kids encyclopedia robot

October 17 facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

2024 Calendar

<< January >>
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28 29 30 31
 
<< February >>
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29
 
<< March >>
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31
<< April >>
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28 29 30
 
<< May >>
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30 31
 
<< June >>
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20 21 22
23 24 25 26 27 28 29
30
<< July >>
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28 29 30 31
 
<< August >>
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30 31
 
<< September >>
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30
 
<< October >>
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30 31
 
<< November >>
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
<< December >>
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31
 

October 17 is the 290th day of the year (291st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar; 75 days remain until the end of the year.

Events

Up to 1900

  • 1091London tornado of 1091: A tornado thought to be of strength T8/F4 strikes the heart of London.
  • 1346 – The English capture King David II of Scotland at Neville's Cross and imprison him for eleven years.
  • 1448 – An Ottoman army defeats a Hungarian army at the Second Battle of Kosovo.
  • 1456 – The University of Greifswald is established as the second oldest university in northern Europe.
  • 1534 – Anti-Catholic posters appear in Paris and other cities supporting Huldrych Zwingli's position on the Mass.
  • 1558 – Poczta Polska, the Polish postal service, is founded.
  • 1604Kepler's Supernova is observed in the constellation of Ophiuchus.
  • 1610 – French king Louis XIII is crowned in Reims Cathedral.
  • 1660 – The Nine regicides who signed the death warrant of Charles I of England are executed.
  • 1662 – Charles II of England sells Dunkirk to France for 40,000 pounds.
  • 1771 – Premiere in Milan of the opera Ascanio in Alba, composed by Mozart at age 15.
  • 1777 – American Revolutionary War: British General John Burgoyne surrenders his army at Saratoga, New York.
  • 1781 – American Revolutionary War: British General Charles, Earl Cornwallis surrenders at the Siege of Yorktown.
  • 1800 – War of the Second Coalition: Britain takes control of the Dutch colony of Curaçao.
  • 1806 – Former leader of the Haitian Revolution, Emperor Jacques I, is assassinated after an oppressive rule.
  • 1814 – Eight people die in the London Beer Flood.
  • 1817 – The tomb of Pharaoh Seti I is discovered.
  • 1827 – Bellini's third opera, Il pirata, is premiered at Milan.
  • 1860 – First The Open Championship (referred to in North America as the British Open).
  • 1861 – Aborigines kill Nineteen Europeans in the Cullin-la-ringo massacre.
  • 1888Thomas Edison files a patent for the Optical Phonograph (the first movie).

1901 – 2000

  • 1907 – Marconi begins the first commercial transatlantic wireless service.
  • 1912 – Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia declare war on the Ottoman Empire, joining Montenegro in the First Balkan War.
  • 1919RCA is incorporated as the Radio Corporation of America.
  • 1931Al Capone is convicted of income tax evasion.
  • 1933Albert Einstein flees Nazi Germany and moves to the United States.
  • 1940 – The body of Communist propagandist Willi Münzenberg found in South France, starting a never-resolved mystery.
  • 1941 – World War II: The USS Kearny becomes the first US Navy vessel to be torpedoed by a U-boat.
  • 1943 – The Burma Railway (Burma–Thailand Railway) is completed.
  • 1943 – Holocaust in Poland: Sobibór extermination camp is closed.
  • 1945 – A massive demonstration in Buenos Aires, Argentina, demands Juan Perón's release.
  • 1956 – The first commercial nuclear power station is officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II in Sellafield, England.
  • 1956 – Bobby Fischer defeats Donald Byrne in the chess Game of the Century.
  • 1961 – Directed by their chief Maurice Papon, Paris police massacre scores of Algerian protesters.
  • 1965 – The 1964–65 New York World's Fair closes after two years and more than 51 million attendees.
  • 1966 – The 23rd Street Fire in New York City kills 12 firefighters.
  • 1970 – FLQ terrorists murder Quebec Vice-Premier and Minister of Labour Pierre Laporte.
  • 1973 – OPEC imposes an oil embargo against countries they deem to have helped Israel in the Yom Kippur War.
  • 1977 – The hijacked Lufthansa Flight 181 lands in Mogadishu. The remaining hostages are later rescued.
  • 1979Mother Teresa is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
  • 1979 – The Department of Education Organization Act creates the US Department of Education.
  • 1980 – As part of the Holy See–United Kingdom relations a British monarch makes the first state visit to the Vatican
  • 1989 – The 6.9 Mw Loma Prieta earthquake shakes the San Francisco Bay Area and the Central Coast, killing Sixty-three.
  • 1989 – The East German Politburo votes to remove Erich Honecker from his role as General Secretary.
  • 1994 – Russian journalist Dmitry Kholodov is assassinated while investigating corruption in the armed forces.
  • 2000 – The Hatfield rail crash leads to the collapse of Railtrack.

2001 onwards

  • 2001 – Israeli tourism minister Rehavam Ze'evi becomes the first Israeli minister to be assassinated in a terrorist attack.
  • 2003Taipei 101, a 101-floor skyscraper in Taipei, becomes the world's tallest highrise.
  • 2006 – The population of the United States officially reaches 300 million.
  • 2018 – Kerch Polytechnic College attack in Crimea.

Births

Up to 1800

1801 – 1900

1901 – 1925

  • 1901 – Emma Gamboa Alvarado, Costa Rican educator (d. 1973)
  • 1902Irene Ryan, American actress (d. 1973)
  • 1903Nathanael West, American author and screenwriter (d. 1940)
  • 1903 – Andrei Grechko, Soviet general (d. 1976)
  • 1905 – Leopoldo Benites, Ecuadorian diplomat 28th president of the United Nations General Assembly (d. 1996)
  • 1906 – Paul Derringer, American baseball player (d. 1987)
  • 1907 – John Marley, American actor (d. 1984)
  • 1908 – Hjördis Petterson, Swedish actress (d. 1988)
  • 1908 – Wally Prigg, Australian rugby league player (d. 1980)
  • 1908 – Red Rolfe, American baseball player, coach, and manager (d. 1969)
  • 1908 – Kenji Miyamoto, Japanese politician (d. 2007)
  • 1909Cozy Cole, American drummer (d. 1981)
  • 1909 – Leopoldo Panero, Spanish poet (d. 1962)
  • 1909 – Joaquín Satrústegui, Spanish lawyer and politician (d. 1992)
  • 1910 – Ester Wier, American author (d. 2000)
  • 1910 – Marina Núñez del Prado, Bolivian sculptor (d. 1995)
  • 1912Pope John Paul I, Catholic pope from August 1978- September 1978 (d. 1978)
  • 1912 – Theodore Marier, American composer and educator, founded the Boston Archdiocesan Choir School (d. 2001)
  • 1912 – Jack Owens, American singer-songwriter and pianist (d. 1982)
  • 1913 – Faik Türün, Turkish general (d. 2003)
  • 1913 – Robert Lowery, American actor (d. 1971)
  • 1913 – Marian Marsh, Trinidadian-American actress and environmentalist (d. 2006)
  • 1914Jerry Siegel, American author and illustrator (d. 1996)
  • 1915Arthur Miller, American playwright and screenwriter (d. 2005)
  • 1916José López Rega, Argentinean politician (d. 1989)
  • 1917 – Adele Stimmel Chase, American painter and sculptor (d. 2000)
  • 1917 – Martin Donnelly, New Zealand cricketer (d. 1999)
  • 1917 – Sumner Locke Elliott, Australian-American author and playwright (d. 1991)
  • 1917 – Marsha Hunt, American actress and singer
  • 1917 – Norman Leyden, American composer and conductor (d. 2014)
  • 1917 – Alfred Benlloch Llorach, Spanish inventor (d. 2013)
  • 1918Rita Hayworth, American actress, singer and dancer (d. 1987)
  • 1918 – Ralph Wilson, American businessman, founded the Buffalo Bills (d. 2014)
  • 1918 – Luis Alberto Solari, Uruguayan artist (d. 1993)
  • 1919Isaak Markovich Khalatnikov, Ukrainian-Russian physicist and academic (d. 2021)
  • 1919 – Violet Milstead, Canadian World War II aviator and bush pilot (d. 2014)
  • 1919 – Zhao Ziyang, Chinese politician (d. 2005)
  • 1920Montgomery Clift, American actor (d. 1966)
  • 1920 – Miguel Delibes, Spanish journalist and author (d. 2010)
  • 1920 – Zully Moreno, Argentian actress (d. 1999)
  • 1921 – George Mackay Brown, Scottish author, poet, and playwright (d. 1996)
  • 1921 – Priscilla Buckley, American journalist and author (d. 2012)
  • 1921 – Maria Gorokhovskaya, Russian-Israeli gymnast (d. 2001)
  • 1921 – Tom Poston, American actor and comedian (d. 2007)
  • 1922 – Luiz Bonfá, Brazilian guitarist and composer (d. 2001)
  • 1922 – Pierre Juneau, Canadian broadcaster and politician, co-founded the Montreal World Film Festival (d. 2012)
  • 1923 – Barney Kessel, American guitarist and composer (d. 2004)
  • 1923 – Charles McClendon, American football player and coach (d. 2001)
  • 1924 – Don Coryell, American football player and coach (d. 2010)
  • 1924 – Anton Geiser, Croatian SS officer (d. 2012)
  • 1924 – Giacomo Mari, Italian football midfielder (d. 1991)
  • 1924 – Rolando Panerai, Italian baritone (d. 2019)
  • 1925 – Harry Carpenter, English sportscaster (d. 2010)

1926 – 1950

  • 1926Julie Adams, American actress (d. 2019)
  • 1926 – Beverly Garland, American actress (d. 2008)
  • 1926 – Josine Ianco-Starrels, Romanian-American art curator (d. 2019)
  • 1926 – Roberto Lippi, Italian race car driver (d. 2011)
  • 1928 – Santiago Stevenson, Panamanian singer and minister (d. 2007)
  • 1928 – Alejandro Végh Villegas, Uruguayan politician (d. 2017)
  • 1929 – Mário Wilson, Mozambican footballer and manager (d. 2016)
  • 1930 – Ismail Akbay, Turkish physicist and engineer (d. 2003)
  • 1930 – Robert Atkins, American physician and cardiologist, created the Atkins diet (d. 2003)
  • 1930 – Jimmy Breslin, American journalist and author (d. 2017)
  • 1931 – Ernst Hinterberger, Austrian author and playwright (d. 2012)
  • 1931 – José Alencar, Brazilian businessman and politician (d. 2011)
  • 1931 – Anatoly Pristavkin, Russian writer (d. 2008)
  • 1932 – Paul Anderson, American weightlifter (d. 1994)
  • 1933William Anders, Hong Kong-American general and astronaut
  • 1933 – The Singing Nun, Belgian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and nun (d. 1985)
  • 1934Alan Garner, English author and playwright
  • 1934 – Johnny Haynes, English-Scottish footballer (d. 2005)
  • 1934 – Rico Rodriguez, American trombonist (d. 2015)
  • 1935 – Sydney Chapman, English architect and politician, Vice-Chamberlain of the Household (d. 2014)
  • 1935 – Michael Eavis, English farmer, founded the Glastonbury Festival
  • 1935 – Carlos Pairetti, Argetine racing driver
  • 1936 – Sathima Bea Benjamin, South African singer-songwriter (d. 2013)
  • 1936 – Hiroo Kanamori, Japanese-American seismologist and academic
  • 1936 – Santiago Navarro, Spanish basketball player (d. 1993)
  • 1937 – Paxton Whitehead, English actor
  • 1937 – José María Álvarez del Manzano, Spanish politician
  • 1937 – Aida Navarro, Venezuelan mezzo-soprano
  • 1937 – Renato Prada Oropeza, Bolivian-Mexican scientist (d. 2011)
  • 1938Evel Knievel, American motorcycle rider and stuntman (d. 2007)
  • 1938 – Les Murray, Australian anthologist, poet, and critic
  • 1938 – António Calvário, Portuguese singer and artist
  • 1939Oliver Rackham, English botanist and academic (d. 2015)
  • 1940 – Stephen Kovacevich, American pianist and conductor
  • 1940 – Jim Smith, English footballer and manager
  • 1940 – Peter Stringfellow, English businessman (d. 2018)
  • 1941Earl Thomas Conley, American country singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • 1941 – Jim Seals, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and violinist
  • 1941 – Paul Ellison, American musician
  • 1942Steve Jones, American basketball player and sportscaster (d. 2017)
  • 1942 – Gary Puckett, American pop singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • 1943 – Ignacio Rupérez, Spanish diplomat and journalist (d. 2015)
  • 1944 – Ángel Cristo, Spanish circus performer (d. 2012)
  • 1946 – Ronni Chasen, American publicist (d. 2010)
  • 1946 – Michael Hossack, American drummer (d. 2012)
  • 1946 – Cameron Mackintosh, English producer and manager
  • 1946 – Adam Michnik, Polish journalist and historian
  • 1946 – Drusilla Modjeska, English-Australian author and critic
  • 1946 – Bob Seagren, American pole vaulter
  • 1946 – Manuel Ibáñez, Mexican actor and comedian
  • 1946 – Julio Miranda, Argentine politician
  • 1946 – Daniela Payssé, Uruguayan politician (d. 2018)
  • 1946 – José Perramón, Spanish handball player
  • 1946 – Jaime Ravinet, Chilean politician
  • 1946 – Rüdiger Wittig, German geobotanist and ecologist
  • 1946 – Akira Kushida, Japanese vocalist
  • 1947 – Gene Green, American lawyer and politician
  • 1947 – Michael McKean, American singer-songwriter, actor, and director
  • 1947 – Robert Post, American educator and academic
  • 1947 – Omar Azziman, adviser to the King of Morocco
  • 1948Robert Jordan, American soldier and author (d. 2007)
  • 1948 – Margot Kidder, Canadian-American actress (d. 2018)
  • 1948 – George Wendt, American actor and comedian
  • 1948 – Osvaldo Castro, Chilean footballer
  • 1949Owen Arthur, Barbadian economist and politician, 5th Prime Minister of Barbados
  • 1949 – Bill Hudson, American musician and actor
  • 1950 – Philippe Barbarin, French cardinal
  • 1950 – Howard Rollins, American actor (d. 1996)
  • 1950 – Sandra Reemer, Dutch singer (d. 2017)

1951 – 1975

  • 1951 – Annie Borckink, Dutch speed skater
  • 1951 – Roger Pontare, Swedish singer
  • 1951 – Shari Ulrich, American-Canadian singer-songwriter and violinist
  • 1951 – Dirk Beheydt, Belgian football player.
  • 1953 – Joseph Bowie, American trombonist and bandleader
  • 1953 – Domenico Penzo, Italian footballer
  • 1954 – Carlos Buhler, American mountaineer
  • 1955 – Georgios Alogoskoufis, Greek economist, academic, and politician, Greek Minister of Finance
  • 1955 – Mike Bratz, American basketball player
  • 1956 – Fran Cosmo, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • 1956 – Mae Jemison, American physician, academic, and astronaut
  • 1956 – Pat McCrory, American businessman and politician, 74th Governor of North Carolina
  • 1956 – Stephen Palumbi, American academic and author
  • 1957Lawrence Bender, American actor and producer
  • 1957 – Steve McMichael, American football player, wrestler, and sportscaster
  • 1957 – Vincent Van Patten, American tennis player and actor
  • 1957 – Antonio Galdo, Italian journalist
  • 1957 – Nelson Barrera, Mexican baseball player (d. 2002)
  • 1957 – Pino Palladino, Welsh bassist
  • 1957 – Eleftheria Arvanitaki, Greek folk singer
  • 1958 – Howard Alden, American guitarist
  • 1958 – Alan Jackson, American singer-songwriter
  • 1958 – Craig Murray, British diplomat
  • 1958 – Sandra Mozarowsky, Spanish actress (d. 1977)
  • 1959 – Ron Drummond, American author and scholar
  • 1959 – Francisco Flores Pérez, Salvadorian politician, President of El Salvador (d. 2016)
  • 1959 – Russell Gilbert, Australian comedian, actor, and screenwriter
  • 1959 – Norm Macdonald, Canadian actor, comedian, producer, and screenwriter
  • 1959 – Mark Peel, Australian historian and academic
  • 1959 – Richard Roeper, American journalist and critic
  • 1959 – Mustafa Aberchán, Spanish politician
  • 1959 – Eugenio Hernández Flores, Mexican politician
  • 1960 – Guy Henry, English actor
  • 1960 – Rob Marshall, American director, producer, and choreographer
  • 1960 – Bernie Nolan, Irish singer (d. 2013)
  • 1960 – Philippe Sands, American lawyer and academic
  • 1961 – David Means, American short story writer
  • 1962Glenn Braggs, American baseball player
  • 1962 – Mike Judge, American animator, director, screenwriter, producer and actor
  • 1962 – Jay Humphries, American basketball player
  • 1963 – Sergio Goycochea, Argentinian footballer and journalist
  • 1963 – Toby Young, English journalist and academic
  • 1964Gregg Wallace, English television presenter
  • 1964 – Margarita Liborio Arrazola, Mexican politician
  • 1965 – Aravinda de Silva, Sri Lankan cricketer
  • 1965 – Rhys Muldoon, Australian actor
  • 1966 – Shaun Edwards, English rugby player and coach
  • 1966 – Danny Ferry, American basketball player and manager
  • 1966 – Mark Gatiss, English actor, screenwriter and novelist
  • 1966 – Tommy Kendall, American race car driver and sportscaster
  • 1967 – Simon Segars, English businessman
  • 1967 – Nathalie Tauziat, French tennis player
  • 1967 – René Dif, Danish musician
  • 1967 – Pedro González Vera, Chilean footballer
  • 1968 – Graeme Le Saux, English footballer and sportscaster
  • 1968 – Ziggy Marley, Jamaican singer-songwriter, guitarist, and voice actor
  • 1968 – David Robertson, Scottish footballer and manager
  • 1968 – Alejandra Ávalos, Mexican artist
  • 1969Ernie Els, South African golfer and sportscaster
  • 1969 – Wyclef Jean, Haitian-American rapper, producer, and actor
  • 1969 – Rick Mercer, Canadian comedian, actor, producer, and screenwriter
  • 1969 – Wood Harris, American actor
  • 1970Anil Kumble, Indian cricketer
  • 1970 – John Mabry, American baseball player, coach, and sportscaster
  • 1970 – J. C. MacKenzie, Canadian actor
  • 1971 – Blues Saraceno, American guitarist, songwriter, and producer
  • 1971 – Chris Kirkpatrick, American singer-songwriter and dancer
  • 1971 – Kim Ljung, Norwegian singer-songwriter and bass player
  • 1971 – Martin Heinrich, American politician
  • 1971 – Derrick Plourde, American drummer (d. 2005)
  • 1972Eminem, American rapper, producer, and actor
  • 1972 – Tarkan, German-Turkish singer
  • 1972 – Akio "Musashi" Mori, Japanese karateka and kickboxer
  • 1973 – Andrea Tarozzi, Italian footballer and coach
  • 1973 – Rubén Garcés, Panamanian basketball player
  • 1974 – Ariel Levy, American journalist and author
  • 1974 – Matthew Macfadyen, English actor
  • 1974 – Obdulio Ávila Mayo, Mexican politician
  • 1974 – Bárbara Paz, Brazilian actress
  • 1974 – Janne Puurtinen, Finnish keyboard player
  • 1974 – John Rocker, American baseball player
  • 1974 – Darío Sala, Argentine footballer
  • 1974 – Gabriel Silberstein, Chilean tennis player
  • 1974 – Dhondup Wangchen, Chinese director and producer
  • 1975Francis Bouillon, American-Canadian ice hockey player
  • 1975 – Jericó Abramo Masso, Mexican politician
  • 1975 – Vina Morales, Filipino actress and singer

1976 onwards

  • 1976Sebastián Abreu, Uruguayan footballer
  • 1976 – Seth Etherton, American baseball player
  • 1976 – Carlos Loret de Mola, Mexican journalist
  • 1976 – Kevin Maher, English-Irish footballer and coach
  • 1977 – Dudu Aouate, Israeli footballer
  • 1977 – Alimi Ballard, American actor and producer
  • 1977 – Bryan Bertino, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
  • 1977 – Walter Calderón, Ecuadorian footballer
  • 1977 – Marko Antonio Cortés Mendoza, Mexican politician
  • 1977 – Ryan McGinley, American photographer
  • 1977 – André Villas-Boas, Portuguese footballer and manager
  • 1978Pablo Iglesias Turrión, Spanish politician
  • 1978 – Jerry Flannery, Irish rugby player and coach
  • 1978 – Erin Karpluk, Canadian actress
  • 1978 – Chuka Umunna, English lawyer and politician
  • 1979 – Marcela Bovio, Mexican singer-songwriter and violinist
  • 1979 – Alexandros Nikolaidis, Greek martial artist
  • 1979 – Kimi Räikkönen, Finnish race car driver
  • 1979 – Kostas Tsartsaris, Greek basketball player
  • 1980Yekaterina Gamova, Russian volleyball player
  • 1980 – Mohammad Hafeez, Pakistani cricketer
  • 1980 – Isaac Mina, Ecuadorian footballer
  • 1980 – Angel Parker, American actress
  • 1980 – Alessandro Piccolo, Italian race car driver
  • 1980 – Justin Shenkarow, American actor
  • 1981 – Horacio Cervantes, Mexican footballer
  • 1981 – Kurumi Enomoto, Japanese singer-songwriter
  • 1981 – Tsubasa Imai, Japanese singer, actor, and dancer
  • 1981 – Ben Rothwell, American mixed-martial artist
  • 1982 – Rubén Ramírez, Argentine football striker
  • 1982 – Nick Riewoldt, Australian footballer
  • 1982 – Marion Rolland, alpine ski racer
  • 1983Michelle Ang, New Zealander actress
  • 1983 – Milica Brozovic, Serbian-Russian figure skater
  • 1983 – Felicity Jones, English actress
  • 1983 – Toshihiro Matsushita, Japanese footballer
  • 1983 – Riki Miura, Japanese actor
  • 1983 – Junichi Miyashita, Japanese swimmer
  • 1983 – Ivan Saenko, Russian footballer
  • 1983 – Mitch Talbot, American baseball player
  • 1983 – Vitali Teleš, Estonian footballer
  • 1984 – Chris Lowell, American actor
  • 1984 – Giovanni Marchese, Italian footballer
  • 1984 – Randall Munroe, American author and illustrator
  • 1984 – Luke Rockhold, American mixed martial artist
  • 1984 – Anja Eline Skybakmoen, Norwegian singer-songwriter and bandleader
  • 1984 – Gottfrid Svartholm, Swedish computer specialist
  • 1984 – Jared Tallent, Australian race walker
  • 1985 – Carlos González, Venezuelan baseball player
  • 1985 – Max Irons, English-Irish actor
  • 1985 – Collins John, Dutch footballer
  • 1985 – Tomokazu Nagira, Japanese footballer
  • 1986 – Alexandre Bonnet, French football midfielder
  • 1986 – Antoni Bou, Spanish motorcyclist
  • 1986 – Aija Brumermane, Latvian basketball player
  • 1986 – Constant Djakpa, Ivorian footballer
  • 1986 – Yannick Ponsero, French figure skater
  • 1986 – Nicolás Richotti, Argentine basketball player
  • 1987Bea Alonzo, Filipino actress and singer
  • 1987 – Jarosław Fojut, Polish footballer
  • 1987 – Elliot Grandin, French football winger
  • 1987 – Hideto Takahashi, Japanese footballer
  • 1988 – Sergiy Gladyr, Ukrainian basketball player
  • 1988 – Dami Im, South Korean-born Australian singer
  • 1988 – Tori Matsuzaka, Japanese actor and model
  • 1988 – Marina Salas, Spanish actress
  • 1989 – Débora García, Spanish football midfielder
  • 1989 – Oleksandr Isakov, Ukrainian swimmer
  • 1989 – Sophie Luck, Australian actress
  • 1989 – David Timor, Spanish footballer
  • 1990 – Paolo Campinoti, Italian footballer
  • 1990 – Maica García Godoy, Spanish water polo player
  • 1990 – Ronald González Tabilo, Chilean footballer
  • 1990 – Saki Kumagai, Japanese footballer
  • 1990 – Patrick Lambie, South African rugby player
  • 1991Brenda Asnicar, Argentine actress
  • 1992 – Sam Concepcion, Filipino musician and dancer
  • 1992 – Keerthy Suresh, Indian actress
  • 1993 – Kenneth Omeruo, Nigerian footballer
  • 2001 – Thomas Strudwick, British motorcycle road racer

Deaths

Up to 1900

1901 – 2000

  • 1910Julia Ward Howe, American poet and songwriter (b. 1819)
  • 1918 – Malak Hifni Nasif, Egyptian poet and author (b. 1886)
  • 1928 – Frank Dicksee, English painter and illustrator (b. 1853)
  • 1931Alfons Maria Jakob, German neurologist and academic (b. 1884)
  • 1937J. Bruce Ismay, English businessman (b. 1862)
  • 1938Karl Kautsky, Czech-German journalist, philosopher and theoretician (b. 1854)
  • 1948 – Royal Cortissoz, American art critic (b. 1869)
  • 1955 – Dimitrios Maximos, Greek banker and politician (b. 1873)
  • 1956 – Anne Crawford, Israeli-English actress (b. 1920)
  • 1958 – Paul Outerbridge, American photographer (b. 1896)
  • 1958 – Charlie Townsend, English cricketer and lawyer (b. 1876)
  • 1962Natalia Goncharova, Russian painter, costume designer, and set designer (b. 1882)
  • 1963Jacques Hadamard, French mathematician and academic (b. 1865)
  • 1965Bart King, American cricketer (b. 1873)
  • 1966 – Sidney Hatch, American runner and soldier (b. 1883)
  • 1966 – Wieland Wagner, German director and manager (b. 1917)
  • 1967Puyi, Chinese emperor (b. 1906)
  • 1970 – Pierre Laporte, Canadian journalist, lawyer, and politician (b. 1921)
  • 1970 – Vola Vale, American actress (b. 1897)
  • 1970 – Quincy Wright, American political scientist and academic (b. 1890)
  • 1972Turk Broda, Canadian ice hockey player and coach (b. 1914)
  • 1972 – George, Crown Prince of Serbia (b. 1887)
  • 1973Ingeborg Bachmann, Austrian author and poet (b. 1926)
  • 1978 – George Clark, American race car driver (b. 1890)
  • 1978 – Giovanni Gronchi, Italian educator, soldier, and politician, 3rd President of the Italian Republic (b. 1887)
  • 1979 – S. J. Perelman, American humorist and screenwriter (b. 1904)
  • 1979 – John Stuart, Scottish-English actor (b. 1898)
  • 1979 – Eugenio Mendoza, Venezuelan business tycoon (b. 1909)
  • 1981Kannadasan Indian author, poet, and songwriter (b. 1927)
  • 1981 – Albert Cohen, Greek-Swiss civil servant and author (b. 1895)
  • 1981 – Lina Tsaldari, Greek politician (b. 1887)
  • 1983Raymond Aron, French sociologist, political scientist, and philosopher (b. 1905)
  • 1987 – Abdul Malek Ukil, Bangladeshi lawyer and politician (b. 1925)
  • 1991Tennessee Ernie Ford, American singer and actor (b. 1919)
  • 1992 – Herman Johannes, Indonesian scientist, academic, and politician (b. 1912)
  • 1992 – Orestis Laskos, Greek actor, director, and screenwriter (b. 1908)
  • 1993 – Criss Oliva, American guitarist and songwriter (b. 1963)
  • 1996 – Chris Acland, English musician & drummer of Lush (b. 1966)
  • 1997 – Larry Jennings, American magician and author (b. 1933)
  • 1998 – Joan Hickson, English actress (b. 1906)
  • 1998 – Hakim Said, Pakistani scholar and politician, 20th Governor of Sindh (b. 1920)
  • 1999 – Nicholas Metropolis, Greek-American mathematician and physicist (b. 1915)
  • 2000 – Leo Nomellini, Italian-American football player and wrestler (b. 1924)
  • 2000 – Joachim Nielsen, Norwegian singer-songwriter and poet (b. 1964)

2001 onwards

  • 2001 – Jay Livingston, American singer-songwriter (b. 1915)
  • 2001 – Micheline Ostermeyer, French shot putter, discus thrower, and pianist (b. 1922)
  • 2001 – Rehavam Ze'evi, Israeli historian, general, and politician, Tourism Minister of Israel (b. 1926)
  • 2002Derek Bell, Irish harpist and composer (b. 1935)
  • 2004 – Uzi Hitman, Israeli singer-songwriter (b. 1952)
  • 2006 – Daniel Emilfork, Chilean-French actor (b. 1924)
  • 2006 – Christopher Glenn, American journalist (b. 1938)
  • 2007Joey Bishop, American actor and talk show host (b. 1918)
  • 2007 – Teresa Brewer, American singer (b. 1931)
  • 2007 – Suzy Covey, American scholar and academic (b. 1939)
  • 2008 – Urmas Ott, Estonian journalist and author (b. 1955)
  • 2008 – Levi Stubbs, American singer (b. 1936)
  • 2008 – Ben Weider, Canadian businessman, co-founded the International Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness (b. 1923)
  • 2009Norma Fox Mazer, American author and educator (b. 1931)
  • 2009 – Vic Mizzy, American composer (b. 1916)
  • 2011 – Carl Lindner, Jr., American businessman (b. 1919)
  • 2012 – Milija Aleksic, English-South African footballer (b. 1951)
  • 2012 – Émile Allais, French skier (b. 1912)
  • 2012 – Henry Friedlander, German-American historian and author (b. 1930)
  • 2012 – Sylvia Kristel, Dutch actress (b. 1952)
  • 2012 – Stanford R. Ovshinsky, American scientist and businessman, co-founded Energy Conversion Devices (b. 1922)
  • 2012 – Kōji Wakamatsu, Japanese director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1936)
  • 2013 – Mother Antonia, American-Mexican nun and activist (b. 1926)
  • 2013 – Terry Fogerty, English rugby player and coach (b. 1944)
  • 2013 – Arthur Maxwell House, Canadian neurologist and politician, 10th Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador (b. 1926)
  • 2013 – Lou Scheimer, American animator, producer, and voice actor, co-founded the Filmation Company (b. 1928)
  • 2013 – Rene Simpson, Canadian-American tennis player (b. 1966)
  • 2014Edwards Barham, American farmer and politician (b. 1937)
  • 2014 – Gero Bisanz, German football coach (b. 1935)
  • 2014 – Masaru Emoto, Japanese author and activist (b. 1943)
  • 2014 – Tom Shaw, American bishop (b. 1945)
  • 2014 – Berndt von Staden, German diplomat, German Ambassador to the United States (b. 1919)
  • 2015 – Danièle Delorme, French actress and producer (b. 1926)
  • 2015 – Howard Kendall, English footballer and manager (b. 1946)
  • 2015 – Anne-Marie Lizin, Belgian lawyer and politician (b. 1949)
  • 2015 – Tom Smith, American businessman and politician (b. 1947)
  • 2017Danielle Darrieux, French actress (b. 1917)
  • 2017 – Gord Downie, Canadian musician (b. 1964)
  • 2018 – Leone Frollo, Italian comic book artist (b. 1931)
  • 2018 – Cornelius Edward Gallagher, American politician (b. 1921)
  • 2018 – Ara Güler, Turkish photojournalist (b. 1928)
  • 2018 – Jacques Monory, French painter and filmmaker (b. 1924)
  • 2018 – Derrick Sherwin, English television producer and actor (b. 1936)

Holidays and observances

  • Christian feast day:
    • Andrew of Crete
    • Anstrudis
    • Catervus
    • Ethelred and Ethelberht
    • Florentius of Orange
    • François-Isidore Gagelin (one of Vietnamese Martyrs)
    • Hosea
    • Ignatius of Antioch
    • John the Short (John Colobus)
    • Marguerite Marie Alacoque (formerly)
    • Nothhelm
    • Rule of Andrew
    • Richard Gwyn
    • Victor of Capua
    • October 17 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
  • Dessalines Day (Haiti)
  • Digital Society Day (India)
  • International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
  • Loyalty Day (Argentina)
  • Kannemesai Festival (Ise Grand Shrine)

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: 17 de octubre para niños

kids search engine
October 17 Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.