Famous Birthdays on February 16

1774 Pierre Rode, French composer and violinist, born in Bordeaux, Aquitaine (d. 1830)
1786 Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia (d. 1859)
1787 Andreas Schelfhout, Dutch landscape painter, etcher and lithographer, born in The Hague (d. 1870)
1788 Juan van Halen, Dutch-Spanish officer and adventurer (fought for Russia and in the Belgium Revolution), born in Isla de León, Cádiz (d. 1864)
1790 Chretien Urhan, French violinist and composer, born in Montjoie (d. 1845)
1802 Phineas Parkhurst Quimby, American philosopher (d. 1866)
1804 Karl Theodor Ernst von Siebold, German physiologist (d. 1885)
1807 Lysander Cutler, American Brevet Major General (Union Army), born in Royalston, Massachusetts (d. 1866)

Henry Wilson (1812-1875)

American politician, 18th Vice President (Republican: 1873-75) and Senator (Massachusetts 1855-73), born in Farmington, New Hampshire

1813 Joseph Reid Anderson, Brigadier General (Confederate Army) (d. 1892)
1813 Semyon Stepanovich Gulak-Artemovsky, Ukrainian baritone, playwright and composer, born in Gorodishche (d. 1873)
1821 Heinrich Barth, German geographer and explorer (Central Africa), born in Hamburg, Germany (d. 1865)
1822 Francis Galton, British anthropologist and geneticist (eugenics), born in Birmingham, England (d. 1911)
1822 James Patton Anderson, Major General (Confederate Army), (d. 1872)
1823 John Daniel Imboden, Brigadier General (Confederate Army), (d. 1895)
1824 Peter Kozler, Slovenian cartographer and geographer (d. 1879)
1826 Franz von Holstein, German composer, born in Braunschweig (d. 1878)
1826 Joseph Victor von Scheffel, German writer (Gaudeamus), born in Karlsruhe (d. 1886)
1831 Nikolai Leskov, Russian writer (The Tale of Cross-eyed Lefty from Tula and the Steel Flea; Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk), and playwright, born in Gorokhovo, Russia (d. 1895)
1832 Camille Armand Jules Marie de Polignac, French army officer who fought in US Civil war for Confederate Army, born in Millemont, France (d. 1913)
1834 Ernst Haeckel, German biologist (Causes of Evolution) and philosopher (Social Darwinism), born in Potsdam, Prussia (d. 1919)
1836 Benjamin Edward Woolf, British-American violinist, composer (The Mighty Dollar), playwright, and journalist, born in London, England (d. 1901)
1838 Arnoldus Pannevis, Dutch-born South African linguist (tried to get Afrikaans recognized as separate language), born in Ouderkerk aan den IJssel, Netherlands (d. 1884)
1838 Henry Adams, American historian and writer (Education of Henry Adams), born in Boston, Massachusetts (d. 1918)
1847 (Ludwig) Philipp Scharwenka, German pianist, composer (Sakuntala; Album polonaise), and educator, born in Samter, Grand Duchy of Posen, Kingdom of Prussia (now of Szamotuły, Poland) (d. 1917)
1848 Hugo de Vries, Dutch botanist and geneticist who rediscovered Mendel's theory of heredity and for his work on genes (The Mutation Theory), born in Haarlem, Netherlands (d. 1935)
1850 Octave Mirbeau, French writer (Journal of a Lady's Maid), born in Trévières,, France (d. 1917)

Charles Taze Russell (1852-1916)

American religious leader (founder of the Bible School Movement that led to Jehovah's Witnesses), born in Allegheny, Pennsylvania

1852 Mary Ewing Outerbridge, American citizen credited with importing tennis to the US from Bermuda (1874), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1886)
1852 William S. Scarborough, American linguist and author (Birds of Aristophanes), born in Macon, Georgia (d. 1926)
1854 Oscar Fetrás [Otto Faster], German composer (Mondnacht auf der Alster), born in Hamburg, German Confederation (d. 1931)
1856 Rudolph Karstadt, German entrepreneur and owner of chain of shops (Karstadt Warenhaus AG) (d. 1944)
1856 Willem Kes, Dutch violinist, composer and conductor (Concertgebouw Orchestra), born in Dordrecht, Netherlands (d. 1934)
1858 Lon Myers, American track star (held every American record for races 50 yards to one mile), born in Richmond, Virginia (d. 1899)
1866 Billy Hamilton, American Baseball HOF outfielder (NL batting champion 1891, 93; 5 × NL stolen base leader; KC Cowboys, Philadelphia Phillies), born in Newark, New Jersey (d. 1940)
1866 Johann Strauss III, Austrian composer and conductor (Dem Muthigen gehört die Welt), born in Vienna, Austria (d. 1939)
1868 Wilhelm Schmidt, German anthropologist and linguist (Anthropos), born in Hörde, Germany (d. 1954)
1874 Marie Gutheil-Schoder, German operatic soprano (Vienna State Opera, 1920-26), and pedagogue, born in Weimar, Thuringia, Germany (d. 1935)
1876 G. M. Trevelyan [George Macaulay Trevelyan], British historian and academic, born in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England (d. 1962)
1878 (Vincenzo) "Big Jim" Colosimo, Italian-American gangster, born in Colosimi, Calabria, Kingdom of Italy (d. 1920)
1878 Selim Palmgren, Finnish concert pianist, composer (Hakkapeliittojen marssi), conductor, and pedagogue, born in Pori, Finland (d. 1951)
1881 Maurits Uyldert, Dutch poet and writer (Youth of a Poet) (d. 1966)
1883 Elizabeth Craig, British writer (d. 1980)
1884 Robert Flaherty, American filmmaker and the father of documentary film (Nanook of the North), born in Iron Mountain, Michigan (d. 1951)
1886 Andrew Ducat, English cricketer and footballer international (Test for Eng 1921), born in London, England (d. 1942)
1886 Van Wyck Brooks, American literary historian and writer (Ordeal of Mark Twain), born in Plainfield, New Jersey (d. 1963)
1887 Kathleen Clifford, American actress (When the Clouds Roll by), born in Charlottesville, Virginia (d. 1962)
1890 Semyon Bogatyrev, Soviet and Russian composer (d. 1960)
1891 Hans F. K. Günther, German eugenicist (d. 1967)
1896 Alexander Brailowsky, Russian-French pianist (Chopin specialist), born in Kiev, Russian Empire (d. 1976)
1898 Katharine Cornell, German actress (Barretts of Wimpole St), born in Berlin, Germany (d. 1974)
1900 Albert Hackett, American actor, playwright and screenwriter (It's A Wonderrful Life; The Diary of Anne Frank), born in Nutley, New Jersey (d. 1995)
1900 Vincent Coleman, American actor (For the Freedom of Ireland, Salome), born in Louisiana (d. 1971)
1901 Chester Morris, American actor (Diagnosis: Unknown), born in NYC, New York (d. 1970)
1901 Wayne King, American saxophonist and bandleader, known as the Waltz King ("The Waltz You Saved for Me"), born in Savannah Illinois (d. 1985)
1903 (Giuseppe) "Joe" Venuti, American jazz musician and pioneer violinist considered the "father of jazz violin", born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1978)
1903 Edgar Bergen, American ventriloquist (Charlie McCarthy), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1978)
1903 George-Henri Lévesque, Quebec priest and sociologist (d. 2000)
1904 Ellis Achong, West Indian cricket spin bowler (6 Tests, 8 wickets; Trinidad; 1st of Chinese descent to play a Test match), born in Belmont, Trinidad and Tobago (d. 1986)
1904 George F. Kennan, American diplomat, Cold War strategist who advocated containment ("Long Telegram"; "The Sources of Soviet Conduct") and historian, born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (d. 2005)
1904 James Baskett, American actor (Song of the South) 1st African American male to receive an Oscar, born in Indianapolis, Indiana (d. 1948)
1905 Oliver Franks, British civil servant, ambassador to the US and philosopher (Falklands War report), born in Birmingham, England (d. 1992)
1906 Vera Menchik, Russian-born British chess master, 1st official women's world chess champion (1927-39), born in Moscow, Russian Empire (d. 1944)
1907 Eugen Malmstén, Finnish jazz trumpeter, singer, band leader, and songwriter, born in Helsinki, Finland (d. 1993)
1907 Fernando Previtali, Italian composer and conductor (Rome Radio Symphony), born in Adria, Veneto (d. 1985)
1909 Hugh Beaumont, American actor (The Mole People, Leave it to Beaver), born in Lawrence, Kansas (d. 1982)
1909 Jeffrey Lynn [Ragnar Godfrey Lind], American actor (Four Daughters, Roaring Twenties), born in Auburn, Massachusetts (d. 1995)
1909 Richard McDonald, American fast food pioneer (McDonalds), born in Manchester, New Hampshire (d. 1998)
1910 Miguel Bernal Jiménez, Mexican organist, composer and pedagogue (Tata Vasco; Tres Cartas de México), born in Morelia, Mexico (d. 1956)
1911 Hal Porter, Australian writer (Tilted Cross, Paper Chase), born in Albert Park, Australia (d. 1984)
1912 Arthur Crook, British editor (Times Literary Supplement) (d. 2005)
1912 Bob Tadema Sporry, Dutch author (d. 1987)
1912 Del Sharbutt, American radio and TV announcer (Your Hit Parade), born in Cleburne, Texas (d. 2002)
1912 Gwydion Brooke [Holbrooke], British bassoonist (Royal Philharmonic, 1946-1961), born in Kentford, Suffolk, England (d. 2005)
1914 Jimmy Wakely, American country music vocalist (5 Star Jubilee), born in Mineola, Arkansas (d. 1982)
1915 Calvin Frazier, American country and Detroit blues singer-songwriter, and guitarist ("This Old World's In A Tangle"), born in Osceola, Arkansas (d. 1972)
1915 Michael Relph, British film producer and director (d. 2004)
1916 Bill Doggett, American jazz and blues Hammond B-3 organist ("Honky Tonk"; "Funky Whistler"), pianist and arranger (The Inkspots; Ella Fitzgerald), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1996)
1916 Charlie Fowlkes, American baritone saxophonist (Count Basie Orchestra, 1953-80), born in New York City (d. 1980)
1918 Patty Andrews, American pop and swing jazz singer (The Andrews Sisters - "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy"; "Rum and Coca-Cola"), born in Minneapolis, Minnesota (d. 2013)
1920 Anna Mae Hays [McCabe], American military officer and US military's 1st female General, born in Buffalo, New York (d. 2018)
1920 Hubert van Herreweghen, Flemish writer/journalist
1920 Lee Russell, American big band vocalist (Vincent Lopez), missionary and hymn writer, born in Cleveland, Ohio
1921 Araucaria [John Galbraith Graham], British crossword compiler (The Guardian) and priest, born in Oxford, England (d. 2013)
1921 Esther Bubley, American photographer, born in Phillips, Wisconsin (d. 1998)

Hua Guofeng (1921-2008)

Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (1976-81) and Premier of the People's Republic of China (1976-80), born in Jiaocheng County, Shanxi

1921 Jean Behra, French Formula One driver, born in Nice, France (d. 1959)

Vera-Ellen (1921-1981)

American actress and dancer (White Christmas; Big Leaguer; On the Town), born in Norwood, Ohio

1922 Geraint Evans, Welsh bass-baritone opera singer (Das Knaben Wunderhorn), born in Cilfynydd, Wales (d. 1992)
1922 Paul van 't Veer, Dutch journalist and writer (Het Vrije Volk)
1924 James Swaffield, British civil servant (Director-General of Greater London Council) (d. 2015)
1924 Peter Webster, British High Court Judge
1925 Carlos Paredes, Portuguese guitar master, born in Coimbra, Portugal (d. 2004)
1925 David Emms, British educator (London Goodenough Trust for Overseas Graduates) (d. 2015)
1925 Paul Crawford, American Dixieland jazz musician, arranger, (Olympic Brass Band), and music historian (Tulane University), born in Atmore, Alabama (d. 1996)
1926 David Austin, English rose breeder (Austin roses), born in Albrighton, England (d. 2018)
1926 Jack Levy, English mechanical engineer, born in London, England (d. 2017)
1926 John Schlesinger, English stage and Academy Award-winning film director (Midnight Cowboy; Darling), born in London, England (d. 2003)
1927 June Brown, British actress (EastEnders, 1985–93 & 1997–2020 - "Dot"; Sitting Target), born in Needham Market, Suffolk, England (d. 2022)
1927 Roy Purdon, New Zealand harness-racing trainer (21 x NZ trainers premierships; 4 x NZ cup winners; 54 x Group One wins), born in Auckland, New Zealand (d. 2022)
1929 Benny Barth, American session and touring jazz drummer, born in Indianapolis, Indiana (d. 2017)
1929 Gerhard Hanappi, Austrian footballer (d. 1980)
1929 Peter Porter, Australian-British author and poet (Chair of Babel), born in Brisbane, Australia (d. 2010)
1930 Frederick "Fred" Cuming, British painter, born in London
1930 Peggy King, American jazz and pop vocalist, former TV personality and actress (George Gobel Show), born in Greensburg, Pennsylvania
1931 Alfred Kolleritsch, Austrian writer, born in Eichfeld
1931 Bobby Collins, Scottish soccer midfielder (31 caps; Celtic, Everton, Leeds), born in Govanhill, Scotland (d. 2014)
1931 Gamini Goonesena, Sri Lankan cricket leg-spinner (all-rounder for Ceylon, Notts), born in Colombo, Ceylon
1931 George E. Sangmeister, American politician (Rep-D-Illinois 1989-95), born in Frankfort, Illinois (d. 2007)
1931 Ken Takakura [Goichi Oda], Japanese actor and singer (Black Rain, Story of Antarctic), born in Nakama, Fukuoka (d. 2014)
1932 Aharon Appelfeld, Israeli writer, born in Jadova Commune, Kingdom of Romania
1932 Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, President of Sierra Leone
1932 Gretchen Wyler, American actress, dancer (Silk Stockings), and animal rights activist, born in Bartlesville, Oklahoma (d. 2007)
1932 Harry Goz, American musical theatre actor and voice actor, born in St. Louis, Missouri (d. 2003)
1932 Nand Baert, Belgian radio and TV-host
1932 Otis Blackwell, American songwriter ("Fever"; "Don't Be Cruel"; "Great Balls Of Fire"; All Shook Up"), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 2002)
1933 Elbert Dubenion, American football wide receiver and running back (AFL All Star 1964; Buffalo Bills), born in Griffin, Georgia (d. 2019)
1934 Harold "Hal" Kalin, American singer (Kalin Twins), born in Port Jervis, New York (d. 2005)
1934 Marlene Bauer Hagge, American golfer, co-founder LPGA (Woman's PGA C'ship 1956), born in Eureka, South Dakota (d. 2023)
1934 Ted Taylor, American gospel and R&B-singer ("Be Ever Wonderful"), born in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, (d. 1987)

Sonny Bono (1935-1998)

American musician, vocalist (Sonny & Cher - "I Got You Babe"), songwriter ("Bang Bang"; "Needles and Pins"), actor (Hairspray), and politician (US Congress (R)-CA, 1995-98), born in Detroit, Michigan

1935 Brian Bedford, British actor (Coronet Blue - "Anthony"), born in Morley, West Yorkshire, England (d. 2016)
1935 Kenneth Price, ceramic artist and print maker (Hot Bottoms; Tamed), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2012)
1935 Robin Clark, New Zealand-born chemist (early transition metals and highly coordinated complexes), born in Rangiora, New Zealand (d. 2018)

Carl Icahn (87 years old)

1936 American businessman (Icahn Enterprises), born in NYC, New York

1936 Jill Kinmont, American skier
1936 Murray Weideman, Australian rules football CHF (Collingwood VFL premiers 1953, 58 [c]; B&F 1957, 61, 62; Victoria 1956-60) and coach (Collingwood 1975-76), born in Melbourne, Australia (d. 2021)
1936 William "Buddy" Deppenschmidt, American jazz drummer (Charlie Byrd Trio - "Jazz Samba"), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 2021) [1]
1937 Paul Bailey, English novelist and biographer, born in London
1937 Valentin Vasilyevich Bondarenko, Russian cosmonaut who died during training in a surdobar chamber, born in Kharkov. (d. 1961)
1938 Anthony Costello, American actor (Will Penny, The Outer Limits), born in Andover, Massachusetts (d. 1983)
1938 Barry Primus, American actor (Sgt McKenna-Cagney & Lacey, Boxcar Bertha), born in NYC, New York
1938 John Corigliano, American composer (Fern Hill, Ghosts of Versailles), born in NYC, New York
1939 David Griffiths, Welsh portrait painter, born in Liverpool, United Kingdom
1941 Vitali Kuznetsov, Russian judoka (Olympic silver 1972) (d. 2011)
1942 Bob Hammond AM, Australian rules key defender (AFL Hall of Fame; North Adelaide; SA) and coach (Sydney Swans 1984), born in Perth, Australia (d. 2020)
1942 Gabriel Brnčić, Chilean composer, and pedagogue, born in Santiago, Chile

Kim Jong-il (1942-2011)

Supreme Leader of North Korea (1994-2011), born in Vyatskoye, Soviet Union [disputed birthplace and birth date, 1941]

1943 Anthony Dowell, English ballet dancer (Royal Ballet), born in London, England
1943 James Beaton, British police officer (awarded George Cross for saving Princess Anne), born in St Fergus, Aberdeenshire
1944 António Mascarenhas Monteiro, 2nd President of Cape Verde
1944 Richard Ford, American author (Sportswriter), born in Jackson, Mississippi
1945 Julio Morales, Uruguayan soccer striker (24 caps; Racing Montevideo, Nacional, Austria Wien), born in Montevideo, Uruguay (d. 2022)
1945 Pete Christlieb, American jazz bebop and session saxophonist (Steely Dan - "Deacon Blues; "FM"; Natalie Cole; Quincy Jones; Tom Scott; Tom Waits - "Nighthawks at the Diner"), born in Los Angeles, California
1946 Aleksandr Shaparenko, Soviet 1K kayaker (Olympic gold 1972)
1946 Ian Lavender, British actor (Stupid Boy in Dad's Army)
1946 John R. Farndon, British surgeon and professor (d. 2002)
1947 Franz West, artist (Flause), born in Vienna, Austria (d. 2012)
1948 Eckhart Tolle, German-born author (The Power of Now) and spiritual teacher, born in Lünen, Germany
1948 Séamus Brennan, Irish Fianna Fáil politician and Minister, born in Salthill, Galway, Ireland (d. 2008)
1949 Dorus Vrede, Surinam poet (Otobanda; the Other Bank)
1950 Kazuki Tomokawa [Tenji Nozoki], Japanese acid-folk singer-songwriter, born in Hachiryu (now Mitane), Akita Prefecture, Japan
1951 Larry Finch, American college basketball coach (University of Memphis 1986-97), born in Memphis, Tennessee (d. 2011)
1951 Super Chikan [James Johnson], American blues guitarist (Chikadelic), born in Darling, Mississippi
1951 William Katt, American actor (Greatest American Hero, Carrie), born in Los Angeles, California
1952 James Ingram, American R&B singer-songwriter and musician ("Somewhere Out There"; "Just Once"), born in Akron, Ohio (d. 2019)
1953 André St. Laurent, Canadian NHL hockey forward, 1973-90 (New York Islanders, Detroit Red Wings, and 2 other teams), born in Rouyn, Quebec
1953 George Martin, NFL defensive end, 1975-88 (NY Giants), born in Greenville, South Carolina
1953 Janice Dickinson, American model (Vogue) and TV personality (America's Next Top Model), born in Brooklyn, New York
1953 John "Brad" Bradbury, British ska drummer and record producer (The Specials), born in Coventry, England (d. 2015)
1953 Jonathan Brady, American jazz Hammond B3 organist and singer, born in Chesapeake Beach, Maryland
1953 Roberta Williams, video game designer (Mystery House, Sierra Entertainment), born in La Verne, California
1954 Iain [Menzies] Banks, UK, sci-fi author (Wasp Factory), (d. 2013)
1954 Margaux Hemingway, actress (Lipstick, They Call Me Bruce), born in Portland, Oregon
1954 Michael Holding, West Indian cricket fast bowler (60 Tests, 249 wickets, BB 8/92; Jamaica, Derbyshire CCC, Lancashire CCC) and broadcaster (Sky Sports), born in Kingston, Jamaica
1955 Guy Gallo, writer (Under the Volcano), born in New Orleans, Louisiana
1955 Hunt Block, American actor
1955 Jeff Clayton, American session and touring jazz saxophonist and composer (Groove Shop), born in Venice, California (d. 2020) [1]
1957 LeVar Burton, American actor, (Roots - "Kunta Kinte"; Star Trek: The Next Generation - "Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge"), born in Landstuhl, Germany
1958 Herb Williams, NBA center (Toronto Raptors, NY Knicks)

Ice-T (65 years old)

1958 American rapper ("O.G. Original Gangster"), and actor (New Jack City; Tank Girl; Law & Order: Special Victims Unit), born in Newark, New Jersey

1958 John Morse, American golfer (US Open 1996 4th), born in Marshall, Michigan
1958 Lisa Loring [DeCinces], American actress (The Addams Family - "Wednesday"; As the World Turns, 1980-83 - "Cricket"), born in Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands (d. 2023) [1]
1958 Michael W. Burns, American politician, born in Baltimore, Maryland
1959 (Peter) Kelly Tripucka, American NBA forward, 1981-91, 2X All-Star (Detroit Pistons, Utah Jazz, Cahrlotte Hornets), born in Glenn Ridge New Jersey

John McEnroe (64 years old)

1959 American tennis player (US Open 1979-81, 84 / Wimbledon 1981, 83, 84), born in Wiesbaden, Germany

1960 Cherie Chung, Hong Kong actress (An Autumn's Tale), born in Hong Kong
1960 Chris Schultz, Canadian football offensive tackle (NFL Dallas Cowboys; CFL All Star 1987, 88; Toronto Argonauts) and sportscaster (The Sports Network), born in Burlington, Ontario (d. 2021)
1960 Lucy Kaplansky, American folk singer-songwriter, guitarist, mandolin player, and clinical psychologist, born in Chicago, Illinois
1960 Pete Willis, British rock guitarist and songwriter (Def Leppard, 1977-82 - "Let It Go"; "Photograph"), born in Sheffield, England
1961 Andy Taylor, British rock guitarist (Duran Duran - "Hungry Like the Wolf"; The Power Station), born in Tynemouth, England
1961 Brett Brown, American basketball head coach (Philadelphia 76ers 2013-19; Australian men's national team), born in South Portland, Maine
1962 Alexa Kenin, American actress (Mousie-Coed Fever), born in NYC, New York
1962 John Balance [Geoffrey Rushton], British poet and industrial rock musician (Coil; Psychic TV), born in Mansfield, England (d. 2004)