Discover the most famous people who died on December 31. The list includes people like Commodus, Ricky Nelson, Wayne Rogers, Roberto Clemente, Miguel de Unamuno. Famous personalities featured on this list, include political leaders, actors, artists and lawyers and from other domains of life. This list includes people from United States, United Kingdom, Italy & France and many more countries.
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1
Betty White(Referred the 'First Lady of Television', She Holds the Record for the ‘Longest TV Career by a Female’)
Birthdate: January 17, 1922
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Oak Park, Illinois, United States
Died: 2021
Betty White, American actress and comedian, is considered as the pioneer of television and has had the longest television career of any entertainer, straddling more than 80 years. She’s known for her award-winning performances in shows like The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Golden Girls and Hot in Cleveland.
Birthdate: August 31, 0161
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Lanuvium
Died: 0192
Commodus ruled Rome as an emperor, with his father Marcus Aurelius, from 176 till 180, and then as a sole ruler till 192. His rule ended the 200-year peaceful era of Pax Romana. His dictatorial rule was portrayed in films such as Gladiator. He was assassinated by his wrestling partner.
Birthdate: August 18, 1934
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Carolina, Puerto Rico
Died: 1972
Roberto Clemente was a Puerto Rican baseball player who represented the Pittsburgh Pirates in Major League Baseball (MLB). Apart from being a popular player, Clemente was also a great humanitarian whose impact is still being felt in MLB. Since his untimely death at the age of 38, Clemente has been the subject of several documentaries, articles, and books.
Birthdate: May 8, 1940
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Teaneck, New Jersey, United States
Died: 1985
Ricky Nelson was an American pop pioneer, rock & roll star, and singer-songwriter. After establishing himself as a top teen idol during the 1950s, Ricky Nelson went on to release several chartbusting songs. He achieved great popularity and was ranked 91st on Rolling Stone magazine's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time list.
Birthdate: February 6, 1950
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California
Died: 2015
R&B and pop singer Natalie Cole, daughter of jazz pianist and singer Nat King Cole, is known for hits such as Inseparable and her cover of Pink Cadillac. The nine-time Grammy-winning artist soared to fame with the album Unforgettable... with Love, which sold more than 7 million copies.
Birthdate: April 7, 1933
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
Died: 2015
Wayne Rogers worked his fingers to the bone for years in regional plays and off-Broadway before he seized the role of Captain "Trapper" John McIntyre in M*A*S*H that made him a star. In later years, he found substantial success in the financial field as an investor, businessman, and stock analyst.
7
Edward Herrmann(American Actor, Director and Writer Known for His Miniseries ‘Eleanor and Franklin')
Birthdate: July 21, 1943
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Washington, D.C., United States
Died: 2014
Edward Herrmann is best remembered for his portrayal of Richard Gilmore in Gilmore Girls and Max in The Lost Boys. Fans also loved him as Franklin D. Roosevelt in Annie and Eleanor and Franklin. He had also narrated scores of shows on The History Channel and PBS, such as Nova.
8
James Avery(Film actor)
Birthdate: November 27, 1945
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Suffolk, Virginia, U.S.
Died: 2013
Height: 6'5" (196 cm)
Birthdate: October 20, 1932
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Evanston, Illinois, United States
Died: 2016
William Christopher was an American comedian and actor remembered for playing important roles in popular TV series, such as M*A*S*H, AfterMASH, and Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. Also known for his charity work, Christopher devoted his free time to the National Autistic Society, a British charity for autistic people. In 1985, he co-wrote Mixed Blessings, a memoir about raising his autistic son.
10
Marshall McLuhan(Canadian Philosopher Known for His Work in the Field of Media Theory)
Birthdate: July 21, 1911
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Edmonton, Canada
Died: 1980
Canadian philosopher Herbert McLuhan revolutionized media theory with his concept of "global village." He predicted the World Wide Web three decades before its invention and is also remembered for coining the expression “the medium is the message.” His works include Understanding Media, The Gutenberg Galaxy, and The Mechanical Bride.
11
Pete Duel(Actor)
Birthdate: February 24, 1940
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Rochester, New York, USA
Died: 1971
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
Birthdate: May 28, 1941
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Died: 2015
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
13
Woody Strode(One of the First Black American Players in the National Football League in the Postwar Era)
Birthdate: July 25, 1914
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
Died: 1994
One of the first Black football players of the NFL, Woody Strode was also a talented decathlete. He had dabbled in professional wrestling, too, but later gained fame solely for his film roles, such as that of gladiator Draba in Spartacus, for which he earned a Golden Globe nomination.
Birthdate: 1328 AD
Birthplace: Hipswell, United Kingdom
Died: 1384
John Wycliffe was an English theologian, scholastic philosopher, biblical translator, priest, and reformer. He was also associated with the University of Oxford where he served as a seminary professor. John Wycliffe played a key role in the development of the Bible's translation into English. Wycliffe’s works also greatly influenced the teaching and philosophy of a Czech reformer named Jan Hus.
15
Gustave Courbet(French Painter and Leader of the 19th Century Realist Movement)
Birthdate: June 10, 1819
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Ornans, France
Died: 1877
Born to a farmer in eastern France, Gustave Courbet was initially gearing up to study law but later deviated to art. He started by copying Spanish painters and later rebelled against Romanticism, focusing on real-life subjects around him instead and thus developing 19th-century Realism.
16
Ray Sawyer(Singer)
Birthdate: February 1, 1937
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Alabama, USA
Died: 2018
17
Kader Khan(Indian Actor, Screenwriter and Film Director)
Birthdate: October 22, 1937
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Kabul, Afghanistan
Died: 2018
Kader Khan was an Indian actor, comedian, screenwriter, and film director. After starting his career as a professor of civil engineering, Kader Khan went on to become a prolific screenwriter for Hindi movies and ended up writing dialogues for 200 movies as well. In 2019, he was honored posthumously with the Padma Shri.
18
Elliot Lee Richardson
Listed In:
Birthdate: July 20, 1920
Sun Sign: Cancer
Died: 1999
Birthdate: September 29, 1864
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Bilbao
Died: 1936
Miguel de Unamuno was a Spanish essayist, poet, playwright, novelist, and philosopher. His most famous novel was Abel Sánchez: The History of a Passion, a modern retelling of the Biblical Cain and Abel story. He was a significant figure in the Spanish literary and intellectual circles and served as rector of the University of Salamanca.
Birthdate: March 29, 1919
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Columbus, Ohio, United States
Died: 2001
21
Sam Spiegel(Film producer)
Birthdate: November 11, 1901
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Jarosław, Austrian Poland
Died: 1985
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
Birthdate: July 10, 1792
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: 1864
23
Brad Sullivan(Actor)
Birthdate: November 18, 1931
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: 2008
24
Samuel Ajayi Crowther(The First Ever African-Anglican Bishop of West Africa)
Birthdate: 1809 AD
Birthplace: Osogun, Nigeria
Died: 1891
Nigerian linguist and clergyman Samuel Ajayi Crowther was the first African Anglican bishop of West Africa. Sold into slavery during childhood, Crowther was eventually freed by West Africa Squadron of Royal Navy. He resettled in Sierra Leone, received his education in English, adopted Christianity and was ordained as a minister in England, being consecrated a bishop on St Peter's day.
25
Floyd Cramer(Pianist, Songwriter)
Birthdate: October 27, 1933
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Shreveport, Louisiana, United States
Died: 1997
26
Zviad Gamsakhurdia(President)
Birthdate: March 31, 1939
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Tbilisi
Died: 1993
27
Ion Creanga(Romanian Author Who Was a Prominent Member of the Junimea Literary Society)
Birthdate: March 1, 1837
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Târgu Neamț, Moldavia
Died: 1889
Romanian author Ion Creanga is best remembered for his pioneering contribution to children’s literature, Childhood Memories. He was associated with the Romanian literary society Junimea and the realist art movement. He also enriched the folklore of Romania, drawing on the fairy tales of his land.
28
Malcolm Campbell(British Racer Who Achieved the World Speed Record on Both Water and Land on Multiple Occasions)
Birthdate: March 11, 1885
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Chislehurst, Kent, England
Died: 1948
Malcolm Campbell was a British racer who achieved the world speed record on both water and land on multiple occasions. He is also known as the father of Donald, who became the first person to set both world water speed and land speed records in the same year. In 1990, Campbell was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame.
29
Robert Hossein(Actor)
Birthdate: December 30, 1927
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: 2020
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
30
Francis Lewis(Member of the United States House of Representatives)
Birthdate: March 21, 1713
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Llandaff
Died: 1802
31
Léon Gambetta(Former republican politician who proclaimed the French Third Republic in 1870 and played a prominent role in its early government)
Birthdate: April 2, 1838
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Cahors, France
Died: 1882
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
32
Catherine of Braganza(Queen)
Birthdate: November 25, 1638
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Palace of Vila Viçosa, Vila Viçosa, Portugal
Died: 1705
33
Karl Renner(President of Austria from 1945 to 1950)
Birthdate: December 14, 1870
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Dolní Dunajovice, Czech Republic
Died: 1950
Remembered as the Father of the Republic in Austria, Karl Renner led his country as its third president. Previously, he had also led the first Austrian republic. Born into a humble family of wine-growers, he studied law and began his political career with the SDAP.
34
Donald Edwin Westlake(Writer)
Birthdate: July 12, 1933
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: New York, United States
Died: 2008
35
Maxim Litvinov(Russian Revolutionary and Former Soviet Ambassador to the United States (1941 - 1943))
Birthdate: July 17, 1876
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Białystok, Poland
Died: 1951
Soviet diplomat Maksim Litvinov believed in disarmament and was behind the adoption of the Kellogg–Briand Pact and the Litvinov Protocol. He had also been the Soviet Ambassador to the US and later served as the deputy commissar for foreign affairs. He was the grandfather of Russian-American author Pavel Litvinov.
36
Aleksis Kivi(Finnish Author Who Wrote the First Significant Novel in the Finnish Language)
Birthdate: October 10, 1834
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Palojoki, Finland
Died: 1872
Aleksis Kivi, a national writer of Finland, created modern-literary-language of the nation His only novel Seitsemän veljestä is widely-regarded as first significant novel written in Finnish language. He is counted among the earliest and greatest authors of prose and lyrics in Finnish. Another famous work of Kivi, whose birthday is celebrated as Finnish Literature Day, is the play Heath Cobblers.
37
John Flamsteed(Astronomer and the first Astronomer Royal)
Birthdate: August 19, 1646
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Denby, Derbyshire, England
Died: 1719
38
Felice Schragenheim(Resistance fighter)
Birthdate: March 9, 1922
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Berlin, Germany
Died: 1944
Felice Schragenheim was a German Jewish resistance fighter who fought against the Nazi regime during the Second World War. She is best remembered for her relationship with Lilly Wust; the tragic love story inspired the 1999 German drama film Aimée & Jaguar. Schragenheim was killed at the age of 22, when she was part of a death march from Poland to Germany.
39
Charles Galton Darwin(English Physicist)
Birthdate: December 18, 1887
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Cambridge, England
Died: 1962
Charles Galton Darwin was an English physicist. Born into a prominent family of intellectuals, he was the son of mathematician George Howard Darwin and a grandson of biologist Charles Darwin. He studied mathematics at Trinity College, Cambridge, and began an academic career. He, later on, served as the director of the National Physical Laboratory (NPL). He loved to travel.
40
Tanaquil Le Clercq(American Ballet Dancer)
Birthdate: October 2, 1929
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: 2000
Tanaquil Le Clercq was a French ballerina who served as the prima ballerina at the famous New York City Ballet. Her career as a ballet dancer came to an end when she was affected with polio during the New York City Ballet's 1956 European tour. She is also remembered as the last wife of popular ballet choreographer George Balanchine.
41
Charles Koechlin(Composer)
Birthdate: November 27, 1867
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: 1950
42
Richard Montgomery(Soldier)
Birthdate: December 2, 1738
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Swords, Ireland
Died: 1775
43
Giovanni Alfonso Borelli(Italian Physiologist, Physicist and Mathematician)
Birthdate: January 28, 1608
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Naples, Italy
Died: 1679
While he matriculated in math and taught the subject later, Giovanni Alfonso Borelli also made pioneering discoveries as a physicist and physiologist. With works such as De Motu Animalium, he revolutionized the field of biomechanics, explaining muscular movements with the help of statics and dynamics.
44
Leigh Bowery(Contemporary Artist & Fashion Designer Known for His Flamboyant & Outlandish Costumes & Makeup)
Birthdate: March 26, 1961
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Died: 1994
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
45
George Lewis(Clarinetist)
Birthdate: July 13, 1900
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Died: 1968
46
Fredrika Bremer(Swedish Writer and Feminist Reformer)
Birthdate: August 17, 1801
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Turku, Finland
Died: 1865
Fredrika Bremer was a Finnish-born Swedish feminist reformer and writer. She is credited with popularizing literary realism in Sweden. Bremer is best remembered for her 1856 novel Hertha, which inspired Sophie Adlersparre to start Sweden's first women's magazine, Home Review. In 1884, Sweden's first women's rights organization was named after Fredrika Bremer.
47
Per Oscarsson(Actor)
Birthdate: January 28, 1927
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Stockholm, Sweden
Died: 2010
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
Birthdate: March 20, 1899
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Khizi, Azerbaijan
Died: 1934
Jafar Jabbarly was an Azerbaijani poet, playwright, director, and screenwriter. He is credited with establishing the art of screenwriting in Azerbaijan. Two of his well-known plays, Almaz and Sevil, were made into films. Jafar Jabbarly died at the age of 35 due to heart failure.
49
Ettore Sottsass(Italian Architect)
Birthdate: September 14, 1917
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Innsbruck, Austria
Died: 2007
Born in Austria, Ettore Sottsass later moved to Italy, where his architect father was posted. He had been part of the Italian army during World War II. Initially part of the Memphis Group, he later formed his own architectural consultancy, Sottsass Associati. His works later became symbolic of pop culture.
50
Doreen Keogh(Actress)
Birthdate: April 10, 1924
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland
Died: 2017
