Famous People Who Died In 1951

Discover the most famous people died who died in the year 1951. This list includes people like William Randolph Hearst, Henrietta Lacks, Philippe Pétain, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Ludwig Wittgenstein and many more. This list of celebrities is loosely sorted by popularity. People featured on this list, include political leaders, composers, novelists and playwrights who died in 1951. This list includes people from United States, Germany, Austria & France and many more countries.
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 1 
Shoeless Joe Jackson
(American Professional Baseball Player Who Plays as an Outfielder)
Shoeless Joe Jackson
12
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: July 16, 1887
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Pickens County, South Carolina, United States
Died: December 5

MLB player Joseph Jefferson Jackson, or Shoeless Joe, was associated with the Philadelphia Athletics, the Cleveland Naps/Indians, and the Chicago White Sox. He was dragged into the Black Sox Scandal, through which the 1919 Chicago White Sox team members conspired to fix the World Series, leading him to be banned.

 2 
William Randolph Hearst
(Newspaper Baron)
William Randolph Hearst
21
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: April 29, 1863
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: San Francisco, California, United States
Died: August 14

William Randolph Hearst was an American newspaper publisher, businessman, and politician. He is credited with developing America's largest newspaper chain, Hearst Communications. Today, Hearst Communications has grown into a multinational business information and mass media conglomerate. William Randolph Hearst’s life and work inspired the creation of Charles Foster Kane, the main character in the 1941 drama film, Citizen Kane.

 3 
Ludwig Wittgenstein
(One of the Greatest Philosophers of the 20th Century)
Ludwig Wittgenstein
21
Birthdate: April 26, 1889
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Vienna, Austria
Died: April 29

Austrian-British philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein is remembered for his works related to logic, the philosophy of mind, the philosophy of mathematics, and the philosophy of language. He taught at the University of Cambridge for many years. He published only one book during his lifetime. Most of his manuscripts were collected later and published posthumously.

 4 
Ferdinand Porsche
(Automotive Engineer and Founder of the ‘Porsche AG’)
Ferdinand Porsche
12
Listed In: Engineers
Birthdate: September 3, 1875
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: ratislavice nad Nisou, Liberec, Czechia
Died: January 30

Ferdinand Porsche was an Austrian-German automotive engineer. He is credited with founding one of the most popular car companies in the world, Porsche AG. He is also credited with creating the Lohner-Porsche mixed hybrid, the first gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle. During World War II, Porsche was a prominent contributor to the German war effort.

 5 
Arnold Schoenberg
(One of the Most Influential Composers of the 20th Century)
Arnold Schoenberg
9
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: September 13, 1874
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Leopoldstadt, Vienna, Austria
Died: July 13
Austrian-born composer Arnold Schoenberg was part of the German Expressionist Movement and led the Second Viennese School. Being Jewish, he was banned by the Nazis and later became an American citizen. Known for his twelve-tone technique, he coined the term developing variation and formed motifs without a centralized melodic idea.
 6 
Fanny Brice
(Model, Singer, Actress)
Fanny Brice
4
Listed In: Fashion
Birthdate: October 29, 1891
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Manhattan, New York, United States
Died: May 29

Fanny Brice was an American singer, comedienne, and actress. She is credited with creating one of the most popular radio comedy series of her generation, The Baby Snooks Show. Fanny Brice was posthumously honored with two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contributions to the radio and film industries. Her life inspired the 1964 musical, Funny Girl. 

 7 
Sinclair Lewis
(Nobel Prize Winner in Literature)
Sinclair Lewis
7
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: February 7, 1885
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Sauk Centre
Died: January 10
 8 
Will Keith Kellogg
(Founder of the Kellogg Company)
Will Keith Kellogg
6
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: April 7, 1860
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Battle Creek
Died: October 6
 9 
Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim
(6th President of Finland (1944 - 1946))
Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim
11
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: June 4, 1867
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Askainen, Finland
Died: January 27

Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim was a Finnish statesman and military leader who served as the leader of the White Guard during the Finnish Civil War of 1918. He also played a key role during World War II where he served as the Chief of Defense of Finland's defense forces. Thanks to his achievements, Mannerheim is regarded as Finland's greatest statesman.

 10 
Robert Walker
(Actor)
Robert Walker
3
Birthdate: October 13, 1918
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Died: August 28
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 11 
Pauline Pfeiffer
(Journalist & Second Wife of Ernest Hemingway)
Pauline Pfeiffer
0
Birthdate: July 22, 1895
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Parkersburg, Iowa, U.S.
Died: October 1
 12 
Abdullah I of Jordan
(King of Jordan (1946 - 1951))
Abdullah I of Jordan
5
Birthdate: February 2, 1882
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Died: July 20

Abdullah I of Jordan reigned as the King of Jordan from 25 May 1946 until his assassination on 20 July 1951. Prior to his service as the king of Jordan, Abdullah I of Jordan served as the Emir of Transjordan from 11 April 1921 to 25 May 1946.

 13 
Liaquat Ali Khan
(First Prime Minister of Pakistan)
Liaquat Ali Khan
29
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: October 1, 1895
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Karnal
Died: October 17
Born to a landowner, Liaquat Ali Khan received an elite education at Oxford. The lawyer-turned-politician was Pakistan’s first prime minister. The place where he was assassinated by an Afghan, the Company Bagh, was later renamed Liaquat Bagh, and years later, witnessed the assassination of prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
 14 
Leonard M. Kravitz
(Posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor)
Leonard M. Kravitz
1
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: August 8, 1931
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: New York City, United States
Died: March 7
 15 
Andre Gide
(French Author and Winner of the 1947 Nobel Prize in Literature)
Andre Gide
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: November 22, 1869
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: February 19

Nobel Prize-winning French author Andre Gide is remembered for exhibiting the conflict between sexuality and the puritanical standards of society through his works. Much of his work was autobiographical and used the confessional format. A homosexual himself, he defended homosexuality through works such as Corydon.

 16 
Charles G. Dawes
(Vice President of the United States)
Charles G. Dawes
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: August 27, 1865
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Marietta, Ohio
Died: April 23
 17 
Oscar Micheaux
4
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: January 2, 1884
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Metropolis, Illinois, United States
Died: March 25
 18 
Jesse E. James
(Lawyer, Actor)
Jesse E. James
1
Birthdate: August 31, 1875
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Nashville
Died: March 26
 19 
Ivor Novello
(Actor, Playwright, Composer, Writer, Screenwriter, Songwriter)
Ivor Novello
3
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: January 15, 1893
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Cardiff
Died: March 6
 20 
Henrietta Lacks
(Source of HeLa Cell Line)
Henrietta Lacks
13
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: August 1, 1920
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Roanoke
Died: October 4
Henrietta Lacks was a woman whose cancer cells were preserved and led to the first immortalized cell line, or the HeLa cell line, that was later used for medical research. Neither Lacks or her family members were compensated, and no consent was sought. Her story later inspired an HBO movie.
 21 
Arnold Sommerfeld
0
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: December 5, 1868
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Königsberg
Died: April 26

German physicist Arnold Sommerfeld initially taught math and theoretical physics and later came to be known for his groundbreaking work on atomic and quantum physics and wave mechanics. He also laid down the magnetic quantum number. Many of the doctoral and post-doctoral students he supervised later won the Nobel Prize.

 22 
Sadegh Hedayat
(Iranian Writer Best Known for His Novel 'The Blind Owl')
Sadegh Hedayat
10
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: February 17, 1903
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Tehran, Iran
Died: April 9

Sadegh Hedayat was an Iranian translator and writer best remembered for his book The Blind Owl, which inspired the 1987 French film La Chouette aveugle. Hedayat was one of the earliest writers from Iran to make literary modernism an important aspect of his work and career. Sadegh Hedayat's life and career have inspired several documentary films like From No. 37.

 23 
Ernest Bevin
(British statesman)
Ernest Bevin
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: March 9, 1881
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Winsford, Somerset
Died: April 14
 24 
Zaifeng, Prince Chun
(Prince Regent of the Qing Dynasty)
Zaifeng, Prince Chun
0
Birthdate: February 12, 1883
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Beijing, China
Died: February 3
 25 
Amy Carmichael
(Writer)
Amy Carmichael
2
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: December 16, 1867
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Millisle, County Down, Ireland
Died: January 18
 26 
René Guénon
(Former Philosopher who remains an influential figure in the domain of metaphysics)
René Guénon
0
Birthdate: November 15, 1886
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Blois, France
Died: January 7
 27 
Martina von Trapp
(Austrian Singer)
Martina von Trapp
1
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: February 17, 1921
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Klosterneuburg, Austria
Died: February 25
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 28 
Maria Montez
(Actress)
Maria Montez
7
Birthdate: June 6, 1912
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Barahona, Dominican Republic
Died: September 7
 29 
J. C. Leyendecker
(American Illustrator and Painter)
J. C. Leyendecker
1
Birthdate: March 23, 1874
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Montabaur, Germany
Died: July 26
 30 
Nellie McClung
(Canadian Author, Politician and Social Activist)
Nellie McClung
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: October 20, 1873
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Chatsworth, Ontario, Canada
Died: September 1

Canadian author and social reformer Nellie McClung had struck gold with her first novel, Sowing Seeds in Danny, a bestseller. She also spoke widely about woman suffrage and was part of the Alberta legislature. She was part of The Famous Five, a group of women who launched the Persons Case.

 31 
Algernon Henry Blackwood
(Broadcaster)
Algernon Henry Blackwood
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: March 14, 1869
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Shooter's Hill, Kent, England
Died: December 10
 32 
Louis Jouvet
(Actor)
Louis Jouvet
2
Birthdate: December 24, 1887
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Crozon, France
Died: August 16
 33 
Albert C. Barnes
(Chemist)
Albert C. Barnes
0
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: January 2, 1872
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: July 24
 34 
Mary White Ovington
(American Journalist and Co-founder of the 'National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)')
Mary White Ovington
1
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: April 11, 1865
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Died: July 15

Mary White Ovington was an American journalist and suffragist. She is best remembered as one of the founders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Throughout her life, Mary White Ovington remained active in the fight for women's suffrage in the United States of America. She also wrote several articles and books including an autobiography. 

 35 
Agrippina Vaganova
(Russian Ballet Teacher Known for Developing the 'Vaganova Method' )
Agrippina Vaganova
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: June 26, 1879
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Saint Petersburg, Russia
Died: November 5

The person behind the development of the Vaganova method, Agrippina Vaganova was a significant name in the Russian ballet scene. She also penned Fundamentals of the Classical Dance, which is the most-followed text on ballet. At Mariinsky Ballet, she was known as the queen of variations.

 36 
Robert Flaherty
(Filmmaker)
Robert Flaherty
0
Birthdate: February 16, 1884
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Iron Mountain, Michigan
Died: July 23
 37 
Riad al-Sulh
(Prime Minister of Lebanon (1946 - 1951))
Riad al-Sulh
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 1894 AD
Birthplace: Sidon, Lebanon
Died: July 17

One of the most prominent figures of Lebanon’s independence movement, Riad al-Sulh became the country’s first prime minister after its independence. He was assassinated by Syrian Nationalist Party members, while visiting King Abdullah of Jordan. He is regarded as one of the founding fathers of Lebanon.

 38 
John Flynn
(Minister)
John Flynn
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: November 25, 1880
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Moliagul, Australia
Died: May 5
 39 
Harald Bohr
(Danish Mathematician and Footballer)
Harald Bohr
0
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: April 22, 1887
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Copenhagen, Denmark
Died: January 22

Not only was Harald Bohr the younger brother of Nobel Prize-winning physicist Niels Bohr, but he was also a renowned mathematician in his own right. He is remembered for his research on periodic functions. Interestingly, he was also part of the silver-winning Danish football team at the 1908 London Olympics.

 40 
Artur Schnabel
(Composer and pedagogue known for his intellectual seriousness as a musician)
Artur Schnabel
0
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: April 17, 1882
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Lipnik, Poland
Died: August 15
 41 
Dorothy Dix
(Journalist)
Dorothy Dix
0
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: November 18, 1861
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States
Died: December 16
 42 
Princess Milica of Montenegro
(Princess)
Princess Milica of Montenegro
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: July 14, 1886
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Cetinje, Montenegro
Died: September 5
 43 
Sigmund Romberg
(Composer)
Sigmund Romberg
0
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: July 29, 1887
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Nagykanizsa
Died: November 9
 44 
Hermann Broch
(Austrian Writer)
Hermann Broch
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: November 1, 1886
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Vienna, Austria
Died: May 30

Born into an affluent family, Hermann Broch sold his family’s textile factory to focus on studying physics, math, and philosophy. Mostly known for his literary works such as The Sleepwalkers, he had ventured into writing only after 40. He was imprisoned by the Nazis and later fled to the U.S.

 45 
Jens Jensen
(Landscape Architect)
Jens Jensen
0
Listed In: Architects
Birthdate: September 13, 1860
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Dybbl, Denmark
Died: October 1

Born in Denmark, Jens Jensen witnessed his family farm being burned by the Prussians during the Second War of Schleswig.  He then moved to Chicago, where he initially worked a laborer and then as a foreman, before designing gardens. He designs include the Humboldt Park and the Columbus Park.

 46 
Mohammad-Taqi Bahar
(Iranian Poet, Politician, Journalist and Historian)
Mohammad-Taqi Bahar
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: December 10, 1886
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Mashhad, Iran
Died: April 22

Mohammad-Taqi Bahar was a renowned Iranian scholar, poet, historian, journalist, politician, and Professor of Literature. Counted among the most influential cultural icons of modern Iran, Bahar had a strong impact on the progression of modern Persian poetry and literature through his literary magazine Majaleh-ye Dāneshkadeh. Bahar is also known as the father of another great historian and mythologist Mehrdad Bahar. 

 47 
Mildred Bailey
(Singer)
Mildred Bailey
0
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: February 27, 1907
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Tekoa, Washington, United States
Died: December 12
 48 
Constant Lambert
(Composer)
Constant Lambert
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: August 23, 1905
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Fulham, London, England
Died: August 21
 49 
Coretti Arle-Titz
(Singer, Actress)
Coretti Arle-Titz
0
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: December 5, 1881
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Churchville, New York, United States
Died: December 14
 50 
Otto Fritz Meyerhof
(German Physician and Biochemist Who Won the 1922 Nobel Prize in Medicine)
Otto Fritz Meyerhof
0
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: April 12, 1884
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Hanover, Germany
Died: October 6

Otto Fritz Meyerhof was a German physician and biochemist. He studied medicine in Strasbourg and Heidelberg and later became a professor at the University of Kiel. He jointly won the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine with Archibald Vivian Hill in 1922. He became one of the directors of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Medical Research in 1929.