Famous People Who Died In 1974
Discover the most famous people died who died in the year 1974. This list includes people like Virginia Apgar, Oskar Schindler, Cass Elliot, Charles Lindbergh, Georgy Zhukov and many more. This list of celebrities is loosely sorted by popularity. People featured on this list, include poets, political leaders, novelists and physicists who died in 1974. This list includes people from United States, United Kingdom, India & Germany and many more countries.
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1
Oskar Schindler(German Industrialist and Member of Nazi Party Who Saved the Lives of 1,200 Jews During the Holocaust)
Birthdate: April 28, 1908
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Svitavy, Czechia
Died: October 9
Oskar Schindler was a German industrialist who displayed extraordinary dedication and courage to save the lives of 1,200 Jews during the Holocaust. Oskar Schindler's act is viewed by many as the kind of act that restores faith in humanity. His inspirational and heart-warming story was adapted into an Oscar-winning film titled Schindler's List.
Birthdate: April 29, 1899
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Washington, D.C., United States
Died: May 24
Jazz legend Duke Ellington managed his orchestra till his death, and over a 6-decade-long career. He is known for his collaborations with legends such as pianist and composer Billy Strayhorn. He termed his music “American music” and refused to attach any category to it. He received a posthumous Pulitzer Prize.
3
Charles Lindbergh(Remembered for Making the First Nonstop Solo Flight Across the Atlantic)
Birthdate: February 4, 1902
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan, United States
Died: August 26
Charles Lindbergh shot to fame after completing the first solo, and the longest, trans-Atlantic flight, in 1927. In his later years, his son’s highly publicized kidnapping and murder broke him completely. He also participated in World War II and worked on inventions that made flight navigation and heart surgeries easier.
4
Cass Elliot(American Singer Who was a Member of the Folk-Rock Band 'The Mamas & the Papas')
Birthdate: September 19, 1941
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Died: July 29
Cass Elliot was a popular American singer and actress. As part of the famous folk-rock vocal group The Mamas and the Papas, Cass Elliot played an important role in influencing the counterculture of the 1960s and its music scene. She had a great impact on the American entertainment industry of the 1960s.
Birthdate: July 25, 1894
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Lynn, Massachusetts, United States
Died: September 21
Actor and singer, Walter Brennan, was one of the best known Hollywood actors in the mid-20th century. The veteran actor was the recipient of three Academy Awards, becoming one of only three male actors to do so. In an extensive career spanning almost five decades, he had appeared in over a hundred films and TV shows.
6
Agnes Moorehead(Best Known for Her Role as ‘Endora’ in the TV Series ‘Bewitched’)
Birthdate: December 6, 1900
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Clinton, Massachusetts, United States
Died: April 30
Agnes Moorehead is best known for her Emmy-winning performance in the series The Wild Wild West and her Golden Globe-winning roles in the films Mrs. Tarkington and Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte. She was also famous as Endora from the series Bewitched. She was the first female to host the Academy Awards.
Birthdate: July 12, 1916
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Bila Tserkva, Ukraine
Died: October 27
Soviet sniper Lyudmila Pavlichenko belonged to the Red Army during World War II and is believed to have killed over 300 people. Also known as Lady Death, she was awarded the Order of Lenin and was made a Hero of the Soviet Union. She later became a Soviet Navy researcher.
8
Jack Benny(One of the Leading Entertainers of the 20th Century)
Birthdate: February 14, 1894
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: December 26
Benjamin Kubelsky, better known as Jack Benny, was an American vaudeville violinist who later soared to fame with the radio/TV comedy show The Jack Benny Program. He became famous for his signature expression “Well!” He also appeared in films such as The Hollywood Revue of 1929 and Mr. Broadway.
9
Ed Sullivan(Legendary Host of the TV Variety Show 'The Ed Sullivan Show')
Birthdate: September 28, 1901
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Harlem, New York, United States
Died: October 13
Sports reporter and TV personality Ed Sullivan is best remembered as the host and creator of the variety show named The Toast of the Town, later renamed The Ed Sullivan Show. One of TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time, he was also a skilled columnist.
Birthdate: December 1, 1896
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Zhukov, Kaluga Oblast
Died: June 18
Soviet general and Marshal of the Soviet Union, Georgy Zhukov, is remembered for overseeing some of the Red Army's most decisive victories during the Second World War. As a young man, he served in the First World War and the Russian Civil War. The recipient of four Hero of the Soviet Union awards, he was made the defence minister.
11
Frank Sutton(Known for His Role as ‘Sgt. Vince Carter’ in the TV Series ‘Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C..’)
Birthdate: October 23, 1923
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Clarksville, Tennessee, United States
Died: June 28
Frank Sutton is best remembered for his performance as Vince Carter in the series Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. He was a regular guest on Jim Nabors Hour and also appeared in series such as The Untouchables and Love American Style. He had earlier been a Purple Heart- and Bronze Star-winning sergeant.
Birthdate: December 22, 1946
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Weed, California, United States
Died: April 25
Pamela Courson was the girlfriend of legendary singer Jim Morrison of the iconic rock band The Doors. She was the one who found Morrison dead in the bathtub of their Paris apartment in 1971. She inherited his fortune and was dragged into court battles for 2 years.
13
Earl Warren(30th Governor of California (1943-53), 14th Chief Justice of the United States (1953-69))
Birthdate: March 19, 1891
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
Died: July 9
Earl Warren served as the chief justice of the U.S. from 1953 to 1969. He was also the California governor from 1943 to 1953. The "Warren Court" revolutionized the American justice system by making landmark judgments, such as making school segregation unconstitutional in the Brown v. Board of Education case.
Birthdate: October 2, 1897
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Asbury Park, New Jersey, United States
Died: April 24
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
15
Nick Drake
(English Singer-Songwriter)
Birthdate: June 19, 1948
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Rangoon, Burma
Died: November 25
Nick Drake was a British singer-songwriter best remembered for his acoustic guitar-based music. Although he failed to achieve popularity during his lifetime, Drake's music has achieved recognition in recent times. He suffered from depression throughout his life and died at the age of 26 from an overdose of a prescribed antidepressant called amitriptyline.
Birthdate: June 7, 1909
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Westfield, New Jersey, United States
Died: August 7
Birthdate: March 26, 1898
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Herzogenaurach, Germany
Died: October 27
The rivalry between German shoemaker Rudolf Dassler and his brother, Adolf Dassler, led to the creation of two of the most popular shoe brands of the world. While Rudolf and Adolf were initially partners in their shoe business, a feud made Rudolf create Puma, while Adolf formed Adidas.
18
U Thant(3rd Secretary General of the United Nations (1961 - 1971))
Birthdate: January 22, 1909
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Pantanaw, Burma
Died: November 25
Burmese diplomat U Thant made history by becoming the first non-Scandinavian to be named the UN secretary-general. Later in life, he tried applying Buddhist principles such as detachment to solve major international conflicts. Following his death in New York, his burial in Burma became a source of riots.
Birthdate: October 20, 1891
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Bollington
Died: July 24
Best remembered as a Nobel laureate who discovered neutron, Sir James Chadwick began his career at Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge, where he worked with Ernest Rutherford to investigate the nature of atomic nucleus, a work that led to the epoch-making discovery. Credited with writing the final draft of the MAUD Report, he also headed the British team at the Manhattan Project
Birthdate: January 12, 1905
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Murvaul, Texas, USA
Died: January 2
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
21
James J. Braddock
(American Boxer Who Held the World Heavyweight Title From 1935 to 1937)
Birthdate: June 7, 1905
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Hell's Kitchen, New York, United States
Died: November 29
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
22
Georges Pompidou(President of France (1969 - 1974), Prime Minister of France (1962 - 1968))
Birthdate: July 5, 1911
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Montboudif, French Third Republic France
Died: April 2
Georges Pompidou was a French politician whose tenure as prime minister of France between 1962 and 1968 was the longest in the history of France. From 1969 to 1974, Pompidou served as president of France. He is credited with mending France's relationship with the US and maintaining positive relations with many other countries.
Birthdate: August 17, 1879
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Warsaw
Died: January 31
24
Karen Silkwood
(Former chemical technologist known for raising concerns about corporate practices related to health and safety in a nuclear facility)
Birthdate: February 19, 1946
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Longview, Texas, United States
Died: November 13
Birthdate: November 24, 1944
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Long Island, New York, USA
Died: March 21
Birthdate: December 27, 1905
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Toledo, Ohio, United States
Died: September 23
27
Satyendra Nath Bose(Indian Mathematician and Physicist, Best Known for His Work on Quantum Mechanics)
Birthdate: January 1, 1894
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Kolkata, India
Died: February 4
Best known for working with Albert Einstein to form Bose–Einstein statistics, Indian scientist Satyendra Nath Bose was a master of quantum mechanics. He played the esraj, loved poetry, and had mastered quite a few languages. The Padma Vibhushan winner was also made a Fellow of The Royal Society.
28
Alberta Williams King
(Martin Luther King Jr.'s Mother)
Birthdate: September 13, 1904
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Died: June 30
29
Dizzy Dean
(Baseball Player)
Birthdate: January 16, 1910
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Lucas, Arkansas, United States
Died: July 17
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
Birthdate: February 20, 1901
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Kuressaare, Governorate of Estonia, Russian Empire
Died: March 17
Louis Kahn was an American architect who is credited with creating a style that was monolithic and monumental. Regarded as one of the 20th century's most influential architects, Kahn served as a professor at Yale School of Architecture and at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Design. His life and career inspired a documentary titled My Architect: A Son's Journey.
Birthdate: September 15, 1914
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Springfield, Massachusetts, United States
Died: September 4
Birthdate: September 23, 1889
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: December 14
33
Anne Klein
(Fashion designer and Businesswoman, the founder and namesake of Anne Klein & Company)
Birthdate: August 3, 1923
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Died: March 19
34
Bill Finger(Comic Book Writer & Co-creator of the DC Comic Superhero 'Batman')
Birthdate: February 8, 1914
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Denver, Colorado, United States
Died: January 18
Bill Finger was an American film, TV, comic book, and comic strip writer. Although he had co-created the popular superhero character Batman along with Bob Kane, Finger's work was uncredited until 2015. As a result, Finger died in poverty and obscurity. He was posthumously inducted into the Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame and the Jack Kirby Hall of Fame.
35
Vittorio De Sica
(Italian Film Director and Actor Who was a Leading Figure in the Neorealist Movement)
Birthdate: July 7, 1901
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Sora, Italy
Died: November 13
Four-time Academy Award-winning director Vittorio De Sica was a symbol of Italian neorealism. Apart from creating masterpieces such as Bicycle Thieves and Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. He had begun his career acting in silent films and had then also participated in musical theater. He was both a Roman Catholic and a communist.
36
Erich Kästner
(Known Primarily for His Humorous, Socially Astute Poems and the Children’s Book 'Emil and the Detectives')
Birthdate: February 23, 1899
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Dresden, Germany
Died: July 29
Four-time Nobel Prize-nominated German author Erich Kästne is best remembered for his children’s books such as Emil and the Detectives. Initially aspiring to be a teacher, he later had stints as a journalist and a freelance author. A leading satirist, he contributed to Die Weltbühne and also headed PEN.
Birthdate: September 23, 1908
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Simaria
Died: April 24
Ramdhari Singh Dinkar was an Indian poet, academic, patriot, and essayist. Regarded as one of the most prominent modern Hindi poets, Dinkar played an important role during the Indian independence movement,; writing poems that sparked nationalism. In 1959, he was honored with the prestigious Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian award. The same year, he also received the Sahitya Akademi Award.
Birthdate: December 12, 1937
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Adamsville, Tennessee
Died: August 21
Buford Hayse Pusser served as the Sheriff of McNairy County of Tennessee and as the Constable of Adamsville. He clamped down on practices such as prostitution and gambling in the Mississippi-Tennessee area. He was also a wrestler known as Buford the Bull and later inspired several books and songs.
39
Darius Milhaud
(French Composer, Conductor and a Member of the Group 'Les Six')
Birthdate: September 4, 1892
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Marseille, France
Died: June 22
Darius Milhaud was a French composer, teacher, and conductor. One of the 20th century's most prolific composers, Milhaud was part of a famous group known as The Group of Six. He also contributed greatly to the French film industry, composing music for films like Madame Bovary and The Beloved Vagabond. Milhaud is often counted among the most important modernist composers.
Birthdate: October 19, 1899
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Guatemala City, Guatemala
Died: June 9
Miguel Ãngel Asturias was a Guatemalan poet-diplomat, journalist, playwright, and novelist. He played a significant role in spreading the importance of indigenous cultures. In 1966, he was honored with the International Lenin Peace Prize. In 1967, he became only the second Latin American author to win the prestigious Nobel Prize for Literature.
41
David Oistrakh
(Violinist)
Birthdate: September 30, 1908
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Odessa
Died: October 24
Two-time Grammy Award-winning Soviet violinist David Oistrakh had been trained in the instrument since age 5 and performed in his first concert at age 6. He later taught at the Moscow Conservatory and performed throughout the world, especially in Europe and the US. He also played for Soviet soldiers during World War II.
Birthdate: February 17, 1889
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Illinois
Died: November 29
43
Olga Baclanova
(Actress Known for Her Roles in the Films: 'Freaks' and 'The Man Who Laughs')
Birthdate: August 19, 1893
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Moscow, Russia
Died: September 6
Russian actor Olga Baclanova was also a skilled ballerina and opera singer who had a decent career in Hollywood, too. A star of the silent-film age, she was seen in films such as The Wolf of Wall Street and Are You There? Post-retirement, she moved to Switzerland.
44
Phog Allen
(American Basketball Coach)
Birthdate: November 18, 1885
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Jamesport, Missouri, United States
Died: September 16
One of the prominent forces behind making basketball being represented in the Olympics, legendary basketball coach Phog Allen initially played basketball under the inventor of the game himself, James Naismith. Equipped with a degree in osteopathic medicine, he also treated sports injuries. He also once worked as a baseball umpire.
Birthdate: April 9, 1900
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Staten Island, New York, United States
Died: July 20
Birthdate: May 21, 1902
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Kiev, Russian Empire
Died: December 15
Anatole Litvak was a Russian-born American filmmaker. He was notable for bringing previously little-known actors to the spotlight and enabling them to win Academy Awards. French actors Charles Boyer and Danielle Darrieux and Swedish star Ingrid Bergman are among the ones he helped become internationally famous. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6633 Hollywood Blvd.
Birthdate: May 16, 1905
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Rushden, England
Died: January 29
48
Jack Cole
(Choreographer, Dancer)
Birthdate: April 27, 1911
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States
Died: February 17
49
Princess Irene, Duchess of Aosta
(Princess)
Birthdate: February 13, 1904
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Athens, Greece
Died: April 15
50
Graham Bond
(Founding Father of the English 'Rhythm and Blues' Boom of the 1960s)
Birthdate: October 28, 1937
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Romford, England
Died: May 8