Born on This Day: September 9

French statesman whose centralization and diplomacy strengthened the monarchy and reshaped European politics.

American scientist whose work advanced paleontology, anatomy, parasitology, and natural history.

American entrepreneur whose franchising and branding transformed the restaurant industry.

English novelist whose works including Lost Horizon became enduring popular literature.

American computer scientist who created the C language and co-developed Unix, foundations of modern computing.

American singer whose emotional intensity helped define soul music.

English actor whose performances have influenced modern romantic comedy and British cinema.

American comedian, actor, and producer whose films and performances have influenced contemporary popular comedy.