1657 – Bohdan Khmelnytsky, Polish-Lithuanian military leader of Zaporozhian Cossacks (organized rebellion of Ukrainian Cossacks against the Polish), dies (b. c. 1595)
1821 – Antonio Bartolomeo Bruni, Italian composer and conductor, dies at 64
1828 – Konstantin von Benckendorff, Russian general and statesman, dies of a fever at 43
1881 – James Springer White, American theologian (co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church), dies at 60
1900 – Wilhelm Liebknecht, German socialist (Social Democratic Party), dies at 74
1946 – Benny Lynch, Scottish boxer (World flyweight title 1937-38), dies of malnutrition-induced respiratory failure at 33
1996 – Muhammad al-Badr, magnate of Northern Yemen (1962), dies
2012 – Robert Hughes, Australian art critic and writer (Barcelona), dies at 74
2016 – Helen Delich Bentley, American politician (Rep-R-MD, 1985-950), dies at 92
2023 – David LaFlamme, American electric rock violinist (It’s A Beautiful Day – “White Bird”), dies at 82
Category: Famous Deaths
Famous Deaths for 5th August 2025
1778 – Thomas Linley the younger, English violinist and composer known as the “English Mozart”, drowns in a boating accident at 22
1799 – Richard Howe, British admiral, dies at 73
1895 – Friedrich Engels, German social philosopher and revolutionary socialist who co-authored “The Communist Manifesto” with Karl Marx, dies of throat cancer at 74
1922 – Tommy McCarthy, American Baseball HOF outfielder (Boston Beaneaters, Philadelphia Quakers, St. Louis Browns), dies from cancer at 59
1931 – Ullrich Haupt, Prussian actor (Morocco, Du Barry-Woman of Passion), accidentally shot at 43
1977 – Charles Carson, British actor (Cry the Beloved Country), dies at 91
1980 – Harold Runnels, American politician (b. 1924)
1987 – Zygmunt Mycielski, Polish composer, music writer and editor (Ruch Muzyczny, 1957-68), dies at 79
1996 – Frank Marcus, German playwright and critic, dies at 68
2014 – Jesse Leonard Steinfeld, 11th US Surgeon General (1969-73), dies at 87
Famous Deaths for 4th August 2025
1578 – Thomas Stuckley, English adventurer and mercenary, killed at the Battle of Three Kings in Morocco
1612 – Hugh Broughton, English scholar (b. 1549)
1718 – René Lepage de Ste-Claire, lord-founder of the town of Rimouski, in New France, dies at 62
1778 – Pierre de Rigaud, Canadian-born French Governor of New France, dies at 79
1795 – Timothy Ruggles, American leading Tory politician who supported the British during the American Revolutionary War, dies at 83
1958 – Ethel Anderson, Australian poet, essayist, novelist, and painter, dies at 75
1997 – Jeanne Calment, French supercentenarian, oldest verified person in history (born 1875), dies at 122 years, 164 days
2011 – Mark Duggan is shot by police in London at 29, sparking widespread riots
2021 – David Haddon Whitaker, British publisher (Whitaker’s Almanack; Bookseller), and proponent of Standard Book Numbering (SBN) system, dies at 90
2021 – Graham McRae, New Zealand auto racer (Tasman Formula 5000 Series 1971, 72, 73; LandM Continental 5000 C’ship 1972), dies at 81
Famous Deaths for 3rd August 2025
1879 – Joseph Severn, English painter (b. 1793)
1942 – Richard Willstätter, German chemist (Nobel 1915), dies at 69
1944 – Felka Platek, Polish painter, wife of painter Felix Nussbaum, murdered at in Auschwitz Concentration Camp at 44
1947 – Vic Willis, American Baseball HOF pitcher (no-hitter 1899; World Series 1909; MLB ERA leader 1899 and strikeout leader 1902; Boston Beaneaters, Pittsburgh Pirates), dies at 71
1948 – Tommy Ryan, American boxer (World Welterweight, Middleweight champion), dies at 78
1958 – Peter Collins, English auto racer (British GP 1958), dies in race accident at German GP at 26
1994 – Innokenti Smoktunovski, Russian actor (Hamlet), dies at 69
2000 – Michael Meyer, English novelist and translator, dies at 79
2019 – Mike Troy, American swimmer (Olympics 2 x gold 200m butterfly, 4×200m freestyle relay 1960), dies at 78
2021 – Jocelyne Bourassa, Canadian golfer (LPGA Rookie of the Year 1972; Canadian Open 1973), dies at 74
Famous Deaths for 2nd August 2025
1100 – William II [William Rufus], King of England (1087-1100), killed by an arrow shot by Sir Walter Tyrell while hunting in the New Forest at 44
1921 – Enrico Caruso, Italian operatic tenor (Faust), dies of pleurisy at 48
1955 – Rupprecht, last crown prince of Bavaria and German fieldmarshall during WWI, dies at 86
1955 – Alfred Lépine, Canadian ice hockey player and coach, dies at 54
1972 – Helen Hoyt, American poet, known for “Ellis Park”, dies at 85
1974 – W. Douglas Hawkes, British auto racer and designer, dies at 80
1983 – Charles Eyck, Dutch painter and sculptor (Limburg School), dies at 85
1992 – Ephraim Katz, Israeli American writer and filmmaker (The Film Encyclopedia), dies at 60
1995 – Brian Smith, Canadian sportscaster and NHL player, dies at 54 after being shot the previous day
2007 – Holden Roberto, Angolan independence leader, founder of the National Liberation Front of Angola (FNLA), dies at 84
Famous Deaths for 1st August 2025
1541 – Simon Grynaeus, German theologian dies at about 48 {[exact birthdate unknown c.1493]
1667 – Paul Foot, lawyer/historian, dies at 48
1932 – Arnold Fothergill, English cricket fast bowler (2 Tests, 8 wickets. BB 4/19; Somerset CCC, MCC), dies at 77
1944 – Manuel L. Quezon y Molina, Second President of the Philippines (1935-42), dies of tuberculosis at 65
1966 – Earl Rudolph “Bud” Powell, American jazz pianist and composer, dies at 41
1973 – Walter Ulbricht, German politician (Head Of State, German Democratic Republic), dies at 80
1988 – John Dearden, American cardinal (1969-88) and archbishop of Detroit, dies at 80
2012 – Joan Bernard, British army officer in the Auxiliary Territorial Service and founding principal of Trevelyan College (1966-78), dies due to ill-health at 94
2022 – John Hughes, Scottish soccer striker (8 caps; Celtic 255 games), dies from cancer at 79
2024 – Craig Shakespeare, English soccer coach (WBA, Leicester CIty) and midfielder (Walsall 284 games), dies from cancer at 60
Famous Deaths for 31st July 2025
450 – Petrus Chrysologus, Emilia-Romagnan priest (1st archbishop of Ravenna, 433-50), Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox saint, dies at about 44 [birthdate uncertain]
1943 – Hedley Verity, English cricket spin bowler (40 Tests, 144 wickets @ 24.37), dies in POW camp in Italy at 38
1954 – Onofre Marimón, Argentine racing driver (b. 1923)
1985 – Murray Chapple, New Zealand cricket batsman (14 Tests, 3 x 50; Canterbury, Central Districts), dies at 55
1988 – André Navarra, French concert cellist (Jolivet’s Cello Concerto), and educator (Paris Conservatoire, 1947-88), dies at 76
1996 – Paul Crawford, American Dixieland jazz musician, arranger, (Olympic Brass Band), and music historian (Tulane University), dies of lung cancer at 71
2003 – John Aston Sr., English soccer striker (17 caps; Manchester United 253 games), dies at 81
2005 – Les Braid, English bass guitarist and singer (Swinging Blue Jeans – “Hippie-Hippie Shake”), dies of lung cancer at 67
2010 – Mitch Miller, American oboist and recording producer (Sing Along with Mitch), dies at 99
2022 – Mo Ostin [Ostrofsky], American record company executive (Verve; Reprise; Warner Bros,; Dreamworks), dies at 95
Famous Deaths for 30th July 2025
1550 – Thomas Wriothesley, 1st Earl of Southampton, English politician (b. 1505)
1691 – Daniel Georg Morhof, German writer and scholar (b. 1639)
1741 – Wierich PL count von DauWirich Philipp von Daun, Austrian nobleman and field marshal, Viceroy of Naples, Governor of the Habsburg Netherlands, dies at 71
1947 – Joseph Cook, 6th Prime Minister of Australia, dies at 86
1970 – George Szell, Hungarian-born American conductor (Cleveland Orchestra, 1946-70), dies at 73
1977 – Jorgen Ponto, West German banker, murdered
1983 – Howard Dietz, American lyricist and librettist (“Dancing In The Dark”; “I Guess I’ll Have To Change My Plans”), and MGM executive, dies of Parkinson’s disease at 86
1990 – Ian Gow, British Conservative parliament leader, murdered
1992 – Joe Shuster, Canadian-American cartoonist (co-creator, with Jerry Siegel, of “Superman”), dies of congestive heart failure at 78
2007 – William Balchin, English geographer, dies at 91
Famous Deaths for 29th July 2025
1573 – Ruy Gómez de Silva, Spanish prince of Eboli (advisor to Spanish King Philip II), dies at 56
1786 – Franz Asplmayr, Austrian composer and violinist, dies at 58
1936 – Frank Gavan Duffy, Australian barrister and judge (High Court of Australia, 1913-35, and Chief Justice of Australia, 1931-35), dies at 84
1964 – Vean Gregg, American baseball player, dies at 79
1970 – Jonel Perlea, Romanian opera conductor, dies at 69
1991 – Christian Castries, French general (Dien Bien Phu), dies at 88
1997 – Chuck Wayne [Jagelka], America session and bebop jazz guitarist (Woody Herman’s First Herd; George Shearing Quintet; Gil Evans; Tony Bennett), dies of emphysema at 74
2007 – Jim David, American NFL defensive back (Pro Bowl 1954-59; NFL Champion 1952-53, 57; Detroit Lions), dies at 79
2010 – Roy Caton, American trumpet player and session musician, dies at 83
2024 – Robert Banas, American choreographer (The Judy Garland Show; Jonathan Winters Show), dies of pneumonia at 90
Famous Deaths for 28th July 2025
1641 – John Amner, English composer, dies at 61
1793 – Hayashi Shihei, Japanese military scholar, dies at 54
1847 – John Walter II, English newspaper owner (who made The Times into an important newspaper, 1812-47), dies at 71
1865 – William Henry Smith, English bookseller (W H Smith), dies at 73
1937 – Muslim Magomayev, Azerbaijani-Soviet composer, dies at 51
1982 – Nick Lucas [Dominic Lucanese], American jazz guitarist and singer (“Tiptoe Through the Tulips”; “Painting the Clouds With Sunshine”), dies of double pneumonia at 84
1999 – Trygve Haavelmo, Norwegian economist and 1989 Nobel laureate for his contributions to econometrics, dies at 87
2009 – Jim Johnson, American NFL Assistant Coach, Eagles Defensive Coordinator from 1999-2009 (b.1941)
2010 – Ivy Bean, English internet celebrity (b. 1905)
2014 – Jon Erikson, American swimmer 1st to triple cross English Channel in 1981, dies at 58