- 1037 Avicenna [Ibn Sina] Persian polymath, astronomer, scientist, physician and philosopher (The Canon of Medicine), dies at 56 or 57 (probable date) [1]
- 1276 Catholic Pope Innocent V [Pierre the Tarantaise], 1st Dominican Order pope, dies after just over five months in the job, at about 51
- 1429 Ghiyath al-Kashi, Persian astronomer and mathematician (b. 1380)
- 1521 Leonardo Loredan, Venetian nobleman, statesman and Doge of Venice (1501-21), dies at 84
- 1535 John Fisher, British Catholic clergyman (Bishop of Rochester, 1504-35; Cardinal, 1535), martyr, and saint, executed and beheaded by order of Henry VIII at about 65
- 1632 James Whitelocke, English judge and politician (House of Common 1610-22), dies at 61
- 1634 Johann von Aldringen, Austrian field marshal (b. 1588)
- 1699 Josiah Child, English Governor of the East India Company (b. 1630)
- 1714 Matthew Henry, English non-conformist minister (b. 1662)
- 1735 Pirro Capacelli, Italian aristocrat and composer, dies at 71
- 1741 Joseph-Hector Fiocco, Belgian composer, dies at 38
- 1745 Hubert Renotte, Flemish composer and organist, dies at 41
- 1754 Nicholas Siret, French baroque composer and organist, dies at 91
- 1777 Josef Christian, German Baroque sculptor (Zwiefalten Abbey), dies at 71
- 1803 Johann Wilhelm Heinse, German novelist and art critic of the Strum and Drang period, dies at 57
- 1843 Gabriele Prota, Italian composer, dies at 88
- 1846 Benjamin Haydon, British painter (Waiting for The Times), commits suicide at 60
- 1867 Leopold Marquard, South African clergyman, missionary and educationist, dies at 80
- 1868 Heber C. Kimball, American religious leader (Church of the Latter Day Saints), dies at 67
- 1874 Howard Staunton, English World Chess Champion, designer of chess pieces, dies at 84
- 1885 Mahdi [Muhammad Ahmed], Sudanese music reviewer, dies
- 1892 Pierre Ossian Bonnet, French mathematician (b. 1819)
- 1894 Alexandre-Antonin Taché, Canadian archbishop (b. 1823)
- 1897 Ralph Abercromby, British meteorologist, dies at about 54
- 1898 Anton Kerner Ritter von Marilaun, Austrian botanist, dies at 66
- 1903 George White, African American resident of Delaware, lynched
- 1905 Francis Lubbock, Governor of Texas (b. 1815)
- 1906 Fritz Schaudinn, German zoologist (examined syphilis), dies at 34
- 1909 Detlev von Liliencron, German writer (Rides of the Adjutant and Other Poems), dies at 65
- 1909 Edward John Gregory, British painter and engraver, dies at 59
- 1910 Marie of the Netherlands, Princess of Orange Nassau, dies at 69
- 1915 James Murray Spangler, American inventor of portable vacuum cleaner (Hoover), dies at 66 [1]
- 1922 Henry H Wilson, Field Marshal, murdered in London
- 1925 Felix Klein, German mathematician (Evanstan Colloquium), dies at 76
- 1926 Hermann Suter, Swiss composer, dies at 56
- 1928 A. B. Frost, American illustrator (b. 1851)
- 1928 George Siegmann, American actor (Birth of Nation, Queen of Sheba, Oliver Twist), dies from pernicious anemia at 46
- 1930 Karl von Amira, German historian, dies at 82
- 1931 Armand Fallières, French president (1906-13), dies at 89
- 1932 Tommy Treichel, American professional wrestler (b. 1892)
- 1933 Henry Birkin, British auto racer (24 Hours of Le Mans class 8.0 1929; class 3.0 1931), dies from malaria at 36
- 1935 Szymon Askenazy, Polish historian, diplomat and politician (b. 1866)
- 1936 Moritz Schlick, Austrian philosopher assassinated at 54 by former student Johann Nelböck
- 1938 C. J. Dennis, Australian poet (The Songs of a Sentimental Bloke), dies at 61
- 1940 Monty Noble, Australian cricket all-rounder (42 Tests, 1 x 100, HS 133, 121 wickets, BB 7/17; NSW), dies at 67
- 1940 Walter Hasenvlever, German writer commits suicide at 49
- 1940 Wladimir Köppen [Vladimir Köppen], German meteorologist and climatologist who developed the Köppen climate classification system for the regions of the world, dies at 93
- 1945 Isamu Tsjo, Japanese chief-staff 32nd Army, commits harakiri
- 1945 Mitsuri Ushijima, Japanese lt-gen/commandant 32nd Army, commits harakiri
- 1950 Julio Fonseca, Costa Rican composer, dies at 65
- 1954 Don Hollenbeck, newscaster (CBS Weekend News), dies at 49
- 1954 Karl Taylor Compton, American physicist and 9th President of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, dies at 66
- 1955 Sadashiv Garpatrao Shinde, cricketer (7 Tests for India), dies at 31
- 1955 Sadu Shinde, Indian cricket spin bowler (7 Tests, 12 wickets, BB 6/91; Maharashtra, Bombay, Baroda), dies of typhoid at 32
- 1955 Wyllis Cooper, American TV narrator (Volume One), dies at 56
- 1956 Walter de la Mare, British poet and author (The Listeners, Memoirs of a Midget), dies at 83
- 1959 Hermann Brill, German politician, resistance fighter, political prisoner, co-writer of post-war constitution, and teacher, dies at 64
- 1961 Betty Elder, actress (Annie Get Your Gun), dies
- 1961 Queen Maria of Yugoslavia [Maria of Romania], Queen consort of Yugoslavia (1922-34), dies at 61
- 1963 Maria Tănase, Romanian singer of traditional and popular music (b. 1913)
- 1964 Havank [Hans van der Kallen], Dutch thriller and mystery writer (St Eustache; Shade), dies at 60
- 1965 Adriaan Franciscus Dussenbroek, Dutch doctor and co-founder (Union National Arubano), dies at 72
- 1965 David O Selznick, American Academy Award-winning producer (Gone With The Wind; Rebecca), dies of a heart attack at 63
- 1966 Roger Blunt, New Zealand cricket all-rounder and broadcaster (9 Tests; BBC), dies at 65
- 1967 Adrian Grigor'yevich Shaposhnikov, composer, dies at 79
Judy Garland (1922-1969)
American actress (The Wizard of Oz; Meet Me In St. Louis; Easter Parade), and singer ("Over The Rainbow"); dies at 47; coroner determines cause as unintentional, incautious overdose of prescription barbiturates
- 1973 Jacques Wolfe, Romanian-American composer, dies at 77
Darius Milhaud (1892-1974)
French composer (Maximilien), dies at 81
- 1977 Peter Laughner, American singer, songwriter and guitarist (Rocket From the Tombs; Pere Ubu), dies of acute pancreatitis at 24
- 1978 Jens Otto Krag, Danish politician, premier of Denmark (1962-68, 71-72), dies at 63
- 1978 Tom Gorman, Australian rugby league centre and captain (10 Tests; Queensland 34 games), dies at 77
- 1979 (Sarah) Hope Summers, American character actress (The Andy Griffith Show & Mayberry RFD - "Clara"), dies of congestive heart failure at 77
- 1979 (Walter) "Pee Wee" Hunt, American jazz trombonist (Casa Loma Orchestra, 1929-43; "Twelfth Street Rag", "Oh!"), and bandleader, dies at 72
- 1979 Emory Parnell, American vaudeville performer and character actor (Life of RIley; County Fair; Falcon films; Ma and Pa Kettle movies), dies of a heat attack at 86
- 1979 Louis Chiron, Monégasque racing driver, dies at 79
- 1979 Paul Smart, American yachtsman (Olympic gold star class 1948), dies at 87
- 1981 Lola Lane, actress (Zanzibar, Mystery Ship, Big Fight), dies
- 1982 Alan Webb, British stage and screen character actor (King Lear; Taming of Shrew; Challenge of Lassie), dies at 75
- 1984 (Dillwyn) "Dill" Jones, Welsh jazz stride pianist, dies of throat cancer at 60
- 1984 Joseph Losey, American theatre and film director (The Damned: The Servant; Accident; The Go-Between), dies at 75
- 1985 Pat Hales, English tennis player (US C'ships women's singles 1955 runner-up; French C'ship doubles 1955, 60 & Wimbledon doubles 1955 runner-up), dies at 56
- 1986 Matti Rautio, Finnish classical composer (The Blue Heron), dies at 64
Fred Astaire (1899-1987)
American stage and screen tap dancer, singer ("Night And Day"; "Cheek To Cheek"; "Let's Call The Whole Thing Off"), and actor (Royal Wedding; Easter Parade; Swingtime), dies of pneumonia at 88
- 1988 Bramwell Fletcher, British actor (White Cargo, Random Harvest, The Mummy), dies at 84
- 1988 Burrill Phillips, American classical composer (Play Ball; Perspectives in a Labyrinth), pianist, and educator, dies after a heart attack at 80
- 1988 Dennis Day [Owen Patrick Eugene McNulty], Irish-American tenor ("Danny Boy"), radio and television comic actor (Jack Benny Program; A Day in the Life of Dennis Day), dies of ALS at 72
- 1988 Jesse Ed Davis, Native American session and touring guitarist (Taj Mahal; Concert for Bangladesh; The Faces), dies of a drug overdose at 43
- 1988 Ross Ford, actor (Reform School Girl, Jungle Patrol), dies
- 1989 Bengt Johansson, Finnish composer, dies at 74
- 1989 Henri Sauguet [Poupard], French organist and composer (Symphonie Expiatoire), dies at 88
- 1989 Lucien Saulnier, Canadian politician, dies at 72
- 1990 Ilya Mikhaylovich Frank, Russian Physicist and Nobel Laureate (Cherenkov radiation), dies at 81
- 1991 Cameron Miller, actor (Portrait of Claire), dies at 82
- 1991 Kevin O'Connor, American actor (Bogie, Special Effects), dies of cancer at 56
- 1992 Chuck Mitchell, American actor (General Hospital, Porky's, Better Off Dead), dies at 64
- 1992 Frederic I. Rinaldo, American screenwriter (Abbott & Costello meet Frankenstein), dies at 78
- 1992 M. F. K. Fisher, American cook book author, dies of Parkinson disease at 83
- 1993 (Thelma Catherine) "Pat" Nixon [née Ryan], American First Lady (1969-74), dies of lung cancer at 81
- 1993 Hannah Troy, fashion designer (petite), dies of a heart attack at 93
- 1993 M'hammed Boukhozba, Algerian sociologist, murdered at 52
- 1994 Jack Davies, English screenwriter (Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines), dies at 80
- 1994 L. V. Prasad, Indian pioneering filmmaker, dies at 87
- 1995 Georges Yves Marie Congar, Dominican theologian cardinal, dies at 91
- 1996 Bill Emerson, American politician (Rep-R-MO, 1981-96), dies of cancer at 58
- 1996 George Barati, Hungarian-American cellist, composer, and conductor (Honolulu Symphony, 1950-67), dies at 83
- 1996 Leo Nichols, businessman, honorary consul and longtime friend of Burma's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, dies at 65
- 1996 Salah Abou Seif, film director, dies at 81
- 1996 Terrel Bell, American politician (2nd United States Secretary of Education 1981-84), dies at 74
- 1996 Tertius Metcalf, businessman, dies at 63
- 1997 Don Henderson, British actor (The XYY Man, Strangers), dies at 65
- 1997 Ted Gärdestad, Swedish singer (b. 1956)
- 1999 Lubos Fiser, Czech composer, dies at 63
- 2002 Ann Landers [Eppie Lederer], American advice columnist "Ask Ann Landers," twin sister of fellow advice columnist "Dear Abby" (Abigail Van Buren), dies of bone marrow cancer at 83
- 2002 Darryl Kile, American baseball pitcher (MLB All-Star 1993, 97, 2000; no-hitter 1993; Houston Astros), dies of coronary disease at 33
- 2003 John Stokes, British MP (C), dies at 85
- 2003 Wassil Bykau, Belarusian writer, dies at 79
- 2004 Bob Bemer, American computer scientist (b. 1920)
- 2004 Kim Sun-il, South Korean translator (b. 1970)
- 2004 Mattie Stepanek, American poet (b. 1990)
- 2004 Thomas Gold, Austrian astrophysicist (proposed steady-state theory of universe), dies from complications due to heart disease at 84
- 2006 Moose (dog actor), dog actor popular for role on Frasier (b. 1990)
- 2007 Bernhard "Bernd" Becher, German artist, worked collaboratively with Hilla Becher his wife, dies at 75
- 2007 Derek Simpson, British cellist (Aeolian String Quartet, 1956-81; Beatles - "Strawberry Fields Forever), and teacher, dies at 79
- 2007 Guy Vander Jagt, American politician (Rep-R-MI, 1966-93), dies at 75
- 2007 Nancy Benoit, former professional wrestling valet (b. 1964)
- 2008 Dody Goodman, American comedienne (Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman - "Martha Shumway"; Max Duggan), dies at 93
- 2008 George Carlin, American comedian, actor ("7 dirty words" routine), dies of cardiac failure at 71
- 2008 Jane McGrath, British-Australian cancer support campaigner (wife of Australian Test cricketer Glenn McGrath), dies from cancer at 42
- 2009 Sam B. Williams, American engineer and inventor of small fan-jet engine that made long-range cruise missiles feasible, dies at 88 [1]
- 2009 Steve Race, British composer, jazz pianist and radio and television presenter (BBC's "My Music", 1967-94), dies at 88
- 2011 Harley Hotchkiss, Canadian businessman (b. 1927)
- 2011 John Waite, South African cricket wicket-keeper, dies at 81
- 2012 Fernie Flaman, Canadian Hockey HOF defenceman (Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs) and coach (Northeastern University 1970-89), dies at 85
- 2014 Felix Dennis, English publisher and poet (Dennis Publishing), dies at 67
- 2014 Teenie Hodges, American rhythm and blues guitarist, dies from complications from emphysema at 68
- 2015 Buddy Landel 'Nature Boy', American professional wrestler, dies after a car accident at 53
- 2015 Gabriele Wohmann, German writer, dies at 83
- 2015 James Horner, American Academy Award-winning film composer (Titanic; Apollo 13; Avatar), dies in a plane crash at 61
- 2015 Joseph de Pasquale, American violist (Boston Symphony, 1949-64: Philadelphia Orchestra, 1964-96), and educator (Curtis Institutu, 1965-2015), dies at 95
- 2015 Laura Antonelli, Italian actress (Wifemistress, Divine Nymph), dies at 73
- 2017 Hervé Filion, Canadian harness racing driver (World Driving C'ship 1970; Harness Tracks of America Driver of the Year 1969-74, 76, 78, 81, 89), dies of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at 77
- 2017 Jimmy Nalls, American session and touring rock-jazz-fusion guitarist (Sea Level), dies of complications from Parkinson's disease at 66
- 2017 Norman Ayrton, English actor and opera director (Royal Shakespearean Acad - UK), dies at 92
- 2018 Grigory Barenblatt, Russian mathematician, dies at 90
- 2018 Vinnie Paul [Abbott], American heavy metal drummer (Pantera), dies of a heart condition at 54
- 2019 Judith Krantz (née Tarcher), Jewish-American fashion writer and novelist (Scruples, Princess Daisy; Dazzle), dies at 91
- 2020 Carlos Luis Morales, Ecuadorian soccer goalkeeper (40 caps; Independiente, Palestino, ESPOLI), dies from cardiocirculatory arrest at 55
- 2020 Dick Buerkle, American athlete (WR 1 mile indoor 3:54.93 1978), dies at 72
- 2020 Joel Schumacher, American film director (Lost Boys, Batman), dies at 80
- 2020 Phil Krueger, American football quarterback (Southeast Missouri State), college coach (Fresno State, Utah State) and NFL executive (GM TB Buccaneers), dies at 90
- 2020 Pierino Prati, Italian soccer forward (14 caps; 3 goals in European Cup Final 1969, AC Milan; Roma, Savona), dies from cancer at 73
- 2021 René Robert, Canadian ice hockey winger (NHL All Star 1972-73, 74-75; Buffalo Sabres 1st 100 point player 1974-75), dies after a heart attack at 72
- 2022 Alec Head, French horse trainer and breeder (6 x champion trainer France; 4 x Arc de Triomphe; owner Haras du Quesnay), dies at 97
- 2022 Bruton Smith, American motor sports promoter and owner (CEO NASCAR; track owner Speedway Motorsports, Inc.), dies at 95
- 2022 Jonny Nilsson, Swedish speed skater (Olympic gold 10k 1964; World C'ships gold allround 1963), dies at 79
- 2022 Jüri Tarmak, Estonian athlete (Olympic gold USSR high jump 1972), dies at 75
- 2022 Tony Siragusa, American football defensive tackle (Super Bowl 2000 Baltimore Ravens; Indianapolis Colts) and broadcaster (Fox, The Sopranos, Man Caves), dies at 55
- 2022 Yves Coppens, French anthropologist (co-discovered 'Lucy' skeleton), dies at 87
- 2023 Bev Risman, English rugby union fly-half (8 Tests England, 4 British & Irish Lions; University of Oxford RFC) and rugby league fullback (5 Tests GB, 1 England; Leigh RLFC, Leeds RLFC), dies at 85
- 2023 Harry Markowitz, American economist (Nobel Prize for Economics 1990), dies at 95 [1]
- 2023 Joseph Pedott, American advertising executive and entrepreneur (Chia Pet; The Clapper), dies of cardiac arrest at 91
- 2023 Peter Brötzmann, German free jazz saxophonist and clarinet player, dies at 82 [1]
- 2023 Stéphane Demol, Belgian soccer central defender (38 caps; Anderlecht, Bologna, Porto, Toulouse, Standard Liège), dies from cardiac arrest at 57
- 2024 Donald Scott, Scottish rugby union outside back (10 Tests; South District, Edinburgh District), dies at 96
Assassination
Drug Overdose
Gunshot Wound
Murder
Plane Crash
Suicide