Famous People Who Died At 26

The list of famous people who died at 26 includes Mac Miller, Sharon Tate, Otis Redding, John Wilkes Booth, Gia Carangi. Famous personalities featured on this list, include emperors & kings, political leaders, artists and poets and from other domains of life. This list of celebrities who died at 26 includes people from United States, United Kingdom, France & Italy and many more countries.
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 1 
Mac Miller
(Rapper Known for His Debut Studio Album 'Blue Slide Park')
Mac Miller
207
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: January 19, 1992
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: September 7, 2018

Before his death at the age of 26, Mac Miller had a major impact as a rapper and songwriter. Blue Slide Park, his studio album, became the first independently distributed maiden album since 1995 to top the US Billboard 200. His personal life was marred by depression, substance abuse, and legal issues. He died of drug overdose.

 2 
Sharon Tate
(Actress - Murdered by Members of the 'Manson Family')
Sharon Tate
50
Birthdate: January 24, 1943
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Dallas
Died: August 9, 1969

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.

 3 
Otis Redding
(Singer-songwriter)
Otis Redding
43
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: September 9, 1941
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Dawson, Georgia, United States
Died: December 10, 1967
The King of Soul Otis Redding, who had performed with the Pinetoppers, among others, is remembered for his track (Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay, released after his death in a plane crash. It became the first posthumous Billboard R&B- and Hot 100-topping record. He also won two posthumous Grammys
 4 
Jean Harlow
(American Actress Who was the Leading Sex Symbol of the Early 1930s)
Jean Harlow
26
Birthdate: March 3, 1911
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Kansas City, Missouri, United States
Died: June 7, 1937

Jean Harlow was an actress and sex symbol. Nicknamed the Platinum Blonde and Blonde Bombshell, Harlow was famous for her femme fatale screen persona. She became one of the biggest Hollywood stars despite being in the industry for not more than nine years. Her life and career inspired several movies, such as Harlow and Hughes and Harlow: Angels in Hell.

 5 
Gia Carangi
(First Women to Be Titled as Supermodel)
Gia Carangi
44
Listed In: Fashion
Birthdate: January 29, 1960
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died: November 18, 1986

A model who was active during the late 1970s and early 1980s, Gia Carangi was considered by many to be one of the first supermodels. She was featured on the covers of multiple fashion magazines, including editions of Vogue and Cosmopolitan. She also worked with various famous designers. She died of AIDS at the young age of 26.

 6 
Gram Parsons
(Singer, Singer-songwriter, Songwriter, Musician, Guitarist, Pianist)
Gram Parsons
7
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: November 5, 1946
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Winter Haven, Florida, United States
Died: September 19, 1973
 7 
Aaron Swartz
(Computer Programmer)
Aaron Swartz
36
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: November 8, 1986
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Chicago
Died: January 11, 2013
Aaron Swartz was an internet hacktivist, best remembered for creating the web feed RSS, Markdown, and Creative Commons. He also worked with Reddit and founded Demand Progress, which supports internet freedom. He was later charged with computer fraud after breaking into a system at MIT and eventually died by suicide.
 8 
Jon-Erik Hexum
5
Birthdate: November 5, 1957
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Englewood, New Jersey, United States
Died: October 18, 1984
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 9 
Merlin Santana
(Actor and Rapper)
Merlin Santana
15
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: March 14, 1976
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: November 9, 2002

Merlin Santana was an American actor who played important roles on TV series like The Cosby Show and The Steve Harvey Show. He was shot dead at the age of 26 by Damien Andre Gates who was later convicted of first-degree murder. Merlin Santana's untimely death was mourned by several celebrities.

 10 
Brian Piccolo
(American football player)
Brian Piccolo
4
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: October 31, 1943
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Pittsfield, Massachusetts, United States
Died: June 16, 1970
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 11 
Nick Drake
(English Singer-Songwriter)
Nick Drake
14
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: June 19, 1948
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Rangoon, Burma
Died: November 25, 1974

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.

 12 
Edmund Ironside
(King of the English from 23 April to 30 November 1016)
Edmund Ironside
4
Birthdate: 0990 AD
Birthplace: England
Died: November 30, 1016

Edmund Ironside was King of the English who reigned from 23 April to 30 November 1016. He earned his cognomen Ironside after displaying valor while resisting the Danish invasion, which was led by Cnut the Great. His life and work inspired the Elizabethan play Edmund Ironside and the 1970 TV film The Ceremony of Innocence.

 13 
Hillel Slovak
(Musician)
Hillel Slovak
7
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: April 13, 1962
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Haifa, Israel
Died: June 25, 1988
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 14 
Chris Henry
(American football player)
Chris Henry
13
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: May 17, 1983
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Belle Chasse, Louisiana, United States
Died: December 17, 2009
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
 15 
Jadwiga of Poland
(Former Queen of Poland (1384 - 1399))
Jadwiga of Poland
4
Birthdate: 1373 AD
Birthplace: Buda, Hungary
Died: July 17, 1399

Jadwiga of Poland reigned over the Kingdom of Poland as its first female monarch from 1384 until her death in 1399. Regarded as one of Poland's greatest rulers, Jadwiga is often compared to Casimir the Great and Bolesław the Brave. Also remembered for her charitable activities, Jadwiga of Poland established new schools, hospitals, and churches.

 16 
Alexander Severus
(Roman Emperor from 222 to 235)
Alexander Severus
4
Birthdate: October 1, 0208
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Arqa, Lebanon
Died: March 22, 0235

Alexander Severus reigned as the Roman emperor from 222 until his death in 235. He was the last emperor of the famous Severan dynasty. Alexander Severus’ death not only brought an end to the Severan dynasty, but also marked the beginning of the Crisis of the Third Century, a period of hardship during which the great Roman Empire almost collapsed.

 17 
William Barret Travis
(Military Leader)
William Barret Travis
11
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: August 1, 1809
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Saluda County, South Carolina, United States
Died: March 6, 1836
 18 
Ashleigh Aston Moore
(Child Actress)
Ashleigh Aston Moore
7
Birthdate: September 30, 1981
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Sunnyvale, California, United States
Died: December 10, 2007
Height: 5'3" (160 cm)
 19 
Masaccio
(One of the Best Painters of His Generation)
Masaccio
4
Birthdate: December 21, 1401
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: San Giovanni Valdarno, Italy
Died: 1428 AD

Masaccio was a Florentine artist best remembered for his skills at recreating lifelike figures and imitating nature. Widely regarded as the best painter of his generation, Masaccio employed foreshortenings and nudes in his paintings, which were rarely seen at that time. He is also considered the first great Italian artist of the Quattrocento period.

 20 
Niels Henrik Abel
(Mathematician)
Niels Henrik Abel
4
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: August 5, 1802
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Finnøy
Died: April 6, 1829

Born to a pastor, Norwegian mathematician Niels Henrik Abel first showcased his mathematical skills in his cathedral school and later became a pioneer of various mathematical concepts. He died of tuberculosis, amid poverty, before he could learn that he had been appointed to teach at the University of Berlin.

 21 
Toše Proeski
(Singer-songwriter)
Toše Proeski
7
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: January 25, 1981
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Prilep, North Macedonia
Died: October 16, 2007
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 22 
Louis X of France
(Former King of France (1314 - 1316))
Louis X of France
5
Birthdate: October 4, 1289
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: June 5, 1316

Louis X of France was the king of France from 1314 to 1316. He was the eldest son of Philip IV of France and Joan I of Navarre. He reigned for a very short time marked by turbulence and tensions. He abolished slavery and allowed serfs to buy their freedom. He died under mysterious circumstances in 1316, aged just 26. 

 23 
Jimmie Lee Jackson
(African American Civil Rights Activist)
Jimmie Lee Jackson
6
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: December 16, 1938
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Marion, Alabama, United States
Died: February 26, 1965
 24 
Mikhail Lermontov
(Russian Romantic Writer, Poet and Painter)
Mikhail Lermontov
3
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: October 15, 1814
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Moscow, Russia
Died: July 27, 1841

One of the most significant Russian romantic authors of the Golden Age of Russian Poetry, Mikhail Lermontov is remembered for his iconic novel A Hero of Our Time. His initial poems, such as Prisoner of the Caucasus, were highly Byronic. His writings laid the foundation for the Russian psychological novel.

 25 
Kamehameha II
(King)
Kamehameha II
1
Birthdate: 1797
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Hilo, Hawaii
Died: July 14, 1824
 26 
Okita Sōji
(Captain of the First Unit of the 'Shinsengumi', a Special Police Force in Kyoto During Late Shogunate Period)
Okita Sōji
2
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 1842 AD
Birthplace: Edo, Japan
Died: July 19, 1868

Okita Sōji was a Japanese military leader who served as the captain of the pilot batch of the Shinsengumi, Kyoto's special police force during the late shogunate period. Okita Sōji is often counted among the best swordsmen of the police force. Okita Sōji has been immortalized in various novels, manga series, and period dramas.

 27 
Frank P. Ramsey
(Mathematician, Philosopher, Economist)
Frank P. Ramsey
3
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: February 22, 1903
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Cambridge
Died: January 19, 1930

British philosopher and mathematician Frank P. Ramsey was the son of a famed mathematician and later laid down the Ramsey theory of mathematical logic. The Cambridge alumnus also translated Ludwig Wittgenstein’s Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus but died at age 26, probably due to a liver infection he contracted while swimming.

 28 
Nick Berg
(Victim of Terrorism)
Nick Berg
3
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: April 2, 1978
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: West Chester, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: May 7, 2004
 29 
Alexander I of Serbia
(Prince)
Alexander I of Serbia
2
Birthdate: August 14, 1876
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Belgrade
Died: June 11, 1903
 30 
Ulrike Maier
(Two-Time World Champion Austrian Alpine Ski Racer Who Died During a Downhill Race)
Ulrike Maier
2
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: October 22, 1967
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Rauris, Austria
Died: January 29, 1994

Austrian alpine ski racer Ulrike Maier was not just a 2-time Olympian but also a 2-time World Champion. Back when she competed, she was the only mother in the World Cup circuit. She died after breaking her neck in a downhill race in Germany at age 26.

 31 
Hobey Baker
(First American Star in Ice Hockey by the Hockey Hall of Fame)
Hobey Baker
2
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: January 15, 1892
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: December 21, 1918
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 32 
Lloyd Cadena
(Filipino YouTuber, Author, and Radio Personality)
Lloyd Cadena
9
Listed In: YouTubers
Birthdate: September 22, 1993
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Parañaque, Philippines
Died: September 4, 2020
Height: 5'4" (163 cm)
 33 
Li Tobler
(Swiss Model and Actress)
Li Tobler
2
Birthdate: November 30, 1948
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Switzerland
Died: May 19, 1975
 34 
Giovanni Battista Pergolesi
(Composer)
Giovanni Battista Pergolesi
3
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: January 4, 1710
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Iesi, Italy
Died: March 16, 1736
 35 
George Beurling
(Canadian Fighter Pilot)
George Beurling
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: December 6, 1921
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Verdun
Died: May 28, 1948
 36 
Sándor Petőfi
(Former Hungary’s National Poet, and Was One of the Key Figures of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848)
Sándor Petőfi
1
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: January 1, 1823
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Kiskőrös, Hungary
Died: July 31, 1849

Hungarian poet and revolutionary Sándor Petőfi is remembered as one of the pillars of the 1848 Hungarian Revolution, and his song Talpra Magyar became an anthem of the revolution. While he was initially part of the army, ill health got him dismissed soon. He also penned the epic fairy tale János vitéz.

 37 
Stjepan Filipović
(Yugoslav Croat Communist Leader Who Became an Icon of Resistance to Fascism)
Stjepan Filipović
2
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: January 27, 1916
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Croatia
Died: May 22, 1942

Yugoslav Croat communist Stjepan Filipović became an icon of opposition to fascism when a picture of him with his arms raised just prior to his execution by the Germans in 1942 became public. He was a major figure of the 1941 Partisan uprising in Serbia and was posthumously named People's Hero of Yugoslavia.

 38 
Alessandro de' Medici, Duke of Florence
(Duke)
Alessandro de' Medici, Duke of Florence
2
Birthdate: July 22, 1510
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Florence, Italy
Died: January 6, 1537
 39 
Peter Collins
(Former British Racing Driver Who Died in a Fatal Crash in the 1958 German Grand Prix)
Peter Collins
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: November 6, 1931
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Kidderminster, Worcestershire, England
Died: August 3, 1958

British racing-driver Peter Collins commenced his career at age 17 and gained-attention during Formula 3 races. He ranked third during the 1951 Autosport National Formula 3 Championship. He won the 1958 British Grand Prix and a couple of weeks later met with a fatal accident during the German Grand Prix. He was rushed to hospital, but died later that day.

 40 
Jimmy McCulloch
(Musician, Songwriter, Guitarist)
Jimmy McCulloch
1
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: June 4, 1953
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Dumbarton
Died: September 27, 1979
 41 
Anita Cobby
Anita Cobby
4
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: November 2, 1959
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Sydney
Died: February 2, 1986
 42 
Arnold Peralta
(Honduran Footballer Who Played as a Defensive Midfielder)
Arnold Peralta
5
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: March 29, 1989
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: La Ceiba, Honduras
Died: December 10, 2015
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 43 
John A. Bennett
(Soldier)
John A. Bennett
1
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: April 10, 1935
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Virginia, United States
Died: April 13, 1961
 44 
Rodney Culver
(American Football Player)
Rodney Culver
4
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: December 23, 1969
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan, United States
Died: May 11, 1996
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 45 
Cheb Hasni
(Singer)
Cheb Hasni
2
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: February 1, 1968
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Oran, Algeria
Died: September 29, 1994
 46 
Fats Navarro
(Jazz trumpet player, who was a pioneer of the bebop style of jazz improvisation in the 1940s)
Fats Navarro
0
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: September 24, 1923
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Key West, Florida, United States
Died: July 6, 1950
 47 
Chairil Anwar
(Indonesian Poet Known for His Poems ‘Aku’, ‘Diponegoro’ and ‘Doa’)
Chairil Anwar
3
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: July 26, 1922
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Medan, Indonesia
Died: April 28, 1949

Chairil Anwar was an Indonesian poet whose work dealt with themes like existentialism, individualism, and death. His works, which have been translated into Dutch, French, and English, are credited with helping the evolution of the Indonesian language. His death anniversary is observed as National Literature Day in Indonesia.

 48 
Elizabeth of the Trinity
(Writer)
Elizabeth of the Trinity
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: July 18, 1880
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Avord, Farges-en-Septaine, (Cher), France
Died: November 9, 1906
 49 
Guy Gibson
(Military personnel)
Guy Gibson
2
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: August 12, 1918
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Shimla
Died: September 19, 1944

Royal Air Force bomber pilot Guy Gibson was born in India but moved to England at age 6. While he was initially rejected by the RAF for his short stature, he was later accepted. He is best remembered for leading the 1943 Dambusters raid, which damaged two dams of Ruhr.

 50 
Napoléon Louis Bonaparte
(King)
Napoléon Louis Bonaparte
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: October 11, 1804
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: March 17, 1831