More Notable Birthdays on December 17: 1954 - Bill Pullman, actor, Sommersby, League of their Own, Independence Day 1946 - Eugene Levy, born in Hamilton, Canada, comedian/writer, SCTV 1929 - William Safire, political columnist, New York Times, speech writer, Nixon 1770 - Ludwig Van Beethoven, composer, 5th Symphony, Ode to Joy