Died On December 15th

Discover the most famous people who died on December 15. The list includes people like Walt Disney, Christopher Hitchens, Wolfgang Pauli, Sitting Bull, Johannes Vermeer. Famous personalities featured on this list, include actors, political leaders, journalists and military leaders and from other domains of life. This list includes people from United States, United Kingdom, India and many more countries.
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 1 
Walt Disney
(Pioneer of the American Animation Industry)
Walt Disney
109
Birthdate: December 5, 1901
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: 1966

Walt Disney is considered to be the forerunner of the American animation industry. He has won 22 Oscars and holds the record for most Academy Awards earned by an individual as a film producer. His The Walt Disney Company‍ has produced many successful animation films. He later established amusement theme park, Disneyland, in 1955, which has since grown manifold.

 2 
Sitting Bull
(Warrior)
Sitting Bull
8
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 1831 AD
Birthplace: Grand River
Died: 1890
Hunkpapa Lakota leader Sitting Bull is symbolic of the Native American resistance against the U.S. government. After the Battle of the Little Bighorn, he surrendered and performed at Buffalo Bill's Wild West show. The U.S. government, fearing he might join the Ghost Dance Movement, killed him during an attempted arrest.
 3 
Johannes Vermeer
(One of the Greatest Painters of the Dutch Golden Age)
Johannes Vermeer
14
Birthdate: October 31, 1632
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Delft, Netherlands
Died: 1675

Johannes Vermeer was a Dutch painter renowned for his use of light in paintings. Although he did not achieve fame during his lifetime, Vermeer's works gained popularity in the 19th century. Today, Vermeer is often counted among the greatest painters of the Dutch Golden Age. Over the years, Vermeer's work has inspired artists like Wilhelm Hammershoi and Thomas Wilmer Dewing.

 4 
Joan Fontaine
(One of the Leading Actresses of the Hollywood During the 'Golden Age')
Joan Fontaine
7
Birthdate: October 22, 1917
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Tokyo, Japan
Died: 2013

Joan Fontaine was a prominent Hollywood actress during the Golden Age. In a career that spanned more than 50 years, she won an Academy Award, becoming the only actor to win the award for a Hitchcock film - Suspicion. Apart from working as an actress, Joan Fontaine was also a licensed pilot, Cordon Bleu-level chef, and well-known interior decorator.

 5 
Glenn Miller
(Trombonist)
Glenn Miller
16
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: March 1, 1904
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Clarinda, Iowa, United States
Died: 1944
 6 
Christopher Hitchens
(British-American Author Who is Known for Excoriating Criticisms of Public Contemporary Figures)
Christopher Hitchens
20
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: April 13, 1949
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Portsmouth, England
Died: 2011

Christopher Hitchens was an advocate for New Atheism and a harsh critic of religion and of famous personalities such as Bill Clinton and Mother Teresa. He authored and edited many books on socio-political issues. As a journalist, he wrote for well-known publications such as New Statesman and The Weekly Standard.

 7 
Charles Laughton
(One of Most Versatile Performers of His Generation)
Charles Laughton
9
Birthdate: July 1, 1899
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England
Died: 1962
Charles Laughton is best known for his Academy Award-winning performance in The Private Life of Henry VIII and his Academy Award-nominated roles in Mutiny on the Bounty and Witness for the Prosecution. He played Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. He was also a skilled Shakespearean theater actor.
 8 
Blake Edwards
(American Film Director, Producer and Screenwriter)
Blake Edwards
12
Birthdate: July 26, 1922
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States
Died: 2010
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 9 
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
(First Deputy Prime Minister of India and First Home Minister of India)
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
29
Listed In: Lawyers & Judges
Birthdate: October 31, 1875
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Nadiad, Gujarat, India
Died: 1950

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was an Indian politician who played an influential role in the Indian independence movement. Dubbed the Iron Man of India and Unifier of India, Sardar Patel played an important role in integrating various princely states into a united, independent nation. In 2018, the world's tallest statue called the Statue of Unity was dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

 10 
Bell Hooks
Bell Hooks
13
Birthdate: September 25, 1952
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Hopkinsville, Kentucky, United States
Died: 2021
 11 
Craig Sager
(Journalist)
Craig Sager
3
Birthdate: June 29, 1951
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Batavia, Illinois, U.S.
Died: 2016
 12 
Fats Waller
(Jazz Pianist)
Fats Waller
9
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: May 21, 1904
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: New York City
Died: 1943
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 13 
Chill Wills
3
Birthdate: July 18, 1902
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Seagoville, Texas, United States
Died: 1978
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 14 
Wolfgang Pauli
(One of the Pioneers of Quantum Physics and Winner of 1945 Nobel Prize for Physics)
Wolfgang Pauli
5
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: April 25, 1900
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Vienna, Austria
Died: 1958

Nobel Prize-winning Austrian physicist Wolfgang Pauli is remembered for his contribution to quantum physics and for laying down the Pauli principle. While he was initially married to a cabaret dancer, the marriage ended in a divorce after a year. His written works are considered classics in science.

 15 
Lennard Pearce
4
Birthdate: February 9, 1915
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Paddington, London, England
Died: 1984
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 16 
Bob Feller
(Baseball player)
Bob Feller
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: November 3, 1918
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Van Meter, Iowa, United States
Died: 2010
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 17 
Anthony Wayne
(Senior Officer of the United States Army (1792-96))
Anthony Wayne
5
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: January 1, 1745
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Easttown Township, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: 1796
 18 
Darlanne Fluegel
0
Birthdate: November 25, 1953
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: 2017
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 19 
William Maugham
(Novelist & Playwright)
William Maugham
8
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: January 25, 1874
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: 1965
 20 
Kamehameha III
(King)
Kamehameha III
2
Birthdate: March 17, 1814
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Keauhou Bay, Kahaluu-Keauhou, Hawaii, United States
Died: 1854
 21 
Francisco Tárrega
(Spanish Composer and Classical Guitarist Known for His Work During the Romantic Period)
Francisco Tárrega
4
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: November 21, 1852
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Villarreal, Spain
Died: 1909

Francisco Tárrega was a Spanish composer and classical guitarist active during the Romantic period. He is often considered the father of classical guitar and is counted among the greatest guitarists of all time. He loved music from an early age and was able to build a successful career with his father’s encouragement. He died at the peak of his career. 

 22 
Jess Willard
(Boxer)
Jess Willard
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: December 29, 1881
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Pottawatomie County, Kansas
Died: 1968
Height: 6'6" (198 cm)
 23 
George Cayley
(British Engineer, Inventor and Aviator Known for Designing First Successful Human Glider)
George Cayley
1
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: December 27, 1773
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Scarborough, Yorkshire, England
Died: 1857

British engineer and inventor George Cayley was a pioneer of aeronautics and aviation. He designed the world’s first glider that could successfully carry a human being. He was also a prominent Whig and had contributed to the formation of what is now known as the University of Westminster.

 24 
Arthur Machen
(Welsh Author Best Known for His Influential Supernatural, Fantasy, and Horror Fiction)
Arthur Machen
2
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: March 3, 1863
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Caerleon, Monmouthshire, Wales
Died: 1947

Welsh writer Arthur Machen was a master of science-fiction and horror. He soared to fame with his novella The Great God Pan, which later achieved cult status. However, in spite of his literary fame, he continued to live in poverty, working as a journalist, a clerk, and a teacher.

 25 
Izaak Walton
(British Writer Best Known as the Author of 'The Compleat Angler')
Izaak Walton
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: August 9, 1593
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Stafford, England
Died: 1683

One of the greatest biographers of the 17th century, Izaak Walton was also a lover of fishing and had penned one of the most detailed treatises on fishing, The Compleat Angler. His notable works also include his biographies on John Donne and Henry Wotton. He was also a staunch Royalist.

 26 
Vasily Zaytsev
16
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: March 23, 1915
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Yeleninka, Russia
Died: 1991

Vasily Zaytsev was a Soviet sniper who played an important role during the Second World War. he killed 225 soldiers, including 11 enemy snipers during the Battle of Stalingrad. He became a much-respected sniper during the war and was later honored with the title Hero of the Soviet Union. His life and career have inspired several films and novels.

 27 
Ed Parker
(American Martial Artist, Actor, Senior Grandmaster, and Founder of American Kenpo Karate)
Ed Parker
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: March 19, 1931
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
Died: 1990
 28 
Anatole Litvak
(Director, Screenwriter, Producer)
Anatole Litvak
1
Birthdate: May 21, 1902
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Kiev, Russian Empire
Died: 1974

Anatole Litvak was a Russian-born American filmmaker. He was notable for bringing previously little-known actors to the spotlight and enabling them to win Academy Awards. French actors Charles Boyer and Danielle Darrieux and Swedish star Ingrid Bergman are among the ones he helped become internationally famous. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6633 Hollywood Blvd. 

 29 
William Proxmire
(Politician)
William Proxmire
1
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: November 11, 1915
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Lake Forest, Illinois, U.S
Died: 2005
 30 
Maggie Lena Draper Walker
(Entrepreneur)
Maggie Lena Draper Walker
0
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: July 15, 1864
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
Died: 1934
 31 
Harold Camping
(Radio personality, Civil engineer)
Harold Camping
4
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: July 19, 1921
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Boulder
Died: 2013

Californian evangelist and preacher Harold Camping made headlines when he incorrectly predicted the date of the Rapture, or the end of the world, to be May 21, 2011. Initially a civil engineer, Camping later came to be known for leading Family Radio, a Christian broadcast station, in its peak.

 32 
Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine
(Prince)
Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine
1
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: July 15, 1823
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Darmstadt, Hesse, Germany
Died: 1888
 33 
Billy Hamilton
(Baseball player)
Billy Hamilton
2
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: February 16, 1866
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Newark, New Jersey, United States
Died: 1940
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 34 
Claud Cockburn
(Journalist)
Claud Cockburn
0
Birthdate: April 12, 1904
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Beijing
Died: 1981
 35 
Chiang Fang-liang
(First Lady)
Chiang Fang-liang
1
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: May 15, 1916
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Orsha, Belarus
Died: 2004
 36 
Septima Poinsette Clark
(Educator)
Septima Poinsette Clark
1
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: May 3, 1898
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina
Died: 1987
 37 
Carlos P. Romulo
(Filipino Statesman, Diplomat, Journalist, Soldier, and Author)
Carlos P. Romulo
4
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: January 14, 1898
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Intramuros, Manila, Philippines
Died: 1985

Carlos P. Romulo was a Filipino statesman, diplomat, journalist, soldier, and author. He is best remembered for his service as the Minister of Foreign Affairs on three occasions between 1950 and 1984. Among several other important posts, he also held the office of the Secretary of Education from 1965 to 1967. Romulo was the recipient of numerous honors and awards.

 38 
Lady Margaret Lucas Cavendish
(philosopher, scientist, poet, science fiction writer)
Lady Margaret Lucas Cavendish
1
Birthdate: 1623 AD
Birthplace: Colchester, England
Died: 1673

Lady Margaret Lucas Cavendish was an English poet, philosopher, playwright, fiction writer, and scientist. Margaret, who had the audacity to publish her works without using a pen name at a time when female writers remained anonymous, was ahead of her time. Not surprisingly, she was considered eccentric and earned the nickname Mad Madge. Her works gained popularity in the 1980s.

 39 
Laurens van der Post
(South African Writer)
Laurens van der Post
2
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: December 13, 1906
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Orange River Colony, South Africa
Died: 1996

Laurens van der Post was a South African author, soldier, farmer, educator, humanitarian, philosopher, journalist, and conservationist. A close friend of Prince Charles, Van der Post also served as political adviser to several British officials. He was also the godfather of Prince William. 

 40 
Jean Rollin
(Film director, Actor)
Jean Rollin
1
Birthdate: November 3, 1938
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Neuilly-sur-Seine, France
Died: 2010
 41 
Julia Carson
(Politician)
Julia Carson
1
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: July 8, 1938
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Died: 2007
 42 
Sam Jones
(Bassist, Cellist)
Sam Jones
0
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: November 12, 1924
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Jacksonville, Florida, United States
Died: 1981
 43 
Ottokar I of Bohemia
(Duke/King of Bohemia (1192 -1193, 1200 - 1230))
Ottokar I of Bohemia
0
Birthdate: 1155 AD
Birthplace: Bohemia, Czechia
Died: 1230

Initially the duke of Bohemia, Ottokar I later took over as the king of Bohemia. His title was confirmed by Frederick II’s famous decree, the Golden Bull of Sicily, and he became a member of the house of Přemysl. He had a major role to play in the development of towns in Bohemia.

 44 
Selim II
(Sultan of the Ottoman Empire)
Selim II
15
Birthdate: May 28, 1524
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Topkapi Palace Museum, İstanbul, Turkey
Died: 1574

Known as a generous Ottoman monarch, Selim II was the successor of the empire’s longest-reigning sultan, Suleiman I. His reign saw his navy decisively defeated by the Holy League in the Battle of Lepanto before the Ottomans regained control of Tunis from Spain. Selim, who was married to Nurbanu Sultan, was noted for helping his subjects during a severe famine.

 45 
Ferdinand II of Portugal
(Prince)
Ferdinand II of Portugal
0
Birthdate: October 29, 1816
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Palais Coburg, Vienna, Austria
Died: 1885
 46 
Alfonso Bedoya
(Film actor who has worked in more than 175 Mexican films and has also appeared in many American movies)
Alfonso Bedoya
1
Birthdate: April 16, 1904
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Vícam, Mexico
Died: 1957
 47 
Serge Lifar
(One of the Greatest Male Ballet Dancers of the 20th Century)
Serge Lifar
2
Listed In: Dancers
Birthdate: April 15, 1905
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Kiev, Ukraine
Died: 1986

Serge Lifar was a French ballet dancer of Ukrainian origin. Widely regarded as one of the 20th century's greatest male ballet dancers, Lifar served as a ballet master from 1930 to 1944 at the famous Paris Opera. From 1947 to 1958, he worked towards restoring the Paris Opera Ballet's reputation as one of the best in the world. 

 48 
Davy Graham
(Guitarist)
Davy Graham
0
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: November 26, 1940
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Leicester, Leicestershire, England
Died: 2008
 49 
Otto Braun
(Former Prime Minister of Prussia Who Held the Office for 3-Terms Between 1920 and 1932)
Otto Braun
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: January 28, 1872
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Kaliningrad, Russia
Died: 1955

German politician Otto Braun was born to a railway employee and grew up to join the Social Democratic Party. He was once also accused of treason against the tsar but was let off due to lack of evidence. He had led Prussia as its prime minister during its provincial government days.

 50 
Sandeep Acharya
(Singer)
Sandeep Acharya
0
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: February 4, 1984
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Bikaner
Died: 2013