August 20 birthdays and deaths:

Jerry Lewis

Jerry Lewis was a renowned American actor, comedian, and filmmaker, best known for his slapstick comedy routines and starring roles in movies such as "The Bellboy" and "The Nutty Professor." He was a beloved figure in Hollywood and continues to be celebrated for his enduring legacy in comedy.

Deathyear: 2017

Phyllis Diller

Phyllis Diller, a pioneering comedian and actress, was born in 1917. Known for her sharp wit and distinctive laugh, she broke barriers for women in comedy, starring in six films and releasing several comedy albums, earning her the nickname "The First Lady of Stand-Up Comedy."

Deathyear: 2012

Johan de Witt

Johan de Witt (1625-1672) was a Dutch mathematician, philosopher, and politician who served as Grand Pensionary of Holland. He was a prominent figure in Dutch politics, implementing reforms and helping to stabilize the Dutch Republic during a period of significant growth and prosperity.

Deathyear: 1672

Darya Dugina

Darya Dugina is a Russian journalist and philosopher born in 1992. She is a prominent figure in Russian media, known for her conservative and patriotic views. Her writings often focus on Russian and European politics, history, and culture. She is also a popular public speaker and TV commentator.

Deathyear: 2022

Elmore Leonard

Elmore Leonard was a renowned American author known for his gritty, crime-drenched novels and short stories, often set in Miami and Detroit. His unique writing style blended vivid descriptions, wry humor, and complex characters, earning him a reputation as a master of linguistic precision and storytelling.

Deathyear: 2013

Hua Guofeng

Hua Guofeng, born in 1921, served as the 2nd Premier of China from 1976 to 1980. He succeeded Zhou Enlai and played a crucial role in stabilizing the country following Mao Zedong's death.

Deathyear: 2008

Pope Pius X

Born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini, Pius X (1857-1914) was the 258th pope from 1903-1914. Convening the fifth ecumenical council, the First Vatican Council, he emphasized papal authority and led a Marian revival, earning the nickname "The Saint" for his simplicity, humility, and piety.

Deathyear: 1914

Leona Helmsley

Leona Helmsley, known as the "Queen of Mean," was an American businesswoman and heiress who built a hotel empire with her husband, Harry Helmsley. She was convicted of tax evasion and prison-bound, earning a reputation for her sharp tongue and litigious nature.

Deathyear: 2007

Bernard of Clairvaux

Bernard of Clairvaux was a French theologian and saint who lived from 1090 to 1153. He was a leading figure in the 12th-century Church, known for his wisdom, eloquence, and wit.

Deathyear: 1153

Joe Dassin

Joe Dassin was a talented American-French singer-songwriter born in 1938. He gained international fame with his distinctive voice and lyrics, releasing numerous hit songs like "Les Champs-Élysées" and "Borsalino". His music was a blend of French pop, chanson, and folk.

Deathyear: 1980

Miguel López de Legazpi

Miguel López de Legazpi, a Spanish navigator and politician, was the 1st Governor-General of the Philippines. Born in 1502, he led the first successful Spanish expedition to the Philippines, establishing a Spanish settlement in Manila in 1571.

Deathyear: 1572

Paul Ehrlich

Paul Ehrlich was a German physician and academic who originated the concept of "side chains" and developed the first truly effective treatment for syphilis. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1908 for his work on the complement system.

Deathyear: 1915

Pope Pius VII

Pope Pius VII (1740-1823) was an Italian priest who served as Pope from 1800 to 1823. During his reign, he faced opposition from Napoleon Bonaparte, who had him imprisoned and later freed. He was known for his diplomacy and played a key role in the Congress of Vienna.

Deathyear: 1823

B. K. S. Iyengar

Bharathischandra Kumar Shivram Iyengar (1918-2014) was a renowned Indian yoga instructor and author who developed Iyengar Yoga, a style emphasizing precise alignments, props, and sequencing. He revolutionized Yoga, making it accessible to the masses through his books and teachings.

Deathyear: 2014

Fred Hoyle

Fred Hoyle (1915-2001) was a renowned English astronomer and science fiction author. He made significant contributions to the understanding of stellar nucleosynthesis and the life cycle of stars.

Deathyear: 2001

Meles Zenawi

Meles Zenawi was an Ethiopian politician and soldier who served as Prime Minister of Ethiopia from 1995 to 2012. Born in 1955, he led the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front to power, implementing significant economic and social reforms, and played a key role in promoting regional stability.

Deathyear: 2012

William Booth

William Booth, a former pawnbroker, co-founded The Salvation Army with his wife Catherine in 1865. A passionate preacher and evangelist, Booth inspired his wife to dedicate her life to God, leading her to sacrifice her worldly possessions to serve the poor and marginalized.

Deathyear: 1912

Kim Stanley

Kim Stanley was a renowned American actress, born in 1925. She triumphed on Broadway and in films, earning acclaim for her intense, nuanced performances. She was nominated for Academy Awards and won several awards for her work, solidifying her legacy as a Hollywood icon.

Deathyear: 2001

Larry Knechtel

Larry Knechtel was an American keyboardist and bassist born in 1940. He was a member of the bands Bread and Keith Emerson, and played with various musicians, including Elvis Presley, Neil Diamond, and Eric Clapton.

Deathyear: 2009

Edward Weston

Edward Weston (1850-1936) was an American photographer and a chemist. He was known for his innovative camera techniques and his iconic photographs of natural forms, plants, and nudes.

Deathyear: 1936

Rashid Minhas

Rashid Minhas was a Pakistani lieutenant and pilot who made a heroic sacrifice on August 18, 1976, when he crashed his plane in a field to avoid being co-piloted to India, rather than surrendering to Indian authorities. He was posthumously awarded the Nishan-e-Haider, Pakistan's highest military honor.

Deathyear: 1971

Narendra Dabholkar

Narendra Dabholkar was an Indian author and activist who dedicated his life to eliminating superstition and promoting science. Known for his books on rational thinking, he was murdered in 2013 for his advocacy against superstition and blind faith in India.

Deathyear: 2013

Gene Upshaw

Gene Upshaw, an American football player, played as an offensive guard in the NFL from 1967 to 1981, earning 14 Pro Bowl selections and being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987.

Deathyear: 2008

Igor Vovkovinskiy

Igor Vovkovinskiy, a Ukrainian-American law student and actor, holds the record as the tallest person in the US, standing at 8 ft 8 in (264 cm) tall. Born in 1982, he was a law student at Washburn University when he was crowned the tallest person in the US by Guinness World Records.

Deathyear: 2021

Norris Bradbury

Norris Bradbury, a renowned American scientist, served with the Manhattan Project and became the director of Los Alamos National Laboratory. As a brilliant physicist and academic, he made significant contributions to atomic theory and radiation detection, earning numerous honors and recognition for his groundbreaking work.

Deathyear: 1997

Joe Rosenthal

Joe Rosenthal was a renowned American photographer and journalist, born in 1911. He shot the iconic "Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima" photo in 1945, earning a Pulitzer Prize.

Deathyear: 2006

Ulla Jacobsson

Ulla Jacobsson was a renowned Swedish actress born in 1929. She gained international recognition for her nuanced performances in films like "Elvira Madigan" and "A Woman on the Beach". Her work showcased her versatility, earning her the title of "the greatest Swedish actress of her generation".

Deathyear: 1982

Ram Sharan Sharma

Ram Sharan Sharma, a renowned Indian historian and academic, was born in 1919. He was known for his comprehensive research on ancient Indian history, especially on the Gupta Empire and the Vedic period.

Deathyear: 2011

Ed Freeman

Ed Freeman was a US Army pilot who flew medical evacuation missions during the Vietnam War. On May 12, 1968, he landed his helicopter in the midst of intense fighting, saving countless lives. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions.

Deathyear: 2008

Adolf von Baeyer

Adolf von Baeyer, a renowned German chemist, was born in 1835. He discovered numerous organic compounds, including coumarin and indigo, and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1905 for his pioneering work on the alkylbenzenes and for his extensive research in the field of organic chemistry.

Deathyear: 1917

Donald O. Hebb

Donald Olding Hebb, a renowned Canadian psychologist and academic, is best known for his theory that "neurons that fire together, wire together", which revolutionized understanding of brain plasticity and learning. His work laid the foundation for modern cognitive psychology.

Deathyear: 1985

Cornelis de Witt

Cornelis de Witt, a prominent Dutch lawyer and politician, was born in 1623. He played a key role in shaping the Dutch Republic's governance system and was a key figure in the Dutch Grand Embassy's diplomatic mission.

Deathyear: 1672

Ted Post

Ted Post was an American director and screenwriter, born in 1918. He worked on various TV shows, including "The Twilight Zone" and "M*A*S*H", before directing films like "The Virginian" (1980) and "Every Which Way But Loose" (1976).

Deathyear: 2013

Dom Mintoff

Dom Mintoff was a prominent Maltese journalist and politician who served as the 8th Prime Minister of Malta from 1955 to 1958 and again from 1971 to 1984. He was known for his socialist ideologies and played a significant role in shaping Malta's modern politics.

Deathyear: 2012

Tomás Luis de Victoria

Tomás Luis de Victoria was a renowned Spanish priest and composer of the Renaissance era. Born in 1548, he served as chapel master to Philip II and is considered one of the greatest composers of the Spanish Golden Age, known for his lush harmonies and profound spirituality.

Deathyear: 1611

Percy Williams Bridgman

Percy Williams Bridgman was a renowned American physicist and academic, renowned for his work on high-pressure physics. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1946 for his pioneering research on the properties of matter at extremely high pressures.

Deathyear: 1961

István Horthy

István Horthy (1904-1995) was a Hungarian admiral and pilot. He served in World War II and continued to serve in the Hungarian Navy after the war.

Deathyear: 1942

Jonathan Daniels

Jon Daniels, a white seminarian, arrived in Selma in 1965 to support the voting rights movement. He was murdered by a Ku Klux Klan member on August 20, 1965, a day that became known as Bloody Sunday. His sacrifice continues to inspire civil rights activism.

Deathyear: 1965

Hugo Pratt

Hugo Pratt was an Italian comic book creator, best known for his graphic novel "Corto Maltese". With a distinctive style, Pratt's works are characterized by meticulous drawing, intricate plots, and historical context. His iconic series follow the adventures of the erudite, adventurous Corto Maltese.

Deathyear: 1995