Daily historical facts, events, famous birthdays, world history. Discover what happened today in history.
Day History: November-18

Famous Birthdays
709- Emperor Kōnin|Kōnin -emperor of Japan (d. 782)
1522- Lamoral, Count of Egmont -(d. 1568)
1630- Eleonora Gonzaga (1630–1686)|Eleonora Gonzaga -Italian wife of Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor (d. 1686)
1647- Pierre Bayle -French philosopher and author (d. 1706)
1727- Philibert Commerson -French physician and explorer (d. 1773)
1736- Carl Friedrich Christian Fasch -German harpsichord player and composer (d. 1800)
1756- Thomas Burgess (bishop)|Thomas Burgess -English bishop and philosopher (d. 1837)
1772- Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia (1772–1806)|Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia -(d. 1806)
1774- Wilhelmine of Prussia, Queen of the Netherlands -(d. 1837)
1785- David Wilkie (artist)|David Wilkie -Scottish painter and academic (d. 1841)
1787- Louis Daguerre -French physicist and photographer, developed the daguerreotype (d. 1851)
1804- Alfonso Ferrero La Marmora -Italian general and politician, 6th Prime Minister of Italy (d. 1878)
1810- Asa Gray -American botanist and academic (d. 1888)
1832- Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld -Finnish-Swedish geologist and explorer (d. 1901)
1836- W. S. Gilbert -English playwright, poet, and illustrator (d. 1911)
1839- August Kundt -German physicist (d. 1894)
1856- Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich of Russia (1856–1929)|Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich of Russia -(d. 1929)
1860- Ignacy Jan Paderewski -Polish pianist, composer, and politician, 2nd Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland (d. 1941)
1861- Dorothy Dix -American journalist (d. 1951)
1874- Clarence Day -American author and poet (d. 1935)
1880- Naum Torbov -Bulgarian architect, designed the Central Sofia Market Hall (d. 1952)
1882- Amelita Galli-Curci -Italian soprano (d. 1963)
1882- Wyndham Lewis -English painter and author (d. 1957)
1882- Jacques Maritain -French philosopher and author (d. 1973)
1883- Carl Vinson -American judge and politician (d. 1981)
1886- Ferenc Münnich -Hungarian soldier and politician, 47th List of Prime Ministers of Hungary|Prime Minister of Hungary (d. 1967)
1888- Tirumalai Krishnamacharya -Indian yoga instructor (d. 1989)
1889- Stanislav Kosior -Polish-Russian politician (d. 1939)
1897- Patrick Blackett, Baron Blackett -English physicist and academic, Nobel Prize in Physics|Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1974)
1898- Joris Ivens -Dutch director and producer (d. 1989)
1899- Eugene Ormandy -Hungarian-American violinist and conductor (d. 1985)
1901- George Gallup -American statistician and academic (d. 1984)
1901- V. Shantaram -Indian actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1984)
1904- Alan Lennox-Boyd, 1st Viscount Boyd of Merton -English lieutenant and politician, Secretary of State for the Colonies (d. 1983)
1904- Jean Paul Lemieux -Canadian painter (d. 1990)
1906- Alec Issigonis -Greek-English car designer, designed the Mini|mini car (d. 1988)
1906- Klaus Mann -German-American author, playwright, and critic (d. 1949)
1906- George Wald -American neurobiologist and academic, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine|Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1997)
1907- Gustav Nezval -Czech actor (d. 1998)
1907- Compay Segundo -Cuban singer-songwriter and guitarist (Buena Vista Social Club) (d. 2003)
1908- Imogene Coca -American actress and singer (d. 2001)
1909- Johnny Mercer -American singer-songwriter and producer, co-founded Capitol Records (d. 1976)
1911- Attilio Bertolucci -Italian poet and author (d. 2000)
1912- Hilda Nickson -English author (d. 1977)
1913- Endre Rozsda -Hungarian-French painter and illustrator (d. 1999)
1914- Haguroyama Masaji -Japanese sumo wrestler, the 36th Makuuchi#Yokozuna|Yokozuna (d. 1969)
1915- Ken Burkhart -American baseball player and umpire (d. 2004)
1917- Pedro Infante -Mexican actor and singer (d. 1957)
1918- Tasker Watkins -Welsh soldier, judge, and politician, Victoria Cross recipient (d. 2007)
1919- Jocelyn Brando -American actress (d. 2005)
1919- Georgia Carroll -American singer and actress (d. 2011)
1920- Mustafa Khalil -Egyptian politician, 77th Prime Minister of Egypt (d. 2008)
1920- Robert Fryer -American playwright and producer (d. 2000)
1922- Luis Somoza Debayle -Nicaraguan politician, 70th President of Nicaragua (d. 1967)
1923- Anne Sargent -American actress (d. 2007)
1923- Alan Shepard -American admiral, pilot, and astronaut (d. 1998)
1923- Ted Stevens -American soldier, lawyer, and politician (d. 2010)
1924- Les Lye -Canadian actor and screenwriter (d. 2009)
1924- Alexander Mackenzie Stuart, Baron Mackenzie-Stuart -Scottish soldier, engineer, and judge (d. 2000)
1925- Gene Mauch -American baseball player and manager (d. 2005)
1927- Hank Ballard -American singer-songwriter (The Midnighters) (d. 2003)
1927- Knowlton Nash -Canadian journalist (d. 2014)
1928- Otar Gordeli -Georgian composer (d. 1994)
1928- Salvador Laurel -Filipino politician, 5th Prime Minister of the Philippines (d. 2004)
1928- Sheila Jordan -American singer-songwriter and pianist
1929- Gianna D'Angelo -American soprano and educator (d. 2013)
1929- Joey Forman -American actor (d. 1982)
1932- Nasif Estéfano -Argentinian race car driver (d. 1973)
1932- Danny McDevitt -American baseball player (d. 2010)
1933- Bruce Conner -American painter, photographer, and director (d. 2008)
1934- Vassilis Vassilikos -Greek journalist and diplomat
1935- Rudolf Bahro -German philosopher and politician (d. 1997)
1935- William Cullen, Baron Cullen of Whitekirk -Scottish judge and politician
1935- Rodney Hall -Australian author and poet
1936- Ennio Antonelli -Italian cardinal
1936- Don Cherry (trumpeter)|Don Cherry -American trumpet player (Old and New Dreams, New York Contemporary Five, and Codona) (d. 1995)
1937- Doug Smith (footballer born 1937)|Doug Smith -Scottish footballer (d. 2012)
1938- Jules Mikhael Al-Jamil -Iraqi-Lebanese archbishop (d. 2012)
1938- Norbert Ratsirahonana -Malagasy politician, Prime Minister of Madagascar
1939- Margaret Atwood -Canadian poet, author, and critic
1939- Bill Giles (meteorologist)|Bill Giles -English meteorologist
1939- Margaret Jay, Baroness Jay of Paddington -English journalist and politician, Leader of the House of Lords
1939- Amanda Lear -Hong Kong-French singer-songwriter and actress
1939- Brenda Vaccaro -American actress
1940- Qaboos bin Said al Said -Omani sultan
1941- Gary Bettenhausen -American race car driver (d. 2014)
1941- David Hemmings -English actor, singer, director, and producer (d. 2003)
1941- Angela Watkinson -English educator and politician
1942- Linda Evans -American actress
1942- Susan Sullivan -American actress
1943- Leonardo Sandri -Argentinian cardinal
1944- Wolfgang Joop -German fashion designer, founded JOOP!
1945- Wilma Mankiller -American tribal chief (d. 2010)
1945- Mahinda Rajapaksa -Sri Lankan lawyer and politician, 6th President of Sri Lanka
1946- Alan Dean Foster -American author
1946- Chris Rainbow -Scottish singer-songwriter and producer
1947- Timothy Maude -American general (d. 2001)
1947- Jameson Parker -American actor and producer
1948- Tõnis Mägi -Estonian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor (Ultima Thule (Estonian band)|Ultima Thule)
1948- Andrea Marcovicci -American actress and singer
1948- Kongō Masahiro -Japanese sumo wrestler (d. 2014)
1948- Ana Mendieta -Cuban-American sculptor and painter (d. 1985)
1948- Jack Tatum -American football player (d. 2010)
1949- Ahmed Zaki (actor)|Ahmed Zaki -Egyptian actor (d. 2005)
1950- Dennis Haskins -American actor
1950- Graham Parker -English singer-songwriter and guitarist (The Rumour)
1950- Eric Pierpoint -American actor and author
1950- Rudy Sarzo -Cuban-American bass player (Quiet Riot, Whitesnake, Dio (band)|Dio, Blue Öyster Cult, Manic Eden, and Queensrÿche)
1950- Michael Swanwick -American author
1951- Justin Raimondo -American journalist and author
1952- Peter Beattie -Australian lawyer and politician, 36th Premier of Queensland
1952- Claudio Capone -Italian-Scottish voice actor (d. 2008)
1952- Delroy Lindo -English actor and director
1953- Alan Moore -English author and illustrator
1953- Kevin Nealon -American comedian, actor, and screenwriter
1954- Evan Gray -New Zealand cricketer
1954- John Parr -English singer-songwriter and guitarist
1954- Georg Trašanov -Estonian politician
1955- Carter Burwell -American composer
1955- Michael Zimmer (footballer)|Michael Zimmer -German footballer
1956- Noel Brotherston -Irish-English footballer (d. 1995)
1956- Warren Moon -American football player and sportscaster
1956- Jim Weirich -American computer scientist, developed Rake (software)|Rake Software (d. 2014)
1957- Seán Mac Falls -Irish poet
1958- Daniel Brailovsky -Argentinian footballer and manager
1958- Plamen Krastev -Bulgarian hurdler
1958- Oscar Nunez -Cuban-American actor and screenwriter
1959- Cindy Blackman -American drummer
1959- Ulrich Noethen -German actor
1959- Karla Faye Tucker -American murderer (d. 1998)
1959- Jimmy Quinn (Northern Ireland footballer)|Jimmy Quinn -Irish footballer and manager
1960- Elizabeth Perkins -American actress
1960- Shari Shattuck -American actress and author
1960- Kim Wilde -English singer-songwriter
1960- Yeşim Ustaoğlu -Turkish director, producer, and screenwriter
1961- Nick Chinlund -American actor
1961- Jan Kuehnemund -American guitarist (Vixen (band)|Vixen) (d. 2013)
1961- Steven Moffat -Scottish screenwriter and producer
1962- Bart Bryant -American golfer
1962- Kirk Hammett -American guitarist and songwriter (Metallica, Spastik Children, and Exodus (band)|Exodus)
1962- Jamie Moyer -American baseball player
1963- Len Bias -American basketball player (d. 1986)
1963- Dante Bichette -American baseball player and coach
1963- Peter Schmeichel -Danish footballer and sportscaster
1963- Joost Zwagerman -Dutch author and poet
1964- Rita Cosby -American journalist and author
1965- Tim DeLaughter -American singer-songwriter (Tripping Daisy and The Polyphonic Spree)
1967- Tom Gordon -American baseball player
1967- Jocelyn Lemieux -Canadian ice hockey player
1967- Gavin Peacock -English footballer and sportscaster
1968- Barry Hunter (footballer)|Barry Hunter -Irish footballer and manager
1968- Kaido Kaaberma -Estonian fencer
1968- George Kotsiopoulos -American television personality, stylist and fashion consultant
1968- Romany Malco -American rapper, producer, actor, and screenwriter (College Boyz)
1968- Gary Sheffield -American baseball player
1968- Owen Wilson -American actor, producer, and screenwriter
1969- Sam Cassell -American basketball player and coach
1969- Ahmed Helmy -Egyptian actor
1969- Duncan Sheik -American singer-songwriter and guitarist
1970- Elizabeth Anne Allen -American actress
1970- Mike Epps -American comedian, actor, and producer
1970- Megyn Kelly -American journalist
1970- Johan Liiva -Swedish singer-songwriter (Arch Enemy, Carnage (band)|Carnage, NonExist, and Hearse (band)|Hearse)
1970- Peta Wilson -Australian actress
1971- Therese Coffey -English politician
1971- Terrance Hayes -American poet and academic
1972- Jessi Alexander -American singer-songwriter
1972- Jeroen Straathof -Dutch cyclist and speed skater
1973- Nic Pothas -South African cricketer
1974- Chloë Sevigny -American actress and fashion designer
1974- Petter Solberg -Norwegian race car driver
1974- Graham Coughlan -Irish footballer and coach
1975- Lucy Akhurst -English actress and producer
1975- Shawn Camp -American baseball player
1975- Anthony McPartlin -English comedian, actor, and producer
1975- Dirk Müller -German race car driver
1975- David Ortiz -Dominican-American baseball player
1975- Pastor Troy -American rapper, producer, and actor
1975- Jason Williams (basketball, born 1975)|Jason Williams -American basketball player
1976- Shagrath -Norwegian singer-songwriter (Dimmu Borgir Chrome Division, Ov Hell, and Fimbulwinter (band)|Fimbulwinter)
1976- Dominic Armato -American voice actor
1976- Sage Francis -American rapper (Non-Prophets)
1976- Paulo César Pérez -Argentinian footballer
1976- Matt Welsh -Australian swimmer
1976- Mona Zaki -Egyptian actress
1977- Fabolous -American rapper and producer
1977- Trent Barrett -Australian rugby player, coach, and sportscaster
1978- Damien Johnson -Irish footballer
1980- Hamza al-Ghamdi -Saudi Arabian terrorist, hijacker of United Airlines Flight 175 (d. 2001)
1980- Mathew Baynton -English actor and singer
1980- Luke Chadwick -English footballer
1980- Minori Chihara -Japanese voice actress and singer
1980- François Duval -Belgian race car driver
1980- Denny Hamlin -American race car driver
1980- Dustin Kensrue -American singer-songwriter and guitarist (Thrice)
1980- Junichi Okada -Japanese singer and actor (V6 (band)|V6)
1981- Shin Ji -South Korean singer-songwriter (Koyote)
1981- Gian Magdangal -Filipino singer and actor (17:28)
1981- Nasim Pedrad -Iranian-American actress
1981- Vittoria Puccini -Italian actress
1981- Christina Vidal -American actress and singer
1982- Greg Estandia -American football player
1983- Travis Buck -American baseball player
1983- Michael Dawson (footballer)|Michael Dawson -English footballer
1983- J.C. Intal -Filipino basketball player
1983- Jon Lech Johansen -Norwegian programmer, created DeCSS
1984- Ryohei Chiba -Japanese singer (W-inds)
1984- Johnny Christ -American bass player (Avenged Sevenfold)
1984- Enar Jääger -Estonian footballer
1985- Allyson Felix -American sprinter
1985- Christian Siriano -American fashion designer
1987- Jake Abel -American actor
1988- Michael Roach (soccer)|Michael Roach -American soccer player
1989- Lu Jiajing -Chinese tennis player
1989- Natalie Osman -American wrestler
1990- Jackie Thomas (singer)|Jackie Thomas -New Zealand singer
1991- Ahmed Kelly -Iraqi-Australian swimmer
1991- Noppawan Lertcheewakarn -Thai tennis player
1992- Nathan Kress -American actor
1992- Steven Skrzybski -German footballer