Famous People Who Died At 61

Ernest Hemingway was an American novelist and short-story writer who had a strong impact on 20th-century fiction. He published seven novels and six short-story collections and won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954. A Farewell to Arms, For Whom the Bell Tolls and The Old Man and the Sea are some of his classic works. He ended his own life in July 1961.

Anthony Bourdain was an American celebrity chef. He was also a renowned author, media personality and travel documentarian. His shows about the exploration of international culture and cuisine were very popular. Apart from writing several books on food and cooking and travel explorations, Bourdain also wrote fiction and historical non-fiction. In June 8, 2018, he died by suicide in France.

Versatile actor, Bill Paxton is recognised for his work in the movies, Apollo 13, Twister and Titanic, as well as the television series, Big Love. Before these, he began his career as a set-dresser, learnt acting under Stella Adler, did various minor roles and finally bagged films like The Terminator and Alien. His work as a director are Frailty and Fish Heads.

Canadian professional wrestler, amateur boxer, and actor, Roddy Piper, is best remembered for his work with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF).  He headlined multiple PPV events and hosted the popular WWF interview segment Piper's Pit. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. He also appeared in a few films and TV shows.

Miguel Ferrer was an American actor who achieved popularity after portraying Bob Morton in the 1987 cyberpunk superhero film RoboCop. His popularity led him to be featured in a couple of music videos. After his death at the age of 61, Peter David named Spider-Man 2099's alter ego after Miguel Ferrer.

A scientist, meteorologist, mathematician, and biologist, Gregor Mendel is considered the founder of the modern science of genetics. He conducted a series of experiments on pea plants between 1856 and 1863, establishing many rules of heredity. Besides his work on pea plants, he also described novel plant species and conducted experiments with hawkweed and honeybees.

Oliver Reed was an English actor who was considered one of the most bankable actors at the peak of his career. Characterized by his hellraiser lifestyle and macho image, Reed's problem with alcohol addiction was highly publicized and overshadowed his acting achievements. He often got into trouble because of his drinking habit and was once arrested for disturbing the peace.

Peter Lawford, a member of the "Rat Pack,” appeared in quite a few MGM films such as Son of Lassie and Two Sisters from Boston. He also appeared in series such as The Thin Man. His first wife, Patricia Helen Kennedy, was the sister of John F. Kennedy.

Mary Ann Evans, known by her pseudonym George Eliot, was an English poet, novelist, translator, and journalist. One of the most prominent writers of the Victorian era, Eliot's works are known for their psychological insight, realism, and detailed description of the countryside. Her novel Middlemarch was voted one of the greatest literary works in a 2007 poll conducted by Time.

Sergei Prokofiev was a Russian Soviet pianist, composer, and conductor. Renowned for creating masterpieces across various genres, Prokofiev is widely considered one of the 20th century's major composers. Many other composers like Arthur Honegger have called Prokofiev the greatest contemporary musician of all time. An open pianists' competition, which is held every year in Ukraine, is named after Sergei Prokofiev.

Puyi served as the final emperor of China's last imperial dynasty, The Qing dynasty. After Manchuria was invaded by Japan, Puyi became a puppet at the hands of the Japanese and was chosen as the emperor of the puppet state of Manchukuo. He then signed many edicts, given to him by the Japanese, including the one that made slavery legal.

Samuel de Champlain was a French colonist, navigator, draftsman, soldier, and explorer who made between 21 and 29 trips across the Atlantic Ocean. He founded Quebec and New France and is considered an important figure in Canadian history. He is also referred to as the "Father of New France." As a businessman, he founded many trading companies.

Walter Scott was a Scottish novelist, poet, historian, and playwright. Scott's ability as a writer and his knowledge of history made him a pioneering figure in the formation of the historical novel genre. An influential writer, many of his works remain classics of Scottish as well as English-language literature. Scott was admired by other prominent writers like Letitia Elizabeth Landon.

Japanese samurai and daimyō Toyotomi Hideyoshi of the Sengoku period, also known as the second Great Unifier of Japan, became the Chancellor of the Realm (Daijō-daijin) and Imperial Regent (kampaku). He constructed the Osaka Castle, banned slavery, and established the Tokugawa class system and the Council of Five Elders.

Samuel Coleridge was an English poet, philosopher, theologian, and literary critic. He is credited with co-founding the Romantic Movement in England along with his friend William Wordsworth. Despite struggling from bouts of depression and anxiety throughout his adult life, Samuel Coleridge had a major influence on American transcendentalism and writers like Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Prophet Muhammad was an Arab religious, political, and social leader. He is credited with founding the world's second-largest religion, Islam. He is believed to have been sent to preach and confirm the teachings of other prophets, such as Adam, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. He is also believed to have received revelations from God, which form the verses of the Quran.

Diego Velázquez was a Spanish painter who served as the most important artist in King Philip IV's court. The leading artist of the Spanish Golden Age, Velázquez's work served as a model for impressionist and realist painters of the 19th century. In the 20th century, personalities like Salvador Dalí and Pablo Picasso re-interpreted some of Velázquez's most iconic images.

The second prime minister of India, Lal Bahadur Shastri, was known for his environmental campaigns and his support for the White Revolution. His slogan "Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan,” during the 1965 Indo-Pakistan War, became immensely popular. He ended the war by signing the Tashkent Agreement, but died a day later.

Roman emperor Aurelian ruled from 270 to 275. His military triumphs reunited the Roman Empire and put an end to the Crisis of the Third Century. He built the Aurelian Walls in Rome. Known as the Restitutor Orbis, he defeated the barbarian armies of the Goths and the Alamanni.

Dan Duryea was an American actor best remembered for portraying negative roles. However, he was also renowned for his versatility as he played a wide variety of leading roles as well. He also became famous as a TV actor and played important roles in series like China Smith and The New Adventures of China Smith.

Raja Ram Mohan Roy was an Indian social and religious reformer. He is credited with co-founding the Brahmo Sabha, a social-religious reform movement. Often referred to as the Father of the Bengal Renaissance, Roy has had an influential role in fields like politics, education, and religion. In 2004, he was ranked 10th in BBC's Greatest Bengali of all time poll.

German scientist Paul Ehrlich is remembered for his contribution to immunology, which also won him a Nobel Prize. Known as the pioneer of chemotherapy, he also discovered the first-known treatment of syphilis. Born into a business family, he was introduced to the method of studying cells by his pathologist uncle.

As one half of the Swedish pop rock duo Roxette (with Per Gessle), singer and songwriter Marie Fredriksson enjoyed international fame in the 1980s-1990s with albums like Look Sharp! and Joyride. Their single It Must Have Been Love was featured in the movie Pretty Woman. Earlier, in Sweden ,she had also enjoyed success as a solo artist releasing numerous albums.

Andre Marie Ampere was a French physicist and mathematician. He is best known for being one of the founders of the science of classical electromagnetism. He was a professor at the École Polytechnique and the Collège de France and a member of the French Academy of Sciences. The base SI unit of electric current, the ampere, is named after him. 

Liu Xiaobo was a Chinese activist, literary critic, and philosopher. He is best remembered for organizing campaigns that aimed at ending the one-party rule in China. He was honored with the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize for his struggle for human rights in China. Liu is the first Chinese citizen to be honored with a Nobel Prize while residing in China.