October 31

October 31 in recent years

October 31 is the 304th day of the year (305th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 61 days remaining until the end of the year.

Events

475 – Romulus Augustulus is proclaimed Western Roman Emperor.
683 – During the Siege of Mecca, the Kaaba catches fire and is burned down.
1517 – Protestant Reformation: Martin Luther posts his 95 theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg.
1587 – Leiden University Library opens its doors after its founding in 1575.
1822 – Emperor Agustín de Iturbide attempts to dissolve the Mexican Empire.
1861 – American Civil War: Citing failing health, Union General Winfield Scott resigns as Commander of the United States Army.
1863 – The Maori Wars resumes as British forces in New Zealand led by General Duncan Cameron begin their Invasion of the Waikato.
1864 – Nevada is admitted as the 36th U.S. state.
1876 – A monster cyclone ravages India, resulting in over 200,000 deaths.
1913 – Dedication of the Lincoln Highway, the first automobile road across United States.
1913 – The Indianapolis Street Car Strike and subsequent riot begins.
1917 – World War I: Battle of Beersheba – "last successful cavalry charge in history".
1923 – The first of 160 consecutive days of 100 degrees Fahrenheit at Marble Bar, Australia.
1924 – World Savings Day is announced in Milan, Italy by the Members of the Association at the 1st International Savings Bank Congress (World Society of Savings Banks).
1926 – Magician Harry Houdini dies of gangrene and peritonitis that developed after his appendix ruptured.
1938 – Great Depression: In an effort to restore investor confidence, the New York Stock Exchange unveils a fifteen-point program aimed to upgrade protection for the investing public.
1940 – World War II: The Battle of Britain ends – the United Kingdom prevents a possible German invasion.
1941 – After 14 years of work, Mount Rushmore is completed.
1941 – World War II: The destroyer USS Reuben James is torpedoed by a German U-boat near Iceland, killing more than 100 United States Navy sailors. It is the first U.S. Navy vessel sunk by enemy action in WWII.
1943 – World War II: An F4U Corsair accomplishes the first successful radar-guided interception by a USN or USMC aircraft.
1944 – Dr. jur. Erich Göstl, a member of the Waffen SS, is awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, to recognise extreme battlefield bravery, after losing his face and eyes during the Battle of Normandy.
1956 – Suez Crisis: The United Kingdom and France begin bombing Egypt to force the reopening of the Suez Canal.
1961 – In the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin's body is removed from Lenin's Tomb.
1963 – An explosion at the Indiana State Fair Coliseum (now Pepsi Coliseum) in Indianapolis kills 74 people during an ice skating show. The explosion also injures 400. A faulty propane tank connection in a concession stand is blamed.
1968 – Vietnam War October surprise: Citing progress with the Paris peace talks, US President Lyndon B. Johnson announces to the nation that he has ordered a complete cessation of "all air, naval, and artillery bombardment of North Vietnam" effective November 1.
1973 – Mountjoy Prison helicopter escape. Three Provisional Irish Republican Army members escape from Mountjoy Prison, Dublin, Republic of Ireland aboard a hijacked helicopter that lands in the exercise yard.
1984 – Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is assassinated by two security guards. Riots break out in New Delhi and nearly 10,000 Sikhs are killed.
1998 – Iraq disarmament crisis begins: Iraq announces it would no longer cooperate with United Nations weapons inspectors.
1999 – Yachtsman Jesse Martin returns to Melbourne after 11 months of circumnavigating the world, solo, non-stop and unassisted.
1999 – EgyptAir Flight 990 crashes into the Atlantic Ocean killing all 217 people on board.
2000 – Soyuz TM-31 launches, carrying the first resident crew to the International Space Station. The ISS has been continuously crewed since.
2002 – A federal grand jury in Houston, Texas indicts former Enron Corp. chief financial officer Andrew Fastow on 78 counts of wire fraud, money laundering, conspiracy and obstruction of justice related to the collapse of his ex-employer.
2003 – Mahathir bin Mohamad resigns as Prime Minister of Malaysia and is replaced by Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, marking an end to Mahathir's 22 years in power.
2011 – The global population of humans reached seven billion. This day is now recognized by the United Nations as Seven Billion Day.

Births

1291 – Philippe de Vitry, French composer and poet (d. 1361)
1345 – Ferdinand I of Portugal (d. 1383)
1391 – Edward, King of Portugal (d. 1438)
1424 – Władysław III of Poland (d. 1444)
1599 – Denzil Holles, 1st Baron Holles, English politician (d. 1680)
1620 – John Evelyn, English author (d. 1706)
1632 – Johannes Vermeer, Flemish painter (d. 1675)
1636 – Ferdinand Maria, Elector of Bavaria (d. 1679)
1686 – Senesino, Italian singer (d. 1758)
1692 – Anne Claude de Caylus, French archaeologist (d. 1765)
1705 – Pope Clement XIV (d. 1774)
1724 – Christopher Anstey, English author and poet (d. 1805)
1737 – James Lovell, American educator and politician (d. 1789)
1795 – John Keats, English poet (d. 1821)
1815 – Karl Weierstraß, German mathematician (d. 1897)
1825 – Charles Lavigerie, French archbishop (d. 1892)
1827 – Richard Morris Hunt, American architect, designed the New York Tribune Building (d. 1895)
1831 – Paolo Mantegazza, Italian neurologist, physiologist, and anthropologist (d. 1910)
1835 – Adelbert Ames, American soldier and politician, 27th Governor of Mississippi (d. 1933)
1835 – Krišjānis Barons, Latvian author (d. 1923)
1835 – Adolf von Baeyer, German chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1917)
1838 – Luís I of Portugal (d. 1889)
1848 – Boston Custer, American solder (d. 1876)
1851 – Louise of Sweden (d. 1926)
1856 – Charles Leroux, American balloonist and parachutist (d. 1889)
1860 – Juliette Gordon Low, American founder of the Girl Scouts (d. 1927)
1875 – Eugene Meyer, American businessman and publisher (d. 1954)
1875 – Vallabhbhai Patel, Indian activist and politician, 1st Deputy Prime Minister of India (d. 1950)
1876 – Natalie Clifford Barney, American poet and playwright (d. 1972)
1879 – Sara Allgood, Irish actress (d. 1950)
1883 – Marie Laurencin, French painter (d. 1956)
1887 – Chiang Kai-shek, Chinese military leader and politician, President of the Republic of China (d. 1975)
1887 – Newsy Lalonde, Canadian ice hockey player (d. 1970)
1888 – Napoleon Lapathiotis, Greek poet (d. 1944)
1890 – Susie Gibson, American super-centenarian (d. 2006)
1892 – Alexander Alekhine, Russian chess player (d. 1946)
1895 – B. H. Liddell Hart, English soldier and historian (d. 1970)
1896 – Ethel Waters, American singer and actress (d. 1977)
1897 – Delma Kollar, American super-centenarian (d. 2012)
1902 – Abraham Wald, Hungarian mathematician (d. 1950)
1908 – Muriel Duckworth, Canadian activist (d. 2009)
1912 – Dale Evans, American singer-songwriter and actress (d. 2001)
1912 – Ollie Johnston, American animator (d. 2008)
1914 – Joe Carcione, American activist and author (d. 1988)
1914 – John Hugenholtz, Dutch designer (d. 1995)
1915 – Jane Jarvis, American pianist and composer (d. 2010)
1916 – Count Carl Johan Bernadotte of Wisborg (d. 2012)
1917 – William Hardy McNeill, Canadian historian
1918 – Ian Stevenson, American biochemist (d. 2007)
1919 – Magnus Wenninger, American mathematician
1919 – Daphne Oxenford, English actress (d. 2012)
1920 – Dick Francis, Welsh jockey and author (d. 2010)
1920 – Joseph Gelineau French priest and composer (d. 2008)
1920 – Dedan Kimathi, Kenyan rebel leader (d. 1957)
1920 – Helmut Newton, German photographer (d. 2004)
1920 – Fritz Walter, German footballer (d. 2002)
1922 – Barbara Bel Geddes, American actress and author (d. 2005)
1922 – Illinois Jacquet, American saxophonist (d. 2004)
1922 – Anatoli Papanov, Soviet actor (d. 1987)
1922 – Norodom Sihanouk, Cambodian king and politician, 1st Prime Minister of Cambodia (d. 2012)
1925 – John Pople, English chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2004)
1926 – Jimmy Savile, English radio and television host (d. 2011)
1927 – Lee Grant, American actress and director
1927 – Thomas Hill, Canadian actor (d. 2009)
1928 – Cleo Moore, American actress (d. 1973)
1928 – Andrew Sarris, American critic (d. 2012)
1929 – Eddie Charlton, Australian snooker player (d. 2004)
1929 – Bud Spencer, Italian actor
1929 – Olga Zubarry, Argentinian actress (d. 2012)
1930 – Michael Collins, American astronaut
1930 – Booker Ervin American saxophonist (d. 1970)
1931 – Dan Rather, American journalist
1932 – Katherine Paterson, American author
1932 – Jacques Pic, French chef (d. 1992)
1933 – Phil Goyette, Canadian ice hockey player
1933 – Narriman Sadek, Egyptian wife of Farouk of Egypt (d. 2005)
1934 – Fillie Lyckow, Swedish actress
1935 – Ronald Graham, American mathematician
1935 – David Harvey, English-American geographer and academic
1936 – Michael Landon, American actor (d. 1991)
1937 – Tom Paxton, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
1939 – Tom O'Connor, English comedian and actor
1939 – Ron Rifkin, American actor
1939 – Ali Farka Touré, Malian singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2006)
1941 – Dan Alderson, American scientist (d. 1989)
1941 – Derek Bell, English race car driver
1941 – Werner Krieglstein, Czech-American philosopher
1941 – Spilios Spiliotopoulos, Greek politician
1942 – Dave McNally, American baseball player
1942 – David Ogden Stiers, American actor
1942 – Eduardo Castrillo, Filipino sculptor
1943 – Elliott Forbes-Robinson, American race car driver
1943 – Paul Frampton, English physicist
1943 – Aristotelis Pavlidis, Greek politician
1943 – Brian Piccolo, American football player (d. 1970)
1944 – Sally Kirkland, American actress
1944 – Otto Wiesheu, Bavarian politician
1945 – Brian Doyle-Murray, American comedian, actor, and screenwriter
1945 – Russ Ballard, English singer-songwriter and guitarist (Argent)
1946 – Norman Lovett, English comedian and actor
1946 – Stephen Rea, Irish actor
1947 – Deidre Hall, American actress
1947 – Frank Shorter, American runner
1947 – Herman Van Rompuy, Belgian politician, Prime Minister of Belgium
1948 – Michael Kitchen, English actor and politician
1949 – Bob Siebenberg, American drummer (Supertramp and Bees Make Honey)
1950 – John Candy, Canadian comedian and actor (d. 1994)
1950 – Zaha Hadid, Iraqi-English architect, designed the Bridge Pavilion
1950 – Jane Pauley, American journalist
1950 – Jozef Stolorz, Polish painter
1950 – Antonio Taguba, Filipino-American general
1951 – Nick Saban, American football coach
1951 – Dave Trembley, American baseball coach and manager
1952 – Bernard Edwards, American bass player and producer (Chic and The Power Station) (d. 1996)
1953 – Michael J. Anderson, American actor
1953 – John Lucas II, American basketball player and coach
1954 – Ken Wahl, American actor
1955 – Michalis Chrisochoidis, Greek politician
1955 – Susan Orlean, American journalist
1956 – Bruce Bawer, American critic and poet
1956 – Anders Lago, Swedish politician
1956 – Christopher de Leon, Filipino actor
1957 – Brian Stokes Mitchell, American singer and actor
1957 – Shirley Phelps-Roper, American lawyer and activist
1957 – Robert Pollard, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (Guided by Voices)
1958 – Jeannie Longo, French cyclist
1959 – Michael DeLorenzo, American actor, singer, and director
1959 – Mats Näslund, Swedish ice hockey player
1959 – Neal Stephenson, American author
1960 – Arnaud Desplechin, French director
1960 – Luis Fortuño, Puerto Rican politician, 9th Governor of Puerto Rico
1960 – Mike Gallego, American baseball player
1960 – Reza Pahlavi, Iranian prince
1961 – Alonzo Babers, American runner
1961 – Kate Campbell, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
1961 – Peter Jackson, New Zealand actor, director, screenwriter, and producer
1961 – Larry Mullen, Jr., Irish drummer, songwriter, and actor (U2 and Automatic Baby)
1963 – Dunga, Brazilian footballer and manager
1963 – Mikkey Dee, Swedish drummer and songwriter (Motörhead and King Diamond)
1963 – Johnny Marr, English singer-songwriter and guitarist (The Smiths, Modest Mouse, Electronic, and The Cribs)
1963 – Fred McGriff, American baseball player
1963 – Dermot Mulroney, American actor
1963 – Rob Schneider, American actor, screenwriter, and producer
1964 – Frank Bruni, American journalist
1964 – Colm Ó Cíosóig, Irish drummer and songwriter (My Bloody Valentine and Hope Sandoval & the Warm Inventions)
1964 – Marco van Basten, Dutch footballer and manager
1964 – Darryl Worley, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
1964 – Marty Wright, American wrestler
1965 – Blue Edwards, American basketball player
1965 – Denis Irwin, Irish footballer
1965 – Rob Rackstraw, English voice actor
1966 – Ad-Rock, American rapper, producer, and actor (Beastie Boys)
1966 – Joseph Boyden, Canadian author
1966 – Koji Kanemoto, Japanese wrestler
1966 – Annabella Lwin, Burmese singer (Bow Wow Wow)
1966 – Mike O'Malley, American actor
1966 – Jon Wurster, American comic and drummer (Superchunk, The Mountain Goats)
1967 – Vanilla Ice, American rapper and actor
1967 – Buddy Lazier, American race car driver
1967 – Irina Pantaeva, Russian model and actress
1968 – Antonio Davis, American basketball player
1969 – David Coburn, American actor and singer
1970 – Linn Berggren, Swedish singer-songwriter (Ace of Base)
1970 – Mitch Harris, American guitarist and songwriter (Napalm Death, Defecation, and Meathook Seed)
1970 – Johnny Moeller, American guitarist (The Fabulous Thunderbirds)
1970 – Nolan North, American actor
1970 – Rogers Stevens, American guitarist (Blind Melon)
1970 – Steve Trachsel, American baseball player
1970 – Nicky Wu, Taiwanese actor and singer
1971 – Alphonso Ford, American basketball player (d. 2004)
1971 – Tom Smith, Scottish rugby player
1971 – Ian Walker, English footballer
1972 – Shaun Bartlett, South African footballer
1972 – Matt Dawson, English rugby player
1972 – Grigoris Georgatos, Greek footballer
1973 – Paul Abrahams, English footballer
1973 – Christopher Bevins, American voice actor, director, scriptwriter, and producer
1973 – Tim Byrdak, American baseball player
1973 – David Dellucci, American baseball player
1973 – Beverly Lynne, American porn actress
1974 – Muzzy Izzet, Turkish footballer
1974 – Roger Manganelli, Brazilian singer-songwriter and bass player (Less Than Jake and Rehasher)
1974 – Natasja Saad, Danish rapper (d. 2007)
1975 – Fabio Celestini, Swiss footballer
1975 – Keith Jardine, American mixed martial artist
1975 – Johnny Whitworth, American actor
1976 – Guti, Spanish footballer
1976 – Piper Perabo, American actress
1977 – Sylviane Félix, French sprinter
1977 – Séverine Ferrer, French singer
1978 – Inka Grings, German footballer
1978 – Emmanuel Izonritei, Nigerian boxer
1978 – Martin Verkerk, Dutch tennis player
1979 – Ricardo Fuller, Jamaican footballer
1979 – Simão Sabrosa, Portuguese footballer
1979 – Saaphyri Windsor, American model and actress
1980 – Samaire Armstrong, American actress
1980 – Alondra de la Parra, Mexican-American conductor
1980 – Marcel Meeuwis, Dutch footballer
1980 – Eddie Kaye Thomas, American actor
1981 – Irina Denezhkina, Russian author
1981 – Lollie Alexi Devereaux, French actress, singer, and dancer
1981 – Steven Hunter, American basketball player
1981 – Frank Iero, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (My Chemical Romance, Pencey Prep, and Leathermouth)
1981 – Selina Jen, Taiwanese singer and actress (S.H.E)
1981 – Mike Napoli, American baseball player
1982 – Jordan Bannister, Australian rules footballer and umpire
1982 – Justin Chatwin, Canadian actor
1982 – Tomáš Plekanec, Czech ice hockey player
1983 – Adam Bouska, American photographer and activist, founded the NOH8 Campaign
1983 – Katy French, Irish model (d. 2007)
1984 – Scott Clifton, American actor and singer
1984 – Pat Murray, American football player
1986 – Chris Alajajian, Australian race car driver
1986 – Sean Paul Lockhart, American actor, producer, also known as Brent Corrigan in his gay adult pornographic roles
1986 – Christie Hayes, Australian actress
1987 – Nick Foligno, Canadian ice hockey player
1988 – Cole Aldrich, American basketball player
1988 – Sébastien Buemi, Swiss race car driver
1988 – Jack Riewoldt, Australian rules footballer
1989 – Warren Weir, Jamaican sprinter
1990 – Lil' JJ, American comedian and actor
1992 – Vanessa Marano, American actress
1995 – Joana Vale Costa, Portuguese tennis player
2000 – Willow Smith, American actress and singer
2005 – Infanta Leonor of Spain

Deaths

1147 – Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester, English son of Henry I of England (b. 1090)
1214 – Eleanor of England, Queen of Castile (b. 1162)
1448 – John VIII Palaiologos, Byzantine emperor (b. 1390)
1641 – Cornelis Jol, Dutch admiral (b. 1597)
1659 – John Bradshaw, English judge (b. 1602)
1723 – Cosimo III de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (b. 1642)
1732 – Victor Amadeus II of Sardinia (b. 1666)
1733 – Eberhard Louis, Duke of Württemberg (b. 1676)
1744 – Leonardo Leo, Italian composer (b. 1694)
1765 – Prince William, Duke of Cumberland (b. 1721)
1768 – Francesco Maria Veracini, Italian composer (b. 1690)
1860 – Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald, Scottish admiral (b. 1775)
1879 – Jacob Abbott, American author (b. 1803)
1879 – Joseph Hooker, American general (b. 1814)
1884 – Marie Bashkirtseff, Russian painter (b. 1858)
1913 – William Evans-Gordon, English politician (b. 1857)
1916 – Charles Taze Russell, American minister (b. 1852)
1918 – Egon Schiele, Austrian painter (b. 1890)
1920 – Alphonse Desjardins, Canadian journalist (b. 1854)
1925 – Max Linder, French actor, director, and screenwriter (b. 1883)
1926 – Harry Houdini, Hungarian-American magician (b. 1874)
1926 – Philip Schuster, American gymnast (b. 1883)
1929 – Ilm-ud-din, Islamic murderer (b. 1908)
1929 – António José de Almeida, Portuguese politician, 6th President of Portugal (b. 1866)
1929 – Norman Pritchard, Indian-English hurdler and actor (b. 1877)
1939 – Otto Rank, Austrian psychologist (b. 1884)
1946 – Gabriel Gabrio, French actor (b. 1887)
1952 – Chit Hlaing, Burmese politician (b. 1879)
1959 – Jean Cabannes, French physicist (b. 1885)
1972 – Bill Durnan, Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1916)
1972 – Marcia Healy, American actress [b. 1904]
1973 – Malek Bennabi, Algerian philosopher (b. 1905)
1975 – Sachin Dev Burman, Indian singer-songwriter (b. 1906)
1980 – Jan Werich, Czech actor and playwright (b. 1905)
1983 – George Halas, American football player and coach (b. 1895)
1984 – Eduardo De Filippo, Italian actor and screenwriter (b. 1900)
1984 – Indira Gandhi, Indian politician, 3rd Prime Minister of India (b. 1917)
1985 – Anton Christoforidis, Greek boxer (b. 1918)
1985 – Nikos Engonopoulos, Greek painter and poet (b. 1907)
1985 – Poul Reichhardt, Danish actor (b. 1913)
1986 – Robert S. Mulliken, American physicist and chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1896)
1988 – John Houseman, Romanian-American actor and director (b. 1902)
1988 – Alfred Pellan, Canadian painter (b. 1906)
1991 – Gene Anderson, American wrestler (b. 1933)
1991 – Joseph Papp, American director and producer (b. 1921)
1992 – Gary Rippingale, English ice hockey player (b. 1974)
1993 – Federico Fellini, Italian director (b. 1920)
1993 – River Phoenix, American actor and singer (b. 1970)
1995 – Rosalind Cash, American actress and singer (b. 1938)
1996 – Marcel Carné, French director (b. 1906)
1998 – Elmer Vasko, Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1935)
1999 – Greg Moore, Canadian race car driver (b. 1975)
2000 – Ring Lardner, Jr., American screenwriter (b. 1915)
2001 – Régine Cavagnoud, French skier (b. 1970)
2002 – Lionel Poilâne, French businessman (b. 1945)
2002 – Michail Stasinopoulos, Greek politician (b. 1903)
2002 – Raf Vallone, Italian actor (b. 1916)
2003 – Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, Indian singer (b. 1908)
2003 – Richard Neustadt, American historian (b. 1919)
2005 – Hal Anger, American biophysicist (b. 1920)
2005 – Mary Wimbush, English actress (b. 1924)
2006 – P. W. Botha, South African politician, State President of South Africa (b. 1916)
2006 – Peter Fryer, English journalist (b. 1927)
2007 – Ray Gravell, Welsh rugby player (b. 1951)
2008 – Studs Terkel, American author and actor (b. 1912)
2009 – Tom Wheatcroft, English businessman, founded the Donington Grand Prix Exhibition (b. 1922)
2009 – Qian Xuesen, Chinese scientist (b. 1911)
2010 – Maurice Lucas, American basketball player (b. 1952)
2010 – Theodore Sorensen, American lawyer (b. 1928)
2011 – Flórián Albert, Hungarian footballer (b. 1941)
2012 – June Blundell, New Zealand wife of Denis Blundell (b. 1921)
2012 – Brian Cobby, English actor (b. 1929)
2012 – Alfons Demming, German bishop (b. 1928)
2012 – John Fitch, American race car driver (b. 1917)
2012 – Alexander Kibrik, Russian linguist (b. 1939)
2012 – John H. Reed, American politician, 67th Governor of Maine (b. 1921)
2012 – Teri Shields, American actress and producer (b. 1933)
2012 – Konstantin Vyrupayev, Soviet wrestler (b. 1930)

Holidays and observances

Allantide (Cornwall)
Christian Feast Day:
Earliest day on which All Saints Day can fall, while November 6 is the latest; celebrated on Saturday between October 31 and November 6 (Finland)
Halloween (Ireland, Canada, United Kingdom, United States and other places)
King Father's Birthday (Cambodia)
Reformation Day (Slovenia, Germany and Protestant Church)
Samhain in the Northern Hemisphere, Beltane in the Southern Hemisphere; begins on sunset of October 31 (Gaels, Welsh people and Neopagan Wheel of the Year)

External links

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