Famous People Who Died In 1955

Discover the most famous people died who died in the year 1955. This list includes people like Albert Einstein, Emmett Till, James Dean, Alexander Fleming, Shemp Howard and many more. This list of celebrities is loosely sorted by popularity. People featured on this list, include philosophers, artists, mathematicians and composers who died in 1955. This list includes people from United States, France, United Kingdom & Germany and many more countries.
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 1 
Albert Einstein
(One of the Greatest Physicists of All Time, Best Known for Developing the Theory of Relativity)
Albert Einstein
222
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: March 14, 1879
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Ulm, Germany
Died: April 18
Deemed as the most influential physicist of the 20th century, the German-born physicist Albert Einstein was one of the greatest minds to have ever lived. Even his name is now synonymous with the term genius. The father of Modern Physics is credited with developing the theory of relativity and explaining the photoelectric effect. The latter won him the Nobel Prize.
 2 
James Dean
(American Actor Who is Remembered as a Cultural Icon of Teenage Disillusionment and Social Estrangement)
James Dean
60
Birthdate: February 8, 1931
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Marion, Indiana, United States
Died: September 30

Best remembered for his role in the film, Rebel Without a Cause, actor James Dean was a cultural icon of teenage disillusionment. Despite having a difficult childhood, he was an exceptional student. He began acting as a young man and was quite successful. Sadly, he was killed in a car crash at the young age of 24.

 3 
Alexander Fleming
(Physician and Microbiologist Who Discovered ‘Penicillin’ World’s First Broadly Effective Antibiotic Substance)
Alexander Fleming
21
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: August 6, 1881
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Darvel, East Ayrshire, Scotland
Died: March 11

Alexander Fleming was a Scottish microbiologist and physician. He is credited with discovering penicillin, the world's first effective antibiotic substance; a discovery that changed the course of history. He also discovered lysozyme, an antimicrobial enzyme which forms part of the innate immune system. In 1999, Fleming was named in Time magazine's 100 Most Important People of the 20th century list.

 4 
Charlie Parker
(Jazz Saxophonist & Developer of the 'Bebop' Style of Jazz)
Charlie Parker
17
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: August 29, 1920
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Kansas City, Kansas, United States
Died: March 12

Charlie Parker was an American composer and jazz saxophonist. A highly influential soloist, Parker played a significant role in the development of a form of jazz called bebop. He is also credited with introducing harmonic ideas into jazz, such as chord substitutions and rapid passing chords. His contribution to jazz and bebop made him an icon of the hipster subculture.

 5 
Shemp Howard
(Comedian, Actor and Member of the Comedy Team ‘The Three Stooges’)
Shemp Howard
9
Birthdate: March 11, 1895
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Manhattan, New York, United States
Died: November 22
Samuel Horwitz, better known as Shemp Howard, gained fame as part of the comedy act Ted Healy and his Stooges, which later turned into the iconic slapstick comedy group The Three Stooges, featured in scores of movies. Samuel had marked phobias regarding many things, such as airplanes and dogs.
 6 
Walter White
(American Civil Rights Activist)
Walter White
7
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: July 1, 1893
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Died: March 21
 7 
Dale Carnegie
(Self-Help Writer, Motivational Guru, Public Speaker)
Dale Carnegie
8
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: November 24, 1888
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Maryville, Missouri, United States
Died: November 1
Writer and academic Dale Carnegie is best remembered for his work on courses in areas such as corporate training, self-improvement, and salesmanship. He started his career as a salesperson. He wrote many books, including the international bestseller How to Win Friends and Influence People, and was a successful lecturer, too.
 8 
Cy Young
(Baseball player)
Cy Young
10
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: March 29, 1867
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Gilmore, Ohio, United States
Died: November 4
 9 
Ira Hayes
(Military Leader)
Ira Hayes
17
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: January 12, 1923
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Sacaton, Arizona, United States
Died: January 24
 10 
Thomas Mann
(German Novelist Who Won the 1929 Nobel Prize in Literature)
Thomas Mann
10
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: June 6, 1875
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Lübeck, Germany
Died: August 12
German author Thomas Mann, known for his epic novels, was part of the Hanseatic Mann family of authors. He depicted his own family in his novel Buddenbrooks. He won the 1929 Nobel Prize in Literature. During Hitler’s reign, he fled to Switzerland and then to the U.S.
 11 
Frank Hamer
(Police Officer)
Frank Hamer
12
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: March 17, 1884
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Wilson County, Texas
Died: July 10

Frank Hamer was an American Texas Ranger and law enforcement officer. He is credited with leading the 1934 group that tracked down and executed criminals, Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker. Well-known for his investigative skill, marksmanship, and toughness, Frank Hamer was recognized as the archetypal Texas Ranger in the Southwest. His life and work inspired the 2019 film, The Highwaymen.

 12 
Honus Wagner
(Baseballer)
Honus Wagner
8
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: February 24, 1874
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Chartiers, Pennsylvania, USA
Died: December 6
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 13 
Mary McLeod Bethune
(American Civil Rights Activist and Founder of the 'National Council of Negro Women')
Mary McLeod Bethune
18
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: July 10, 1875
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Mayesville, South Carolina, United States
Died: May 18

Mary McLeod Bethune was an American civil rights activist, educator, womanist, humanitarian, and philanthropist. She is credited with founding the National Council of Negro Women. Bethune also played a key role in the creation of the Black Cabinet while serving as an adviser to Franklin Roosevelt. In 1973, Bethune was made an indutee of the National Women's Hall of Fame.

 14 
Emmett Till
(Victim of Racial Violence)
Emmett Till
33
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: July 25, 1941
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: August 28

In the 1950s, a teenage African-American boy, Emmett Till was kidnapped, tortured and brutally killed for allegedly misbehaving with a white woman. Those responsible were never convicted but the brutality of the crime brought focus on racial discrimination and African-American Civil Rights Movement. It eventually played a crucial role in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1957.

 15 
Matthew Henson
(African American Explorer Who Accompanied Robert E. Peary on Most of His Expeditions)
Matthew Henson
19
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: August 8, 1866
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Nanjemoy, Maryland, United States
Died: March 9

Orphaned, Matthew Henson began his journey as a cabin boy at age 12 and was later hired by Robert E. Peary as an attendant for his expeditions. He, along with Peary and 4 Inuit, were the first men to set foot on North Pole. The African-American explorer later won a Congressional Medal.

 16 
Jim Corbett
(Hunter, Naturalist)
Jim Corbett
9
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: July 25, 1875
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Nainital, Uttarakhand, India
Died: April 19
 17 
Theda Bara
(Former actress of the silent era and one of cinema's early sex symbols)
Theda Bara
5
Birthdate: July 29, 1885
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
Died: April 7
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 18 
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
(Jesuit Priest who Co-developed the Concept of Noosphere & was Part of the Discovery of Peking Man)
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
4
Birthdate: May 1, 1881
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Orcines, France
Died: April 10

French paleontologist and Jesuit priest Pierre Teilhard de Chardin is remembered as someone who deviated from theology to science. He discovered the fossilized remains known as the Peking man in China, but faced a lot of opposition from his religious superiors when it came to publishing his scientific thoughts.

 19 
Saadat Hasan Manto
32
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: May 11, 1912
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Samrala
Died: January 18

Saadat Hasan Manto was a Pakistani playwright, writer, and author. Best remembered for his 22 collections of short stories, Manto was renowned for writing about the bitter truths of society. Not surprisingly, he was tried for obscenity on six occasions but was never convicted. Considered one of the 20th century's finest Urdu-language writers, Manto is the subject of two movies.

 20 
Cordell Hull
(47th United States Secretary of State)
Cordell Hull
3
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: October 2, 1871
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Olympus, Tennessee, United States
Died: July 23
 21 
Fernand Léger
(French Painter and Sculptor Best Known for His Painting ‘My Mother's Garden’)
Fernand Léger
1
Birthdate: February 4, 1881
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Argentan, France
Died: August 17

Fernand Léger was a French sculptor, painter, and filmmaker. Widely regarded as the forerunner of pop art, Léger was also active as a teacher for several years. He is also credited with establishing his own Académie Fernand Léger, where he taught for many years. Many of his pupils went on to establish themselves as successful artists.

 22 
S. Z. Sakall
(Hungarian-American Actor)
S. Z. Sakall
2
Birthdate: February 2, 1883
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Budapest, Hungary
Died: February 12

Renowned character actor S. Z. Sakall lost all of his 3 sisters in Nazi concentration camps. A talented stage actor in both Austria and Germany, he later gained international fame with his roles in movies such as Casablanca and Ball of Fire. He earned the nickname Cuddles for his affable appearance.

 23 
Hermann Klaus Hugo Weyl
(One of the Most Famous and Skilled Mathematicians of the 20th Century)
Hermann Klaus Hugo Weyl
2
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: November 9, 1885
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Elmshorn, Germany
Died: December 8

Hermann Klaus Hugo Wey is remembered for his contribution to both physics and math. He was one of the first scientists to think of merging the concepts of electromagnetism and relativity. He moved from the University of Göttingen to Princeton in the wake of the rise of the Nazi reign.

 24 
Wallace Stevens
(Modernist poet)
Wallace Stevens
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: October 2, 1879
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Reading, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: August 2
 25 
António Egas Moniz
(Neurologist)
António Egas Moniz
0
Listed In: Physicians
Birthdate: November 29, 1874
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Avanca, Estarreja, Portugal
Died: December 13
 26 
Alberto Ascari
(Italian Racing Driver and a Two-Time Formula One World Champion)
Alberto Ascari
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: July 13, 1918
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Milan, Italy
Died: May 26

A multitalented racing driver and twice Formula One World Champion, Alberto Ascari began his racing career with motorcycles, eventually shifting to automobiles, making his debut at Mille Miglia. Later, he started participating in other events, winning a total of thirteen races, including 1951 German Grand Prix and 1953 Swiss Grand Prix before passing away at the age of 36 while testing a car.  

 27 
George Enescu
(Romanian Composer, Violinist and Conductor)
George Enescu
5
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: August 19, 1881
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: George Enescu, Romania
Died: May 4
 28 
James Agee
(Novelist)
James Agee
2
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: November 27, 1909
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
Died: May 16
 29 
Rupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavaria
(Prince)
Rupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavaria
6
Birthdate: May 18, 1869
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Munich, Germany
Died: August 2
 30 
Hubert Cecil Booth
(Engineer)
Hubert Cecil Booth
0
Listed In: Engineers
Birthdate: July 4, 1871
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Paris
Died: January 14

Civil engineer Hubert Cecil Booth had designed everything from Ferris wheels to bridges, but the product that he is most remembered for is the vacuum cleaner, which he invented to introduce a hygienic method of dust removal. He had also designed Navy ships. He rejected the knighthood offered to him.

 31 
Grace Gifford
(Artist)
Grace Gifford
1
Birthdate: March 4, 1888
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Rathmines, Dublin, Ireland
Died: December 13

Immortalized in the Irish ballad Grace, Irish cartoonist Grace Gifford was a regular contributor to many reputed publications such as The Irish Review. She was part of the Republican movement and married her lover Joseph Plunkett just hours before he was killed by firing squad for his invoolvement in the Easter Rising.

 32 
Olga Khokhlova
(Russian Ballet Dancer and First Wife of Artist Pablo Picasso)
Olga Khokhlova
4
Listed In: Dancers
Birthdate: June 17, 1891
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Nizhyn, Ukraine
Died: February 11

Olga Khokhlova was a Ukrainian ballet dancer. She also served as one of Pablo Picasso's early artistic muses before marrying him in 1918. Olga met Picasso at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris where the latter had designed the set and costumes for a ballet titled Parade, in which Olga performed. She left her ballet group after meeting Pablo Picasso.

 33 
Yves Tanguy
(Painter)
Yves Tanguy
3
Birthdate: January 5, 1900
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: January 15
 34 
Maurice Utrillo
(Painter)
Maurice Utrillo
0
Birthdate: December 26, 1883
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Montmartre, Paris, France
Died: November 5
 35 
Michael Chekhov
(Actor, Director and Theatre Practitioner Best Known for His Academy Nominated Role in the Film 'Spellbound')
Michael Chekhov
1
Birthdate: August 29, 1891
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Saint Petersburg, Russia
Died: September 30

Starting his career with the Moscow Art Theatre in Russia, actor Michael Chekhova later moved to the US, making a successful career in Hollywood. His role of Dr. Alex in Spellbound earned him an Academy Award nomination. He also had his own drama studio, where he taught acting by mingling movement and imagination.

 36 
José Ortega y Gasset
(Spanish Philosopher and Essayist)
José Ortega y Gasset
0
Birthdate: May 9, 1883
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Madrid, Spain
Died: October 18

Philosopher and humanist José Ortega y Gasset was a major figure of the 20th-century Spanish literary renaissance. Apart from introducing concepts such as ratiovitalism, he also believed in the philosophy "I am I and my circumstance." Invertebrate Spain and The Revolt of the Masses remain his best works.

 37 
James P. Johnson
(American Pianist and Composer)
James P. Johnson
1
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: February 1, 1894
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States
Died: November 17
 38 
Emma Jung
(Swiss Jungian Analyst and Author)
Emma Jung
3
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: March 30, 1882
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Schaffhausen, Switzerland
Died: November 27

Better known as Carl Jung’s wife, Emma Jung was the daughter of one of the most affluent businessmen in Switzerland. Though she initially wished to study natural sciences, being a woman in her time, she couldn’t. Later a co-owner of a luxury watch company, she helped her husband financially in his career.

 39 
Katharine Drexel
(American Heiress, Philanthropist, Religious Sister, and Educator)
Katharine Drexel
6
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: November 26, 1858
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: March 3

Roman Catholic saint Katharine Drexel, the founder of Xavier University, was born to Philadelphia banker Francis Anthony Drexel and picked up he philanthropic habits from her father. In spite of inheriting a massive fortune, she devoted her life to building schools and churches for the racially underprivileged.

 40 
Pierre Levegh
(French Formula One Driver)
Pierre Levegh
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: December 22, 1905
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: June 11
 41 
Oswald Avery
(Biologist, Physician, Geneticist)
Oswald Avery
2
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: October 21, 1877
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Halifax Regional Municipality, Canada
Died: February 20

A pioneer of molecular biology, Oswald Avery revolutionized science with his research on the chemical processes involved in immunology. The Canadian-American bacteriologist initially aspired to be a musician. He later proved that DNA was the basis of heredity. Though nominated for the Nobel Prize multiple times, he never won it.

 42 
Rodolfo Graziani
(Italian Military Officer & a Loyal Supporter of Benito Mussolini)
Rodolfo Graziani
3
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: August 11, 1882
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Filettino, Italy
Died: January 11

Italian military officer Rodolfo Graziani commanded Italy’s Regio Esercito, or Royal Army. He was a fascist figure who held significant political posts under the monarchy of Victor Emmanuel III and then under the leadership of Benito Mussolini. Known for his campaigns in Africa during World War II, he escaped imprisonment for his war crimes.

 43 
Arthur Honegger
(Swiss Composer)
Arthur Honegger
1
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: March 10, 1892
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Le Havre, France
Died: November 27

French-born Swiss composer Arthur Honegger was part of the legendary Les Six and heralded the modern movement in French music. Trained in Zurich and Paris, he later soared to fame with his version of Le Roi David. Antigone and Pacific 231 remain two of his most popular pieces.

 44 
Paul Claudel
(French Poet, Dramatist and Diplomat)
Paul Claudel
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: August 6, 1868
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Villeneuve-sur-Fère, France
Died: February 23

Born into a family of farmers, Paul Claudel grew up to join the foreign service of France, thus serving in places such as the US, China, and South America. While he traveled the world as a French ambassador to French ambassador, he also enriched French literature with his poems, essays, and plays.

 45 
Leo Amery
(Politician)
Leo Amery
0
Birthdate: November 1, 1873
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Gorakhpur, India
Died: September 16
 46 
Glenn L. Martin
(Aviator)
Glenn L. Martin
1
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: January 17, 1886
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Macksburg, Iowa, United States
Died: December 5
 47 
Calouste Gulbenkian
(businessperson, entrepreneur)
Calouste Gulbenkian
0
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: March 23, 1869
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Üsküdar
Died: July 20
 48 
Helena Roerich
(Writer)
Helena Roerich
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: February 12, 1879
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Saint Petersburg, Russia
Died: October 5
 49 
Louis Leon Thurstone
(Psychologist)
Louis Leon Thurstone
0
Birthdate: May 29, 1887
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: September 30
 50 
Bernarr MacFadden
(American Bodybuilder and Founder of Macfadden Publications)
Bernarr MacFadden
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: August 16, 1868
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Mill Spring, Missouri, United States
Died: October 12