Famous People Who Died In 1981

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Discover the most famous people died who died in the year 1981. This list includes people like Bob Marley, Natalie Wood, Joe Louis, Albert Speer, Allen Ludden and many more. This list of celebrities is loosely sorted by popularity. People featured on this list, include political leaders, philosophers, psychologists and presidents who died in 1981. This list includes people from United States, United Kingdom, Germany & France and many more countries.
Vote for Your Favourite People Who Died In 1981
 1 
Bob Marley
(Jamaican Singer, Musician and Songwriter Who is Considered One of the Pioneers of Reggae)
Bob Marley
98
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: February 6, 1945
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Nine Mile, Jamaica
Died: April 11
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
 2 
Natalie Wood
(Actress)
Natalie Wood
39
Birthdate: July 20, 1938
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: San Francisco, California, United States
Died: November 29
Height: 5'2" (157 cm)
 3 
Terry Fox
(Canadian Activist Who Became a National Hero and an Inspirational Figure for His Battle Against Cancer)
Terry Fox
26
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: July 28, 1958
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Winnipeg, Canada
Died: June 28
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 4 
Joe Louis
(One of the Greatest and Most Influential Boxers of All Time.)
Joe Louis
15
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: May 13, 1914
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Chambers County, Alabama, United States
Died: April 12
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 5 
William Holden
(One of the Greatest Male Stars of Classical Hollywood Cinema)
William Holden
13
Birthdate: April 17, 1918
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: O'Fallon, Illinois, United States
Died: November 12
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 6 
Allen Ludden
(Game Show Host)
Allen Ludden
24
Birthdate: October 5, 1917
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Mineral Point, Wisconsin
Died: June 9
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 7 
Omar Bradley
(1st Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1949-53))
Omar Bradley
6
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: February 12, 1893
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Clark, Missouri, United States
Died: April 8
 8 
Anwar Sadat
(Former President of Egypt)
Anwar Sadat
13
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: December 25, 1918
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Mit Abu al-Kum
Died: October 6
 9 
Gloria Grahame
(Actress)
Gloria Grahame
7
Birthdate: November 28, 1923
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, USA
Died: October 5
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 10 
Jack Albertson
(Actor and Comedian Best Known for His Role as ‘John Cleary’ in the Film ‘The Subject Was Roses’)
Jack Albertson
4
Birthdate: June 16, 1907
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Malden, Massachusetts, United States
Died: November 25
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 11 
Bobby Sands
(Former Member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army Who Died on a Hunger Strike)
Bobby Sands
12
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: March 9, 1954
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Newtownabbey, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Died: May 5
 12 
Richard Boone
(Actor)
Richard Boone
2
Birthdate: June 18, 1917
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
Died: January 10
 13 
Harry Chapin
(Singer Best Known for His Folk Rock & Pop Rock Songs)
Harry Chapin
3
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: December 7, 1942
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Greenwich Village, New York, United States
Died: July 16
 14 
Moshe Dayan
(Israeli Military & Political Leader)
Moshe Dayan
11
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: May 20, 1915
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Degania Alef, Israel
Died: October 16
 15 
Robert Montgomery
(American actor)
Robert Montgomery
1
Birthdate: May 21, 1904
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Beacon, New York
Died: September 27
 16 
Edith Head
(Costume designer)
Edith Head
3
Birthdate: October 28, 1897
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: San Bernardino, California, United States
Died: October 24
Height: 5'1" (155 cm)
 17 
Jim Davis
(Actor)
Jim Davis
9
Birthdate: August 26, 1909
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Edgerton, Missouri, United States
Died: April 26
 18 
Hoagy Carmichael
(Pianist and singer who composed many classic songs, including "Star Dust" and "Heart and Soul.")
Hoagy Carmichael
3
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: November 22, 1899
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Bloomington, Indiana, United States
Died: December 27
 19 
Bill Haley
(Singer, bandleader, conductor,yodeler)
Bill Haley
3
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: July 6, 1925
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Detroit
Died: February 9
 20 
Gerry Bertier
(American football player)
Gerry Bertier
7
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: August 20, 1953
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Alexandria, Virginia, United States
Died: March 20
 21 
Ross Martin
(Actors)
Ross Martin
4
Birthdate: March 22, 1920
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Gródek, Poland
Died: July 3
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 22 
Samuel Barber
(Composer)
Samuel Barber
4
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: March 9, 1910
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: West Chester, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: January 23
 23 
Robert Moses
(49th Secretary of State of New York (1927 - 1929))
Robert Moses
3
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: December 18, 1888
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: New Haven, Connecticut, United States
Died: July 29
 24 
Adele Astaire
(Actor, Dancer, Stage actor)
Adele Astaire
5
Listed In: Dancers
Birthdate: September 10, 1896
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Omaha
Died: January 25
 25 
Savitri
(Indian Actress Known for Her Works Primarily in Telugu and Tamil Cinema)
Savitri
8
Birthdate: December 6, 1936
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Andhra Pradesh, India
Died: December 26
 26 
Harry Harlow
(Psychologist)
Harry Harlow
1
Birthdate: October 31, 1905
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Fairfield, Iowa, U.S.
Died: December 6
 27 
William Wyler
(Swiss-German-American Film Producer and Director)
William Wyler
3
Birthdate: July 1, 1902
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Mulhouse, France
Died: July 27
 28 
Paddy Chayefsky
(Screenwriter)
Paddy Chayefsky
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: January 29, 1923
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States
Died: August 1
 29 
Christy Brown
(Writer)
Christy Brown
2
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: June 5, 1932
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Crumlin, Dublin, Ireland
Died: September 7
 30 
Bernard Lee
(Actor)
Bernard Lee
4
Birthdate: January 10, 1908
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Brentford, Middlesex, England, UK
Died: January 16
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 31 
Mike Bloomfield
(singer, musician, guitarist, pianist)
Mike Bloomfield
3
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: July 28, 1943
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Chicago
Died: February 15
 32 
Will Durant
(American Writer Best Known for His Work 'The Story of Civilization')
Will Durant
1
Birthdate: November 5, 1885
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: North Adams, Massachusetts, United States
Died: November 7
 33 
Marcel Breuer
(Architect & Furniture Designer)
Marcel Breuer
3
Listed In: Architects
Birthdate: May 21, 1902
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Pécs, Austria-Hungary
Died: July 1
 34 
Omar Torrijos
(Elected official)
Omar Torrijos
8
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: February 13, 1929
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Santiago, Panama
Died: July 31
 35 
Francesca Woodman
(Photographer)
Francesca Woodman
3
Listed In: Photographers
Birthdate: April 3, 1958
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Denver
Died: January 19
 36 
William Saroyan
(American-Armenian novelist)
William Saroyan
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: August 31, 1908
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Fresno
Died: May 18
 37 
A. J. Cronin
(Scottish Novelist Best Known for His Novel 'The Citadel')
A. J. Cronin
2
Listed In: Physicians
Birthdate: July 19, 1896
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Cardross, Scotland
Died: January 6
 38 
Arthur O'Connell
(Actor)
Arthur O'Connell
0
Birthdate: March 29, 1908
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States
Died: May 18
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 39 
Jacques Lacan
(Psychoanalyst, Psychiatrist)
Jacques Lacan
6
Birthdate: April 13, 1901
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: September 9
 40 
Melvyn Douglas
(American Actor Who was Among One of the Few Performers to Win 'Triple Crown of Acting')
Melvyn Douglas
5
Birthdate: April 5, 1901
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Macon, Georgia, United States
Died: August 4
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 41 
Ann Harding
(Actress)
Ann Harding
1
Birthdate: August 7, 1902
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
Died: September 1
 42 
Bill Shankly
(Scottish Football Player and Manager)
Bill Shankly
7
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: September 2, 1913
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Glenbuck, Ayrshire, Scotland
Died: September 29
 43 
Hazel Scott
(Jazz Pianist)
Hazel Scott
6
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: June 11, 1920
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Port au Spain, Trinidad
Died: October 2
 44 
Harold Urey
(American Physical Chemist Who Won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1934 for the Discovery of Deuterium)
Harold Urey
1
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: April 29, 1893
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Walkerton, Indiana, United States
Died: January 5
 45 
Eric Williams
(Politician)
Eric Williams
1
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: September 25, 1911
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Died: March 29
 46 
Hans Adolf Krebs
(British Biologist Who was a Pioneer Scientist in the Study of Cellular Perspiration)
Hans Adolf Krebs
1
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: August 25, 1900
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Hildesheim, Germany
Died: November 22
 47 
Ziaur Rahman
(President of Bangladesh from 1977 to 1981)
Ziaur Rahman
10
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: January 19, 1936
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Bangladesh
Died: May 30
 48 
Wally Wood
(Former Comic book artist, illustrator and cartoonist best known for his work on the humor magazine, Mad)
Wally Wood
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: June 17, 1927
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Menahga, Minnesota, United States
Died: November 2
 49 
George Jessel
(Actor)
George Jessel
0
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: April 3, 1898
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States
Died: May 23
 50 
Mike Hailwood
(One of the Few Men to Participate at Grand Prix Level in Both Car and Motorcycle Racing)
Mike Hailwood
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: April 2, 1940
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Great Milton, Oxfordshire, England
Died: March 23