October 17

Events
Up to 1900
1091 - London tornado of 1091: A tornado thought to be of strength T8/F4 strikes the heart of London.
1346 - The English capture King David II of Scotland at Neville's Cross and imprison him for eleven years.
1448 - An Ottoman army defeats a Hungarian army at the Second Battle of Kosovo.
1456 - The University of Greifswald is established as the second oldest university in northern Europe.
1534 - Anti-Catholic posters appear in Paris and other cities supporting Huldrych Zwingli's position on the Mass.
1558 - Poczta Polska, the Polish postal service, is founded.
1604 - Kepler's Supernova is observed in the constellation of Ophiuchus.
1610 - French king Louis XIII is crowned in Reims Cathedral.
1660 - The Nine regicides who signed the death warrant of Charles I of England are hanged, drawn and quartered.
1662 - Charles II of England sells Dunkirk to France for 40,000 pounds.
1771 - Premiere in Milan of the opera Ascanio in Alba, composed by Mozart at age 15.
1777 - American Revolutionary War: British General John Burgoyne surrenders his army at Saratoga, New York.
1781 - American Revolutionary War: British General Charles, Earl Cornwallis surrenders at the Siege of Yorktown.
1800 - War of the Second Coalition: Britain takes control of the Dutch colony of Curacao.
1806 - Former leader of the Haitian Revolution, Emperor Jacques I, is assassinated after an oppressive rule.
1814 - Eight people die in the London Beer Flood.
1817 - The tomb of Pharaoh Seti I is discovered.
1827 - Bellini's third opera, Il pirata, is premiered at Milan.
1860 - First The Open Championship (referred to in North America as the British Open).
1861 - Aborigines kill Nineteen Europeans in the Cullin-la-ringo massacre.
1888 - Thomas Edison files a patent for the Optical Phonograph (the first movie).
1901 - 2000
1907 - Marconi begins the first commercial transatlantic wireless service.
1912 - Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia declare war on the Ottoman Empire, joining Montenegro in the First Balkan War.
1919 - RCA is incorporated as the Radio Corporation of America.
1931 - Al Capone is convicted of income tax evasion.
1933 - Albert Einstein flees Nazi Germany and moves to the United States.
1940 - The body of Communist propagandist Willi Munzenberg found in South France, starting a never-resolved mystery.
1941 - World War II: The USS Kearny becomes the first US Navy vessel to be torpedoed by a U-boat.
1943 - The Burma Railway (Burma-Thailand Railway) is completed.
1943 - Holocaust in Poland: Sobibor extermination camp is closed.
1945 - A massive demonstration in Buenos Aires, Argentina, demands Juan Peron's release.
1956 - The first commercial nuclear power station is officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II in Sellafield, England.
1956 - Bobby Fischer defeats Donald Byrne in the chess Game of the Century.
1961 - Directed by their chief Maurice Papon, Paris police massacre scores of Algerian protesters.
1965 - The 1964-65 New York World's Fair closes after two years and more than 51 million attendees.
1966 - The 23rd Street Fire in New York City kills 12 firefighters.
1970 - FLQ terrorists murder Quebec Vice-Premier and Minister of Labour Pierre Laporte.
1973 - OPEC imposes an oil embargo against countries they deem to have helped Israel in the Yom Kippur War.
1977 - The hijacked Lufthansa Flight 181 lands in Mogadishu. The remaining hostages are later rescued.
1979 - Mother Teresa is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
1979 - The Department of Education Organization Act creates the US Department of Education.
1980 - As part of the Holy See-United Kingdom relations a British monarch makes the first state visit to the Vatican
1989 - The 6.9 Loma Prieta earthquake shakes the San Francisco Bay Area and the Central Coast, killing Sixty-three.
1989 - The East German Politburo votes to remove Erich Honecker from his role as General Secretary.
1992 - Having gone to the wrong house, Japanese student Yoshihiro Hattori is killed by the homeowner in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
1994 - Russian journalist Dmitry Kholodov is assassinated while investigating corruption in the armed forces.
2000 - The Hatfield rail crash leads to the collapse of Railtrack.
2001 onwards
2001 - Israeli tourism minister Rehavam Ze'evi becomes the first Israeli minister to be assassinated in a terrorist attack.
2003 - Taipei 101, a 101-floor skyscraper in Taipei, becomes the world's tallest highrise.
2006 - The population of the United States officially reaches 300 million.
2018 - The recreational use of cannabis is legalized in Canada.
2018 - Kerch Polytechnic College attack in Crimea.
Births
Up to 1800
503 - Ly Nam De, first emperor of Vietnam (d. 548)
1253 - Ivo of Kermartin, French priest and saint (d. 1303)
1493 - Bartolommeo Bandinelli, Italian sculptor (d. 1560)
1500 - Alonso de Orozco Mena, Spanish Roman Catholic priest (d. 1591)
1577 - Cristofano Allori, Italian painter (d. 1621)
1577 - Dmitry Pozharsky, Russian prince (d. 1642)
1582 - Johann Gerhard, German theologian and academic (d. 1637)
1587 - Nathan Field, English dramatist and actor (d. 1620)
1623 - Francis Turretin, Swiss-Italian minister, theologian, and academic (d. 1687)
1629 - Balthasar Charles, Prince of Asturias (d. 1646)
1688 - Domenico Zipoli, Italian missionary and composer (d. 1726)
1711 - Jupiter Hammon, American poet (d. 1806)
1719 - Jacques Cazotte, French author and academic (d. 1792)
1720 - Maria Teresa Agnesi Pinottini, Italian harpsichord player and composer (d. 1795)
1725 - John Wilkes, English journalist and politician (d. 1797)
1729 - Pierre-Alexandre Monsigny, French composer and academic (d. 1817)
1735 - Franz Xaver Feuchtmayer the Younger, German Baroque artist (d. 1803)
1759 - Andrey Voronikhin, Russian architect and painter (d. 1814)
1760 - Claude Henri de Rouvroy, comte de Saint-Simon, French economist and philosopher (d. 1825)
1760 - Henri de Saint-Simon, French political and economic theorist (d. 1825)
1768 - Sophie von Donhoff, morganatic spouse by bigamy to King Frederick William II of Prussia (d. 1838)
1779 - Louis Charles, French prince of the blood (d. 1808)
1779 - Jose Andres Pacheco de Melo, Argetine statesman and priest (d. approx. 1820)
1780 - Richard Mentor Johnson, ninth Vice President of the United States (d. 1850)
1781 - Johann Friedrich Meckel, German anatomist (d. 1833)
1784 - Fructuoso Rivera, first president of Uruguay (d. 1854)
1785 - Christen Smith, Norwegian scientist (d. 1816)
1792 - John Bowring, English polyglot and governor of Hong Kong (d. 1826)
1797 - Juan Lavalle, Argentine politician (d. 1841)
1801 - 1900
1803 - Ferenc Deak, Hungarian politician (d. 1876)
1810 - Adolphe-Felix Cals, French painter (d. 1880)
1811 - Albertus van Raalte, Dutch-American pastor and educator (d. 1876)
1813 - Georg Buchner, German-Swiss poet and playwright (d. 1837)
1814 - Yakiv Holovatsky, Ukrainian historian, scholar, and poet (d. 1888)
1817 - Syed Ahmad Khan, Indian philosopher and scholar (d. 1898)
1821 - Alexander Gardner, Scottish photographer (d. 1882)
1828 - Aureliano Maestre de San Juan, Spanish scientist (d. 1890)
1833 - Jose E. Dias, Paraguayan general (d. 1867)
1835 - Louis-Leon Cugnot, French sculptor (d. 1894)
1835 - Paul Haenlein, German mechanical engineer (d.1905)
1840 - Andre Gill, French caricaturist (d. 1885)
1844 - Gustave Schlumberger, French historian (d. 1929)
1845 - John J. Gardner, American politician (d. 1921)
1853 - Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia (d. 1920)
1859 - Childe Hassam, American painter and illustrator (d. 1935)
1860 - Henry Campbell Black, founder of Black's Law Dictionary (d. 1927)
1864 - Elinor Glyn, English author, screenwriter, and producer (d. 1943)
1865 - James Rudolph Garfield, American lawyer and politician, 23rd United States Secretary of the Interior (d. 1950)
1867 - Josep Puig i Cadafalch, Catalan architect who designed the Casa Marti (d. 1956)
1871 - Segundo de Chomon, Spanish cinematographer, director, and screenwriter (d.1929)
1876 - Hippolyte Aucouturier, French cyclist (d. 1944)
1878 - Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart, Spanish politician and 17th Duke of Alba (d. 1953)
1880 - Jesus Reyes Ferreira, Mexican artist and art collector (d. 1977)
1881 - Maria Duleba, Polish actress (d. 1959)
1883 - Alexander Neill, Scottish educator (d. 1973)
1883 - Thaddeus Shideler, American hurdler (d. 1966)
1886 - Spring Byington, American actress (d. 1971)
1889 - Mikha'il Na'ima, Lebanese author (d. 1988)
1890 - Roy Kilner, English cricketer (d. 1928)
1892 - Theodor Eicke, German SS general (d. 1943)
1892 - Herbert Howells, English organist, composer, and educator (d. 1983)
1893 - Raffaele Bendandi, Italian clockmaker and seismologist (d. 1979)
1894 - Prince Rene, Italian Prince of Denmark (d. 1962)
1894 - Pablo de Rokha, Chilean poet (d. 1968)
1895 - Miguel Ydigoras Fuentes, President of Guatemala (1958 - 1963) (d. 1982)
1895 - Doris Humphrey, American dancer and choreographer (d. 1858)
1896 - Roman Petrovich, Russian prince (d. 1978)
1898 - Shinichi Suzuki, Japanese violinist and educator (d. 1998)
1898 - Eileen Sedgwick, American actress (d. 1991)
1898 - Simon Vestdijk, Dutch author and poet (d. 1971)
1900 - C. C. van Asch van Wijck, Dutch artist and sculptor (d. 1932)
1900 - Jean Arthur, American actress (d. 1991)
1900 - Yvor Winters, American critic and poet (d. 1968)
1901 - 1925
1901 - Emma Gamboa Alvarado, Costa Rican educator (d. 1973)
1902 - Irene Ryan, American actress (d. 1973)
1903 - Nathanael West, American author and screenwriter (d. 1940)
1903 - Andrei Grechko, Soviet general (d. 1976)
1905 - Leopoldo Benites, Ecuadorian diplomat 28th president of the United Nations General Assembly (d. 1996)
1906 - Paul Derringer, American baseball player (d. 1987)
1907 - John Marley, American actor (d. 1984)
1908 - Hjordis Petterson, Swedish actress (d. 1988)
1908 - Wally Prigg, Australian rugby league player (d. 1980)
1908 - Red Rolfe, American baseball player, coach, and manager (d. 1969)
1908 - Kenji Miyamoto, Japanese politician (d. 2007)
1909 - Cozy Cole, American drummer (d. 1981)
1909 - Leopoldo Panero, Spanish poet (d. 1962)
1909 - Joaquin Satrustegui, Spanish lawyer and politician (d. 1992)
1910 - Ester Wier, American author (d. 2000)
1910 - Marina Nunez del Prado, Bolivian sculptor (d. 1995)
1912 - Pope John Paul I, Catholic pope from August 1978- September 1978 (d. 1978)
1912 - Theodore Marier, American composer and educator, founded the Boston Archdiocesan Choir School (d. 2001)
1912 - Jack Owens, American singer-songwriter and pianist (d. 1982)
1913 - Faik Turun, Turkish general (d. 2003)
1913 - Robert Lowery, American actor (d. 1971)
1913 - Marian Marsh, Trinidadian-American actress and environmentalist (d. 2006)
1914 - Jerry Siegel, American author and illustrator (d. 1996)
1915 - Arthur Miller, American playwright and screenwriter (d. 2005)
1916 - Jose Lopez Rega, Argentinean politician (d. 1989)
1917 - Adele Stimmel Chase, American painter and sculptor (d. 2000)
1917 - Martin Donnelly, New Zealand cricketer (d. 1999)
1917 - Sumner Locke Elliott, Australian-American author and playwright (d. 1991)
1917 - Marsha Hunt, American actress and singer
1917 - Norman Leyden, American composer and conductor (d. 2014)
1917 - Alfred Benlloch Llorach, Spanish inventor (d. 2013)
1918 - Rita Hayworth, American actress, singer and dancer (d. 1987)
1918 - Ralph Wilson, American businessman, founded the Buffalo Bills (d. 2014)
1918 - Luis Alberto Solari, Uruguayan artist (d. 1993)
1919 - Isaak Markovich Khalatnikov, Ukrainian-Russian physicist and academic (d. 2021)
1919 - Violet Milstead, Canadian World War II aviator and bush pilot (d. 2014)
1919 - Zhao Ziyang, Chinese politician (d. 2005)
1920 - Montgomery Clift, American actor (d. 1966)
1920 - Miguel Delibes, Spanish journalist and author (d. 2010)
1920 - Zully Moreno, Argentian actress (d. 1999)
1921 - George Mackay Brown, Scottish author, poet, and playwright (d. 1996)
1921 - Priscilla Buckley, American journalist and author (d. 2012)
1921 - Maria Gorokhovskaya, Russian-Israeli gymnast (d. 2001)
1921 - Tom Poston, American actor and comedian (d. 2007)
1922 - Luiz Bonfa, Brazilian guitarist and composer (d. 2001)
1922 - Pierre Juneau, Canadian broadcaster and politician, co-founded the Montreal World Film Festival (d. 2012)
1923 - Barney Kessel, American guitarist and composer (d. 2004)
1923 - Charles McClendon, American football player and coach (d. 2001)
1924 - Don Coryell, American football player and coach (d. 2010)
1924 - Anton Geiser, Croatian SS officer (d. 2012)
1924 - Giacomo Mari, Italian football midfielder (d. 1991)
1924 - Rolando Panerai, Italian baritone (d. 2019)
1925 - Harry Carpenter, English sportscaster (d. 2010)
1926 - 1950
1926 - Julie Adams, American actress (d. 2019)
1926 - Beverly Garland, American actress (d. 2008)
1926 - Josine Ianco-Starrels, Romanian-American art curator (d. 2019)
1926 - Roberto Lippi, Italian race car driver (d. 2011)
1928 - Santiago Stevenson, Panamanian singer and minister (d. 2007)
1928 - Alejandro Vegh Villegas, Uruguayan politician (d. 2017)
1929 - Mario Wilson, Mozambican footballer and manager (d. 2016)
1930 - Ismail Akbay, Turkish physicist and engineer (d. 2003)
1930 - Robert Atkins, American physician and cardiologist, created the Atkins diet (d. 2003)
1930 - Jimmy Breslin, American journalist and author (d. 2017)
1931 - Ernst Hinterberger, Austrian author and playwright (d. 2012)
1931 - Jose Alencar, Brazilian businessman and politician (d. 2011)
1931 - Anatoly Pristavkin, Russian writer (d. 2008)
1932 - Paul Anderson, American weightlifter (d. 1994)
1933 - William Anders, Hong Kong-American general and astronaut
1933 - The Singing Nun, Belgian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and nun (d. 1985)
1934 - Alan Garner, English author and playwright
1934 - Johnny Haynes, English-Scottish footballer (d. 2005)
1934 - Rico Rodriguez, American trombonist (d. 2015)
1935 - Sydney Chapman, English architect and politician, Vice-Chamberlain of the Household (d. 2014)
1935 - Michael Eavis, English farmer, founded the Glastonbury Festival
1935 - Carlos Pairetti, Argetine racing driver
1936 - Sathima Bea Benjamin, South African singer-songwriter (d. 2013)
1936 - Hiroo Kanamori, Japanese-American seismologist and academic
1936 - Santiago Navarro, Spanish basketball player (d. 1993)
1937 - Paxton Whitehead, English actor
1937 - Jose Maria Alvarez del Manzano, Spanish politician
1937 - Aida Navarro, Venezuelan mezzo-soprano
1937 - Renato Prada Oropeza, Bolivian-Mexican scientist (d. 2011)
1938 - Evel Knievel, American motorcycle rider and stuntman (d. 2007)
1938 - Les Murray, Australian anthologist, poet, and critic
1938 - Antonio Calvario, Portuguese singer and artist
1939 - Oliver Rackham, English botanist and academic (d. 2015)
1940 - Stephen Kovacevich, American pianist and conductor
1940 - Jim Smith, English footballer and manager
1940 - Peter Stringfellow, English businessman (d. 2018)
1941 - Earl Thomas Conley, American country singer-songwriter and guitarist
1941 - Jim Seals, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and violinist
1941 - Paul Ellison, American musician
1942 - Steve Jones, American basketball player and sportscaster (d. 2017)
1942 - Gary Puckett, American pop singer-songwriter and guitarist
1943 - Ignacio Ruperez, Spanish diplomat and journalist (d. 2015)
1944 - Angel Cristo, Spanish circus performer (d. 2012)
1946 - Ronni Chasen, American publicist (d. 2010)
1946 - Michael Hossack, American drummer (d. 2012)
1946 - Cameron Mackintosh, English producer and manager
1946 - Adam Michnik, Polish journalist and historian
1946 - Drusilla Modjeska, English-Australian author and critic
1946 - Bob Seagren, American pole vaulter
1946 - Manuel Ibanez, Mexican actor and comedian
1946 - Julio Miranda, Argentine politician
1946 - Daniela Paysse, Uruguayan politician (d. 2018)
1946 - Jose Perramon, Spanish handball player
1946 - Jaime Ravinet, Chilean politician
1946 - Rudiger Wittig, German geobotanist and ecologist
1946 - Akira Kushida, Japanese vocalist
1947 - Gene Green, American lawyer and politician
1947 - Michael McKean, American singer-songwriter, actor, and director
1947 - Robert Post, American educator and academic
1947 - Omar Azziman, adviser to the King of Morocco
1948 - Robert Jordan, American soldier and author (d. 2007)
1948 - Margot Kidder, Canadian-American actress (d. 2018)
1948 - George Wendt, American actor and comedian
1948 - Osvaldo Castro, Chilean footballer
1949 - Owen Arthur, Barbadian economist and politician, 5th Prime Minister of Barbados
1949 - Bill Hudson, American musician and actor
1950 - Philippe Barbarin, French cardinal
1950 - Howard Rollins, American actor (d. 1996)
1950 - Sandra Reemer, Dutch singer (d. 2017)
1951 - 1975
1951 - Annie Borckink, Dutch speed skater
1951 - Roger Pontare, Swedish singer
1951 - Shari Ulrich, American-Canadian singer-songwriter and violinist
1951 - Dirk Beheydt, Belgian football player.
1953 - Joseph Bowie, American trombonist and bandleader
1953 - Domenico Penzo, Italian footballer
1954 - Carlos Buhler, American mountaineer
1955 - Georgios Alogoskoufis, Greek economist, academic, and politician, Greek Minister of Finance
1955 - Mike Bratz, American basketball player
1956 - Fran Cosmo, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
1956 - Mae Jemison, American physician, academic, and astronaut
1956 - Pat McCrory, American businessman and politician, 74th Governor of North Carolina
1956 - Stephen Palumbi, American academic and author
1957 - Lawrence Bender, American actor and producer
1957 - Steve McMichael, American football player, wrestler, and sportscaster
1957 - Vincent Van Patten, American tennis player and actor
1957 - Antonio Galdo, Italian journalist
1957 - Nelson Barrera, Mexican baseball player (d. 2002)
1957 - Pino Palladino, Welsh bassist
1957 - Eleftheria Arvanitaki, Greek folk singer
1958 - Howard Alden, American guitarist
1958 - Alan Jackson, American singer-songwriter
1958 - Craig Murray, British diplomat
1958 - Sandra Mozarowsky, Spanish actress (d. 1977)
1959 - Ron Drummond, American author and scholar
1959 - Francisco Flores Perez, Salvadorian politician, President of El Salvador (d. 2016)
1959 - Russell Gilbert, Australian comedian, actor, and screenwriter
1959 - Norm Macdonald, Canadian actor, comedian, producer, and screenwriter
1959 - Mark Peel, Australian historian and academic
1959 - Richard Roeper, American journalist and critic
1959 - Mustafa Aberchan, Spanish politician
1959 - Eugenio Hernandez Flores, Mexican politician
1960 - Guy Henry, English actor
1960 - Rob Marshall, American director, producer, and choreographer
1960 - Bernie Nolan, Irish singer (d. 2013)
1960 - Philippe Sands, American lawyer and academic
1961 - David Means, American short story writer
1962 - Glenn Braggs, American baseball player
1962 - Mike Judge, American animator, director, screenwriter, producer and actor
1962 - Jay Humphries, American basketball player
1963 - Sergio Goycochea, Argentinian footballer and journalist
1963 - Toby Young, English journalist and academic
1964 - Gregg Wallace, English television presenter
1964 - Margarita Liborio Arrazola, Mexican politician
1965 - Aravinda de Silva, Sri Lankan cricketer
1965 - Rhys Muldoon, Australian actor
1966 - Shaun Edwards, English rugby player and coach
1966 - Danny Ferry, American basketball player and manager
1966 - Mark Gatiss, English actor, screenwriter and novelist
1966 - Tommy Kendall, American race car driver and sportscaster
1967 - Simon Segars, English businessman
1967 - Nathalie Tauziat, French tennis player
1967 - Rene Dif, Danish musician
1967 - Pedro Gonzalez Vera, Chilean footballer
1968 - Graeme Le Saux, English footballer and sportscaster
1968 - Ziggy Marley, Jamaican singer-songwriter, guitarist, and voice actor
1968 - David Robertson, Scottish footballer and manager
1968 - Alejandra Avalos, Mexican artist
1969 - Ernie Els, South African golfer and sportscaster
1969 - Wyclef Jean, Haitian-American rapper, producer, and actor
1969 - Rick Mercer, Canadian comedian, actor, producer, and screenwriter
1969 - Wood Harris, American actor
1970 - Anil Kumble, Indian cricketer
1970 - John Mabry, American baseball player, coach, and sportscaster
1970 - J. C. MacKenzie, Canadian actor
1971 - Blues Saraceno, American guitarist, songwriter, and producer
1971 - Chris Kirkpatrick, American singer-songwriter and dancer
1971 - Kim Ljung, Norwegian singer-songwriter and bass player
1971 - Martin Heinrich, American politician
1971 - Derrick Plourde, American drummer (d. 2005)
1972 - Eminem, American rapper, producer, and actor
1972 - Tarkan, German-Turkish singer
1972 - Akio "Musashi" Mori, Japanese karateka and kickboxer
1973 - Andrea Tarozzi, Italian footballer and coach
1973 - Ruben Garces, Panamanian basketball player
1974 - Ariel Levy, American journalist and author
1974 - Matthew Macfadyen, English actor
1974 - Obdulio Avila Mayo, Mexican politician
1974 - Barbara Paz, Brazilian actress
1974 - Janne Puurtinen, Finnish keyboard player
1974 - John Rocker, American baseball player
1974 - Dario Sala, Argentine footballer
1974 - Gabriel Silberstein, Chilean tennis player
1974 - Dhondup Wangchen, Chinese director and producer
1975 - Francis Bouillon, American-Canadian ice hockey player
1975 - Jerico Abramo Masso, Mexican politician
1975 - Vina Morales, Filipino actress and singer
1976 onwards
1976 - Sebastian Abreu, Uruguayan footballer
1976 - Seth Etherton, American baseball player
1976 - Carlos Loret de Mola, Mexican journalist
1976 - Kevin Maher, English-Irish footballer and coach
1977 - Dudu Aouate, Israeli footballer
1977 - Alimi Ballard, American actor and producer
1977 - Bryan Bertino, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
1977 - Walter Calderon, Ecuadorian footballer
1977 - Marko Antonio Cortes Mendoza, Mexican politician
1977 - Ryan McGinley, American photographer
1977 - Andre Villas-Boas, Portuguese footballer and manager
1978 - Pablo Iglesias Turrion, Spanish politician
1978 - Jerry Flannery, Irish rugby player and coach
1978 - Erin Karpluk, Canadian actress
1978 - Chuka Umunna, English lawyer and politician
1979 - Marcela Bovio, Mexican singer-songwriter and violinist
1979 - Alexandros Nikolaidis, Greek martial artist
1979 - Kimi Raikkonen, Finnish race car driver
1979 - Kostas Tsartsaris, Greek basketball player
1980 - Yekaterina Gamova, Russian volleyball player
1980 - Mohammad Hafeez, Pakistani cricketer
1980 - Isaac Mina, Ecuadorian footballer
1980 - Angel Parker, American actress
1980 - Alessandro Piccolo, Italian race car driver
1980 - Justin Shenkarow, American actor
1981 - Horacio Cervantes, Mexican footballer
1981 - Kurumi Enomoto, Japanese singer-songwriter
1981 - Tsubasa Imai, Japanese singer, actor, and dancer
1981 - Ben Rothwell, American mixed-martial artist
1982 - Ruben Ramirez, Argentine football striker
1982 - Nick Riewoldt, Australian footballer
1982 - Marion Rolland, alpine ski racer
1983 - Michelle Ang, New Zealander actress
1983 - Milica Brozovic, Serbian-Russian figure skater
1983 - Felicity Jones, English actress
1983 - Toshihiro Matsushita, Japanese footballer
1983 - Riki Miura, Japanese actor
1983 - Junichi Miyashita, Japanese swimmer
1983 - Ivan Saenko, Russian footballer
1983 - Mitch Talbot, American baseball player
1983 - Vitali Teles, Estonian footballer
1984 - Chris Lowell, American actor
1984 - Giovanni Marchese, Italian footballer
1984 - Randall Munroe, American author and illustrator
1984 - Luke Rockhold, American mixed martial artist
1984 - Anja Eline Skybakmoen, Norwegian singer-songwriter and bandleader
1984 - Gottfrid Svartholm, Swedish computer specialist
1984 - Jared Tallent, Australian race walker
1985 - Carlos Gonzalez, Venezuelan baseball player
1985 - Max Irons, English-Irish actor
1985 - Collins John, Dutch footballer
1985 - Tomokazu Nagira, Japanese footballer
1986 - Alexandre Bonnet, French football midfielder
1986 - Antoni Bou, Spanish motorcyclist
1986 - Aija Brumermane, Latvian basketball player
1986 - Constant Djakpa, Ivorian footballer
1986 - Yannick Ponsero, French figure skater
1986 - Nicolas Richotti, Argentine basketball player
1987 - Bea Alonzo, Filipino actress and singer
1987 - Jaroslaw Fojut, Polish footballer
1987 - Elliot Grandin, French football winger
1987 - Hideto Takahashi, Japanese footballer
1988 - Sergiy Gladyr, Ukrainian basketball player
1988 - Dami Im, South Korean-born Australian singer
1988 - Tori Matsuzaka, Japanese actor and model
1988 - Marina Salas, Spanish actress
1989 - Debora Garcia, Spanish football midfielder
1989 - Oleksandr Isakov, Ukrainian swimmer
1989 - Sophie Luck, Australian actress
1989 - David Timor, Spanish footballer
1990 - Paolo Campinoti, Italian footballer
1990 - Maica Garcia Godoy, Spanish water polo player
1990 - Ronald Gonzalez Tabilo, Chilean footballer
1990 - Saki Kumagai, Japanese footballer
1990 - Patrick Lambie, South African rugby player
1991 - Brenda Asnicar, Argentine actress
1992 - Sam Concepcion, Filipino musician and dancer
1992 - Keerthy Suresh, Indian actress
1993 - Kenneth Omeruo, Nigerian footballer
2001 - Thomas Strudwick, British motorcycle road racer
Deaths
Up to 1900
AD 33 - Agrippina the Elder, Roman wife of Germanicus (b. 14 BC)
532 - Pope Boniface II
866 - Al-Musta'in, Abbasid caliph (b. 836)
1271 - Steinvor Sighvatsdottir, Icelandic aristocrat and poet
1277 - Beatrice of Falkenburg, German queen consort (b. c. 1254)
1346 - John Randolph, 3rd Earl of Moray
1346 - Maurice de Moravia, Earl of Strathearn
1456 - Nicolas Grenon, French composer (b. 1375)
1485 - John Scott of Scott's Hall, Warden of the Cinque Ports
1552 - Andreas Osiander, German Protestant theologian (b. 1498)
1575 - Gaspar Cervantes de Gaeta, Spanish cardinal (b. 1511)
1586 - Philip Sidney, English courtier, poet, and general (b. 1554)
1587 - Francesco I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (b. 1541)
1616 - John Pitts, English priest and scholar (b. 1560)
1660 - Adrian Scrope, English colonel and politician (b. 1601)
1673 - Thomas Clifford, 1st Baron Clifford of Chudleigh, English politician, Lord High Treasurer of England (b. 1630)
1690 - Margaret Mary Alacoque, French mystic (b. 1647)
1757 - Rene Antoine Ferchault de Reaumur, French entomologist and academic (b. 1683)
1776 - Pierre Francois le Courayer, French-English theologian and author (b. 1681)
1780 - William Cookworthy, English pharmacist and minister (b. 1705)
1781 - Edward Hawke, 1st Baron Hawke, English admiral (b. 1705)
1786 - Johann Ludwig Aberli, Swiss painter and illustrator (b. 1723)
1806 - Jean-Jacques Dessalines, Haitian commander and politician, Governor-General of Haiti (b. 1758)
1836 - Orest Kiprensky, Russian painter (b. 1782)
1837 - Johann Nepomuk Hummel, Austrian pianist and composer (b. 1778)
1849 - Frederic Chopin, Polish pianist and composer (b. 1810)
1868 - Laura Secord, Canadian war heroine (b. 1775)
1887 - Gustav Kirchhoff, German physicist and chemist (b. 1824)
1889 - Nikolay Chernyshevsky, Russian philosopher and critic (b. 1828)
1893 - Patrice de MacMahon, Duke of Magenta, French general and politician, 3rd President of France (b. 1808)
1901 - 2000
1910 - Julia Ward Howe, American poet and songwriter (b. 1819)
1918 - Malak Hifni Nasif, Egyptian poet and author (b. 1886)
1928 - Frank Dicksee, English painter and illustrator (b. 1853)
1931 - Alfons Maria Jakob, German neurologist and academic (b. 1884)
1937 - J. Bruce Ismay, English businessman (b. 1862)
1938 - Karl Kautsky, Czech-German journalist, philosopher and theoretician (b. 1854)
1948 - Royal Cortissoz, American art critic (b. 1869)
1955 - Dimitrios Maximos, Greek banker and politician (b. 1873)
1956 - Anne Crawford, Israeli-English actress (b. 1920)
1958 - Paul Outerbridge, American photographer (b. 1896)
1958 - Charlie Townsend, English cricketer and lawyer (b. 1876)
1962 - Natalia Goncharova, Russian painter, costume designer, and set designer (b. 1882)
1963 - Jacques Hadamard, French mathematician and academic (b. 1865)
1965 - Bart King, American cricketer (b. 1873)
1966 - Sidney Hatch, American runner and soldier (b. 1883)
1966 - Wieland Wagner, German director and manager (b. 1917)
1967 - Puyi, Chinese emperor (b. 1906)
1970 - Pierre Laporte, Canadian journalist, lawyer, and politician (b. 1921)
1970 - Vola Vale, American actress (b. 1897)
1970 - Quincy Wright, American political scientist and academic (b. 1890)
1972 - Turk Broda, Canadian ice hockey player and coach (b. 1914)
1972 - George, Crown Prince of Serbia (b. 1887)
1973 - Ingeborg Bachmann, Austrian author and poet (b. 1926)
1978 - George Clark, American race car driver (b. 1890)
1978 - Giovanni Gronchi, Italian educator, soldier, and politician, 3rd President of the Italian Republic (b. 1887)
1979 - S. J. Perelman, American humorist and screenwriter (b. 1904)
1979 - John Stuart, Scottish-English actor (b. 1898)
1979 - Eugenio Mendoza, Venezuelan business tycoon (b. 1909)
1981 - Kannadasan Indian author, poet, and songwriter (b. 1927)
1981 - Albert Cohen, Greek-Swiss civil servant and author (b. 1895)
1981 - Lina Tsaldari, Greek politician (b. 1887)
1983 - Raymond Aron, French sociologist, political scientist, and philosopher (b. 1905)
1987 - Abdul Malek Ukil, Bangladeshi lawyer and politician (b. 1925)
1991 - Tennessee Ernie Ford, American singer and actor (b. 1919)
1992 - Herman Johannes, Indonesian scientist, academic, and politician (b. 1912)
1992 - Orestis Laskos, Greek actor, director, and screenwriter (b. 1908)
1993 - Criss Oliva, American guitarist and songwriter (b. 1963)
1996 - Chris Acland, English musician & drummer of Lush (b. 1966)
1997 - Larry Jennings, American magician and author (b. 1933)
1998 - Joan Hickson, English actress (b. 1906)
1998 - Hakim Said, Pakistani scholar and politician, 20th Governor of Sindh (b. 1920)
1999 - Nicholas Metropolis, Greek-American mathematician and physicist (b. 1915)
2000 - Leo Nomellini, Italian-American football player and wrestler (b. 1924)
2000 - Joachim Nielsen, Norwegian singer-songwriter and poet (b. 1964)
2001 onwards
2001 - Jay Livingston, American singer-songwriter (b. 1915)
2001 - Micheline Ostermeyer, French shot putter, discus thrower, and pianist (b. 1922)
2001 - Rehavam Ze'evi, Israeli historian, general, and politician, Tourism Minister of Israel (b. 1926)
2002 - Derek Bell, Irish harpist and composer (b. 1935)
2004 - Uzi Hitman, Israeli singer-songwriter (b. 1952)
2006 - Daniel Emilfork, Chilean-French actor (b. 1924)
2006 - Christopher Glenn, American journalist (b. 1938)
2007 - Joey Bishop, American actor and talk show host (b. 1918)
2007 - Teresa Brewer, American singer (b. 1931)
2007 - Suzy Covey, American scholar and academic (b. 1939)
2008 - Urmas Ott, Estonian journalist and author (b. 1955)
2008 - Levi Stubbs, American singer (b. 1936)
2008 - Ben Weider, Canadian businessman, co-founded the International Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness (b. 1923)
2009 - Norma Fox Mazer, American author and educator (b. 1931)
2009 - Vic Mizzy, American composer (b. 1916)
2011 - Carl Lindner, Jr., American businessman (b. 1919)
2012 - Milija Aleksic, English-South African footballer (b. 1951)
2012 - Emile Allais, French skier (b. 1912)
2012 - Henry Friedlander, German-American historian and author (b. 1930)
2012 - Sylvia Kristel, Dutch actress (b. 1952)
2012 - Stanford R. Ovshinsky, American scientist and businessman, co-founded Energy Conversion Devices (b. 1922)
2012 - Koji Wakamatsu, Japanese director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1936)
2013 - Mother Antonia, American-Mexican nun and activist (b. 1926)
2013 - Terry Fogerty, English rugby player and coach (b. 1944)
2013 - Arthur Maxwell House, Canadian neurologist and politician, 10th Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador (b. 1926)
2013 - Lou Scheimer, American animator, producer, and voice actor, co-founded the Filmation Company (b. 1928)
2013 - Rene Simpson, Canadian-American tennis player (b. 1966)
2014 - Edwards Barham, American farmer and politician (b. 1937)
2014 - Gero Bisanz, German football coach (b. 1935)
2014 - Masaru Emoto, Japanese author and activist (b. 1943)
2014 - Tom Shaw, American bishop (b. 1945)
2014 - Berndt von Staden, German diplomat, German Ambassador to the United States (b. 1919)
2015 - Daniele Delorme, French actress and producer (b. 1926)
2015 - Howard Kendall, English footballer and manager (b. 1946)
2015 - Anne-Marie Lizin, Belgian lawyer and politician (b. 1949)
2015 - Tom Smith, American businessman and politician (b. 1947)
2017 - Danielle Darrieux, French actress (b. 1917)
2017 - Gord Downie, Canadian musician (b. 1964)
2018 - Leone Frollo, Italian comic book artist (b. 1931)
2018 - Cornelius Edward Gallagher, American politician (b. 1921)
2018 - Ara Guler, Turkish photojournalist (b. 1928)
2018 - Jacques Monory, French painter and filmmaker (b. 1924)
2018 - Derrick Sherwin, English television producer and actor (b. 1936)
Holidays and observances
Christian feast day:
Andrew of Crete
Anstrudis
Catervus
Ethelred and Ethelberht
Florentius of Orange
Francois-Isidore Gagelin (one of Vietnamese Martyrs)
Hosea
Ignatius of Antioch
John the Short (John Colobus)
Marguerite Marie Alacoque (formerly)
Nothhelm
Rule of Andrew
Richard Gwyn
Victor of Capua
October 17 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Dessalines Day (Haiti)
Digital Society Day (India)
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
Loyalty Day (Argentina)
Kannemesai Festival (Ise Grand Shrine)