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On This Day
Discover events that happened On This Day including famous birthdays and notable deaths. Each day we highlight famous people, past and present, who have impacted our world. Browse sections by selecting the links below or click the calendar to view events on another day.
December 10
Events on This Day
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1901
112 years ago
The first Nobel Prizes are awarded from a special fund created by inventor Alfred Nobel to award those who "have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind."
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1920
93 years ago
Woodrow Wilson wins a Nobel Prize for his "Fourteen Points" plan, which led to a peace treaty signed by France, Britain and Germany at the end of World War I.
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1948
65 years ago
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, co-authored by Eleanor Roosevelt, is adopted by the UN General Assembly.
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2009
4 years ago
James Cameron’s 3-D sci-fi epic Avatar, featuring Zoe Saldana and Sigourney Weaver, makes its world debut and goes on to become the top-grossing film in history.
December 10
Born on This Day
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Bobby Flay
- In these groups:
- Celebrities With Court-side Seats
- Famous Sagittarians
- Famous Chefs
Bobby Flay
Chef / 1964 -
Bobby Flay's frequent appearances and shows on the Food Network have now made him one of America's best known chefs.
Born: December 10, 1964
Age: 48 years old
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Occupation: Chef -
Rod Blagojevich
- In these groups:
- Famous Sagittarians
- Famous People Named Rod
- Famous U.S. Governors
Rod Blagojevich
U.S. Governor / 1956 -
Rod Blagojevich is an Illinois-based politician whose career has been marred by as many scandals as it has been highlighted by successes.
1956 | 56 years old
U.S. Governor -
Emily Dickinson
- In these groups:
- Famous Recluses
- Famous Sagittarians
- Famous People Named Emily
Emily Dickinson
Poet / 1830 - 1886
While never popular in her lifetime, Emily Dickinson has become one of the most widely known, most revered poets in history.
1830 | 55 years old
Poet -
Kenneth BranaghKenneth Branagh
Film Actor / 1960 -
Kenneth Branagh is an Irish-born English stage and motion-picture actor, director and writer who is best known for his film adaptations of Shakespearean plays.
Born: December 10, 1960
Age: 52 years old
Birthplace: Belfast, Ireland
Occupation: Film Actor -
Michael Clarke Duncan
- In these groups:
- Famous Sagittarians
- Famous Actors
- Famous Film Actors
Michael Clarke Duncan
Film Actor / 1957 - 2012
Michael Clarke Duncan was an African-American actor, best remembered for his role in The Green Mile.
1957 | 54 years old
Film Actor -
Meg White
1974 | 38 years old
Singer
December 10
Died on This Day
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Otis Redding
- In these groups:
- Aviation Accident Victims
- Famous People Who Died in Accidents
- Famous Virgoans
Otis Redding
Songwriter, Singer / 1941 - 1967
Otis Redding’s career was cut short when he died in a plane crash in 1967. His song “(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay” became his first and only No. 1 hit in 1968.Died: December 10, 1967
Age: 26 years old
Place: Madison, Wisconsin , United States
Occupation: Songwriter, Singer -
Augusto Pinochet
- In these groups:
- Hispanic Political Figures
- Famous Sagittarians
- Famous Military Leaders
Augusto Pinochet
General, Dictator / 1915 - 2006
Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet overthrew the Allende government in 1973 and stayed in power until 1998. He was never tried for alleged human rights abuses.
2006 | 91 years old
General, Dictator -
Ed Wood
- In these groups:
- Famous Military Veterans
- Famous Libras
- Famous Film Directors
Ed Wood
Director / 1924 - 1978
Filmmaker and novelist Ed Wood is famous for his low-budget films of the 1950s like Plan 9 From Outer Space, which are celebrated today as sheer camp.
1978 | 54 years old
Director -
Richard Pryor
- In these groups:
- Black Comedians
- Numerous Nuptials
- Soul Train Guests
Richard Pryor
Actor, Comedian, Screenwriter / 1940 - 2005
Richard Pryor was a groundbreaking African-American comedian and one of the top entertainers of the 1970s and '80s.
Died: December 10, 2005
Age: 65 years old
Place: Los Angeles, California , United States
Occupation: Actor, Comedian, Screenwriter -
Alfred Nobel
- In these groups:
- Celebrity Death Hoaxes
- Famous Libras
- Famous Inventors
Alfred Nobel
Business Leader, Engineer, Inventor, Chemist / 1833 - 1896
Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel invented dynamite and other explosives. He used his enormous fortune from 355 patents to institute the Nobel Prizes.
1896 | 63 years old
Business Leader -
Thomas Merton
- In these groups:
- Famous Aquarians
- Famous People Who Died in Accidents
- Famous Monks
Thomas Merton
Monk, Journalist / 1915 - 1968
Thomas Merton was a Trappist monk who was a revered pacifist and author, with works like Seven Storey Mountain and Thoughts in Solitude.
1968 | 53 years old
Monk, Journalist
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Play Nowprofile name: Bobby Flay profile occupation: Chef
profile id: 392652
profile name: Rod Blagojevich profile occupation: U.S. Governor
profile id: 9274190
profile name: Emily Dickinson profile occupation: Poet
profile id: 9224181
profile name: Kenneth Branagh profile occupation: Film Actor
profile id: 9542283
profile name: Michael Clarke Duncan profile occupation: Film Actor
profile id: 17178800
profile name: Meg White profile occupation: Singer
profile id: 9453430
profile name: Otis Redding profile occupation: Songwriter, Singer
profile id: 9441138
profile name: Augusto Pinochet profile occupation: General, Dictator
profile id: 251029
profile name: Ed Wood profile occupation: Director
profile id: 9448082
profile name: Richard Pryor profile occupation: Actor, Comedian, Screenwriter
profile id: 9424195
profile name: Alfred Nobel profile occupation: Business Leader
profile id: 9524435
profile name: Thomas Merton profile occupation: Monk, Journalist
profile id: 9534272
profile name: Woodrow Wilson profile occupation: Educator
profile id: 9463366
profile name: Eleanor Roosevelt profile occupation: Diplomat
profile id: 546570
profile name: James Cameron profile occupation: Director
profile id: 20906287
profile name: Zoe Saldana profile occupation: Model
profile id: 17179376
profile name: Sigourney Weaver profile occupation: Film Actress
profile id: 9176298
profile name: Jane Addams profile occupation: Philanthropist
profile id: 9333521
profile name: Hugh Hefner profile occupation: Entrepreneur
profile id: 9542366
profile name: Wen Ho Lee profile occupation: Scientist
profile id: 9542562
profile name: Elijah Wood profile occupation: Television Actor
profile id: 9508428
profile name: J.R.R. Tolkien profile occupation: Author
profile id: 40355
profile name: Big Mama Thornton profile occupation: Songwriter
profile id: 38511
profile name: John Osborne profile occupation: Playwright
profile id: 39371
profile name: Ben Bernanke profile occupation: Economist
profile id: 39741
profile name: Raj Kapoor profile occupation: Film Actor
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Upcoming Birthdays
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Big Mama Thornton
- In these groups:
- Famous Sagittarians
- Famous Singers
- Famous Songwriters and Composers
Big Mama Thornton
Songwriter, Singer / 1926 - 1984
Big Mama Thorton was a classic blues singer and songwriter whose influential work has been covered by artists including Elvis and Janis Joplin.
December 11, 1926
Songwriter -
John Osborne
- In these groups:
- Best Screenplay Oscar Winners
- Famous Sagittarians
- Famous Actors
John Osborne
Theater Actor, Producer, Playwright / 1929 - 1994
British playwright John Osborne's Look Back in Anger ushered in a new movement in British drama and made him known as the first of the "Angry Young Men."
December 12, 1929
Playwright -
Ben Bernanke
- In these groups:
- Famous Sagittarians
- Famous People Named Benjamin
- Famous People Born in 1953
Ben Bernanke
Economist / 1953 -
Economist Ben Bernanke replaced Alan Greenspan as chairman of the Federal Reserve System in 2006. Luckily, he was an expert on the Great Depression.
December 13, 1953
Economist -
Raj Kapoor
- In these groups:
- Famous Sagittarians
- Famous Actors
- Famous Film Actors
Raj Kapoor
Film Actor, Director, Producer / 1924 - 1988
Raj Kapoor was an Indian film director and producer of Hindi-language films. He is best known as the "Charlie Chaplin of Indian cinema."
December 14, 1924
Film Actor
Famous Sagittarians
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Kara Walker
- In these groups:
- Famous Black Artists
- Famous Sagittarians
- Famous Painters
Kara Walker
Painter / 1969 -
Kara Walker is an African-American artist who rose to fame for her use of large paper silhouettes to explore social issues surrounding gender, race and black history.
November 26, 1969
Painter -
Noam Chomsky
- In these groups:
- Famous Academics
- Famous Linguists
- Famous Sagittarians
Noam Chomsky
Linguist, Anti-War Activist, Academic Author, Journalist / 1928 -
Famed scholar Noam Chomsky is known for both his groundbreaking contributions to linguistics and his penetrating critiques of political systems.
December 7, 1928
Linguist, Anti-War Activist, Academic Author, Journalist
