December 18 birthdays and deaths:

Chris Farley

Chris Farley was a beloved American comedian and actor, known for his physical comedy and spirited performances. He rose to fame as a cast member on "Saturday Night Live" and starred in films like "Tommy Boy" and "Beverly Hills Ninja".

Deathyear: 1997

Zsa Zsa Gabor

Zsa Zsa Gabor was a glamorous Hungarian-American actress and socialite, known for her stunning beauty, husky voice, and iconic roles in films like "Moulin Rouge" and "Lili." Born in Budapest in 1917, she charmed the world with her wit, charm, and fiery personality.

Deathyear: 2016

Neilia Hunter Biden

Neilia Hunter Biden (1942-1972) was a nurse and philanthropist. She married Joe Biden in 1966 and they had three young children together. Tragically, Neilia was killed in a car accident in 1972, leaving Joe to raise their daughters, Beau, Holly, and Naomi, on his own.

Deathyear: 1972

Kim Jong-hyun

Kim Jong-hyun (Taemin of SHINee) is a renowned South Korean singer-songwriter born on May 18, 1990. With a velvet voice and poetic lyrics, he has captivated fans worldwide, releasing hit songs like "Have It Made" and "Move".

Deathyear: 2017

Kirsty MacColl

Kirsty MacColl was a British singer-songwriter known for her distinctive voice and witty, observational songwriting. With a career spanning four decades, she released several critically acclaimed albums and penned hits like "They Don't Know" and "Fairytale of New York."

Deathyear: 2000

Nur Jahan

Nur Jahan, born Mehr-un-Nissa in 1577, rose to power as empress consort of Shāh Jahān, the fifth Mughal emperor, controlling court politics and patronizing the arts. Her intelligence, beauty, and cunning earned her the title "Asifā-Banū" (star of the tribe).

Deathyear: 1645

Majel Barrett

Majel Barrett, born on February 23, 1932, was a renowned American actress and producer. Best known for her iconic roles in Star Trek, including Lwaxana Troi in Star Trek: The Next Generation, and the voice of the computer in various Star Trek series.

Deathyear: 2008

Mark Felt

Mark Felt, born in 1913, was an American FBI agent who served in multiple leadership positions. He is most notably known for being the source behind Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein's Watergate investigation, revealing himself as "Deep Throat" in 2005.

Deathyear: 2008

Joseph Barbera

Joseph Barbera, a renowned American animator, director, and producer, co-founded Hanna-Barbera with William Hanna in 1957. Born in 1911, Barbera brought iconic cartoon characters to life, including Tom and Jerry, The Flintstones, and The Jetsons, entertaining generations and leaving a lasting legacy in the world of animation.

Deathyear: 2006

Václav Havel

Václav Havel, a Czech poet and playwright, rose to prominence as a dissident during the Soviet era. After the Velvet Revolution, he became the 1st President of the newly independent Czech Republic, known for his commitment to democracy, human rights, and a strong moral compass.

Deathyear: 2011

Bobby Jones (golfer)

Bobby Jones was a renowned American golfer and lawyer, born in 1902. He won 13 major championships, including four U.S. Opens. Jones is considered one of the greatest golfers of all time, known for his exceptional short game and strategic playing style.

Deathyear: 1971

Sam Wanamaker

Sam Wanamaker was a remarkable American-English actor, director, and producer, born in 1919. He founded the Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London, bringing the Bard's works to life for a new generation. Wanamaker's passion for theatre led to a lifetime of creative endeavors, leaving a lasting legacy.

Deathyear: 1993

Hans-Ulrich Rudel

Hans-Ulrich Rudel was a German colonel and pilot who flew the Stuka dive bomber during WWII. He is credited with sinking nine Soviet battleships and numerous other naval vessels, earning him the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds.

Deathyear: 1982

Jean-Baptiste Lamarck

Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, a French soldier, biologist, and academic, was born in 1744. He made significant contributions to biology, introducing the concept of inheritance of acquired characteristics and creating a system of classification of plants and animals, laying the groundwork for modern evolutionary theory.

Deathyear: 1829

Alexei Kosygin

Alexei Kosygin was a Russian soldier and politician who served as the 8th Premier of the Soviet Union from 1964 to 1980. Born in 1904, Kosygin rose through the ranks of the Soviet military to become a prominent figure in Soviet politics.

Deathyear: 1980

Antonio Stradivari

Antonio Stradivari, a renowned Italian luthier, crafted exquisite violins, violas, and cellos from 1666 to 1737. His masterpieces are esteemed for their exceptional tone, beauty, and craftsmanship, earning him the nickname "Stradivarius." Only 650 of his instruments have survived, with many remaining unidentified.

Deathyear: 1737

Robert Bresson

Robert Bresson (1901-1999) was a pioneering French New Wave director screenwriter known for his minimalist, lyrical films that explored the human condition. His iconic works include "A Matter of Life" (1959), "Pickpocket" (1959), and "The Devil, Probably" (1977).

Deathyear: 1999

Konrad Zuse

Konrad Zuse, a German engineer, designed and built the first fully automatic digital computer, the Z3, in 1941. Born in 1910, Zuse's innovative work in computer architecture and electronic switching led to the development of the first high-level programming language and the construction of the first practical digital computer.

Deathyear: 1995

Virna Lisi

Virna Lisi was a renowned Italian actress, born in 1936. She rose to fame in the 1950s and 1960s, starring in over 100 films. Known for her captivating on-screen presence, she was dubbed "the Italian Audrey Hepburn" for her elegance and charm.

Deathyear: 2014

Johann Gottfried Herder

Johann Gottfried Herder was a German philosopher, theologian, and poet born in 1744. He pioneered the concept of "folk poetry" and emphasized the importance of language, culture, and national identity. His work had a significant influence on subsequent thinkers, particularly the Romantics.

Deathyear: 1803

Mark Goodson

Mark Goodson (1915-1992) was a pioneering American game show producer. He created iconic shows like "Family Feud" and "The Price Is Right". With his partner Bill Todman, he produced over 150 game shows, earning 32 Emmy nominations and winning 18.

Deathyear: 1992

Mandy Rice-Davies

Mandy Rice-Davies was a British model and actress, born in 1944. She rose to fame in the 1960s, appearing in films and TV shows. Her autobiography, "Sweet Société", was published in 2005.

Deathyear: 2014

Sayaka Kanda

Sayaka Kanda is a Japanese actress and singer born in 1986. She is the daughter of the late actor Shin Kishida and a talented young performer in her own right, with a successful music career and numerous film and television credits to her name.

Deathyear: 2021

Randolph Apperson Hearst

Randolph Apperson Hearst, son of William Randolph Hearst, is an American businessman and heiress to the vast Hearst Communications fortune. Born in 1915, she has played a significant role in shaping the company's cultural and media endeavors, ensuring the legacy of the iconic publishing empire.

Deathyear: 2000

Richard Owen

Richard Owen was a prominent English biologist, anatomist, and paleontologist born in 1804. He is credited with coining the term "Dinosauria" and made significant contributions to the field of paleontology, particularly in the study of fossilized remains.

Deathyear: 1892

Eduard Bernstein

Eduard Bernstein, a German socialist theorist and politician, was born in 1850. He was a key figure in the German social democratic movement, and his theories on revisionism challenged Marxist orthodoxy.

Deathyear: 1932

Diana Lynn

Diana Lynn was an American actress born in 1926, known for her roles in films like "The Sun Shines Bright" and "The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer". She began her career as a child star, earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in 1947.

Deathyear: 1971

Edith of Wessex

Edith of Wessex, also known as Edith the Fair, was the daughter of King Ethelred the Unready and the wife of King Edward the Confessor of England. She played a significant role in the politics of 11th-century England, serving as a mediator and advisor to her husband.

Deathyear: 1075

Anne Revere

Anne Revere was a renowned American actress born on June 25, 1903. She began her career on stage, later transitioning to film and television. Her distinctive voice and versatility earned her critical acclaim and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in "National Velvet" (1944).

Deathyear: 1990

Lilia Skala

Lilia Skala was an Austrian-American actress born in 1896. She began her career on the Viennese stage, later transitioning to Hollywood, appearing in films like "The Young Stranger" (1945) and "Lilies of the Field" (1963), earning her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

Deathyear: 1994

Gilbert Bécaud

Gilbert Bécaud, the "King of French Music", was a renowned French singer-songwriter, pianist, and actor. Born in 1927, he wowed audiences with his smooth vocals, gifted piano playing, and charismatic stage presence, earning him an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1979.

Deathyear: 2001

Alfonso II of Naples

Alfonso II of Naples (b. 1448) was King of Naples from 1494 to 1495. A member of the House of Trastámara, he ruled briefly before being defeated and deposed by the French forces of Charles VIII.

Deathyear: 1495

Theodosius Dobzhansky

Theodosius Dobzhansky was a Ukrainian-American geneticist and biologist known for his work on the evolutionary theory of punctuated equilibrium and his contributions to the field of genetics, publishing over 800 papers and books on topics such as evolution, biology, and anthropology.

Deathyear: 1975

Bernard Bolzano

Bernard Bolzano was a Czech Catholic priest and mathematician who made significant contributions to philosophy, mathematics, and logic. He was born in 1781 and is best known for his work on infinite series and the theory of functions.

Deathyear: 1848

Louis Moreau Gottschalk

Louis Moreau Gottschalk was a renowned American pianist and composer of the Romantic era. Born in 1829, Gottschalk was known for his virtuosic piano playing and compositions that blended European classical music with Afro-Caribbean rhythms and folk melodies.

Deathyear: 1869

Pierre Cauchon

Pierre Cauchon was a French Catholic bishop born in 1371. He played a significant role in the trial of Joan of Arc, serving as the president of the tribunal that judged her.

Deathyear: 1442

Conny Plank

Conny Plank was a renowned German music producer and keyboard player, born in 1940. Known for his innovative production techniques and distinctive sound, he collaborated with prominent artists such as Kraftwerk, Neu!, and Eurythmics, leaving an enduring mark on the music industry.

Deathyear: 1987

Lucy Grealy

Lucy Grealy (1963-1993) was a critically acclaimed Irish-American author of autobiographical novels. Her memoir, "Autobiography of a Face" (1994), chronicles her struggles with cancer and facial reconstruction. Known for her introspective and poignant writing style, Grealy's work explores the human experience of illness and identity.

Deathyear: 2002