The list of famous people who died at 87 includes Mother Teresa, Helen Keller, Margaret Thatcher, Gregory Peck, Coco Chanel. Famous personalities featured on this list, include political leaders, actors, novelists and journalists and from other domains of life. This list of celebrities who died at 87 includes people from United States, United Kingdom, India & Germany and many more countries.
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1
Helen Keller(American Author and First Deaf-Blind Person to Earn a Bachelor of Arts Degree)
Birthdate: June 27, 1880
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Tuscumbia, Alabama, United States
Died: June 1, 1968
A prolific author, having written 12 published books and several articles, Helen Keller was the first deaf-blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. Her autobiography, The Story of My Life, made Keller famous and was adapted for film and stage. She was also an activist and campaigned for women's suffrage, labour rights, socialism and other such causes.
Birthdate: March 2, 1904
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Springfield, Massachusetts, United States
Died: September 24, 1991
Dr. Seuss was an American children's author, illustrator, and political cartoonist. He is credited with writing some of the most famous children's books ever, including The Cat in the Hat. His works were translated into over 20 languages and sold more than 600 million copies by the time of his death. Many of his creations were adapted into animated cartoons.
Birthdate: February 7, 1919
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Lynchburg
Died: March 23, 2006
Desmond Doss was a US Army corporal. Doss served as a combat medic in World War II. For his actions during the Battle of Okinawa, Desmond Doss became the only conscientious objector to be honored with the prestigious Medal of Honor as he saved 75 men. His life and work inspired several books and the biographical war film Hacksaw Ridge.
4
Ruth Bader Ginsburg(Former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (1993 - 2020))
Birthdate: March 15, 1933
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States
Died: September 18, 2020
The first Jewish woman to serve on the US Supreme Court, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. An advocate for gender equality and women's rights, she spent the majority of her legal career championing these causes. She remained professionally active until her death in 2020.
5
Coco Chanel(French Fashion Designer Best Known as the Founder of 'Chanel' and Her Signature Perfume ‘Chanel No. 5’)
Birthdate: August 19, 1883
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Saumur, France
Died: January 10, 1971
Coco Chanel was a French fashion designer and founder of the Chanel brand. She is credited with replacing the corseted silhouette as the feminine standard of style with a sporty, casual chic. Her work as a designer redefined the fashionable woman in the era post World War I. She also played a vital role in revolutionizing jewelry, handbags, and fragrance.
6
Little Richard(Known for His Hit Single 'Long Tall Sally' & Regarded as the 'Architect of Rock and Roll')
Birthdate: December 5, 1932
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Macon, Georgia, United States
Died: May 9, 2020
The Architect of Rock and Roll Little Richard is best known for his track Tutti Frutti, which was included in the National Recording Registry. His music was characterized by energetic piano and back beats. His songs broke all racial barriers and were equally appreciated by white and black listeners.
7
Gregory Peck(One of the Reigning Actors of Classic Hollywood Cinema)
Birthdate: April 5, 1916
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: La Jolla, California, United States
Died: June 12, 2003
American actor Gregory Peck was one of the most famous movie stars between the 1940s and the 1960s. In 1999, Gregory Peck was ranked 12th in the Greatest Male Stars of Classic Hollywood Cinema list published by the American Film Institute. Also known for his humanitarian efforts, Gregory Peck was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1969.
Birthdate: April 29, 1901
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Aoyama, Tokyo, Japan
Died: January 7, 1989
Hirohito, or Emperor Showa, the longest-reigning Japanese emperor, reigned from 1926 to 1989 and supported the Axis Powers during World War II. He also served in the Japanese military. He was not prosecuted for war crimes by the U.S. and played a major role in the post-war reconstruction of Japan.
Birthdate: March 6, 1927
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Aracataca, Colombia
Died: April 17, 2014
Nobel Prize-winning Colombian author Gabriel Garcia Marquez, also known as “Gabo,” is remembered as one of the most prominent figures of the magic realism literary style. His novels One Hundred Years of Solitude and Love in the Time of Cholera have achieved cult status. He previously worked as a journalist.
10
Arnold Palmer(American Professional Golfer and One of the Greatest and Most Charismatic Players in the Sport’s History)
Birthdate: September 10, 1929
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Latrobe, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: September 25, 2016
Arnold Palmer was an American golfer who won 62 PGA Tour titles in a career spanning over 60 years. Nicknamed The King, Palmer is considered one of the most charismatic and greatest players in the history of professional golf. He is seen as the first superstarwho helped popularize the sport in the television age, which started in the '50s.
Birthdate: September 29, 1935
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Ferriday, Louisiana, United States
Died: October 28, 2022
Four-time Grammy-winner Jerry Lee Lewis, nicknamed “The Killer,” is best known for his track Great Balls of Fire. A controversy surrounding his marriage to his 13-year-old cousin Myra destroyed his career. Named to Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Artists of All Time, he was also part of the Million Dollar Quartet.
12
Jacques Cousteau(Co-Inventor of the First Open-Circuit, Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus 'Aqua-Lung')
Birthdate: June 11, 1910
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Saint-André-de-Cubzac, France
Died: June 25, 1997
Jacques Cousteau was a French explorer, naval officer, filmmaker, conservationist, scientist, photographer, researcher, and author. Renowned for his exploration of various forms of life in water, Jacques Cousteau is credited with pioneering marine conservation and co-developing the Aqua-Lung, the first underwater breathing apparatus to achieve popularity and commercial success.
Birthdate: 0980 AD
Birthplace: Mercia
Died: 1067 AD
Lady Godiva was the wife of Leofric, Earl of Mercia. A 13th-century legend stated how she rode naked through Coventry to reverse an oppressive tax imposed by Leofric. Everybody stayed indoors, except a tailor named Thomas, who watched her, giving rise to the name Peeping Tom associated with voyeurs.
14
Larry King(The Host of The Nightly Interview Television Program 'Larry King Live')
Birthdate: November 19, 1933
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Died: January 23, 2021
Regarded as one of the most popular American TV and radio hosts, Larry King was famous for hosting the successful and popular TV program, Larry King Live. The recipient of several awards, King was an iconic figure on American television. Also known for his charitable works, he founded the Larry King Cardiac Foundation to help poor people undergo cardiac procedures.
15
Elie Wiesel( Author, Holocaust Survivor, Political Activist and Winner of 1986 Nobel Peace Prize)
Birthdate: September 30, 1928
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Sighetu Marmației, Romania
Died: July 2, 2016
Nobel Peace Prize-winning activist Elie Wiesel is best remembered for his book Night, which relates his traumatic experience as a Jewish prisoner in the Nazi concentration camps. After surviving the Holocaust, he became a journalist and a human rights activist, and also helped in establishing the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.
16
Mother Teresa(Roman Catholic Nun, Founder and Active Member of the ‘Missionaries of Charity’)
Birthdate: August 26, 1910
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Skopje, North Macedonia
Died: September 5, 1997
An Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun and a missionary, Mother Teresa was the founder of Missionaries of Charity, a Roman Catholic religious congregation. She was both an admired and controversial figure and was the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. While she was admired by many for her charitable work, she also earned criticism for her stance against abortion and contraception.
Birthdate: August 17, 1893
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Died: November 22, 1980
Mae West began her career as a child actor in vaudeville. She later appeared in films such as You Done Me Wrong and Go West, Young Man. She became famous for her signature double entendres and sexual liberty she projected on screen. She also wrote books and plays later.
Birthdate: October 13, 1925
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Grantham, Lincolnshire, England
Died: April 8, 2013
United Kingdom’s first female Prime Minister and also the longest serving Prime Minister in the 20th century, Margaret Thatcher served three consecutive terms in the office from 1979 till 1990. Her political views and leadership approach, known as Thatcherism, got her the nickname of Iron Lady. Though controversial, she prominently ranks high in the list of the best British Prime Ministers.
19
Jack Palance(American Actor Who Was Known for Playing Tough Guys and Villains)
Birthdate: February 18, 1919
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Hazle Township, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: November 10, 2006
Jack Palance was an American actor known for playing villains and tough guys in the '50s and '60s. In 1992, he was made an inductee of the Western Performers Hall of Fame. It is widely believed that comic book artist Jack Kirby modeled Darkseid on Jack Palance. Jack Palance was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
20
Jack Dempsey(One of the Most Popular Boxers in American History)
Birthdate: June 24, 1895
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Manassa, Colorado, United States
Died: May 31, 1983
Acknowledged by his rivals as a remarkable hitter, Jack Dempsey was an American heavyweight boxing champion who was known for his powerful punches. The record attendance at his bouts was an indication of his popularity. He was considered as one of the greatest fighters of all time. Born poor and nicknamed Kid Blackie, Jack Dempsey went on to become one of the richest athletes during his time.
Birthdate: June 2, 1840
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Stinsford, Dorset, England
Died: January 11, 1928
Victorian novelist and poet Thomas Hardy exhibited strong influences of Romanticism in his works. He wrote classic novels such as Far from the Madding Crowd, The Mayor of Casterbridge, and Tess of the d'Urbervilles. He mostly showed his characters struggling against social conditions and ending up in tragic situations.
22
George Segal(American Actor Who Became Popular in the 1960s and 1970s for Playing Both Dramatic and Comedic Roles)
Birthdate: February 13, 1934
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: New York, New York City, United States
Died: March 23, 2021
George Segal is best known for his Academy Award-nominated role in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and his Golden Globe-winning performance in A Touch of Class. He pioneered the trend of retaining the Jewish surname in showbiz. He is a skilled banjo player and has also released three albums.
Birthdate: January 6, 1913
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Died: August 12, 2000
Loretta Young began as a child actor. She later won an Academy Award for her portrayal of Katrin "Katy" Holstrum in The Farmer's Daughter and earned an Academy Award nomination for her role in Come to the Stable. Fans also loved her in the Emmy-winning series The Loretta Young Show.
24
John J. Pershing(Former Military Officer Who Served as the Commander of the American Expeditionary Forces During World War I)
Birthdate: September 13, 1860
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Laclede, Missouri, United States
Died: July 15, 1948
John J. Pershing was a senior United States Army officer who served as the commander of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) in World War I. In his later years, he mentored generals who led the United States Army during World War II. He was promoted to General of the Armies rank, the highest possible rank in the United States Army.
25
Giuseppe Verdi(One of the Greatest Opera Composers of the 19th Century)
Birthdate: October 10, 1813
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Le Roncole, Italy
Died: January 27, 1901
Legendary Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi is best remembered for his masterpieces such as Requiem, Rigoletto, Falstaff, and Otello. He was also briefly associated with the Risorgimento movement meant to unify Italy and thus composed many choruses reflecting the spirit. He was inspired by composers such as Bellini and Donizetti.
26
Jonathan Winters(Actor and Comedian Known for His Films: ‘It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World’ and ‘The Loved One’)
Birthdate: November 11, 1925
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Dayton, Ohio, United States
Died: April 11, 2013
Two-time Grammy-winning artist and comedian Jonathan Winters is best remembered for his comedy albums such as Crank(y) Calls. He won an Emmy for playing Gunny Davis in the sitcom Davis Rules and voiced Papa Smurf in The Smurfs franchise. He also wrote a bestselling short-story anthology and held painting exhibitions.
27
Josip Broz Tito(Yugoslav Communist Revolutionary and the chief Architect of the 'Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia')
Birthdate: May 25, 1892
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Kumrovec, Croatia
Died: May 4, 1980
Josip Broz Tito served as the prime minister of Yugoslavia from 1944 to 1963 and as its president from 1953 to 1980. He was also the Marshal of Yugoslavia. During World War II, he led the Partisans. He was also one of the main figures behind the Non-Aligned Movement.
Birthdate: October 16, 1886
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Płonsk, Poland
Died: December 1, 1973
David Ben-Gurion was the founder of the State of Israel and also served as Israel’s first prime minister. He was the leader of the Jews in British Mandate Palestine and had also been the country’s defense minister and the chairman of the Provisional State Council of Israel.
Birthdate: June 3, 1929
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Died: March 21, 2017
Game show creator, producer, and host Chuck Barris began his career at NBC in New York City as a page. Brilliant and creative, he moved up the ranks in the entertainment industry and was soon producing music for TV shows. He then opened his own production company and went ahead to gain fame as a game show creator.
Birthdate: October 1, 1921
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: White Plains, New York, United States
Died: February 6, 2009
James Whitmore was an American actor whose career spanned more than 50 years. During his illustrious career, Whitmore won a Grammy, a Tony, and an Emmy Award, narrowly missing an EGOT honor. He also received a Golden Globe Award and two Academy Award nominations. In 1960, he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
31
Ellen Corby(Actress and Screenwriter Known for Her Role in Film ‘I Remember Mama’ and the TV Series 'The Waltons')
Birthdate: June 3, 1911
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Racine, Wisconsin, United States
Died: April 14, 1999
Actress and screenwriter, Ellen Corby, is best known for her role in the TV series The Waltons, for which she won three Emmy Awards. In a long and productive career that spanned over six decades, she appeared in over two hundred films and TV shows. In her later years, she also trained as a teacher of transcendental meditation.
Birthdate: July 12, 1895
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Milton, Massachusetts, United States
Died: July 1, 1983
Buckminster Fuller was an American systems theorist, architect, designer, inventor, author, and futurist. He is credited with popularizing the geodesic dome, which resembles carbon molecules known as fullerenes. Fullerenes were named after Fuller for their resemblance to geodesic spheres. Fuller's work has influenced several personalities from different walks of life. His work has also inspired a couple of documentary films.
Birthdate: September 15, 1918
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Atlanta, Georgia
Died: October 2, 2005
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
34
Maureen O'Sullivan(Actress)
Birthdate: May 17, 1911
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Boyle, County Roscommon, Ireland
Died: June 23, 1998
Height: 5'3" (160 cm)
35
Jim Nabors(Actor)
Birthdate: June 12, 1930
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Sylacauga, Alabama, United States
Died: November 30, 2017
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
36
Mary Pickford(One of the Most Popular Actresses of the 1910s and 1920s)
Birthdate: April 8, 1892
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Toronto, Canada
Died: May 29, 1979
Academy Award-winning Canadian-American actor Gladys Marie Smith, better known by her pseudonym, Mary Pickford, was also one of the co-founders of Pickford–Fairbanks Studios and United Artists. She and 35 others co-founded the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. She was also known as "America's Sweetheart" of silent films.
Birthdate: November 6, 1914
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Bronx, New York, United States
Died: November 3, 2002
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
38
Sterling Holloway(Voice actor, Film actor, Stage actor, Television actor)
Birthdate: January 4, 1905
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Georgia
Died: November 22, 1992
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
Birthdate: April 14, 1857
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: London, England
Died: October 26, 1944
Princess Beatrice of the U.K. was the fifth daughter and the youngest child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. She stayed with her mother long after all her siblings married and left. She eventually married Prince Henry of Battenberg, and she and her husband continued to live with the Queen.
Birthdate: June 10, 1933
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Waltham, Massachusetts, United States
Died: June 3, 2021
Birthdate: November 26, 1827
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Gorham, Maine, United States
Died: July 16, 1915
Birthdate: July 2, 1903
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Sandringham, Norfolk, England
Died: January 17, 1991
Olav V of Norway served as the king of Norway from 1957 to 1991. Olav became heir apparent to the throne in 1905 when his father was crowned king of Norway. His leadership skills during World War IIearned him the position of Norwegian Chief of Defence in 1944. Nicknamed The People's King, Olav was popular for his down-to-earth style.
43
Ezra Pound(American Poet and Critic Known for His Works: ‘Ripostes’, ‘Hugh Selwyn Mauberley’ and the Epic Poem, ‘The Cantos’)
Birthdate: October 30, 1885
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Idaho, United States
Died: November 1, 1972
American poet Ezra Pound was a significant figure in the modernist poetry movement who developed imagism and gained fame with works such as Ripostes and The Cantos. He later promoted social credit theory. During World War II, he supported fascism, participating in radio broadcasts against the U.S. and Jews.
44
Ossie Davis(Former actor who appeared in films with wife Ruby Dee)
Birthdate: December 18, 1917
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Cogdell, Georgia, United States
Died: February 4, 2005
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
45
Ralph Bellamy(Actor and Screenwriter Best Known for His Films: ‘Sunrise at Campobello’ and ‘The Awful Truth’)
Birthdate: June 17, 1904
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: November 29, 1991
Ralph Bellamy is best remembered for his Academy Award-nominated role in The Awful Truth and his Tony Award-winning role in Sunrise at Campobello. He also portrayed the titular character in the Ellery Queen detective films of the 1940s. He was part of the Hollywood A-listers’ group called the Irish Mafia.
46
Max Born(German Physicist Who Won Nobel Prize for His Contribution to Quantum Mechanics)
Birthdate: December 11, 1882
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Wrocław, Poland
Died: January 5, 1970
From being home-schooled for being too sickly to attend school, Max Born went on to win the Nobel Prize in Physics for his contribution to quantum mechanics. Being a Jew, with the rise of the Nazi power, he lost his professorship at the University of Göttingen, and moved to Cambridge.
Birthdate: July 4, 1883
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: San Francisco, U.S.
Died: December 7, 1970
Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Rube Goldberg, whose works gave rise to the expression Rube Goldberg machines, had started as an engineer and designed sewer pipes. He later worked for the San Francisco Chronicle and eventually soared to fame with his cartoons depicting gadgets and the character Professor Lucifer Gorgonzola Butts.
Birthdate: October 31, 1887
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Xikou
Died: April 5, 1975
Chiang Kai-shek was a Chinese revolutionary who led the Republic of China between 1928 and 1975, first in mainland China until 1949 and later on in Taiwan until his death. He is credited with successfully leading the Northern Expedition against the Beiyang government, achieving Chinese unification. He was involved in a civil war with Communist Party of China, which he lost in 1949 and retreated to Taiwan.
49
Glenda Jackson(English Actress and Politician Known for Her for Role as ‘Gudrun Brangwen’ in the Film ‘Women in Love’)
Birthdate: May 9, 1936
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Birkenhead, England
Died: June 15, 2023
Glenda Jackson is best known for her Academy Award-winning roles in the films Women in Love and A Touch of Class. She has also won two Emmys for playing Elizabeth I in the TV series Elizabeth R and a Tony for her role in the play Three Tall Women.
50
Thor Heyerdahl(Norwegian Adventurer and Ethnographer Known for His ‘Kon-Tiki’ and ‘Ra’ Transoceanic Scientific Expeditions)
Birthdate: October 6, 1914
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Larvik, Norway
Died: April 18, 2002
Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl’s early interest in nature was inspired by his museum worker mother’s keen interest in Darwin’s theory of evolution. He often went on treks accompanied by his dog and later lived on Fatu Hiva with his wife. His later expeditions included his Kon-Tiki and Easter Island trips.
