John F. Kennedy
Famous Military Veterans
Marilyn Monroe
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My Ghost Story
I Survived
Babe Ruth
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I Survived
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 11
Events on This Day
-
1936
77 years ago
Britain's King Edward VIII abdicates the throne to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson.
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1941
72 years ago
Axis leaders Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini declare war on the United States.
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1946
67 years ago
John D. Rockefeller, Jr. donates 18 acres of land in New York City to house the United Nations.
-
2008
5 years ago
Financier Bernard Madoff is arrested and charged with securities fraud in a $65 billion Ponzi scheme.
December 11
Born on This Day
-
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.
Born: December 11, 1926
Birthplace: Montgomery, Alabama, United States
Occupation: Songwriter, Singer -
Rita Moreno
- In these groups:
- Hispanic Actors
- EGOT Winners
- Best Supporting Actress Oscar Winners
Rita Moreno
Actress / 1931 -
Rita Moreno is a Puetro Rican actress, of West Side Story (1961) fame, who throughout her career has broken new ground for Latinos in entertainment.
1931 | 81 years old
Actress -
Mo'Nique
- In these groups:
- Black Comedians
- Female Talk Show Hosts
- Weight Loss Winners
Mo'Nique
Actress / 1967 -
Mo'Nique is an actress and stand-up comedian who won an Academy Award for her role in Precious.
1967 | 45 years old
Actress -
Teri Garr
- In these groups:
- Studio 54 Patrons
- SNL Presidents
- Screen Presidents
Teri Garr
Actress / 1947 -
American actress Teri Garr is best known for her role as Dustin Hoffman's neurotic girlfriend in the comedy hit Tootsie (1981). Other notable roles include The Conversation (1974), Young Frankenstein (1974) and Mr. Mom (1983).
Born: December 11, 1947
Age: 65 years old
Birthplace: Lakewood, Ohio, United States
Occupation: Actress -
John Kerry
- In these groups:
- Famous Military Veterans
- Celebrity Aviators
- Candidates Eating
John Kerry
U.S. Representative / 1943 -
Senator John Kerry has supported free trade, expansive foreign and military policy and education spending. In 2004, he was a democratic presidential nominee.
1943 | 69 years old
U.S. Representative -
Christina Onassis
- In these groups:
- Famous Sagittarians
- Famous People Named Christina
- Famous People Born in 1950
Christina Onassis
Business Leader / 1950 - 1988
Heiress and businesswoman Christina Onassis was the daughter of self-made Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Socrates Onassis. Her father married Jackie Kennedy.
1950 | 37 years old
Business Leader
December 11
Died on This Day
-
Bettie Page
- In these groups:
- Famous Recluses
- Famous People Involved in Sex Scandals
- Playboy Playmates
Bettie Page
Pin-up / 1923 - 2008
Bettie Page was a Playboy pin-up model and sex symbol of the 1950s. Her straight black bangs and innocent, playful attitude made her a fashion icon.
Died: December 11, 2008
Age: 85 years old
Place: Los Angeles, California , United States
Occupation: Pin-up -
Oliver Winchester
Oliver Winchester
Entrepreneur / 1810 - 1880
Oliver Fisher Winchester operated the Winchester Repeating Arms Co., which provided rifles and ammunition used in the Civil War and by American settlers.1880 | 70 years old
Entrepreneur
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Play Nowprofile name: Big Mama Thornton profile occupation: Songwriter, Singer
profile id: 189133
profile name: Rita Moreno profile occupation: Actress
profile id: 517474
profile name: Mo'Nique profile occupation: Actress
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profile name: Teri Garr profile occupation: Actress
profile id: 10673562
profile name: John Kerry profile occupation: U.S. Representative
profile id: 10682120
profile name: Christina Onassis profile occupation: Business Leader
profile id: 162972
profile name: Bettie Page profile occupation: Pin-up
profile id: 9534324
profile name: Oliver Winchester profile occupation: Entrepreneur
profile id: 9542031
profile name: Edward VIII profile occupation: King
profile id: 9340144
profile name: Adolf Hitler profile occupation: Dictator
profile id: 9419443
profile name: Benito Mussolini profile occupation: Dictator
profile id: 9461357
profile name: John D. Rockefeller Jr. profile occupation: Philanthropist
profile id: 466366
profile name: Bernard Madoff profile occupation: Entrepreneur
profile id: 9252268
profile name: Buffalo Bill Cody profile occupation: Military Leader
profile id: 9274899
profile name: Joe DiMaggio profile occupation: Baseball Player
profile id: 9346313
profile name: Langston Hughes profile occupation: Playwright
profile id: 9542158
profile name: Ivana Trump profile occupation: Model
profile id: 9511238
profile name: Donald Trump profile occupation: Reality Television Star
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
profile id: 40055
profile name: Henri Becquerel profile occupation: Physicist
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Upcoming Birthdays
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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 -
Henri Becquerel
- In these groups:
- Fantastic Facial Hair
- Famous Academics
- Famous Sagittarians
Henri Becquerel
Philosopher, Physicist / 1852 - 1908
Henri Becquerel was a French physicist who discovered radioactivity, an achievement for which he won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1903.
December 15, 1852
Physicist
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
