Born on This Day: August 14

Italian pope whose resistance to Napoleon and restoration of church institutions shaped modern Catholic history.

Danish physicist whose discovery of electromagnetism linked electricity and magnetism and transformed modern science.

American dentist and gambler whose life became central to western history and mythology.

American writer whose poem Casey at the Bat became an enduring work of sports literature.

English novelist and playwright whose social criticism influenced modern literature and legal reform.

American actor whose distinctive comic performances influenced theater, television, and film.

Italian filmmaker whose politically charged works expanded women’s authorship in world cinema.

American comedian, actor, writer, and musician whose inventive work has influenced stand-up, film, and popular culture.