Birthdates which occurred on your SELECTED date of May 23:
1598 Claude Mellan French engraver/cartoonist/painter, baptized
1617 Elias Ashmole antiquary
1620 Pieter Neefs the Younger, Flemish painter, baptized
1644 Thomas Eisenhut composer
1696 Johann Caspar Vogler composer
1707 Carolus Linnæus Swedish botanist/"Father of Taxonomy" (naming plants & animals)
1710 François-Gaspard Adam French sculptor (garden sculptures)
1718 William Hunter obstetrician/medal writer
1729 Giuseppe Parini Italian priest/poet (Il Giorno)
1734 Friedrich Anton Mesmer Austria, physician/hypnotist (Mesmerism)
1735 Charles Joseph prince the Ligne, Belgian fieldmarshal/author
1737 Louis François Chambray composer
1741 Andrea Lucchesi composer
1753 Giovanni Battista Viotti violonist/composer
1754 Andrea Appiana Italian royal painter (Napoleon)
1756 Nicolas-Joseph Hullmandel composer
1759 Antoinio da Silva Leite composer
1790 Jules-Sébastien-César Dumont d'Urville explorer
1794 Isaak-Ignaz Moscheles composer
1795 Charles Barry architect
1799 Thomas Hood English poet/composer (Song of the Shirt)
1810 Margaret Fuller writer/critic 1st pro book review column (New York Tribune)
1812 Henri A Esquiros French poet/writer (Les Vierges Folles)
1813 Mason Brayman Brevet Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1895
1820 James Buchanan Eads US, engineer/inventor (Eads Bridge-St Louis)
1824 Ambrose Everett Burnside Major General (Union volunteers)
1828 Edward Hitchcock America's 1st professor of physical ed (Amherst College)
1832 Pieter van der Aa Leyden Holland, Dutch Indologist/geographer
1837 James Sanks Brisbin Brevet Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1892
1843 Pedro Miguel Marques y Garcia composer
1844 'Abdu'l-Bahá early Bahá'í leader ('Azamat 7, 1)
1848 Helmuth J L von Moltke German general/chief of staff (WWI)
1848 Otto Lilienthal pioneer aviator
1849 Károly earl Khuen-Héderváry Premier of Hungary (1910-12)
1851 Antoni Stolpe composer
1862 William "Dummy" Hoy professoressional baseball player who lived to 99
1864 Louis Glass composer
1866 Gustav Aschaffenburg German psychiatrist/criminalologist
1871 Sigurd Lie composer
1873 Leo Baeck rabbi/president (World Union for Progressive Judaism)
1882 James Gleason New York NY, writer/actor (Bishop's Wife, Flying Fool)
1883 Douglas Fairbanks Denver CO, actor (Zorro/3 Musketeers/Robin Hood)
1886 Hermann Neiße writer
1888 Adrian Roland Holst Dutch poet (Raged & Tired)
1890 Herbert Marshall London, actor (Murder, Razor's Edge, Little Foxes)
1890 Virginia Eames Fort Davis TX, entertainer
1891 Pär Lagerkvist Sweden, novelist/poet/dramatist (Barabbas, Nobel 1951)
1898 Frank McHugh actor (Front Page, Gold Diggers 1935, Mighty Joe Young)
1898 Joseph Hazen lawyer
19-- Bill McCutcheon Russell KY, actor (Dom Deluise Show, Ball Four)
19-- Charytin Santo Domingo Dominican Republic, TV entertainer (El Show de Charytin)
19-- Lucia Galan Argentina, singer (Pimpinera)
19-- Phil Allocco rocker (Law & Order-Whiskey Song)
1901 Edmund Rubbra Northampton England, composer (Morning Watch)
1902 Mark Lothar composer
1903 Walter Reisch US, screenwriter (Ninotchka, Gaslight, Titanic)
1906 Hellmuth Christian Wolff composer
1907 Kenneth Allen engineer
1907 Matthew Campbell British senior civil servant
1908 Christian GK Baëta Togolese chairman (International Mission Council)
1908 John Bardeen US, physicist (transistor, Nobel 1956, 1972)
1908 Max Abramovitz US architect (Lincoln Center, UN Building)
1909 Edwin Arrowsmith diplomat
1910 Artie Shaw [Arthur Jacob Arshawsky] New York NY, bandleader (Come'on my House)
1910 Franz Jozef Kline US expressionist painter
1910 Hugh Casson architect
1910 Scatman Crothers [Benjamin], Terre Haute IN, actor (Zapped, Shining)
1911 Boris Kremenliev composer
1911 Melvin M Payne president (National Geographic Society)
1912 David Barran CEO (Midland Bank, England)
1912 Jean Françaix Le Mans France, composer (Le Rui Nu)
1912 John Payne Roanoke VA, actor (Restless Gun)
1912 Marius Goring Isle of Wight, actor (Herr Palitz-Holocaust)
1912 Samuel Curran vice chancellor (Strathclyde University)
1913 Ian Graeme Major-General
1914 Alec Dickson founder (VSO)
1914 Barbara Ward economist/writer (Only One Earth)
1914 Leo Lerman actor/manager/critic (Dance Magazine)
1914 Travis Kemp dancer/teacher
1915 Clyde Wiegand physicist
1916 Margaret Hayden Rector playwright (living legacy award 1995)
1918 Bulent Arel composer
1918 Bumps Blackwell rocker
1918 Denis Compton cricketer (England batsman 1938-56 & Arsenal forward)
1919 Betty Garrett St Joseph MO, actress (Irene-All in the Family)
1919 Robert Antonissen South African literary
1920 Helen O'Connell Lima OH, singer (Green Eyes, Amapola)
1920 Sid Melton Brooklyn NY, actor (Alf-Green Acres, Charlie-Danny Thomas)
1921 Humphrey Lyttelton jazz musician/actor (It's Great to Be Young)
1921 James [Benjamin] Blish US/UK, sci-fi author (Hugo, Star Trek Reader)
1921 Loren Tindall Oklahoma, actor (Meet Me on Broadway, Girl of Limberlost)
1921 Montague Modlyn broadcaster
1921 Sanderson Temple circuit judge
1922 Dennis Compton author/crickleter
1923 Alicia de Larrocha Copenhagen Denmark, pianist (Orquesta Sinfonica)
1923 Nirode Chowdhury Indian cricket pace bowler (1949-52)
1924 Desmond Carrington British radio host (Jim-Calamity the Cow)
1924 Michael McCrum master (Corpus Christi College Cambridge)
1924 V N Swamy cricketer (one Test India vs New Zealand 1955, DNB, 0-45)
1928 Nigel Davenport Cambridge England, actor (Without a Clue, Masada)
1928 Nina Otkalenko USSR, 800 meter runner (9 world records)
1928 Rosemary Clooney Maysville KY, singer/Coronet paper towels spokeswoman
1929 Joe Modise South African commandant of Umkhonto we Sizwe (1965- )
1929 Ulla Jacobson Swedish actress (One Summer of Happiness)
1930 Richard Anuszkiewicz Erie PA, painter
1931 Barbara Barrie Chicago IL, actress (Breaking Away, Barney Miller)
1931 José Telles Da Conceiçao Brazil, high jumper (Olympics-bronze-1952)
1932 James Lester MP
1932 John Lyons Cambridge England, Master (Trinity Hall)
1932 Mary Fickett Bronxville NY, actress (Ruth Martin-All My Children)
1933 Bruce A Peterson US test pilot (M2, HL-10)
1933 Gerrit J M Braks Dutch minister of agriculture & land & fishing (CDA)
1933 Joan [Henrietta] Collins London England, actress (Alexis Carrington Colby-Dynasty)
1934 Malcolm Gill deputy head (Bank for International Settlements)
1934 Robert Moog inventor (the Moog Synthesizer)
1935 Juliet Campbell British ambassador (to Luxembourg)
1935 Lord Grenfell head of External affairs European office, world bank
1936 Charles Kimbrough actor (Murphy Brown)
1936 Douglas John Gorman businessman
1936 Robert Sangster horse owner/trainer
1937 John Mazza horse trainer
1938 John R Miller (Representative-R-WA, 1985- )
1938 Peter Preston editor (Guardian)
1939 Ron Stevens horse trainer
1941 Jackson Hill composer
1943 General George Norman Johnson US singer (Down at the Beach Club)
1943 John "Poli" Palmer rocker (Family)
1943 John Newcombe Australia, tennis pro (Wimbledon 1967, 70, 71)
1943 Lars-Ake Nilsson diplomat
1943 Peter Kenilorea PM Solomon Islands
1944 Giles Smith TV journalist
1944 Olga Maitland MP
1944 Ramon "Tiki" Fulwood US drummer (Funkadelic, Knee Deep)
1945 Elliott Bernerd English broker/multi-millionaire
1945 Lauren Chapin actress (Kathy-Father Knows Best)
1945 Misty Morgan country keyboardist (duo with Jack Blanchard)
1946 Tom Dorris horse trainer
1947 Ann Hui director (Boat People)
1947 Jonathan Pryce North Wales, stage actor (Miss Saigon)
1948 Reggie Cleveland baseball player
1949 Alan García Pérez President of Peru (1985-90)
1950 Linda Thompson Memphis TN, actress (Hee Haw)
1951 Anatoliy Karpov USSR, world chess champion (1975-85)
1951 Judy Rodman Riverside CA, country singer (Girls Ride Horses Too)
1952 Deborah Adair actress (Tracey-Dynasty, Kate-Day of Our Life)
1952 James Mankey rocker (Concrete Blonde)
1954 "Marvelous" Marvin Hagler New Jersey, middleweight boxing champion (1982-83)
1955 John Stevens MEP
1957 Jimmy McShane Pop singer (Baltimora-Tarzan Boy)
1958 Shelly West Cleveland OH, country singer (Red Hot, West by West)
1958 Thomas Reiter Germany, cosmonaut (Soyuz TM-22)
1959 Linden Ashby actor (Mortal Kombat)
1959 Marcella Mesker Netherlands, tennis star
1960 Theo Vogelaars pop bassist (Tröckener Kecks/Paid Love)
1961 Dave Babych Edmonton, NHL defenseman (Vancouver Canucks)
1961 Drew Carey Cleveland OH, actor/comedian (Drew-Drew Carey Show)
1961 Kevin Romine baseball player
1962 Karen [Duff] Duffy New York NY, MTV VJ/actress (Meet Wally Sparks)
1962 Keith Brantley Scott Air Force Base IL, marathoner (Olympics-96)
1964 Kenny Gattison NBA forward (Orlando Magic)
1964 Staci Greason Denver CO, actress (Isabella Toscando-Days of Our Lives)
1965 James Hasty NFL cornerback (Kansas City Chiefs)
1965 Lilian Drescher Venezuela, tennis star
1965 Woorkeri Venkat Raman cricketer (Indian slow left-arm all-rounder)
1966 Gary Roberts North York, NHL left wing (Calgary Flames)
1966 Graeme Hick cricketer (in Zimbabwe Massive run-scorer for Worcestershire)
1966 Helena Bonham Carter London, actress (Fort Worth, Howards End)
1967 Craig John Monk Auckland New Zealand, finn class yachter (Olympics-96)
1968 Daryl Hobbs NFL wide receiver (Oakland Raiders)
1968 Tiffany Rochelle-Anderson Laguna Beach CA, WPVA (Nationals-13th-1995)
1969 Pat Hurst San Leandro CA, LPGA golfer (1995 Rolex Rookie of the Year)
1969 Ramon Caraballo baseball player
1970 Grahae Hick cricketer
1970 Ricky Gutierrez Miami FL, infielder (Houston Astros)
1971 Issac Booth NFL cornerback/safety (Cleveland Browns)
1971 Joseph Rogers CFL receiver (Winnipeg Blue Bombers)
1971 Marshall Boze San Manual AZ, pitcher (Milwaukee Brewers)
1972 Isabelle Fijalkowski WNBA center/forward (Cleveland Rockers)
1972 Marco van Hoogdalem Dutch soccer player (Roda JC)
1972 Rene Ingoglia running back (Buffalo Bills)
1972 Shannon Brown NFL defensive tackle (Atlanta Falcons)
1973 Verna Vasquez Miss Universe-best swimsuit (Curacao, 1997)
1974 Duane Clemons linebacker (Minnesota Vikings)
1974 Jewel [Kilcher] St George UT, folk/rock vocalist (Pieces of You)
1974 Kimber West Atlanta GA, playmate (Feb 1997)
1975 Vincent Goossens soccer player (Dordrecht '90)
1976 Kelly Marie Monaco Philadelphia PA, playmate (April, 1997)
1976 Melanie Joyce Bell Vernon NJ, Miss America-New Jersey (1997)
1980 Sarah Louise Catherwood Christchurch New Zealand, 4x200 meter swimmer (Olympics-96)
1984 Adam Wylie actor (Picket Fences)
Deaths which occurred on May 23:
1125 Hendrik V Roman catholics German king/emperor (1098/1111-25), dies
1153 David I king of Scotland (1124-53), dies at about 68
1423 Benedict XIII [Pedro the Luna] Spanish Pope (1394-1423), dies
1498 Girolamo Savonarola dictator of Florence (1494-98), tortured & executed in Florence at 45
1568 Adolf van Nassau German son of Willem the Rich, dies in battle at 27
1627 Luis de Góngora y Argote poet/writer, dies
1648 Luis de Nain painter, dies
1668 Philips Wouwerman Haarlems painter, buried
1684 Adriaen Backer Amsterdams painter buried at about 48
1701 William Kidd Scottish pirate, hanged at London's Execution Dock
1754 John Wood architect/town planner, dies
1783 James Otis American lawyer, dies
1785 William Woollett engraver, dies
1834 Charles Wesley composer, dies at 76
1838 John W Janssens Governor-General (Cape Colony), dies at 75
1841 Franz Xaver von Baader German philosopher/theologist, dies at 76
1842 José de Espronceda y Delgado Spanish revolutionary/poet, dies at 34
1851 Lucas Pieter Roodbaard architect, dies at 69
1860 Albert Richard Smith author/lecturer, dies
1867 Archibald Alison Scottish historian, dies at 74
1875 Johann Wilhelm Mangold composer, dies at 78
1881 Kit Carson frontiersman, dies
1881 Leopold von Ranke historian, dies
1883 Cyprian K Norwid Polish painter/poet/playwright (Wanda), dies
1887 Ludwig Mathias Lindeman composer, dies at 74
1891 Ignace Xavier Joseph Leybach composer, dies at 73
1895 Franz E Neumann German mineralogist/physicist, dies at 96
1897 Aleko Konstantinov Bulgarian writer (To Chicago & Back), dies at 34
1905 Martinus W van AA Meerbeke head-editor (Time), dies at 75
1906 Henrik Johan Ibsen Norwegian playwright (Doll House), dies at 78
1908 François Coppée French poet, dies
1926 Hans Koessler composer, dies at 73
1934 Bonnie & Clyde bank robbers killed in shoot-out with police in Shreveport LA
1934 Bonnie Parker outlaw (Bonnie & Clyde), killed in police ambush
1934 Clyde Barrow outlaw (Bonnie & Clyde), killed in police ambush
1937 John Davison Rockfeller industrialist, dies at 97 in Ormond Beach FL
1938 Philip Kleintjes republic leader, dies at 70
1940 Andrej N Rimsky-Korssakov Russian musicologist/son of Nikolai, dies
1940 Paul Nizan French journalist/writer (Ce Soir/Aden Arabia), dies at 35
1941 Lord Herbert Austin motor manufacturer, dies
1941 Slavko Osterc composer, dies at 45
1945 Heinrich Himmler Nazi/Gestapo leader, commits suicide while in prison at Luneburg, Germany at 44
1947 C F Ramuz writer, dies at 68
1952 Georg Alfred Schumann composer, dies at 85
1954 H R Bromley-Davenport cricketer (batted in 4 Tests for England), dies
1960 Georges Claude engineer/inventor, dies
1961 Joan Davis comedic actress (I Married Joan), dies at 53
1965 David Smith sculptor, dies
1966 Ruth Gates Denton TX, actress (Aunt Jenny-Mama), dies at 79
1967 Philip Coolidge actor (I Want to Live, Tingler), dies at 58
1967 Sanne Sannes photographer, dies at 30
1968 James Burke actor (Ellery Queen, Army Surgeon), dies at 81
1968 Merle Kendrick orchestra leader (Window on the World), dies at 72
1969 Diane Aubrey actress (Haunted Strangler), dies of heart attack at 79
1969 Jimmy McHugh composer (Can't Give You Anything But Love), dies at 74
1969 Peter Alma painter/graphic artist, dies at 83
1970 Nydia Westman actress (Going My Way, Young Mr Bobbins), dies at 68
1973 Athena Lorde actress (Judith-One Man's Family, Fuzz, Skin Game), dies at 57
1974 Kathleen Cannell writer, dies
1975 Jackie "Moms" Mabley comedienne (Amazing Grace), dies at 81
1979 Hubert van Doorne auto manufacturer (DAF), dies at 79
1982 Louis J N Gérardin bicyclist (world champion sprint 1930), dies at 69
1983 Albert Claude Belgian biologist (Nobel 1974), dies at 84
1986 Sterling Hayden actor (Blue & Gray), dies at 70
1987 Karel Albert Flemish composer (Marieken van Nymeghen), dies at 86
1988 David Schoenbrun CBS broadcast bureau head (Washington, Paris), dies at 73
1990 Rocky Graziano boxer/writer/actor (Mr Rock & Roll), dies
1991 Jean van Houte Belgian premier, dies
1991 Peter T Thwaites British Brigadier-General/playwright (Love or money), dies
1991 William Sinnot Scottish pop musician (Shamen), dies at 30
1992 Atahualpa Yupanqui Argentine singer/composer/poet/guitarist, dies
1992 Giovanni Falcone anti-mafia judge (Palermo), murdered
1993 James Millhollin actor (Anston Foster-Grindl), dies at 77
1994 Carl Althoff German circus director, dies at 82
1994 Joe Pass US jazz guitarist (The Trio), dies at 65
1996 Dorothy Hyson actress (Spare a Copper, Sing as We Go), dies at 81
1996 Kronid Arkadyevich Lyubarsky human rights activist, dies at 61
1996 Patrick Cargill actor (Up Pompeii, Magic Christian), dies at 77
Reported: MISSING in ACTION
( Expanded with full Bios, history, & MIA report )
1965 WALKER ORIEN JUDSON BOSTON MA 02/01/66 PROB DEAD
1967 HOMUTH RICHARD W. SPRING VALLEY CA SAR FOUND RAFT RADIO CONTACT
1967 PETTIS THOMAS E. MOBILE AL SAR FOUND RAFT RADIO CONTACT
1967 SCHMITTOU EUREKA LAVERN RINGGOLD TX SAR FOUND RAFT RADIO CONTACT
1967 SOUCY RONALD PHILIP WHITTING LAKE IN SAR FOUND RAFT RADIO CONTACT
1968 COCHRAN ISOM CARTER JR. HOUSTON TX
1968 LANE GLEN O. ODESSA TX
1968 OWEN ROBERT D. CHATHAM VA
1968 SCHRUMP RAYMOND C. TOMAHAWK WI 02/12/73 RELEASED BY PRG INJURED ALIVE IN 96
1969 BENTON GREGORY R. VALLEJO CA FAMILY STATES NATIVE AMERICAN INDIAN
1969 RAMIREZ ARMANDO WILLCOX AZ
1972 BYRNS WILLIAM G. ST. LOUIS MO 03/28/73 RELEASED BY DRV ALIVE AND WELL 1996/98
1972 BEAN WILLIAM R. JR. FT PAYNE AL 03/28/73 RELEASED BY DRV ALIVE AND WELL 98
1972 BARNETT CHARLES E. HOUSTON TX BODY FELL IN FIELD-NHAN DAN REMAINS RETURNED 02/22/89