Birthdates which occurred on your SELECTED date of March 31:
1499 Pius IV [Gianangelo de' Medici], Italian lawyer/pope (1559-65)
1519 Henry II King of Germany (1547-59)
1570 Louise Juliana countess of Nassau
1596 René Descartes France, philosopher (he thought, therefore he was)
1621 Andrew Marvell England, poet (To His Coy Mistress)
1675 Benedict XIV [Prospero L Lambertini], Italy, Pope (1740-58)
1684 Francesco Durante composer
1717 Florian Wrastill composer
1723 Frederik V King of Denmark/Norway (1746-66)
1732 Franz Joseph Haydn Austria, composer, helped develop classical style
1747 Johann Abraham Peter Schulz German composer (Moon has Risen)
1791 Franciszek Wincenty Mirecki composer
1809 Edward FitzGerald England, writer (Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam)
1809 Nikolai Gogol father of 19th-century Russian realism (Dead Souls)
1809 Otto Jonas Lindblad composer
1811 Robert Wilhelm Eberhard von Bunsen Germany, chemist (Bunsen Burner)
1822 Rafael Hernando composer
1831 Archibald Scott Scottish chemist
1835 John La Farge US painter
1837 Robert Ross McBurney 1st paid secretary of the YMCA
1837 Stephen Dodson Ramseur Major General (Confederate Army), died in 1864
1838 Léon Dierx French poet
1839 Nikolay Przhevalsky naturalist, explorer of east central Asia
1840 John Herbert Kelly Brigadier General (Confederate Army), died in 1864
1844 Andrew Lang Scotland, author (The Blue Fairy Book)
1847 Jarolslaw Zielinski composer
1848 John Henry Roberts composer
1854 Sir Dugald Clerk inventor (2-stroke motorcycle engine)
1868 Karl Bonhoeffer German psychiatrist/neurologist
1872 Arthur Griffith Irish journalist, founder of Sinn Féin
1872 Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev Russia, dance master (Imperial Ballet)
1878 Jack Johnson 1st black heavyweight boxing champion (1908-1915)
1885 Jules Pascin [Julius Pincas], Bulgarian/US painter/cartoonist
1887 Jose Maria Usandizaga composer
1887 Saint-John Perse [MRA Alexis Léger], French poet (Nobel 1960)
1891 Erich Walter Sternberg composer
1891 Ion Pillat Romaniams poet/senator (Umbra timpului)
1891 Victor Varconi Hungary, actor (Divine Lady, King of Kings, Big City)
1892 Stanislav Wladyslaw Maczek Polish/British General-Major/commandant
1893 Clemens Krauss Vienna Austria, conductor (Berlin State Orchestra-1937)
1895 John Jay McCloy lawyer/banker (Assistant Secretary of War 1941-45, president-Chase Manhattan Bank (1953-60))
1895 Vardis A Fisher US author (Darkness & Deep)
19-- Evan Cohen Los Angeles CA, actor (David-The Ropers, Johnny-It's Not Easy)
19-- Mirla Castellanos Buenos Aires Argentina, Spanish singer
19-- Peggy Rea Los Angeles CA, actress (Red Skelton Show, Waltons)
1900 Henry WFA English duke of Gloucester/earl of Ulters
1900 Lörinc Szabó Hungary, poet (Huszonhatodik év)
1903 Arthur Godfrey New York NY, TV host (Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts)
1906 Lauri Saikkola composer
1907 Eddie Quillan Philadelphia PA, actor (Julia, Hell Town)
1909 Pieter Jongeling Dutch MP (GVP)/editor (Netherlands Daily)
1909 Robert Brasillach French author/Nazi collaborator
1912 Wilhelmus Berkelmans civil servant/resistance fighter
1914 Octavio Paz Mexico, writer/diplomat (Salamandra, Topoemas)
1915 Eliseo Morales Pajaro composer
1915 Henry Morgan New York NY, comedian/TV panelist (I've Got a Secret, Arena)
1915 Jack Perry businessman
1916 John Vivyan Chicago IL, actor (Imitation of Life, Mr Lucky)
1918 Ted Post Brooklyn NY, director (Peacemaker, Beneath the Planet of the Apes, Gunsmoke)
1920 Marga [Sara Voeten-] Minco Dutch writer (Bitter Herb)
1922 Patrick J G McGee North Ireland, actor (Clockwork Orange)
1922 Richard Kiley Chicago IL, actor (Man of La Mancha, Endless Love)
1923 Donald Argee Barksdale Berkley CA, basketballer (Olympics-gold-1948)
1923 Lawrie Miller New Zealand cricketer (opening bat in 13 Tests)
1924 Harry Cubitt 4th Lord Ashcombe ("Mad Harry"), English landowner
1924 Leo Buscaglia Los Angeles CA, "Dr Hug", psychologist (Love)
1926 John Fowles England, novelist (Collector, French Leiutenent's Woman)
1926 Sydney Chaplin son of Charlie/actor (Adding Machine, Psycho Sisters)
1927 Cesar Chavez Yuma AZ, farm labor leader (United Farm Workers)
1927 William Daniels Brooklyn NY, actor (Dr Mark Craig-St Elsewhere, 1776)
1928 Gordie Howe Floral Saskatchewan, NHL right wing (Detroit Red Wings)
1929 Lee Patterson Vancouver British Columbia, actor (Dave-Surfside Six, Another World)
1929 Liz Claiborne Brussels Belgium, fashion designer
1931 Miller Barber Shreveport LA, PGA golfer (1968 Byron Nelson Classic)
1932 Godfrey Lawrence cricketer (South African fast bowler, 8-53 vs New Zealand 1961)
1932 John Jakes Chicago IL, writer (Sir Scoundrel, Great Women Reporters)
1932 Nagisa Oshima Kyoto Japan, director (Town of Love & Hope)
1933 Bob Simmons Fulham England, stuntman (double for James Bond)
1933 Shirley Jones Smithton PA, actress (Partridge Family, Elmer Gantry)
1934 Grigori Grigoyevich Nelyubov Russia, cosmonaut (Vostok 1 backup)
1934 John D Loudermilk rock drummer/vocalist (Language of Love, Norman)
1934 Wim H Sinnige Dutch alderman of finance (social democratic)
1935 Herb Alpert bandleader/trumpeter (Tijuana Brass)/CEO (A & M)
1935 Judith Rossner US, writer (August)
1935 Richard Chamberlain Beverly Hills CA, actor (Dr Kildare)
1936 Marge Piercy author (Small Changes, Gone for Soldiers)
1937 Willem Duyn [Mouth], Dutch singer (Mouth & MacNeal)
1938 John Jakes Chicago IL, writer (Sir Scoundrel, Great Women Reporters)
1938 Nathaniel Taylor St Louis MO, actor (Rollo-Sanford & Son)
1940 Barney Frank (Representative-Democrat-MA, 1981- )
1940 Jim Criner WLAF head coach (Scottish Claymores)
1940 Patrick J Leahy (Senator-Democrat-VT, 1975- )
1943 Christopher [Ronald] Walken Astoria Queens NY, actor (Deer Hunter, Brainstorm)
1944 Rod Allen [B Rodney Bainbridge] rock bassist/vocalist (Fortunes)
1945 Valerie Curtin Jackson Heights NY, actress (Judy-9 to 5)
1946 Aftab Gul cricketer (Pakistani opening batsman in six Tests 1969-71)
1946 Al Nichol Winston Salem NC, rock guitarist/vocalist (Turtles)
1946 Gabe Kaplan Brooklyn NY, comedian/actor (Welcome Back Kotter)
1947 Al Goodman rock vocalist (Ray, Goodman, Brown)
1947 César Gaviria Trujillo President (Colombia, 1990-94)
1947 Jon-Jon Poulos Chicago IL, rocker (Buckinghams)
1948 Albert Gore Jr Washington DC, (Senator-Democrat-TN, 1985-92)/45th US Vice President (1993- )
1948 David Eisenhower Eisenhower's grandson (married Julie Nixon)
1948 Mick Ralphs Hereford & Worcester England, guitarist (Bad Company, Mott the Hoople)
1948 Rhea Perlman Brooklyn, actress (Zena-Taxi, Carla-Cheers)
1948 Thijs van Leer Dutch singer/flutist (Focus, Introspection)
1950 Alison McCartney pathologist/Breast Cancer campaigner
1950 Ed Marinaro New York NY, actor (Joe-Hill St Blues, Sonny-Laverne & Shirley)
1950 Richard Hughes rocker (Johnny Winter Band)
1953 Greg Martin Louisville KY, singer (Kentucky Headhunters-Davy Crockett)
1953 Sean Hopper California, rock keyboardist (Huey Lewis & The News)
1954 Tony Brock England, rock drummer (Babys-Missing You)
1957 Marc McClure San Mateo CA, actor (Ross-California Fever)
1957 Mary Cadorette East Hartford CT, actress (Vicky-Three's a Crowd)
1957 Patrick G Forrester El Paso TX, Lieutenant Colonel Army/astronaut
1958 Jay Feenan Windham NH, rower (Olympics-1996)
1958 Ken Meeker New York NY, actor (Rafe Garretson-One Life to Live)
1958 Pat McGlynn Edinburgh, rock guitarist (Bay City Rollers)
1959 Angus Young Glascow Scotland, rock guitarist (AC/DC-Highway to Hell)
1960 Anne Howard San Diego CA, actress (Nicole Love-Another World)
1960 Mark Tuinei NFL tackle (Dallas Cowboys)
1961 Ron Brown Los Angeles CA, 4x100 meter runner (Olympics-gold-1984)
1962 John Taylor NFL wide receiver (San Francisco 49ers)
1964 Dave Wyman NFL linebacker (Denver Broncos)
1964 David Diaz-Infante NFL guard (Denver Broncos-Superbowl 32)
1964 Erik Turner Omaha NE, rock guitarist (Warrant-Cherry Pie)
1964 Isabelle Ferrari Italy, (Italy's Miss Teenager)
1964 Rod Jones NFL cornerback (Cincinnati Bengals)
1965 Marlon Vonhagt cricketer (1 ODI Sri Lanka 1984-85 World Series Cup)
1965 Patty Fendick Sacramento CA, tennis star (1989 Auckland)
1965 Tom Barrasso Boston MA, NHL goalie (Pittsburgh Penguins)
1965 William McNamara Dallas TX, actor (Texasville, Beat, Stealing Home)
1966 Natalie Gosselin Levis Québec Canada, 52kg judoka (Olympics-96)
1966 Thomas Fitzgerald Brooklyn NY, team handball left wing (Olympics-1996)
1967 Glenn Montgomery NFL defensive tackle (Seattle Seahawks, Oilers)
1967 Nanci Bowen Tifton GA, LPGA golfer (1995 Nabisco Dinah Shore)
1968 J R Reid NBA forward (New York Knicks, Charlotte Hornets)
1969 Kevin Sargent NFL tackle/guard (Cincinnati Bengals)
1969 Steve Smith NBA guard (Atlanta Hawks)
1970 Derek Brown NFL tight end (Jacksonville Jaguars)
1970 Oleg Romanov NHL defenseman (Belarus, Olympics-98)
1970 Stuart Carruthers Australian field hockey fullback (Olympics-96)
1971 Ewan McGregor Perth Australia, actor (Trainspotting)
1971 Pavel Bure Moscow Russia, NHL left wing (Team Russia Olympics-Silver-1998, Vancouver Canucks)
1972 John Godina Fort Sill OK, shot putter/discus thrower (Olympics-silver-96)
1972 Kelly O'Leary Halifax Nova Scotia, kayaker (Olympics-96)
1973 Vanessa Mambi Miss Curaçao-Universe (1996)
1974 Anthony Hicks NFL linebacker (Green Bay Packers-Superbowl 31)
1974 Carol Ann Plante actress (Sara Henderson-Harry & the Hendersons)
1974 James Burgess linebacker (San Diego Chargers)
1974 Jason Odom tackle (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
1974 Nina Georgala Miss Greece-Universe (1996)
1976 Amanda Moody Orem UT, Miss Utah-America (1995)
1976 Josh Saviano actor (Paul Pfeiffer-Wonder Years)
1980 Jenny Smith Western Australia, gymnast (Olympics-96)
1982 Jessica Joseph Royal Oak MI, dance skater (& Butler-1997 National)
Deaths which occurred on March 31:
1201 Absalon Asserssön Danish archbishop of Lund/statesman, dies
1340 Ivan I Kalita grand-duke of Vladimir, dies
1389 Everhard Tserclaes sheriff of Brussels, murdered
1567 Philip the Generous, count of Hessen, dies at 62
1578 Juan de Escobedo Secretary of Spanish land guardian Don Juan, murdered
1621 Felipe III King of Spain (1598-1621), dies at 42
1631 John Donne Metaphysical poet, dies (birth date unknown)
1656 Pierre de La Barre composer, dies at 64
1722 Campegius Vitringa Dutch theologist/exegete, dies at 62
1741 Peter Burmannus [Peter Burman], Dutch attorney/classicist, dies at 72
1809 Franz Joseph Haydn composer, dies on 77th birthday
1837 John Constable English painter/water colors painter, dies at 60
1850 John Calhoun dies at 68
1855 Charlotte Brontë English author (Jane Eyre), dies at 38
1877 Antoine A Cournot French mathematician (rule of C), dies at 75
1880 Henryk Wieniawski Polish violist/composer, dies at 44
1881 Gaetano Gaspari composer, dies at 73
1884 Jan T Beelen Netherlands/Belgian catholic bible expert, dies at 77
1885 Franz Wilhelm Abt German composer/choir conductor, dies at 65
1885 Philipp Fahrbach composer, dies at 69
1886 Giovanni Rossi composer, dies at 57
1892 Adolf Rzepko composer, dies at 66
1898 Edward Noyes Westcott US attorney/writer (David Harum), dies
1900 Frank Milligan cricketer (Mafeking 2 Tests England vs South Africa 1898-99), dies
1901 John Stainer composer, dies at 60
1913 John Pierpont Morgan US banker/CEO (US Steel Corp), dies at 75
1914 Ch Morgenstern writer, dies at 42
1928 Gustave Ador President of Austria (1919), dies at 82
1928 Medardo Rosso Italian sculptor (portraits), dies at 69
1931 Knute Rockne football player/coach, dies in a plane crash at 43
1934 Franz Ehrle German jesuit/head of Vatican library, dies at 88
1938 Willem J T Kloos Dutch poet/critic (New Guide), dies at 78
1939 Indrið Einarsson Iceland playwright (Skipið Sekkur), dies at 87
1944 Mineichi Koga Admiral of Japanese fleet, dies
1945 Hans Fischer German physicist (Nobel 1930), dies at 63
1945 Maurice Rose 1st US General in Nazi Germany, killed in action at 45
1948 Egon E Kisch Czechoslovakian writer/journalist (Raging Reporter), dies at 62
1951 Ralph Forbes actor (Riptide, Shock, Shock), dies at 45
1957 Gene Lockhart New York NY, actor (Going My Way), dies at 65
1959 Peter Suhrkamp German publisher (Suhrkamp Verlag), dies at 68
1960 Joseph Haas German (opera)composer (Totenmesse), dies at 81
1961 Seerp Anema Dutch poet/writer (Modern Art & Degenerating), dies at 85
1967 Don Alvarado actor (Morning Glory, Big Steal), dies at 62
1967 Hieronim Feicht composer, dies at 72
1970 Semjon Timoshenko Russian Marshal/Inspector-General (WWII), dies at 75
1971 Liselotte Liselot Beekmeyer Dutch actress (Child Crying), dies at 31
1973 Kurt George Hugo Thomas composer, dies at 68
1974 Andrea Checci actress (2 Women, Assassin, Black Sunday), dies at 57
1978 Astrid Allwyn actress (Love Affair, Girl for Calgary), dies at 68
1980 Jesse Owens of 1936 Berlin Olympics fame, dies in Arizona at 66
1982 Fritz Eberhard West German lawyer/resistor, dies at 85
1983 Stephen Murray actor (Guilty, Silent Dust, Master Spy), dies at 70
1986 Harry Ritz comedian/actor (Ritz Brothers), dies at 79
1986 Jerry Paris director/actor (Jerry-Dick Van Dyke Show), dies at 60
1986 O'Kelly Isley US, singer (Isley Brothers), dies of heart attack at 48
1988 Talib Rasul Hakim composer, dies at 48
1990 Lillian "Miss" Miller audience member (Merv Griffin, Tonight Show), dies
1991 John Carter US jazz clarinetist (Roots & folklore), dies
1993 Brandon Lee US actor (Crow)/son of Bruce Lee, accidentally shot at 28
1993 Jose Maria Lemus President of El Salvador (1956-60), dies
1994 Léon J Ramirez Reine [Degrelle], Belgian/Spanish Nazi (Rex), dies at 87
1995 Carl M Story fiddler, dies at 78
1995 Selena [Quintanilla Perez] Mexican Grammy winning singer, killed by a fan at 24
1996 Dante Giacosa engineer/designer, dies at 91
1996 Dario Bellezza poet, dies at 51
1996 Jeffrey Lee Pierce musician, dies at 37
1996 Julius Young fast food entrepreneur, dies at 73
1997 Edwin Alberian TV celebrity (Clarabell), dies at 76
1997 Laxmishankar Pathak food retailer, dies at 62
Reported: MISSING in ACTION
( Expanded with full Bios, history, & MIA report )
1965 MC KINLEY GERALD W. DANBURY CT CRASH ON TARGET SITE
1969 CARPENTER RAMEY LEO NORMAN OK REMAINS ID'D 06/24/98
1969 WHITE DANFORTH E. STATE COLLEGE PA REMAINS ID'D 06/24/98
1971 SALLEY JAMES JR. COLUMBIA SC "07/71 DIED LAOS, WITH ALLWINE"
1971 TERRILL PHILIP B. HARTFORD NY 04/71 DIED TRI BORDER AREA
