On This Day — October 31

Famous events, births, and deaths from October 31 in history, plus the public holidays, religious observances, sports, and national days happening on this date today.

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43 events · 230 births · 97 deaths recorded for October 31.

🕰️ Notable Events on October 31

2017 — A truck drives in a crowd of people in Lower Manhattan, killing at least 8 people. Wikipedia ↗
2015 — Metrojet Flight 9268 is bombed over the northern Sinai Peninsula, killing all 224 people on board. Wikipedia ↗
2014 — During a test flight, the VSS Enterprise, a Virgin Galactic experimental spaceflight test vehicle, suffers a catastrophic in-flight breakup and crashes in the Mojave Desert, California, Wikipedia ↗
2011 — The global population of humans reaches seven billion. This day is now recognized by the United Nations as the Day of Seven Billion. Wikipedia ↗
2003 — Mahathir bin Mohamad resigns as Prime Minister of Malaysia and is replaced by Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, marking an end to Mahathir's 22 years in power. Wikipedia ↗
2002 — A federal grand jury in Houston, Texas indicts former Enron chief financial officer Andrew Fastow on 78 counts of wire fraud, money laundering, conspiracy and obstruction of justice related to the collapse of his ex-employer. Wikipedia ↗
2000 — Soyuz TM-31 launches, carrying the first resident crew to the International Space Station. The ISS has been crewed continuously since then. Wikipedia ↗
2000 — Singapore Airlines Flight 006 crashes on takeoff from Taipei, killing 83. Wikipedia ↗
1999 — Yachtsman Jesse Martin returns to Melbourne after 11 months of circumnavigating the world, solo, non-stop and unassisted. Wikipedia ↗
1999 — EgyptAir Flight 990 crashes into the Atlantic Ocean near Nantucket, killing all 217 people on board. Wikipedia ↗
1998 — Iraq disarmament crisis begins: Iraq announces it would no longer cooperate with United Nations weapons inspectors. Wikipedia ↗
1996 — TAM Transportes Aéreos Regionais Flight 402 crashes in São Paulo, Brazil, killing 99 people. Wikipedia ↗
1984 — Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is assassinated by two Sikh security guards. Riots break out in New Delhi and other cities and around 3,000 Sikhs are killed. Wikipedia ↗
1979 — Western Airlines Flight 2605 crashes on landing in Mexico City, killing 73 people. Wikipedia ↗
1973 — Mountjoy Prison helicopter escape. Three Provisional Irish Republican Army members escape from Mountjoy Prison, Dublin aboard a hijacked helicopter that landed in the exercise yard. Wikipedia ↗
1968 — Vietnam War October surprise: Citing progress with the Paris peace talks, US President Lyndon B. Johnson announces to the nation that he has ordered a complete cessation of "all air, naval, and artillery bombardment of North Vietnam" effective November 1. Wikipedia ↗
1963 — A propane tank explosion at the Indiana State Fair Coliseum (now the Indiana Farmers Coliseum) in Indianapolis kills 74 people and injures another 400 during an ice skating show. Wikipedia ↗
1961 — In the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin's body is removed from the Lenin's Mausoleum, also known as the Lenin Tomb. Wikipedia ↗
1956 — Suez Crisis: The United Kingdom and France begin bombing Egypt to force the reopening of the Suez Canal. Wikipedia ↗
1943 — World War II: An F4U Corsair accomplishes the first successful radar-guided interception by a United States Navy or Marine Corps aircraft. Wikipedia ↗
1941 — After 14 years of work, Mount Rushmore is completed. Wikipedia ↗
1941 — World War II: The destroyer USS Reuben James is torpedoed by a German U-boat near Iceland, killing more than 100 U.S. Navy sailors. It is the first U.S. Navy vessel sunk by enemy action in WWII. Wikipedia ↗
1940 — World War II: The Battle of Britain ends: The United Kingdom prevents a possible German invasion. Wikipedia ↗
1938 — Great Depression: In an effort to restore investor confidence, the New York Stock Exchange unveils a fifteen-point program aimed to upgrade protection for the investing public. Wikipedia ↗
1926 — Last issue of the independent Italian newspaper Il Mondo, thereafter suppressed by the Mussolini regime Wikipedia ↗
1924 — World Savings Day is announced in Milan, Italy by the Members of the Association at the 1st International Savings Bank Congress (World Society of Savings Banks). Wikipedia ↗
1923 — The first of 160 consecutive days of 100° Fahrenheit at Marble Bar, Western Australia. Wikipedia ↗
1922 — Benito Mussolini is made Prime Minister of Italy Wikipedia ↗
1918 — World War I: The Aster Revolution terminates the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, and Hungary achieves full sovereignty. Wikipedia ↗
1917 — World War I: Battle of Beersheba: The "last successful cavalry charge in history". Wikipedia ↗
1913 — Dedication of the Lincoln Highway, the first automobile highway across United States. Wikipedia ↗
1913 — The Indianapolis Streetcar Strike and subsequent riot begins. Wikipedia ↗
1903 — The Purdue Wreck, a railroad train collision in Indianapolis, kills 17 people, including 14 players of the Purdue University football team. Wikipedia ↗
1864 — Nevada is admitted as the 36th U.S. state. Wikipedia ↗
1863 — The Maori Wars resume as British forces in New Zealand led by General Duncan Cameron begin their Invasion of the Waikato. Wikipedia ↗
1861 — American Civil War: Citing failing health, Union General Winfield Scott resigns as Commander of the United States Army. Wikipedia ↗
1822 — Emperor Agustín de Iturbide attempts to dissolve the Congress of the Mexican Empire. Wikipedia ↗
1614 — First performance of Ben Jonson's comedy Bartholomew Fair by the Lady Elizabeth's Men company at the Hope Theatre in London. Wikipedia ↗
1587 — Leiden University Library opens its doors after its founding in 1575. Wikipedia ↗
1517 — Protestant Reformation: Martin Luther posts his 95 Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. Wikipedia ↗
802 — Empress Irene is deposed and banished to Lesbos. Conspirators place Nikephoros, the minister of finance, on the Byzantine throne. Wikipedia ↗
683 — During the Siege of Mecca, the Kaaba catches fire and is burned down. Wikipedia ↗
475 — Romulus Augustulus is proclaimed Western Roman Emperor. Wikipedia ↗

🎂 Notable Births on October 31

2000 — Willow Smith, American singer, actress, and dancer Wikipedia ↗
1999 — Léa Serna, French figure skater Wikipedia ↗
1997 — Marcus Rashford, English footballer Wikipedia ↗
1995 — Joana Valle Costa, Portuguese tennis player Wikipedia ↗
1993 — Nadine Lustre, Filipino actress and singer Wikipedia ↗
1989 — Josh Hodgson, English rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
1989 — Warren Weir, Jamaican sprinter Wikipedia ↗
1988 — Cole Aldrich, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
1988 — Sébastien Buemi, Swiss race car driver Wikipedia ↗
1988 — Jack Riewoldt, Australian footballer Wikipedia ↗
1987 — Nick Foligno, Canadian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
1987 — Jean-Karl Vernay, French race car driver Wikipedia ↗
1986 — Chris Alajajian, Australian race car driver Wikipedia ↗
1986 — Christie Hayes, Australian actress and producer Wikipedia ↗
1985 — Fanny Chmelar, German alpine skier Wikipedia ↗
1984 — Pat Murray, American football player Wikipedia ↗
1984 — Amanda Pascoe, Australian swimmer Wikipedia ↗
1983 — Adam Bouska, American photographer and activist, founded the NOH8 Campaign Wikipedia ↗
1982 — Jordan Bannister, Australian footballer and umpire Wikipedia ↗
1982 — Tomáš Plekanec, Czech ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
1981 — Irina Denezhkina, Russian author Wikipedia ↗
1981 — Steven Hunter, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
1981 — Frank Iero, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
1981 — Selina Jen, Taiwanese singer and actress Wikipedia ↗
1981 — Mike Napoli, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
1980 — Samaire Armstrong, American model, actress, and fashion designer Wikipedia ↗
1980 — Alondra de la Parra, Mexican-American pianist and conductor Wikipedia ↗
1980 — Marcel Meeuwis, Dutch footballer Wikipedia ↗
1980 — Eddie Kaye Thomas, American actor and voice artist Wikipedia ↗
1979 — Ricardo Fuller, Jamaican footballer Wikipedia ↗
1979 — Simão Sabrosa, Portuguese footballer Wikipedia ↗
1978 — Inka Grings, German footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
1978 — Emmanuel Izonritei, Nigerian boxer Wikipedia ↗
1978 — Marek Saganowski, Polish footballer Wikipedia ↗
1978 — Martin Verkerk, Dutch tennis player Wikipedia ↗
1976 — Guti, Spanish footballer Wikipedia ↗
1976 — Piper Perabo, American actress and producer Wikipedia ↗
1975 — Fabio Celestini, Swiss footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
1975 — Keith Jardine, American mixed martial artist and actor Wikipedia ↗
1975 — Johnny Whitworth, American actor and producer Wikipedia ↗
1974 — Muzzy Izzet, English-Turkish footballer Wikipedia ↗
1974 — Roger Manganelli, Brazilian-American singer-songwriter and bass player Wikipedia ↗
1973 — Paul Abrahams, English footballer and coach Wikipedia ↗
1973 — Christopher Bevins, American voice actor, director, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
1973 — Tim Byrdak, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
1973 — David Dellucci, American baseball player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
1972 — Shaun Bartlett, South African footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
1972 — Matt Dawson, English rugby player Wikipedia ↗
1972 — Grigoris Georgatos, Greek footballer Wikipedia ↗
1971 — Alphonso Ford, American basketball player (d. 2004) Wikipedia ↗
1971 — Irina Pantaeva, Russian model and actress Wikipedia ↗
1971 — Tom Smith, English-Scottish rugby player and coach Wikipedia ↗
1971 — Phil Tataurangi, New Zealand golfer Wikipedia ↗
1971 — Ian Walker, English footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
1970 — Linn Berggren, Swedish singer-songwriter (Ace of Base) Wikipedia ↗
1968 — Antonio Davis, American basketball player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
1967 — Vanilla Ice, American rapper, television personality, and real estate investor Wikipedia ↗
1967 — Buddy Lazier, American racing driver Wikipedia ↗
1967 — Adam Schlesinger, American bass player, songwriter, and producer Wikipedia ↗
1966 — Ad-Rock, American rapper, producer, and actor Wikipedia ↗
1966 — Koji Kanemoto, Japanese wrestler Wikipedia ↗
1966 — Annabella Lwin, Anglo-Burmese singer-songwriter (Bow Wow Wow) and record producer Wikipedia ↗
1966 — Mike O'Malley, American actor and comedian Wikipedia ↗
1965 — Paul du Toit, South African painter and sculptor (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
1965 — Blue Edwards, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
1965 — Denis Irwin, Irish footballer and journalist Wikipedia ↗
1965 — Rob Rackstraw, English voice actor Wikipedia ↗
1964 — Frank Bruni, American journalist and critic Wikipedia ↗
1964 — Colm Ó Cíosóig, Irish musician (My Bloody Valentine) Wikipedia ↗
1964 — Marco van Basten, Dutch footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
1964 — Darryl Worley, American country music singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
1963 — Mikkey Dee, Swedish hard rock drummer and musician Wikipedia ↗
1963 — Johnny Marr, English singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
1963 — Dermot Mulroney, American actor Wikipedia ↗
1963 — Rob Schneider, American actor and comedian Wikipedia ↗
1963 — Dunga, Brazilian footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
1962 — Jonathan Borden, American neurosurgeon and academic Wikipedia ↗
1962 — Anna Geifman, American historian, author, and academic Wikipedia ↗
1962 — John Giannini, American basketball player and coach Wikipedia ↗
1962 — Mari Jungstedt, Swedish journalist and author Wikipedia ↗
1962 — Raphael Rabello, Brazilian guitarist and composer (d. 1995) Wikipedia ↗
1962 — Dan Wood, Canadian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
1961 — Alonzo Babers, American runner and pilot Wikipedia ↗
1961 — Kate Campbell, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
1961 — Peter Jackson, New Zealand actor, director, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
1961 — Larry Mullen, Jr., Irish musician, songwriter, and actor Wikipedia ↗
1960 — Arnaud Desplechin, French director, cinematographer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
1960 — Luis Fortuño, Puerto Rican lawyer and politician, 9th Governor of Puerto Rico Wikipedia ↗
1960 — Mike Gallego, American baseball player and coach Wikipedia ↗
1960 — Reza Pahlavi, Crown Prince of Iran Wikipedia ↗
1959 — Mats Näslund, Swedish ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
1959 — Neal Stephenson, American author Wikipedia ↗
1957 — Brian Stokes Mitchell, American singer and actor Wikipedia ↗
1957 — Robert Pollard, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
1956 — Bruce Bawer, American poet and critic Wikipedia ↗
1956 — Christopher de Leon, Filipino actor, director, producer, and politician Wikipedia ↗
1956 — Anders Lago, Swedish lawyer and politician Wikipedia ↗
1956 — Charles Moore, English journalist and author Wikipedia ↗
1955 — Michalis Chrisochoidis, Greek lawyer and politician, Greek Minister of Public Order Wikipedia ↗
1955 — Susan Orlean, American journalist and author Wikipedia ↗
1954 — Mari Okamoto, Japanese actress Wikipedia ↗
1954 — Ken Wahl, American actor and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
1953 — John Lucas II, American basketball player and coach Wikipedia ↗
1952 — Bernard Edwards, American bass player, songwriter, and producer (d. 1996) Wikipedia ↗
1952 — Joe West, American baseball umpire and actor Wikipedia ↗
1951 — Nick Saban, American football player and coach Wikipedia ↗
1951 — Dave Trembley, American baseball player, coach, and manager Wikipedia ↗
1950 — John Candy, Canadian actor, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1994) Wikipedia ↗
1950 — Zaha Hadid, Iraqi-English architect and academic, designed the Bridge Pavilion (d. 2016) Wikipedia ↗
1950 — Jane Pauley, American journalist Wikipedia ↗
1950 — Antonio Taguba, Filipino-American general Wikipedia ↗
1949 — Mart Helme, Estonian journalist and diplomat Wikipedia ↗
1949 — Bob Siebenberg, American drummer (Supertramp) Wikipedia ↗
1949 — Alison Wolf, English economist and academic Wikipedia ↗
1948 — Michael Kitchen, English actor and producer Wikipedia ↗
1947 — Deidre Hall, American actress Wikipedia ↗
1947 — Frank Shorter, American runner and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
1947 — Herman Van Rompuy, Belgian academic and politician, 66th Prime Minister of Belgium Wikipedia ↗
1946 — Stephen Rea, Irish actor Wikipedia ↗
1945 — Russ Ballard, English singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
1945 — Brian Doyle-Murray, American actor and comedian Wikipedia ↗
1945 — Barrie Keeffe, English playwright, screenwriter, and producer Wikipedia ↗
1943 — Elliott Forbes-Robinson, American race car driver Wikipedia ↗
1943 — Paul Frampton, English-American physicist and academic Wikipedia ↗
1943 — Aristotelis Pavlidis, Greek politician, 13th Greek Minister for the Aegean and Island Policy Wikipedia ↗
1943 — Brian Piccolo, American football player (d. 1970) Wikipedia ↗
1942 — David Ogden Stiers, American Actor M*A*S*H Wikipedia ↗
1941 — Dan Alderson, American scientist and academic (d. 1989) Wikipedia ↗
1941 — Derek Bell, English race car driver Wikipedia ↗
1941 — Sally Kirkland, American actress Wikipedia ↗
1941 — Werner Krieglstein, Czech-American philosopher and academic Wikipedia ↗
1940 — Craig Rodwell, American businessman and activist, founded the Oscar Wilde Bookshop (d. 1993) Wikipedia ↗
1940 — Judith Wilcox, Baroness Wilcox, English businesswoman and politician Wikipedia ↗
1939 — Tom O'Connor, English actor and game show host Wikipedia ↗
1939 — Ron Rifkin, American actor Wikipedia ↗
1939 — Ali Farka Touré, Malian singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2006) Wikipedia ↗
1937 — Tom Paxton, American folk music singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
1936 — Michael Landon, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1991) Wikipedia ↗
1935 — Dale Brown, American basketball player and coach Wikipedia ↗
1935 — Ronald Graham, American mathematician and theorist Wikipedia ↗
1935 — David Harvey, English-American geographer and academic Wikipedia ↗
1933 — Phil Goyette, Canadian ice hockey player and coach Wikipedia ↗
1933 — Iemasa Kayumi, Japanese voice actor (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
1931 — Dan Rather, American journalist Wikipedia ↗
1930 — Michael Collins, American general, pilot, and astronaut Wikipedia ↗
1930 — Booker Ervin, American saxophonist (d. 1970) Wikipedia ↗
1929 — William Orchard, Australian water polo player and psychiatrist (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
1929 — Bud Spencer, Italian swimmer, actor, and screenwriter (d. 2016) Wikipedia ↗
1928 — Andrew Sarris, American critic and educator (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
1926 — Jimmy Savile, English radio and television host (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
1925 — Lawrence A. Cremin, American historian and author (d. 1990) Wikipedia ↗
1925 — John Pople, English-American chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2004) Wikipedia ↗
1925 — Robert B. Rheault, American colonel (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
1922 — Barbara Bel Geddes, American actress (d. 2005) Wikipedia ↗
1922 — Illinois Jacquet, American saxophonist and composer (d. 2004) Wikipedia ↗
1922 — Norodom Sihanouk, Cambodian politician, 1st Prime Minister of Cambodia (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
1920 — Dick Francis, Welsh-Caymanian jockey and author (d. 2010) Wikipedia ↗