Famous Birthdays on February 15

Galileo Galilei (1564-1642)

Italian astronomer, physicist and engineer who has been called the father of science, born in Pisa, Duchy of Florence, Italy

1620 Francois Charpentier, French scholar and archaeologist, born in Paris, France (d. 1702)
1650 Anne Jules de Noailles, French general under Louis XIV (marshal of France), born in Paris, France (d. 1708)
1660 Frans Anneessens, Belgian merchant (Dean of Brussels Guild accessed of involvement in uprising) (d. 1719)
1666 Antonio Maria Valsalva, Italian anatomist (anatomy of the ear), born in Imola (d. 1723)
1705 Charles-André Van Loo, French Rococo painter, born in Nice, France (d. 1765)
1707 Claude Prosper Jolyot de Crébillon, French satirical novelist (The Skimmer), born in Paris, France (d. 1777)
1710 Louis XV 'Louis the Beloved', King of France (1715-74), born in the Palace of Versailles, France (d. 1774)
1726 Abraham Clark, American politician, signed US Declaration of Independence, born in Elizabethtown, New Jersey (d. 1794)
1739 Alexandre-Théodore Brongniart, French architect (d. 1813)
1740 Ernst Eichner, German composer and bassoonist, born in Arolsen (d. 1777)
1748 Jeremy Bentham, English philosopher, social reformer and founder of modern utilitarianism, born in London (d. 1832)
1759 Friedrich August Wolf, German philologist (Prolegomena), born in Hainrode (d. 1824)
1760 Jean-François Le Sueur, French composer, noted for his operas and oratorios, born in Drucat-Plessiel, France (d. 1837)
1764 Jens Baggesen, Danish writer and linguist (Labyrinth), born in Korsør, Denmark (d. 1826)
1768 Joseph Bernard Cannaert [Olim], Flemish lawyer, born in Ghent (d. 1848)
1774 Frederick, Dutch Prince of Orange, General and Second son of King William V, born in the Hague, Netherlands (d. 1799)
1783 Johann Nepomuk Poissl, Bavarian composer, born in Rattiszell, Bavaria (d. 1865)
1789 Friedrich Fesca, German violinist, and composer, born in Magdeburg, Kingdom of Prussia (d. 1826)
1795 Charles Niellon, Belgian general (Liberation of Antwerp during Belgian Revolution), born in Strasbourg, France (d. 1871)
1797 Heinrich [Henry] Engelhard Steinway, German American piano maker (Steinway & Sons), born in Wolfshagen im Harz, Duchy of Brunswick (d. 1871)
1800 Frederick Willem Conrad, Dutch hydraulic engineer and railway pioneer (Katwyk), born near Haarlem, Netherlands (d. 1869)
1803 John Augustus Sutter, Swiss-American immigrant on whose land the California gold rush began (New Helvetia, Sutter Mill), born in Kandern, Baden (d. 1880)
1807 Ignacy Feliks Dobrzynski, Polish composer, born in Romanów, Russian Empire (d. 1867)
1809 André Dumont, Belgian geologist, born in Liège, Belgium (d. 1857)

Cyrus McCormick (1809-1884)

American inventor and businessman (mechanical reaper), born in Shenandoah Valley, Virginia

1811 Domingo F Sarmiento, President of Argentina (1868-74), born in San Juan, Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata (d. 1888)

Charles Lewis Tiffany (1812-1902)

American jeweler and founder of Tiffany & Co, born in Killingly, Connecticut

1817 Charles-François Daubigny, French painter of the Barbizon school, born in Paris (d. 1878)

Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906)

American social reformer and women's suffrage movement leader, born in Adams, Massachusetts

1821 Abraham de Amorie van der de Have, Dutch theologist and poet, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1848)
1822 Theodor Uhlig, German composer and violinist, born in Wurzen, Saxony (d. 1853)
1823 Li Hung-Tshang, Chinese modernizing politician and general (governor-general of Zhili province), born in Hefei, Anhui province, China (d. 1901)
1825 Carter Harrison, Sr., American politician (d. 1893)
1826 George Johnstone Stoney, Irish physicist (introduced term electron), born in Oakley Park, Ireland (d. 1911)
1828 Johan Hendrik van Dale, Dutch schoolmaster and lexicographer(Van Dale's Great Dictionary of the Dutch Language), born in Sluis, Netherlands (d. 1872)
1829 Silas Weir Mitchell, American physician (discovered causalgia, erythromelalgia) and author (Roland Blake, Hugh Wynne), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1914)
1834 William Henry Preece, Welsh electrical engineer/wireless pioneer, born in Caernarfon, Wales (d. 1913)
1835 Alexander Stuart Webb, Major General (Union Army), (d. 1911)
1835 Demetrius Vikelas, Greek businessman and writer (first President International Olympic Committee 1894-1896), born in Ermoupoli, Greece (d. 1908)
1841 Manoel Ferraz de Campos Salles, Brazilian politician (d. 1913)
1845 Elihu Root, American statesman (R)/US Secretary of State (1905-09)/Nobel Peace Prize (1912), born in Clinton, New York (d. 1937)
1847 Robert Fuchs, Austrian composer, and teacher (Vienna Conservatory, 1875-1912), born in Frauental, Austria (d. 1927)
1855 Gustav Hollaender, German violinist, conductor, and composer, born in Leobschütz, Germany (d. 1915)

Emil Kraepelin (1856-1926)

German psychiatrist who developed a classification system for mental illness, born in Munich, Germany

1858 William Pickering, astronomer (9th & 10th moons of Saturn), born in Boston, Massachusetts (d. 1938)
1861 Alfred North Whitehead, British mathematician and philosopher (Adventures of Ideas), born in Ramsgate, England (d. 1947)
1861 Halford John Mackinder, British geographer (Britain and the British Seas), born in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, England (d. 1947)
1866 Bannister Fletcher, English architect and architectural historian (A History of Architecture), born in London (d. 1953)
1873 Hans von Euler-Chelpin, German-born Swedish biochemist who investigated the fermentation of sugar and enzymes (Nobel 1929), born in Augsburg, Kingdom of Bavaria (d. 1964)
1874 Emilis Melngailis, Latvian composer and ethnomusicologist, born in Vidriži, Russian Empire (d. 1954)

Ernest Shackleton (1874-1922)

British-Irish polar explorer (Endurance, Antarctica), born in Kilkea, Ireland

1876 Ernest Wilson, English botanist (plant collector in China), born in Chipping Campden, England (d. 1930)

John Barrymore (1882-1942)

American actor (Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1883 Sax Rohmer [Arthur Henry Sarsfield Ward], English author (Dr Fu Manchu novels), born in Birmingham, England (d. 1959)

Alfred Carlton Gilbert (1884-1961)

American athlete, inventor, and businessman (invented the Erector Set), born in Salem, Oregon

1885 Richard Würz, German composer, and music critic, born in Munich, Germany (d. 1965)
1887 H. M. Bateman, British cartoonist (The Man Who... series), born in Sutton Forest, Australia (d. 1970)
1890 Robert Ley, German Nazi politician, born in Niederbreidenbach, Germany (d. 1945)
1892 James Forrestal, American banker (Secretary of the Navy, 1944-47, 1st US Secretary of Defense 1947-49), born in Matteawan, New York (d. 1949)
1893 Harm Kamerlingh Onnes, Dutch painter, etcher and ceramist, born in Zoeterwoude, Netherlands (d. 1985)
1893 Walter Donaldson, American pianist and popular song composer ("Makin' Whoopee"; "My Blue Heaven"; My Buddy"), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 1947)
1894 Oswaldo Aranha, Brazilian politician and statesman (President of the UN General Assembly 1948-49), born in Alegrete, Brazil (d. 1960)
1895 Earl Thomson, Canadian athlete (d. 1971)
1896 Arthur Shields, Irish actor ("The River"; "Enchanted Island"), born in Dublin, Ireland (d. 1970)
1897 Earl Blaik, American College Football coach (NCAA C'ship 1944–46; AFCA Coach of the Year 1946; Army) and executive (AD Army 1948–59, born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 1989)
1898 Allen Woodring, American runner (d. 1982)
1898 Totò [Antonio Clemente], Italian actor (Motorizzate, Noi Duri) commonly referred to as the most popular Italian comedian of all time, born in Naples, Italy (d. 1967)
1899 Gale Sondergaard, American actress (The Letter, Road to Rio), born in Litchfield, Minnesota (d. 1985)
1899 Georges Auric, French composer (one of Les Six), born in Lodève, Hérault, France (d. 1983)
1899 Lillian Disney, wife of animator Walt Disney, born in Spalding, Idaho (d. 1997)
1900 George Earnshaw, American baseball pitcher (World Series 1929-30; Philadelphia Athletics), born in Little Rock, Arkansas (d. 1976)
1901 Andre Parrot, French archaeologist (Mari, Assur), born in Désandans, France (d. 1980)
1901 Christmas Humphreys, English lawyer and prominent British Buddhist (Awakening of Zen), born in Ealing, England (d. 1983)
1901 James "Kokomo" Arnold, American blues slide guitarist, and singer, born in Lovejoy's Station, Georgia (d. 1968) [some research gives birth year as 1896]
1901 Paul Haesaerts, Belgian architect and painter (Animisme), born in Boom, Belgium (d. 1974)
1904 Antonin Magne, French cyclist (Tour de France 1931, 34), born in Ytrac, France (d. 1983)
1904 Mary Adshead, English muralist and painter, born in London, England (d. 1995)

Harold Arlen (1905-1986)

American composer ("Over the Rainbow"; "It's Only A Paper Moon"; "Stormy Weather"), born in Buffalo, New York

1905 Nise da Silveira, Brazilian psychiatrist (made advances in occupational therapy), born in Maceió, Brazil (d. 1999)

Cesar Romero (1907-1994)

American actor (Batman, Ocean's 11), born in NYC, New York

1907 Jean Langlais, French organist, and composer (Missa Salve Regina), born in La Fontenelle, Brittany, France (d. 1991)
1908 Sarto Fournier, Quebec politician (d. 1980)
1908 Sidney Gilliat, English screenwriter (Night Train to Munich) and director, born in Stockport, Cheshire, England (d. 1994)
1908 Ypk van der Fear, Dutch writer (Reade Runen), born in Sondel, Netherlands (d. 1983)
1909 Harold Beeley, British diplomat to the Arab world, born in Manchester, England (d. 2001)
1909 Miep Gies, Dutch discoverer of Anne Frank's diary and friend of the Frank family, born in Vienna, Austria-Hungary (d. 2010)
1911 Leonard Woodcock, American labor leader (United Auto Workers) and US ambassador to China, born in Providence, Rhode Island (d. 2001)
1912 George Mikes, Hungarian-British writer and humorist (How to Be an Alien), born in Siklós, Hungary (d. 1987)
1913 Erich Eliskases, Austrian chess player (grandmaster 1952), born in Innsbruck, Austria (d. 1997)
1913 Willy Vandersteen, Belgian cartoonist (Suske & Wiske), born in Antwerp, Belgium (d. 1990)
1914 (Thomas) Hale Boggs, American politician (US Representative from Louisiana, 1947-73), born in Long Beach, Mississippi (d. 1972)
1914 Arthur Sydney Martin, British M15 spy catcher, (d. 1996)
1914 Kevin McCarthy, American actor (Invasion of Body Snatchers, Death of a Salesman), born in Seattle, Washington (d. 2010)
1916 Ian Ballantine, American publisher (Ballantine Books), born in New York City (d. 1995)
1916 Mary Jane Croft, American actress (Our Miss Brooks: The Lucy Show), born in Muncie, Indiana (d. 1999)
1916 Ronnie Aldrich, British easy listening and jazz pianist, arranger, and composer, born in Erith, Kent, England (d. 1993)
1918 Allan Arbus, American commercial photographer, and actor (M*A*S*H - "Dr. Sidney Freeman"; Greaser's Palace; Curb Your Enthusiasm), born in New York City (d. 2013)
1920 Endicott Peabody, 62nd Governor of Massachusetts (d. 1997)
1920 Ingmar Milveden, Swedish organist, composer, and musicologist, born in Gothenburg, Sweden (d. 2007)
1920 Piet van Aken, Flemish writer (Klinkaart, Het begeren), born in Terhagen, Flanders, Belgium (d. 1984
1920 Richard O'Brien, CEO (Manpower Services Commission)
1921 Radha Krishna Choudhary, Indian historian and writer (d. 1985)
1922 Herman Kahn, American, writer and military strategist (Thinking About the Unthinkable), born in Bayonne, New Jersey (d. 1983)
1922 John B. Anderson, American politician and 1980 Republican presidential candidate, born in Rockford, Illinois (d. 2017)
1923 Justice Drake, British justice
1923 Keene Curtis, American character actor (The Rothschilds, Cheers, Amanda's), born in Salt Lake City, Utah (d. 2002)

Yelena Bonner (1923-2011)

Soviet dissident and wife of Andre Sakharov, born in Merv, Turkmenistan, Soviet Union [1]

1927 Frank Dunlop, director (Edinburgh International Festival)
1927 Gottfrid Gräsbeck, Finnish choral director, and composer, born in Turku, Finland (d. 2010)
1927 Harvey Korman, American actor (The Carol Burnett Show; Blazing Saddles; High Anxiety), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2008)
1928 (Mary) Norma Procter, British contralto singer, born in Cleethorpes, Engand (d. 2017)
1928 Norman Bridwell, American author and cartoonist (Clifford the Big Red Dog), born in Kokomo, Indiana (d. 2014)
1929 Fred Martinelli, American College Football Hall of Fame coach (Ashland University 1959-93), born in Columbus, Ohio (d. 2021)
1929 Gerald Harper, British broadcaster and actor (Tunes of Glory, Extra Day), born in London

Graham Hill (1929-1975)

British auto racer (Formula One World Champion, 1962 & 1968), born in Hampstead, London

1929 James Schlesinger, US Secretary of Defense (1973-75)
1930 C F Payne, British chief constable, born in Cleveland, Ohio
1930 Frank Navarro, American college football coach (Williams College, Columbia University, Princeton University), born in White Plains, New York (d. 2021)
1930 Nico Minardos, Greek-American actor (The Twilight Zone; Twelve Hours to Kill), born in Pangrati, Athens (d. 2011)
1931 Geoff Edwards, American television game show host, (d. 2014)
1931 W K Reid, British ombudsman
1931 [Patricia] Claire Bloom, British actress (Charly, Look Back in Anger), born in London, England
1932 Adrian Swire, British aircraft magnate (Cathay Pacific)
1933 Adolfo, Cardones Cuba, fashion designer (Nancy Reagan)
1934 Graham Kennedy, Australian actor "the King of Australian television", born in Melbourne, Australia (d. 2005)
1934 Niklaus Wirth, Swiss computer programmer/inventor (PASCAL)
1934 Paul Ekman, American psychologist, born in Washington, D.C.
1935 John R Block, US Secretary of Agriculture (1981-86)
1935 Roger B Chaffee, Lt Cmdr USN/astronaut, born in Grand Rapids Michigan
1935 Susan Brownmiller, feminist author (Against Our Wills), born in Brooklyn, New York
1937 Coen Moulijn, Dutch soccer winger (38 caps; Feyenoord 487 games, European Cup 1970), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 2011)
1937 Gregory Mcdonald, American author
1937 Terry Everett, American politician (Rep-R-Alabama 1993-2009), born in Dothan, Alabama
1937 Zoltán Peskó, Hungarian opera conductor and composer, born in Budapest, Hungary (d. 2020)
1938 Jack Tinker, British drama critic (d. 1996)
1938 Lord Justice Ward, British judge
1939 Jo Clayton, American sci-fi author (Irsud, Maeve, Star Hunters)
1939 Ole Ellefsæter, Norwegian cross-country skier (Olympic gold 50km & 4×10km relay 1968; World C'ship gold 4×10km relay 1966), born in Furnes, Norway (d. 2022)
1939 Robert Hansen, American serial killer
1939 Tony Bloom, deputy CEO (Sketchley)
1940 Hamzah Haz, Indonesian politician
1940 John Hadl, American College Football HOF quarterback (Uni of Kansas; 4 x AFL All-Star; Pro Bowl 1972, 73; First Team All Pro 1973; AFL C'ship 1963; SD Chargers; LA Rams), born in Lawrence, Kansas (d. 2022)
1940 Trygve Madsen, Norwegian pianist and composer (The Dream of the Rhinoceros; Aurora), born in Fredrikstad, Norway
1941 Austin Savage, Welsh hockey player, born in St Asaph, Wales
1941 Brian Holland, American pianist, songwriter and producer (Holland–Dozier–Holland - "Heat Wave"; "Where Did Our Love Go"; "You Keep Me Hanging On"), born in Detroit, Michigan
1941 Florinda Bolkan [Bulcão], Brazilian model and actress (Damned, Last Valley, Word), born in Uruburetama, Brazil
1942 Glyn Johns, British recording engineer and producer (Eagles; The Who; Eric Clapton), born in Epsom, Surrey, England
1944 Aleksandr Serebrov, Soviet cosmonaut (Soyuz T-7, T-8, TM-8, TM-17), born in Moscow, USSR (d. 2013)
1944 Henry Threadgill, American composer, saxophonist and flautist (2016 Pulitzer Prize "In for a Penny, In for a Pound"), born in Chicago, Illinois
1944 Mick Avory, British rock drummer (The Kinks, 1964-84 - "A Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy"), born in East Molesey, Surrey
1944 Tineke Netelenbos, Dutch director and politician (PvdA), born in Wormerveer, Holland
1945 Douglas Hofstadter, American academic and writer
1945 John Helliwell, British rock Saxophonist (Supertramp - "The Logical Song"), born in Todmorden, West Riding of Yorkshire
1946 Esko Seppänen, Finnish politician
1947 David Brown, American guitarist (Santana), born in NYC, New York (d. 2000)
1947 John Adams, American composer (Nixon In China), born in Worcester, Massachusetts
1947 Marisa Berenson, American actress (Barry Lyndon; Death in Vienna; SOB), born in NYC, New York
1947 Russell "Rusty "Hamer, American actor (Make Room for Daddy - "Rusty"), born in Tenafly, New Jersey (d. 1990)
1948 Art Spiegelman, American cartoonist
1948 Ron "Penguin" Cey, American MLB 3rd baseman (LA Dodgers), born in Tacoma, Washington
1949 Billy Nicholls, British singer ("Would You Believe?") and songwriter ("I Can't Stop Loving You (Though I Try)", born in White City, London, England
1949 Christopher Rouse, American Grammy Award-winning composer (Trombone Concerto - Pulitzer Prize for Music, 1993), and educator (Eastman School, 1981-2002; Juilliard, 1997-2017), born in Baltimore, Maryland (d. 2019)
1949 George Howard, 13th Earl of Carlisle, English hereditary peer
1949 Hans Graf, Austrian conductor, and educator, born in Marchtrenk, Austria
1949 Jess Walton, Mich, actress (Jill Foster Abbott-Young & Restless)
1949 Ken Anderson, NFL quarterback (Cincinnati Bengals)
1950 Donna Hanover Giuliani, TV news anchor (WPIX)/wife of Mayor Giuliani
1950 Nikolai Sergeivich Grekov, Russian cosmonaut
1951 Jane Seymour [Joyce Frankenberg], British actress (Live and Let Die; Somewhere in Time; Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman), born in London, England
1951 Melissa Manchester, American pop singer ("Don't Cry Out Loud"; "Midnight Blue"), born in The Bronx, New York City
1953 Tony Adams, Irish film producer (d. 2005)
1954 Brad Little, American politician, Governor of Idaho (2019-), born in Emmett, Idaho

Matt Groening (69 years old)

1954 American cartoonist and writer (Life in Hell, The Simpsons, Futurama), born in Portland, Oregon

1954 Pamela Theresa Jiles, American 4X400m relayer (Olympic silver 1976), born in New Orleans, Louisiana
1955 Bev Francis, Australia, world women's power-lifting champion
1955 Christopher McDonald, American actor
1955 Clive Aslet, British editor (Country Life)
1955 Hugh Padgham, British record producer and audio engineer (Phil Collins; The Police; Spandau Ballet), born in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, England
1956 Desmond Haynes, West Indian cricket batsman and administrator (116 Tests; 7,487 runs @ 42.29; 238 ODIs; Director WI Cricket Board), born in Saint James, Barbados
1956 Hilda Beatriz "Hildita" Guevara, Cuba, daughter of "Che" Guevara
1956 Hitoshi Ogawa, Japanese racing driver (d. 1992)
1957 Bienvenida Buck, Spanish lover of Peter Harding, born in Velencia Spain
1957 Jake E Lee, American rock guitarist (Badlands, 1988-93; Ozzy Osborne, 1982-89), born in Norfolk, Virginia
1957 Jimmy Spencer, American race car driver
1957 Steve Farhood, American boxing historian and analyst
1958 Chrystine Brouillet, Quebec novelist
1958 Tony Tubbs, American boxer (WBA heavyweight title 1985-86), born in Cincinnati, Ohio
1959 Alistar "Ali" Campbell, British reggae vocalist and guitarist (UB40, 1978-2008 - "Red Red Wine"), born in Birmingham, England.
1959 Guy De Alwis, cricket wicket-keeper (Sri Lankan mid 80s)
1959 Hugo Savinovich, Ecuadorian sports commentator and wrestler, born in Guayaquil, Ecuador
1959 Joe Hesketh, MLB player (Boston Red Sox), born in Lackawanna, New York