Famous Birthdays on October 8

1785 Arvid August Afzelius, Swedish poet and historian, born in Fjällåkra, Sweden (d. 1871)
1789 John Ruggles, American politician, born in Westborough, Massachusetts (d. 1874)
1789 William John Swainson, English naturalist and artist, born in Newington, London (d. 1855)
1790 Waldemar Thrane, Norwegian composer, born in Oslo, Norway (d. 1828)
1802 Peter Hofstede de Groot, Dutch reformed theologist, born in Leer, Germany (d. 1886)
1813 Carl Ludwig Amand Mangold, German composer, born in Darmstadt, Germany (d. 1889)
1818 John Henninger Reagan, American Confederate politician, born in Sevier County, Tennessee (d. 1905)
1826 Matt Whitaker Ransom, Brigadier General (Confederate Army), born in Warren County, North Carolina (d. 1904)
1828 Francisque Sarcey, French writer (Le Temps), born in Dourdan, France (d. 1899)
1834 Walter Kittredge, American musician during American Civil War, born in Merrimack, New Hampshire (d. 1905)
1837 Otto Winter-Hjelm, Norwegian musician and composer, born in Oslo, Norway (d. 1931)
1838 John Milton Hay, American politician (Union), born in Salem, Indiana (d. 1905)
1847 Rose Scott, Australian social reformer and suffragette, born in Glendon, New South Wales, Australia (d. 1925)
1850 Henri Louis le Chatelier, French chemist, born in Paris (d. 1936)
1855 Gustav Ehrismann, German author and expert on the German language, born in Pforzheim, Baden-Württemberg (d. 1941)
1860 Felix Woyrsch, German composer, born in Opava, Czech Republic (d. 1944)
1861 Theodore Roberts, American actor (Roaring Road, 10 Commandments), born in San Francisco, California (d. 1928)
1863 Edythe Chapman, American actress (Beyond the Rocks), born in Rochester, New York (d. 1948)
1864 Ozias Leduc, Canadian painter, born in Saint-Hilaire-de-Rouville, Quebec (d. 1955)
1868 Max Slevogt, German painter, born in Landshut, Germany (d. 1932)

1869 J. Frank Duryea, American inventor (Duryea Motor Wagon Company, first auto built in the US), born in Washburn, Illinois (d. 1967)
1869 Komitas [Soghomon Soghomonian], Armenian priest, composer (Patarag), and musicologist, born in Kütahya, Ottoman Empire (now Turkey) (d. 1935) [O.S. birth 09-26]
1870 Louis Vierne, French organist (Notre-Dame, 1900-37), and composer (Messe solennelle), born in Poitiers, France (d. 1937)
1872 John Cowper Powys, British writer (Wood & Stone, Wolf Solent), born in Shirley, Derbyshire (d. 1963)
1873 Ejnar Hertzsprung, Danish astronomer (Hertzsprung-Russell diagram), born in Frederiksberg, Denmark (d. 1967)
1874 Nance O'Neil, American actor (Cimarron), born in Oakland, California (d. 1965)

Laurence Doherty (1875-1919)

British tennis player (Wimbledon 1902-06, US Nationals 1903), born in Wimbledon, England

1876 Willie Smith, Scottish golfer (US Open 1899), born in Dundee, Scotland (d. 1916)
1877 Hans Heysen, German-born landscape artist, born in Hamburg, Germany (d. 1968)
1879 Chen Duxiu, Chinese revolutionary socialist and author who co-founded the Chinese Communist Party with Li Dazhao and was the 1st General Secretary (1921-27), born in Anqing, Anhui, Qing dynasty of China (d. 1927)
1880 Ernest Douwes Dekker, Indo-Dutch nationalist and founder of National-India Party, born in Pasuruan, Malang, Indonesia (d. 1950)
1883 Dick Burnett, American musician ("Man of Constant Sorrow"), born in Monticello, Kentucky (d. 1977)
1883 Otto Heinrich Warburg, German physician (Nobel-1931), born in Freiburg, Baden, Germany (d. 1970)
1884 Walther von Reichenau, German field marshal, born in Karlsruhe, Germany (d. 1942)
1885 Johnny Lush, American MLB pitcher (2 no-hitters), born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania (d. 1946)
1885 Will Vodery, African-American composer, born in Philadelphia (d. 1951)
1887 Huntley Gordon, Canadian actor, born in Montreal, Quebec (d. 1956)
1888 Clifford Heatherley, British actor (Who Killed Doc Robin?), born in Preston, Lancashire, England (d. 1937)
1889 Collett E. Woolman, American airline founder (Delta Air Service), born in Bloomington, Indiana (d. 1966)
1890 Eddie Rickenbacker, American aviator "Ace of Aces" (WWI), born in Columbus, Ohio (d. 1973)
1890 Philippe Thys, Belgian cyclist (three times winner of Tour de France), born in Anderlecht, Belgium (d. 1971)
1890 Snuffy Browne, West Indian cricket all-rounder (4 Tests, 1 x 50, 6 wickets; British Guiana, Barbados), born in St. Michael, Barbados (d. 1973)
1893 Orovida Camille Pissarro, British painter and etcher, born in Epping, England (d. 1968)
1895 Jeanne Gabrielle Willing, Dutch author (Sinner & the Girl), born in Amsterdam (d. 1984)

Juan Perón (1895-1974)

Argentine military officer and President of Argentina (1946-55, 73-74), born in Buenos Aires

1895 Zog I, King of Albania (1928-39), born in Burgajet Castle, Ottoman Empire (d. 1961)
1896 Julien Duvivier, French film director (La Bandera), born in Lille, France (d. 1967)
1897 Rouben Mamoulian, American movie director and author (The Mark of Zorro, Applause), born in Tbilisi, Georgia (d. 1987)
1898 Clarence Williams, American composer, born in Plaquemine, Louisiana (d. 1965)
1899 Milner Gray, British graphic designer, born in London (d. 1997)
1899 Pandit Rambharos Gangaram Panday, Suriname religious leader, co-founder of the VHP (d. 1991)
1900 Geoffrey Jellicoe, English landscape architect (Shute House), born in London (d. 1996)
1900 Serge Chermayeff, Russian-British architect and designer, born in Grozny, Russia (d. 1996)
1900 Zeno Vancea, Romanian composer, born in Bocsa, Romania (d. 1990)
1901 Eivind Groven, Norwegian composer and ethnomusicologist, born in Eidsborg, Norway (d. 1977)
1903 Lina Radke, German 800m runner (Olympic gold 1928), born in Karlsruhe, Germany (d. 1983)
1903 René Guillou, French organist and composer (L'Autre mère), born in Rennes, Brittany, France (d. 1958)
1907 Howard Joslin, American actor (Quebec, Detective Story), born in Georgia (d. 1975)
1908 Paul Van Buskirk Yoder, American composer, born in Tacoma, Washington (d. 1990)
1909 Bill Hewitt, American Pro Football HOF end (4 × First-team All-Pro; Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles; one last players to not wear a helmet), born in Bay City, Michigan (d. 1947)
1910 Gus Hall, American union organizer and head of the U.S. Communist Party, born in Cherry Township, Minnesota (d. 2000)
1910 Kirk Alyn [John Feggo Jr], American actor (Superman), born in Oxford, New Jersey (d. 1999)
1913 Robert Gilruth, American aviation and space pioneer (NASA Director of the Manned Spacecraft Center, 1961-74), born in Nashwauk, Minnesota (d. 2000) [1]
1913 Walter Schumann, American choral director (Ford Show) and film and television composer (Night Of The Hunter; Dragnet theme), born in NYC, New York (d. 1958)
1916 Spark Matsunaga, United States Senator from Hawaii (1977-90), born in Kukuiula, Hawaii (d. 1990)

Billy Conn (1917-1993)

American boxer, born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

1917 Danny Murtaugh, American baseball infielder and manager (World Series 1960, 71; Pittsburgh Pirates), born in Chester, Pennsylvania (d. 1976)
1917 Hans Poser, German composer, born in Tannenbergsthal (d. 1970)
1917 Walter Lord, American author (A Night to Remember), born in Baltimore, Maryland (d. 2002)
1918 Jens Christian Skou, Danish scientist (Nobel Prize for Chemistry 1997), born in Lemvig, Denmark (d. 2018)
1918 Ron Randell, Australian actor (Loves of Carmen, I am a Camera), born in Sydney, New South Wales (d. 2005)
1919 Hal Singer, American jazz and R&B saxophonist ("Corn Bread"), born in Tulsa, Oklahoma (d. 2020) [1]
1919 Kiichi Miyazawa, 78th Prime Minister of Japan (1991-93), born in Tokyo (d. 2007)
1919 Mac Anderson, New Zealand cricketer (played in 1st NZ-Aust Test 1946), born in Westport, West Coast, New Zealand (d. 1979)
1920 Frank Herbert, American sci-fi author (Dune series), born in Tacoma, Washington (d. 1986)
1920 Maxi Herber, German figure skater pairs (Olympic gold 1936), born in Munich, Germany (d. 2006)
1921 Abraham Sarmiento, Sr., Filipino Supreme Court jurist (1987-91), born in Santa Cruz, Ilocos Sur, Philippine (d. 2010)
1922 Douglas Gray, Scottish record and film producer, born in Aberdeen (d. 1997)
1922 Svend Westergaard, Danish composer, born in Copenhagen, Denmark (d. 1988)
1924 Alphons Egli, Swiss politcian and member of the Swiss Federal Council, born in Lucerne, Switzerland (d. 2016)
1924 Arkady Vorobyev, Russian middle heavyweight (Olympic gold 1956, 60), born in Tetyushi, Republic of Tatarstan, Russia (d. 2012)
1925 Andrei Donatovich Sinyavsky, Russian writer and critic, born in Moscow, Russia (d. 1997)
1926 Raaj Kumar, Hindi film star (Mother India), born in Loralai, Balochistan, British India (d. 1996)
1927 (Georgeanne) "Gigi" Durston, American cabaret and big band singer (Sonny Kendis Show; Russ Case Orchestra), born in Baltimore, Maryland
1927 Al Duncan, American blues drummer, born in McKinney, Texas (d. 1995)
1927 César Milstein, Argentine biochemist (Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1984), born in Bahía Blanca, Argentina (d. 2002)
1927 Jim Elliot, American Christian missionary, born in Portland, Oregon (d. 1956)
1927 Raymond Chow, Hong Kong film producer, popularized martial arts worldwide, born in Hong Kong (d. 2018)
1927 Torbjorn Falkanger, Norwegian ski jumper who took the Olympic oath in 1952, born in Trondheim, Norway (d. 2013)
1928 Bill Maynard [Walter Williams], English actor (Greengrass-Heartbeat) and comedian, born in Heath End, England (d. 2018)
1928 M. Russell Ballard, American religious leader (Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of LDS Church), born in Salt Lake City, Utah
1928 Neil Harvey, Australian cricket batsman (79 Tests @ 48.41, 21 x 100, HS 205; Victoria CA, NSW CA), born in Melbourne, Australia
1929 Betty Boothroyd, English politician (1st female Speaker of the UK House of Commons 1992-2000), born in Dewsbury, England (d. 2023)
1929 Didi (Waldyr Pereira), Brazilian soccer midfielder (68 caps; Fluminense), born in Campos dos Goytacazes, Brazil (d. 2001)
1930 (Park Frederick) "Pepper" Adams, American jazz saxophonist (Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Big Band), born in Highland Park, Michigan
1930 Faith Ringgold, American artist (We Came to America), born in Harlem, New York
1930 James Olsen, American actor (Andromeda Strain, Spell), born in Evanston, Illinois
1930 Tōru Takemitsu, Japanese classical music and film score composer (November Steps; Ran), born in Tokyo, Japan (d. 1996)
1931 Bill Brown, Scottish soccer goalkeeper (28 caps; Dundee, Tottenham Hotspur), born in Arbroath, Angus, Scotland (d. 2004)
1931 Pepper Rodgers, American football coach (University of Kansas, UCLA, Georgia Tech; USFL: Memphis Showboats), born in Atlanta, Georgia (d. 2020)
1932 (Roddis) "Pete" Drake, American session pedal steel guitarist (Tammy Wynette - "Stand by Your Man"; Bob Dylan' - "Lay Lady Lay": George Harrison - "All Things Must Pass"), and producer (Ringo Starr; BJ Thomas), born in Augusta, Georgia (d. 1988)
1932 Ray Reardon, Welsh snooker player, born in Tredegar, Monmouthshire, Wales
1934 Gerry Hitchens, English footballer, born in Staffordshire, United Kingdom (d. 1983)
1934 J. Carter Brown, American art director (Washington National Gallery), born in Providence, Rhode Island (d. 2002)
1935 Albert Roux, French chef and restaurateur (Le Gavroche, 1st Michelin three-starred restaurant in Britain), born in Semur-en-Brionnais, Saône-et-Loire, France (d. 2021) [1]
1936 Carman Moore, American composer, born in Lorain, Ohio
1936 Peter Swan, English soccer defender (19 caps; Sheffield Wednesday, Bury), born in South Elmsall, England (d. 2021)
1936 Rona Barrett, American gossip columnist (Tomorrow Show), born in NYC, New York
1937 Frank Cignetti Sr., American College Football HOF coach (West Virginia Uni, Indiana University of Pennsylvania; career college record 199–77–1), born in Apollo, Pennsylvania (d. 2022)
1938 David Willis, British journalist (BBC World Service) (d. 1993)

Fred Stolle (84 years old)

1938 Australian tennis player, broadcaster (French C'ship 1965, US Nat C'ship 1966), born in Sydney, Australia

1938 Penny Pitou, American skier (Olympic-2 silvers-1960), born in Bayside, New York
1938 Walter Gretzky, father of Wayne Gretzky, born in Canning, Ontario, Canada
1939 Andrew William Thomas, American composer (Three Transformations), born in Ithaca, New York
1939 Armando Gentilucci, Italian composer, born in Lecce, Italy (d. 1989)
1939 Boris Dubrovsky, Russian rower (Olympic gold double sculls [Oleg Tyurin] 1964), born in Moscow, Russia (d. 2023)
1939 Elvīra Ozoliņa, Soviet javelin thrower (Olympic gold 1960), born in Leningrad
1939 Harvey Pekar, American comic book writer (American Splendor), born in Cleveland, Ohio (d. 2010)
1939 Lynne Stewart, American defense attorney (known for representing controversial, poor, and often unpopular defendants), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 2017)
1939 Paul Hogan, Australian actor (Crocodile Dundee, Lightning Jack), born in Lightning Ridge, New South Wales, Australia
1940 Fred Cash, American soul singer (Impressions -"People Get Ready"; It's All Right"), born in Chattanooga, Tennessee
1941 Jesse Jackson, American clergyman and Democratic presidential candidate (1984, 88), born in Greenville, South Carolina
1943 (Cornelius) "Chevy" Chase, American comic actor and writer (SNL, 1975-76; Vacation; Fletch; Caddyshack; Community), born in NYC, New York
1943 James E. Sellars, American composer, born in Fort Smith, Arkansas (d. 2017)

R. L. Stine (79 years old)

1943 American children's book writer (Goosebumps), born in Columbus, Ohio

1944 Bruce Morrison, American politician (Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Connecticut), born in New York
1944 Susan Raye, American country music singer ("L.A. International Airport"), born in Eugene, Oregon
1945 Joseph Rescigno, American opera conductor (Florentine Opera Company of Milwaukee, 1981-2019), born in Flushing, New York
1945 Ray Royer, English rock guitarist (Procol Harum - "A Whiter Shade Of Pale"), born in The Pinewoods, Essex
1945 Vanburn Holder, West Indian cricket fast bowler (40 Tests, 109 wickets; 12 ODIs), born in Deans Village, Saint Michael, Barbados
1946 Aleksandr Gorshkov, Russian ice dancer (World C'ship gold x 6; Olympic gold USSR 1976; with Lyudmila Pakhomova), born in Moscow, Russia (d. 2022)
1946 Brian Lockwood, English rugby league utility forward (16 Tests GB, 3 England; Castleford, Canterbury-Bankstown, Balmain, Wakefield Trinity, Hull KR), born in Oldham, England
1946 Dennis Kucinich, American politician (Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio), born in Cleveland, Ohio
1946 Jean-Jacques Beineix, French film director (Betty Blue, Diva), born in Paris, France
1946 Paul Splittorff, American MLB pitcher and broadcaster (KC Royals), born in Evansville, Indiana (d. 2011)
1947 Emiel Puttemans, Flemish athlete, born in Vossem, Belgium
1947 Sheila Ferguson, American pop singer and songwriter (The Three Degrees - "When Will I See You Again"), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1947 Tony Wilson, Trinidadian rock songwriter, bassist, and vocalist (Hot Chocolate - "You Sexy Thing"), born in Trinidad
1947 Yelena Ivanovna Dobrokvashina, Russian cosmonaut (Soyuz T-15a), born in Moscow
1948 Benjamin Cheever, American novelist and editor (The Partisan)
1948 Claude Jade, French actress (Stolen Kisses), born in Dijon, France (d. 2006)

Johnny Ramone (1948-2004)

American punk rock guitarist and songwriter (Ramones - "I Wanna Be Sedated"), born in Long Island, New York

1948 Pedro Alonso López, Colombian serial killer known as the 'The Monster of the Andes' (120-300+ victims), born in Santa Isabel, Tolima, Colombia
1948 Sarah Purcell, American actress and TV hostess (Real People), born in Richmond, Indiana
1948 Stephanie Marrian [Stefanie Khan], French model, actress and comedienne (Benny Hill Show), born in Paris, France
1949 Hamish Stuart, Scottish bass player, guitarist and singer (Average White Band;, 1972-82; Paul McCartney, 1989-93; Ringo's All-Starr Band), born in Glasgow, Scotland
1949 Jay Graydon, American songwriter, guitarist, and producer (Al Jarrau), born in Burbank, California

Sigourney Weaver (73 years old)

1949 American actress (Alien, Working Girl), born in Manhattan, New York

1950 Robert "Kool" Bell, American funk rock bassist (Kool & the Gang - "Joanna"), born in Youngstown, Ohio
1951 Jack O'Connell, American politician (Member of the California State Senate), born in Glen Cove, New York
1952 Clifford Adams, American trombone player (Kool & the Gang - "Joanna"), born in Trenton, New Jersey (d. 2015)
1952 Edward Zwick, American film director (Shakespeare in Love), born in Chicago, Illinois
1952 Jan Marijnissen, Dutch politician (Leader of the Socialist Party), born in Oss, Netherlands
1953 Ricky Lee Phelps, American singer (Kentucky Headhunters - "The Ballad Of Davy Crockett"), born in Paragould, Arkansas
1953 Robert Saxton, British classical composer (The Circle of Light; Caritas), born in London
1954 Ben Amonette, American free pistol shooting athlete (Olympics 1992, 96), born in Radford, Virginia
1954 Carl Vine, Australian classical composer, born in Perth, Australia
1954 Michael Dudikoff, American actor (American Ninja, TRON), born in Redondo Beach, California

Bill Elliott (67 years old)

1955 American auto racer (Winston Cup 1988), born in Dawsonville, Georgia

1955 Darrell Hammond, American comedian (SNL), born in Melbourne, Florida
1955 Lonnie Pitchford, American blues musician, born in Lexington, Mississipi (d. 1998)
1956 Danny Jacob, American session and touring guitarist (Bette Midler), and cartoon music composer (Phineas and Ferb), born in Los Angeles, California
1956 Janice Voss, American astronaut (shuttle radar topography mission), born in South Bend, Indiana (d. 2012)
1956 Larry Crane, American rock guitarist (John Mellencamp band), born in Seymour, Indiana
1956 Scott Michael Pellaton, American barefoot water ski champ, born in Brentwood, California
1956 Stephanie Zimbalist, American actress (Remington Steele; Centennial), born in NYC, New York
1957 Antonio Cabrini, Italian footballer (Juventus, Italian national team 1982 FIFA Champion), born in Cremona, Italy
1957 James DePaiva, American actor (Max Holden-One Life to Live), born in Livermore, California
1957 Joe Castiglione, American college athletic director, born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
1958 Steve Coll, American journalist (The New Yorker) and writer (The Bin Ladens: An Arabian Family in the American Century), born in Washington, D.C.
1958 Ursula von der Leyen, German politician, 1st woman elected President of European Commission, born in Ixelles, Brussels
1959 Carlos I. Noriega, Peruvian-American astronaut (STS 84, sk 97), born in Lima, Peru
1959 Gavin Friday [Fionán Martin Hanvey], Irish singer (Virgin Prunes), born in Dublin, Ireland
1959 Mike Morgan, American baseball pitcher (St Louis Cardinals), born in Tulare, California
1959 Nick Bakay, American actor and voice actor (Sabrina the Teenage Witch-Salem Saberhagen), born in Buffalo, New York
1959 Tony Eason, American football quarterback (New England Patriots), born in Blythe, California
1960 François Pérusse, Quebec humorist 9Les 2 minutes du peuple), born in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
1960 Lorenzo Milá, Spanish newscaster, born in Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona
1960 Reed Hastings, American businessman, entrepreneur and co-founder of Netflix, born in Boston, Massachusetts
1961 Ted Kooshian, American jazz pianist (Hubub!; Standard Orbit Quartet; Clowns Will Be Arriving), born in San Jose, California
1962 Bruno Thiry, Belgian rally driver, born in St. Vith, Belgium
1962 Michael Abels, American Pulitzer Prize-winning composer (Omar; Us), born in Phoenix, Arizona
1964 (Priscilla) "CeCe" Winans (Love), American 23-time Dove and 12-time Grammy Award-winning gospel singer, born in Detroit, Michigan
1964 Alan Igglesden, English cricket fast bowler (3 Tests, 6 wickets; 4 ODIs; Kent CCC), born in Farnborough, England (d. 2021)