Famous People Who Died At 66

The list of famous people who died at 66 includes Lizzie Borden, Indira Gandhi, Marie Curie, Tom Clancy, Tom Petty. Famous personalities featured on this list, include political leaders, artists, poets and actors and from other domains of life. This list of celebrities who died at 66 includes people from United States, United Kingdom, Germany & Italy and many more countries.
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 1 
Marie Curie
(The First Woman to Win a Nobel Prize)
Marie Curie
130
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: November 7, 1867
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Warsaw, Poland
Died: July 4, 1934
Amongst the most notable scientists of her time, the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, the sole person to win two Nobel Prize in two different category, and the first woman professor at the University of Paris—Marie Curie’s list of achievements is incredible. She did extensive research in the field of radioactivity and discovered polonium and radium.
 2 
Tom Petty
(Rock Singer, Guitarist)
Tom Petty
54
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: October 20, 1950
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Gainesville, Florida, United States
Died: October 2, 2017

A rock icon and creator of sprit-lifting songs, Thomas Earl Petty was one of the defining musicians of the 1970s and the lead vocalist and guitarist of the band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Writing songs and creating music up till his last breath, Petty is noted for positivity and self- liberation themed songs, a rarity in rock music.

 3 
Charlemagne
(1st Emperor of the Romans from 800 to 814)
Charlemagne
54
Birthdate: April 2, 0747
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Aachen, Germany
Died: January 28, 0814

Also known as Charles the Great, Charlemagne ruled as the king of the Franks, king of the Lombards, and emperor of the Romans at different time periods. Not surprisingly, he had a major impact during the Early Middle Ages as he went about uniting the majority of central and western Europe, for which he is called the Father of Europe.

 4 
Jesse Owens
(American Track and Field Athlete Who Won Four Gold Medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics)
Jesse Owens
37
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: September 12, 1913
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Oakville, Alabama, United States
Died: March 31, 1980

Widely regarded as one of the greatest track and field athletes of all time, Jesse Owens' three world records in less than an hour in 1935 came to be known as the greatest 45 minutes ever in sports. He was credited with destroying Adolf Hitler's myth of Aryan supremacy when he won four gold medals at the 1936 Summer Olympics.

 5 
Oskar Schindler
(German Industrialist and Member of Nazi Party Who Saved the Lives of 1,200 Jews During the Holocaust)
Oskar Schindler
17
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: April 28, 1908
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Svitavy, Czechia
Died: October 9, 1974

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.

 6 
Rumi
(Persian Poet)
Rumi
59
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: September 30, 1207
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Balkh, Afghanistan
Died: December 17, 1273

Rumi was a Persian poet and Sufi mystic whose spiritual legacy has been attracting praises for the past 800 years! Often described as the best-selling and most popular poet in the US, Rumi's poems are widely read today in many countries. His poetry has influenced the literary traditions of many languages, such as Pashto, Urdu, Chagatai, and Ottoman Turkish.

 7 
Cesar Chavez
(American Labour Leader, Civil Rights Activist and Co-Founder of the ‘National Farm Workers Association’)
Cesar Chavez
38
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: March 31, 1927
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Yuma, Arizona, United States
Died: April 23, 1993
Cesar Chavez became a Latin American civil rights icon owing to his efforts to secure rights for farmworkers. He co-founded the National Farm Workers Association, which later became the United Farm Workers union. He was inspired by Gandhian non-violent protests and organized the Delano grape strike, among other protests.
 8 
Langston Hughes
(One of the Earliest Innovators of the Literary Art Form Called Jazz Poetry)
Langston Hughes
38
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: February 1, 1901
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Joplin, Missouri, United States
Died: May 22, 1967

Langston Hughes is best remembered as a prominent leader of the Harlem Renaissance. He was one of the first to write jazz poetry. He also wrote plays and short stories. He was a columnist for The Chicago Defender and wrote the iconic poem The Negro Speaks of Rivers.

 9 
Andrew Johnson
(17th President of the United States)
Andrew Johnson
23
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: December 29, 1808
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Raleigh, North Carolina, United States
Died: July 31, 1875

The 17th president of the United States, Andrew Johnson assumed the presidency while serving as the vice president when Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. Born in poverty, Andrew Johnson did not attend school. However, he worked his way up to become a prominent politician—an inspiring story indeed!

 10 
Joe Louis
(One of the Greatest and Most Influential Boxers of All Time.)
Joe Louis
17
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: May 13, 1914
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Chambers County, Alabama, United States
Died: April 12, 1981
Boxer Joe Louis, or the Brown Bomber, was the world heavyweight champion from 1937 to 1949 and was the longest-reigning (single) heavyweight champion. The International Boxing Research Organization declared him the best heavyweight boxer of all time. He was also a skilled golfer and appeared in a 1952 PGA event.
 11 
Tom Clancy
(American Author Best Known for His Novel ‘The Hunt for Red October’)
Tom Clancy
15
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: April 12, 1947
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Died: October 1, 2013
Tom Clancy is best remembered for his espionage- and war-themed novels, many of which, such as The Hunt for Red October, The Sum of All Fears, and Clear and Present Danger, have been made into hit films. He was also a co-owner of the MLB team Baltimore Orioles
 12 
John Steinbeck
(American Writer and Winner of the 1962 Nobel Prize in Literature)
John Steinbeck
5
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: February 27, 1902
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Salinas, California, United States
Died: December 20, 1968

Famous for his novels The Grapes of Wrath and Tortilla Flat, John Ernst Steinbeck was noted for his sympathy for the plight of workers in his books. The Nobel laureate, who said he did not deserve the prize, authored 33 books, some of which were best sellers during his time. His books were also adapted into films.

 13 
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
(Philosopher, Writer, & Composer Whose Political Philosophy Influenced the Progress of the Age of Enlightenment)
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
30
Birthdate: June 28, 1712
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Geneva, Switzerland
Died: July 2, 1778

Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a Genevan philosopher, composer, and writer. His political philosophy influenced aspects of the French Revolution. He also helped develop modern economic, political, and educational thought. His writing inspired a transformation in French drama and poetry. His works also influenced such writers around the world as Tolstoy. His works as a composer were acknowledged by composers like Mozart.

 14 
Michael Crichton
(Best Known as the Author of “Jurassic Park” and the creator of the TV Drama “ER”)
Michael Crichton
9
Birthdate: October 23, 1942
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: November 4, 2008

Michael Crichton was an American filmmaker and author. He wrote several science-fiction books, which have sold more than 200 million copies. Many of his books, such as The Andromeda Strain, Jurassic Park, Congo, Rising Sun, and Disclosure, have been adapted into highly successful films. He is also credited with creating the popular medical drama TV series, ER.

 15 
Dudley Moore
(Actor, Comedian and One of the Four Writer-Performers in the Comedy Revue ‘Beyond the Fringe’)
Dudley Moore
3
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: April 19, 1935
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Charing Cross Hospital, London, United Kingdom
Died: March 27, 2002
Dudley Moore was a prominent figure of the 1960s’ British satire boom. He is best known for writing the stage revue Beyond the Fringe and was also part of the sketch comedy Not Only... But Also. He delivered an Academy Award-nominated and Golden Globe-winning performance in the comedy film Arthur
 16 
Davy Jones
(Musician)
Davy Jones
16
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: December 30, 1945
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Openshaw, Manchester, England
Died: February 29, 2012
Height: 5'3" (160 cm)
 17 
Fred Gwynne
(Best Known for His Roles in the 1960s Sitcoms: ‘Car 54, Where Are You?’ and 'The Munsters')
Fred Gwynne
4
Birthdate: July 10, 1926
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States
Died: July 2, 1993

Best known for his towering height, Fred Gwynne was the perfect choice for the role of Herman Munster in The Munsters. The actor and singer was a Harvard alumnus. He excelled in swimming and had also served the U.S. Navy. He later also wrote and illustrated popular children’s books.

 18 
Juan Gabriel
(Singer)
Juan Gabriel
27
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: January 7, 1950
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Parácuaro, Michoacán, Mexico
Died: August 28, 2016
Regarded by many as Mexico’s Elvis Presley, singer Juan Gabriel sold more than 60 million records, while his songs have been translated to languages such as Japanese and French. Though never married, he had six children, two of them with his domestic employees. Interestingly, some tabloids suggested he was gay.
 19 
Ernest Rutherford
(New Zealand Physicist Who is Known as the Father of Nuclear Physics)
Ernest Rutherford
35
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: August 30, 1871
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Brightwater, New Zealand
Died: October 19, 1937

New Zealand physicist Ernest Rutherford is remembered as the father of nuclear physics. His discovery of radioactive half-life and of radon, and his differentiation of alpha and beta radiation, won him the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1908. Element 104 was named rutherfordium in his honor.

 20 
Garry Shandling
(Stand-up Comedian)
Garry Shandling
15
Birthdate: November 29, 1949
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Chicago
Died: March 24, 2016

Garry Shandling was initially a sitcom writer and then performed as a stand-up comedian on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He later soared to fame with his own shows, It's Garry Shandling's Show and the Emmy-winning The Larry Sanders Show. He has also hosted the Grammy and Emmy Awards.

 21 
Joseph Conrad
(Known for Short Stories and Novels Like Lord Jim, Heart of Darkness and the Secret Agent)
Joseph Conrad
7
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: December 3, 1857
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Berdychiv, Ukraine
Died: August 3, 1924

Joseph Conrad was a Polish-British writer. Considered one of the greatest English-language novelists of all time, Conrad is credited with bringing a non-English sensibility into English-language literature. Many of his works have inspired several films, TV series, and video games. His anti-heroic characters and narrative style have influenced many authors like Salman Rushdie, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and T. S. Eliot.

 22 
Diocletian
(Roman Emperor)
Diocletian
8
Birthdate: December 22, 0244
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Salona (now Solin, Croatia)
Died: December 3, 0311
Diocletian was the Roman emperor from 284 to 305. Some of the significant policies introduced by him were the Edict on Maximum Prices and the Diocletianic Persecution of Christianity. He also established a tetrarchy, including Maximian, Galerius, and Constantius as co-emperors. He also expanded the empire’s civil and military services.
 23 
Indira Gandhi
(3rd Prime Minister of India)
Indira Gandhi
75
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: November 19, 1917
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India
Died: October 31, 1984

The third Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi served as PM from 1966 till 1977 and then again from 1980 till her assassination in October 1984. She is considered one of India’s strongest PM and is hailed for leading India to victory over Pakistan in 1971, which resulted in the creation of Bangladesh. However, she is also categorised as authoritarian and is criticised for imposing Emergency in 1975.

 24 
Montesquieu
(Political Philosopher Who Gave the Doctrine of 'Separation of Powers')
Montesquieu
4
Birthdate: January 18, 1689
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: La Brède, France
Died: February 10, 1755

French Enlightenment political philosopher, historian, judge, and man of letters Montesquieu remains the main source of the separation of powers system that is followed in many constitutions across the globe. His treatise The Spirit of the Laws on political theory greatly influenced work of many others, including drafting of the U.S. Constitution by the founding fathers of the United States.

 25 
Marvelous Marvin Hagler
(American Professional Boxer )
Marvelous Marvin Hagler
14
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: May 23, 1954
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Newark, New Jersey, United States
Died: March 13, 2021

Marvelous Marvin Hagler was an American boxer and actor who reigned as the middleweight division's undisputed champion from 1980 to 1987, during which he had 12 successful title defenses. Regarded as one of the greatest middleweight boxers of all time, Hagler was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame as well as the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

 26 
Roxie Roker
(Best Known for Her Role as ‘Helen Willis’ in the TV Series ‘The Jeffersons’)
Roxie Roker
17
Birthdate: August 28, 1929
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Miami, Florida, United States
Died: December 2, 1995
Roxie Roker, mother of Lenny Kravitz, was best known for her portrayal of Helen Willis in the sitcom The Jeffersons. She and Franklin Cover played an interracial couple in the series, which was the first such instance on primetime TV. She was also associated with the Negro Ensemble Company.
 27 
Walter Raleigh
(English Statesman, Soldier, Writer, Explorer and One of the Most Notable Figures of the Elizabethan Era)
Walter Raleigh
9
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 1552 AD
Birthplace: Hayes Barton,United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Died: October 29, 1618
English explorer Walter Raleigh is best remembered for his involvement in the Siege of Smerwick and for colonizing North America. He made smoking tobacco popular in England. His accounts of his first voyage to South America led to the legend of El Dorado. He was executed to please the Spanish.
 28 
Rezā Shāh
(Shah of Iran from 1925 to 1941)
Rezā Shāh
30
Birthdate: March 15, 1878
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Alasht, Iran
Died: July 26, 1944

Rezā Shāh was a military colonel who founded the Pahlavi dynasty and reigned as the Shah of Iran from December 1925 to September 1941. He was also the prime minister of Iran from October 1923 to November 1925. His tenure saw the introduction of many social, economic, and political reforms, and he is regarded as the founder of modern Iran. 

 29 
Oona O'Neill
(Actor)
Oona O'Neill
5
Birthdate: May 14, 1925
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Warwick Parish, Bermuda
Died: September 27, 1991
 30 
Dale Carnegie
(Self-Help Writer, Motivational Guru, Public Speaker)
Dale Carnegie
8
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: November 24, 1888
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Maryville, Missouri, United States
Died: November 1, 1955
Writer and academic Dale Carnegie is best remembered for his work on courses in areas such as corporate training, self-improvement, and salesmanship. He started his career as a salesperson. He wrote many books, including the international bestseller How to Win Friends and Influence People, and was a successful lecturer, too.
 31 
John Stuart Mill
(The Most Influential English-Speaking Philosopher of the Nineteenth Century)
John Stuart Mill
9
Birthdate: May 20, 1806
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Pentonville, London, England
Died: May 7, 1873
Nineteenth-century philosopher John Stuart Mill is best remembered for his work On Liberty, which spoke of personal freedom and "the harm principle.” His The Subjection of Women was one of the first works written by a male author that promoted women's rights. He supported Jeremy Bentham's ethical utilitarianism.
 32 
Tallulah Bankhead
(American Actress)
Tallulah Bankhead
13
Birthdate: January 31, 1902
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Huntsville, Alabama, United States
Died: December 12, 1968
Tallulah Bankhead was the daughter of former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives William Brockman Bankhead. She also gained fame for her role in Alfred Hitchcock's Lifeboat. She had also been part of radio and TV shows. She had a life riddled with bisexual promiscuity and alcoholism.
 33 
Bubba Smith
(American football player)
Bubba Smith
11
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: February 28, 1945
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Orange, Texas, United States
Died: August 3, 2011
Height: 6'7" (201 cm)
 34 
Robert Koch
(Physician)
Robert Koch
8
Listed In: Physicians
Birthdate: December 11, 1843
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany
Died: May 27, 1910

Robert Koch was a German microbiologist and physician. One of the prominent co-founders of modern bacteriology, Koch is credited with creating and improving laboratory techniques and technologies in the field of microbiology. He is also credited with making important discoveries in public health. In 1905, Robert Koch won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his research on tuberculosis.

 35 
Mark Rothko
(American Painter Known or His Abstract Expressionism and Color Field Paintings)
Mark Rothko
9
Birthdate: September 25, 1903
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Daugavpils, Latvia
Died: February 25, 1970

Considered part of the New York school of painters of the 1940s, Mark Rothko was best known for his signature color field paintings, consisting of vertically set rectangular patches of color. A significant figure of the Abstract Expressionist movement, he also experimented with murals and mythological themes.

 36 
Herb Brooks
(American Ice Hockey Coach)
Herb Brooks
7
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: August 5, 1937
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States
Died: August 11, 2003
 37 
Thich Quang Duc
(Former Vietnamese monk who burned himself to death at a busy Saigon road intersection on 11 June 1963)
Thich Quang Duc
22
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: 1897 AD
Birthplace: Hội Khánh, Vietnam
Died: June 11, 1963
 38 
Benito Juarez
(Lawyer, Politician)
Benito Juarez
17
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: March 21, 1806
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: San Pablo Guelatao, Mexico
Died: July 18, 1872

Benito Juarez was a Mexican lawyer and politician. He served as the 26th president of Mexico from 1858 to 1872, becoming the first president of Mexico who was of indigenous origin. He died of a heart attack in 1872. To date,  he is revered as "a preeminent symbol of Mexican nationalism and resistance to foreign intervention." 

 39 
W. C. Fields
8
Birthdate: January 29, 1880
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Darby, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: December 25, 1946
 40 
Gene Pitney
(Singer-songwriter)
Gene Pitney
12
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: February 17, 1940
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Hartford, Connecticut, United States
Died: April 5, 2006
 41 
Hieronymus Bosch
13
Birthdate: 1450 AD
Birthplace: Burgundian Netherlands
Died: August 9, 1516
Hieronymus Bosch was a Dutch painter and a significant figure of the Early Netherlandish painting school. Most of his works are made of oil on oak wood and consist of religious themes and dark depictions of Hell. One of his notable works is The Garden of Earthly Delights.
 42 
W. H. Auden
(One of the Greatest Authors of 20th Century)
W. H. Auden
3
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: February 21, 1907
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: York, England, United Kingdom
Died: September 29, 1973

W. H. Auden was an Anglo-American poet. His poetry was noted for its technical achievement and versatility. He wrote poems on love, political and social themes, and cultural and psychological themes. Throughout his career, Auden was both influential and controversial. His personal life also attracted attention as he had sexual relationships with men, which was unusual at the time.

 43 
Ron Cephas Jones
7
Birthdate: January 8, 1957
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Paterson, New Jersey, United States
Died: August 19, 2023
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 44 
Terry Pratchett
(Humorist)
Terry Pratchett
4
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: April 28, 1948
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Beaconsfield, England
Died: March 12, 2015
 45 
Jill Clayburgh
(Actress)
Jill Clayburgh
5
Birthdate: April 30, 1944
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States
Died: November 5, 2010
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 46 
Henry the Navigator
(Portuguese Prince and Main Initiator of Age of Discovery)
Henry the Navigator
11
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: March 4, 1394
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Porto, Portugal
Died: November 13, 1460
Henry the Navigator was a central figure in the 15th-century European maritime expansion and maritime discoveries. He is credited with the early development of Portuguese maritime trade and exploration. He is also credited with developing a new and much lighter ship called the caravel, which changed the way sailors sailed at that time. 
 47 
James Ingram
(Singer)
James Ingram
5
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: February 16, 1952
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Akron, Ohio, USA
Died: January 29, 2019
 48 
Moshe Dayan
(Israeli Military & Political Leader)
Moshe Dayan
12
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: May 20, 1915
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Degania Alef, Israel
Died: October 16, 1981

Born to Ukrainian Jewish immigrants, military leader/politician Moshe Dayan, grew up to be an revered for his exploits against Israel’s Arab neighbors. His invasion of the Sinai peninsula is etched in his memoir, Diary of the Sinai Campaign. Following his death, his eye patch was sold on eBay for US$75,000.

 49 
Mobutu Sese Seko
(President of Zaire (1965 - 1997))
Mobutu Sese Seko
20
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: October 14, 1930
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Lisala, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Died: September 7, 1997

Mobutu Sese Seko was a Congolese military officer and politician. From 1965 to 1997, Mobutu served as the president of Zaire. During his long reign as the president, Mobutu garnered notoriety for nepotism and corruption. His life and work inspired Belgian filmmaker, Thierry Michel, to make a three-part documentary titled Mobutu, King of Zaire.

 50 
Marcia Strassman
1
Birthdate: April 28, 1948
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: October 24, 2014
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)