Birthdays

TODAY: Mr Michael Alexander, explorer and writer, 73; Mr Denis Allport, former chairman, Metal Box Ltd, 71; Lord Archer of Sandwell QC, former MP, 67; The Hon Hugh Astor, former deputy chairman, the Times, 73; Mr Alistair Cooke, journalist and broadcaster, 85; Brigadier Bernard Cowey, Welsh rugby international, 82; Miss Alexandra Danilova, choreographer and actress, 87; Sir Alan Goodison, former diplomat, 67; Miss Nadine Gordimer, novelist and Nobel prizewinner, 70; Miss Dulcie Gray, actress, 73; Mr Aubrey Jones, former government minister, 82; Mr Piara Khabra MP, 69; Mr Johnny Leach, former table-tennis champion, 71; Mr James McPherson, Lord-Lieutenant of the Grampian Region, 66; Sir Richard Morris, chairman, Brown and Root, 68; Sir David Price, former MP, 69; Mr Arthur Rees, former Chief Constable, Denbighshire and Staffordshire, and Chairman, St John's Staffordshire, 81; Sir Reginald Sharpe QC, former judge, 95; Sir Edgar Williams, former Pro- Vice-Chancellor, Oxford University, 81; Mr Wilfred Wooller, cricketer and Welsh rugby international, 81.

TOMORROW: Sir Alex Alexander, former chairman, J. Lyons and Co, 77; Mr Coningsby Allday, former chairman, British Nuclear Fuels, 73; Miss Beryl Bainbridge, author, 59; Mrs Georgina Battiscombe, author, 88; Miss Vivian Blaine, actress and singer, 70; Mr Roy Boulting, film producer, 80; Miss Tina Brown, editor, the New Yorker, 40; Mr Jeremy Bullmore, director, The Guardian and Manchester Evening News, 64; Miss Amelia Freedman, Founder and Artistic Director, Nash Ensemble, 53; Mr Nickolas Grace, actor, 46; Dr Michael Grant, ancient historian, 79; Miss Goldie Hawn, actress, 48; Mr John Horder, poet and journalist, 57; Mr Stanley Kalms, founder and chairman, Dixons Group, 62; M Jacques Laffite, racing driver, 50; Miss Natalia Makarova, ballerina, 53; Mr Tim Robinson, cricketer, 35; Earl Waldegrave, former Joint Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, 88; Mr Malcolm Williamson, composer and Master of the Queen's Music, 62; Viscount Younger of Leckie, former Lord-Lieutenant of Stirling and Falkirk, 87.