Famous People Who Died In 1977

Discover the most famous people died who died in the year 1977. This list includes people like Elvis Presley, Charlie Chaplin, Anthony Eden, Joan Crawford, Freddie Prinze and many more. This list of celebrities is loosely sorted by popularity. People featured on this list, include political leaders, philosophers, poets and novelists who died in 1977. This list includes people from United States, United Kingdom, Germany & France and many more countries.
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 1 
Elvis Presley
(One of the Most Significant Cultural Icons of the 20th Century and 'The King of Rock and Roll')
Elvis Presley
298
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: January 8, 1935
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Tupelo, Mississippi, United States
Died: August 16
The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, winner of 3 Grammys, and pioneer of the Pelvis move, Elvis Presley was a musical phenomenon of the 20th century. Known for his humbleness, love for God and devotion to his country, Presley had numerous gold, platinum and multi-platinum records to his credit, including 18 number 1 hits and 38 top ten hits.
 2 
Charlie Chaplin
(The Greatest Comic Artist Ever & One of the Most Important Figures in Motion-Picture History)
Charlie Chaplin
92
Birthdate: April 16, 1889
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Walworth, London, England
Died: December 25

Cinema lovers around the world hold Charlie Chaplin in high esteem. One of the biggest stars of the silent film era and an icon, he left the audience in splits with his comedic performances. Even today, his performances in movies like Modern Times and The Gold Rush are considered classic. The legendary actor was also a writer, director and producer.

 3 
Bing Crosby
(Actor and One of the Most Popular and Influential Musical Artists of the 20th Century)
Bing Crosby
50
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: May 3, 1903
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Tacoma, Washington, United States
Died: October 14

Bing Crosby was an American singer, actor, and comedian. Widely regarded as the first multimedia star, Bing was a leader in motion picture grosses, radio ratings, and record sales from 1930 to 1954. His intimate singing style influenced several popular singers, such as Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, John Lennon, and Elvis Presley among others.

 4 
Groucho Marx
(One of America's Greatest Comedians of His Era)
Groucho Marx
11
Birthdate: October 2, 1890
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: August 19
Groucho Marx is best remembered for his roles in the 13 Marx Brothers films he made with his siblings, Harpo, Zeppo, Chico, and Gummo. Considered one of America’s best comedians, he is also the man behind the Groucho Glasses, inspired by his signature glasses, big nose, bushy eyebrows, and mustache.
 5 
Ronnie Van Zant
(Singer, Singer-songwriter, Musician, Composer, Guitarist)
Ronnie Van Zant
14
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: January 15, 1948
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Jacksonville
Died: October 20
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 6 
Freddie Prinze
(American Actor and Stand-up Comedian Known for His TV Sitcom ‘Chico and the Man’)
Freddie Prinze
25
Birthdate: June 22, 1954
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Hell's Kitchen, New York, United States
Died: January 29

Freddie Prinze, father of Freddie Prinze Jr., was best known as Chico Rodriguez from Chico and the Man. A trained ballet dancer, Freddie had dropped out of high school to become a stand-up comedian. He shot himself to death, though a jury later ruled it an accidental and medicine-induced death.

 7 
Maria Callas
(One of the Most Renowned and Influential Opera Singers of the 20th Century)
Maria Callas
25
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: December 2, 1923
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: New York City, United States
Died: September 16
Greek soprano Maria Callas, also known as “La Divina,” is considered one of the greatest opera singers of the 20th century. The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award-winner was also in the news for her affair with shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, her rivalry with Renata Tebaldi, and her gradually declining vocal ability.
 8 
Steve Biko
(South African Anti-Apartheid Activist.)
Steve Biko
25
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: December 18, 1946
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Tarkastad, South Africa
Died: September 12

Civil rights activist Steve Biko, or the Father of Black Consciousness, is remembered for his work against apartheid in South Africa. He founded the Black Consciousness Movement while still a medical school student. He was banned by the pro-apartheid regime in 1973. He was beaten to death in custody.

 9 
Joan Crawford
(One of the Most Influential Actresses of the 20th Century)
Joan Crawford
30
Birthdate: March 23, 1904
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: San Antonio, Texas, United States
Died: May 10
Oscar-winning actor Joan Crawford’s journey from being a dancer and chorus girl to being named AFI’s tenth-greatest female Classic Hollywood stars is inspirational. She mostly played the quintessential “damsel in distress” who finds love, in her movies. She had five adopted kids and became a recluse in her later years.
 10 
Marc Bolan
(English singer-songwriter known for his acoustic guitar-based songs.)
Marc Bolan
19
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: September 30, 1947
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: London, England
Died: September 16

Marc Bolan was a British singer, songwriter, poet, musician, and record producer. Best remembered for his association with the rock band T. Rex, Bolan is often counted among the pioneers of the glam rock movement. Bolan is also credited with founding the band Tyrannosaurus Rex. In 2020, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

 11 
Wernher Von Braun
(Known as Father of Rocket Science)
Wernher Von Braun
24
Birthdate: March 23, 1912
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Wyrzysk, Poland
Died: June 16

German-born American aerospace engineer and space architect, Wernher Von Braun, worked in Nazi Germany's rocket development program as a young man. After World War II, he moved to the United States where he became a pioneer of rocket and space technology in the nation. In his later career, he became director of the newly formed Marshall Space Flight Center.

 12 
Matthew Adam Garber
(British Child Actor)
Matthew Adam Garber
11
Birthdate: March 25, 1956
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Stepney, London, England
Died: June 13

Matthew Adam Garber was a British child actor who achieved popularity after playing Michael Banks in the 1964 musical fantasy film, Mary Poppins. Garber appeared in two other movies before retiring from acting. Regarded as a spirited and bright boy, Garber enjoyed playing sports and reading books. He died at the age of 21 due to pancreatitis.

 13 
Vladimir Nabokov
(Best Known For His Novels 'Lolita' and 'Pale Fire')
Vladimir Nabokov
8
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: April 23, 1899
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Saint Petersburg, Russia
Died: July 2
Russian author Vladimir Nabokov, also known by his pen name, Vladimir Sirin, is best remembered for his controversial novel Lolita. His other works include the novel Pale Fire and his memoir, Speak, Memory. He was also an entomologist, specializing in lepidoptery. He also liked composing chess problems.
 14 
Francis Gary Powers
(American Military Officer)
Francis Gary Powers
8
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: August 17, 1929
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Jenkins, Kentucky, United States
Died: August 1

Francis Gary Powers was an American pilot. His Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) U-2 spy plane was shot down in what came to be known as the 1960 U-2 incident. He was performing photographic aerial reconnaissance deep inside Soviet territory when the incident occurred. He survived and later worked as a helicopter pilot for KNBC in Los Angeles.

 15 
Clementine Churchill
(Wife of Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom)
Clementine Churchill
6
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: April 1, 1885
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Mayfair, London, England
Died: December 12
Clementine Churchill, wife of British prime minister Winston Churchill, worked with the Red Cross, to aid Russia, and with the YWCA War War Time Appeal, during World War II. She also managed canteens for YMCA during World War I. She received numerous accolades, including the CBE and a life peerage.
 16 
Peter Finch
(Best Known for His Role as ‘Howard Beale’ in the Film ‘Network’)
Peter Finch
7
Birthdate: September 28, 1916
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: South Kensington, London, England
Died: January 14
English-Australian actor Peter Finch is best known as Howard Beale from the movie Network, a role that won him a posthumous Academy Award. Fans also loved his BAFTA-winning role of Daniel Hirsh in Sunday Bloody Sunday. He was also nominated for an Emmy for the TV film Raid on Entebbe.
 17 
Alice Paul
(American Quaker, Feminist, Suffragist, and Women's Rights Activist)
Alice Paul
11
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: January 11, 1885
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Mount Laurel Township, New Jersey, United States
Died: July 9

Alice Paul was an American Quaker, feminist, suffragist, and women's rights activist. She is best remembered for strategizing events like the Silent Sentinels and the Woman Suffrage Procession, which resulted in the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1920. Alice Paul often displayed courage while confronting police brutality for her activism.

 18 
Anais Nin
(French-Born American Novelist, Diarist and Short Story Writer)
Anais Nin
14
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: February 21, 1903
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Neuilly-sur-Seine, Paris, France
Died: January 14

French-Cuban-American diarist, essayist, and novelist Anais Nin wrote several volumes of journals, erotica, novels, critical studies, essays, and short stories. Her journals and diaries are among her most studied works. She had a deep interest in psychoanalysis and studied it extensively with René Allendy and Otto Rank. Critics consider her one of the finest writers of female erotica.

 19 
Andy Devine
(Actor)
Andy Devine
4
Birthdate: October 7, 1905
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
Died: February 18
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 20 
Zero Mostel
(Actor)
Zero Mostel
4
Birthdate: February 28, 1915
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, USA
Died: September 8
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 21 
Steve Gaines
(Musician)
Steve Gaines
13
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: September 14, 1949
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Miami, Oklahoma, USA
Died: October 20
 22 
Howard Hawks
(Director)
Howard Hawks
7
Birthdate: May 30, 1896
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Goshen, Indiana, United States
Died: December 26
 23 
Cassie Gaines
17
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: January 9, 1948
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Miami, Oklahoma, United States
Died: October 20
 24 
Roberto Rossellini
(Film director, Actor, Film producer, Playwright, Screenwriter, Racecar driver)
Roberto Rossellini
2
Birthdate: May 8, 1906
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Rome
Died: June 3

One of the pioneers of neo-realism, Italian filmmaker Roberto Rossellini was part of the French nouvelle vague movement. Born to the man who had set up Italy’s first cinema, Rossellini later grew up to make films such as Rome, Open City. He was also known for his scandalous affair with Ingrid Bergman.

 25 
Gummo Marx
(Actor, Comedian, Inventor)
Gummo Marx
2
Birthdate: October 23, 1892
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States
Died: April 21
 26 
Leopold Stokowski
(British Conductor)
Leopold Stokowski
2
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: April 18, 1882
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: London, England, United Kingdom
Died: September 13
 27 
Fannie Lou Hamer
(American Community Organizer and Women's Rights Activist)
Fannie Lou Hamer
10
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: October 6, 1917
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Montgomery County, Mississippi, United States
Died: March 14

Fannie Lou Hamer was an American community organizer and women's rights activist. She also played an important role in the civil rights movement. Hamer is credited with co-founding the Freedom Democratic Party as well as the National Women's Political Caucus. In 1993, Fannie Lou Hamer was made an inductee of the National Women's Hall of Fame.

 28 
Paul Desmond
(Jazz musician)
Paul Desmond
0
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: November 25, 1924
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: San Francisco, California, United States
Died: May 30
 29 
Ethel Waters
(Actor, Singer, Jazz musician, Stage actor)
Ethel Waters
6
Listed In:
Birthdate: October 31, 1896
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Chester County
Died: September 1
 30 
Lee Miller
(Photographer)
Lee Miller
2
Listed In: Photographers
Birthdate: April 23, 1907
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Poughkeepsie, New York, United States
Died: July 27
 31 
Anthony Eden
(Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1955 - 1957))
Anthony Eden
15
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: June 12, 1897
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Windlestone Hall, England
Died: January 14
Conservative politician Anthony Eden was the prime minister of England from 1955 to 1957. He had also served as the youngest British Army brigade-major during World War I. He earned a lot of criticism for his handling of the Suez Canal issue during his tenure as the prime minister.
 32 
Alan Reed
(Actor)
Alan Reed
1
Birthdate: August 20, 1907
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: New York City, USA
Died: June 14
 33 
Jean Hagen
(Actress)
Jean Hagen
1
Birthdate: August 3, 1923
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: August 29
 34 
Ethel Roosevelt Derby
(American Nurse and Youngest Daughter of Theodore Roosevelt)
Ethel Roosevelt Derby
2
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: August 13, 1891
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Oyster Bay (hamlet), New York
Died: December 10

Ethel Roosevelt Derby was an American nurse best remembered as the youngest daughter of Theodore Roosevelt. Ethel played an important role in preserving the legacy of her family home and the legacy of her father for future generations. Ethel Roosevelt Derby also played a prominent role during the First World War, serving as a nurse in France.

 35 
ʿAbd al-Ḥalīm Ḥāfiẓ
(Egyptian singer)
ʿAbd al-Ḥalīm Ḥāfiẓ
4
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: June 21, 1929
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Al-Ḥalāwāt, Egypt
Died: March 30
 36 
Kurt Schuschnigg
(Former Chancellor of Austria)
Kurt Schuschnigg
2
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: December 14, 1897
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Riva del Garda, Italy
Died: November 18

Kurt Schuschnigg was an Austrian politician who served as the Chancellor of Austria from 1934 to 1938. He opposed the annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany for which he was arrested in 1938. Schuschnigg was liberated by the US Army in 1945 post which he moved to the USA where he started working as a professor at Saint Louis University. 

 37 
Ruth Graves Wakefield
(American Chef Best Known as the Inventor of the Toll House Cookie, the First Chocolate Chip Cookie)
Ruth Graves Wakefield
0
Birthdate: June 17, 1903
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: East Walpole, Massachusetts, United States
Died: January 10
 38 
Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed
(5th President of India)
Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed
12
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: May 13, 1905
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Old Delhi, India
Died: February 11

Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed was an Indian politician and lawyer who served as the country's fifth president from 1974 to 1977. He became only the second Indian president to die in office. He was also only the second Muslim to serve as the president of India. He signed the proclaimation by which the Emergency was imposed in India

 39 
Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois
(Princess)
Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois
6
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: September 30, 1898
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Constantine, Algeria
Died: November 16
 40 
Megumi Yokota
(Writer)
Megumi Yokota
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: October 5, 1964
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Niigata Prefecture, Japan
Died: November 15

Megumi Yokota is a Japanese woman who was among at least 17 Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea. Yokota was kidnapped by a North Korean agent in 1977. Yokota has been missing for more than 43 years and several Japanese citizens have waged a campaign seeking her return. However, the North Korean government has claimed that she died in captivity.

 41 
Charles Alston
(Painter, Sculptor, Artist, Muralist, Teacher)
Charles Alston
5
Birthdate: November 28, 1907
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Charlotte
Died: April 27
 42 
John Edensor Littlewood
(Mathematician, University teacher)
John Edensor Littlewood
0
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: June 9, 1885
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Rochester
Died: September 6
 43 
Margaret Hayes
(Actress)
Margaret Hayes
0
Birthdate: December 5, 1916
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Died: January 26
 44 
Patricia Haines
12
Birthdate: February 3, 1932
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
Died: February 25
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 45 
Lutz Graf Schwerin von Krosigk
(Former Reich Minister of Finance)
Lutz Graf Schwerin von Krosigk
3
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: August 22, 1887
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Rathmannsdorf, Germany
Died: March 4
Lutz Graf Schwerin von Krosigk was a German politician who served as Germany's Finance Minister from 1932 to 1945. Krosigk and his ministry were largely responsible for the persecution of European and German Jews. One of the most important members of the Nazi Party, Lutz Graf Schwerin von Krosigk was also among the few members of the Hitler cabinet.
 46 
Roland Hayes
(African-American concert artist)
Roland Hayes
0
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: June 3, 1887
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Curryville, Georgia, United States
Died: January 1
 47 
Maureen Cusack
(Actress)
Maureen Cusack
0
Birthdate: November 24, 1920
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Glenties, County Donegal, Ireland
Died: December 18
 48 
Clarice Lispector
(Internationally Acclaimed Brazilian Novelist and Short Story Writer)
Clarice Lispector
3
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: December 10, 1920
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Chechel'nyk, Ukraine
Died: December 9

Clarice Lispector was a Ukrainian-born Brazilian short story writer and novelist. As a young woman, she entered the Law School of the University of Brazil and began her writing career while studying. She soon gained fame as a writer and won the prestigious Graça Aranha Prize for the best debut novel. She died of cancer at a relatively young age. 

 49 
Antonino Rocca
(Italian Argentine Professional Wrestler)
Antonino Rocca
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: April 13, 1921
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Treviso, Veneto, Italy
Died: March 15
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 50 
Niall MacGinnis
(Film actor)
Niall MacGinnis
1
Birthdate: March 29, 1913
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Dublin, County Dublin, History of Ireland (1801–1923) Ireland
Died: January 6