Happy 450th Birthday, Shakespeare Published April 23, 2014 at 12:47 PM EDT Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Listen • 2:04 William Shakespeare's birth date is unknown, but he was baptized on April 23, 1564, and died on April 26, 1616. Devotees celebrate his birthday on April 23. (Wikimedia Commons) To mark William Shakespeare’s 450th birthday, Here & Now hosts Robin Young and Jeremy Hobson read from his play “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.