TODAY :

                   

Birthdates which occurred on December 16:

1485 Catherine of Aragon Spanish princess/1st wife of Henry VIII
1622 Kurt S Adeler Danish admiral/ship builder
1652 Giovanni Maria Casini composer
1685 Charles Cressent France, cabinetmaker (Régence)
1734 Georg Peter Weimar composer
1742 Gebhard Leberecht Fürst Blücher von Wahlstatt German fieldmarshal
1748 Ferdinand-Philippe-Joseph Staes composer
1770 Ludwig van Beethoven Bonn Germany, composer (Ode to Joy)
1775 Jane Austen England, novelist (Pride & Prejudice)
1775 François-Adrien Boieldieu composer
1777 Janos Fusz composer
1809 Peter P van Bosse Dutch attorney/liberal minister of Finance
1812 William Grose Brevet Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1900
1819 Robert Selden Garnett Brigadier-General (Confederate Army), died in 1861
1822 Charles Edward Horsley composer
1825 Henry Heth Major General (Confederate Army), died in 1899
1825 Robert Prescott Stewart composer
1827 John A C Oudemans Dutch geographer/astronomer
1828 John Beatty Brigadier-General (Union volunteers), died in 1914
1830 John Frederick Hartranft Brevet Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1889
1834 Léon Walras French economist (border use theory)
1847 Augusta Mary Anne Holmes composer
1850 Fred Morley cricketer (legendary Notts & England bowler 1880-83)
1851 Theodoor H de Meester Dutch premier (1905-08)
1857 Edward Emerson Barnard Tennesee, astronomer (Jupiter's 5th satellite)
1862 Eugène Demolder Belgian writer (Sous la robe)
1863 George Santayana Spain, philosopher/poet/humanist (Last Puritan)
1863 Ralph Adams Cram US, gothic architect (Cathedral of St John the Divine NYC)
1865 Victor Rousseau Belgian sculptor
1869 Albert F Pollard British historian (Dict of natural biography)
1879 William Duncan Scotland, actor (Thunder Trail)
1882 Sir John Berry Hobbs England, 1st cricket player knighted (1953)
1882 Walther Meissner German physicist (Meissner effect)
1882 Zoltán Kodály Kecskemét Hungary, composer (Psalmus Hungaricus)
1883 Max Linder Caverne France, actor/comic/director (Max Prend un Bain)
1888 Alphonse Juin French marshal
1890 Harlan Sanders founder/CEO (Kentucky Fried Chicken)
1892 A "Shon Nènè" Morales Antillean/Netherlands very old lady
1892 Cameron Prud'Homme Auburn CA, actor (Rainmaker)
1893 Vladimir Golschmann Paris France, conductor with Immortal Downbeat
1895 Lidj Jasu emperor of Ethiopia
1897 Jacobus Petrus Duminy cricketer (three Tests for South Africa 1927-29)
1897 Paul Neuhuys Belgian playwright (Le Canari et le Cerise)
1899 Sir Noel Coward playwright (In Which We Serve-1942 Academy Award)
1899 Harold Walter Bailey philologist
19-- Dori Brenner [Levine] New York NY, actress (Rhoda Gold-7th Avenue)
19-- Patti Deutsch Pittsburgh PA, comedienne (Ace Trucking Co, Laugh-in)
19-- Ross Kettle actor (Santa Barbara)
19-- Terry Carter [John E. DeCoste] Brooklyn NY, actor (McCloud, Battlestar Galactica)
1900 Victor S Pritchett literary critic/author (Myth Makers)
1901 Margaret Mead Philadelphia PA, anthropologist (Coming of Age in Samoa)
1903 Hardie Albright Pittsburgh PA, actress (Silver Streak, Scarlet Letter)
1903 Rafael Alberti Spanish poet (El hombre deshabitado)
1904 Edward Morris Bernstein economist
1904 Norbert E Fonteyne Flemish writer (Guest house Vivès)
1905 Piet Hein poet/inventor
1906 John Morrison politician/landowner
1906 Lord Margadale English Conservative parliament leader/large landowner
1907 Ray C Bliss (R) Ohio State Republican Chairman
1907 Syd Curnow cricketer (South African batsman in 7 Tests 1930-32)
1909 Henricus Verbunt civil servant/resistance fighter
1909 Lall Singh cricketer (scored 15 & 29 in India's 1st Test match)
1910 Freddie Brown Peru, cricketer ("Lettuces! Hearts as big as ")
1910 Robert Noehren composer
1910 Stanojlo Rajicic composer
1915 Georgy Vasilevich Svirdov composer
1916 Theo Bitter Dutch painter/set designer
1916 Udom Patpongsiri property developer
1917 Arthur C[harles] Clarke sci-fi author (2001, 2010, Childhood's End)
1918 Henry Clarke fashion photographer
1919 Manke Nelis [Cornelis Pieters] Dutch folk vocalist (Small Yodel Boy)
1922 Pierre Chany writer/cycling journalist
1923 Tip [Silvio A] Marugg Antillian writer (Weekend pilgrimage)
1923 Werner Haentjes composer
1926 James McCracken Gary IN, dramatic tenor (Rodolfo-La Bohéme)
1926 Alfred Koerppen composer
1927 G Randall P D Garrett US, sci-fi writer (Takeoff (too)!)
1927 Peter [Malcolm] Dickinson Zambia, sci-fi author (Heartsease)
1928 Peter Nailor civil servant/historian
1928 Philip K[indred] Dick US, sci-fi author (Hugo-1963, Blade Runner)
1929 Ian Board barkeeper
1932 Rodion Konstantinovich Schedrin Moscow, composer (Humpback Horse)
1937 Joyce Bulifant Newport News VA, actress (Marie-Mary Tyler Moore Show)
1937 Jim Glaser Spalding NE, singer (Glaser Brothers-Getting to Me Again)
1937 Joe Farrell rocker
1938 Michael Greer Durham NC, actor (Bobby Gentry Show)
1939 Liv Ullman Tokyo Japan, actress (Cries & Whispers, 40 Carats)
1940 Dimitri van Toren Dutch vocalist/composer
1941 Lesley Stahl Lynn MA, White House correspondent (CBS-TV)
1941 Vittoria Mezzogiorno Italian actor (L'homme blessé, Tre fratelli)
1943 Steven Bochco producer (Hill St Blues, LA Law, St Elsewhere, NYPD Blue)
1943 Anthony Hicks rock guitarist (Hollies-The Air That I Breathe)
1944 John Abercrombie rocker
1946 Adriaan van Dis Dutch TV host/writer (Promised Country)
1946 Benny Andersson Stockholm Sweden, singer (ABBA-Money! Money! Money!, Dancing Queen)
1946 Fred Borgman Dutch 2nd chamber member (CDA)
1947 Vincent Matthews US, 400 meter dash (Olympics-gold-1972)
1947 Ben Cross England, actor (Chariots of Fire, Far Pavillions)
1949 Billy Gibbons Houston TX, jazz guitarist (Moving Sidewalks, ZZ Top)
1950 Caroline Munro Windsor, actress (Golden Voyage of Sinbad) [or 1/16]
1950 Ieremia Tabai President of Kiribati (Gilbert Islands) (1979-91)
1952 Elayne Boosler comedienne (Night Court)
1952 Joel Garner cricketer (two-metre West Indian pace bowler 1977-87)
1953 Filip Bolluyt Dutch actor (Daybreak)
1953 Joel Garner Barbados, bowler
1954 Joslyn Y Hoyte-Smith Barbados, 4X400 meter hurdler (Olympics-bronze-1980)
1955 Carol M Browner US Administrator (EPA)
1955 Graeme Stevenson cricketer (England medium pacer 1980-81)
1958 Bart Oates NFL center (New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers)
1959 Alison La Placa New Jersey, actress (Duet, Catherine-John Larroquette Show)
1959 Steven Irvine rock drummer (Lloyd Cole & The Commotions)
1961 Kelly Tough Vancouver British Columbia, playmate (October 1981)
1962 Maruschka Detmers Schoonebeek Holland, actress (Devil in the Flesh)
1962 Melanie Smith Scranton PA, actress (Emily-As the World Turns)
1962 William "The Refrigerator" Perry NFL defensive back (Chicago Bears)
1962 Jon Tenney actor (Brooklyn South)
1963 Benjamin Bratt California, actor (Detective Reynaldo Curtis-Law & Order)
1963 Brian Clark Brandon Man, Canadian Tour golfer (1994 Morden Pro-Am)
1963 Cathy Johnston-Forbes High Point NC, LPGA golfer (1990 du Maurier)
1963 Silvio Diliberto WLAF kicker (Amsterdam Admirals)
1964 Billy Ripken Havre de Grace MD, 2nd baseman (Baltimore Orioles, Texas Rangers)
1964 Evelyn Conley San Francisco CA, WPVA volleyballer (US Open-7th-1989)
1964 Gail Harris Dewsbury England, actress (Virtual Desire)
1964 Heike Drechsler Gera German Democratic Republic, sprinter (1988 world record)
1965 Cynthia Lynne White Oklahoma City OK, Miss Oklahoma-America (1991-top 10)
1965 Brent Franklin Barrie Ontario, Canadian Tour golfer (1992 Japan Open-2nd)
1965 Chris Jones Utica NY, outfielder (New York Mets)
1965 Moe Elewonibi NFL/CFL tackle (Philadelphia Eagles, British Columbia Lions)
1965 Page Dunlap Harrisonburg VA, LPGA golfer (1994 Atlanta Women's-8th)
1965 Romallis Ellis Washington DC, lightweight boxer (Olympics-bronze-1988)
1966 Clifford Robinson NBA center (Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers)
1967 Donovan Bailey Manchester Jamaica, Canada 100 meter runner (Olympics-2 gold-96)
1968 Darryll Lewis NFL cornerback (Houston/Tennessee Oilers)
1968 Paul Scherrer actor (Children of Corn II, Free Spirit)
1968 Wendy Doolan Sydney Australia, LPGA golfer (1991 British Amateur Champion-2nd)
1969 Charles Mincy NFL safety (Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
1969 Craig White cricketer (England all-rounder 1994-95, AIS graduate)
1969 Martin Ulrich hockey defenseman (Team Austria 1998)
1971 Michael S McCary [Boss] Philadelphia PA, rapper (Boyz II Men)
1971 Catherine "Cathy" Symon Washington DC, rower (Olympics-96)
1971 Kristen Kane Jacksonville FL, diver (Olympics-96)
1973 Kristie Boogert Rotterdam Netherlands, tennis star (1996 Paris)
1979 Nicole Werra Miss Wisconsin Teen USA (1996)