Discover the most famous people who died on September 20. The list includes people like Annie Besant, Jean Sibelius, Simon Wiesenthal, Fiorello H. La Guardia, Sven Nykvist. Famous personalities featured on this list, include composers, political leaders, poets and journalists and from other domains of life. This list includes people from United States, United Kingdom, Germany & India and many more countries.
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1
Jim Croce(Folk and Rock Singer Best Known for His Third album 'You Don't Mess Around with Jim')
Birthdate: January 10, 1943
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: 1973
Jim Croce was an American rock and folk singer-songwriter. At the peak of his popularity, Jim Croce died in a plane crash at age 30. Many of his works were released posthumously and achieved popularity. Jim Croce's music has been used in many popular films, such as The Hangover Part II, X-Men: Days of Future Past, and Hobbs & Shaw.
Birthdate: December 31, 1908
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Buchach, Ukraine
Died: 2005
Jewish Austrian Holocaust survivor Simon Wiesenthal survived four Nazi concentration camps, including the notorious Kraków-Płaszów concentration camp. He later devoted his life to finding out information about Nazi war criminals to bring them to trial. He wrote several books on his experiences, such as The Sunflower and I Chased Eichmann.
3
Annie Besant(British Social Reformer, Theosophist and Women's Rights Activist)
Birthdate: October 1, 1847
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Clapham Town, London, United Kingdom
Died: 1933
Annie Besant was a British theosophist, socialist, writer, orator, educationist, women's rights activist, and philanthropist. Despite being British, Besant supported India's freedom movement and even joined the Indian National Congress. She is also credited with co-founding Banaras Hindu University. Besant also helped launch the Indian Home Rule movement to campaign for democracy in the country.
4
Jean Sibelius(Finnish Composer Known for His 'Seven Symphonies' and His Tone Poem 'Tapiola')
Birthdate: December 8, 1865
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Hämeenlinna, Finland
Died: 1957
Jean Sibelius was a Finnish violinist and composer. Widely regarded as Finland's greatest composer, Sibelius' music is credited with having kindled nationalism in Finland during the country's struggle for independence from Russia. His work has inspired other important composers like Douglas Lilburn. The International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition, which is held every five years, is named after him.
Birthdate: January 8, 1934
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Lancashire, England, United Kingdom
Died: 1988
Roy Kinnear was a British actor known for playing important roles in Richard Lester's films, such as Help!, How I Won the War, and The Three Musketeers. Kinnear died in an accident while filming the 1989 sequel of The Three Musketeers. In 1994, the 'Roy Kinnear Trust' was founded in his honor. The foundation aims at helping differently-abled young adults.
6
Liliane Bettencourt(Principal Shareholder of ‘L'Oréal’ and the Richest Woman of the World at the Time of Her Death)
Birthdate: October 21, 1922
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: 2017
Former L'Oréal heiress Liliane Bettencourt was the world’s richest woman at the time of her death. She had apparently gifted celebrity photographer François-Marie Banier cash and gifts worth a billion euros, leading her daughter to file a case against Banier later. Bettencourt was also involved in medical and cultural philanthropy.
7
Erich Hartmann(Aviator, Officer)
Birthdate: April 19, 1922
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Weissach
Died: 1993
Remembered as the most successful fighter pilot in the history of aerial warfare, Erich Hartmann completed 1,400 missions in his Messerschmitt Bf 109 and shot down 352 Allied planes. Known for his dogfighting strategy, he inspired the popular biography The Blond Knight of Germany and became a flight instructor post-retirement.
Birthdate: July 14, 1930
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
Died: 2014
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
Birthdate: March 26, 1913
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Budapest, Austria-Hungary
Died: 1996
Hungarian mathematician Paul Erdős spent most of his childhood at home, due to his mother’s overprotectiveness after his sisters died of scarlet fever. Known for his eccentricity, he used his own vocabulary. His contributions include the Ramsey theory, and he skipped many university job offers to continue working independently.
10
Jacob Grimm(Discoverer of ‘Grimm’s Law of Linguistics' and Co-author of the Largest German Dictionary 'Deutsches Wörterbuch')
Birthdate: January 4, 1785
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Hanau, Germany
Died: 1863
Part of the legendary folklorist duo known as the Brothers Grimm, Jacob Grimm gave to the world Grimm’s Fairy Tales, along with his younger brother, Wilhelm Grimm. The son of a lawyer, he, too, had initially studied law. He also contributed immensely to Germanic linguistics, with his Grimm's law.
11
Glenn Strange(Actor, Singer)
Birthdate: August 16, 1899
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Weed, New Mexico, United States
Died: 1973
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
Birthdate: December 11, 1882
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Greenwich Village, New York, United States
Died: 1947
Height: 5'2" (157 cm)
13
Steve Goodman(Singer-songwriter)
Birthdate: July 25, 1948
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: 1984
14
Leonard Skinner(Basketball coach, Businessman)
Birthdate: January 11, 1933
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Jacksonville, Florida, United States
Died: 2010
15
Gabriela Silang(Revolutionary)
Birthdate: March 19, 1731
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Santa, Philippines
Died: 1763
16
Curtis Hanson(Film director)
Birthdate: March 24, 1945
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Reno, Nevada, U.S.
Died: 2016
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
17
Max Manus(Norwegian Resistance Fighter During World War II)
Birthdate: December 9, 1914
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Bergen, Norway
Died: 1996
Best known today for the biographical film Max Manus: Man of War, Max Manus was a Norwegian World War II resistance fighter. While fighting for the Norwegian resistance, he was arrested by the Gestapo but later joined the Lingekompaniet and specialized in ship sabotage. He penned several books about his experiences.
18
Fletcher Christian(Seaman)
Birthdate: September 25, 1764
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: near Cockermouth, England
Died: 1793
19
Jule Styne(Composer, Songwriter, Musician, Film score composer)
Birthdate: December 31, 1905
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: London
Died: 1994
Birthdate: December 3, 1922
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Moheda, Kronobergs län, Sweden
Died: 2006
Born to an amateur wildlife photographer father, Sven Nykvist later grew up to be one of Sweden’s top-notch cinematographers. He is remembered for his iconic partnership with director Ingmar Bergman and his love for subtle camera work. He won Oscars for Cries and Whispers and Fanny and Alexander.
21
Brian Clough(English Football Player Who Played as a Striker)
Birthdate: March 21, 1935
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Middlesbrough, England, United Kingdom
Died: 2004
Footballer and manager Brian Clough is remembered as one of the highest goal-scorers of the Football League. He had successful stints with Derby County and Nottingham Forest, as a manager, with Peter Taylor as his assistant manager. His rivalry with Don Revie inspired the book The Damned Utd.
22
Joan Littlewood(Actor)
Birthdate: October 6, 1914
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: London
Died: 2002
23
Robert Emmet(Revolutionary Leader)
Birthdate: March 4, 1778
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland
Died: 1803
24
Anthony Babington(Nobleman)
Birthdate: October 24, 1561
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Derbyshire, England
Died: 1586
25
George Sluizer(Film Director)
Birthdate: June 25, 1932
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: 2014
26
Henry Spencer, 1st earl of Sunderland(English Cavalier)
Birthdate: November 23, 1620
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Althorp
Died: 1643
27
George Seferis(Greek Poet and Diplomat)
Birthdate: March 13, 1900
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Urla, Turkey
Died: 1971
George Seferis was a Greek diplomat and poet. A Nobel laureate, Seferis is widely regarded as one of the most prominent Greek poets of the 20th century. A well-known and respected diplomat, George Seferis served as the Ambassador to the UK from 1957 to 1962.
28
Tahia Carioca(Belly Dancer)
Birthdate: February 22, 1915
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Egypt
Died: 1999
29
Robert Riskin(Former screenwriter, playwright, best known for his collaborations with director-producer Frank Capra)
Birthdate: March 30, 1897
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: 1955
30
Ben Webster(Saxophonist, Composer, Jazz musician)
Birthdate: March 27, 1909
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Kansas City, Missouri, United States
Died: 1973
31
Sergei Bodrov Jr.(Russian Actor Who Died Due to a Ice-Slide in Kolka Glacier While Filming)
Birthdate: December 27, 1971
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Moscow, Russia
Died: 2002
The son of Russian film director Sergei Bodrov, Sergei Bodrov Jr. started his career with his father’s movies, such as Prisoner of the Mountains. His performance in Brother made him a star in Russia. He went missing along with his crew after an avalanche hit them in the Caucasus while directing The Messenger.
32
Kenny McKinley(American Football Player)
Birthdate: January 31, 1987
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Mableton, Georgia, United States
Died: 2010
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
33
Charles W. Mills(Philosopher who was a professor at Graduate Center, CUNY)
Birthdate: January 3, 1951
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: London, England
Died: 2021
34
Heinrich Hoffmann(German physician and writer)
Birthdate: June 13, 1809
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Died: 1894
A qualified physician and psychiatrist, Heinrich Hoffmann managed the state mental hospital of Frankfurt on Main. However, he is best known as an author of children’s books and for his creation Struwwelpeter, or Slovenly Peter, a character with a naughty personality and a weird appearance, initially created for his son.
Birthdate: August 20, 1856
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Chempazhanthy, Thiruvananthapuram, India
Died: 1928
Born in Travancore in India, Narayana Guru was the son of a teacher and studied in a gurukula. He grew up to lead a social reform movement against the caste system that he saw in erstwhile Kerala. He believed in the motto One Caste, One Religion, One God for All.
36
Ida Rubinstein(Russian Dancer and Actress)
Birthdate: October 3, 1883
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Kharkiv, Ukraine
Died: 1960
Ida Rubinstein was a Russian dancer, art patron, and actress. She is best remembered for performing with the popular itinerant ballet company, the Ballets Russes. She also served as a subject for Russian painter Valentin Alexandrovich Serov's portrait Salomé.
37
Kārlis Ulmanis(4th President of Latvia)
Birthdate: September 4, 1877
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Bērze, Latvia
Died: 1942
38
Theodor Fontane(German Novelist and Poet Who Is Considered the First Master of Modern Realistic Fiction in Germany)
Birthdate: December 30, 1819
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Neuruppin, Germany
Died: 1898
The pioneer of German realist fiction, Theodor Fontane started as a journalist before venturing into a writing career at the ripe age of 58. He had also briefly been an apothecary, following in his father’s footsteps. His novels such as Effi Briest talk about the plight of women.
39
Sir Robert Hart, 1st Baronet(British Diplomat and 2nd Inspector-General of the Chinese Maritime Customs Service (1863 - 1911))
Birthdate: February 20, 1835
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: County Armagh, Ulster, Ireland
Died: 1911
Remembered as the most successful British diplomat to have served in Qing dynasty China, Sir Robert Hart, 1st Baronet played a major role in the expansion of the Maritime Customs Bureau and employed both Chinese and Westerners in it. He was eventually knighted and made a baronet for his services.
40
C.K. Williams(Poet)
Birthdate: November 4, 1936
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Newark, New Jersey, United States
Died: 2015
41
Mir Taqi Mir(Urdu Poet)
Birthdate: 1723
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Uttar Pradesh, India
Died: 1810
Mir Taqi Mir was an Indian poet who lived during the 18th century. He is credited with shaping the Urdu language and is remembered as one of the most important poets of the Urdu language. Mir Taqi Mir's life and career inspired the 2016 Pakistani biographical film Mah e Mir, in which Mir is played by Pakistani actor Fahad Mustafa.
Birthdate: January 6, 1766
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Yaguarón
Died: 1840
José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia went down in history as the first dictator of Paraguay. Although he had initially studied theology, he later deviated to law. Known as El Supremo, he banned all foreign trade in his bid to make Paraguay self-sufficient, thus eventually weaking it and curbing personal freedom.
43
Doria Shafik(Egyptian Poet, Editor, and Feminist)
Birthdate: December 14, 1908
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Ṭanṭā, Egypt
Died: 1975
Doria Shafik was an Egyptian poet, editor, and feminist. One of the most important and influential leaders of the famous women's liberation movement in Egypt, Doria Shafik is best remembered for her work in the mid-1940s that led to a change in the Egyptian constitution, granting Egyptian women the right to vote.
44
Mahlon Clark(Musician)
Birthdate: March 7, 1923
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Portsmouth, Virginia, United States
Died: 2007
45
Arthur Holmes(English Geologist Who Pioneered the Usage of Radiometric Dating of Minerals)
Birthdate: January 14, 1890
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Gateshead
Died: 1965
Arthur Holmes was an English geologist who pioneered the usage of radiometric dating of minerals. He was the first earth scientist to fully understand the thermal and mechanical implications of mantle convection. Arthur Holmes is also remembered for his advocacy of the theory of continental drift. Holmes was the recipient of several prestigious awards, including the Penrose Medal.
46
Gherman Titov(Cosmonaut)
Birthdate: September 11, 1935
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Verkh-Zhilino, Russia
Died: 2000
47
Sir Thomas Masterman Hardy, Baronet(British naval officer)
Birthdate: April 5, 1769
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Portisham, England
Died: 1839
48
Saint-John Perse(Poet)
Birthdate: May 31, 1887
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe
Died: 1975
49
Daniel Steibelt(Pianist)
Birthdate: October 22, 1765
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Berlin, Germany
Died: 1823
Daniel Steibelt was a German composer and pianist who lived and worked in Paris and London. A prolific composer, Steibelt's works became popular throughout Europe. He also contributed immensely to several dramatic operas, such as Romeo et Juliette which was produced in 1793 at the Théâtre Feydeau.
50
Gilles Binchois(Belgian Composer of early Renaissance music)
Birthdate: 1400 AD
Birthplace: Mons, Belgium
Died: 1460
Gilles Binchois was a composer and one of the most important and earliest members of the Burgundian School. He is also counted among the three most popular composers of the early-15th century. Binchois' works were often cited and used as source material even after his demise. Also remembered for his compositions, Binchois is regarded as the 15th century's finest melodist.
