History of Today 16 July: Important Events, Births and Deaths

Welcome to History of Today 16 July. On this page, you can read important historical events, famous births, notable deaths and general knowledge facts related to 16 July. This information is useful for UPSC, SSC, Banking, Railway, State PSC and other competitive exams.

Last updated on 16 July 2026, 01:01 AM

Important Events on 16 July in History

16 Jul 2019: A 100-year-old building in Mumbai, India, collapses, killing at least 10 people and leaving many others trapped. Read more
16 Jul 2015: Four U.S. Marines and a United States Navy Sailor are killed in the a shooting spree targeting military installations in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Read more
16 Jul 2013: As many as 27 children die and 25 others are hospitalized after eating lunch served at their school in eastern India. Read more
16 Jul 2013: Syrian civil war: The Battle of Ras al-Ayn resumes between the People's Protection Units (YPG) and Islamist forces, beginning the Rojava–Islamist conflict. Read more
16 Jul 2009: Teoh Beng Hock, an aide to a politician in Malaysia is found dead on the rooftop of a building adjacent to the offices of the Anti-Corruption Commission, sparking an inquest that gains nationwide attention. Read more
16 Jul 2007: An earthquake of magnitude 6.8 and 6.6 aftershock occurs off the Niigata coast of Japan killing eight people, injuring at least 800 and damaging a nuclear power plant. Read more
16 Jul 2005: An Antonov An-24 crashes near Baney in Bioko Norte, Equatorial Guinea, killing 60 people. Read more
16 Jul 2004: Millennium Park, considered Chicago's first and most ambitious early 21st-century architectural project, is opened to the public by Mayor Richard M. Daley. Read more
16 Jul 1999: John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, and her sister, Lauren Bessette, die when the aircraft he is piloting crashes into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Martha's Vineyard. Read more
16 Jul 1994: The comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 is destroyed in a head-on collision with Jupiter. Read more
16 Jul 1990: The Luzon earthquake strikes the Philippines with an intensity of 7.7, affecting Benguet, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, La Union, Aurora, Bataan, Zambales and Tarlac. Read more
16 Jul 1990: The Parliament of the Ukrainian SSR declares state sovereignty over the territory of the Ukrainian SSR. Read more
16 Jul 1983: Sikorsky S-61 disaster: A helicopter crashes off the Isles of Scilly, causing 20 fatalities. Read more
16 Jul 1979: Iraqi President Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr resigns and is replaced by Saddam Hussein. Read more
16 Jul 1969: The Apollo 11 lunar landing mission is launched from Cape Kennedy in Florida, USA. Read more
16 Jul 1965: The Mont Blanc Tunnel linking France and Italy opens. Read more
16 Jul 1965: South Vietnamese Colonel Phạm Ngọc Thảo, a formerly undetected communist spy and double agent, is hunted down and killed by unknown individuals after being sentenced to death in absentia for a February 1965 coup attempt against Nguyễn Khánh. Read more
16 Jul 1957: KLM Flight 844 crashes off the Schouten Islands in present day Indonesia (then Netherlands New Guinea), killing 58 people. Read more
16 Jul 1956: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus closes its last "Big Tent" show in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; due to changing economics, all subsequent circus shows will be held in arenas. Read more
16 Jul 1951: King Leopold III of Belgium abdicates in favor of his son, Baudouin of Belgium. Read more
16 Jul 1951: J. D. Salinger publishes his popular yet controversial novel, The Catcher in the Rye. Read more
16 Jul 1950: Chaplain–Medic massacre: American POWs are massacred by North Korean Army. Read more
16 Jul 1950: Uruguay beats hosts Brazil 2–1 to win the World Cup in a match dubbed as the Maracanazo. Read more
16 Jul 1948: Following token resistance, the city of Nazareth, revered by Christians as the hometown of Jesus, capitulates to Israeli troops during Operation Dekel in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. Read more
16 Jul 1948: The storming of the cockpit of the Miss Macao passenger seaplane, operated by a subsidiary of the Cathay Pacific Airways, marks the first aircraft hijacking of a commercial plane. Read more
16 Jul 1945: Manhattan Project: The Atomic Age begins when the United States successfully detonates a plutonium-based test nuclear weapon near Alamogordo, New Mexico. Read more
16 Jul 1945: World War II: The heavy cruiser USS Indianapolis leaves San Francisco with parts for the atomic bomb "Little Boy" bound for Tinian Island. Read more
16 Jul 1942: Holocaust: Vel' d'Hiv Roundup (Rafle du Vel' d'Hiv): The government of Vichy France orders the mass arrest of 13,152 Jews who are held at the Vélodrome d'Hiver in Paris before deportation to Auschwitz. Read more
16 Jul 1941: Joe DiMaggio hits safely for the 56th consecutive game, a streak that still stands as an MLB record. Read more
16 Jul 1935: The world's first parking meter is installed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Read more
16 Jul 1931: Emperor Haile Selassie signs the first constitution of Ethiopia. Read more
16 Jul 1927: Augusto César Sandino leads a raid on U.S. Marines and Nicaraguan Guardia Nacional that had been sent to apprehend him in the village of Ocotal, but is repulsed by one of the first dive-bombing attacks in history. Read more
16 Jul 1916: Max Reger's Hebbel Requiem is first performed in a memorial concert for the composer, conducted by Philipp Wolfrum. Read more
16 Jul 1915: Henry James becomes a British citizen to highlight his commitment to Britain during the first World War. Read more
16 Jul 1915: At Treasure Island on the Delaware River in the United States, the First Order of the Arrow ceremony takes place and the Order of the Arrow is founded to honor American Boy Scouts who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law. Read more
16 Jul 1910: John Robertson Duigan makes the first flight of the Duigan pusher biplane, the first aircraft built in Australia. Read more
16 Jul 1909: Persian Constitutional Revolution: Mohammad Ali Shah Qajar is forced out as Shah of Persia and is replaced by his son Ahmad Shah Qajar. Read more
16 Jul 1877: The Imperial Russian army under Grand Duke Nicholas defeats the Ottoman army and takes the city of Nikopol (modern Bulgaria). Read more
16 Jul 1862: American Civil War: David Farragut is promoted to rear admiral, becoming the first officer in United States Navy to hold an admiral rank. Read more
16 Jul 1861: American Civil War: At the order of President Abraham Lincoln, Union troops begin a 25-mile march into Virginia for what will become the First Battle of Bull Run, the first major land battle of the war. Read more
16 Jul 1858: The last apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Bernadette Soubirous in Lourdes, France. Read more
16 Jul 1849: Antonio María Claret y Clará founds the Congregation of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, popularly known as the Claretians in Vic, in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Read more
16 Jul 1809: The city of La Paz, in what is today Bolivia, declares its independence from the Spanish Crown during the La Paz revolution and forms the Junta Tuitiva, the first independent government in Spanish America, led by Pedro Domingo Murillo. Read more

Famous Births on 16 July

16 Jul 2004: Amiah Miller, American actress and model Amiah Miller is an American actress and model. She starred in the 2017 film War for the Planet of the Apes. She also appears in the TV series Henry Danger, Best Friends Whenever, MacGyver, and The Madison. Read more
16 Jul 2001: Island Boys, American social media personalities Alex and Franky Venegas, known as Flyysoulja and Kodiyakredd respectively, and collectively as the Island Boys, are two American twin brothers who became popular on the video sharing platform TikTok in 2021. The brothers are based in Coral Springs, Florida. They went viral with their song "I'm an Island Boy". Read more
16 Jul 1999: Jarred Kelenic, American baseball player Jarred Robert Kelenic is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Seattle Mariners, Atlanta Braves, and Chicago White Sox. He was drafted in the first round of the 2018 MLB draft by the New York Mets and was traded to the Mariners later that year. He made his MLB debut in 2021 with the Mariners. Seattle traded him to Atlanta after the 2023 season. Read more
16 Jul 1996: Kevin Abstract, American rapper and singer-songwriter Clifford Ian Fernando Simpson, known by his stage name Kevin Abstract, is an American rapper, singer, and producer, best known as the founder and de facto leader of hip-hop group Brockhampton. With Brockhampton, Abstract released eight studio albums from 2017 to 2022. He has released solo work since 2009, and self-released his debut albums MTV1987 (2014) and American Boyfriend: A Suburban Love Story (2016) to significant attention from online blogs and music publications. He made his major label debut with Arizona Baby in 2019. After Brockhampton disbanded in 2022, he released Blanket (2023) and a mixtape, Glue (2024). His fifth studio album, Blush, was released on June 27, 2025. Read more
16 Jul 1996: Luke Hemmings, Australian singer and musician Luke Robert Hemmings is an Australian singer and musician, best known for being the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and a founding member of the pop rock band 5 Seconds of Summer. Since 2014, 5 Seconds of Summer have sold more than 10 million albums, sold over two million concert tickets worldwide, and the band's songs streams surpass 7 billion, making them one of the most successful Australian musical exports in history. Read more
16 Jul 1996: Cooper Koch, American actor Cooper Joseph Koch is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Erik Menendez in the biographical crime drama series Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story (2024), for which he earned nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award. Koch previously starred in the slasher film They/Them (2022) and the body horror film Swallowed (2022), and is set to star in Luca Guadagnino's upcoming biographical comedy drama film Artificial. Read more
16 Jul 1994: Shericka Jackson, Jamaican sprinter Shericka Jackson is a Jamaican sprinter competing in the 60 m, 100 m, 200 m, and 400 metres. In the 100 m, she is the sixth fastest woman of all time, while in the 200 m, she is the second fastest woman in history. Read more
16 Jul 1992: Safiya Nygaard, American YouTuber Safiya Jaffer Nygaard is an American YouTuber and social media personality. She first gained prominence through her work with BuzzFeed on the series LadyLike. She later launched her own YouTube channel and is now known for her solo content, such as her “Bad Makeup Science” series. Read more
16 Jul 1991: Dylan Grimes, Australian Rules footballer Dylan Grimes is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He is a three-time premiership player with the club, winning in 2017, 2019 and 2020. In 2019 he was selected in the All-Australian team and was the recipient of the AFL Players Association's Robert Rose Most Courageous Player Award. Grimes was announced as co-captain alongside Toby Nankervis ahead of the 2022 season. Read more
16 Jul 1991: Nate Schmidt, American ice hockey player Nathan Thomas Schmidt is an American professional ice hockey player who is a defenseman for the Utah Mammoth of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played for the Washington Capitals, Vegas Golden Knights, Vancouver Canucks, Winnipeg Jets and Florida Panthers. Read more
16 Jul 1991: Andros Townsend, English footballer Andros Darryl Townsend is an English professional footballer who plays as a right winger for Thai League 1 club Kanchanaburi Power. Read more
16 Jul 1991: Alexandra Shipp, American actress and singer Alexandra Shipp is an American actress and singer who rose to prominence for portraying singer Aaliyah in the Lifetime television film Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B (2014), and Kimberly Woodruff, in the film Straight Outta Compton (2015). Read more
16 Jul 1990: James Maslow, American actor, singer and dancer James David Maslow is an American actor, singer, dancer and model. He played the role of James Diamond on Nickelodeon's Big Time Rush, had roles in The Frozen Ground and Seeds of Yesterday, and is a member of the boy band Big Time Rush. Read more
16 Jul 1990: Wizkid, Nigerian singer and songwriter Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, known professionally as Wizkid, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. Born in the Ojuelegba suburb of Surulere, Lagos, Wizkid is a voice in the emerging Afrobeats movement. His music is a blend of Afrobeats, afropop, R&B, afrobeat, reggae, dancehall, and pop. He began recording music at the age of 11 and released a collaborative album with the Glorious Five, a group he and a few of his church friends formed. In 2009, Wizkid signed a record deal with Banky W's Empire Mates Entertainment (E.M.E). He gained recognition after releasing "Holla at Your Boy", the lead single from his debut studio album, Superstar (2011), which also spawned the singles "Tease Me/Bad Guys" and "Don't Dull". Read more
16 Jul 1990: Johann Zarco, French motorcycle racer Johann Sylvain Pierre Zarco is a French Grand Prix motorcycle racer, best known for winning the 2015 and 2016 Moto2 World Championships with his 2015 triumph being a record points total for the intermediate class. He is a MotoGP race winner, and currently rides for Castrol Honda LCR in MotoGP. Read more
16 Jul 1989: Gareth Bale, Welsh footballer Gareth Frank Bale is a Welsh former professional footballer who played as a right winger, most notably for Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid, and the Wales national team. He is widely regarded as one of the best players of his generation and the greatest Welsh player of all time. Bale was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2022 Birthday Honours for his contributions to association football and various charities. Read more
16 Jul 1988: Sergio Busquets, Spanish footballer Sergio Busquets Burgos is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder and spent most of his career at La Liga club Barcelona. A deep-lying playmaker known for his passing and reading of the game, Busquets is regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders of all time. Read more
16 Jul 1987: Mousa Dembélé, Belgian footballer Moussa Sidi Yaya Dembélé, known as Mousa Dembélé, is a Belgian former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Read more
16 Jul 1987: AnnaLynne McCord, American actress and producer AnnaLynne McCord is an American actress and model. Known for playing vixen-type roles, she first gained prominence in 2007 as the scheming Eden Lord on Nip/Tuck, and as the pampered Loren Wakefield on American Heiress. From 2008 to 2013, she was on 90210 as Naomi Clark. In 2024, she joined the cast of Days of Our Lives, receiving a Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Emerging Talent in a Daytime Drama Series. Read more
16 Jul 1987: Knowshon Moreno, American football player Knowshon Rockwell Moreno is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs, earning first-team All-American honors in 2008. He was selected with the 12th overall pick in the 2009 NFL draft by the Denver Broncos. He also played for the Miami Dolphins. Read more
16 Jul 1986: Misako Uno, Japanese actress, singer, and fashion designer Misako Uno is a Japanese Tarento, artist, actress, essayist and talent agent best known as a lead vocalist and dancer of the performing arts group AAA. She is also the Middle manager of Avex Group, advertising manager of SHUFU TO SEIKATSU SHA (主婦と生活社) and public fasting Consultant of Japan Enzyme Hydrogen Medical Beauty Society (日本酵素・水素医療美容学会). Her feature film debut as an actress was in the 2006 Hollywood horror film, The Grudge 2, as Miyuki. Read more
16 Jul 1985: Mārtiņš Kravčenko, Latvian basketball player Mārtiņš Kravčenko is a Latvian professional basketball player who plays the guard position and plays for Latvian Basketball League club BK Jēkabpils. Most of his career he spent at BK Barons which in 2008 won the Latvian Basketball League and FIBA EuroCup championships. Read more
16 Jul 1984: Hayanari Shimoda, Japanese racing driver Hayanari Shimoda is a Japanese racing driver. Read more
16 Jul 1984: Attila Szabó, Hungarian decathlete Attila Szabó is a male decathlete from Hungary. He twice won the men's national title in the decathlon: 2007 and 2009. Read more
16 Jul 1983: Katrina Kaif, British Indian actress and model Katrina Kaif is a British actress and businesswoman who works in Hindi-language films. One of India's highest-paid actresses, her accolades include four Screen Awards and four Zee Cine Awards, alongside three Filmfare Awards nominations. Although critical reception to her acting has varied, she is noted for her roles in action films and her dancing ability. Read more
16 Jul 1983: Duncan Keith, Canadian ice hockey player Duncan Keith is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Chicago Blackhawks and Edmonton Oilers. He won three Stanley Cup championships with Chicago in 2010, 2013, and 2015. In 2017, Keith was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in history. Read more
16 Jul 1982: André Greipel, German cyclist André Greipel is a German cyclist, who rode professionally in road bicycle racing between 2005 and 2021. Since his retirement from road racing, Greipel has worked as a directeur sportif for UCI Continental teams Saris Rouvy Sauerland Team and P&S Benotti, and in 2023, he became the national road coach for the German Cycling Federation. He also competes in masters cycling events for RC Schmitter Köln. Read more
16 Jul 1982: Carli Lloyd, American soccer player Carli Anne Hollins is an American former professional soccer player. She won the 2015 and 2019 editions of the FIFA Women's World Cup with the United States, finished second at the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, and scored the gold medal-winning goals in the finals of the 2008 Olympics and the 2012 Olympics. She also won the bronze medal with the U.S. at the 2020 Olympics. She was named FIFA Player of the Year in 2015 and 2016. Read more
16 Jul 1982: Michael Umaña, Costa Rican footballer Míchael Umaña Corrales is a Costa Rican former professional footballer who played as a defender. He made over 100 appearances for the Costa Rica national team. Read more
16 Jul 1981: Giuseppe Di Masi, Italian footballer Giuseppe Adriano Di Masi is an Italian football coach and a former goalkeeper. Read more
16 Jul 1981: Robert Kranjec, Slovenian ski jumper Robert Kranjec is a Slovenian former ski jumper. Read more
16 Jul 1981: Zach Randolph, American basketball player Zachary McKenley Randolph is an American former professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Z-Bo", the 2-time NBA All-Star played college basketball for the Michigan State Spartans before being drafted in the 2001 NBA draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. He played for five teams over the course of his professional career, winning the NBA Most Improved Player award with the Portland Trail Blazers and making the All-NBA Third Team in 2011 with the Memphis Grizzlies. He also played with the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers and Sacramento Kings before retiring in December 2019. Read more
16 Jul 1981: Vicente Rodríguez, Spanish footballer Vicente Rodríguez Guillén, known simply as Vicente, nicknamed El puñal de Benicalap, is a Spanish former professional footballer. Read more
16 Jul 1980: Adam Scott, Australian golfer Adam Derek Scott is an Australian professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He is a former world number one in the Official World Golf Ranking. He has won one major championship, the 2013 Masters Tournament. Read more
16 Jul 1979: Jayma Mays, American actress Jamia Suzette "Jayma" Mays is an American actress. She is known for playing Emma Pillsbury in the Fox musical series Glee (2009–2015) and for her starring roles in the films Red Eye (2005), Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009) and The Smurfs (2011). She is also known for portraying Debbie in the sitcom The Millers (2013–2014) and her recurring role as Charlie Andrews on the NBC sci-fi series Heroes (2006–2010). Mays starred as prosecutor Carol Anne Keane in the NBC sitcom Trial & Error (2017–2018). Read more
16 Jul 1979: Chris Mihm, American basketball player Christopher Steven Mihm is an American former professional basketball player who played nine seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). After playing college basketball for the Texas Longhorns, the center was drafted with the seventh overall pick in the 2000 NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls. Read more
16 Jul 1979: Kim Rhode, American sport shooter Kimberly Susan Rhode is an American double trap and skeet shooter. A California native, she is a six-time Olympic medal winner, including three gold medals, and six-time national champion in double trap. She is the most successful female shooter at the Olympics as the only triple Olympic Champion and the only woman to have won two Olympic gold medals for Double Trap. She won a gold medal in skeet shooting at the 2012 Summer Olympics, equaling the world record of 99 out of 100 clays. Most recently, she won the bronze medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics, making her the first Olympian to win a medal on five continents, the first Summer Olympian to win an individual medal at six consecutive summer games, and the first woman to medal in six consecutive Olympics. Read more
16 Jul 1979: Konstantin Skrylnikov, Russian footballer Konstantin Yevgenyevich Skrylnikov is a former Russian professional footballer. Read more
16 Jul 1977: Bryan Budd, Northern Ireland-born English soldier, Victoria Cross recipient (died 2006) Bryan James Budd, was a British Army soldier and a Northern Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Read more
16 Jul 1976: Tomasz Kuchar, Polish racing driver Tomasz Józef Kuchar is a Polish rally and rallycross driver – Polish Rallycross Champion 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019. Read more
16 Jul 1976: Bobby Lashley, American professional wrestler and mixed martial artist Franklin Roberto "Bobby" Lashley is an American professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is a member of The Hurt Syndicate and is formerly one-half of the AEW World Tag Team Champions with stablemate Shelton Benjamin. He is best known for his tenures in WWE, while also being known for his tenure in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). As a mixed martial artist, Lashley competed for Bellator MMA and Strikeforce. Read more
16 Jul 1976: Carlos Humberto Paredes, Paraguayan footballer Carlos Humberto Paredes Monges is a Paraguayan coach and former footballer. He is the current manager of Independiente FBC. Read more
16 Jul 1976: Anna Smashnova, Belarusian-Israeli tennis player Anna Aleksandrovna Smashnova is a Soviet-born Israeli former tennis player. She retired from professional tour after Wimbledon 2007. Read more
16 Jul 1974: Maret Maripuu, Estonian politician, Estonian Minister of Social Affairs Maret Maripuu is an Estonian politician, a member of the Reform Party. Read more
16 Jul 1974: Wendell Sailor, Australian rugby player Wendell Jermaine Sailor is an Australian former professional rugby footballer who represented his country in both rugby league and rugby union – a dual code international. Read more
16 Jul 1973: João Dias, Portuguese politician João Manuel Ildefonso Dias is a Portuguese politician and former member of the Assembly of the Republic, the national legislature of Portugal. A communist, he represented Beja from March 2018 to March 2024. Read more
16 Jul 1973: Shaun Pollock, South African cricketer Shaun Maclean Pollock is a South African cricket commentator and former cricketer, who was captain in all formats of the game. A bowling all-rounder, Pollock along with Allan Donald formed a bowling partnership for many years. From 2000 to 2003 he was the captain of the South African cricket team, and also played for Africa XI, World XI, Dolphins and Warwickshire. He was chosen as the Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 2003. Pollock was a member of the South Africa team that won the 1998 ICC KnockOut Trophy, the first ICC trophy the country has won. Read more
16 Jul 1973: Tim Ryan, American politician Timothy John Ryan is an American politician who represented Ohio in the United States House of Representatives from 2003 to 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, he represented Ohio's 13th congressional district from 2013 to 2023, having previously represented Ohio's 17th congressional district from 2003 to 2013. Ryan's district encompassed a large swath of northeastern Ohio, including Youngstown and parts of Akron. He was the Democratic nominee in the 2022 United States Senate election in Ohio. Read more
16 Jul 1972: François Drolet, Canadian speed skater François Louis Drolet is a Canadian short track speed skater who competed in the 1998 Winter Olympics. Read more
16 Jul 1971: Corey Feldman, American actor Corey Scott Feldman is an American actor, activist, and musician. As a youth, he became well known for his roles in popular 1980s films such as Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984), Gremlins (1984), The Goonies (1985) and Stand by Me (1986). Feldman collaborated with Corey Haim starring in numerous films such as the comedy horror The Lost Boys (1987), the teen comedy License to Drive (1988) and the romantic comedy Dream a Little Dream (1989). They reunited for the A&E reality series The Two Coreys, which ran from 2007 to 2008. Read more
16 Jul 1971: Ed Kowalczyk, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Ed Kowalczyk is an American singer, songwriter, musician who is the lead singer of the rock band Live. He launched a solo career after leaving Live in 2009, releasing his first album, Alive, in 2010. He rejoined Live in December 2016. Read more
16 Jul 1970: Raimonds Miglinieks, Latvian basketball player and coach Raimonds Miglinieks is a Latvian former professional basketball player and coach. Standing at a height of 1.90 m tall, he was a point guard with excellent court vision. Read more
16 Jul 1970: Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Thai director, producer, and screenwriter Apichatpong Weerasethakul is a Thai independent film director, screenwriter, film producer and Professor at Tama Art University in Tokyo. Working outside the strict confines of the Thai film studio system, Apichatpong has directed several features and dozens of short films. Friends and fans sometimes refer to him as "Joe". Read more
16 Jul 1970: Serena Chen, American social psychologist Serena Chen is an American social psychologist known for her work on the self and interpersonal relationships. She is Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and currently serves as Chair of the Psychology Department. Her research utilizes a social-cognition framework, and has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and other news outlets. Read more
16 Jul 1969: Sahra Wagenknecht, German politician Sahra Wagenknecht is a German politician. She was a member of the Bundestag from 2009 to 2025, where she represented The Left until 2023. From 2015 to 2019, she served as that party's parliamentary co-chair. With a small team of allies, Wagenknecht left the party on 23 October 2023 to found her own Eurosceptic, populist party, Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht, which unsuccessfully contested the 2025 federal election, narrowly failing the 5% threshold. Since 2025, she no longer holds any public office. Read more
16 Jul 1969: Kathryn Harby-Williams, Australian netball player and sportscaster Kathryn Harby-Williams is an Australian netball player and television presenter, who captained the Australian netball team. She is the Chief Executive Officer, Secretary and Treasurer of the Australian Netball Players’ Association. Read more
16 Jul 1968: Dhanraj Pillay, Indian field hockey player and manager Dhanraj Pillay is a retired Indian field hockey player and former captain of the India national team. He also looks after the Air India Sports Promotion Board as a Joint Secretary based in Mumbai. For the last 5 years, Dhanraj is overseeing the SAG Hockey Academy in Gujarat funded by the Gujarat Government. He is widely regarded as one of the best Indian players of hockey. Read more
16 Jul 1968: Barry Sanders, American football player Barry David Sanders is an American former professional football running back who played for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons. Sanders led the league in rushing yards four times and in rushing touchdowns once. Standing at 5 ft. 8 in. tall and weighing 200 lbs., he established himself as one of the most elusive runners in the history of the NFL with his quickness and agility. Sanders is widely considered to be one of the greatest running backs of all time. He played college football for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Read more
16 Jul 1968: Larry Sanger, American philosopher and businessman, co-founded Wikipedia and Citizendium Lawrence Mark Sanger is an American Internet project developer and philosopher who co-founded Wikipedia with Jimmy Wales. Sanger coined the name Wikipedia and provided initial drafts for many of its early guidelines, including the "Neutral point of view" and "Ignore all rules" policies. Prior to Wikipedia, he was the editor-in-chief of Nupedia, an online encyclopedia which was the predecessor of Wikipedia. He later worked on other encyclopedic projects, including the Encyclopedia of Earth, Citizendium, Everipedia, and Ballotpedia. Sanger's other interests include theology and philosophy such as epistemology, early modern philosophy, and ethics. He taught philosophy at Ohio State University. Read more
16 Jul 1968: Robert Sherman, American songwriter and businessman Robert Jason Sherman, known as Robbie Sherman, is an American songwriter based in London. He was born in Los Angeles to Joyce and Robert B. Sherman, the youngest of four siblings. Stemming from a long line of songwriters and composers, spanning more than four generations, at 16 Sherman became one of the youngest songwriters ever invited to join BMI and is an alum of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop. He is perhaps best known for his work on Love Birds: The Musical, which premiered at the 2015 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Read more
16 Jul 1968: Olga Souza, Brazilian singer and dancer Olga Maria de Souza is a Brazilian and naturalized-Italian singer, model and dancer. She is best known as the frontwoman of the Italian group Corona, produced by Francesco "Checco" Bontempi, a.k.a. "Lee Marrow". Read more
16 Jul 1967: Will Ferrell, American actor, comedian, and producer John William Ferrell is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer. He is known for his leading man roles in comedy films and for his work as a television producer. Ferrell has received various accolades, including six Primetime Emmy Awards and a British Academy Television Award, in addition to nominations for two Golden Globe Awards and for a Tony Award. In 2011, Ferrell was honored with the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. In 2015, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was named the year's best comedian in British GQ. Read more
16 Jul 1966: Jyrki Lumme, Finnish ice hockey player Jyrki Olavi Lumme is a Finnish former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) and SM-liiga. After beginning his career in Finland, playing with Ilves Tampere for three seasons, he moved to North America to join the Montreal Canadiens in 1988. The Canadiens had selected Lumme two years prior in the 1986 NHL entry draft 57th overall. In his second NHL season, he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks, with whom he spent the majority of his career and enjoyed the most success. Over nine seasons with the Canucks, Lumme was named the club's annual top defenceman on four occasions, became the team's all-time top goal- and point-scoring defenceman, and was a part of the squad's run to the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals. Towards the end of his NHL career, he additionally played for the Phoenix Coyotes, Dallas Stars and Toronto Maple Leafs over the span of five seasons. In 2005, Lumme returned to Ilves Tampere of the SM-liiga after a two-year playing hiatus. He played two final campaigns in Finland before retiring, at which point he became a part-owner of Ilves Tampere. Read more
16 Jul 1965: Michel Desjoyeaux, French sailor Michel Desjoyeaux is a French sailor, known for competing successfully in several long-distance single-handed races. He won the Vendée Globe race in 2000-01 and 2008–09, making him the only person to win that race more than once. In 2014–15, he was watch captain, on leg 1 on Mapfre in the Volvo Ocean Race. He was born in Concarneau. Read more
16 Jul 1965: Claude Lemieux, Canadian ice hockey player (died 2026) Claude Percy Lemieux was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played as a right winger for 21 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with six teams between 1983 and 2009. Lemieux won four Stanley Cup championships during his career, including two with the New Jersey Devils, with whom he won the Conn Smythe Trophy during the team's victory in the 1995 Stanley Cup Final. He was one of 11 players to win a Stanley Cup championship with at least three different teams. One of the greatest playoff performers, he scored 80 playoff goals, ranking as the ninth most in NHL history. He was also known throughout his career as an aggressor, agitator, and enforcer. Read more
16 Jul 1965: Billy Mitchell, American video game player William James Mitchell Jr. is an American video game player. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, he was recognized for numerous records on classic video games before disputes arose over their legitimacy beginning in 2018. Mitchell has also appeared in several documentaries on competitive gaming and retrogaming. Read more
16 Jul 1964: Phil Hellmuth, American poker player Phillip Jerome Hellmuth Jr. is an American professional poker player who has won a record seventeen World Series of Poker bracelets, the majority in no-limit hold'em. He is the winner of the Main Event of the 1989 World Series of Poker (WSOP) and the Main Event of the 2012 World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE), and he is a 2007 inductee of the WSOP's Poker Hall of Fame. He is the only player in poker history to have won a WSOP bracelet in 5 different decades. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest tournament players in history. Read more
16 Jul 1964: Miguel Induráin, Spanish cyclist Miguel Induráin Larraya is a retired Spanish road racing cyclist. Induráin won five Tours de France from 1991 to 1995, the fourth, and last, to win five times, and the only five-time winner to achieve those victories consecutively. Read more
16 Jul 1963: Phoebe Cates, American actress Phoebe Belle Cates Kline is an American businesswoman and retired actress and model. She appeared in the films Paradise (1982), Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), Gremlins (1984), Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990), Drop Dead Fred (1991) and Princess Caraboo (1994). In 2005, she founded the Blue Tree boutique. Read more
16 Jul 1963: Srečko Katanec, Slovenian footballer and coach Srečko Katanec is a Slovenian retired football manager and player. At international level, he was capped for both the Yugoslavia and Slovenia national teams. Read more
16 Jul 1963: Mikael Pernfors, Swedish tennis player Mikael Pernfors is a former professional tennis player from Sweden. He reached the men's singles final at the French Open in 1986, and won the 1993 Canadian Open in Montreal. Read more
16 Jul 1962: Grigory Leps, Russian singer-songwriter Grigory Viktorovich Lepsveridze, known as Grigory Leps, is a Russian singer-songwriter of Georgian origin. His musical style gradually changed from Russian chanson in his early years to soft rock recently. He is known for his low, strong baritone voice. People's Artist of Russia (2022). Grigory Leps reported the highest income of all singers in Russia in 2013 with $15 million, 2014 with $12 million and 2015 with $12.2 million. Read more
16 Jul 1959: James MacMillan, Scottish composer and conductor Sir James Loy MacMillan is a Scottish classical composer and conductor. Read more
16 Jul 1959: Jürgen Ligi, Estonian economist and politician, 25th Estonian Minister of Defence Jürgen Ligi is an Estonian politician, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, and a member and the vice-chairman of the liberal Reform Party. He was Minister of Education and Research in Taavi Rõivas' cabinet from 9 April 2015 to 12 September 2016. Previously, Ligi has served as the Minister of Defence from 2005 to 2007 and as the Minister of Finance from 2009 to 2014. Read more
16 Jul 1958: Mick Cornett, American politician Michael Earl Cornett Sr. is an American politician and former television personality who served as the 35th mayor of Oklahoma City, from 2005 until 2018. A member of the Republican Party, he was only the fourth mayor in Oklahoma City history to be elected to three terms and the first to be elected to four terms. Read more
16 Jul 1958: Michael Flatley, American-Irish dancer and choreographer Michael Ryan Flatley is an American and Irish former professional performer and choreographer of Irish dance. Flatley is credited with reinventing traditional Irish dance by incorporating new rhythms, syncopation, and upper body movements, which were previously absent from the dance. He created and performed in Irish dance shows Riverdance, Lord of the Dance, Feet of Flames, Celtic Tiger Live and Michael Flatley's Christmas Dance Spectacular. Flatley's shows have played to more than 60 million people in 60 countries and have grossed more than $1 billion. He has also been an actor, writer, director, producer, musician, and philanthropist. Read more
16 Jul 1957: Faye Grant, American actress Faye Grant is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Julie Parrish in NBC's science fiction series V between 1983 and 1985. Read more
16 Jul 1957: Maurice Kottelat, Swiss ichthyologist specializing in Eurasian freshwater fishes Maurice Kottelat is a Swiss ichthyologist specializing in Eurasian freshwater fishes. Read more
16 Jul 1956: Tony Kushner, American playwright and screenwriter Anthony Robert Kushner is an American author, playwright, and screenwriter. Among his stage work, he is most known for Angels in America, which earned a Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award, as well as its subsequent acclaimed HBO miniseries of the same name. At the turn of the 21st century, he became known for his numerous film collaborations with Steven Spielberg. He received the National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama in 2013. Kushner is among the few writers in history nominated for an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award. Read more
16 Jul 1955: Susan Wheeler, American poet and academic Susan Wheeler is an educator and poet. She is professor emeritus at Princeton University. She has also taught at the University of Iowa, New York University, Rutgers University, Columbia University and The New School. Read more
16 Jul 1955: Saw Swee Leong, Malaysian badminton player Saw Swee Leong is a former Malaysian professional badminton player. Read more
16 Jul 1953: Douglas J. Feith, American lawyer and politician, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Douglas Jay Feith is an American lawyer who served as Under Secretary of Defense for Policy from July 2001 until August 2005. He is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, a conservative think tank. Read more
16 Jul 1952: Stewart Copeland, American drummer and songwriter Stewart Armstrong Copeland is an American musician and composer who was the drummer of the English rock band the Police. Before the Police, he played drums with the progressive rock band Curved Air (1975–76). Read more
16 Jul 1952: Marc Esposito, French director and screenwriter Marc Esposito is a French film director and screenwriter. Esposito
was first a journalist, critic and press manager. He created two movie magazines: Premiere with Jean-Pierre Frimbois in 1976, and Studio Magazine in 1987. His film Patrick Dewaere was screened out of competition at the 1992 Cannes Film Festival. He directed the film Le Coeur des Hommes in 2003 and its two sequels. Since Mon Pote in 2010, Esposito is also a producer, with its company: Wayan Productions. Read more
16 Jul 1952: Ken McEwan, South African cricketer Kenneth Scott McEwan, is a South African-Scottish retired cricketer and businessman who played principally for Eastern Province and Essex. Read more
16 Jul 1951: Jean-Luc Mongrain, Canadian journalist Jean-Luc Mongrain is a Canadian journalist, television host and news anchor. He was the news anchor of his own show called Mongrain on LCN until 2012. Read more
16 Jul 1951: Che Rosli, Malaysian politician Che Rosli bin Che Mat is a Malaysian politician. He was the Member of the Parliament of Malaysia for the Hulu Langat constituency in Selangor for two terms (2008-2018). He is a member of the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS). Read more
16 Jul 1950: Gary Indiana, American writer, playwright and poet (died 2024) Gary Hoisington, known as Gary Indiana, was an American writer, actor, artist, and cultural critic. He served as the art critic for the Village Voice weekly newspaper from 1985 to 1988. Indiana is best known for his classic American true-crime trilogy, Resentment, Three Month Fever: The Andrew Cunanan Story, and Depraved Indifference, chronicling the less permanent state of "depraved indifference" that characterized American life at the millennium's end. Former Artforum editor David Velasco called him "the greatest living writer." Read more
16 Jul 1950: Pierre Paradis, Canadian lawyer and politician Pierre Paradis is a politician in the Canadian province of Quebec. He represented Brome-Missisquoi in the National Assembly of Quebec from 1980 to 2018. A member of the Liberal Party, he served as a cabinet minister in the governments of Robert Bourassa, Daniel Johnson Jr. and Philippe Couillard. Read more
16 Jul 1950: Dennis Priestley, English darts player Dennis Priestley is an English former professional darts player who competed in British Darts Organisation (BDO) and Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events. He is a two-time world champion, and was the first player to win both the BDO and WDC world championships, in 1991 and 1994 respectively. He was nicknamed "the Menace", after the Beano character Dennis the Menace, and reflected this by wearing red and black and using red and black flights. Read more
16 Jul 1950: Frances Spalding, English historian and academic Frances Spalding is a British art historian, writer and a former editor of The Burlington Magazine. Read more
16 Jul 1950: Tom Terrell, American journalist and photographer (died 2007) Thomas Gerald Terrell was an American music journalist, photographer, deejay, promoter, and NPR music reviewer. Born Thomas Gerald Terrell, and later known as Scooter, King Pleasure, and Tom T., he was a lifelong musicologist who recognized talent and trends long before they became popular, and, until his death from prostate cancer, worked to promote new acts in jazz, funk, rock, hip-hop, and world music. Read more
16 Jul 1948: Rubén Blades, Panamanian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor Rubén Blades Bellido de Luna, known professionally as Rubén Blades, is a Panamanian musician, singer, composer, actor, activist, and politician, performing musically most often in the salsa, and Latin jazz genres. As a songwriter, Blades brought the lyrical sophistication of Central American nueva canción and Cuban nueva trova as well as experimental tempos and politically inspired Son Cubano salsa to his music, creating "thinking persons' (salsa) dance music". Blades has written dozens of hit songs, including "Pedro Navaja" and "El Cantante". He has received 21 Grammy Award nominations, winning twelve of them, along with twelve Latin Grammy Awards. Read more
16 Jul 1948: Lars Lagerbäck, Swedish footballer and manager Lars Edvin "Lasse" Lagerbäck is a Swedish football manager and former player. Read more
16 Jul 1948: Kevin McKenzie, South African cricketer Kevin Alexander McKenzie was a South African first-class cricketer whose career with Transvaal lasted from his first season in 1966/67 to the final one in 1986/87. Read more
16 Jul 1948: Pinchas Zukerman, Israeli violinist and conductor Pinchas Zukerman is an Israeli-American violinist, violist and conductor. Read more
16 Jul 1947: Don Burke, Australian television host and producer Donald William Burke is an Australian former television presenter, television producer, author and horticulturist. He is best known as the longtime host of Burke's Backyard, a lifestyle program produced by his wife's company CTC Productions, which ran for 17 years from 1987 to late 2004 on the Nine Network. He was also responsible for the creation of garden makeover program Backyard Blitz, starring former colleague Jamie Durie. Read more
16 Jul 1947: Alexis Herman, American businesswoman and politician, 23rd United States Secretary of Labor (died 2025) Alexis Margaret Herman was an American political figure who served as the 23rd United States Secretary of Labor from 1997 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. She was the first Black American to hold the position. She was previously Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement. Read more
16 Jul 1947: Assata Shakur, American-Cuban criminal and activist (died 2025) Assata Olugbala Shakur was an American political activist, revolutionary, and fugitive who was a member of the Black Panther Party, and later the Black Liberation Army. In 1977, she was convicted of the first-degree murder of New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster during a shootout on the New Jersey Turnpike in 1973. She escaped from prison in 1979 and was wanted by the FBI, with a $1 million reward for information leading to her capture, and an additional $1 million reward offered by the New Jersey attorney general. She was never caught and remained a fugitive for 45 years. Read more
16 Jul 1946: Louise Fréchette, Canadian civil servant and diplomat, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations Louise Fréchette is a Canadian diplomat and public servant who served for eight years as United Nations Deputy Secretary-General. She also served a three-year term at the Centre for International Governance Innovation, an international relations and policy think-tank in Waterloo, Ontario, working on a major research project on nuclear energy and the world's security. Read more
16 Jul 1944: Angharad Rees, English-Welsh actress and jewellery designer (died 2012) Angharad Rees was a Welsh actress, best known for her British television roles during the 1970s and in particular her leading role as Demelza in the 1970s BBC TV costume drama Poldark. Read more
16 Jul 1943: Reinaldo Arenas, Cuban-American author, poet, and playwright (died 1990) Reinaldo Arenas was a Cuban poet, novelist, and playwright who is known as a vocal critic of Fidel Castro, the Cuban Revolution, and the Cuban government. His memoir of the Cuban dissident movement and of being a political prisoner, Before Night Falls, was dictated after his escape to the United States during the 1980 Mariel boatlift and published posthumously. Arenas, who was dying of AIDS, killed himself in 1990. Read more
16 Jul 1943: Vernon Bogdanor, English political scientist and academic Sir Vernon Bernard Bogdanor is a British political scientist, historian and research professor at the Institute for Contemporary British History at King's College London. He is also emeritus professor of politics and government at the University of Oxford and an emeritus fellow of Brasenose College, Oxford. He is one of Britain's foremost constitutional experts and has written extensively on political and constitutional issues. Read more
16 Jul 1943: Jimmy Johnson, American football player and coach James William Johnson is an American former football coach and sports analyst. Johnson served as a head football coach at the college level for 10 seasons and in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He is the first head football coach to win both a college football national championship and a Super Bowl, achieving the former with the Miami Hurricanes and the latter with the Dallas Cowboys. Read more
16 Jul 1942: Margaret Court, Australian tennis player and minister Margaret Court, also known as Margaret Smith Court, is an Australian former world number 1 tennis player. Her 24 women's singles major titles and total of 64 major titles are the most in women's tennis history. Read more
16 Jul 1941: Desmond Dekker, Jamaican singer-songwriter (died 2006) Desmond Dekker was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer-songwriter and musician. Together with his backing group the Aces, he had one of the earliest international reggae hits with "Israelites" (1968). Other hits include "007 " (1967), "It Mek" (1969) and "You Can Get It If You Really Want" (1970). Read more
16 Jul 1941: Dag Solstad, Norwegian author and playwright (died 2025) Dag Solstad was a Norwegian novelist, short-story writer and dramatist whose work has been translated into 20 languages. Read more
16 Jul 1941: Hans Wiegel, Dutch journalist and politician, Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands (died 2025) Hans Wiegel was a Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and businessman. Read more
16 Jul 1941: Sir George Young, 6th Baronet, English banker and politician, Secretary of State for Transport George Samuel Knatchbull Young, Baron Young of Cookham,, known as Sir George Young, 6th Baronet from 1960 to 2015, is a British Conservative Party politician who served as a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1974 to 2015, having represented Ealing Acton from 1974 to 1997 and North West Hampshire from 1997. He has served in Cabinet on three occasions: as Secretary of State for Transport from 1995 to 1997; as the Leader of the House of Commons and Lord Privy Seal from 2010 to 2012; and as Conservative Chief Whip from 2012 to 2014. Read more
16 Jul 1939: William Bell, American singer-songwriter William Bell is an American soul singer and songwriter. As a performer, he is best known for his debut single, 1961's "You Don't Miss Your Water"; 1968's top 10 hit in the UK "Private Number", a duet with Judy Clay; and his only US top 40 hit, 1976's "Tryin' to Love Two", which also hit No. 1 on the R&B chart. Upon the death of Otis Redding, Bell released the well-received memorial song "A Tribute to a King". Read more
16 Jul 1939: Lido Vieri, Italian football manager and football player Lido Vieri is an Italian former football player and manager who played as a goalkeeper. He won the 1968 European Championship and was a runner-up at the 1970 FIFA World Cup with the Italy national team. Read more
16 Jul 1939: Ruth Perry, Liberian politician (died 2017) Ruth Sando Fahnbulleh Perry was a Liberian politician. She served as the interim Chairman of the Council of State of Liberia from 3 September 1996 until 2 August 1997, following the First Liberian Civil War. After 11 international peace attempts between 1990 and 1995 to end the civil war in Liberia, the attempts appeared to succeed. The interim Council of State consisted of a civilian chairman, as well as members of warring factions: Charles Taylor, United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy-K leader Alhaji Kromah, Liberia Peace Council leader George Boley, and two other civilians. Read more
16 Jul 1939: Shringar Nagaraj, Indian actor and producer (died 2013) Gangolli Ramashet Nagaraj, popularly known as Shringar Nagaraj, was an Indian actor, cameraman, and producer in Kannada cinema. He is best known for the 1987 silent film Pushpaka Vimana, which won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. Read more
16 Jul 1939: Corin Redgrave, English actor and activist (died 2010) Corin William Redgrave was an English actor. He was also a left-wing activist, co-founding the Marxist Party with his sister Vanessa Redgrave. Read more
16 Jul 1939: Mariele Ventre, Italian singer and conductor (died 1995) Maria Rachele "Mariele" Ventre was an Italian musician and singer born in Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, the founder and director of the Italian children's choir Piccolo Coro dell'Antoniano. Read more
16 Jul 1938: Cynthia Enloe, American author and academic Cynthia Holden Enloe is an American political theorist, feminist writer, and a professor emeritus at Clark University. She is best known for her work on gender and militarism and for her contributions to the field of feminist international relations. She has also influenced the field of feminist political geography, with feminist geopolitics in particular. Read more
16 Jul 1938: Tony Jackson, English singer and bass player (died 2003) Anthony Paul Jackson was a British musician. He was known for being a member of the Merseybeat band The Searchers. Read more
16 Jul 1937: Richard Bryan, American lawyer and politician, 25th Governor of Nevada Richard Hudson Bryan is an American retired politician and attorney who served as the 25th governor of Nevada from 1983 to 1989 and as a United States senator representing Nevada from 1989 until 2001. A Democrat, Bryan previously served as the state's attorney general and a member of the State Senate. Read more
16 Jul 1937: John Daly, English director, producer, and screenwriter (died 2008) John Daly was a British film producer. Read more
16 Jul 1936: Yasuo Fukuda, Japanese politician, 91st Prime Minister of Japan Yasuo Fukuda is a Japanese former politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 2007 to 2008. He was previously the longest-serving Chief Cabinet Secretary in Japanese history, serving in that role from 2000 to 2004 under Prime Ministers Yoshirō Mori and Junichiro Koizumi. His record was surpassed by Yoshihide Suga, who served almost twice as long. Read more
16 Jul 1936: Buddy Merrill, American guitarist (died 2021) Leslie Merrill Behunin, Jr., known professionally as Buddy Merrill, was an American guitar player and steel guitar player, best known as a regular on The Lawrence Welk Show. Read more
16 Jul 1936: Jerry Norman, American sinologist and linguist (died 2012) Jerry Lee Norman was an American sinologist and linguist known for his studies of varieties of Chinese, particularly Min varieties, and also of the Manchu language. Norman had a large impact on Chinese linguistics, and was largely responsible for establishing the importance of Min varieties in the reconstruction of Old Chinese. Read more
16 Jul 1936: Venkataraman Subramanya, Indian-Australian cricketer Venkataraman Subramanya is an Indian former cricketer who played in nine Test matches from 1965 to 1968. He was an aggressive middle order batsman, who captained Mysore for some years, and a useful leg-spin bowler. He later emigrated to Australia. Read more
16 Jul 1935: Carl Epting Mundy Jr., American general (died 2014) Carl Epting Mundy Jr. was a United States Marine Corps four-star general who served as the 30th Commandant of the Marine Corps and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from July 1, 1991, until his retirement on June 30, 1995, after 42 years of service. He was notable for his opposition to military service by gay people and for helping to shape the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy of 1993. Read more
16 Jul 1935: Lynn Wyatt, American socialite and philanthropist Lynn Wyatt is a Houston socialite, philanthropist, and third-generation Texan. Her grandfather and great-uncle started the Sakowitz Department Store chain. Her husband, Oscar Wyatt, was an energy executive, the founder of Houston's Coastal Corporation—now owned by El Paso Corporation —and CEO of NuCoastal LLC. Lynn and Oscar Wyatt have four sons. Read more
16 Jul 1934: Denise LaSalle, American singer-songwriter and producer (died 2018) Ora D. Allen, known by the stage name Denise LaSalle, was an American blues, R&B and soul singer, songwriter, and record producer who, after the death of Koko Taylor, was acknowledged as the "Queen of the Blues". Her husband was rapper Super Wolf. Read more
16 Jul 1934: Tomás Eloy Martínez, Argentine journalist (died 2010) Tomás Eloy Martínez was an Argentine journalist and writer. Read more
16 Jul 1934: Katherine D. Ortega, 38th Treasurer of the United States Katherine Dávalos Ortega is a former politician who was the 38th Treasurer of the United States. She served from September 26, 1983 to July 1, 1989 under Presidents Ronald Reagan and then George H. W. Bush. Ortega also has the distinction of being the first female bank president in the state of California. Read more
16 Jul 1934: Donald M. Payne, American educator and politician (died 2012) Donald Milford Payne Sr. was an American politician who was the U.S. representative for New Jersey's 10th congressional district from 1989 until his death in 2012. He was a member of the Democratic Party. The district encompassed most of the city of Newark, parts of Jersey City and Elizabeth, and some suburban communities in Essex and Union counties. He was the first African American to represent New Jersey in Congress. Read more
16 Jul 1933: Julian A. Brodsky, American businessman Julian A. Brodsky is an American businessman, the co-founder of Comcast Corporation and served as its chief financial officer and vice chairman. He also served as co-founder and chair of Comcast Interactive Capital, Comcast's venture capital unit now called Comcast Ventures. Read more
16 Jul 1932: John Chilton, English trumpet player and composer (died 2016) John James Chilton was a British jazz trumpeter and writer. During the 1960s, he also worked with pop bands, including The Swinging Blue Jeans and The Escorts. He won a Grammy Award for Best Album Notes in 1983. Read more
16 Jul 1932: Max McGee, American football player and sportscaster (died 2007) William Max McGee was an American professional football player who was an end and punter for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL) from 1954 to 1967. He is best known for his seven receptions for 138 yards and two touchdowns, scoring the now historic initial touchdown, in the first Super Bowl. Read more
16 Jul 1932: Dick Thornburgh, American lawyer and politician, 76th United States Attorney General (died 2020) Richard Lewis Thornburgh was an American lawyer, author, and politician who served as the 76th United States attorney general from 1988 to 1991 under presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the 41st governor of Pennsylvania and as the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Read more
16 Jul 1931: Fergus Gordon Kerr, Scottish Roman Catholic priest of the English Dominican Province Fergus Gordon Thomson Kerr was a Scottish Catholic priest of the English Dominican province. He published significantly on a wide range of subjects, but was famous particularly for his work on Ludwig Wittgenstein and Thomas Aquinas. Read more
16 Jul 1931: Norm Sherry, American baseball player, manager, and coach (died 2021) Norman Burt Sherry was an American professional baseball catcher, manager, and coach who played five seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets from 1959 to 1963. Sherry went on to coach and manage the California Angels, and also served as coach of the Montreal Expos, San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants. Read more
16 Jul 1930: Guy Béart, Egyptian-French singer-songwriter (died 2015) Guy Béhart-Hasson, known as Guy Béart, was a French singer and songwriter. Read more
16 Jul 1930: Michael Bilirakis, American lawyer and politician Michael Bilirakis is an American politician and lawyer from Florida. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1983 to 2007, representing Florida's 9th congressional district. Read more
16 Jul 1930: Bert Rechichar, American football defensive back and kicker (died 2019) Albert Daniel Rechichar (Pronounced: "Rech-i-SHAR") was an American professional football player who was a defensive back, halfback, and kicker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers, whom he captained during their 1951 national championship season. His performance over his last two seasons led Volunteers head coach Bob Neyland to proclaim Rechichar "probably the best all-around player in Tennessee football history." Read more
16 Jul 1929: Charles Ray Hatcher, American serial killer (died 1984) Charles Ray Hatcher was an American serial killer. He was convicted in Missouri of one murder, has been linked to four others in Illinois and California, and confessed to having murdered a total of 16 people between 1969 and 1982. Read more
16 Jul 1929: Sheri S. Tepper, American author and poet (died 2016) Sheri Stewart Tepper was an American writer of science fiction, horror and mystery novels. She is primarily known for her feminist science fiction, which explored themes of sociology, gender and equality, as well as theology and ecology. Often referred to as an eco-feminist of science fiction literature, Tepper personally preferred the label eco-humanist. Some of her novels fall into the category of climate fiction, in which the changing environment of a planet affects the life of its colonists in the form of a mystery to be solved; examples include Grass (1989), Beauty (1991), A Plague of Angels (1993), The Family Tree (1997), Six Moon Dance (1998), and Singer from the Sea (1999). Though the majority of her works operate in a world of fantastical imagery and metaphor, at the heart of her writing is real-world injustice and pain. She employed several pen names during her lifetime, including A. J. Orde, E. E. Horlak, and B. J. Oliphant. Read more
16 Jul 1929: Gaby Tanguy, French swimmer (died 1981) Gaby Tanguy was a French freestyle swimmer. She competed in three events at the 1952 Summer Olympics. Read more
16 Jul 1928: Anita Brookner, English novelist and art historian (died 2016) Anita Brookner was an English novelist and art historian. She was Slade Professor of Fine Art at the University of Cambridge from 1967 to 1968 and was the first woman to hold this visiting professorship. She was awarded the 1984 Booker–McConnell Prize for her novel Hotel du Lac. Read more
16 Jul 1928: Bella Davidovich, Soviet-American pianist Bella Mikhaylovna Davidovich is a Soviet-American pianist. Read more
16 Jul 1928: Robert Sheckley, American author and screenwriter (died 2005) Robert Sheckley was an American writer. First published in the science-fiction magazines of the 1950s, his many quick-witted stories and novels were famously unpredictable, absurdist, and broadly comical. Read more
16 Jul 1928: Jim Rathmann, American race car driver (died 2011) Royal Richard "Jim" Rathmann, was an American racing driver who competed primarily in Championship Cars. Rathmann is best known for winning the Indianapolis 500 in 1960, emerging victorious after a race-long duel with Rodger Ward – as recently as 2023, a panel of fans and historians voted Rathmann's victory as the greatest '500' of all time. In Europe he is well-known for winning the 1958 Race of Two Worlds. Read more
16 Jul 1928: Dave Treen, American lawyer and politician, 51st Governor of Louisiana (died 2009) David Conner Treen Sr. was an American politician and attorney from Louisiana. A member of the Republican Party, Treen served as U.S. Representative for Louisiana's 3rd congressional district from 1973 to 1980 and the 51st governor of Louisiana from 1980 to 1984. Treen was the first Republican elected to either office since Reconstruction. Read more
16 Jul 1928: Andrzej Zawada, Polish mountaineer and author (died 2000) Andrzej Zawada was a Polish mountaineer, expedition leader and pioneer of winter Himalayism. Zawada was an organiser and leader of numerous high-mountains expeditions, author of movies and photographs from expeditions, and co-author of Alpinist books. He was an honorary member of the British Alpine Club, French Groupe de Haute Montagne and The Explorers Club in the United States. Read more
16 Jul 1927: Pierre F. Côté, Canadian lawyer and civil servant (died 2013) Pierre-Ferdinand Côté, was a Canadian civil servant and lawyer. Côté served as the first Chief Electoral Officer of Quebec from 1978 until 1997. The Chief Electoral Officer is the official responsible for the administration of the electoral and referendum system in the province of Quebec. Read more
16 Jul 1927: Shirley Hughes, English author and illustrator (died 2022) Winifred Shirley Hughes was an English author and illustrator. She wrote more than fifty books, which have sold more than 11.5 million copies, and illustrated more than two hundred. Read more
16 Jul 1927: Derek Hawksworth, English footballer (died 2021) Derek Marshall Hawksworth was a footballer who played in the position of winger for Sheffield United. Read more
16 Jul 1926: Ivica Horvat, Croatian footballer and manager (died 2012) Ivan "Ivica" Horvat was a Croatian and Yugoslav professional football player and manager. Read more
16 Jul 1926: Irwin Rose, American biologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 2015) Irwin Allan Rose was an American biologist. Along with Aaron Ciechanover and Avram Hershko, he was awarded the 2004 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the discovery of ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation. Read more
16 Jul 1925: Frank Jobe, American sergeant and surgeon (died 2014) Frank Wilson Jobe was an American orthopedic surgeon and co-founder of the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic. Jobe pioneered both elbow ligament replacement and major reconstructive shoulder surgery for baseball players. Read more
16 Jul 1925: Walid Khalidi, Palestinian historian and co-founder of the Institute for Palestine Studies (died 2026) Walid Khalidi was a Palestinian historian who wrote extensively on the Palestinian exodus. He co-founded the Institute for Palestine Studies (IPS) in Beirut in December 1963 as an independent research and publishing center focusing on the Palestine problem and the Arab–Israeli conflict, and was its general secretary until 2016. Khalidi's first teaching post was at Oxford, a position he resigned from in 1956 in protest at the British invasion of Suez. He was Professor of Political Studies at the American University of Beirut until 1982 and thereafter a research fellow at the Harvard Center for International Affairs. He also taught at Princeton University. Read more
16 Jul 1925: Rosita Quintana, Argentine actress (died 2021) Trinida RoSA Quintana Muñoz, known as Rosita Quintana, was an Argentine-Mexican actress, singer and songwriter. She was one of the top leading ladies of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. She starred in Luis Buñuel's Susana (1951) and musical films such as Serenata en México (1956) and Cuando México canta (1958). Her performances earned her acting awards from Mexico, Argentina, Russia, and Spain. In 2016, she received the Mexican Academy of Film Arts and Sciences' Golden Ariel Award for career achievement. Read more
16 Jul 1925: Cal Tjader, American jazz musician (died 1982) Callen Radcliffe Tjader Jr. was an American Latin Jazz musician, often described as the most successful non-Latino Latin musician. He explored other jazz idioms, especially small group modern jazz, even as he continued to perform the music of Africa, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Read more
16 Jul 1924: James L. Greenfield, American journalist and politician (died 2024) James Lloyd Greenfield was an American journalist and government official. He served as the United States deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs from 1962 to 1964, and then United States Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs from 1964 to 1966. Latterly Greenfield worked in media, and was one of the editors of the New York Times who decided to publish the Pentagon Papers in 1971. Read more
16 Jul 1924: Bess Myerson, American model, actress, game show panelist, and politician, Miss America 1945 (died 2014) Bess Myerson was an American politician, model, and television actress who in 1945 became the first Miss America who was Jewish. Her achievement, in the aftermath of the Holocaust, was seen as an affirmation of the Jewish place in American life. She was a heroine to parts of the Jewish community, where "she was the most famous pretty girl since Queen Esther". Read more
16 Jul 1924: Rupert Deese, Northern Mariana Islander ceramic artist (died 2010) Rupert Deese was an American ceramic artist. He is known for innovative design and decoration of high fired ceramics. Deese wrote "It is my hope in making these vessels that as the perception of their beauty diminishes over time, they will sustain themselves by pleasant usefulness." Read more
16 Jul 1923: Chris Argyris, American psychologist, theorist, and academic (died 2013) Chris Argyris was an American business theorist and professor at Yale School of Management and Harvard Business School. Argyris, like Richard Beckhard, Edgar Schein and Warren Bennis, is known as a pioneer of organization development, and known for seminal work on learning organizations. Read more
16 Jul 1923: Bola Sete, Brazilian guitarist (died 1987) Bola Sete was a Brazilian guitarist known for playing jazz with Vince Guaraldi and Dizzy Gillespie. Read more
16 Jul 1920: Anatole Broyard, American critic and editor (died 1990) Anatole Broyard (1920-1990) was an American writer, literary critic, and editor whose literary output spanned several decades. His oeuvre encompassed short stories, essays, and reviews. He was a prolific contributor to several literary magazines and publications, most notably The New York Times, where he served as a regular book reviewer for nearly fifteen years and later as an editor. Read more
16 Jul 1919: Hermine Braunsteiner, Austrian SS officer and Majdanek concentration camp guard (died 1999) Hermine Braunsteiner Ryan was an Austrian SS Helferin and female camp guard at Ravensbrück and Majdanek concentration camps. She was the first Nazi war criminal to be extradited from the United States to face trial in West Germany. Braunsteiner was known to prisoners of Majdanek concentration camp as "the Mare" because she was said to have kicked and stomped on prisoners, thrown children by their hair onto trucks that took them to be murdered in gas chambers, hanged young prisoners, and beaten prisoners to death. Read more
16 Jul 1919: Choi Kyu-hah, South Korean politician, 4th President of South Korea (died 2006) Choi Kyu-hah was a South Korean politician who served as the fourth president of South Korea from 1979 to 1980. An independent politician, he served as the prime minister under the administration of President Park Chung Hee from 1975 to 1979. Read more
16 Jul 1918: Denis Edward Arnold, English soldier (died 2015) Denis Edward Arnold MC was a British Army officer of the Second World War who won the Military Cross in 1944 for an opportunistic attack on a Japanese force while serving with the Chindits in Burma. Arnold served in the Royal Welch Fusiliers and the 7th Nigeria Regiment, Royal West African Frontier Force. While in Burma, Arnold received a letter from his mother containing a pledge card that he would abstain from alcohol. He and his comrades found this very amusing since there was none to be found in the jungle. On returning to England with a bottle of whisky that he was saving for a celebration, Arnold was told by a customs officer that he must pay duty on the spirit. He smashed the bottle in disgust. After leaving the army, Arnold rejoined his former employers the Blue Circle Group, eventually becoming overseas operations director. Read more
16 Jul 1918: Paul Farnes, British Royal Air Force (RAF) fighter pilot (died 2020) Paul Caswell Powe Farnes, was a British Royal Air Force fighter pilot, and Second World War flying ace. He flew during the Battle of Britain as one of "The Few", piloting Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire aircraft. He scored 8 kills. Read more
16 Jul 1918: Samuel Victor Perry, English biochemist and rugby player (died 2009) Samuel Victor Perry FRS was an English biochemist who was a pioneer in the field of muscle biochemistry. In his earlier years he was a rugby union lock who played club rugby for Southport R.F.C., Cambridge University R.U.F.C. and international rugby for England. Read more
16 Jul 1915: Barnard Hughes, American actor (died 2006) Bernard Aloysius Kiernan Hughes was an American actor. His most successful roles came after middle age, and he was often cast as a dithering authority figure or grandfatherly elder. He won the 1978 Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Play. Read more
16 Jul 1915: Elaine Barrie, American actress (died 2003) Elaine Barrie was an American actress who appeared in several films and one Broadway play. She was the fourth, and last, wife of actor John Barrymore. Read more
16 Jul 1912: Milt Bocek, American baseball player (died 2007) Milton Francis Bocek was an American professional baseball outfielder. He played parts of two seasons for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). During his playing career, he was listed at 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) and 185 pounds (84 kg). Read more
16 Jul 1912: Amy Patterson, Argentine composer, singer, poet, and teacher (died 2019) Amelia Cabeza de Pelayo Patterson was an Argentine composer, singer, poet, and teacher responsible for writing the anthem of the Province of Salta. She was very popular in Argentina, and much of her music received state approval from the Ministry of Education of Argentina. Read more
16 Jul 1911: Ginger Rogers, American actress, singer, and dancer (died 1995) Ginger Rogers was an American actress, dancer, and singer during the Golden Age of Hollywood. She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her starring role in Kitty Foyle (1940), and performed during the 1930s in RKO's musical films with Fred Astaire. Her career continued on stage, radio, and television throughout much of the 20th century. Read more
16 Jul 1911: Sonny Tufts, American actor (died 1970) Bowen Charlton "Sonny" Tufts III was an American stage, film, and television actor. He is best known for the films he made as a contract star at Paramount in the 1940s, including So Proudly We Hail!. He also starred in the cult classic Cat-Women of the Moon. Read more
16 Jul 1910: Stan McCabe, Australian cricketer (died 1968) Stanley Joseph McCabe was an Australian cricketer who played 39 Test matches for Australia from 1930 to 1938. A short, stocky right-hander, McCabe was described by Wisden as "one of Australia's greatest and most enterprising batsmen" and by his captain Don Bradman as one of the great batsmen of the game. He was never dropped from the Australian Test team and was known for his footwork, mastery of fast bowling and the hook shot against the Bodyline strategy. He also regularly bowled medium-pace and often opened the bowling at a time when Australia lacked fast bowlers, using an off cutter. He was one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1935. Read more
16 Jul 1910: Gordon Prange, American historian, author, and academic (died 1980) Gordon William Prange was the author of several World War II historical manuscripts which were published by his co-workers after his death in 1980. Prange was a professor of history at the University of Maryland from 1937 to 1980 with a break of nine years (1942–1951) of military service in the United States Navy during World War II, and in the postwar military occupation of Japan, when he was the Chief Historian on General Douglas MacArthur's staff. It was during this time that Prange collected material from and interviewed many Japanese military officers, enlisted men, and civilians, with the information later being used in the writing of his books. Several became New York Times bestsellers, including At Dawn We Slept, The Untold Story of Pearl Harbor and Miracle at Midway. Read more
16 Jul 1907: Frances Horwich, American educator and television host (died 2001) Frances Rappaport Horwich was an American educator, television personality and television executive. As Miss Frances, she was the host of the children's television program Ding Dong School, seen weekday mornings on the NBC network in the 1950s and nationally syndicated between 1959 and 1965. Read more
16 Jul 1907: Orville Redenbacher, American farmer and businessman, founded Orville Redenbacher's (died 1995) Orville Clarence Redenbacher was an American food scientist and businessman most often associated with the brand of popcorn that bears his name which is now owned by Conagra Brands. The New York Times described him as "the agricultural visionary who all but single-handedly revolutionized the American popcorn industry". Read more
16 Jul 1907: Barbara Stanwyck, American actress (died 1990) Barbara Stanwyck was an American actress and dancer. A stage, film, and television star, during her 60-year professional career, she was known for her strong, realistic screen presence and versatility. She was a favorite of directors, including Cecil B. DeMille, Fritz Lang, and Frank Capra, and made 86 films in 38 years before turning to television. She received numerous accolades, including three Primetime Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award, and was nominated for four Academy Awards. Read more
16 Jul 1906: Vincent Sherman, American actor, director, and screenwriter (died 2006) Vincent Sherman was an American director and actor who worked in Hollywood. His movies include Mr. Skeffington (1944), Nora Prentiss (1947), and The Young Philadelphians (1959). Read more
16 Jul 1904: Goffredo Petrassi, Italian composer and conductor (died 2003) Goffredo Petrassi was an Italian composer of modern classical music, conductor, and teacher. He is considered one of the most influential Italian composers of the twentieth century. Read more
16 Jul 1903: Fritz Bauer, German lawyer and judge (died 1968) Fritz Bauer was a German Jewish judge and prosecutor. He played an instrumental role in the post-war capture of former Holocaust planner Adolf Eichmann, and in bringing about the Frankfurt Auschwitz trials. Read more
16 Jul 1903: Carmen Lombardo, Canadian singer-songwriter (died 1971) Carmen Lombardo was lead saxophonist and featured vocalist for his brother Guy Lombardo's orchestra. He was also a successful composer. In 1927, Carmen Lombardo was the vocalist of the hit record Charmaine, performed by Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians. Read more
16 Jul 1903: Irmgard Flügge-Lotz, German mathematician and engineer (died 1974) Irmgard Flügge-Lotz, née Lotz was a German-American mathematician and aerospace engineer. She was a pioneer in the development of the theory of discontinuous automatic control, which has found wide application in hysteresis control systems; such applications include guidance systems, electronics, fire-control systems, and temperature regulation. Read more
16 Jul 1902: Alexander Luria, Russian psychologist and physician (died 1977) Alexander Romanovich Luria was a Soviet neuropsychologist, often credited as the father of modern neuropsychology. He developed an extensive and original battery of neuropsychological tests during his clinical work with brain-injured victims of World War II, which are still used in various forms. He made an in-depth analysis of the functioning of various brain regions and the integrative processes of the brain in general. Luria's magnum opus, Higher Cortical Functions in Man (1962), is a much-used psychological textbook which has been translated into many languages and which he supplemented with The Working Brain in 1973. Read more
16 Jul 1902: Mary Philbin, American actress (died 1993) Mary Loretta Philbin was an American film actress of the silent film era, who played Christine Daaé in the 1925 film The Phantom of the Opera opposite Lon Chaney, and Dea in The Man Who Laughs alongside Conrad Veidt. Read more
16 Jul 1898: Lady Eve Balfour, British farmer, educator, and founding figure in the organic movement (died 1990) Lady Evelyn Barbara Balfour, was a British farmer, educator, organic farming pioneer, and a founding figure in the organic movement. She was one of the first women to study agriculture at an English university, graduating from the institution now known as the University of Reading. Read more
16 Jul 1896: Otmar Freiherr von Verschuer, German biologist and eugenicist (died 1969) Otmar Freiherr von Verschuer was a German human biologist and geneticist, who was the Professor of Human Genetics at the University of Münster until he retired in 1965. A member of the Verschuer family, his title Freiherr is often translated as baron. Read more
16 Jul 1896: Trygve Lie, Norwegian trade union leader and politician, 1st Secretary-General of the United Nations (died 1968) Trygve Halvdan Lie was a Norwegian politician, labour leader, government official and author. He served as Norwegian foreign minister during the critical years of the Norwegian government in exile in London from 1940 to 1945. He was the first secretary-general of the United Nations. Read more
16 Jul 1895: Wilfrid Hamel, Canadian businessman and politician, 35th Mayor of Quebec City (died 1968) Wilfrid Hamel was a Canadian politician, serving as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec and as Mayor of Quebec City. Read more
16 Jul 1889: Arthur Bowie Chrisman, American author (died 1953) Arthur Bowie Chrisman was an American author. He was born in Clarke County, Virginia. Chrisman was educated in a one-room school and attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute from 1906 to 1908 but left at the end of his sophomore year. His collection of sixteen short stories, Shen of the Sea: A Book for Children (1925), received the Newbery Medal in 1926. Chrisman's other works included The Wind That Wouldn't Blow: Stories of the Merry Middle Kingdom for Children, and Myself (1927), Clarke County, 1836–1936 (1936), and Treasures Long Hidden: Old Tales and New Tales of the East (1941). Read more
16 Jul 1888: Percy Kilbride, American actor (died 1964) Percy William Kilbride was an American character actor. He made a career of playing country "hicks," most memorably as Pa Kettle in the Ma and Pa Kettle series of feature films. Read more
16 Jul 1888: Frits Zernike, Dutch physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1966) Frederik "Frits" Zernike was a Dutch physicist who received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1953 for his invention of the phase-contrast microscope. Read more
16 Jul 1887: Shoeless Joe Jackson, American baseball player and manager (died 1951) Joseph Jefferson Jackson, nicknamed "Shoeless Joe", was an American professional baseball outfielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the early 20th century. His .356 career batting average is one of the highest in major-league history. Jackson is often remembered for his association with the Black Sox Scandal in which eight members of the 1919 Chicago White Sox participated in a conspiracy to fix the World Series. As a result, Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis permanently banned Jackson and the other seven players from professional baseball after the 1920 season. During the World Series in question, Jackson had led both teams in several statistical categories and set a World Series record with 12 base hits, including, during the last game, the only home run in that World Series. Jackson's role in the scandal, banishment from the game, and exclusion from the Baseball Hall of Fame have been fiercely debated. In 2025, Commissioner Rob Manfred removed Jackson and other deceased players from the MLB's permanently ineligible list, thus lifting the ban and making him once again eligible for the hall of fame. Read more
16 Jul 1884: Anna Vyrubova, Russian author (died 1964) Anna Alexandrovna Vyrubova was a Russian lady-in-waiting. She was the best friend and confidante of Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna. Read more
16 Jul 1883: Charles Sheeler, American photographer and painter (died 1965) Charles Sheeler was an American artist known for his Precisionist paintings, commercial photography, and the 1921 avant-garde film, Manhatta, which he made in collaboration with Paul Strand. Sheeler is recognized as one of the early adopters of modernism in American art. Read more
16 Jul 1882: Violette Neatley Anderson, American judge (died 1937) Violette Neatley Anderson became the first African-American woman to practice law before the United States Supreme Court on January 29, 1926. She was one of the most prominent advocates of a landmark piece of legislation that helped secure rights and economic mobility for sharecroppers in the South, the Bankhead-Jones Act. Read more
16 Jul 1880: Kathleen Norris, American journalist and author (died 1966) Kathleen Thompson Norris was an American novelist and newspaper columnist. She was one of the most widely read and highest paid female writers in the United States for nearly fifty years, from 1911 to 1959. Norris was a prolific writer who wrote 93 novels, many of which became best sellers. Her stories appeared frequently in the popular press of the day, including The Atlantic, The American Magazine, McClure's, Everybody's, Ladies' Home Journal, and Woman's Home Companion. Norris used her fiction to promote family and moralistic values, such as the sanctity of marriage, the nobility of motherhood, and the importance of service to others. Read more
16 Jul 1872: Roald Amundsen, Norwegian pilot and explorer (died 1928) Roald Engelbregt Gravning Amundsen was a Norwegian explorer of polar regions. He was a key figure of the period known as the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. Read more
16 Jul 1872: Frank Cooper, Australian politician, 25th Premier of Queensland (died 1949) Frank Arthur Cooper was Premier of Queensland from 1942 to 1946 for the Labor Party. Read more
16 Jul 1871: John Maxwell, American golfer (died 1906) John Riley Maxwell was an American golfer who competed in the 1904 Summer Olympics. Read more
16 Jul 1870: Lambert McKenna, Irish priest, lexicographer, and scholar (died 1956) Lambert McKenna S.J. was a Jesuit priest and writer. Read more
16 Jul 1870: Ellen Oliver (suffragette), British suffragette (died 1921) Ellen Frederica Oliver was a British suffragette, purity activist and a follower of the Panacea Society, who was the first person to recognise Mabel Barltrop as a prophet in the movement. Read more
16 Jul 1863: Anderson Dawson, Australian politician, 14th Premier of Queensland (died 1910) Andrew Dawson, usually known as Anderson Dawson, was an Australian politician and unionist who served as the 14th premier of Queensland for one week from 1 to 7 December 1899. This short-lived premiership was the first Australian Labor Party (ALP) government in Australia and the first parliamentary labour party government anywhere in the world. Read more
16 Jul 1862: Ida B. Wells, American journalist and activist (died 1931) Ida Bell Wells-Barnett was an American investigative journalist, sociologist, educator, and early leader in the civil rights movement. She was one of the founders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Wells dedicated her career to combating prejudice and violence, and advocating for African-American equality—especially for women. Read more
16 Jul 1858: Eugène Ysaÿe, Belgian violinist, composer, and conductor (died 1931) Eugène-Auguste Ysaÿe was a Belgian virtuoso violinist, composer, and conductor. He was regarded as "The King of the Violin", or, as his former student Nathan Milstein put it, the "tsar". Read more
16 Jul 1841: Nikolai von Glehn, Estonian-German architect and activist (died 1923) Alexander Nikolai von Glehn, was a Baltic German landowner and public figure, most notable for being the founder of the town of Nõmme. Read more
16 Jul 1821: Mary Baker Eddy, American religious leader and author, founded Christian Science (died 1910) Mary Baker Eddy was an American religious leader and author, who in 1879 founded The Church of Christ, Scientist, the Mother Church of the Christian Science movement. She also founded The Christian Science Monitor in 1908, and three religious magazines: the Christian Science Sentinel, The Christian Science Journal, and The Herald of Christian Science. Read more

Notable Deaths on 16 July

16 Jul 2025: Connie Francis, American singer and actress (born 1937) Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero, known professionally as Connie Francis, was an American singer and actress. One of the top-charting female vocalists of the late 1950s and early 1960s, she amassed over 200 million records sold, placing her among the best-selling music artists in history. Read more
16 Jul 2024: Joe Bryant, American basketball player (born 1954) Joseph Washington "Jellybean" Bryant was an American professional basketball player and coach. He played for the Philadelphia 76ers, San Diego Clippers, and Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He also played for several teams in Italy and one in France. Bryant was the head coach of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks from 2005 to 2007 and returned to that position for the remainder of the 2011 WNBA season. Bryant also coached in Japan and Thailand. He was the father of the late basketball player Kobe Bryant. Read more
16 Jul 2024: Norm Hewitt, New Zealand rugby union player (born 1968) Norman Jason Hewitt was a New Zealand rugby union player who played as a hooker. He won nine caps for the New Zealand national team, the All Blacks. Hewitt participated in, and won, season one of Dancing with the Stars in 2005. Read more
16 Jul 2024: David Morrow, Australian radio host and sportscaster (born 1953) David William Morrow was an Australian sports radio and television broadcaster/commentator, best known for his association with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and 2GB, and his calling of horse racing and the NRL, but also other sport and his coverage of the Olympics and Commonwealth Games. Read more
16 Jul 2023: Kevin Mitnick, American hacker (born 1963) Kevin David Mitnick was an American computer security consultant, author, and convicted hacker. In 1995, he was arrested for various computer and communications-related crimes, and spent five years in prison after being convicted of fraud and illegally intercepting communications.
Mitnick's pursuit, arrest, trial and sentence were all controversial, as were the associated media coverage, books, and films, with his supporters arguing that his punishment was excessive and that many of the charges against him were fraudulent, and not based on actual losses. After his release from prison, he ran his own security firm, Mitnick Security Consulting, LLC, and was also involved with other computer security businesses. Read more
16 Jul 2021: Biz Markie, American rapper (born 1964) Marcel Theo Hall, known professionally as Biz Markie, was an American rapper, singer, songwriter, DJ, and record producer who gained prominence during hip-hop's golden age. He was known for his comedic style and often called the "Clown Prince of Hip-Hop". Read more
16 Jul 2020: Tony Taylor, Cuban baseball player (born 1935) Antonio Nemesio Taylor Sánchez was a Cuban professional baseball second baseman who played 19 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, and Detroit Tigers from 1958 until 1976. He batted and threw right-handed and also played third base and first base. Read more
16 Jul 2019: John Paul Stevens, American lawyer and jurist, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (born 1920) John Paul Stevens was an American lawyer and jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1975 to 2010. He was the second-oldest and fourth-longest-serving justice in U.S. Supreme Court history. At the time of his death in 2019 at age 99, he was the longest-lived Supreme Court justice ever. His long tenure saw him write for the Court on most issues of American law, including civil liberties, the death penalty, government action, and intellectual property. Despite being a registered Republican who throughout his life identified as a conservative, Stevens was considered to have been on the liberal side of the Court at the time of his retirement. Read more
16 Jul 2017: George A. Romero, American filmmaker (born 1940) George Andrew Romero was an American and Canadian filmmaker, writer, editor, and actor. Regarded as an influential pioneer of the horror film genre, particularly zombie films, he has been described as an "icon" and the "father of the zombie film". Read more
16 Jul 2015: Denis Avey, English soldier, engineer, and author (born 1919) Denis Avey was a British veteran of the Second World War who was held as a prisoner of war at E715, a subcamp of Auschwitz concentration camp. While there he saved the life of a Jewish prisoner, Ernst Lobethal, by smuggling cigarettes to him. For that he was made a British Hero of the Holocaust in 2010. Read more
16 Jul 2015: Evelyn Ebsworth, English chemist and academic (born 1933) Evelyn Algernon Valentine Ebsworth, was a British chemist and academic. He was the Crum Brown Professor of Chemistry at the University of Edinburgh from 1967 to 1990, and Vice-Chancellor and Warden of Durham University from 1990 to 1998. Read more
16 Jul 2015: Alcides Ghiggia, Uruguayan footballer and manager (born 1926) Alcides Edgardo Ghiggia Pereyra was a Uruguayan and Italian footballer who played as a right winger. He achieved lasting fame for his decisive role in the final match of the 1950 World Cup, and at the time of his death exactly 65 years later, he was also the last surviving player of Uruguay's 1950 World Cup squad. Read more
16 Jul 2015: Jack Goody, English anthropologist, author, and academic (born 1919) Sir John Rankine Goody was an English social anthropologist. He was a prominent lecturer at Cambridge University, and was William Wyse Professor of Social Anthropology from 1973 to 1984. Read more
16 Jul 2014: Karl Albrecht, German businessman, co-founded Aldi (born 1920) Karl Hans Albrecht was a German entrepreneur who founded the discount supermarket chain Aldi with his brother Theo. He was the richest person in Germany for many years. In February 2014, he was ranked the 21st-richest person in the world by Hurun Report. Read more
16 Jul 2014: Mary Ellen Otremba, American educator and politician (born 1950) Mary Ellen Dinkel Otremba was an American politician and a former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives who represented District 11B, which includes portions of Douglas and Todd counties in the west central part of the state. A Democrat, she was also a substitute teacher and farmer. On May 19, 2010, she announced that she would not seek an eighth term. Read more
16 Jul 2014: Johnny Winter, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (born 1944) John Dawson Winter III was an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, and record producer. Winter was known for his high-energy blues rock albums, live performances, and slide guitar playing from the late 1960s into the early 2000s. He also produced three Grammy Award–winning albums for blues singer and guitarist Muddy Waters. After his time with Waters, Winter recorded several Grammy-nominated blues albums. In 1988, he was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame and in 2003, he was ranked 63rd in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". Read more
16 Jul 2014: Heinz Zemanek, Austrian computer scientist and academic (born 1920) Heinz Zemanek was an Austrian computer pioneer who led the development, from 1954 to 1958, of one of the first complete transistorised computers on the European continent. The computer was nicknamed Mailüfterl — Viennese for "May breeze" — in reference to Whirlwind, a computer developed at MIT between 1945 and 1951. Read more
16 Jul 2013: Talia Castellano, American internet celebrity (born 1999) Talia Joy Castellano was an American internet personality and model who was best known for her work on YouTube, notably her makeup and fashion content, and for becoming the first honorary CoverGirl in 2012. She battled the diseases neuroblastoma and leukemia for six years, and died on July 16, 2013. As of May 2021, her YouTube channel has received over a million subscribers. Read more
16 Jul 2013: Alex Colville, Canadian painter and academic (born 1920) David Alexander Colville was a Canadian painter and printmaker. Read more
16 Jul 2013: Marv Rotblatt, American baseball player (born 1927) Marvin Rotblatt, nicknamed "Rotty", was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Chicago White Sox in the 1948, 1950 and 1951 seasons. His ERAs in 1948 (7.85) and 1950 (6.23) were the highest in the majors. He failed to get a base hit in fifteen career at-bats. Read more
16 Jul 2012: William Asher, American director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1921) William Milton Asher was an American television and film producer, film director, and screenwriter. He was one of the most prolific early television directors, producing or directing over two dozen series. Read more
16 Jul 2012: Stephen Covey, American businessman and author (born 1932) Stephen Richards Covey was an American educator, author, businessman, and speaker. His most popular book is The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. His other books include First Things First, Principle-Centered Leadership, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families, The 8th Habit, and The Leader In Me: How Schools and Parents Around the World Are Inspiring Greatness, One Child at a Time. In 1996, Time magazine named him one of the 25 most influential people. He was a professor at the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University (USU) at the time of his death. Read more
16 Jul 2012: Gilbert Esau, American businessman and politician (born 1919) Gilbert Donald Esau was a Minnesota politician and a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from southwestern Minnesota. First elected in 1962, Esau was re-elected in 1964, 1966 and 1968. After sitting out for four years, he opted to run again in 1972, was elected and was re-elected in 1974, 1976, 1978 and 1980. Read more
16 Jul 2012: Ed Lincoln, Brazilian bassist, pianist, and composer (born 1932) Ed Lincoln was a Brazilian musician, composer and arranger known for a wide variety of styles. As a bassist, he was present at the earliest moments of bossa nova and as a Hammond organ player, he was foundational in establishing the sound of Brazilian jazz and space age pop. Read more
16 Jul 2012: Masaharu Matsushita, Japanese businessman (born 1913) Sir Masaharu Matsushita , was a Japanese businessman who served as the second President of Panasonic for sixteen years beginning in 1961. He was the son-in-law of Panasonic's founder, Konosuke Matsushita. Masaharu Matsushita has been credited with expanding Panasonic into a global brand during a time of high economic expansion in Japan. Read more
16 Jul 2012: Kitty Wells, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1919) Ellen Muriel Deason, known professionally as Kitty Wells, was an American country music singer. Her 1952 hit recording "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" made her the first female country singer to top the U.S. country charts. “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” also was her first of several pop crossover hits. Wells is the only artist to be awarded top female vocalist awards for 14 consecutive years. Her chart-topping hits continued until the mid-1960s, paving the way for and inspiring a long list of female country singers who came to prominence in the 1960s. Read more
16 Jul 2011: Forrest Blue, American football player (born 1944) Forrest Murrell Blue Jr. was an American professional football center who spent eleven seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the San Francisco 49ers from 1968 to 1974 and the Baltimore Colts from 1975 to 1978. Read more
16 Jul 2008: Jo Stafford, American singer (born 1917) Jo Elizabeth Stafford was an American traditional pop singer, whose career spanned five decades from the late 1930s to the early 1980s. Admired for the purity of her voice, she originally underwent classical training to become an opera singer before following a career in popular music and by 1955 had achieved more worldwide record sales than any other female artist. Her 1952 song "You Belong to Me" topped the charts in the United States and United Kingdom, becoming the second single to top the UK Singles Chart and the first by a female artist to do so. Read more
16 Jul 2008: Lindsay Thompson, Australian politician, 40th Premier of Victoria (born 1923) Lindsay Hamilton Simpson Thompson AO, CMG was an Australian politician and army officer who served as the 40th premier of Victoria from 1981 to 1982. He previously served as the 19th deputy premier of Victoria from 1972 to 1981. Read more
16 Jul 2007: Caterina Bueno, Italian singer and historian (born 1943) Caterina Bueno was an Italian singer and folk music historian. Read more
16 Jul 2006: Winthrop Paul Rockefeller, American businessman and politician, 13th Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas (born 1948) Winthrop Paul "Win" Rockefeller was an American Republican politician and businessman who served as the 17th lieutenant governor of Arkansas from 1996 until his death in 2006. He was a member of the Rockefeller family. Read more
16 Jul 2005: Pietro Consagra, Italian sculptor (born 1920) Pietro Consagra was an Italian sculptor. In 1947 he was among the founding members of the Forma 1 group of artists, who advocated both Marxism and structured abstraction. Read more
16 Jul 2005: Camillo Felgen, Luxembourgian singer-songwriter and radio host (born 1920) Camillo Jean Nicolas Felgen was a Luxembourgish singer, lyricist, disc jockey, and television presenter, who represented Luxembourg in the Eurovision Song Contest 1960 and in 1962. Read more
16 Jul 2004: George Busbee, American lawyer and politician, 77th Governor of Georgia (born 1927) George Dekle Busbee Sr. was an American politician who served as the 77th governor of Georgia from 1975 to 1983. Read more
16 Jul 2004: Charles Sweeney, American general and pilot (born 1919) Charles William Sweeney was an officer in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II and the pilot who flew Bockscar carrying the Fat Man atomic bomb to the Japanese city of Nagasaki on 9 August 1945. Separating from active duty at the end of World War II, he later became an officer in the Massachusetts Air National Guard as the Army Air Forces transitioned to an independent United States Air Force, eventually rising to the rank of major general. Read more
16 Jul 2003: Celia Cruz, Cuban-American singer and actress (born 1925) Celia Caridad Cruz Alfonso, known as Celia Cruz, was a Cuban-American singer and one of the most popular Latin artists of the 20th century. Cruz rose to fame in Cuba during the 1950s as a singer of guarachas, earning the nickname La Guarachera de Cuba. In the following decades, she became known internationally as the "Queen of Salsa" due to her contributions to Latin music. She sold over 30 million records, making her one of the best-selling Latin music artists. Read more
16 Jul 2003: Carol Shields, American-Canadian novelist and short story writer (born 1935) Carol Ann Shields was an American-born Canadian novelist and short story writer. She is best known for her 1993 novel The Stone Diaries, which won the U.S. Pulitzer Prize for Fiction as well as the Governor General's Award in Canada. Read more
16 Jul 2002: John Cocke, American computer scientist and engineer (born 1925) John Cocke was an American computer scientist at IBM and recognized for his large contribution to computer architecture and optimizing compiler design. He is considered by many to be "the father of RISC architecture." He won the 1987 ACM Turing Award. Read more
16 Jul 2001: Terry Gordy, American professional wrestler (born 1961) Terry Ray Gordy Sr. was an American professional wrestler. Gordy appeared in the United States with professional wrestling promotions such as Mid-South Wrestling, Georgia Championship Wrestling, World Class Championship Wrestling, Jim Crockett Promotions/World Championship Wrestling and the Universal Wrestling Federation as a member of the Fabulous Freebirds. He also appeared in Japan with All Japan Pro Wrestling as one-half of the Miracle Violence Connection. Read more
16 Jul 2001: Morris, Belgian cartoonist (born 1923) Maurice De Bevere, better known as Morris, was a Belgian comics artist, illustrator, and the creator of Lucky Luke, a best-selling comic series about a gunslinger in the American Wild West. He was inspired by the adventures of the historic Dalton Gang and other outlaws. It was a best-selling series for more than 50 years, published internationally and translated into 23 languages. He collaborated for two decades with French writer René Goscinny on the series. Morris's pen name is an Anglicized version of Maurice. Read more
16 Jul 1999: John F. Kennedy Jr., American lawyer and publisher (born 1960) John Fitzgerald Kennedy Jr., also referred to as JFK Jr., was an American businessman, attorney, magazine publisher, and journalist. He was the son of the 35th U.S. president John F. Kennedy, and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. Read more
16 Jul 1999: Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, American publicist and wife of John F. Kennedy Jr. (born 1966) Carolyn Jeanne Bessette-Kennedy was an American fashion publicist. Raised in Greenwich, Connecticut, she graduated from Boston University and joined Calvin Klein, where she rose from a sales position in Boston to publicity and show-production roles in New York. In 1996, she married attorney and publisher John F. Kennedy Jr., the son of President John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Read more
16 Jul 1999: Alan Macnaughton, Canadian lawyer and politician, Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons (born 1903) Alan Aylesworth Macnaughton was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada from 1963 to 1966. Read more
16 Jul 1998: John Henrik Clarke, American historian and scholar (born 1915) John Henrik Clarke was an African-American historian, professor, prominent Afrocentrist, and pioneer of Pan-African and Africana studies and professional institutions in academia starting in the late 1960s. Read more
16 Jul 1996: Adolf von Thadden, German lieutenant and politician (born 1921) Adolf von Thadden was a German far-right politician who led the National Democratic Party. Read more
16 Jul 1995: May Sarton, American playwright and novelist (born 1912) Eleanore Marie Sarton, known by the pen name May Sarton, was a Belgian and American novelist, poet, and memoirist. Notably, Sarton came out as a lesbian in her writing in 1965, a time when it was highly unusual to do so. Read more
16 Jul 1995: Stephen Spender, English author and poet (born 1909) Sir Stephen Harold Spender was an English poet, novelist and essayist whose work concentrated on themes of social injustice and the class struggle. He was appointed U.S. Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress in 1965. Read more
16 Jul 1994: Julian Schwinger, American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1918) Julian Seymour Schwinger was an American theoretical physicist. He shared the 1965 Nobel Prize in Physics with Richard Feynman and Shin'ichirō Tomonaga "for their fundamental work in quantum electrodynamics (QED), with deep-ploughing consequences for the physics of elementary particles". He developed a relativistically invariant perturbation theory, and renormalized QED to one loop order. Schwinger was a physics professor at several universities. Read more
16 Jul 1992: Buck Buchanan, American football player and coach (born 1940) Junious "Buck" Buchanan was an American professional football player who was a defensive tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). Buchanan was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1996 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990. He was selected to the NFL 100th Anniversary Team. His was the first African American taken as the first selection in an AFL or NFL draft. Buchanan was massive for his era, standing at 6 ft 7 in, and weighing 270 lbs.. His height gave him an advantage against linemen in the trenches. Read more
16 Jul 1991: Meindert DeJong, Dutch-American soldier and author (born 1906) Meindert De Jong, also spelled de Jong, DeJong, or Dejong, was a Dutch-born American Newbery Medal–winning writer of children's books. During the height of his popularity, he frequently collaborated with Maurice Sendak, who illustrated seven of De Jong's books. Read more
16 Jul 1991: Robert Motherwell, American painter and academic (born 1915) Robert Motherwell was an American abstract expressionist painter, printmaker, and editor of The Dada Painters and Poets: an Anthology. He was one of the youngest of the New York School, which also included Willem de Kooning, Jackson Pollock, and Mark Rothko. Read more
16 Jul 1991: Frank Rizzo, American police officer and politician, 93rd Mayor of Philadelphia (born 1920) Francis Lazarro Rizzo was an American police officer and politician. He served as commissioner of the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) from 1967 to 1971 and mayor of Philadelphia from 1972 to 1980. He was a member of the Democratic Party throughout the entirety of his career in public office. He switched to the Republican Party in 1986 and campaigned as a Republican for the final five years of his life. Read more
16 Jul 1990: Robert Blackburn, Irish educator (born 1927) Robert Blackburn was an Irish educationalist. He was an early pioneer of the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) and was instrumental in establishing the first United World College (UWC) in the early 1960s. In 1968, Blackburn was appointed United World College International Secretary. Read more
16 Jul 1990: Miguel Muñoz, Spanish footballer and manager (born 1922) Miguel Muñoz Mozún was a Spanish football player and manager. A midfielder, he spent the majority of his career at Real Madrid before going on to coach the club, where he is widely considered one of the most successful and greatest managers in football history, leading the team to two European Cup victories and nine La Liga titles. Muñoz later had a six-year coaching spell with the Spain national team, and led them to the final of Euro 1984. Read more
16 Jul 1989: Herbert von Karajan, Austrian conductor and manager (born 1908) Herbert von Karajan was an Austrian conductor. He was principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic for 34 years. During the Nazi era, he debuted at the Salzburg Festival, with the Vienna Philharmonic, the Berlin Philharmonic, and during World War II he conducted at the Berlin State Opera. Generally regarded as one of the greatest conductors of the 20th century, he was a controversial but dominant figure in European classical music from the mid-1950s until his death. Part of the reason for this was the large number of recordings he made and their prominence during his lifetime. By one estimate, he sold 200 million records. Read more
16 Jul 1985: Heinrich Böll, German novelist and short story writer, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1917) Heinrich Theodor Böll was a German writer. Considered one of Germany's foremost post–World War II writers, Böll received the Georg Büchner Prize (1967) and the Nobel Prize for Literature (1972). Read more
16 Jul 1985: Wayne King, American saxophonist, songwriter, and bandleader (born 1901) Harold Wayne King was an American musician, songwriter, and bandleader with a long association with both NBC and CBS. He was referred to as "the Waltz King" because much of his most popular music involved waltzes; "The Waltz You Saved for Me" was his standard set-closing song in live performance and on numerous radio broadcasts at the height of his career. King's innovations included converting Carrie Jacobs-Bond's "I Love You Truly" from its original 24 time over to 34. Read more
16 Jul 1982: Charles Robberts Swart, South African lawyer and politician, 1st State President of South Africa (born 1894) Charles Robberts Swart, nicknamed "Blackie", was a South African politician who served as the last governor-general of the Union of South Africa from 1959 to 1961 and the first state president of the Republic of South Africa from 1961 to 1967. Read more
16 Jul 1981: Harry Chapin, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1942) Harry Forster Chapin was an American singer-songwriter, philanthropist, and hunger activist best known for his folk rock and pop rock songs. He achieved worldwide success in the 1970s. Chapin, a Grammy Award-winning artist and Grammy Hall of Fame inductee, has sold over 16 million records worldwide. Read more
16 Jul 1969: James Scott Douglas, English-born Scottish race car driver and 6th Baronet Douglas (born 1930) Sir James Louis Fitzroy Scott Douglas, 6th Baronet was a British racing driver and a baronet. Read more
16 Jul 1965: Boris Artzybasheff, Ukrainian-American illustrator (born 1899) Boris Mikhailovich Artzybasheff was a Russian and American illustrator notable for his strongly worked and often surreal designs. Read more
16 Jul 1964: Rauf Orbay, Turkish colonel and politician, Prime Minister of Turkey (born 1881) Hüseyin Rauf Orbay was a Turkish naval officer, statesman and diplomat of Abkhaz origin. During the Italo–Turkish and Balkan Wars he was known as the Hero of Hamidiye for his exploits as captain of the eponymous cruiser. Orbay briefly served as Minister of Navy in October 1918, and signed the Armistice of Mudros on behalf of the Ottoman Empire. Read more
16 Jul 1960: Albert Kesselring, German field marshal (born 1881) Albert Kesselring was a German military officer who served in the Luftwaffe during World War II. In a career which spanned both world wars, Kesselring eventually reached the rank of the Generalfeldmarschall and became one of Nazi Germany's most highly decorated commanders. Read more
16 Jul 1960: John P. Marquand, American author (born 1893) John Phillips Marquand was an American writer. Originally best known for his Mr. Moto spy stories, he achieved popular success and critical respect for his satirical novels, winning a Pulitzer Prize for The Late George Apley in 1938. One of his abiding themes was the confining nature of life in America's upper class and among those who aspired to join it. Marquand treated those whose lives were bound by these unwritten codes with a characteristic mix of respect and satire. Read more
16 Jul 1954: Herms Niel, German soldier, trombonist, and composer (born 1888) Ferdinand Friedrich Hermann Nielebock, known as Herms Niel, was a German composer of military songs and marches. Read more
16 Jul 1953: Hilaire Belloc, French-born British writer and historian (born 1870) Joseph Hilaire Pierre René Belloc was a French-English writer and political activist. Belloc was considered one of the most versatile authors of the 20th century, producing essays on history, politics and economics as well as poetry, travelogues and satire. His Catholicism had a strong effect on his works. Read more
16 Jul 1949: Vyacheslav Ivanov, Russian poet and playwright (born 1866) Vyacheslav Ivanovich Ivanov was a Russian poet, playwright, Classicist, and senior literary and dramatic theorist of the Russian Symbolist movement. He was also a philosopher, translator, and literary critic. Read more
16 Jul 1943: Saul Raphael Landau, Polish Jewish lawyer, journalist, publicist and Zionist activist (born 1870) Saul Raphael Landau was a Polish Jewish lawyer, journalist, publicist and Zionist activist. Read more
16 Jul 1939: Bartholomeus Roodenburch, Dutch swimmer (born 1866) Bartholomeus Roodenburch was a Dutch backstroke swimmer who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. Read more
16 Jul 1935: Zheng Zhengqiu, Chinese filmmaker (born 1889) Zheng Zhengqiu was a Chinese filmmaker often considered a "founding father" of Chinese cinema. Read more
16 Jul 1917: Philipp Scharwenka, German composer and educator (born 1847) Ludwig Philipp Scharwenka was a Polish-German composer and teacher of music. He was the older brother of Xaver Scharwenka. Read more
16 Jul 1915: Ellen G. White, American author and co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church(born 1827) Ellen Gould White was an American author, and was both the prophet and a co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Along with other Adventist leaders, such as Joseph Bates and her husband James White, she was influential within a small group of early Adventists who formed what became known as the Seventh-day Adventist Church. White is considered a leading figure in American vegetarian history. Smithsonian named her among the "100 Most Significant Americans of All Time". Read more
16 Jul 1896: Edmond de Goncourt, French critic and publisher, founded Académie Goncourt (born 1822) Edmond Louis Antoine Huot de Goncourt was a French writer, literary critic, art critic, book publisher and the founder of the Académie Goncourt. Read more
16 Jul 1886: Ned Buntline, American journalist and author (born 1823) Edward Zane Carroll Judson Sr., known by his pen name Ned Buntline, was an American publisher, journalist, and writer. Read more
16 Jul 1885: Rosalía de Castro, Spanish poet (born 1837) María Rosalía Rita de Castro, was a Galician poet and novelist, considered one of the most important figures of the 19th-century Spanish literature and modern lyricism. Widely regarded as the greatest Galician cultural icon, she was a leading figure in the emergence of the literary Galician language. Through her work, she projected multiple emotions, including the yearning for the celebration of Galician identity and culture, and female empowerment. She is credited with challenging the traditional female writer archetype. Read more
16 Jul 1882: Mary Todd Lincoln, First Lady of the United States 1861–1865 (born 1818) Mary Ann Todd Lincoln was First Lady of the United States from 1861 until the assassination of her husband, President Abraham Lincoln, in 1865. Read more
16 Jul 1879: Edward Deas Thomson, Scottish-Australian politician, 3rd Chief Secretary of New South Wales (born 1800) Sir Edward Deas Thomson was a Scotsman who became an administrator and politician in Australia, and was chancellor of the University of Sydney. Read more
16 Jul 1868: Dmitry Pisarev, Russian author and critic (born 1840) Dmitry Ivanovich Pisarev was a Russian literary critic and philosopher who was a central figure of Russian nihilism. He is noted as a forerunner of Nietzschean philosophy, and for the impact his advocacy of liberation movements and natural science had on Russian history. Read more
16 Jul 1849: Sarah Allen, African-American missionary for the African Methodist Episcopal Church (born 1764) Sarah Allen was an American abolitionist and missionary for the African Methodist Episcopal Church. She is known within the AME Church as The Founding Mother. Read more
16 Jul 1831: Louis Alexandre Andrault de Langeron, French-Russian general (born 1763) Count Louis Alexandre Andrault de Langeron was a French military figure in the service of, first, the Kingdom of France, and later the Russian Empire. Read more

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