June Carter Cash
Musical Monikers
Madonna
Justin Bieber
My Ghost Story
I Survived
Babe Ruth
Johnny Cash
Georgia O'Keefe
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 14
Events on This Day
-
1968
45 years ago
Marvin Gaye scores his first number one single with "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," which remains at the top of the charts for seven weeks.
-
1977
36 years ago
The disco drama Saturday Night Fever, starring John Travolta and with music by the Bee Gees, premieres in New York City.
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1985
28 years ago
Wilma Mankiller is named the principal chief of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, becoming the first woman to lead a major Native American tribe.
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1997
16 years ago
In preparation for John Paul II, the first pope to visit Cuba, President Fidel Castro declares Christmas 1997 a holiday for the country.
December 14
Born on This Day
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Nostradamus
- In these groups:
- Famous Sagittarians
- Famous Scientists
- Famous French People
Nostradamus
Scientist / 1503 - 1566
Physician Nostradamus believed that he could predict the future and published his predictions in The Prophecies. Some believe they have or will come true.Born: December 14, 1503
Birthplace: Saint-Remy-de-Provence, France
Occupation: Scientist -
Patty Duke
Patty Duke
Actress / 1946 -
Actress Patty Duke won an Academy Award in 1963, at age 16, for her portrayal of Helen Keller in The Miracle Worker—becoming the youngest Oscar recipient at the time.
1946 | 66 years old
Actress -
Margaret Chase SmithMargaret Chase Smith
Political Leader / 1897 - 1995
Margaret Chase Smith is best known for her independent American political career.
1897 | 97 years old
Political Leader -
Ernie Davis
- In these groups:
- African-American Firsts: Athletes
- Famous Black Athletes
- Famous Sagittarians
Ernie Davis
Football Player / 1939 - 1963
Ernie Davis became the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy before his life was tragically cut short by leukemia at the age of 23.
Born: December 14, 1939
Birthplace: New Salem, Pennsylvania, United States
Occupation: Football Player -
George VI
- In these groups:
- Oscar-Winning Portrayals
- The British Royal Family
- Famous Sagittarians
George VI
King / 1895 - 1952
George VI served as king of the United Kingdom during World War II and was an important symbolic leader. He was succeeded by Queen Elizabeth II, in 1952.
1895 | 56 years old
King -
Michael OvitzMichael Ovitz
Entrepreneur / 1946 -
Michael Ovitz is a Hollywood agent who headed the powerful Creative Artists Agency and was briefly president of the Walt Disney Company.
1946 | 66 years old
Entrepreneur
December 14
Died on This Day
-
Roger Maris
- In these groups:
- The Ed Sullivan Show Guests
- Famous Virgoans
- Famous People Named Roger
Roger Maris
Athlete / 1934 - 1985
American baseball player Roger Maris hit 61 home runs in 1961 to break the single-season record held by the legendary Babe Ruth.
Died: December 14, 1985
Age: 51 years old
Place: Houston, Texas , United States
Occupation: Athlete -
Dinah Washington
- In these groups:
- Famous Harlem Residents
- Apollo Legends
- Name Changers
Dinah Washington
Singer / 1924 - 1963
Dinah Washington was a singer noted for her gospel-inspired delivery and string of top 10 rhythm-and-blues hits.1963 | 39 years old
Singer -
George Washington
- In these groups:
- Famous Lookalikes
- Famous Military Veterans
- Who Is On Your Money
George Washington
General, U.S. President / 1732 - 1799
George Washington was a leader of the Continental Army in the American Revolution, and was the first to become U.S. president.
1799 | 67 years old
General, U.S. President
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Play Nowprofile name: Nostradamus profile occupation: Scientist
profile id: 9542536
profile name: Patty Duke profile occupation: Actress
profile id: 280222
profile name: Margaret Chase Smith profile occupation: Political Leader
profile id: 9267805
profile name: Ernie Davis profile occupation: Football Player
profile id: 9308937
profile name: George VI profile occupation: King
profile id: 507714
profile name: Michael Ovitz profile occupation: Entrepreneur
profile id: 9399252
profile name: Roger Maris profile occupation: Athlete
profile id: 9524775
profile name: Dinah Washington profile occupation: Singer
profile id: 9524786
profile name: George Washington profile occupation: General, U.S. President
profile id: 9307988
profile name: Marvin Gaye profile occupation: Singer
profile id: 9509927
profile name: John Travolta profile occupation: Actor
profile id: 214109
profile name: Wilma Mankiller profile occupation: Women's Rights Activist
profile id: 9241487
profile name: Fidel Castro profile occupation: World Leader
profile id: 9355652
profile name: John Paul II profile occupation: Pope
profile id: 9205086
profile name: Aphra Behn profile occupation: Author
profile id: 9368803
profile name: Sandy Koufax profile occupation: Baseball Player
profile id: 575760
profile name: Jimmy Dean profile occupation: Singer
profile id: 10239181
profile name: Naomi Watts profile occupation: Film Actress
profile id: 9542034
profile name: Adrien Brody profile occupation: Film Actor
profile id: 9542484
profile name: Jack Black profile occupation: Television Actor
profile id: 37009
profile name: Peter Jackson profile occupation: Filmmaker
profile id: 40055
profile name: Henri Becquerel profile occupation: Physicist
profile id: 37727
profile name: Léon Walras profile occupation: Educator
profile id: 37158
profile name: Herbert Beerbohm Tree profile occupation: Theater Actor
profile id: 37840
profile name: Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. profile occupation: Pilot
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Upcoming Birthdays
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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 -
Léon Walras
- In these groups:
- Famous Academics
- Famous Teachers
- Famous Sagittarians
Léon Walras
Educator, Economist / 1834 - 1910
Economist Léon Walras was an advocate of cooperatives as an alternative to revolution. He ran a bank for producers' cooperatives with Léon Say.
December 16, 1834
Educator -
Herbert Beerbohm Tree
- In these groups:
- Famous Sagittarians
- Famous Actors
- Famous Theater Actors
Herbert Beerbohm Tree
Theater Actor / 1852 - 1917
Sir Herbert Beerbohm was a stage actor and well-known figure in English theater. He both managed and produced several plays in London including Charles Dickens and Shakespearean classics.
December 17, 1852
Theater Actor -
Benjamin O. Davis, Jr.
- In these groups:
- Famous Military Veterans
- Famous Sagittarians
- Famous Military Leaders
Benjamin O. Davis, Jr.
General, Pilot / 1912 - 2002
Pilot and officer Benjamin Oliver Davis, Jr. was the first African American general in the U.S. Air Force.
December 18, 1912
Pilot
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
