OCTOBER 5 | Birthdays and Events

7 min. read
October 5, 2025

FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS FOR OCTOBER 5

  • Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) - American pastor and theologian.

  • Tecumseh (1768-1813) - American tribal leader.

  • David Wilber (1820-1890) - American lawyer and politician.

  • Thomas C. Durant (1820-1885) - American railroad tycoon.

  • Chester A. Arthur (1829-1886) - American general, lawyer, and politician, 21st President of the U.S..

  • Louis Brandeis (1856-1941) - American lawyer and jurist.

  • Helen Churchill Candee (1858-1949) - American journalist and author.

  • Dorothea Klumpke (1861-1942) - American astronomer.

  • Lincoln Loy McCandless (1859-1940) - American rancher and politician.

  • Louise Dresser (1878-1965) - American actress.

  • Francis Peyton Rous (1879-1970) - American pathologist and virologist, Nobel Prize laureate.

  • Robert H. Goddard (1882-1945) - American physicist, engineer, and academic.

  • Sam Warner (1887-1927) - Polish-American director, producer, and screenwriter, co-founded Warner Bros.

  • Remington Kellogg (1892-1969) - American zoologist and paleontologist.

  • Hal B. Wallis (1898-1986) - American film producer.

  • Elda Anderson (1899-1961) - American physicist and health researcher.

  • John Alton (1901-1996) - Austrian-American director and cinematographer.

  • Larry Fine (1902-1975) - American comedian.

  • Eddie Kendricks (1939-1992) - American singer-songwriter.

  • Leon Roppolo (1902-1943) - American clarinet player and composer.

  • Ray Kroc (1902-1984) - American businessman and philanthropist.

  • M. King Hubbert (1903-1989) - American geophysicist and academic.

  • John Hoyt (1905-1991) - American actor.

  • Harriet E. MacGibbon (1905-1987) - American actress.

  • Mrs. Miller (1907-1997) - American novelty singer.

  • Earl Tupper (1907-1983) - American inventor and businessman, founded the Tupperware Corporation.

  • Eugene B. Fluckey (1913-2007) - American admiral, Medal of Honor recipient.

  • Grace Lee Boggs (1915-2015) - American philosopher, author, and activist.

  • Stetson Kennedy (1916-2011) - American author and activist.

  • Allen Ludden (1917-1981) - American television personality and game show host.

  • Rodney Dangerfield (1921-2004) - American comedian, actor, producer, and screenwriter.

  • Bil Keane (1922-2011) - American cartoonist.

  • Bob Thaves (1924-2006) - American cartoonist.

  • Gail Davis (1925-1997) - American actress.

  • Mary Leona Gage (1939-2010) - American model and actress, Miss USA 1957.

  • Seymour Cray (1925-1996) - American engineer and businessman, founded CRAY Inc.

  • Willi Unsoeld (1926-1979) - American mountaineer and educator.

  • Louise Fitzhugh (1928-1974) - American author and illustrator.

  • Barbara Nichols (1928-1976) - American actress.

  • James W. Holley III (1926-2012) - American dentist and politician.

  • Richard F. Gordon Jr. (1929-2017) - American captain, pilot, and astronaut.

  • Bill Wirtz (1929-2007) - American businessman.

  • Clifton Williams (1932-1967) - American astronaut.

  • Doug Bailey (1933-2013) - American political consultant, founded The Hotline.

  • Billy Lee Riley (1933-2009) - American rockabilly musician, singer-songwriter, and record producer.

  • Angelo Buono (1934-2002) - American serial killer.

  • Adrian Smith (1936-Still Living) - American basketball player.

  • Carlo Mastrangelo (1937-2016) - American doo-wop singer.

  • Barry Switzer (1937-Still Living) - American football player and coach.

  • Johnny Duncan (1938-2006) - American country singer.

  • Terry Trotter (1940-Still Living) - American jazz pianist.

  • Ballington Booth (1857-1940) - English-American activist, co-founded the Volunteers of America.

  • Lincoln Loy McCandless (1859-1940) - American rancher and politician.

  • Richard Street (1942-2013) - American singer-songwriter.

  • Ben Cardin (1943-Still Living) - American lawyer and politician.

  • Steve Miller (1943-Still Living) - American singer-songwriter and guitarist.

  • Bill James (1949-Still Living) - American historian and author.

  • Jeff Conaway (1950-2011) - American actor and singer.

  • Edward P. Jones (1950-Still Living) - American novelist and short story writer.

  • James Rizzi (1950-Still Living) - American painter and illustrator.

  • Karen Allen (1951-Still Living) - American actress.

  • Steve Jobs (1955-2011) - American businessman, co-founder of Apple Inc.

  • Mark Geragos (1957-Still Living) - American lawyer.

  • Bernie Mac (1957-2008) - American actor, comedian, producer, and screenwriter.

  • Maya Lin (1959-Still Living) - American architect and sculptor, designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and Civil Rights Memorial.

  • Kelly Joe Phelps (1959-2022) - American singer-songwriter and guitarist.

  • Daniel Baldwin (1960-Still Living) - American actor, director, and producer.

  • Michael Andretti (1962-Still Living) - American race car driver.

  • Dennis Byrd (1966-2016) - American football player.

  • Sean M. Carroll (1966-Still Living) - American physicist, cosmologist, and academic.

  • Terri Runnels (1966-Still Living) - American wrestler and manager.

  • Grant Hill (1972-Still Living) - American basketball player and actor.

  • Thomas Roberts (1972-Still Living) - American journalist and actor.

  • Rich Franklin (1974-Still Living) - American mixed martial artist and actor.

  • Josie Bissett (1970-Still Living) - American actress.

  • Carson Ellis (1975-Still Living) - American painter and illustrator.

  • Monica Rial (1975-Still Living) - American voice actress, director, and screenwriter.

  • Scott Weinger (1975-Still Living) - American actor.

  • James Valentine (1978-Still Living) - American musician and songwriter.

  • Paul Thomas (1980-Still Living) - American bass player.

  • Jeanette Antolin (1981-Still Living) - American gymnast.

  • Jesse Eisenberg (1983-Still Living) - American actor and writer.

  • Nicky Hilton (1983-Still Living) - American socialite, fashion designer, and model.

  • Nate Thompson (1984-Still Living) - American ice hockey player.

  • Brooke Valentine (1985-Still Living) - American singer and songwriter.

  • Tanner Roark (1986-Still Living) - American baseball player.

  • Dillon Francis (1987-Still Living) - American DJ and record producer.

  • Brandan Wright (1987-Still Living) - American basketball player.

  • Ify Ibekwe (1989-Still Living) - American basketball player.

  • Travis Kelce (1989-Still Living) - American football player.

HISTORICAL EVENTS FOR OCTOBER 5

  • 1608 - Galileo begins using a telescope to study the astronomy.

  • 1813 - The Battle of Lake Erie takes place during the War of 1812.

  • 1838 – Cherokee Indians attacked, killed and kidnapped 18 Texas settlers after settlers invaded their homeland. The attack became known as the Killough Massacre.

  • 1869 – The Eastman tunnel in Minnesota collapses during construction nearly destroying St. Anthony Falls.

  • 1877 – After a year of war. The Nez Perce Indian tribe surrenders to the U.S. government. 

  • 1879 - 

  • 1905 – The Wright brothers set a new world record of flight traveling 24 miles in 39 minutes with the Wright Flyer III.

  • 1908 – The first Model T rolls off the production line.

  • 1921 – The first radio broadcast of the World Series is heard in homes.

  • 1931 – Clyde Pangborn and Hugh Herndon successfully make the first nonstop flight across the Pacific Ocean.

  • 1943 – Ninety-eight American POWs are executed by Japanese forces on Wake Island during WWII in the Battle of the Pacific.

  • 1945 – Violent riots break out and last for 6 months by Hollywood set decorators at Warner Brothers studios.

  • 1947 – The first televised presidential address is made by President Truman.

  • 1962 - The U.S. discovers Soviet nuclear missiles being installed in Cuba, prompting the Cuban Missile Crisis.

  • 1963 – The US halts the Commercial Import Program as a response to the repression of Buddhist monks in Vietnam.

  • 1966 - World recommendations are made concerning setting standards for teachers, including education, employment, and working conditions.

  • 1969 - Monty Python's Flying Circus made its debut.

  • 1975 – The Vietnam War ends after the fall of Saigon.

  • 1982 – Tylenol is recalled after bottles laced with cyanide kill 7 people.

  • 1990 – The Hubble Space Telescope is launched into orbit to help us learn more about orbit. Interestingly, the Hubble is still in space.

  • 1994 - World Teachers' Day is proclaimed on this day by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).