Famous People Who Died In 1969

Discover the most famous people died who died in the year 1969. This list includes people like Judy Garland, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Sharon Tate, Ho Chi Minh, Princess Alice of Battenberg and many more. This list of celebrities is loosely sorted by popularity. People featured on this list, include political leaders, military leaders, artists and presidents who died in 1969. This list includes people from United States, Germany, United Kingdom & India and many more countries.
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 1 
Judy Garland
(Best Known for Her Portrayal of 'Dorothy Gale' in the Movie 'The Wizard of Oz')
Judy Garland
183
Birthdate: June 10, 1922
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Grand Rapids, Minnesota, United States
Died: June 22
American actress and singer, Judy Garland, was one of the most iconic artists of Hollywood's Golden Era. In a career that spanned forty five years, her exceptional talent shone brightly, especially in movies like The Wizard of Oz and A Star Is Born. The personal life of the superstar though, was full of struggles including drugs, alcohols and unsuccessful marriages.
 2 
Dwight D. Eisenhower
(34th President of the United States (1953–1961))
Dwight D. Eisenhower
101
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: October 14, 1890
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Denison, Texas, United States
Died: March 28

The 34th president of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower held office from 1953 to 1961. An army officer During World War II, he was part of many successful operations. He signed the Civil Rights Act of 1957, and his two terms as president saw widespread economic prosperity in USA. He is ranked high among American presidents.

 3 
Sharon Tate
(Actress - Murdered by Members of the 'Manson Family')
Sharon Tate
52
Birthdate: January 24, 1943
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Dallas
Died: August 9

In the 1960s, Sharon Tate was one of Hollywood’s most promising actresses. She won a beauty pageant while still a teenager and soon started modelling and acting in films and television shows. Her big breakout film was Valley of the Dolls. At the age of 26, she was all set to welcome her first child when she was brutally murdered.

 4 
Ho Chi Minh
(Former PM and President of Democratic Republic of Vietnam)
Ho Chi Minh
67
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: May 19, 1890
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: CỄm di tĂ­ch HoĂ ng trĂč, Vietnam
Died: September 2
Vietnamese Communist revolutionary Hồ Chí Minh led the Việt Minh independence movement and served as North Vietnam’s prime minister, from 1945 to 1955, and president, from 1945 to 1969. He was an integral part of the Vietnam War. South Vietnam’s former capital, Saigon, was later renamed Ho Chi Minh City.
 5 
Jack Kerouac
(Novelist and Poet Best Known for His Novels: ‘On the Road', ‘The Dharma Bums’ and ‘Big Sur’)
Jack Kerouac
21
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: March 12, 1922
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Lowell, Massachusetts, United States
Died: October 21
Jack Kerouac is remembered as a prominent figure of the Beat Generation. His works, consisting of several novels and poems, with their focus on spirituality, drugs, travel, sex, and jazz, paved the way for the hippie movement. He is best known for his pathbreaking novel On the Road
 6 
Brian Jones
(English Multi-Instrumentalist, Singer and Founder of the Rock Band 'The Rolling Stones')
Brian Jones
33
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: February 28, 1942
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England
Died: July 3

Brian Jones was an English musician credited with founding the world-renowned rock band, The Rolling Stones. He was also considered the original leader of the band before his fellow band members, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, took over the musical direction of the band. Jones became the first member of the infamous 27 Club, when he died at age 27.

 7 
Rocky Marciano
(One of the Greatest Heavyweight Boxers of All Time)
Rocky Marciano
136
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: September 1, 1923
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Brockton, Massachusetts, United States
Died: August 31
Rocky Marciano, also known as the Brockton Blockbuster, was the world’s only heavyweight champion to remain undefeated till the end of his career and held the heavyweight title from 1952 to 1956. The International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee held the world’s highest heavyweight knockout-to-win ratio at 85.71%.
 8 
Princess Alice of Battenberg
(Mother-in-law of Queen Elizabeth II)
Princess Alice of Battenberg
27
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: February 25, 1885
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Windsor Castle, Windsor, England
Died: December 5

Princess Alice of Battenberg, the great-granddaughter of Britain’s Queen Victoria, became Princess Andrew of Greece and Denmark in 1903 after her marriage. During the Second World War, she sheltered Jewish refugees and worked for the Red Cross. She was posthumously named a ‘Hero of the Holocaust’ by the British government in 2010. She was the mother-in-law of Queen Elizabeth II.

 9 
Boris Karloff
5
Birthdate: November 23, 1887
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Camberwell
Died: February 2
Boris Karloff is best remembered as a horror film actor who appeared in films such as Frankenstein and its sequels and the 1932 film The Mummy. He voiced Grinch in the TV special How the Grinch Stole Christmas! He was also part of radio plays, including the Lights Out series.
 10 
Fred Hampton
(American Activist and Deputy Chairman of the National Black Panther Party)
Fred Hampton
57
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: August 30, 1948
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Shreveport, Louisiana, United States
Died: December 4

Fred Hampton was considered an activist and a revolutionary socialist working for social change. He was the deputy chairman of the national Black Panther Party. He founded the Rainbow Coalition, aiming to help the Chicago street gangs to end infighting. The FBI considered him as a major threat and he was shot and killed in December 1969 during a raid.

 11 
Robert Taylor
(Actor, Pilot)
Robert Taylor
5
Birthdate: August 5, 1911
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Filley, Nebraska, United States
Died: June 8
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 12 
Howard McNear
5
Birthdate: January 27, 1905
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
Died: January 3
 13 
Thelma Ritter
(American Actress Best Known for Her Comedic Roles as Working-Class Characters and Her Strong New York Accent)
Thelma Ritter
4
Birthdate: February 14, 1902
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Died: February 5

Thelma Ritter was an American actress best remembered for her comedic roles and strong New York accent. Ritter received six nominations for the prestigious Academy Award, three nominations for the Golden Globe Award, and one Emmy Award nomination. Ritter also won a Tony Award under the Best Actress in a Musical category for her role in New Girl in Town.  

 14 
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
5
Listed In: Architects
Birthdate: March 27, 1886
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Aachen, Germany
Died: August 17

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe was a German-American architect. He is widely considered one of the many pioneers of modernist architecture. After emigrating to the United States, Mies worked on structures like the Promontory Apartments. He is best remembered for serving as the director of a popular German art school named the Bauhaus before its closure in 1933.

 15 
Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg
(Queen)
Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg
1
Birthdate: October 24, 1887
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Balmoral Castle, Scotland
Died: April 15
 16 
Walter Gropius
(Architect)
Walter Gropius
15
Listed In: Architects
Birthdate: May 18, 1883
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Berlin, Germany
Died: July 5

Walter Gropius was a German architect. Along with Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Alvar Aalto, and Frank Lloyd Wright, he is regarded as a pioneer in modernist architecture. Gropius founded the Bauhaus School. The large-scale housing projects he designed in Berlin, Karlsruhe, and Dessau in the late 1920s and early 1930s became major contributions to the New Objectivity movement.  

 17 
Theodor W. Adorno
(German Philosopher, Sociologist, Psychologist and Composer)
Theodor W. Adorno
5
Birthdate: September 11, 1903
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Frankfurt, Germany
Died: August 6

One of the most prominent intellectuals of the 20th century, Theodor Adorno was a pioneer of the Frankfurt School of Critical Theory and despised the culture industry. Born to a singer mother, the German sociologist grew up amid music and could even play Beethoven on the piano by 12.

 18 
Sonja Henie
(Norwegian Figure Skater, Actress and Three-Time Olympic Gold Medallist)
Sonja Henie
11
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: April 8, 1912
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Oslo, Norway
Died: October 12
Sonja Henie wasn’t just a 3-time Olympic champion in figure skating but also proved to be a Hollywood superstar, with hits such as Thin Ice and My Lucky Star. She debuted at the Olympics at age 11 and also won 10 World Championships consecutively. She was also proficient in tennis, swimming, and skiing.
 19 
Chuck Taylor
(Basketball player)
Chuck Taylor
3
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: June 24, 1901
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Brown County, Indiana, United States
Died: June 23
 20 
Leo Gorcey
(Actor)
Leo Gorcey
7
Birthdate: June 3, 1917
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States
Died: June 2
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 21 
Raymond A. Spruance
(Navy admiral during World War II)
Raymond A. Spruance
4
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: July 3, 1886
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Died: December 13
 22 
Walter Hagen
(American Professional Golfer and One of the Greatest Golfers Ever)
Walter Hagen
3
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: December 21, 1892
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Rochester, New York, United States
Died: October 6

A major figure in the early-20th century international golf, American golfer Walter Hagen is often hailed as the father of professional golf for his contributions towards raising the stature of the game. The first golfer to earn one million dollars, he registered 58 wins including eleven major championships and made golf popular in the USA, with his flair and style.

 23 
Jay Sebring
(American Celebrity Hair Stylist)
Jay Sebring
13
Listed In: Fashion
Birthdate: October 10, 1933
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Birmingham, Alabama, United States
Died: August 9
Jay Sebring was a celebrity hair stylist who owned a chain of salons called Sebring International and was known for his reckless lifestyle. He; his former girlfriend, actor Sharon Tate; and three others were murdered by members of the Manson Family while they were at Roman Polanski’s Los Angeles home.
 24 
Liu Shaoqi
(Politician)
Liu Shaoqi
5
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: November 24, 1898
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Huaminglou, Changsha, China
Died: November 12

Liu Shaoqi was a Chinese politician, revolutionary, and theorist. He served as the vice-chairman of the Chinese Communist Party from 1956 to 1966. From 1959 to 1968, he served as the Chairman of the People's Republic of China, implementing several policies of economic reconstruction in the country. For 15 long years, Liu was the third most influential man in China.

 25 
Diane Linkletter
(Art Linkletter's Daughter)
Diane Linkletter
7
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: October 31, 1948
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Died: October 4
 26 
Madhubala
(Actress)
Madhubala
42
Birthdate: February 14, 1933
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: New Delhi
Died: February 23
Madhubala, also known as the Marilyn Monroe of Bollywood, ruled the 1950s with films such as Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi and Mr. and Mrs. '55. She was nominated for a Filmfare Award for Mughal-e-Azam and was photographed for Life magazine. She died due to a congenital heart ailment, at 36.
 27 
Dr Zakir Husain
(3rd President of India)
Dr Zakir Husain
23
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: February 8, 1897
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Hyderabad, India
Died: May 3

Dr. Zakir Husain was the third President of India and  was the first President to die in office . During his lifetime, he helped found the National Muslim University which was later renamed Jamia Millia Islamia. He was honored with India's highest civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna in 1963.

 28 
Morihei Ueshiba
(Japanese Martial Arts Master and Founder of the Martial Art of ‘Aikido’)
Morihei Ueshiba
4
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: December 14, 1883
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Tanabe, Wakayama, Japan
Died: April 26

Morihei Ueshiba was a Japanese martial artist. Referred to as the Great Teacher, Ueshiba is credited with founding aikido, a martial art which is now practiced around the world. During the course of his career, Ueshiba set up many dojos, including the Aikikai Hombu Dojo, and taught several students, many of whom are celebrated martial artists in their own right.

 29 
John Wyndham
(Science-Fiction Writer Best Known for His Novels: 'The Day of the Triffids' and 'The Midwich Cuckoos')
John Wyndham
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: July 10, 1903
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Dorridge, Warwickshire, England
Died: March 11

John Wyndham was an English writer best remembered for writing science fiction stories set in post-apocalyptic landscapes, such as The Day of the Triffids. His books have inspired other works of art like movies and radio. John Wyndham’s 1957 science fiction novel The Midwich Cuckoos was filmed twice under the title Village of the Damned.

 30 
Leonard Chess
(Record producer)
Leonard Chess
4
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: March 12, 1917
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Motal
Died: October 16
 31 
Coleman Hawkins
(American Saxophonist and Jazz Musician)
Coleman Hawkins
4
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: November 21, 1904
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Saint Joseph, Missouri, United States
Died: May 19
 32 
Otto Dix
(German Painter Known for His Ruthless and Harshly Realistic Depictions of German Society During the Weimar Republic)
Otto Dix
2
Birthdate: December 2, 1891
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Gera, Germany
Died: July 25

German painter, engraver and printmaker Otto Dix, counted among the most significant artists of Neue Sachlichkeit, is noted for his harsh and brutal depictions of war and severe situation of German society during the Weimar Republic. Some of his paintings, exhibited in Otto Dix House, which showcases materials on his life and work, include Selbstbildnis als Rauchern and Meine Freundin Elis.  

 33 
Frank Loesser
(Composer, Songwriter)
Frank Loesser
2
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: June 29, 1910
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Manhattan, New York, United States
Died: July 28
 34 
Jan Palach
(Activist Known for Self-Immolation After the 1968 Invasion of Czechoslovakia)
Jan Palach
6
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: August 11, 1948
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Prague, Czech Republic
Died: January 19
 35 
John Kennedy Toole
(Former author of the picaresque novel, A Confederacy of Dunces (published in 1980))
John Kennedy Toole
4
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: December 17, 1937
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Died: March 26
 36 
Bud Collyer
(American Radio Actor and Announcer)
Bud Collyer
1
Birthdate: June 18, 1908
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: New York, United States
Died: September 8
 37 
Irene Castle
(Dancer)
Irene Castle
1
Listed In: Dancers
Birthdate: April 17, 1893
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: New Rochelle, New York ,United States
Died: January 25
 38 
C. W. W. Kannangara
(Sri Lankan Politician Who Played an Important Role in the Sri Lankan Independence Movement)
C. W. W. Kannangara
11
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: October 13, 1884
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Sri Lanka
Died: September 23

C. W. W. Kannangara was a Sri Lankan politician and lawyer. He played an important role in the Sri Lankan independence movement, a peaceful political movement aimed at achieving freedom from the British Empire. As a lawyer, C. W. W. Kannangara defended many political prisoners during the Riots of 1915 and later served as the President of Ceylon National Congress.

 39 
Josef von Sternberg
(Film Director)
Josef von Sternberg
2
Birthdate: May 29, 1894
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Vienna, Austria
Died: December 22
 40 
Norman Lindsay
2
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: February 22, 1879
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Creswick, Australia
Died: November 21

Once accused of being anti-Christian, Australian artist and Art Nouveau veteran Norman Lindsay is remembered for his controversial cartoons and drawings, mostly erotic or politically charged. Some of his works were once burned for being pornographic. He also experimented with sculpture and was an amateur boxer, too.

 41 
Everett Dirksen
(Former U.S. Senator)
Everett Dirksen
2
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: January 4, 1896
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Pekin, Illinois, United States
Died: September 7
 42 
Abigail Folger
(Social worker)
Abigail Folger
10
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: August 11, 1943
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: San Francisco, California, United States
Died: August 9
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
 43 
Harley Earl
(Automotive designer)
Harley Earl
1
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: November 22, 1893
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States
Died: April 10
 44 
Susanne Cramer
(Actress)
Susanne Cramer
1
Birthdate: December 3, 1936
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Died: January 7
 45 
Mary Jo Kopechne
(Political Campaign Specialist of Robert F. Kennedy)
Mary Jo Kopechne
4
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: July 6, 1940
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: July 18
 46 
Martita Hunt
(Performance as Miss Havisham in David Lean's Great Expectations)
Martita Hunt
0
Birthdate: January 30, 1900
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Died: June 13
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 47 
Iskander Mirza
(Former President of Pakistan)
Iskander Mirza
5
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: November 15, 1899
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Murshidabad
Died: November 15

Iskander Mirza was a Pakistani civil servant and general who served as the first president of Pakistan. Mirza played an important role in the newly-created Pakistan in 1974. After the Partition of India, Mirza served as the first Defence Secretary and oversaw the military efforts during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948.

 48 
Iron Mike DiBiase
(Wrestler)
Iron Mike DiBiase
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: December 24, 1923
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: New York, United States
Died: July 2
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 49 
George
(Actor)
George
7
Birthdate: May 7, 1885
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Stannards, New York, United States
Died: February 9
 50 
Witold Gombrowicz
(Polish Novelist and Playwright)
Witold Gombrowicz
2
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: August 4, 1904
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: MaƂoszyce, Poland
Died: July 24
Witold Gombrowicz was a Polish playwright and writer whose works are characterized by a certain sense of absurd, anti-nationalist flavor. Although his work was acclaimed only during the last few years of his life, Witold Gombrowicz is now widely regarded as one of the most important figures of Polish literature.  His works earned him a Nobel Prize nomination in 1966.