Banking, Railway, State PSC and other competitive exams.

Last updated on 12 August 2026, 01:07 AM

Important Events on 12 August in History

• 12 Aug 2021: Six people, five victims and the perpetrator are killed in Keyham, Plymouth in the worst mass shooting in the UK since 2010. Read more
• 12 Aug 2018: Thirty-nine civilians, including a dozen children, are killed in an explosion at a weapons depot in Sarmada, Syria. Read more
• 12 Aug 2017: The Unite the Right rally occurs in Charlottesville, Virginia, leading to the deaths of 3 and injuring nearly 50 more. Read more
• 12 Aug 2016: Syrian civil war: The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) capture the city of Manbij from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Read more
• 12 Aug 2015: At least two massive explosions kill 173 people and injure nearly 800 more in Tianjin, China. Read more
• 12 Aug 2000: The Russian Navy submarine Kursk explodes and sinks in the Barents Sea during a military exercise, killing her entire 118-man crew. Read more
• 12 Aug 1994: Major League Baseball players go on strike, eventually forcing the cancellation of the 1994 World Series. Read more
• 12 Aug 1992: Canada, Mexico and the United States announce completion of negotiations for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Read more
• 12 Aug 1990: Sue, the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton found to date, is discovered by Sue Hendrickson in South Dakota. Read more
• 12 Aug 1985: Japan Air Lines Flight 123, a Boeing 747, crashes into Osutaka ridge in Gunma Prefecture, Japan, killing 520, becoming the worst single-plane air disaster. Read more
• 12 Aug 1984: An infamous brawl takes place at the Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium between the Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres. Read more
• 12 Aug 1981: The IBM Personal Computer is released. Read more
• 12 Aug 1977: The first free flight of the Space Shuttle Enterprise. Read more
• 12 Aug 1977: The Sri Lanka Riots, targeting the minority Sri Lankan Tamils, begin, less than a month after the United National Party came to power. Over 300 Tamils are killed. Read more
• 12 Aug 1976: Between 1,000 and 3,500 Palestinians are killed in the Tel al-Zaatar massacre, one of the bloodiest events of the Lebanese Civil War. Read more
• 12 Aug 1969: Violence erupts after the Apprentice Boys of Derry march in Derry, Northern Ireland, resulting in a three-day communal riot known as the Battle of the Bogside. Read more
• 12 Aug 1964: South Africa is banned from the Olympic Games due to the country's racist policies. Read more
• 12 Aug 1960: Echo 1A, NASA's first successful communications satellite, is launched. Read more
• 12 Aug 1953: Thermonuclear bomb testing: The Soviet atomic bomb project continues with the detonation of "RDS-6s" (Joe 4) using a "layered" scheme. Read more
• 12 Aug 1953: The 7.2 Ms Ionian earthquake shakes the southern Ionian Islands with a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme). Between 445 and 800 people are killed. Read more
• 12 Aug 1952: The Night of the Murdered Poets: Thirteen prominent Jewish intellectuals are murdered in Moscow, Russia, Soviet Union. Read more
• 12 Aug 1950: Korean War: Bloody Gulch massacre: Seventy-five American POWs are massacred by the North Korean Army. Read more
• 12 Aug 1948: Between 15 and 150 unarmed members of the Khudai Khidmatgar movement are killed by Pakistani police. Read more
• 12 Aug 1944: Waffen-SS troops massacre 560 people in Sant'Anna di Stazzema. Read more
• 12 Aug 1944: Nazi German troops end the week-long Wola massacre, during which time at least 40,000 people are killed indiscriminately or in mass executions. Read more
• 12 Aug 1944: Alençon is liberated by General Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque, the first city in France to be liberated from the Nazis by French forces. Read more
• 12 Aug 1914: World War I: France, the United Kingdom and the British Empire declare war on Austria-Hungary. Read more
• 12 Aug 1914: World War I: The Battle of Halen a.k.a. Battle of the Silver Helmets, a clash between large Belgian and German cavalry formations at Halen, Belgium. Read more
• 12 Aug 1898: The Hawaiian flag is lowered from ʻIolani Palace in an elaborate annexation ceremony and replaced with the flag of the United States to signify the transfer of sovereignty from the Republic of Hawaii to the United States where it is formally recognized as Hawaii. Read more
• 12 Aug 1883: The last quagga dies at the Natura Artis Magistra, a zoo in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Read more
• 12 Aug 1865: Joseph Lister, British surgeon and scientist, performs the first antiseptic surgery. Read more
• 12 Aug 1851: Isaac Singer is granted a patent for his sewing machine. Read more
• 12 Aug 1831: French intervention forces William I of the Netherlands to abandon his attempt to suppress the Belgian Revolution. Read more
• 12 Aug 1806: Santiago de Liniers, 1st Count of Buenos Aires re-takes the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina after the first British invasion. Read more

Famous Births on 12 August

• 12 Aug 2001: Dixie D'Amelio, American social media personality and singer Dixie Jane D'Amelio is an American social media personality, singer, and model. Read more
• 12 Aug 2000: Tristan Charpentier, French racing driver Tristan Charpentier is a French race car driver from Béthune. Read more
• 12 Aug 1999: Matthijs de Ligt, Dutch footballer Matthijs de Ligt is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Premier League club Manchester United and the Netherlands national team. He is known for his aggressive tackling, aerial ability, leadership and strength. Read more
• 12 Aug 1999: Dream, American YouTuber Clay, known online as Dream, is an American YouTuber, Twitch streamer, speedrunner, and musician primarily known for creating Minecraft content. Read more
• 12 Aug 1999: Jule Niemeier, German tennis player Jule Niemeier is a German professional tennis player. She has a career-high WTA singles ranking of world No. 61, achieved on 7 November 2022. Read more
• 12 Aug 1999: GK Barry, social media star and presenter Grace Eleanor Keeling, known professionally as GK Barry, is an English media personality, social media influencer, and presenter. She began posting on video-sharing platform TikTok in 2020 whilst completing a film studies degree at Nottingham Trent University. After one year of posting lifestyle videos on the app, Keeling surpassed 1 million followers and later began presenting a podcast, Saving Grace, in which she interviews celebrities. Read more
• 12 Aug 1998: Stefanos Tsitsipas, Greek tennis player Stefanos Tsitsipas is a Greek professional tennis player. He has been ranked as high as world No. 3 in men's singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), first achieved in August 2021 – making him the highest-ranked Greek men's tennis player. Tsitsipas has won thirteen ATP Tour singles titles, including the 2019 ATP Finals and three Masters 1000 events. He has contested two major finals, at the 2021 French Open and 2023 Australian Open, making him the first Greek tennis player to reach a Grand Slam final. He has a career-high doubles ranking of No. 64, achieved on 29 August 2022. Read more
• 12 Aug 1996: Choi Yu-jin, South Korean singer and actress Choi Yu-jin, known mononymously as Yujin, is a South Korean singer and actress. Originally debuting in 2015 as a member of the South Korean girl group CLC, she is a member and leader of Kep1er after finishing in third place in the final episode of the survival show Girls Planet 999. She began her acting career in 2016 in a supporting role in the Naver TV web drama, Nightmare High. Read more
• 12 Aug 1996: Julio Urías, Mexican baseball player Julio César Urías Acosta, nicknamed "El Culichi", is a Mexican former professional baseball pitcher. The Los Angeles Dodgers signed him in 2012, and he made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut in 2016. Urías led the National League in wins in 2021 and earned run average in 2022. He was named to the All-MLB Second Team in 2021 and 2022.
  In September 2023, following his second arrest for domestic violence, Urías was placed on administrative leave by MLB. His contract with the Dodgers expired at the end of the season and he has not pitched professionally since then. Read more
• 12 Aug 1996: Arthur Melo, Brazilian footballer Arthur Henrique Ramos de Oliveira Melo, known as Arthur or Arthur Melo, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Serie A club Juventus. Read more
• 12 Aug 1996: Samuel Moutoussamy, Congolese footballer Samuel Albert Alain Arcade Moutoussamy is a professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Greek Super League club Atromitos. Born in France, he plays for the DR Congo national team. Read more
• 12 Aug 1994: Ian Happ, American baseball player Ian Edward Happ is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played college baseball at the University of Cincinnati for the Cincinnati Bearcats. The Cubs selected Happ in the first round of the 2015 MLB draft, and he made his MLB debut in 2017. Happ was an All-Star in 2022 and won a Gold Glove Award four consecutive years from 2022 to 2025. Read more
• 12 Aug 1993: Ewa Farna, Czech singer-songwriter Ewa Chobot is a Polish-Czech pop-rock singer. She released five Polish-language and four Czech-language studio albums, and received platinum and gold certifications for them, both in Poland and the Czech Republic. She was a judge on Česko Slovenská SuperStar in 2013, the Polish X Factor in 2014, and the Polish Idol in 2017. Read more
• 12 Aug 1993: Luna, South Korean singer, actress and presenter Park Sun-young, known professionally as Luna (루나), is a South Korean singer, dancer, musical actress and television host. She debuted as a member of the girl group f(x) in September 2009. In May 2016, Luna released her solo EP Free Somebody. In November 2019, the single "Free Somebody" was listed in Billboard's greatest K-pop songs of the 2010s. In September 2019, Luna left SM Entertainment and joined Humap Contents. In February 2021, Luna established her own entertainment agency, Grida Entertainment. Read more
• 12 Aug 1992: Cara Delevingne, English model and actress Cara Jocelyn Delevingne is an English model, actress, and musician. Delevingne won Model of the Year at the British Fashion Awards in 2012 and 2014, and has also received three Teen Choice Awards and nominations for a British Independent Film Award and an MTV Movie & TV Award. Read more
• 12 Aug 1992: Jacob Loko, Australian rugby player Jacob Loko is an Australian rugby league footballer who most recently played for the Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles in the Intrust Super Premiership NSW. Read more
• 12 Aug 1992: Teo Gheorghiu, Swiss pianist and actor Teo Gheorghiu is a Swiss-Canadian pianist. Read more
• 12 Aug 1991: Jesinta Campbell, Australian model Jesinta Franklin is an Australian model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Universe Australia 2010 and represented Australia at Miss Universe 2010, placing 2nd Runner-Up. Read more
• 12 Aug 1991: Sam Hoare, Australian rugby league player Samuel Hoare is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays for the Townsville Blackhawks in the Queensland Cup. Primarily a prop, he previously played for the North Queensland Cowboys. Read more
• 12 Aug 1991: Khris Middleton, American basketball player James Khristian Middleton is an American professional basketball player for the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is a three-time NBA All-Star and won an NBA championship with the Milwaukee Bucks and a gold medal with Team USA at the Summer Olympics in 2021. Read more
• 12 Aug 1991: LaKeith Stanfield, American actor and musician LaKeith Lee Stanfield is an American actor and musician. He made his feature film debut in Short Term 12 (2013), for which he was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award. He received further recognition for his roles in the films Get Out (2017), Sorry to Bother You (2018), Uncut Gems (2019), Knives Out (2019), and Judas and the Black Messiah (2021), the lattermost of which earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Read more
• 12 Aug 1990: Mario Balotelli, Italian footballer Mario Balotelli Barwuah is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a striker for UAE First Division club Al-Ittifaq. Regarded as a highly promising player in his youth, Balotelli is a versatile forward with strength, pace and an eye for goal. He is a penalty kick specialist. Despite his talent, Balotelli has been criticised for his poor attitude on and off the pitch. Read more
• 12 Aug 1990: Marvin Zeegelaar, Dutch footballer Marvin Romeo Kwasie Zeegelaar is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a left-back or a left midfielder. Read more
• 12 Aug 1990: Martin Zurawsky, German footballer Martin Zurawsky is a German footballer who plays for NOFV-Oberliga Süd club VfB Krieschow. Read more
• 12 Aug 1989: Tom Cleverley, English footballer Thomas William Cleverley is an English professional football coach and former player who played as a midfielder. He is currently the head coach of EFL League One club Plymouth Argyle. Read more
• 12 Aug 1989: Hong Jeong-ho, South Korean footballer Hong Jeong-ho is a South Korean footballer who plays for K League 2 club Suwon Samsung Bluewings as a centre-back. He also played for the South Korea national team at the 2011 AFC Asian Cup and the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Read more
• 12 Aug 1989: Sunye, South Korean singer Min Sun-ye, known professionally as Sunye, is a South Korean singer known for her work as a former leader and main vocalist of girl group Wonder Girls. In early 2013, following her marriage, she became an inactive member of the Wonder Girls and officially departed from the group in July 2015. Read more
• 12 Aug 1988: Tyson Fury, English boxer Tyson Luke Fury is a British professional boxer. He held multiple world heavyweight championships, including unified titles from 2015 to 2016, the Ring magazine title twice between 2015 and 2022, and the World Boxing Council (WBC) title from 2020 to 2024. He also held the International Boxing Organization (IBO) title during his first reign as champion. Read more
• 12 Aug 1988: Matt Gillett, Australian rugby league player Matthew Gillett is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played as a second-row or lock forward in the 2010s. Read more
• 12 Aug 1987: Vanessa Watts, West Indian cricketer Vanessa Nakeita Watts is a Jamaican cricketer who plays as a right-arm off break bowler. In early 2014 she made her international debut, appearing in one One Day International and four Twenty20 Internationals for the West Indies. She plays domestic cricket for Jamaica. Read more
• 12 Aug 1986: Andrei Agius, Maltese footballer Andrei Agius is a Maltese footballer who is currently employed as head coach at Hibernians. Read more
• 12 Aug 1986: Kyle Arrington, American football player Kyle Chandler Arrington Sr. is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Hofstra Pride. Arrington was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He was also a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens. He played in two Super Bowls during his time with the Patriots, winning Super Bowl XLIX. Read more
• 12 Aug 1985: Danny Graham, English footballer Daniel Anthony William Graham is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker. Read more
• 12 Aug 1985: Franck Moutsinga, German rugby player Franck Moutsinga is a German international rugby union player, playing for the Berliner RC in the Rugby-Bundesliga and the German national rugby union team. Read more
• 12 Aug 1984: Bryan Pata, American football player (died 2006) Bryan Sidney Pata was an American college football player who was a defensive lineman for the Miami Hurricanes. Pata was murdered after leaving a football practice during his fourth year at the school. While no resolution has been reached in the case, Pata's former Miami teammate, Rashaun Jones, was arrested for the murder in 2021. Read more
• 12 Aug 1983: Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Dutch footballer Dirk Jan Klaas Huntelaar, known professionally as Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a striker. Read more
• 12 Aug 1983: Kléber Giacomance de Souza Freitas, Brazilian footballer Kléber Giacomazzi de Souza Freitas, known simply as Kléber, is a Brazilian former professional footballer. Read more
• 12 Aug 1983: Manoa Vosawai, Italian rugby player Manoa Vosawai is an Italian rugby union player. He currently plays for the Cardiff Blues in Wales. He made his debut with the Italian national side on August 18, 2007 in a match against Japan. Vosawai plays as a number eight.
  Vosawai was included in the Italian squad for the 2007 World Cup, and made a substitute appearance in the Azzurri's opening match against the All Blacks, replacing Alessandro Zanni. Read more
• 12 Aug 1982: Boban Grnčarov, Macedonian footballer Boban Grnčarov is a Macedonian retired footballer who played as a central defender. Read more
• 12 Aug 1982: Alexandros Tzorvas, Greek footballer Alexandros Tzorvas is a Greek former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Read more
• 12 Aug 1981: Tony Capaldi, Norwegian–Northern Irish footballer Anthony Charles Capaldi is a former footballer who made nearly 250 appearances in the Football League and is a Northern Ireland former international. Read more
• 12 Aug 1981: Djibril Cissé, French footballer Djibril Cissé is a French former professional footballer who played as a forward. Read more
• 12 Aug 1980: Javier Chevantón, Uruguayan footballer Ernesto Javier Chevantón Espinosa is a Uruguayan former footballer who played as a forward. He has been described as a player who possesses explosiveness, pace and tenacity. Read more
• 12 Aug 1980: Maggie Lawson, American actress Maggie Lawson is an American actress. Her television roles include Juliet O'Hara in Psych, Natalie Flynn in Lethal Weapon, Kay Bennett in Outmatched, and Sarah Silver in Boston Blue. Her television film credits include Model Behavior, Nancy Drew, and all three installments of the Psych film series. Read more
• 12 Aug 1980: Dominique Swain, American actress Dominique Swain is an American actress. She first came to attention as the title character in Adrian Lyne's 1997 adaptation of Lolita, alongside a supporting role in John Woo's Face/Off also released in the same year. She worked predominantly in independent cinema throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s with credits including Girl (1998), The Intern (2000), Tart (2001), and Pumpkin (2002). Next she was in Alpha Dog (2006), Road to Nowhere (2010), and a succession of films in the action, thriller, and horror genres. Read more
• 12 Aug 1980: Matt Thiessen, Canadian-American singer-songwriter and guitarist Matthew Arnold Thiessen is a Canadian-born American musician known for being the lead vocalist, pianist, guitarist, and primary songwriter for the rock band Relient K. With Relient K, he has released eight full-length albums, including three that were certified Gold, and three that peaked in the top twenty on the Billboard 200. Outside of his work with Relient K, Thiessen leads a side project called Matthew Thiessen and the Earthquakes, which released its debut album Wind Up Bird in 2018. In 2009, he co-produced and collaborated on Owl City's album Ocean Eyes. Read more
• 12 Aug 1979: D. J. Houlton, American baseball player Dennis Sean "D. J." Houlton Jr. is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball for the Los Angeles Dodgers and in Nippon Professional Baseball for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and Yomiuri Giants and in the KBO League for the Kia Tigers. Read more
• 12 Aug 1979: Ian Hutchinson, English motorcycle racer Ian Hutchinson is an English professional motorcycle road racer specialising in events held on closed public roads, such as the Isle of Man TT, the North West 200 and Ulster Grand Prix. Read more
• 12 Aug 1979: Cindy Klassen, Canadian speed skater Cindy Klassen is a Canadian retired long track speed skater. She is a six-time medallist having achieved one gold, two silver, three bronze at the Winter Olympics. Read more
• 12 Aug 1979: Austra Skujytė, Lithuanian pentathlete Austra Skujytė is a retired Lithuanian athlete, competing in both the heptathlon and the decathlon. On 15 April 2005 in Columbia, Missouri, she broke the women's decathlon world record, with a score of 8358. She is the 2004 Olympic silver medalist and 2012 Olympic bronze medalist in the heptathlon. The latter medal was allocated retrospectively following the disqualification in 2016 of original medalist Tatyana Chernova for historic doping offences. Read more
• 12 Aug 1978: Chris Chambers, American football player Christopher J. Chambers is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for ten seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers. He was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the second round of the 2001 NFL draft, and also played for the San Diego Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs. Read more
• 12 Aug 1978: Hayley Wickenheiser, Canadian ice hockey player Hayley Wickenheiser is a Canadian former ice hockey player, physician, and former assistant general manager for the Toronto Maple Leafs. She was the first woman to play full-time professional men’s hockey in a position other than goalie. Wickenheiser was a member of Canada women's national ice hockey team for 23 years, from 1994 until announcing her retirement on January 13, 2017, and is the team's career points leader with 168 goals and 211 assists in 276 games. She represented Canada at the Winter Olympics five times, capturing four gold and one silver medal and twice being named tournament MVP, and one time at the Summer Olympics in softball, and is a seven-time winner of the world championships. She is tied with teammates Caroline Ouellette and Jayna Hefford for the record for the most gold medals of any Canadian Olympian, and is widely considered to be the greatest women's ice hockey player of all time. On February 20, 2014, Wickenheiser was elected to the International Olympic Committee's Athletes' Commission. In 2019, she was named to the Hockey Hall of Fame, in her first year of eligibility. She was also inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2019, and Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 2022. Read more
• 12 Aug 1977: Plaxico Burress, American football player Plaxico Antonio Burress is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Michigan State Spartans, and was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the eighth overall pick in the 2000 NFL draft. He also played for the New York Giants and the New York Jets, and caught the game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl XLII as the Giants beat the then-undefeated New England Patriots. Read more
• 12 Aug 1977: Jesper Grønkjær, Danish footballer Jesper Grønkjær is a Danish former professional footballer, who most recently worked as a pundit for Scandinavian media network Viaplay. Read more
• 12 Aug 1977: Park Yong-ha, South Korean actor (died 2010) Park Yong-ha was a South Korean actor and singer. Read more
• 12 Aug 1976: Pedro Collins, Barbadian cricketer Pedro Tyrone Collins is a Barbadoan cricketer and coach, who played as a fast bowler for the West Indies. Read more
• 12 Aug 1976: Mikko Lindström, Finnish guitarist Mikko Viljami "Linde" Lindström is a Finnish musician, best known as the guitarist for the gothic rock band HIM. Influenced by the likes of Black Sabbath and Steve Vai, Lindström began playing guitar at age ten, joining the band Aurora in his teenage years, where he met Ville Valo. In 1995, the two reformed Valo's previous band HIM, which would go on to release eight studio albums and become one of the most commercially successful Finnish bands of all time, and the first to receive a gold record in the United States. In 2017, the band announced their plans to retire following a farewell tour, and played their final show on New Year's Eve 2017. Read more
• 12 Aug 1976: Henry Tuilagi, Samoan rugby player Enele "Henry" Tuilagi is a Samoan former professional rugby union player who played in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. He appeared ten times for the Samoa national team and played club rugby in Italy, France and England. Read more
• 12 Aug 1976: Antoine Walker, American basketball player Antoine Devon Walker is an American former professional basketball player. He was drafted with the sixth overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft out of the University of Kentucky and played in the NBA from 1996 to 2008. Walker played for the Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, the BSN's Mets de Guaynabo and the NBA D-League's Idaho Stampede before retiring from basketball in 2012. Walker, a three-time NBA All-Star, won an NCAA championship with Kentucky in 1996 and an NBA championship with the Heat in 2006. Read more
• 12 Aug 1975: Casey Affleck, American actor Casey Affleck is an American actor. He is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and a Golden Globe Award. The younger brother of actor Ben Affleck, he began his career as a child actor, appearing in the PBS television film Lemon Sky (1988). He later appeared in three Gus Van Sant films: To Die For (1995), Good Will Hunting (1997), Gerry (2002), and in Steven Soderbergh's Ocean's film series (2001–2007). His first leading role was in Steve Buscemi's independent comedy-drama Lonesome Jim (2006). Read more
• 12 Aug 1974: Matt Clement, American baseball player and coach Matthew Paul Clement is an American former professional baseball starting pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres (1998–2000), Florida Marlins (2001), Chicago Cubs (2002–2004) and Boston Red Sox (2005–2006). He batted and threw right-handed. Read more
• 12 Aug 1974: Karl Stefanovic, Australian television host Karl Stefanovic is an Australian podcaster and former television presenter and journalist. He previously co‑hosted the Nine Network’s breakfast program Today and worked as a reporter for 60 Minutes. Read more
• 12 Aug 1973: Jonathan Coachman, American sportscaster and wrestler Jonathan William Coachman, also known as "The Coach", is an American sports analyst and former professional wrestling personality. Read more
• 12 Aug 1973: Mark Iuliano, Italian footballer and manager Mark Iuliano is an Italian football manager and a former professional footballer who played as a defender. Following his retirement he worked as a coach. Read more
• 12 Aug 1973: Todd Marchant, American ice hockey player and coach Todd Michael Marchant is an American former professional ice hockey player who played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played nine seasons with the Edmonton Oilers and almost six seasons with the Anaheim Ducks, along with just over a season with the Columbus Blue Jackets and a game with the New York Rangers. He also played 49 games in the American Hockey League (AHL) between his time with the Binghamton Rangers and Cape Breton Oilers. He is now serving as the Director of Player Development for the San Jose Sharks. Read more
• 12 Aug 1972: Demir Demirkan, Turkish singer-songwriter and producer Demir Demirkan is a Turkish musician, Eurovision Song Contest winning composer, guitarist for thrash metal band Mezarkabul and writer. Demirkan started playing music when he was 13 and played guitar with various groups in college. He also wrote television jingles and composed soundtracks for television and films. Read more
• 12 Aug 1972: Mark Kinsella, Irish footballer and manager Mark Anthony Kinsella is an Irish football manager and former player, currently a coach at Drogheda United after previously being both the manager and assistant manager. He played as a central midfielder for most of his career. Read more
• 12 Aug 1972: Takanohana Kōji, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 65th Yokozuna Takanohana Kōji is a Japanese former professional sumo wrestler and coach. He was the 65th man in history to reach sumo's highest rank of yokozuna, and he won 22 tournament championships between 1992 and 2001, the sixth highest total ever. The son of a popular ōzeki ranked wrestler from the 1970s, Takanohana's rise through the ranks alongside his elder brother Wakanohana and his rivalry with the foreign born yokozuna Akebono saw interest in sumo and attendance at tournaments soar during the early 1990s. Read more
• 12 Aug 1972: Gyanendra Pandey, Indian cricketer Gyanendrakumar Kedarnath Pandey is a former Indian cricketer. He is a left-handed batsman and a slow left-arm bowler. Read more
• 12 Aug 1972: Del the Funky Homosapien, American rapper Teren Delvon Jones, better known by his stage name Del the Funky Homosapien or Sir DZL, is an American rapper. Read more
• 12 Aug 1971: Michael Ian Black, American comedian, actor, director, producer, and screenwriter Michael Ian Black is an American comedian, actor, and writer. He has starred in several TV comedy series, including The State, Viva Variety, Stella, Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp, Michael & Michael Have Issues, and Another Period. In the late 1990s to early 2000s, he was the puppeteer and voice actor for the Pets.com sock puppet dog, and played a supporting character on the NBC drama series Ed. Since 2008 he has written a number of books, including several for children. Read more
• 12 Aug 1971: Yvette Nicole Brown, American actress, comedian, and talk show host Yvette Nicole Brown is an American actress, producer, writer, and host. She starred as Shirley Bennett on the NBC and Yahoo Screen sitcom Community, as Dani in the 2015 reboot of The Odd Couple on CBS, and as Dina Rose on the ABC sitcom The Mayor. Brown had a recurring role as Helen Dubois in Drake & Josh, and has had guest roles in television shows such as That '70s Show, The Office, Boston Legal, Chuck, The Soul Man, Mom, and Big Shot. In 2021, she received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for her role in A Black Lady Sketch Show. Read more
• 12 Aug 1971: Rebecca Gayheart, American actress Rebecca Gayheart is an American actress and model. Gayheart began her career as a teen model in the 1980s before becoming an advertising spokeswoman. She has been active as an actress since 1990. Read more
• 12 Aug 1971: Pete Sampras, American tennis player Pete Sampras is an American former professional tennis player. One of the most successful tennis players of all time, he was ranked as the world No. 1 in men's singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) for 286 weeks, and finished as the year-end No. 1 six consecutive times. Sampras won 64 ATP Tour-level singles titles, including 14 men's singles majors, which was an all-time record at the time of his retirement: seven Wimbledon Championships, two Australian Opens and an Open Era joint-record five US Opens. He also won five Tour Finals, two Grand Slam Cups, eleven Masters events, and was part of the winning United States Davis Cup teams in 1992 and 1995. Read more
• 12 Aug 1970: Aleksandar Đurić, Bosnian footballer Aleksandar Đurić is a football coach and former player who is the principal for Sport Singapore and the ActiveSG Football Academy. A prolific striker, Ðurić was noted for his strong physical presence. His approach to fitness and a disciplined lifestyle contributed to extending a career spanning over three decades. Read more
• 12 Aug 1970: Charles Mesure, English-Australian actor and screenwriter Charles William David Mesure is a British-born Australian actor known for his work in Australia, New Zealand and the United States. Read more
• 12 Aug 1970: Toby Perkins, English businessman and politician Matthew Toby Perkins is a British Labour Party politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Chesterfield since 2010. He was elected as chair of the Environmental Audit Select Committee in September 2024. Read more
• 12 Aug 1970: Jim Schlossnagle, American baseball player and coach Jim Schlossnagle is an American college baseball coach and former pitcher, who is the current head baseball coach of the Texas Longhorns. He played college baseball at Elon from 1986 to 1989 for head coach Rick Jones. He then served as the head coach of the UNLV Rebels (2002–2003), the TCU Horned Frogs (2004–2021), and the Texas A&M Aggies (2022–2024). Read more
• 12 Aug 1970: Anthony Swofford, American soldier and author Anthony Swofford is an American writer and U.S. Marine veteran, best known for his 2003 book Jarhead, based heavily on his accounts of various situations encountered in the Persian Gulf War. This memoir was the basis of the 2005 film of the same name, directed by Sam Mendes. Read more
• 12 Aug 1969: Aga Muhlach, Filipino actor and politician Ariel "Aga" Aquino Muhlach is a Filipino actor. Regarded as the "King of Romance-Drama" and the "Philippines' Original Heartthrob", he has received numerous local and international accolades throughout his career, including Star Awards, Maria Clara Awards, and a FAMAS Award. Read more
• 12 Aug 1969: Stuart Williams, Nevisian cricketer Stuart Clayton Williams is a former West Indian cricketer. One of the opening batsmen tried after the retirement of Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes, Williams was a batsman who may have not demonstrated his true potential as an opening batsman, may have been better suited to lower down the order. Read more
• 12 Aug 1969: Tanita Tikaram, British pop/folk singer-songwriter Tanita Tikaram is a British pop/folk singer-songwriter. She achieved chart success with the singles "Twist in My Sobriety" and "Good Tradition" from her 1988 debut album, Ancient Heart. Read more
• 12 Aug 1968: Thorsten Boer, German footballer and manager Thorsten Boer is a German football manager and former player. Read more
• 12 Aug 1967: Andy Hui, Hong Kong singer-songwriter and actor Andrew Hui Chi On is a Hong Kong singer and actor. Hui is considered one of the most successful Hong Kong singers, with an extensive list of Cantonese and Mandarin hits to his credit. Read more
• 12 Aug 1967: Andrey Plotnikov, Russian race walker Andrey Plotnikov is a Russian race walker, who won the bronze medal in the 50 km race at the 1998 European Championships. He represented his native country at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. Read more
• 12 Aug 1967: Regilio Tuur, Dutch boxer Regilio Benito Tuur is a Dutch former boxer who was WBO super featherweight champion. Read more
• 12 Aug 1966: Tobias Ellwood, American-English captain and politician Tobias Martin Ellwood is a British-American former Conservative Party politician and soldier who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bournemouth East from 2005 to 2024. He chaired the Defence Select Committee from 2020 to 2023, and was Minister for Defence Veterans, Reserves and Personnel at the Ministry of Defence from 2017 to 2019. Prior to his political career, Ellwood served in the Royal Green Jackets and reached the rank of captain. He transferred to the Army Reserve and has gone on to reach the rank of lieutenant colonel in the 77th Brigade. Read more
• 12 Aug 1965: Peter Krause, American actor Peter William Krause is an American actor, director, and producer. He has held leading roles across multiple acclaimed television series, portraying Casey McCall on Sports Night (1998–2000), Nate Fisher on Six Feet Under (2001–2005), Nick George on Dirty Sexy Money (2007–2009), Adam Braverman on Parenthood (2010–2015), Benjamin Jones on The Catch (2016–2017), and Bobby Nash on Fox/ABC's 9-1-1 (2018–2025). He is set to star in a NBC drama series, Line of Fire, in 2026. Read more
• 12 Aug 1964: Txiki Begiristain, Spanish footballer Aitor "Txiki" Begiristain Mujika is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a left winger or forward. Read more
• 12 Aug 1964: Michael Hagan, Australian rugby league player and coach Michael Hagan is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He currently works as an assistant coach under Mal Meninga for the Australian rugby league team. A Queensland State of Origin representative half, he played his club football in Australia with Canterbury-Bankstown and Newcastle, as well as in England with Halifax. He went on to have a successful coaching career with Newcastle and Parramatta, and was also selected to coach the Queensland Maroons for two State of Origin series before becoming Meninga's assistant coach. Hagan was inducted into the Newcastle Knights Hall of Fame in April 2012. Read more
• 12 Aug 1963: Kōji Kitao, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 60th Yokozuna (died 2019) Kōji Kitao was a Japanese sumo wrestler (rikishi), professional wrestler, and mixed martial artist. Read more
• 12 Aug 1963: Campbell Newman, Australian politician, 38th Premier of Queensland Campbell Kevin Thomas Newman is an Australian former politician who served as the 38th Premier of Queensland from 26 March 2012 to 14 February 2015. He served as the member for Ashgrove in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland between 24 March 2012 and 31 January 2015. He was Liberal National Party of Queensland (LNP) Leader from 2 April 2011 to 7 February 2015; Newman previously served as the 15th Lord Mayor of Brisbane from 27 March 2004 to 3 April 2011. Read more
• 12 Aug 1963: Sir Mix-a-Lot, American rapper, producer, and actor Anthony L. Ray, better known by his stage name Sir Mix-a-Lot or his CB handle Prime Minista, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known for his 1992 hit song "Baby Got Back", which peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Read more
• 12 Aug 1961: Roy Hay, English guitarist, keyboard player, and composer Roy Ernest Hay is an English musician who is the guitarist and keyboardist of the band Culture Club. Read more
• 12 Aug 1961: Mark Priest, New Zealand cricketer Mark Wellings Priest is a former New Zealand international cricketer who played in three Test matches and 18 One Day Internationals (ODIs) between 1990 and 1998. He was the leading wicket-taker for Canterbury, with 290 dismissals, until Todd Astle went past his total in February 2019. Read more
• 12 Aug 1960: Laurent Fignon, French cyclist and sportscaster (died 2010) Laurent Patrick Fignon was a French professional road bicycle racer who won the Tour de France in 1983 and 1984, as well as the Giro d'Italia in 1989. He held the title of FICP World No. 1 in 1989. Fignon came close to winning the Tour de France for a third time in 1989 but was defeated by Greg LeMond by eight seconds, the closest margin ever to decide the Tour. Fignon won many classic races, including consecutive victories in Milan–San Remo in 1988 and 1989. He died from cancer in 2010. Read more
• 12 Aug 1960: Greg Thomas, Welsh-English cricketer Greg Thomas is a Welsh former cricketer, who played in five Test matches and three One Day Internationals for England between 1986 and 1987. Read more
• 12 Aug 1959: Kerry Boustead, Australian rugby league player Kerry Boustead is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played in the late 1970s, 1980s, & early 1990s. A talented representative wing for Queensland and Australia, at the time he was picked for the national team he was the youngest ever player so selected. A prolific try-scorer, he has been named amongst the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century. Read more
• 12 Aug 1958: Jürgen Dehmel, German bass player and songwriter Jürgen Dehmel is a German bass player and songwriter. Read more
• 12 Aug 1957: Friedhelm Schütte, German footballer Friedhelm Schütte is a former professional German footballer. Read more
• 12 Aug 1957: Amanda Redman, English actress Amanda Jacqueline Redman is an English actress, known for her roles as Detective Superintendent Sandra Pullman in the BBC One series New Tricks (2003–2013) and as Dr. Lydia Fonseca in The Good Karma Hospital (2017–2022). She gained BAFTA TV Award nominations for At Home with the Braithwaites (2000–2003) and Tommy Cooper: Not Like That, Like This (2014). Her film roles include For Queen and Country (1988), Sexy Beast (2000) and Mike Bassett: England Manager (2001). Read more
• 12 Aug 1956: Lee Freedman, Australian horse trainer David Lee Freedman is an Australian thoroughbred racehorse trainer. and Hall of Fame inductee. In partnership with brothers Anthony, Michael, and Richard, he has been a prolific winner of Australia's major races in past 20 years, with four Golden Slippers, four Caulfield Cups, two Cox Plates, and five Melbourne Cups, including two of the three won by Makybe Diva. On 19 June 2007 he won the prestigious King's Stand Stakes at the United Kingdom's Royal Ascot racecourse with his champion mare, Miss Andretti. Read more
• 12 Aug 1956: Bruce Greenwood, Canadian actor and producer Stuart Bruce Greenwood is a Canadian actor and producer. He has starred in five films by Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan and has been nominated for three Canadian Screen Awards, once for Best Actor for Elephant Song (2014) and twice for Best Supporting Actor, for The Sweet Hereafter (1997) and Being Julia (2004). Read more
• 12 Aug 1956: Sidath Wettimuny, Sri Lankan cricketer Sidath Wettimuny is a Sri Lankan former cricketer, who played Test cricket and One Day Internationals as an opening batsman from 1982 to 1987. Wettimuny was a typical 1980s opening batsman in that he often played very defensively, grafting for his runs, and his ODI strike rate of 48 shows this quite clearly. In 1985, he was named as one of Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year. Read more
• 12 Aug 1954: Rob Borbidge, Australian politician, 35th Premier of Queensland Robert Edward Borbidge is an Australian former politician who served as the 35th Premier of Queensland from 1996 to 1998. He was the leader of the Queensland branch of the National Party from 1991 to 2001, and was the last member of that party to serve as premier, as it merged to become the Liberal National Party of Queensland in 2008. Read more
• 12 Aug 1954: Leung Chun-ying, Hong Kong businessman and politician, 3rd Chief Executive of Hong Kong Leung Chun-ying, also known as CY Leung, is a Hong Kong politician and chartered surveyor who has served as vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference since March 2017. He was previously the third Chief Executive of Hong Kong between 2012 and 2017. Read more
• 12 Aug 1954: Ibolya Dávid, Hungarian lawyer and politician, Minister of Justice of Hungary Ibolya Dávid is a Hungarian lawyer, politician, she was the president of the Hungarian Democratic Forum (MDF) between 1999 and 2010. Dávid was the Hungarian Minister of Justice between 1998 and 2002. Read more
• 12 Aug 1954: François Hollande, French lawyer and politician, 24th President of France François Gérard Georges Nicolas Hollande is a French politician who served as President of France from 2012 to 2017. Before his presidency, he was First Secretary of the Socialist Party (PS) from 1997 to 2008, Mayor of Tulle from 2001 to 2008, as well as President of the General Council of Corrèze from 2008 to 2012. He has also held the 1st constituency of Corrèze seat in the National Assembly three times, first from 1988 to 1993, then from 1997 to 2012, and from 2024 onwards. Read more
• 12 Aug 1954: Sam J. Jones, American actor Samuel Gerald Jones, known professionally as Sam J. Jones, is an American actor and former football player. He is known for playing the title character in the 1980 film Flash Gordon and for starring in the short-lived TV series The Highwayman (1987–1988). Read more
• 12 Aug 1954: Pat Metheny, American jazz guitarist and composer Patrick Bruce Metheny is an American jazz guitarist and composer. Read more
• 12 Aug 1952: Daniel Biles, American associate justice of the Kansas Supreme Court William Daniel Biles is a justice of the Kansas Supreme Court. Biles was appointed on January 7, 2009, by Governor Kathleen Sebelius to replace retiring Chief Justice Kay McFarland. Read more
• 12 Aug 1952: Sitaram Yechury, Indian politician and leader of CPI(M) (died 2024) Sitaram Yechury was an Indian Marxist politician, theorist and statesman who was the General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). He also a member of the Politburo of the CPI(M) from 1992 until his death in September 2024. Previously, he was a Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, West Bengal, from 2005 to 2017. Read more
• 12 Aug 1951: Klaus Toppmöller, German football manager and former player Klaus Toppmöller is a German football manager and former professional player. Read more
• 12 Aug 1950: Jim Beaver, American actor, director, and screenwriter James Norman Beaver Jr. is an American actor, writer, and film historian. He portrayed Bobby Singer in Supernatural. He also played Whitney Ellsworth on the HBO Western drama series Deadwood, which brought him acclaim and a Screen Actors Guild Awards nomination for Ensemble Acting, Sheriff Shelby Parlow on the FX series Justified, and Robert "Dakota Bob" Singer on the Amazon Prime Video series The Boys. He appeared in starring roles in two films directed by Guillermo del Toro, Crimson Peak and Nightmare Alley. His memoir Life's That Way was published in April 2009. Read more
• 12 Aug 1950: August "Kid Creole" Darnell, American musician, bandleader, singer-songwriter, and record producer Thomas August Darnell Browder, known professionally as August Darnell and under the stage name Kid Creole, is an American musician, singer and songwriter. He co-founded Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band and subsequently formed and led Kid Creole and the Coconuts. Read more
• 12 Aug 1950: Jamie Dunn, Australian actor, radio and television host (died 2026) James Edward Dunn was an Australian television and radio personality, puppeteer, comedian and voice artist. He began his entertainment career as a drummer and a singer-songwriter, before moving into television and finding success working the puppet Agro on the Seven Network shows Wombat and Agro's Cartoon Connection among others. Read more
• 12 Aug 1950: George McGinnis, American basketball player (died 2023) George F. McGinnis was an American professional basketball player who played 11 seasons in the American Basketball Association (ABA) and National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers, earning third-team All-American honors in 1971, before starting his pro career in the ABA with the Indiana Pacers. A three-time ABA All-Star with the Pacers, McGinnis was named the ABA Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 1975 and won two ABA championships with the team. He was a three-time NBA All-Star with the Philadelphia 76ers. He was named to the ABA All-Time Team and inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Read more
• 12 Aug 1949: Panagiotis Chinofotis, Greek admiral and politician Admiral Panagiotis Chinofotis is a retired Hellenic Navy officer, who served as the Chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff from 2005 to 2007. He was also a member of parliament with the New Democracy party and served as Vice-Minister of the Interior in the Second Cabinet of Kostas Karamanlis. Read more
• 12 Aug 1949: Mark Knopfler, Scottish-English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer Mark Freuder Knopfler is a British musician. He was the lead guitarist, singer and songwriter of the rock band Dire Straits from 1977 to 1995, and he is one of the two members who stayed throughout the band's existence, along with the bassist John Illsley. After Dire Straits dissolved, he pursued a solo career and is now an independent artist. Read more
• 12 Aug 1949: Lou Martin, Northern Irish pianist, songwriter, and producer (died 2012) Louis Michael Martin was a piano and organ player from Belfast, Northern Ireland. He was an original member of the London-based band Killing Floor, and also worked with fellow Irish musician Rory Gallagher. Read more
• 12 Aug 1949: Alex Naumik, Lithuanian-Norwegian singer-songwriter and producer (died 2013) Alexandra Naumik, better known by her stage name Alex, was a Lithuanian-born, Polish-Norwegian rock and pop artist who rose to fame in the late 1970s. Read more
• 12 Aug 1949: Rick Ridgeway, American mountaineer and photographer Rick Ridgeway is an American mountaineer and adventurer, who during his career has also been an environmentalist, writer, filmmaker and businessman. Ridgeway has climbed new routes and explored little-known regions on six continents. He was part of the 1978 team that were the first Americans to summit K2, the world's second-highest mountain. From 2005 until he retired in 2020 he oversaw environmental affairs and public engagement at the outdoor clothing company Patagonia. He has authored seven books and dozens of magazine articles, and produced or directed many documentary films. Read more
• 12 Aug 1948: Siddaramaiah, Indian lawyer and politician, 22nd Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah, also referred to by his nickname Siddu, is an Indian politician, lawyer, former lecturer and statesman who served as the 16th Chief Minister of Karnataka from 2013 to 2018 and 2023 to 2026. He had completed his first term being only the second person to complete a full five year term. He currently serves as a member of the Congress Working Committee. Read more
• 12 Aug 1948: Graham J. Zellick, English academic and jurist Graham John Zellick is a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of London, serving from 1997 to 2003. He was previously Principal of Queen Mary and Westfield College, London
  from 1991 to 1998. Read more
• 12 Aug 1947: John Nathan-Turner, English author and television director, producer, and writer (died 2002) John Turner, known professionally as John Nathan-Turner, was an English television producer. He was the ninth producer of the long-running BBC science fiction series Doctor Who and the final producer of the series' first run on television. He finished the role having become the longest-serving Doctor Who producer and cast Peter Davison, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy as the Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Doctors, respectively. Read more
• 12 Aug 1946: Terry Nutkins, English television host and author (died 2012) Terence Paul Nutkins was an English naturalist. He appeared in the UK children's programmes Animal Magic, The Really Wild Show, Brilliant Creatures and Growing Up Wild. Read more
• 12 Aug 1945: Dorothy E. Denning, American computer scientist and academic Dorothy Elizabeth Denning is a US-American information security researcher known for lattice-based access control (LBAC), intrusion detection systems (IDS), and other cyber security innovations. She published four books and over 200 articles. Inducted into the National Cyber Security Hall of Fame in 2012, she is now Emeritus Distinguished Professor of Defense Analysis, Naval Postgraduate School. Read more
• 12 Aug 1945: Ron Mael, American keyboard player and songwriter Ronald David Mael is an American musician, songwriter, composer, record producer, music programmer, and film director. He is the keyboardist and principal songwriter in the pop and rock duo Sparks, which he founded with lead vocalist, occasional songwriter and younger brother Russell Mael in 1971. Mael is known for his quirky and idiosyncratic approach to songwriting, his intricate and rhythmic keyboard playing style and for his deadpan and low key, scowling demeanour onstage often remaining motionless over his keyboard in sharp contrast to Russell's animated and hyperactive frontman antics. Ron Mael is also noted for his conservative clothes and distinctive moustache. The Mael brothers are the founders of Lil' Beethoven Records. Read more
• 12 Aug 1943: Javeed Alam, Indian academician (died 2016) Javeed Alam was an activist and thinker who served as Chairman of the Indian Council for Social Science Research from 2008 to 2011. Read more
• 12 Aug 1942: Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt, German physician and author Dr. Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt, in Leerhafe, Wittmund, East Frisia is a German orthopedist and sports physician. Read more
• 12 Aug 1941: L. M. Kit Carson, American actor, producer, and screenwriter (died 2014) Lewis Minor "Kit" Carson was an American actor screenwriter, director and film producer. Read more
• 12 Aug 1941: Réjean Ducharme, Canadian author and playwright (died 2017) Réjean Ducharme was a Canadian writer, novelist and playwright who resided in Montreal. He was known for his reclusive personality and did not appear at any public functions since his first successful book was published in 1966. A common theme of his early work was the rejection of the adult world by children. Read more
• 12 Aug 1941: Edwin Feulner, American political scientist (died 2025) Edwin John Feulner Jr. was an American political scientist, think tank executive, congressional aide and foreign relations consultant who was co-founder of The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank in 1973. He served as the Heritage Foundation's president from 1977 to 2013 and again from 2017 to 2018. Read more
• 12 Aug 1941: Dana Ivey, American actress Dana Ivey is an American retired actress. She is known for her work on Broadway, earning the 1997 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play for her work in both Sex and Longing and The Last Night of Ballyhoo. She originated the title role in Driving Miss Daisy and was nominated for a Drama Desk award for Best Actress in a Play. She received five Tony Award nominations for her roles in Sunday in the Park with George (1984), Heartbreak House (1984), The Last Night of Ballyhoo (1997), The Rivals (2005), and Butley (2007). Read more
• 12 Aug 1940: Eddie Barlow, South African cricketer and coach (died 2005) Edgar John Barlow was a South African cricketer. Barlow was born in Pretoria, Transvaal, South Africa, and played first-class cricket for Transvaal and Eastern Province from 1959–60 to 1967–68 before moving to Western Province for the seasons from 1968–69 to 1980–81. During this time he also played three seasons with Derbyshire in the English County Championship from 1976 – 1978. He completed his first-class career in Boland in 1982–83. Barlow was named as one of the six South African Cricket Annual players of the year in 1962. Read more
• 12 Aug 1940: John Waller, English historical European martial arts (HEMA) revival pioneer and fight director (died 2018) John Waller was an English pioneer of the historical European martial arts (HEMA) revival, a fight director for stage, screen and spectacle, and a teacher of martial arts. Read more
• 12 Aug 1939: George Hamilton, American actor George Stevens Hamilton is an American actor. For his debut performance in Crime and Punishment U.S.A. (1959), Hamilton won a Golden Globe Award and was nominated for a BAFTA Award. He has received one additional BAFTA nomination and two Golden Globe nominations. Read more
• 12 Aug 1939: David Jacobs, American television writer and producer (died 2023) David Arnold Jacobs was an American television writer, producer, and director. He is most well known as the creator of the CBS primetime series Dallas, Knots Landing, and Paradise. Read more
• 12 Aug 1939: S. Jayakumar, Singaporean politician, 4th Senior Minister of Singapore Shunmugam Jayakumar is a Singaporean former politician, diplomat, jurist and author who served as the 5th Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore between 2004 and 2009. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bedok Constituency between 1980 and 1988, the Bedok division of Bedok Group Representation Constituency (GRC) between 1988 and 1997, and the Bedok division of East Coast GRC between 1997 and 2011. Read more
• 12 Aug 1939: Pam Kilborn, Australian track and field athlete Pamela Kilborn, née Pamela Ryan, AM, MBE is an Australian former athlete who set world records as a hurdler. For three years, she was ranked as the world's top woman hurdler. Read more
• 12 Aug 1939: David King, South African chemist and academic Sir David Anthony King is a South African-born British chemist, academic, and head of the Climate Crisis Advisory Group (CCAG). Read more
• 12 Aug 1939: Sushil Koirala, Nepalese politician, 37th Prime Minister of Nepal (died 2016) Sushil Prasad Koirala was a Nepalese politician and the Prime Minister of Nepal from 11 February 2014 to 10 October 2015. He was also President of the Nepali Congress from 2010 to 2016, having earlier served in various capacities in the party. He is also known as the "Father of Constitution" due to his major role in promulgation of The Constitution of Nepal. Read more
• 12 Aug 1939: Roy Romanow, Canadian lawyer and politician, 12th Premier of Saskatchewan Roy John Romanow is a Canadian politician who served as the 12th premier of Saskatchewan from 1991 to 2001. He was the leader of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party from 1987 until his retirement in 2001. He was the Member of the Legislative Assembly for Saskatoon Riversdale from 1967 to 1982 and from 1986 to 2001. Read more
• 12 Aug 1938: Jean-Paul L'Allier, Canadian journalist and politician, 38th Mayor of Quebec City (died 2016) Jean-Paul L'Allier was a Canadian politician, a two-term Member of the National Assembly of Quebec (MNA) and the 38th mayor of Quebec City from 1989 to 2005. Read more
• 12 Aug 1937: Walter Dean Myers, American author and poet (died 2014) Walter Dean Myers was an American writer best known for young adult literature. He was born in Martinsburg, West Virginia, and raised in Harlem, New York City. A difficult childhood inspired him to write, and his teachers encouraged writing as a way to express himself. Myers wrote more than one hundred books, including picture books and nonfiction. He won the Coretta Scott King Award for African-American authors five times. His 1988 novel Fallen Angels is one of the books most frequently challenged in the U.S. due to its adult language and its realistic portrayal of the Vietnam War. Read more
• 12 Aug 1936: Kjell Grede, Swedish director and screenwriter (died 2017) Kjell Birger Grede was a Swedish film director. He directed nine films between 1967 and 2003. He was married to actress Bibi Andersson from 1960 to 1973. Read more
• 12 Aug 1935: John Cazale, American actor (died 1978) John Holland Cazale was an American actor. He appeared in five films over seven years. Cazale started as a theater actor in Boston, ranging from regional, to off-Broadway, to Broadway acting alongside Al Pacino, Meryl Streep, and Sam Waterston. Cazale soon became one of Hollywood's premier character actors, starting with his role as the doomed, weak-minded Fredo Corleone alongside longtime friend Pacino in Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather Part II (1974). He also appeared in Coppola's The Conversation (1974) and Sidney Lumet's Dog Day Afternoon (1975), the latter of which earned him a Golden Globe Award nomination. In 1977, Cazale was diagnosed with lung cancer, but chose to complete his role in The Deer Hunter (1978). Shortly after filming was completed, he died in New York City on March 13, 1978, aged 42. Archive footage of Cazale in the role of Fredo appears in The Godfather Part III (1990). Read more
• 12 Aug 1934: Robin Nicholson, English metallurgist and academic (died 2024) Sir Robin Buchanan Nicholson was a British industrial metallurgist and academic, who served as Chief Scientific Adviser, Cabinet Office, from 1983 to 1985. He then joined the board of Rolls-Royce plc, where he served until 2005. He was also a non-executive board member of BP plc and Pilkington plc. Read more
• 12 Aug 1933: Parnelli Jones, American race car driver and businessman (died 2024) Rufus Parnell "Parnelli" Jones was an American professional racing driver and racing team owner. He is notable for his accomplishments while competing in the Indianapolis 500 and the Baja 1000 desert race, and the Trans-Am Championship series. In 1962, he became the first driver to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 at over 150 mph (240 km/h). He won the race in 1963, then famously broke down while leading the 1967 race with three laps to go in a turbine car. During his career as an owner, he won the Indy 500 in 1970–1971 with driver Al Unser. Read more
• 12 Aug 1933: Frederic Lindsay, Scottish author and educator (died 2013) Frederic Lindsay was a Scottish crime writer, who was born in Glasgow and lived in Edinburgh. He was a full-time writer from 1979 and previously worked as a lecturer, teacher and library assistant. He was active in a number of literary organisations including the Society of Authors, International PEN and the Scottish Arts Council. In addition to novels he also wrote for TV, radio and the theatre. Two of his novels have been made into films. Read more
• 12 Aug 1932: Dallin H. Oaks, American lawyer, jurist, and religious leader Dallin Harris Oaks is an American religious leader and former jurist who is the eighteenth president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served as the first counselor in the church's First Presidency from 2018 to 2025. He was called as a member of the church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1984. Read more
• 12 Aug 1932: Charlie O'Donnell, American radio and television announcer (died 2010) Charles John O'Donnell was an American radio and television announcer, primarily known for his work on game shows, and his distinctive baritone voice. Among them, he was best known for Wheel of Fortune, where he worked from 1975 to 1980, and again from 1989 until his death. O'Donnell was also known for announcing American Bandstand. Read more
• 12 Aug 1932: Sirikit, Queen mother of Thailand (died 2025) Sirikit was Queen of Thailand from 28 April 1950 to 13 October 2016 as the wife and distant cousin of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Read more
• 12 Aug 1931: William Goldman, American author, playwright, and screenwriter (died 2018) William Goldman was an American novelist, screenwriter and playwright who wrote 16 novels and numerous screenplays in a career spanning seven decades. He received the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and Best Screenplay from the BAFTAs and Golden Globes for his first original screenplay, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), and he received the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for All the President's Men (1976). Both of these films have been inducted into the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress, along with The Princess Bride (1987) which he adapted from his 1973 novel, and all three were included on the 2006 list by the Writers Guild of America of the 101 Greatest Screenplays. Among his other accolades were three Writers Guild of America Awards, including the 1985 Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement, two Edgar Awards for Best Motion Picture Screenplay, and a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation. Read more
• 12 Aug 1930: Harry Babcock, American football player and first overall draft pick (died 1996) Harry Lewis Babcock was an American professional football end in the National Football League (NFL). He was the first overall selection in the 1953 NFL draft. Read more
• 12 Aug 1930: George Soros, Hungarian-American businessman and investor, founded the Soros Fund Management George Soros is a Hungarian and American investor and philanthropist. As of May 2025, he has a net worth of US$7.2 billion, having donated more than $32 billion to the Open Society Foundations, of which $15 billion has already been distributed, representing 64% of his original fortune. In 2020, Forbes called Soros the "most generous giver" in terms of percentage of net worth. Read more
• 12 Aug 1930: Kanagaratnam Sriskandan, Sri Lankan engineer and civil servant (died 2010) Kanagaratnam Sriskandan was a Sri Lankan born British engineer and civil servant. He was the former Chief Highway Engineer, of Under Secretary Grade at the British Department for Transport Read more
• 12 Aug 1930: Jacques Tits, Belgian-French mathematician and academic (died 2021) Jacques Tits was a Belgian-born French mathematician who worked on group theory and incidence geometry. He introduced Tits buildings, the Tits alternative, the Tits group, and the Tits metric. Read more
• 12 Aug 1929: Buck Owens, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (died 2006) Alvis Edgar "Buck" Owens Jr. was an American musician, singer, and songwriter. He was the frontman for The Buckaroos, which had 21 No. 1 hits on the Billboard country music chart. He pioneered what came to be called the Bakersfield sound, named in honor of Bakersfield, California, Owens's adopted home and the city from which he drew inspiration for what he preferred to call "American music". Read more
• 12 Aug 1928: Charles Blackman, Australian painter and illustrator (died 2018) Charles Raymond Blackman was an Australian painter, noted for the Schoolgirl, Avonsleigh and Alice in Wonderland series of the 1950s. He was a member of the Antipodeans, a group of Melbourne painters that also included Arthur Boyd, David Boyd, John Brack, Robert Dickerson, John Perceval, and Clifton Pugh. He was married for 27 years to author, essayist, poet, librettist and patron of the arts Barbara Blackman. Read more
• 12 Aug 1928: Bob Buhl, American baseball player (died 2001) Robert Ray Buhl was an American right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played with the Milwaukee Braves, Chicago Cubs, and Philadelphia Phillies. Read more
• 12 Aug 1928: Dan Curtis, American director and producer (died 2006) Daniel Mayer Cherkoss, known by his pen name Dan Curtis, was an American television and film director, screenwriter, and producer. He was best known as the creator of the gothic soap opera Dark Shadows (1966–71), and for directing the epic World War II miniseries The Winds of War (1983) and War and Remembrance (1988). Read more
• 12 Aug 1927: Porter Wagoner, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (died 2007) Porter Wayne Wagoner was an American country music singer known for his flashy Nudie and Manuel suits and blond pompadour. Read more
• 12 Aug 1926: Douglas Croft, American child actor (died 1963) Douglas Croft was an American teen actor who is best remembered for being the first person to portray the DC Comics character Robin, the Boy Wonder, as well as his secret identity Dick Grayson, in the 1943 serial Batman when he was 16 years old. Read more
• 12 Aug 1926: John Derek, American actor, director, and cinematographer (died 1998) John Derek was an American actor, filmmaker and photographer. He appeared in such films as Knock on Any Door, All the King's Men, Rogues of Sherwood Forest (1950), and The Ten Commandments (1956). He was also known for launching the career of his fourth wife, Bo Derek. Read more
• 12 Aug 1926: Joe Jones, American R&B singer-songwriter and producer (died 2005) Joseph Charles Jones was an American R&B singer, songwriter and arranger, who was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Jones is also generally credited with discovering the Dixie Cups. He also worked with B. B. King. As a singer, Jones had his biggest hit in the form of the Top Five 1960 R&B success, "You Talk Too Much", which also reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Read more
• 12 Aug 1925: Dale Bumpers, American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 38th Governor of Arkansas (died 2016) Dale Leon Bumpers was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 38th governor of Arkansas (1971–1975) and in the United States Senate (1975–1999). He was a member of the Democratic Party. He was counsel at the Washington office of law firm Arent Fox LLP, where his clients included Riceland Foods and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Read more
• 12 Aug 1925: Guillermo Cano Isaza, Colombian journalist (died 1986) Guillermo Cano Isaza was a Colombian journalist. The editor of El Espectador from 1952 until 1986, he was assassinated in Bogotá in what was widely seen as an attack related to his criticism of Colombia's drug barons. Read more
• 12 Aug 1925: Donald Justice, American poet and writing teacher (died 2004) Donald Rodney Justice was an American poet and teacher of creative writing who won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1980. Read more
• 12 Aug 1925: Norris McWhirter, Scottish publisher and activist co-founded the Guinness World Records (died 2004) Norris Dewar McWhirter was a British writer, right-wing political activist, co-founder of The Freedom Association, and a television presenter. He and his twin brother Ross were known internationally for founding the reference book The Guinness Book of Records which they wrote and updated annually together between 1955 and 1975. After Ross's assassination by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA), Norris carried on alone as editor. Read more
• 12 Aug 1925: Ross McWhirter, Scottish publisher and activist, co-founded the Guinness World Records (died 1975) Alan Ross McWhirter was, with his twin brother, Norris, the cofounder of the 1955 Guinness Book of Records and a contributor to the television programme Record Breakers. He was assassinated by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) in 1975. Read more
• 12 Aug 1925: George Wetherill, American physicist and academic (died 2006) George Wetherill was an American physicist and geologist. He was the director emeritus of the department of terrestrial magnetism at the Carnegie Institution of Washington. Read more
• 12 Aug 1924: Derek Shackleton, English cricketer, coach, and umpire (died 2007) Derek Shackleton was a Hampshire and England bowler. He took over 100 wickets in 20 consecutive seasons of first-class cricket, but only played in seven Tests for England. He has the seventh-highest tally of first-class wickets, and the most first-class wickets of any player who began his career after World War II. He holds the record for the most first-class wickets taken by any Hampshire player. Read more
• 12 Aug 1924: Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, Pakistani general and politician, 6th President of Pakistan (died 1988) Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq was a Pakistani general who ruled Pakistan from his coup in 1977 until his death in an airplane crash in 1988. He served as the chief martial law administrator from 1977 to 1985, and as the president of Pakistan from 1978 until his death. Zia was also the chief of the army staff of the Pakistan Army from 1976. He remains Pakistan's longest-serving de-facto ruler to date, and his political ideology is known as Ziaism. Read more
• 12 Aug 1923: John Holt, Jamaican cricketer (died 1997) John Kenneth Constantine Holt, known as J. K. Holt junior, OD was a West Indian international cricketer who played in 17 Test matches between 1954 and 1959. Read more
• 12 Aug 1922: Fulton Mackay, Scottish actor and playwright (died 1987) William Fulton Beith Mackay was a Scottish actor and playwright, best known for his role as prison officer Mr Mackay in the 1970s television sitcom Porridge. Read more
• 12 Aug 1922: Miloš Jakeš, Czech communist politician (died 2020) Miloš Jakeš was a Czech communist politician. He was General Secretary of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia from 1987 until 1989. Read more
• 12 Aug 1920: Charles Gibson, American ethnohistorian (died 1985) Charles Gibson was an American ethnohistorian who wrote foundational works on the Nahua peoples of colonial Mexico and was elected President of the American Historical Association in 1977. Read more
• 12 Aug 1920: Percy Mayfield, American R&B singer-songwriter (died 1984) Percy Mayfield was an American rhythm and blues singer with a smooth vocal style. He was also a songwriter, known for the songs "Please Send Me Someone to Love" and "Hit the Road Jack", the latter being a song first recorded by Ray Charles. Read more
• 12 Aug 1919: Margaret Burbidge, English-American astrophysicist and academic (died 2020) Eleanor Margaret Burbidge, (née Peachey; 12 August 1919 – 5 April 2020) was a British-American observational astronomer and astrophysicist. In the 1950s, she was one of the founders of stellar nucleosynthesis and was first author of the influential B2FH paper. During the 1960s and 1970s she worked on galaxy rotation curves and quasars, discovering the most distant astronomical object then known. In the 1980s and 1990s she helped develop and utilise the Faint Object Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope. Burbidge was also well known for her work opposing discrimination against women in astronomy while also opposing positive discrimination. Read more
• 12 Aug 1919: Vikram Sarabhai, Indian physicist and academic (died 1971) Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai was an Indian physicist and astronomer who initiated space research and helped to develop nuclear power in India. Often regarded as the "Father of Indian space program", Sarabhai was honored with Padma Bhushan in 1966 and the Padma Vibhushan (posthumously) in 1972. Read more
• 12 Aug 1918: Sid Bernstein, American record producer (died 2013) Sidney Bernstein was an American music promoter, talent manager, and author. Bernstein changed the American music scene in the 1960s by bringing the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Herman's Hermits, the Moody Blues, and the Kinks to America. He was the first impresario to organize rock concerts at sports stadiums. Read more
• 12 Aug 1918: Guy Gibson, Anglo-Indian commander and pilot, Victoria Cross recipient (died 1944) Wing Commander Guy Penrose Gibson, was a distinguished bomber pilot in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. He was the first Commanding Officer of No. 617 Squadron, which he led in the "Dam Busters" raid in 1943, resulting in the breaching of two large dams in the Ruhr area of Germany. He was awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces, in the aftermath of the raid in May 1943 and became the most highly decorated British serviceman at that time. He completed over 170 war operations before being killed in action at the age of 26. Read more
• 12 Aug 1917: Oliver Crawford, American screenwriter and author (died 2008) Oliver Crawford was an American screenwriter and author who overcame the Hollywood blacklist during the McCarthy Era of the 1950s to become one of the entertainment industry's most successful television writers, for shows including Star Trek, Bonanza, Quincy, M.E., Perry Mason, and the Kraft Television Theatre. Read more
• 12 Aug 1917: Ebba Haslund, Norwegian writer (died 2009) Ebba Margareta Haslund Halvorsen was an American-Norwegian novelist, writer of short stories, playwright, essayist, children's writer, literary critic, radio speaker and politician. Read more
• 12 Aug 1916: Ioan Dicezare, Romanian general and pilot (died 2012) Ioan Dicezare was a leading Romanian fighter pilot and flying ace in World War II. He was born and died in Bucharest. Read more
• 12 Aug 1916: Edward Pinkowski, American writer, journalist and Polonia historian (died 2020) Edward G. Pinkowski was an American writer, journalist, and historian of Polish descent. He was presented with the Polish American Historical Society's Haiman Award in 1989, and the Cavalier's Cross of the Order of Merit by the President of Poland in 2001. He turned 100 in August 2016 and died in January 2020 at the age of 103 and 5 months. Read more
• 12 Aug 1915: Michael Kidd, American dancer and choreographer (died 2007) Michael Kidd was an American film and stage choreographer, dancer and actor, whose career spanned five decades, and who staged some of the leading Broadway and film musicals of the 1940s and 1950s. Kidd, strongly influenced by Charlie Chaplin and Léonide Massine, was an innovator in what came to be known as the "integrated musical", in which dance movements are integral to the plot. Read more
• 12 Aug 1914: Gerd Buchdahl, German-English philosopher and author (died 2001) Gerd Buchdahl was a German-English philosopher of science. Read more
• 12 Aug 1914: Ruth Lowe, Canadian pianist and songwriter (died 1981) Ruth Lowe was a Canadian pianist and songwriter. She composed the first Billboard top 80 song "I'll Never Smile Again". Read more
• 12 Aug 1913: Richard L. Bare, American director, producer, and screenwriter (died 2015) Richard Leland Bare was an American director, producer, and screenwriter of Hollywood movies, television shows and short films. Read more
• 12 Aug 1912: Samuel Fuller, American actor, director, and screenwriter (died 1997) Samuel Michael Fuller was an American film director, screenwriter, novelist, journalist, and actor. He was known for directing low-budget genre movies with controversial themes, often made outside the conventional studio system. Read more
• 12 Aug 1911: Cantinflas, Mexican actor, screenwriter, and producer (died 1993) Mario Fortino Alfonso Moreno Reyes, known by the stage name Cantinflas, was a Mexican comedian, actor, and filmmaker. He is considered to have been the most widely accomplished Mexican comedian and is well known throughout Latin America and Spain. Read more
• 12 Aug 1910: Yusof bin Ishak, Singaporean journalist and politician, 1st President of Singapore (died 1970) Yusof bin Ishak Al-Haj was a Singaporean journalist and civil servant who served as the head of state of Singapore from 1959 to 1970, as the second Yang di-Pertuan Negara of Singapore between 1959 and 1965 and the first president of Singapore between 1965 and 1970. Read more
• 12 Aug 1910: Jane Wyatt, American actress (died 2006) Jane Waddington Wyatt was an American actress. She starred in a number of Hollywood films, such as Frank Capra's Lost Horizon, but is likely best known for her role as homemaker and mother Margaret Anderson on the CBS and NBC television comedy series Father Knows Best, and as Amanda Grayson, the human mother of Spock on the science-fiction television series Star Trek. Wyatt was a three-time Emmy Award–winner. Read more
• 12 Aug 1909: Bruce Matthews, Canadian general and businessman (died 1991) Major General Albert Bruce Matthews was a senior Canadian Army officer and businessman. Although not a professional soldier, he nevertheless rose to be the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division during the final months of the Second World War, after having served with distinction in campaigns in Sicily, Italy and Western Europe from 1943-1945. He became noted for his personal bravery and the accuracy and reliability of the artillery under his command. Post-war, his business career continued. In addition, he was active in the Canadian Liberal Party. Read more
• 12 Aug 1907: Gladys Bentley, American blues singer (died 1960) Gladys Alberta Bentley was an American blues singer, pianist, and entertainer who became a prominent figure during the Harlem Renaissance. She was widely recognized for having a strong contralto voice, spirited stage presence, and a riveting performance style. She is remembered for breaking barriers in jazz, blues, and gender identity. Read more
• 12 Aug 1907: Joe Besser, American actor (died 1988) Joe Besser was an American actor and comedian known for his impish humor and wimpy characters. He is best known for his brief stint as a member of The Three Stooges from 1957 to 1959. He is also remembered for his television roles: Stinky, the bratty man-child on The Abbott and Costello Show, and Jillson, the maintenance man on The Joey Bishop Show. Read more
• 12 Aug 1907: Boy Charlton, Australian swimmer (died 1975) Andrew Murray "Boy" Charlton was an Australian freestyle swimmer of the 1920s and 1930s who won a gold medal in the 1500 m freestyle at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris. He set five world records and also won a further three silver and one bronze medal in his Olympic career. Read more
• 12 Aug 1907: Benjamin Sheares, Singaporean physician and politician, 2nd President of Singapore (died 1981) Benjamin Henry Sheares was a Singaporean obstetrician, gynaecologist, and academic who served as the second president of Singapore between 1971 until his death in 1981. Read more
• 12 Aug 1906: Harry Hopman, Australian tennis player and coach (died 1985) Henry Christian Hopman CBE was an Australian tennis player and coach. Read more
• 12 Aug 1906: Tedd Pierce, American animator, producer, and screenwriter (died 1972) Edward Stacey "Tedd" Pierce III was an American screenwriter and voice actor of animated cartoons, principally from the mid-1930s to the late 1950s. Read more
• 12 Aug 1904: Idel Jakobson, Latvian-Estonian NKVD officer (died 1997) Idel Jakobson was an NKVD officer. According to the materials of Kaitsepolitsei, Jakobson took part in sentencing around 1,200 people to death and persecuting and torturing at least 1,800 people. Read more
• 12 Aug 1904: Tamás Lossonczy, Hungarian painter (died 2009) Tamás Lossonczy was a Hungarian abstract painter. He is considered by many critics to be one of the leading figures of modern art in Hungary of the 20th century. Read more
• 12 Aug 1904: Alexei Nikolaevich, Tsarevich of Russia (died 1918) Alexei Nikolaevich was the last Russian tsesarevich. He was the youngest child and only son of Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna. He was born with haemophilia, which his parents tried treating with the methods of peasant faith healer Grigori Rasputin. Read more
• 12 Aug 1902: Mohammad Hatta, Indonesian statesman, 1st Vice President of Indonesia (died 1980) Mohammad Hatta was an Indonesian statesman, nationalist, and independence activist who served as the country's first vice president as well as the third prime minister. Known as "The Proclamator", he and a number of Indonesians, including the first president of Indonesia, Sukarno, fought for the independence of Indonesia from the Netherlands. Hatta was an important figure during the Indonesian national awakening and during the national revolution. As a youth he was politically active in both the Netherlands and the Indies, which led him to be imprisoned in the Boven Digoel concentration camp for his activism. He also played a crucial role in the proclamation of Indonesian independence, being the second person to sign the declaration besides Sukarno, thus making him one of the founders of Indonesia. Read more
• 12 Aug 1899: Ben Sealey, Trinidadian cricketer (died 1963) Benjamin James Sealey or Sealy was a West Indian cricketer whose career spanned the years 1924 to 1941. He was an attacking, middle-order batsman, a medium-pace, leg-break bowler and an athletic fielder anywhere in the field. Despite once turning out for a "Barbados-born" side against the Rest of West Indies, Sealey was a Trinidad player through and through. Read more
• 12 Aug 1897: Maurice Fernandes, Guyanese cricketer (died 1981) Maurius Pacheco Fernandes, known as Maurice Fernandes, was a West Indian Test cricketer who played first-class cricket for British Guiana between 1922 and 1932. He made two Test appearances for the West Indies, in 1928 and 1930. Fernandes played as a right-handed top-order batsman and occasional wicket-keeper. He scored 2,087 first-class runs in 46 appearances at an average of 28.20. Read more
• 12 Aug 1892: Alfred Lunt, American actor and director (died 1977) Alfred David Lunt was an American actor and director, best known for his long stage partnership with his wife, Lynn Fontanne, from the 1920s to 1960, co-starring in Broadway and West End productions. After their marriage, they nearly always appeared together. They became known as "the Lunts" and were celebrated on both sides of the Atlantic. Read more
• 12 Aug 1891: C. E. M. Joad, English philosopher and academic (died 1953) Cyril Edwin Mitchinson Joad was an English philosopher, author, teacher and broadcasting personality. He appeared on The Brains Trust, a BBC Radio wartime discussion programme. He popularised philosophy and became a celebrity, before his downfall in a scandal over an unpaid train fare in 1948. Read more
• 12 Aug 1891: John McDermott, American golfer (died 1971) John J. McDermott Jr. was an American professional golfer. He was the first U.S.-born golfer to win the U.S. Open, triumphing at the 1911 U.S. Open and the 1912 U.S. Open. McDermott remains the youngest player to win the event, at age 19, as well as the second youngest to win any of golf's four major tournaments after Young Tom Morris. He was the first player to break par over 72 holes in a significant event, which he did at the 1912 U.S. Open. He was one of the world's top players between 1910 and 1914. Read more
• 12 Aug 1889: Zerna Sharp, American author and educator (died 1981) Zerna Addas Sharp was an American educator and book editor who is best known as the creator of the Dick and Jane series of beginning readers for elementary school-aged children. Published by Scott, Foresman and Company of Chicago, Illinois, the readers, which described the activities of her fictional siblings, "Dick," "Jane," "Sally," and other characters, were widely used in schools in the United States and many other English-speaking countries for nearly forty years. The series, which included such titles as We Look and See, We Come and Go, We Work and Play, and Fun with Dick and Jane, among others, was marketed until 1973 and used the look-say method of teaching reading. Read more
• 12 Aug 1887: Erwin Schrödinger, Austrian physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1961) Erwin Rudolf Josef Alexander Schrödinger, sometimes anglicised as Schroedinger or Schrodinger, was an Austrian theoretical physicist who developed fundamental results in quantum theory. In particular, he is recognized for devising the Schrödinger equation, an equation that provides a way to calculate the wave function of a system and how it changes dynamically in time. He coined the term "quantum entanglement" in 1935. Schrödinger shared the 1933 Nobel Prize in Physics with Paul Dirac "for the discovery of new productive forms of atomic theory". Read more
• 12 Aug 1885: Jean Cabannes, French physicist and academic (died 1959) Jean Cabannes was a French physicist specialising in optics. Read more
• 12 Aug 1885: Keith Murdoch, Australian journalist (died 1952) Sir Keith Arthur Murdoch was an Australian journalist and media proprietor who was the founder of the Murdoch media empire. He amassed significant media holdings in Australia which after his death were expanded globally by his son Rupert. Read more
• 12 Aug 1885: Juhan Simm, Estonian composer and conductor (died 1959) Juhan Simm was an Estonian composer, conductor, and choir director. Read more
• 12 Aug 1883: Martha Hedman, Swedish-American actress and playwright (died 1974) Martha Hedman was a Swedish-American stage actress popular on the Broadway stage. Read more
• 12 Aug 1883: Marion Lorne, American actress (died 1968) Marion Lorne MacDougal or MacDougall, known professionally as Marion Lorne, was an American actress on stage, film, and television. After a career in theatre in New York and London, Lorne made her first film in 1951, and for the remainder of her life played small roles in films and television. Her recurring role as Aunt Clara in the comedy series Bewitched, between 1964 and her death in 1968, brought her widespread recognition, and she was posthumously awarded an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Read more
• 12 Aug 1881: Cecil B. DeMille, American director and producer (died 1959) Cecil Blount DeMille, often known in popular culture as Mr. DeMille, was an American filmmaker and actor. Between 1914 and 1958, he created 70 features including silent and sound films. He is acknowledged as a founding father of American cinema and the most commercially successful producer-director in film history, with many films dominating the box office three or four at a time. His films were distinguished by their epic scale and by his cinematic showmanship. His silent films included social dramas, comedies, Westerns, farces, morality plays, and historical pageants. Read more
• 12 Aug 1880: Radclyffe Hall, English poet, author, and activist (died 1943) John Radclyffe-Hall, born as Marguerite Antonia Radclyffe-Hall and also known by her pen name Radclyffe Hall, was an English poet and author best known for her novel The Well of Loneliness (1928), a groundbreaking work in lesbian literature. Read more
• 12 Aug 1880: Christy Mathewson, American baseball player and manager (died 1925) Christopher Mathewson, nicknamed "Big Six," "the Christian Gentleman," "Matty," and "the Gentleman's Hurler," was an American professional baseball pitcher who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Giants. He stood 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) tall and weighed 195 pounds (88 kg). He was among the most dominant pitchers in baseball history, and ranks in the all-time top 10 in several key pitching categories, including wins, shutouts, and earned run average. In 1936, Mathewson was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame as one of its first five members. Read more
• 12 Aug 1877: Albert Bartha, Hungarian general and politician, Hungarian Minister of Defence (died 1960) Albert Bartha de Nagyborosnyó was a Hungarian military officer and politician, who served as Minister of Defence twice: in 1918 and, almost thirty years later, between 1946 and 1947. Read more
• 12 Aug 1876: Mary Roberts Rinehart, American author and playwright (died 1958) Mary Roberts Rinehart was an American writer, often called the American Agatha Christie. Rinehart published her first mystery novel, The Circular Staircase, in 1908, which introduced the "had I but known" narrative style. Rinehart is also considered the earliest known source of the phrase "the butler did it", in her novel The Door (1930), although the exact phrase does not appear in her work and the plot device had been used prior to that time. She also worked to tell the stories and experiences of front line soldiers during World War I, one of the first women to travel to the Belgian front lines. Read more
• 12 Aug 1871: Gustavs Zemgals, Latvian politician, 2nd President of Latvia (died 1939) Gustavs Zemgals was a Latvian politician and the second President of Latvia. He also was twice the mayor of Riga. Read more
• 12 Aug 1870: Henry Reuterdahl, Swedish-American artist (died 1925) Henry Reuterdahl was a Swedish-American painter highly acclaimed for his nautical artwork. He had a long relationship with the United States Navy. Read more
• 12 Aug 1867: Edith Hamilton, German-American author and educator (died 1963) Edith Hamilton was an American educator and internationally known author who was one of the most renowned classicists of her era in the United States. A graduate of Bryn Mawr College, she also studied in Germany at Leipzig University and the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. Hamilton began her career as an educator and head of the Bryn Mawr School, a private college preparatory school for girls in Baltimore, Maryland; however, Hamilton is best known for her essays and best-selling books on ancient Greek and Roman civilizations. Read more
• 12 Aug 1866: Jacinto Benavente, Spanish playwright, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1954) Jacinto Benavente y Martínez was one of the foremost Spanish dramatists of the 20th century. He was awarded the 1922 Nobel Prize in Literature "for the happy manner in which he has continued the illustrious traditions of the Spanish drama". Read more
• 12 Aug 1866: Henrik Sillem, Dutch target shooter, mountaineer, and jurist (died 1907) Hendrik "Henrik" Sillem was a Dutch jurist, mountaineer and sport shooter. Read more
• 12 Aug 1860: Klara Hitler, Austrian mother of Adolf Hitler (died 1907) Klara Hitler was the mother of Adolf Hitler, dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945. In 1934, Adolf Hitler honoured his mother by naming a street in Passau after her. Read more
• 12 Aug 1859: Katharine Lee Bates, American poet and author (died 1929) Katharine Lee Bates was an American author and poet, chiefly remembered for her anthem "America the Beautiful", but also for her many books and articles on social reform, on which she was a noted speaker. Read more
• 12 Aug 1857: Ernestine von Kirchsberg, Austrian painter and educator (died 1924) Ernestine von Kirchsberg was an Austrian landscape painter. Read more
• 12 Aug 1856: Diamond Jim Brady, American businessman and philanthropist (died 1917) James Buchanan Brady, also known as Diamond Jim Brady, was an American businessman, financier and philanthropist of the Gilded Age. Read more
• 12 Aug 1852: Michael J. McGivney, American priest and founder of the Knights of Columbus (died 1890) Michael Joseph McGivney was an American Catholic priest based in New Haven, Connecticut. He founded the Knights of Columbus at a local parish to serve as a mutual aid and insurance organization, particularly for immigrants and their families. It developed through the 20th century as the world's largest Catholic fraternal organization. Read more
• 12 Aug 1833: William P. Sanders, American army officer (died 1863) William Price Sanders was an officer in the Union Army in the American Civil War who died at the Siege of Knoxville. Read more
• 12 Aug 1831: Helena Blavatsky, Russian theosophist and scholar (died 1891) Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, often known as Madame Blavatsky, was a Russian and American mystic and writer who co-founded the Theosophical Society in 1875. She gained an international following as the primary founder of Theosophy as a belief system. Read more

Notable Deaths on 12 August

• 12 Aug 2024: Kim Kahana, American actor and stunt performer (born 1929) Kim Kahana Sr. was an American actor, stunt performer, and action choreographer of Hawaiian and Japanese descent. He worked on stunts for over 300 films and television programs and ran a stunt school in Groveland, Florida, that has trained over 15,000 students. Read more
• 12 Aug 2021: Una Stubbs, English actress, TV personality, and dancer (born 1937) Una Stubbs was an English actress, television personality, and dancer who appeared on British television, in the theatre, and occasionally in films. She became known after appearing in the film Summer Holiday (1963) and later played Rita Rawlins in the BBC sitcoms Till Death Us Do Part (1965–1975) and In Sickness and in Health (1985–1992). Her other television roles include Aunt Sally in Worzel Gummidge (1979–1981) and Miss Bat in The Worst Witch (1998–2001). She also appeared as Sherlock Holmes's landlady Mrs. Hudson in the BAFTA-winning television series Sherlock (2010–2017) where she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Crime Thriller Awards. Read more
• 12 Aug 2020: Bill Yeoman, American college football player and coach (born 1927) William Frank Yeoman was an American college football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Houston from 1962 to 1986. In his tenure, he became the winningest coach in Houston Cougars football history, with an overall record of 160–108–8. Yeoman revolutionized offensive football in 1964 by developing the Veer option offense. Yeoman also played a prominent role in the racial integration of collegiate athletics in the South by being the first coach at a predominantly white school in the State of Texas to sign a black player. Yeoman's Cougars finished the season ranked in the top ten of the AP Poll four times and finished 11 times in the AP or UPI top 20. Read more
• 12 Aug 2019: DJ Arafat, Ivorian DJ and singer (born 1986) Ange Didier Houon, known professionally as DJ Arafat and various other stage names, was an Ivorian disc jockey and singer who made music in the Coupé-Décalé genre. The word "coupé-décalé" came from a traditional dance in the Ivory Coast. "Jonathan", "202", "Dosabado", "Kpangor", "Zoropoto" and "Enfant Beni" were some of his major hits. Dj Arafat's impact reached beyond Africa, especially after he gained a following in France. His performances there in the mid-2000s helped him cultivate an international fanbase and contributed to his reputation as an African music ambassador. Read more
• 12 Aug 2017: Bryan Murray, Canadian ice hockey coach (born 1942) Bryan Clarence Murray was a Canadian professional ice hockey executive and coach. He served as general manager of the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL) from 2007 to 2016. He had previously been general manager of the NHL's Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Florida Panthers, and Detroit Red Wings. He was also the head coach for the Washington Capitals, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, and Ottawa Senators, for a total of 17 full or partial seasons. Read more
• 12 Aug 2016: Juan Pedro de Miguel, Spanish handball player (born 1958) Juan Pedro de Miguel Rubio was a Spanish handball player who competed in the 1980 Summer Olympics and in the 1984 Summer Olympics. Read more
• 12 Aug 2015: Jaakko Hintikka, Finnish philosopher and academic (born 1929) Kaarlo Jaakko Juhani Hintikka was a Finnish and American philosopher and logician. Hintikka is regarded as the founder of formal epistemic logic and of game semantics for logic. He was awarded the Rolf Schock Prize for philosophy in 2005, and he was chief editor of the philosophical journal Synthese 1965–2002. Read more
• 12 Aug 2015: Stephen Lewis, English actor and screenwriter (born 1926) Stephen Lewis, credited early in his career as Stephen Cato, was an English actor, comedian, director, screenwriter, and playwright. He is best known for his roles as Inspector Cyril "Blakey" Blake in On the Buses, Clem "Smiler" Hemmingway in Last of the Summer Wine and Harry Lambert in Oh, Doctor Beeching!, although he also appeared in numerous stage and film roles. Read more
• 12 Aug 2015: Meshulim Feish Lowy, Hungarian-Canadian rabbi and author (born 1921) Meshilem Feish Segal Lowy II was the fourth Grand Rebbe of the Tosh Hasidic dynasty. Read more
• 12 Aug 2015: John Scott, English organist and conductor (born 1956) John Gavin Scott was an English organist and choirmaster who reached the highest levels of his profession on both sides of the Atlantic. He directed the Choir of St Paul's Cathedral in London from 1990 to 2004. He then directed the Choir of Men and Boys of Saint Thomas Church on Fifth Avenue in New York City until his death at age 59. Whilst training countless young musicians, he maintained an active career as an international concert performer and recording artist, and was acclaimed as "the premier English organist of his generation". Read more
• 12 Aug 2014: Lauren Bacall, American model, actress, and singer (born 1924) Betty Joan Perske, known professionally as Lauren Bacall, was an American actress. She was named the 20th-greatest female star of classic Hollywood cinema by the American Film Institute and was one of the last surviving major stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood cinema. She received an Academy Honorary Award in 2009 in recognition of her contribution to the Golden Age of motion pictures. Read more
• 12 Aug 2014: Futatsuryū Jun'ichi, Japanese sumo wrestler (born 1950) Futatsuryū Jun'ichi was a sumo wrestler from Hokkaidō, Japan. After retirement he became the head coach of Tokitsukaze stable. Following his involvement in the hazing and death of trainee Takashi Saito, in October 2007 he became the first serving stablemaster to be dismissed by the Japan Sumo Association. In May 2009 he was sentenced to six years in prison. He died on August 12, 2014, of lung cancer. Read more
• 12 Aug 2014: Kongō Masahiro, Japanese sumo wrestler (born 1948) Kongō Masahiro was a former sumo wrestler from Hokkaidō, Japan. His highest rank was sekiwake and he won a top division tournament championship in 1975. He was a sumo coach and head of the Nishonoseki stable from 1976 until 2013. Read more
• 12 Aug 2013: Tereza de Arriaga, Portuguese painter (born 1915) Tereza de Arriaga was a Portuguese painter and teacher. Read more
• 12 Aug 2013: Hans-Ekkehard Bob, German soldier and pilot (born 1917) Hans Ekkehard Bob was a German fighter pilot, serving with the Luftwaffe. During World War II, Bob flew approximately 700 combat missions, and claimed 60 victories; 37 of which were on the Eastern Front. Read more
• 12 Aug 2013: Pauline Maier, American historian and academic (born 1938) Pauline Alice Maier was a historian of the American Revolution, whose work also addressed the late colonial period and the history of the United States after the end of the Revolutionary War. She was the William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of American History at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Read more
• 12 Aug 2013: David McLetchie, Scottish lawyer and politician (born 1952) David William McLetchie CBE was a Scottish politician who served as Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party from 1998 to 2005. He was Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Edinburgh Pentlands constituency from 2003 to 2011 and the Lothian region from 1999 to 2003 and 2011 to 2013. Read more
• 12 Aug 2013: Vasiliy Mihaylovich Peskov, Russian ecologist and journalist (born 1930) Vasily Mikhailovich Peskov was a Soviet and Russian writer, journalist, photographer, traveler and ecologist. He worked in the Russian tabloid newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda since 1956. From 1975 until 1990, he conducted the TV programme In the World of Animals on Soviet TV. Read more
• 12 Aug 2012: Jimmy Carr, American football player and coach (born 1933) James Henry Carr was an American professional football player who played nine seasons for the Chicago Cardinals, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). Carr also played one season in the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the Montreal Alouettes in 1958. He was the starting left corner with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1960 when they won the World Championship beating the Green Bay Packers. He played college football at Morris Harvey in Charleston, West Virginia. While there he played in three bowl games and was one of three NAIA Hall of Fame inductees in 1962. He also played high school football and baseball at East Bank High School in East Bank, West Virginia. Read more
• 12 Aug 2012: Jerry Grant, American race car driver (born 1935) Gerald Wayne Grant was a driver in the USAC Championship Car series. Born in Seattle, he began racing sports cars in Northern California in the early 1960s. He raced in the 1965-1977 seasons, with 54 career starts, including the Indianapolis 500 in 1965-1968, 1970 and 1972-1976. He finished in the top-ten 13 times, with his best finish in third position in 1974 at Ontario. Read more
• 12 Aug 2012: Joe Kubert, Polish-American illustrator, founded The Kubert School (born 1926) Joseph Kubert was a Polish-born American comic book artist, art teacher, and founder of The Kubert School. He is best known for his work on the DC Comics characters Sgt. Rock and Hawkman. He is also known for working on his own creations, such as Tor, Son of Sinbad, and the Viking Prince, and, with writer Robin Moore, the comic strip Tales of the Green Beret. Read more
• 12 Aug 2012: Édgar Morales Pérez, Mexican engineer and politician Édgar Morales Pérez was the mayor-elect of Matehuala, San Luis Potosí, Mexico, elected on July 1, 2012. He was a member of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) and the Ecologist Green Party of Mexico (PVEM), which are in a coalition in his municipality. The National Action Party (PAN) had ruled Matehuala for several years, and Morales Pérez was scheduled to take office in September 2012. Read more
• 12 Aug 2012: Alf Morris, English politician and activist (born 1928) Alfred Morris, Baron Morris of Manchester, was a British Labour Co-operative politician and disability rights campaigner. Read more
• 12 Aug 2011: Robert Robinson, English journalist and author (born 1927) Robert Henry Robinson was an English radio and television presenter, game show host, journalist and author. He presented Ask the Family for many years on the BBC. Read more
• 12 Aug 2010: Isaac Bonewits, American Druid, author, and activist; founded Ár nDraíocht Féin (born 1949) Phillip Emmons Isaac Bonewits was an American Neo-Druid who wrote a number of books on the subject of Neopaganism and magic. Bonewits was a public speaker, liturgist, singer and songwriter, and founder of the Neopagan organizations Ár nDraíocht Féin (ADF) and the Aquarian Anti-Defamation League. Read more
• 12 Aug 2010: Guido de Marco, Maltese lawyer and politician, 6th President of Malta (born 1931) Guido de Marco was a Maltese politician, who served as the sixth president of Malta from 1999 to 2004. A noted statesman and lawmaker, de Marco also served as Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the Interior, Justice, and Minister for Foreign Affairs. Read more
• 12 Aug 2010: Richie Hayward, American drummer and songwriter (born 1946) Richard Hayward was an American drummer best known as a founding member and drummer in the band Little Feat. He performed with several bands and worked as a session player. Hayward also joined with friends in some small acting roles on television, which included an episode of F Troop. Read more
• 12 Aug 2010: André Kim, South Korean fashion designer (born 1935) Kim Bong-nam, known professionally as André Kim, was a South Korean fashion designer based in Seoul, South Korea. He was known predominantly for his evening and wedding gown collections. Read more
• 12 Aug 2009: Les Paul, American guitarist, songwriter, and inventor (born 1915) Lester William Polsfuss, known as Les Paul, was an American jazz, country, and blues guitarist, songwriter, luthier, and inventor. He was one of the pioneers of the solid-body electric guitar, and his prototype, called the Log, served as inspiration for the Gibson Les Paul. Paul taught himself how to play guitar, and while he is mainly known for jazz and popular music, he had an early career in country music. In the 1950s, he and his wife, singer and guitarist Mary Ford, made numerous recordings, selling millions of copies. Read more
• 12 Aug 2008: Christie Allen, English-Australian singer (born 1954) Christie Allen was an English-born Australian pop singer who had a successful career in Australia. Her top four hits on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart were "Goosebumps" and "He's My Number One". Allen was voted the Most Popular Female Performer at the TV Week / Countdown Music Awards for 1979 and 1980. At the 1979 awards, "Goosebumps" also won the Best Songwriter award for Terry Britten. Allen died on 12 August 2008 of pancreatic cancer, aged 54. Read more
• 12 Aug 2008: Helge Hagerup, Norwegian playwright, poet and novelist (born 1933) Helge Hagerup was a Norwegian playwright, poet and novelist. He was born in Trondheim, a son of Inger Hagerup, and brother of Klaus Hagerup. He made his literary debut in 1949 with the short story collection Vi fem i annen etasje. He was best known as playwright. Among his plays staged at Nationaltheatret are Løfter om kjærlighet from 1960, Superboy from 1968, and Camp from 1976. He was awarded the Prix Italia in 1973 for his audio play Den dagen du aldri skal glemme. He also wrote crime fiction, and the collection Hvorfor skrek morderen? was published in 1982. Read more
• 12 Aug 2007: Merv Griffin, American actor, singer, and producer, created Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune (born 1925) Mervyn Edward Griffin Jr. was an American television show host and media mogul. He began his career as a radio and big band singer, later appearing in film and on Broadway. From 1962 to 1986, Griffin hosted his own talk show, The Merv Griffin Show. Griffin also created several game shows, including Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune, through his production companies, Merv Griffin Enterprises and Merv Griffin Entertainment. Read more
• 12 Aug 2007: Mike Wieringo, American author and illustrator (born 1963) Michael Lance Wieringo, who sometimes signed his work under the name Ringo, was an American comics artist best known for his work on DC Comics' The Flash, Marvel Comics' Spider-Man and Fantastic Four, as well as his own creator-owned series, Tellos. In 2017, the Ringo Awards were created in honor of Wieringo. They are presented at the Baltimore Comic-Con to recognize achievement in the comics industry. Read more
• 12 Aug 2006: Victoria Gray Adams, American civil rights activist (born 1926) Victoria Jackson Gray Adams was an American civil rights activist from Hattiesburg, Mississippi. She was one of the founding members of the influential Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. Read more
• 12 Aug 2005: John Loder, English sound engineer and producer, founded Southern Studios (born 1946) John F. Loder was an English sound engineer, record producer and founder of Southern Studios, as well as a former member of EXIT and co-founder of the Southern Records distribution company with his wife Sue. He was also the studio engineer of choice for Crass and Crass Records, and was often considered to be the band's "ninth member". Read more
• 12 Aug 2004: Godfrey Hounsfield, English biophysicist and engineer, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1919) Sir Godfrey Newbold Hounsfield was a British electrical engineer who shared the 1979 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine with Allan MacLeod Cormack for his part in developing the diagnostic technique of X-ray computed tomography (CT). Read more
• 12 Aug 2002: Enos Slaughter, American baseball player and manager (born 1916) Enos Bradsher Slaughter, nicknamed "Country", was an American professional baseball right fielder. He played 19 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, Kansas City Athletics, and Milwaukee Braves from 1938 to 1959. He is best known for scoring the winning run in Game 7 of the 1946 World Series for the Cardinals. A ten-time All-Star, he has been elected to both the National Baseball Hall of Fame and St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame. Read more
• 12 Aug 2000: Gennady Lyachin, Russian captain (born 1955) Gennady Petrovich Lyachin was a Russian navy officer. He was the commanding officer of the Russian submarine Kursk when the vessel suffered a series of explosions and sank on 12 August 2000. Read more
• 12 Aug 2000: Loretta Young, American actress (born 1913) Loretta Young was an American actress. Starting as a child, she had a long and varied career in film from 1916 to 1989. She received numerous honors including an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and three Primetime Emmy Awards, as well as two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her work in film and television. Read more
• 12 Aug 1999: Jean Drapeau, Canadian lawyer and politician, 37th Mayor of Montreal (born 1916) Jean Drapeau was a Canadian politician who served as mayor of Montreal for 2 non-consecutive terms from 1954 to 1957 and from 1960 to 1986.
  Major accomplishments of the Drapeau Administration include the development of the Montreal Metro entirely underground mass transit subway system running on 'whisper quiet' rubber wheels, a successful international exposition Expo 67 as well as the construction of a major performing arts centre, the Place des Arts. Drapeau also secured the hosting of the 1976 Summer Olympics and was instrumental in building the Olympic Stadium and then world's tallest inclined tower. Drapeau was responsible for securing a Major League Baseball franchise, with the creation of the Montreal Expos in 1969. Drapeau's main legacy is Montreal's attainment of global status under his administration. He was the longest serving mayor of Montreal. Read more
• 12 Aug 1997: Jack Delano, American photographer and composer (born 1914) Jack Delano was a Russian Empire-born Ukrainian photographer, filmmaker, and composer, who spent much of his life in Puerto Rico. In the United States, he worked for the Works Progress Administration, United Fund, and most notably, the Farm Security Administration (FSA). He wore many hats as he also was a composer known for his use of Puerto Rican folk material, started a television production company, and was a cartoonist, poet, professor, and architectural designer. Read more
• 12 Aug 1996: Victor Ambartsumian, Georgian-Armenian astrophysicist and academic (born 1908) Viktor Amazaspovich Ambartsumian was a Soviet and Armenian astrophysicist and science administrator. One of the 20th century's leading astronomers, he is widely regarded as the founder of theoretical astrophysics in the Soviet Union. Read more
• 12 Aug 1996: Mark Gruenwald, American author and illustrator (born 1953) Mark Eugene Gruenwald was an American comic book writer, editor, and occasional penciler known for his long association with Marvel Comics. Read more
• 12 Aug 1992: John Cage, American composer and theorist (born 1912) John Milton Cage Jr. was an American composer, artist, and music theorist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one of the leading figures of the post-war avant-garde. Critics have lauded him as one of the most influential composers of the 20th century. He was also instrumental in the development of modern dance, mostly through his association with choreographer Merce Cunningham, who was also Cage's romantic partner for most of their lives. Read more
• 12 Aug 1990: Dorothy Mackaill, English-American actress (born 1903) Dorothy Mackaill was a British-American actress, most active during the silent-film era and into the pre-Code era of the early 1930s. Read more
• 12 Aug 1989: Aimo Koivunen, Finnish soldier and corporal (born 1917) Aimo Allan Koivunen was a Finnish soldier in the Continuation War and the first documented case of a soldier overdosing on methamphetamine during combat. The case gained more notoriety due to Koivunen's fighting abilities whilst intoxicated. Read more
• 12 Aug 1989: William Shockley, American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1910) William Bradford Shockley was an American physicist. He was the manager of a research group at Bell Labs that included John Bardeen and Walter Brattain. The three scientists were jointly awarded the 1956 Nobel Prize in Physics "for their researches on semiconductors and their discovery of the transistor effect." Read more
• 12 Aug 1988: Jean-Michel Basquiat, American painter (born 1960) Jean-Michel Basquiat was an American artist who rose to success during the 1980s as part of the Neo-expressionism movement. Read more
• 12 Aug 1986: Evaline Ness, American author and illustrator (born 1911) Evaline Ness was an American commercial artist, illustrator, and author of children's books. She illustrated more than thirty books for young readers and wrote several of her own.
  She used a great variety of artistic media and methods. Read more
• 12 Aug 1985: Kyu Sakamoto, Japanese singer-songwriter (born 1941) Hisashi "Kyu" Sakamoto , legally registered as Hisashi Ōshima since 1956, was a Japanese singer and actor. Read more
• 12 Aug 1985: Manfred Winkelhock, German race car driver (born 1951) Manfred Winkelhock was a German racing driver, who competed in Formula One between 1980 and 1985. Read more
• 12 Aug 1984: Ladi Kwali, Nigerian potter (born 1925) Ladi Dosei Kwali, OON NNOM, MBE was a Nigerian potter, ceramicist and educator. Read more
• 12 Aug 1983: Theodor Burchardi, German admiral (born 1892) Theodor Burchardi was an Admiral with the Kriegsmarine during World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves of Nazi Germany. He was responsible for organising the evacuation of 2 million people from Courland and Eastern Prussia at the end of World War II in Operation Hannibal and the Evacuation of East Prussia. Read more
• 12 Aug 1982: Henry Fonda, American actor (born 1905) Henry Jaynes Fonda was an American actor whose career spanned five decades on Broadway and in Hollywood. Known for his work on screen and stage, he often portrayed characters who embodied an everyman image. Read more
• 12 Aug 1982: Salvador Sánchez, Mexican boxer (born 1959) Salvador Sánchez Narváez was a Mexican professional boxer. Sánchez was the WBC and The Ring featherweight champion from 1980 to 1982. Many of his contemporaries as well as boxing writers believe that had it not been for his premature death, Sánchez could have gone on to become the greatest featherweight boxer of all time. Sánchez died on August 12, 1982, in a car accident while driving from Querétaro to San Luis Potosí. He is also the uncle of Salvador Sánchez II. Read more
• 12 Aug 1979: Ernst Boris Chain, German-Irish biochemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1906) Sir Ernst Boris Chain
  was a German-born British biochemist. He shared the 1945 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Alexander Fleming and Howard Florey "for the discovery of penicillin and its curative effect in various infectious diseases". Read more
• 12 Aug 1978: John Williams, English motorcycle racer (born 1946) John Glen Williams was an English motorcycle short-circuit road racer who also entered selected Grands Prix on the near-continent. He mostly raced as a "privateer" having a personal sponsor, Gerald Brown. Williams died in Northern Ireland, following an accident when racing at an event held on closed public roads near Dundrod. Read more
• 12 Aug 1976: Tom Driberg, British politician/journalist (born 1905) Thomas Edward Neil Driberg, Baron Bradwell was a British journalist, politician, High Anglican churchman and possible Soviet spy, who served as a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1942 to 1955, and again from 1959 to 1974. A member of the Communist Party of Great Britain for more than twenty years, he was first elected to Parliament as an Independent and joined the Labour Party in 1945. He never held any ministerial office, but rose to senior positions within the Labour Party and was a popular and influential figure in left-wing politics for many years. Read more
• 12 Aug 1973: Walter Rudolf Hess, Swiss physiologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1881) Walter Rudolf Hess was a Swiss physiologist who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1949 for mapping the areas of the brain involved in the control of internal organs. He shared the prize with Egas Moniz. Read more
• 12 Aug 1973: Karl Ziegler, German chemist and engineer, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1898) Karl Waldemar Ziegler was a German chemist who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1963, with Giulio Natta, for work on polymers. The Nobel Committee recognized his "excellent work on organometallic compounds [which]…led to new polymerization reactions and … paved the way for new and highly useful industrial processes". He is also known for his work involving free-radicals, many-membered rings, and organometallic compounds, as well as the development of Ziegler–Natta catalyst. One of many awards Ziegler received was the Werner von Siemens Ring in 1960 jointly with Otto Bayer and Walter Reppe, for expanding the scientific knowledge of and the technical development of new synthetic materials. Read more
• 12 Aug 1967: Esther Forbes, American historian and author (born 1891) Esther Louise Forbes was an American novelist, historian, and children's writer who received the Pulitzer Prize and the Newbery Medal. She was the first woman elected to membership in the American Antiquarian Society. Read more
• 12 Aug 1966: Artur Alliksaar, Estonian poet and author (born 1923) Artur Alliksaar was an Estonian poet. Read more
• 12 Aug 1964: Ian Fleming, English spy, journalist, and author (born 1908) Ian Lancaster Fleming was a British writer best known for his postwar James Bond series of spy novels. Fleming came from a wealthy family connected to the merchant bank Robert Fleming & Co., and his father Valentine Fleming was the Member of Parliament for Henley from 1910 until his death on the Western Front in 1917. Educated at Eton, Sandhurst, and, briefly, the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München and the University of Geneva, Fleming moved through several jobs before he started writing. Read more
• 12 Aug 1959: Mike O'Neill, Irish-American baseball player and manager (born 1877) Michael Joyce O'Neill was an Irish born starting pitcher and left fielder in Major League Baseball. From 1901 through 1907, he played for the St. Louis Cardinals (1901–04) and Cincinnati Reds (1907). O'Neill batted and threw right-handed. A native of Maam, Ireland, he played as Michael Joyce in his 1901 rookie year with the Cardinals. Read more
• 12 Aug 1955: Thomas Mann, German author and critic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1875) Paul Thomas Mann was a German novelist, short story writer, social critic, philanthropist, essayist, and the 1929 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate. His highly symbolic and ironic epic novels and novellas are noted for their insight into the psychology of the artist and the intellectual. His analysis and critique of the European and German soul used modern versions of German and Biblical stories, as well as the ideas of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Arthur Schopenhauer. Read more
• 12 Aug 1955: James B. Sumner, American chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1887) James Batcheller Sumner was an American biochemist. He discovered that enzymes can be crystallized, for which he shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1946 with John Howard Northrop and Wendell Meredith Stanley. He was also the first to prove that enzymes are proteins. Read more
• 12 Aug 1952: David Bergelson, Ukrainian author and playwright (born 1884) David Bergelson was a Yiddish language writer born in the Russian Empire. He lived for a time in Berlin, Germany, before moving to the Soviet Union following the Nazi rise to power in Germany. He was a victim of the post-war antisemitic "rootless cosmopolitan" campaign and one of those executed on the Night of the Murdered Poets. Read more
• 12 Aug 1944: Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., American lieutenant and pilot (born 1915) Joseph Patrick Kennedy Jr. was an American naval aviator who was a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy. He was a member of the Kennedy family and the oldest of the nine children born to Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy. During World War II, Kennedy was killed in action while serving as a land-based patrol bomber pilot, and posthumously awarded the Navy Cross. Read more
• 12 Aug 1944: Jacques Pellegrin, French zoologist (born 1873) Jacques Pellegrin was a French zoologist. Read more
• 12 Aug 1943: Vittorio Sella, Italian photographer and mountaineer (born 1859) Vittorio Sella was an Italian photographer and mountaineer, whose photographs of mountains are regarded as some of the finest ever made. Read more
• 12 Aug 1941: Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon, English soldier and politician, 56th Governor General of Canada (born 1866) Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon, styled as the Earl of Willingdon between 1931 and 1936, was a British Liberal politician and administrator who served as Governor General of Canada and as Viceroy and Governor-General of India. Read more
• 12 Aug 1941: Bobby Peel, English cricketer and umpire (born 1857) Robert Peel was an English professional cricketer who played first-class cricket for Yorkshire between 1883 and 1897. Primarily a left-arm spin bowler, Peel was also an effective left-handed batsman who played in the middle order. Between 1884 and 1896, he was regularly selected to represent England, playing 20 Test matches in which he took 101 wickets. Over the course of his career, he scored 12,191 runs and took 1,775 wickets in first-class cricket. A match-winning bowler, particularly when conditions favoured his style, Peel generally opened the attack, an orthodox tactic for a spinner at the time, and was highly regarded by critics. Read more
• 12 Aug 1940: Nikolai Triik, Estonian painter, illustrator, and academic (born 1884) Nikolai Voldemar Triik was an Estonian Modernist painter, graphic artist, printmaker and professor. His work displays elements of Symbolism and Expressionism. Read more
• 12 Aug 1935: Friedrich Schottky, German mathematician and academic (born 1851) Friedrich Hermann Schottky was a German mathematician who worked on elliptic, abelian, and theta functions and introduced Schottky groups and Schottky's theorem. Read more
• 12 Aug 1934: Hendrik Petrus Berlage, Dutch architect, designed the Beurs van Berlage (born 1856) Hendrik Petrus Berlage was a Dutch architect and designer. He is considered one of the fathers of the architecture of the Amsterdam School. Read more
• 12 Aug 1928: Leoš Janáček, Czech composer and educator (born 1854) Leoš Janáček was a Czech composer, music theorist, folklorist, and teacher. He was inspired by Moravian and other Slavic music, including Eastern European folk music, to create an original, modern musical style. Read more
• 12 Aug 1924: Sándor Bródy, Hungarian journalist and author (born 1863) Sándor Bródy was a Hungarian author and journalist. Read more
• 12 Aug 1922: Arthur Griffith, Irish journalist and politician, 3rd President of Dáil Éireann (born 1871) Arthur Joseph Griffith was an Irish writer, newspaper editor and politician who founded the political party Sinn Féin. He led the Irish delegation at the negotiations that produced the 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty, and served as the president of Dáil Éireann from January 1922 until his death that August. Read more
• 12 Aug 1921: Pyotr Boborykin, Russian playwright and journalist (born 1836) Pyotr Dmitriyevich Boborykin was a Russian writer, playwright, and journalist. Read more
• 12 Aug 1918: William Thompson, American archer (born 1848) Will Henry Thompson was an American archer, poet and lawyer. His brother Maurice, he was a founder of the National Archery Association in 1879 in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Maurice was the inaugural president and William was president in 1882, 1903 and 1904. Read more
• 12 Aug 1914: John Philip Holland, Irish engineer, designed HMS Holland 1 (born 1840) John Philip Holland was an Irish-American marine engineer who developed the first submarine to be formally commissioned by the US Navy, USS Holland (SS-1) and the first Royal Navy submarine, Holland 1. Read more
• 12 Aug 1904: William Renshaw, English tennis player (born 1861) William Charles Renshaw was a British tennis player active during the late 19th century, who was ranked world No. 1. He won twelve Wimbledon titles: seven in singles and five in doubles. A right-hander, Renshaw was known for his power and technical ability which put him ahead of competition at the time. His seven Wimbledon men's singles titles were a record that stood for 128 years, until surpassed in 2017. His six consecutive singles titles (1881–86) remain an all-time record. Additionally, Renshaw won the doubles title five times with his twin brother Ernest. William Renshaw was the first president of the British Lawn Tennis Association (LTA). Read more
• 12 Aug 1901: Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld, Finnish-Swedish botanist, geologist, mineralogist, and explorer (born 1832) Nils Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld was a Finland-Swedish aristocrat, geologist, mineralogist and Arctic explorer. He was a member of the noble Nordenskiöld family of scientists and held the title of a friherre (baron). Read more
• 12 Aug 1900: Wilhelm Steinitz, Austrian chess player and theoretician (born 1836) William Steinitz was a Bohemian-Austrian, and later American, chess player. From 1886 to 1894, he was the first World Chess Champion. He was also a highly influential writer and chess theoretician. Read more
• 12 Aug 1896: Thomas Chamberlain, American colonel (born 1841) Thomas Davee Chamberlain was the Lieutenant Colonel of the 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment during the American Civil War, the brother of Union general Joshua L. Chamberlain, the Colonel of the 20th Maine Infantry. Read more
• 12 Aug 1891: James Russell Lowell, American poet and critic (born 1819) James Russell Lowell was an American Romantic poet, critic, editor, and diplomat. He is associated with the fireside poets, a group of New England writers who were among the first American poets to rival the popularity of British poets. These writers usually used conventional forms and meters in their poetry, making them suitable for families entertaining at their firesides. Read more
• 12 Aug 1865: William Jackson Hooker, English botanist and academic (born 1785) William Jackson Hooker was an English botanist and botanical illustrator, who became the first director of Kew when in 1841 it was recommended to be placed under state ownership as a botanic garden. At Kew he founded the Herbarium and enlarged the gardens and arboretum. The standard author abbreviation Hook. is used to indicate this person as the author when citing a botanical name. Read more
• 12 Aug 1864: Sakuma Shōzan, Japanese scholar and politician (born 1811) Sakuma Shōzan was a Japanese politician and scholar of the Edo period. Read more
• 12 Aug 1861: Eliphalet Remington, American inventor and businessman, founded Remington Arms (born 1793) Eliphalet Remington II was an American engineer who founded what would become known as Remington Arms. Originally the company was known as E. Remington followed by E. Remington & Son and then E. Remington and Sons. Read more
• 12 Aug 1849: Albert Gallatin, Swiss-American ethnologist, linguist, and politician, 4th United States Secretary of the Treasury (born 1761) Abraham Alfonse Albert Gallatin was a Genevan-American politician, diplomat, ethnologist, and linguist. Often described as "America's Swiss Founding Father", he was a leading figure in the early years of the United States, helping shape the new republic's financial system and foreign policy. Gallatin was a prominent member of the Democratic-Republican Party, represented Pennsylvania in both chambers of Congress, and held several influential roles across four presidencies, most notably as the longest serving U.S. secretary of the treasury. He is also known for his contributions to academia, namely as the founder of New York University and cofounder of the American Ethnological Society. Read more
• 12 Aug 1848: George Stephenson, English engineer and academic (born 1781) George Stephenson was an English civil engineer and mechanical engineer. Renowned as the "Father of Railways", Stephenson was considered by the Victorians as a great example of diligent application and thirst for improvement. His chosen rail gauge, sometimes called "Stephenson gauge", was the basis for the 4-foot-8+1⁄2-inch (1.435 m) standard gauge used by most of the world's railways. Read more
• 12 Aug 1829: Charles Sapinaud de La Rairie, French general (born 1760) Charles Henri Félicité Sapinaud de la Rairie was a French soldier and Vendéen general during the war in the Vendée. Read more
• 12 Aug 1827: William Blake, English poet and painter (born 1757) William Blake was an English poet, painter and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his life, Blake has become a seminal figure in the history of the poetry and visual art of the Romantic Age. What he called his "prophetic works" were said by the 20th-century critic Northrop Frye to form "what is in proportion to its merits the least read body of poetry in the [English] language". While he lived in London his entire life, except for three years spent in Felpham, he produced a diverse and symbolically rich collection of works, which embraced the imagination as "the body of God", or "human existence itself". Read more
• 12 Aug 1822: Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh, Irish-English politician, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (born 1769) Robert Stewart, 2nd Marquess of Londonderry, usually known as Lord Castlereagh, derived from the courtesy title Viscount Castlereagh by which he was styled from 1796 to 1821, was a British statesman. As secretary to the Viceroy in Ireland, he worked to suppress the Rebellion of 1798 and to secure passage in 1800 of the Irish Act of Union. As the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom from 1812, he was central to the management of the coalition that defeated Napoleon, and was British plenipotentiary at the Congress of Vienna. In the post-war government of Lord Liverpool, Castlereagh was seen to support harsh measures against agitation for reform, and he ended his life an isolated and unpopular figure. Read more
• 12 Aug 1810: Étienne Louis Geoffroy, French pharmacist and entomologist (born 1725) Étienne Louis Geoffroy was a French entomologist and pharmacist. He was born in Paris and died in Soissons. He followed the binomial nomenclature of Carl von Linné and devoted himself mainly to beetles. Read more
• 12 Aug 1809: Mikhail Kamensky, Russian field marshal (born 1738) Count Mikhail Fedotovich Kamensky was a Russian nobleman and a noted field marshal, who distinguished himself in the Catherinian wars and the Napoleonic campaigns. Read more

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