October 9 birthdays
1900 JOSEPH FRIEDMAN American inventor
Friedman was responsible for a range of creations, but is best known for inventing the flexible drinking straw. He came up with the idea for the straw after watching his daughter struggle to drink from a straight straw.
1906 LEOPOLD SEDAR SENGHOR Senegalese president
The poet, politician and cultural theorist was the first president of Senegal, and is
V1 - CCPE01Z01MA regarded by many as one of the most important African intellectuals of the 20th century. Senghor was born in French West Africa, now Senegal.
1935 PRINCE EDWARD Duke of Kent
The first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II was also the first cousin of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Prince Edward has been Duke of Kent since he was just six, when his father was killed in a plane crash in 1942.
1940 JOHN LENNON English musician
Lennon achieved worldwide fame as vocalist, co-songwriter and guitarist of British band the Beatles, who formed in 1960. After the Beatles disbanded, Lennon continued his career as a solo artist.
1966 DAVID CAMERON British Prime Minister
Cameron served as prime minister of the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2016. He resigned after a referendum in which the British public voted to leave the EU.
1975 MARK VIDUKA Australian footballer
Viduka, a former centre forward, captained the Australian team to Round 16 of the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. He started his career with the Melbourne Knights in 1993, and went on to play for Croatia Zagreb, Celtic, Leeds United, Middlesbrough and Newcastle United.
1979 CHRIS O’DOWD
Irish actor
O’Dowd came to fame as Roy Trenneman, one of the lead characters of British comedy TV show, The IT Crowd, which ran from 2006–2010. His film credits include Bridesmaids, The Boat That Rocked, and the Australian hit, The Sapphires.