Today's 5 December Famous Deaths in History

  • 63 BC Publius Cornelius Lentulus (Sura), Roman statesman
  • 1212 Derek II of Are, Bishop of Utrecht (1197-1212), dies
  • 1244 Johanna of Constantinople, countess of Flanders (1205-44), dies
  • 1355 Jan III, Duke of Brabant and Limburg, dies
  • 1560 Francis II, King of France (1559-60) and husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, dies of an ear infection at 16
  • 1570 Johan Friis, Danish statesman (Chancellor of Denmark, helped establish Lutheranism), dies at 76
  • 1594 Gerardus Mercator, Flemish geographer, globe maker, and cartographer (introduced the term atlas, added rhumb lines to aid navigation by sea, Mercator 1569 world map), dies at 82
  • 1624 Gaspard Bauhin, Swiss botanist who published some of the first works of systemic botany, dies at 64
  • 1654 Jean François Sarrazin, French writer
  • 1663 Severo Bonini, Italian composer and monk, dies at 80
  • 1675 John Lightfoot, English theologist and scholar (Horae Hebraicae), dies at 73
  • 1686 Nicolas Steno, Danish scientist prominent in anatomy and geology, and later Catholic priest, bishop, and candidate for sainthood, dies at 48
  • 1745 Christoph Förster, German composer, dies at 52
  • 1749 Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendrye, French Canadian military officer, fur trader, and explorer of North Dakota and the upper Missouri River, dies at 64
  • 1758 Johann Friedrich Fasch, German violinist, harpsichordist, organist, kapellmeister, and composer, dies at 70
  • 1770 James Stirling, Scottish mathematician (Formula of Stirling), dies at 78

American poet who was both the second published African-American poet and first published African-American woman, dies in Boston at 31

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Austrian musical prodigy and composer (The Marriage of Figaro; Jupiter Symphony), dies at 35

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  • 1799 Robert Kimmerling, Austrian composer, dies at 61
  • 1818 Bruno Daalberg/Anonymus Belga, sect of High Council Adel, dies at 60
  • 1819 Friedrich Leopold Graf zu Stolberg, German poet, lawyer and translator, dies at 69
  • 1835 August von Platen, German poet, dies at 39
  • 1837 Alexis Bachelot, French missionary, led first permanent Catholic mission to Hawaii, dies at sea at 41
  • 1842 Marie-Jean Auguste Vestris, French ballet dancer, dies at 82
  • 1853 Johann Peter Heuschkel, German oboist and composer, dies at 80
  • 1859 Louis Poinsot, French mathematician and physicist (invented geometrical mechanics), dies at 82

French author (The Three Musketeers, The Count of Monte Cristo), dies at 68

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  • 1870 David G. Burnet, interim president of the Republic of Texas, dies at 82
  • 1886 Peter Hofstede de Groot, Dutch reformed theologist, dies at 84
  • 1887 Eliza Roxcy Snow, American poet, historian and religious leader of the Latter Day Saints, dies at 83
  • 1891 Pedro II, Emperor of Brazil (1831-89), dies of pneumonia at 66
  • 1894 Chief Gall, Sioux chief, commander at the Battle of Little Bighorn (b. 1840)
  • 1899 Henry Tate, English sugar producer (established Tate Gallery in London), dies at 80
  • 1902 Henry Stephen Cutler, American church organist and hymn composer, dies at 78
  • 1916 Hans Richter, Austrian-Hungarian orchestral and opera conductor who led first complete performance of Richard Wagner's "Der Ring des Nibelungen" at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus (1876), dies at 73
  • 1916 Princess Augusta of Cambridge, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and granddaughter of George III, dies at 94
  • 1920 Benjamin Holt, American businessman (Holt Manufacturing; Caterpillar), and inventor (crawler-type tread tractor), dies at 71
  • 1922 Samuel Muller Fz, Dutch historian and archivist, dies at 74
  • 1925 Wilhelmina Drucker [Lensing], Dutch feminist and writer (Women's Mutual Protection Society), dies at 78
  • 1925 Władysław Reymont [Rejment], Polish novelist (Chłopi (The Peasants) - Nobel Prize for Literature, 1924), dies at 58 [1]

French impressionist painter (Water Lilies, Haystacks, Poplars), dies from lung cancer at 86

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  • 1927 Fyodor Sologub, Russian Symbolist novelist, poet and translator, dies at 64
  • 1928 Johannes "Johan" Bakker Sr, Dutch actor and husband of Truus Soete, dies at 61
  • 1931 Vachel Lindsay, American poet (b. 1879)
  • 1935 Frans Erens, Dutch literary critic (Years Gone By), dies at 78
  • 1940 Jan Kubelik, Czech composer, dies at 60
  • 1940 Mordechai Frizis, Jewish Greek military officer (b. 1893)
  • 1941 Amrita Sher-Gil, Hungarian-Indian painter described as the "Indian Frida Kahlo" and "one of the greatest avant-garde women artists of the early 20th century", dies of complications from a failed abortion at 28
  • 1950 Shri Aurobindo [Aurobindo Ghose], Indian guru and nationalist, dies at 78
  • 1951 "Shoeless" Joe Jackson, American baseball outfielder (World Series 1917 Chicago White Sox; 1919 Black Sox Scandal), dies from a heart attack at 64
  • 1951 Abanindranath Tagore, Indian writer (b. 1871)
  • 1953 Jorge Negrete [Moreno], Mexican singer and actor (The Rebel, La madrina del diablo), dies of hepatitis at 42
  • 1955 Glenn Luther Martin, American pioneering aviator (founded what became Lockheed Martin), dies at 69
  • 1955 Paul Harvey, American actor (Spellbound, Calamity Jane, Heldorado, Jamboree), dies at 73
  • 1958 Ferdinand Bruckner [Theodor Tagger], Austrian-German playwright (Races), dies at 67
  • 1959 K. S. Duleepsinhji, English-Indian cricketer (12 Tests for England, 995 runs), dies at 54
  • 1963 Herbert H Lehman, (Gov-D-NY), dies
  • 1963 Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, Prime Minister of Pakistan (b. 1892)
  • 1963 Karl Amadeus Hartmann, German composer (Symphonic Fragment: Attempt at a Requiem; Miserae), and contemporary music promoter (Musica Viva concerts), dies of stomach cancer at 58
  • 1964 Remy Angenot, Flemish actor (Met den helm geboren, Patriot, Idiot), dies at 70
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  • 1966 Sylvère Maes, Belgian cyclist (Tour de France 1936, 39), dies of cancer at 57
  • 1968 Fred Clark, American actor (Zotz, Auntie Mame), dies of liver ailment at 54
  • 1971 Hugh Wakefield, British actor (The Man Who Knew Too Much, Blithe Spirit), dies at 83
  • 1972 Kenny Dorham [McKinley], American jazz trumpeter, dies at 48

Scottish physicist and developer of the radar and radio direction finding in WWII, dies at 81

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  • 1974 Henry Wadsworth, American actor (The Thin Man, Applause, Fast & Loose), dies at 77
  • 1974 Pietro Germi, Italian actor, writer and director (Divorce Italian Style, The Facts of Murder), dies from hepatitis at 60
  • 1975 Jimmy Nervo [James Holloway], British comedian (Nervo and Knox), and actor (Frozen Limits), dies at 78
  • 1976 Benjamin Thackston "Tack" Knight, American cartoonist ("Little Folks"), dies at 81
  • 1977 Aleksandr Vasilevsky, Soviet military commander (b. 1895)
  • 1977 Rahsaan Roland Kirk, American jazz multi-instrumentalist (Bright Moments, The Case of the 3 Sided Dream in Audio Color), dies of a stroke at 42
  • 1979 Sonia Delaunay, Russian-born French artist (Orphism), dies at 94
  • 1983 Robert Aldrich, American director and producer (The Dirty Dozen, Last Sunset), dies at 65
  • 1984 Adam Malik, Third Vice President of Indonesia (b. 1917)
  • 1986 Carmol Taylor, American country music performer and songwriter (Tammy Wynette - "He Love Me ALl the Way"; "The Grand Tour), dies of cancer at 53
  • 1986 Sir Edward Youde, Governor of Hong Kong (b. 1924)
  • 1987 "Fat" Larry James, American funk and R&B vocalist, drummer, and bandleader (Fat Larry's Band - "Zoom"), dies of a heart attack at 38
  • 1989 John Pritchard, British conductor (Cologne Opera, 1978-89; San Francisco Opera, 1986-89), dies of lung cancer at 68
  • 1990 Steven Shaw, dies at 25
  • 1991 Aad Mansfield, soccer player/trainer (ADO/Feyenoord/FC Utrecht), dies
  • 1991 Jill Browne, dies at 54
  • 1991 Richard Speck, American mass murderer (raped and killed 8 student nurses in 1966), dies a day before his 50th birthday
  • 1991 Robert Karvelas, American actor (Get Smart -"Larabee"), dies at 70
  • 1992 Felipe Padilla de León, Filipino composer, dies at 80
  • 1992 Hilary Tindall, dies of cancer at 54
  • 1993 Alexandre Trauber, Hungarian/French set designer (Harem), dies at 87
  • 1993 Arthur Staal, Dutch architect (Shell Tower Amsterdam), dies at 86
  • 1993 Doug Hopkins, American guitarist and songwriter (Gin Blossoms), commits suicide using a pistol at 32
  • 1994 Günter Meisner, German actor (Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Between Wars, Adolf Hitler, Quiller Memorandum), dies at 68
  • 1994 Harry Horner, Austro-Hungarian-born American stage and film designer (The Heiress), dies at 84
  • 1994 Richard Brian Waring Barton-Chapple, writer, dies at 69
  • 1994 Ronald Ridout, English school textbook author (English Today), dies at 78
  • 1995 Bill Bruton, American baseball outfielder (NL stolen bases leader 1953-55 Milwaukee Braves), dies of a heart attack at 70
  • 1995 Charles Evans, British mountaineer and surgeon (deputy leader 1953 British Everest expedition, led 1955 British Kangchenjunga expedition), dies at 77
  • 1995 Gwen Harwood, Australian poet (The Lion's Bride), dies at 75
  • 1995 Lisa McPherson, American Scientologist, whose death resulted in charges against the Church of Scientology, dies at 36
  • 1995 Reiner Bredemeyer, German composer, dies at 66
  • 1995 Robert Parrish, American film director editor and actor (Casino Royale), dies at 79
  • 1995 Stanley Keith Runcorn, British geophysicist (reversals of earth's magnetic field), dies at 73
  • 1995 Victor Collin Matthews, British businessman, dies on 76th birthday
  • 1996 Peter Hall, British folklorist and musician, dies at 60
  • 1996 Wilf Carter, Canadian country and western singer-songwriter, yodeler, and guitarist, also known as "Montana Slim", dies at 91
  • 1997 Daphne Fielding, British socialite and writer, dies at 93
  • 1997 Paul J. Christiansen, American choral arranger, composer, and conductor (The Concordia Choir, 1937-86), dies of ALS at 83
  • 1997 Rudolf Bahro, German dissident, politician and Marxist philosopher imprisoned by East Germany, dies at 62
  • 1998 Al Gore, Sr., American politician (b. 1907)
  • 1999 Robert Parris, American composer (Book of Imaginary Beings), dies at 75
  • 2001 Franco Rasetti, Italian physicist (b. 1901)

New Zealand yachtsman (Whitbread Round the World Race 1989-90; America's Cup 1995, 2000) and Special Envoy UN Environment Program, killed by pirates on the Amazon River at 53

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  • 2002 Arvell Shaw, American jazz double-bassist (Louis Armstrong; Teddy Wilson), dies at 79

Burmese general, military dictator (1962-88) and President of Burma (1962-81), dies while under house arrest at 91 [1]

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American sports broadcasting executive (President ABC Sports - Monday Night Football; ABC News), dies of prostate cancer at 71 [1] [2]

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  • 2003 Yehoshua Lakner, Israeli pianist, composer (Circles and Signals; Cornerstones), and teacher, dies at 79
  • 2005 Danny Williams, British pop singer, known as "Britain's Johnny Mathis" ("Moon River"; "White on White"), dies of lung cancer at 63
  • 2005 Ed Masry, American lawyer (b. 1932)
  • 2005 Frits Philips, Dutch engineer and CEO (Philips), dies at 100
  • 2005 Kevin "Big Kev" McQuay, Australian businessman (b. 1949)
  • 2006 David Bronstein, Ukrainian chess player (tied World C'ship Final 1951), dies at 82
  • 2007 Andrew Imbrie, American contemporary classical composer, and pianist, dies at 86
  • 2007 Karlheinz Stockhausen, German classical and electronic music composer (Stimmung; Helikopter-Streichquartett; Hymnen), dies of a heart attack at 79
  • 2008 Anca Parghel, Romanian jazz singer, pianist, choral director, and composer, dies of breast cancer at 51
  • 2008 Basil Kelly, Irish barrister, politician and judge (Lord Chief Justice), dies at 88
  • 2008 Beverly Garland [Fessenden], American actress (My Three Sons, Scarecrow and Mrs. King), dies at 82
  • 2008 Constantin Ticu Dumitrescu, Romanian politician and president of the Association of Romanian Former Political Prisoners. (b. 1928)
  • 2008 Nina Foch, Dutch-American actress (The Ten Commandments, Spartacus, An American in Paris), dies from complications of myelodysplastic syndrome at 84
  • 2008 Patriarch Alexy II of Russia, head of the Russian Orthodox Church (b. 1929)
  • 2009 Garfield Morgan, British actor (Odessa File, To Catch a Spy), dies at 78
  • 2009 Otto Graf Lambsdorff, German politician (Free Democratic Party; Minister of Economics, 1977-84), dies at 82
  • 2009 Vimolchatra, Princess of Thailand and cousin of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (b. 1921)
  • 2010 Alan Armer, American television producer and director (b. 1922)
  • 2010 Don Meredith, American NFL quarterback. 1960-68 (Dallas Cowboys, 3 x Pro Bowl), broadcaster (Monday Night Football), and actor, dies of a brain hemorrhage at 72
  • 2011 Gennady Logofet, Russian footballer (b. 1942)
  • 2011 Peter Gethin, British auto racer (Italian F1 GP 1971), dies at 71
  • 2011 Violetta Villas [Czesława Cieślak], Polish cabaret singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and actress, dies at 73
  • 2012 Dave Brubeck, American jazz pianist ("Take Five") and composer (Gates of Justice), dies from heart failure at 91

Brazilian architect (Brasilia), dies from a respiratory infection at 104

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  • 2013 Colin Wilson, English writer (Afterlife, Book of Great Mysteries), dies at 82
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  • 2014 Luis Herrera de la Fuente, Mexican pianist, conductor (Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional, 1954-72), and composer, dies at 90
  • 2014 Manuel De Sica, Italian composer, chiefly of film scores, dies of a heart attack at 65
  • 2014 Queen Fabiola of Belgium [Doña Fabiola de Mora], Spanish wife of King Baudouin, Queen consort of the Belgians (1960-93), dies at 86
  • 2015 Marília Pêra, Brazilian actress (Better Days Ahead, Pixote), dies of lung cancer at 72
  • 2016 E. R. Braithwaite, Guyanese diplomat and writer (To Sir with Love), dies at 104
  • 2016 Jayaram Jayalalitha, Indian actress and politician, chief minister of Tamil Nadu, dies of a heart attack at 68
  • 2016 Mogens Camre, Danish politician (Folketing (Danish Parliament), 1968-1987, 3 days in 2007; European Parliament, 1999-2009, dies at 80
  • 2016 Rashaan Salaam, American College Football Hall of Fame running back (Heisman Trophy 1994, U of Colorado; NFL: Chicago Bears), dies at 42
  • 2016 Robert Sumner, American evangelist and author, dies at 94
  • 2016 Shirley Hazzard, Australian-born author (Transit of Venus), dies at 85
  • 2017 Johnny Hallyday [Jean-Philippe Smet], French singer and actor known as the "Elvis Presley of France," dies from lung cancer at 74
  • 2017 Michael I, King of Romania (1927-1930 and 1940-1947), dies from cancer at 96
  • 2017 Surin Pitsuwan, Thai foreign minister and 12th Secretary General of ASEAN (2008-2012), dies from heart failure at 68
  • 2018 Alex Boraine, South Africa politician, minister, and anti-apartheid activist (Co-Chairman of Truth and Reconciliation Commission, 1996-2003). dies of cancer at 87
  • 2019 Jerry Naylor, American country music and rock vocalist (Crickets), dies at 80
  • 2020 Peter Alliss, English golfer (Ryder Cup 1957 GB winners) and author, course designer and television presenter, commentator (BBC, ESPN, ABC Sports), dies at 89
  • 2020 Viktor Ponedelnik, Russian soccer striker (29 caps Soviet Union; FC SKA Rostov-on-Don), dies at 83
  • 2020 Wojciech Zabłocki, Polish fencer (4 x World C'ship gold team; Olympic silver team sabre 1956, 60; bronze 1964), dies at 89
  • 2021 Bill Glass, American College Football HOF defensive end (Baylor University; 4 x Pro Bowl Cleveland Browns; Detroit Lions), dies at 86
  • 2021 Bill Staines, American folk musician and singer-songwriter ("The Logging Song"), dies of prostate cancer at 74

American politician (Senate Republican leader, 1985-96, Presidential candidate in 1996), dies of lung cancer at 98

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  • 2021 Buddy Merrill [Leslie Behunin], American guitarist and steel guitar player (Lawrence Welk Show. 1955-74), dies at 85
  • 2021 Gary Callander, Scottish rugby union hooker (6 caps; South of Scotland RFC), dies from pancreatic cancer at 62
  • 2021 Jacques Tits, Belgian-French mathematician (group theory, incidence geometry), dies at 91
  • 2021 John Miles [Errington], British rock vocalist, guitarist, and Hammond B-3 organist (John Miles Band - "Music", "Rebel"; Alan Parsons Project; Tina Turner), dies at 72
  • 2022 John Beckwith, Canadian composer, pianist, educator, and musicologist, dies of pneumonia at 95
  • 2022 Kirstie Alley, American Emmy Award-winning actress (Cheers - "Rebecca"; Look Who's Talking; Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan), dies of colon cancer at 71 [1]
  • 2023 Denny Laine [Brian Hines], British rock guitarist (The Moody Blues, 1964-66 - "Go Now"; Wings - "Mull of Kintyre"), dies of lung disease at 79 [1]
  • 2023 Lionel Dahmer, American chemist, author (A Father's Story), and father of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, dies from heart attack at 87
  • 2023 Norman Lear, American Peabody and Emmy Award-winning TV writer and producer (All in The Family; One Day at a Time; The Jeffersons; Maude), and film director (Cold Turkey), dies at 101 [1] [2]
  • 2024 Bill Melton, American baseball third baseman. 1968-77 (MLB All-Star & AL home run leader, 1971; Chicago White Sox, and 2 other teams) and broadcaster,1998-2020 (NBC, Comcast, Chicago White Sox), dies at 79
  • 2024 John Williams, South African rugby union lock (13 Tests; Northern Transvaal RFU), dies from leukaemia at 78
  • 2024 Jón Nordal, Icelandic composer (Choralis; Brotaspil), and educator (Reykjavík School of Music,1959-92), dies at 98 [1]


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