On This Day
Friday · events, births, deaths, and who was alive.
December 16 2005
Born on This Day
Aaron Sopher🇺🇸
deceasedjournalist · 1905–1972
Days lived
24,122

Alois-Konstantin, 9th Prince of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg🇩🇪
Prince of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg · b. 1941
Days alive
23,376
Ambrogio Valsecchi🇮🇹
deceasedItalian presbyter and theologian (1930–1983) · 1930–1983
Days lived
19,073

Anna Popplewell
Actor · b. 1988
Days alive
6,209

Bärbel Schäfer🇩🇪
German television presenter · b. 1963
Days alive
15,341

Benjamin Bratt🇺🇸
American actor and producer · b. 1963
Days alive
15,341

Benjamin Kowalewicz🇨🇦
Canadian singer · b. 1975
Days alive
10,958

Benny Andersson🇸🇪
singer · b. 1946
Days alive
21,550

Bert Hellinger🇩🇪
deceasedwriter · 1925–2019
Days lived
34,245

Billy Gibbons🇺🇸
Guitarist · b. 1949
Days alive
20,454
Daniel Timsit🇫🇷
deceasedAlgerian physician (1928-2002) · 1928–2002
Days lived
26,892
Eduard Lamas i Alsina🇪🇸
athlete · b. 1990
Days alive
5,479
Eusebi Millan i Alonso🇪🇸
deceasedSpanish athlete · 1886–1956
Days lived
25,318
Frank Dostal🇩🇪
deceasedrapper · 1945–2017
Days lived
26,056

Frieder Nake🇩🇪
German mathematician and computer scientist (born 1938) · b. 1938
Days alive
24,472

George Santayana🇪🇸
deceasedSpanish-American philosopher · 1863–1952
Days lived
32,426

Gerhard Gesemann🇩🇪
deceasedscientist · 1888–1948
Days lived
21,646
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Hallee Hirsh🇺🇸
American actress · b. 1987
Days alive
6,575
Hans Scherbart🇩🇪
deceasedGerman field hockey player · 1905–1993
Days lived
31,840
Heike Drechsler🇩🇪
politician · b. 1964
Days alive
14,975
Helmut Damerius🇩🇪
deceasedGerman communist, actor, victim of Stalinism (1905-1985) · 1905–1985
Days lived
29,142

Hisako Kanemoto🇯🇵
singer · b. 1987
Days alive
6,575

John Allan Cameron🇨🇦
deceasedCanadian Celtic musician (1938–2006) · 1938–2006
Days lived
24,813

Kai Cenat🇺🇸
Streamer · b. 2004
Days alive
365

Krysten Ritter🇺🇸
Actor · b. 1981
Days alive
8,766

Lei Jun
entrepreneur · b. 1969
Days alive
13,149
_(cropped).jpg%2F330px-NOCHE_DE_MUSEOS._VESTIR_LA_NOCHE_VESTUARIO_DE_VEDETTES._(54303610881)_(cropped).jpg)
Lyn May🇲🇽
Actor · b. 1952
Days alive
19,358
.jpg%2F330px-Margaret_Mead_(1901-1978).jpg)
Margaret Mead🇺🇸
deceasedAnthropologist · 1901–1978
Days lived
28,093

Maruschka Detmers
Dutch actress · b. 1962
Days alive
15,706
Maverick Simms🇺🇸
Singer · b. 2015
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Menahem Pressler🇺🇸
deceasedmusician · 1923–2023
Days lived
36,301
Mira Murati🇦🇱
Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of OpenAI · b. 1988
Days alive
6,209

Nicholas Courtney🇬🇧
deceasedBritish actor (1929–2011) · 1929–2011
Days lived
29,653
Nǃxau
deceasedBush farmer, actor · 1944–2003
Days lived
21,385

Paul van Dyk🇩🇪
rapper · b. 1971
Days alive
12,419
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Philip K. Dick🇺🇸
deceasedAmerican science fiction author (1928–1982) · 1928–1982
Days lived
19,434

Rafael Alberti🇪🇸
deceasedSpanish poet (1902–1999) · 1902–1999
Days lived
35,380
Sebastiaan Olgers
Dutch baseball player · b. 1986
Days alive
6,940

Sebastian Croft🇬🇧
Actor · b. 2001
Days alive
1,461
Shahid Ali Khan🇵🇰
field hockey player · b. 1964
Days alive
14,975

Sonja Graf🇩🇪
deceasedGerman-born American chess player · 1908–1965
Days lived
20,534
Stuart Rudin
Actor · b. 1941
Days alive
23,376
Walter Curt Behrendt🇩🇪
deceasedGerman-American architect · 1884–1945
Days lived
22,045

William Perry🇺🇸
American football player (born 1962) · b. 1962
Days alive
15,706
Wolfgang Pissors🇩🇪
German actor · b. 1958
Days alive
17,167

Zara Larsson
singer · b. 1997
Days alive
2,922
Died on This Day
Blanche Calloway🇺🇸
deceasedAmerican singer, bandleader and composer · 1902–1978
Days lived
28,069

Charles Buxton🇬🇧
deceasedpolitician · 1875–1942
Days lived
24,490
Chuck Neinas🇺🇸
deceasedAmerican conference commissioner · 1932–2025
Days lived
34,301
Dan Fogelberg🇺🇸
deceasedsinger-songwriter · 1951–2007
Days lived
20,579
E. Hunter Harrison🇺🇸
deceasedAmerican railway executive (1944-2017) · 1944–2017
Days lived
26,702

Emil Aaltonen🇫🇮
deceasedFinnish industrialist · 1869–1949
Days lived
29,328

Frank Eugene🇺🇸
deceasedAmerican-German photographer, painter and graphic artist (1865–1936) · 1865–1936
Days lived
26,020
Hans Dietrich Disselhoff🇩🇪
deceasedGerman anthropologist and art historian (1899-1975) · 1899–1975
Days lived
27,766

Hans Peter Hallwachs🇩🇪
deceasedGerman actor (1938–2022) · 1938–2022
Days lived
30,840
Harald Reisenberger🇦🇹
deceasedAustrian politician (1967-2009) · 1967–2009
Days lived
15,653

Heinrich Hoffmann🇩🇪
deceasedpolitician · 1885–1957
Days lived
26,380
Herbert Hobein🇩🇪
deceasedfield hockey player (1906-1991) · 1906–1991
Days lived
31,037
Herbert Zimmermann🇩🇪
deceasedGerman tv presenter (1917–1966) · 1917–1966
Days lived
17,914

Jan Fethke🇵🇱
deceasedwriter · 1903–1980
Days lived
28,418

József Kajmó
deceasedmodel · 1902–1974
Days lived
26,323
Juan Carreño🇲🇽
deceasedMexican footballer (1909–1940) · 1907–1940
Days lived
12,178

Jürgen Kühling🇩🇪
deceasedGerman judge (1934–2019) · 1934–2019
Days lived
31,279
.jpg%2F330px-Lee_Van_Cleef_-_Death_Rides_A_Horse_(1).jpg)
Lee Van Cleef🇺🇸
deceasedFilm actor · 1925–1989
Days lived
23,717
Len Ceglarski🇺🇸
deceasedAmerican ice hockey player and coach (1926–2017) · 1926–2017
Days lived
33,410
Max Knapp🇨🇭
deceasedSwiss actor (1899-1979) · 1899–1979
Days lived
29,252

Reinhart Fuchs🇩🇪
deceasedGerman chess player (1934-2017) · 1934–2017
Days lived
30,395
Rolando Garbey🇨🇺
deceasedCuban former boxer (1947–2023) · 1947–2023
Days lived
27,786
Roop Singh🇮🇳
deceasedfield hockey player · 1910–1977
Days lived
24,571

Silvana Mangano🇮🇹
deceasedItalian actress (1930–1989) · 1930–1989
Days lived
21,787

Zvi Yanai🇮🇱
deceasedwriter (1935-2013) · 1935–2013
Days lived
28,680
Who Was Alive
Notable people alive on this date, sorted by most days lived (top 20).
Sándor Farkas
Catholic priest, born 1853 · b. 1853
Days alive
55,866
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Horst von der Goltz
German spy and actor · b. 1884
Days alive
44,544
Frank J. Skinner🇺🇸
American football player · b. 1891
Days alive
41,892
Lajos Perley
athlete · b. 1892
Days alive
41,555

Silas Simmons🇺🇸
deceasedAmerican baseball player (1895–2006) · 1895–2006
Days lived
40,557
George Polley🇺🇸
American urban climber · b. 1898
Days alive
39,430
Giovanny Ramos🇻🇪
Venezuelan athlete · b. 1901
Days alive
38,335
Keith Padgett🇬🇧
Falkland Islands politician · b. 1901
Days alive
38,335
Fee Plumley🇬🇧
artist · b. 1901
Days alive
38,335
Rebecca W. Keller🇺🇸
scientist · b. 1901
Days alive
38,335
Clifford Swann🇦🇺
Australian Paralympic lawn bowls player · b. 1901
Days alive
38,335
Miguel Pérez de los Mozos🇪🇸
Ceo, economist · b. 1901
Days alive
38,335
Shaherose Charania🇨🇦
entrepreneur · b. 1901
Days alive
38,335

Shrikrishna Raut
Marathi poet · b. 1901
Days alive
38,335
David Segal🇺🇸
newspaper columnist · b. 1901
Days alive
38,335
Diane Pozefsky🇺🇸
American computer scientist · b. 1901
Days alive
38,335
Eduardo Hernández Martínez🇸🇻
Salvadoran footballer · b. 1901
Days alive
38,335
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Alice Herz-Sommer🇮🇱
deceasedmusician · 1903–2014
Days lived
40,267

Johannes Heesters🇦🇹
deceasedDutch actor, singer and entertainer (1903–2011) · 1903–2011
Days lived
39,466
Pete Briggs🇺🇸
American musician · b. 1904
Days alive
37,240
Animals Alive
Notable animals alive on this date.
Harriet🇦🇺
deceasedGalápagos tortoise · 1830–2006
Days lived
64,138
Jonathan🇸🇭
Seychelles giant tortoise · b. 1832
Days alive
63,537
Lonesome George🇪🇨
deceasedPinta Island tortoise · 1910–2012
Days lived
37,430
Washoe🇺🇸
deceasedChimpanzee · 1965–2007
Days lived
15,399
Koko🇺🇸
deceasedWestern lowland gorilla · 1971–2018
Days lived
17,152
Alex🇺🇸
deceasedAfrican grey parrot · 1976–2007
Days lived
11,433
Kanzi🇺🇸
Bonobo · b. 1980
Days alive
9,180
Tilikum🇺🇸
deceasedOrca · 1981–2017
Days lived
12,796
Companies That Existed
Brands and companies already founded by this date.
Hermes🇫🇷
Luxury Goods · b. 1837
Days since founding
61,710
Procter & Gamble🇺🇸
Consumer Goods · b. 1837
Days since founding
61,407
Berkshire Hathaway🇺🇸
Conglomerate / Investments · b. 1839
Days since founding
60,980
HSBC🇬🇧
Banking · b. 1865
Days since founding
51,422
Tata Group🇮🇳
Conglomerate · b. 1868
Days since founding
50,388
Goldman Sachs🇺🇸
Investment Banking · b. 1869
Days since founding
50,022
Eli Lilly🇺🇸
Pharmaceuticals · b. 1876
Days since founding
47,466
Chevron🇺🇸
Oil & Gas · b. 1879
Days since founding
46,118
Already Published
Notable books already in print.
Meditations🇮🇹
Philosophy/Stoicism Book · b. 180
Days in print
666,917
Don Quixote🇪🇸
Satire/Adventure Book · b. 1605
Days in print
146,431
Pride and Prejudice🇬🇧
Romance/Satire Book · b. 1813
Days in print
70,449
Crime and Punishment🇷🇺
Psychological Fiction Book · b. 1866
Days in print
51,118
The Great Gatsby🇺🇸
Tragedy/Modernist Book · b. 1925
Days in print
29,470
Brave New World🇬🇧
Dystopian/Sci-Fi Book · b. 1932
Days in print
27,013
The Hobbit🇬🇧
Fantasy/Adventure Book · b. 1937
Days in print
24,923
The Little Prince🇫🇷
Novella/Fantasy Book · b. 1943
Days in print
22,900
Already Released
Films already out by this date.

Wuthering Heights
Drama film · b. 1939
Days since release
24,360
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12 Angry Men🇺🇸
Drama/Crime Film · b. 1957
Days since release
17,782
The Godfather🇺🇸
Crime/Drama Film · b. 1972
Days since release
12,320

Jaws🇺🇸
Thriller/Adventure Film · b. 1975
Days since release
11,137

Star Wars: A New Hope🇺🇸
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film · b. 1977
Days since release
10,432

Mad Max
Film · b. 1979
Days since release
9,745

Alien🇺🇸
Sci-Fi/Horror Film · b. 1979
Days since release
9,702

The Shining
Film · b. 1980
Days since release
9,481