August 16 birthdays and deaths:

Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley, known as the "King of Rock and Roll," was a legendary American singer, guitarist, and actor. Born in 1935, he revolutionized popular music with his distinctive voice, dance moves, and iconic style, selling millions of records and enduring as a cultural icon.

Deathyear: 1977

Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin was a legendary American singer-songwriter known as the "Queen of Soul." Born in Memphis in 1942, she rose to fame in the 1960s with her powerful voice, emotive performances, and iconic hits like "Respect" and "Think."

Deathyear: 2018

Babe Ruth

George Herman "Babe" Ruth Jr. was a legendary American baseball player and coach. A towering figure in the sport, Ruth paved the way for the modern game. He played for the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and Boston Braves, holding records for home runs and World Series championships.

Deathyear: 1948

Idi Amin

Idi Amin, a Ugandan field marshal and politician, served as the 3rd President of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. He seized power in a military coup, brutally ruled, and perpetrated human rights atrocities, resulting in an estimated 100,000 to 500,000 deaths and widespread destruction.

Deathyear: 2003

Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Atal Bihari Vajpayee, India's 10th and 12th Prime Minister (1998-2004), was a prominent BJP leader known for his diplomatic skills, moderate views, and strong nationalist stance.

Deathyear: 2018

Peter Fonda

Peter Fonda was a renowned American actor, director, and screenwriter, best known for his roles in Easy Rider (1969) and Ulee's Gold (1997). He was the son of Henry Fonda and brother of Jane Fonda, and was known for his distinctive voice and rugged on-screen presence.

Deathyear: 2019

Sean Lock

Sean Lock (1963-2021) was a British comedian and actor, best known for hosting the BBC's Argumental and appearing on panel shows such as QI and Have I Got News for You. His witty humor and dry wit won him a large and devoted fan base in the UK.

Deathyear: 2021

Robert Johnson

Robert Johnson, a prolific American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist, was born in 1911. He is renowned for his unique slide guitar style and hauntingly beautiful songs, including "Cross Road Blues" and "Hellhound on My Trail".

Deathyear: 1938

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was a legendary Pakistani Qawwali singer and musician, known for his powerful, soulful voice and classic recordings. A master of Sufi music, he performed globally and collaborated with artists across genres, transcending cultural boundaries with his heavenly melodies.

Deathyear: 1997

Bela Lugosi

Bela Lugosi was a Hungarian-American actor renowned for his iconic portrayal of Count Dracula in the 1931 film. Born László Biró in 1882, Lugosi's distinctive accent and menacing on-screen presence cemented his status as a horror icon of the early 20th century.

Deathyear: 1956

Ramakrishna

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was a renowned Indian mystic and philosopher who lived in the 19th century. He was known for his spiritual teachings and his ability to communicate with the Divine.

Deathyear: 1886

Amanda Blake

Amanda Blake was an American actress born in 1929, best known for her iconic role as Miss Ellie Ewing Farlow on the CBS drama series "Dallas".

Deathyear: 1989

Anna Kashfi

Anna Kashfi, a British actress born in 1934, is known for her roles in films like "Hot Blood" (1953) and "Escape from Jungle Island" (1955). She has also appeared in television shows and worked as a model.

Deathyear: 2015

Stewart Granger

Stewart Granger was a renowned English-American actor, born James Stewart Raymond Horace Valentine Reid on June 6, 1913. He is best known for his dashing leading-man roles in films such as "Rob Roy" and "Scaramouche", showcasing his charming and charismatic on-screen presence.

Deathyear: 1993

William Halsey Jr.

William Halsey Jr., a distinguished American admiral, played a key role in World War II. Born in 1882, he commanded the USS Enterprise during the Battle of the Philippines, and later led the Task Force 38 in the Pacific during the final stages of the war.

Deathyear: 1959

John Stith Pemberton

John Pemberton, an American pharmacist and chemist, invented Coca-Cola in 1886. Born in 1831, Pemberton created the iconic drink as a "brain tonic and intellectual beverage" to cure headaches and relieve fatigue. His creation would go on to become a global phenomenon.

Deathyear: 1888

Margaret Mitchell

Margaret Mitchell was a renowned American journalist and author best known for her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel "Gone with the Wind". She was born in 1900 and authored the iconic novel that has become an American classic, captivating readers worldwide.

Deathyear: 1949

William Windom (actor)

William Windom was an American actor, born in 1923. He is best known for his role as John Monroe on the CBS sitcom "Barney Miller" (1975-1982) and for his work in numerous TV shows, films, and stage productions.

Deathyear: 2012

João Havelange

João Havelange, born in 1916, was a Brazilian water polo player, lawyer, and businessman. He served as FIFA President from 1974 to 1998, revolutionizing the sport's global reach and commercialization. Havelange's legacy includes the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Deathyear: 2016

Saint Roch

Roch, French medieval saint, was born in 1295. As a knight, he contracted the plague and cured himself through prayer. Eventually, he founded the Order of the Holy Cross, a Catholic lay Order. He is known for his intercession and protection against the plague.

Deathyear: 1327

Peter I of Serbia

Peter I of Serbia, born in 1844, was the monarch of Serbia from 1903 to 1921. He unified the country, abolished the Ottoman Empire's influence, and promoted economic development, earning him the nickname "The Unifier".

Deathyear: 1921

John Diefenbaker

John Diefenbaker was a prominent Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 13th Prime Minister of Canada from 1957 to 1963. He was a champion of individual rights and freedoms, and his legacy continues to be celebrated in Canada today.

Deathyear: 1979

Alfredo Stroessner

Alfredo Stroessner was a Paraguayan general and dictator who ruled the country from 1954 to 1989. He was born on November 5, 1912. As the 46th President of Paraguay, Stroessner established a military dictatorship, censorship was strict, and opposition was brutally suppressed.

Deathyear: 2006

Wenceslaus IV of Bohemia

Wenceslaus IV of Bohemia, born in 1361, was King of the Romans from 1376 and King of Bohemia from 1378. He faced numerous challenges, including conflicts with his father, Charles IV, and his own father-in-law, Meinhard III.

Deathyear: 1419

Ranavalona I

Ranavalona I, born in 1778, was a Malagasy queen who rose from consort to sovereign of the Kingdom of Madagascar. She reigned from 1782 to 1828, known for her astute diplomacy and military prowess, unifying various tribes and defending her kingdom against European colonial powers.

Deathyear: 1861

Richard Williams (animator)

Richard Williams is a renowned Canadian-British animator, born in 1933. He is best known for his work on the stop-motion films "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" and "The Thief and the Cobbler". Williams has won numerous awards for his innovative and imaginative animation techniques.

Deathyear: 2019

Ronnie Drew

Ronnie Drew was a legendary Irish musician, folk singer, and actor. Known for his iconic vocals and endearing stage presence, he captivated audiences with his renditions of traditional Irish songs, including the famous "Seven Drunken Nights."

Deathyear: 2008

Jeff Corey

Jeff Corey, a renowned American actor, born in 1914, is best known for his prolific film and television career spanning over 40 years. He appeared in numerous iconic films and TV shows, including "High Noon" and "Star Trek," earning him a reputation as a versatile and accomplished actor.

Deathyear: 2002

Jean-Martin Charcot

Jean-Martin Charcot was a French neurologist and academic born in 1825. He founded the Salpêtrière Hospital's "Neurological Clinic" and developed the field of neurology, discovering diseases such as multiple sclerosis and announcing the "Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease".

Deathyear: 1893

Jacob Bernoulli

Jacob Bernoulli, a Swiss mathematician and theorist, born in 1654, made significant contributions to probability theory, calculus, and infinite series. He is remembered for his work on the Bernoulli numbers, the Bernoulli distribution, and his famous book "Ars Conjectandi", a foundational text in probability theory.

Deathyear: 1705

Abu Nidal

Abu Nidal, born Sabri Khalil al-Hussayni, was a Palestinian terrorist leader who formed the Fatah's breakaway faction, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command, responsible for numerous attacks against Israeli and Western targets, resulting in hundreds of deaths. He died in 2002, reportedly by assassination.

Deathyear: 2002

Andrew Marvell

Andrew Marvell (1621-1678) was a renowned English poet, critic, and satirist. He wrote extensively on metaphysics, politics, and love. His poetry, often witty and introspective, explored themes of morality, mortality, and the human condition.

Deathyear: 1678

Phil Leeds

Phil Leeds was an American actor, born in 1916, known for his extensive work in television, film, and stage. He appeared in numerous TV shows, including "The Twilight Zone," "Hogan's Heroes," and "Bewitched," showcasing his versatility and steady presence as a character actor.

Deathyear: 1998

Masanobu Fukuoka

Masanobu Fukuoka, a Japanese farmer and author, pioneered the concept of "natural farming" or "do-nothing farming," promoting minimal intervention and reliance on nature's processes.

Deathyear: 2008

Robert Bunsen

Robert Bunsen, a renowned German chemist and academic, was born in 1811. He is famous for inventing the Bunsen burner, a device that produces a controlled flame for various scientific experiments, revolutionizing laboratory research in chemistry and physics.

Deathyear: 1899

John, Elector of Saxony

John, Elector of Saxony (1468-1537), was a renowned figures of the Protestant Reformation. A strong supporter of Martin Luther, he encouraged the spread of Protestantism in Saxony, facing opposition from the Catholic Church and the Holy Roman Emperor.

Deathyear: 1532

Theodore II Laskaris

Theodore II Laskaris was a Byzantine-Greek emperor who ruled from 1254 to 1258. The nephew of the emperor John III Vatatzes, he ascended to the throne after the death of his cousin, Michael VIII Palaeologus.

Deathyear: 1258

Irving Langmuir

Irving Langmuir was a renowned American chemist and physicist who made groundbreaking contributions to chemistry and physics. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1932 for his work on surface chemistry and atomic hydrogen lamps.

Deathyear: 1957

John McLaughlin (host)

John McLaughlin was an American television personality, journalist, and author, best known for hosting the weekly news and analysis program "The McLaughlin Group" from 1983 to 2017. Known for his conservative views and witty banter, he was a prominent figure in American television news and commentary.

Deathyear: 2016

Howard S. Becker

Howard S. Becker is a renowned American sociologist, born in 1928. He is known for his contributions to the sociological imagination, particularly in the areas of social norms, deviance, and the sociology of knowledge. His work has had a profound impact on various fields, including criminology and sociology.

Deathyear: 2023

Dimitrios Ioannidis

Dimitrios Ioannidis (b. 1923) is a Greek general and former Deputy Chief of the Hellenic Armed Forces General Staff. He played a key role in the 1975 Cyprus coup d'etat and served as the military ruler of Cyprus after the assassination of President Archbishop Makarios III.

Deathyear: 2010

Hōjō Masako

Hōjō Masako, born in 1156, was a powerful Japanese regent and onna-bugeisha, wife of Minamoto no Yoritomo. She played a crucial role in the establishment of the Kamakura shogunate, becoming the regent for her young son, Yasutoki, and enforcing a period of relative peace in Japan.

Deathyear: 1225

Selman Waksman

Selman Waksman, a Ukrainian-born American biochemist and microbiologist, discovered streptomycin, a life-saving antibiotic, and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1952 for his groundbreaking work on antibiotics.

Deathyear: 1973