Died On October 12th

Discover the most famous people who died on October 12. The list includes people like Matthew Shepard, John Denver, Robert E. Lee, Wilt Chamberlain, Anatole France. Famous personalities featured on this list, include novelists, military leaders, soldiers and nurses and from other domains of life. This list includes people from United States, United Kingdom, France & Germany and many more countries.
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 1 
Wilt Chamberlain
(One of the Greatest Basketball Players Who Played as a Center)
Wilt Chamberlain
57
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: August 21, 1936
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: 1999
One of the greatest basketball players of all time, Wilt Chamberlain created numerous records and won two championships during his fourteen years career. The legendary player, first drafted by Philadelphia Warriors, later played for the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers. After retirement, he ventured into business, played volleyball, appeared in commercials and movie and even published his autobiography.
 2 
John Denver
(Best Know for His Songs 'Rocky Mountain High', 'Take Me Home, Country Roads', and 'Annie's Song')
John Denver
41
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: December 31, 1943
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Roswell, New Mexico, United States
Died: 1997

John Denver was one of the highest-selling and most popular singers during the 1970s. He was known for folk, pop and country music. Some of his greatest songs are Take Me Home Country Roads, Leaving on a Jet Plane, Rocky Mountain High, Sunshine on My Shoulders and Annie's Song. He died when a plane he was piloting crashed in California.

 3 
Robert E. Lee
(Confederate General in the American Civil War)
Robert E. Lee
128
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: January 19, 1807
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Stratford, Virginia, United States
Died: 1870

A commander of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War, Robert E. Lee commanded the Army of Northern Virginia. He was a skilled tactician who served in the US Army for 32 years. Brilliant from a young age, he was a top graduate of the US Military Academy. In his later years, he became president of Washington College.

 4 
Conchata Ferrell
(Best Known for Her Role as ‘Berta’ in the TV Series ‘Two and a Half Men’)
Conchata Ferrell
21
Birthdate: March 28, 1943
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Loudendale, West Virginia, United States
Died: 2020
Emmy-nominated actor Conchata Ferrell was best known for her portrayal of housekeeper Berta in Two and a Half Men. She began her career with the off-Broadway show The Sea Horse, which won her a Drama Desk and an Obie award. She had also appeared in Krampus and Erin Brockovich.
 5 
Thomas Mikal Ford
(Actor & Comedian Known for His Role as Tommy Strawn on the FOX Sitcom Martin)
Thomas Mikal Ford
3
Birthdate: September 5, 1964
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
Died: 2016
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
 6 
Joan Kroc
(Businessperson)
Joan Kroc
9
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: August 27, 1928
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: West Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States
Died: 2003
 7 
Dennis Ritchie
(American Computer Scientist Known for Creating the C Programming Language)
Dennis Ritchie
6
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: September 9, 1941
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Bronxville, New York, United States
Died: 2011

Computer scientist, Dennis MacAlistair Ritchie, worked at Bell Labs Computing Sciences Research Center for most of his career, co-developing the Unix operating system and B programming language with Kenneth Thompson, co-winning the 1983 A.M. Turing Award for it. Earlier, he had also created C programming language and was involved with the development of the Plan 9 and Inferno operating systems.

 8 
Tom Mix
(Actor)
Tom Mix
1
Birthdate: January 6, 1880
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Mix Run, Pennsylvania, USA
Died: 1940
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 9 
Edith Cavell
(British Nurse Who Saved the Lives of Soldiers from Both Sides During the First World War)
Edith Cavell
7
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: December 4, 1865
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Swardeston, Norfolk, England
Died: 1915

Edith Cavell was a British nurse best remembered for saving the lives of many soldiers from both camps without discrimination. She helped nearly 200 Allied soldiers escape from Belgium during World War I. Her decision to help both German and Allied soldiers without discrimination landed her in trouble; Edith Cavell was accused of treason and sentenced to death.

 10 
Gene Vincent
(Musician)
Gene Vincent
6
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: February 11, 1935
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Norfolk, Virginia, USA
Died: 1971
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 11 
Léo Major
(Canadian Soldier)
Léo Major
4
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: January 23, 1921
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: New Bedford, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died: 2008
 12 
Sonja Henie
(Norwegian Figure Skater, Actress and Three-Time Olympic Gold Medallist)
Sonja Henie
10
Birthdate: April 8, 1912
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Oslo, Norway
Died: 1969
Sonja Henie wasn’t just a 3-time Olympic champion in figure skating but also proved to be a Hollywood superstar, with hits such as Thin Ice and My Lucky Star. She debuted at the Olympics at age 11 and also won 10 World Championships consecutively. She was also proficient in tennis, swimming, and skiing.
 13 
René Lacoste
(French Tennis Player and Businessman)
René Lacoste
2
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: July 2, 1904
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: 1996
 14 
Alf Landon
(Governor of Kansas)
Alf Landon
3
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: September 9, 1887
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Pennsylvania
Died: 1987
 15 
Johnny Olson
(Actor, Radio personality)
Johnny Olson
1
Birthdate: May 22, 1910
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: New York City
Died: 1985
 16 
Elizabeth Fry
(English Prison Reformer Who Played a Major Role in the' Gaol Ac't, Which Necessitated Sex-Segregation of Prisons)
Elizabeth Fry
2
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: May 21, 1780
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Norwich
Died: 1845

Elizabeth Fry was an English social reformer, prison reformer, Quaker, and philanthropist. Nicknamed the Angel of Prisons, Fry played a major role in the Gaol Act, which necessitated sex-segregation of prisons. The act also mandated the appointment of female warders for female inmates.

 17 
Audrey Mestre
(Freediver)
Audrey Mestre
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: August 11, 1974
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Île-de-France, France
Died: 2002
 18 
Dean Acheson
(51st United States Secretary of State)
Dean Acheson
3
Listed In: Lawyers & Judges
Birthdate: April 11, 1893
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Middletown, Connecticut, United States
Died: 1971
 19 
Matthew Shepard
(Gay Hate Murder Victim)
Matthew Shepard
44
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: December 1, 1976
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
Died: 1998

Matthew Shepard was a gay student who was beaten and tortured by Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney, on October 6, 1998, leading to his death 6 days later. The incident led to the passage of the Matthew Shepard Act by Barack Obama, years later, and the LGBT-oriented Matthew Shepard Foundation.

 20 
Bill Shoemaker
(American Professional Jockey)
Bill Shoemaker
4
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: August 19, 1931
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Fabens, Texas, United States
Died: 2003
Height: 4'11" (150 cm)
 21 
Robert Stephenson
(English Civil Engineer and Designer of Locomotives)
Robert Stephenson
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: October 16, 1803
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Willington Quay, Northumberland, England
Died: 1859
English civil engineer and locomotive designer Robert Stephenson is remembered for his railroad bridges, the most notable of them being the Britannia Bridge. He was the only son of rail transport pioneer George Stephenson. He had also been a mining engineer in Colombia and was knighted in Belgium, France, and Norway.
 22 
Anatole France
(One of the Best-Selling French Poet and Novelist)
Anatole France
2
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: April 16, 1844
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: 1924

Anatole France was a French poet, novelist, and journalist. Renowned for writing many best-sellers, Anatole France was one of the most respected French writers of his generation. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1921 for his brilliant literary achievements.

 23 
Dylan Rieder
(American Professional Skateboarder and Model)
Dylan Rieder
3
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: May 26, 1988
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Westminster, California, United States
Died: 2016
 24 
Arkady Strugatsky
(Author)
Arkady Strugatsky
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: August 28, 1925
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Batumi
Died: 1991
 25 
Joseph Stilwell
(General)
Joseph Stilwell
3
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: March 19, 1883
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Palatka, Florida, United States
Died: 1946
 26 
Ernie Roth
(Wrestling manager)
Ernie Roth
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: August 30, 1926
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Canton, Ohio, United States
Died: 1983

Initially a disc jockey, Ernie Roth stepped into wrestling management later and turned out to be one of the most outrageous managers of all time. Known for his fancy turban, his mismatched attire, and his wraparound glares, he refrained from becoming a wrestler due to his short 5’7” stature.

 27 
Ken Murray
(Comedian)
Ken Murray
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: July 14, 1903
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: New York City, United States
Died: 1988
 28 
Carel Fabritius
(Dutch Painter Known for His Works ‘A View of Delft’, ‘The Goldfinch’ and ‘The Sentry’)
Carel Fabritius
0
Birthdate: February 27, 1622
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Middenbeemster, Dutch Republic
Died: 1654

Born to a schoolteacher and part-time painter father, Dutch painter Carel Fabritius learned painting from Rembrandt. A pioneer of the 17th-century Delft movement, he died in the deadly 1654 Delft gunpowder magazine explosion that ravaged most of the city and almost all his works. The Goldfinch remains his best-known work.

 29 
C. Delores Tucker
(Politician)
C. Delores Tucker
2
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: October 4, 1927
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: 2005
 30 
Max Wertheimer
(Psychologist, University teacher)
Max Wertheimer
0
Birthdate: April 15, 1880
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Prague, Czechia
Died: 1943
 31 
Hiroshige
(painter)
Hiroshige
0
Birthdate: 1797 AD
Birthplace: Edo
Died: 1858

Best known for his landscape series like The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō and One Hundred Famous Views of Edo, Hiroshige was a well-known ukiyo-e master, whose death marked the decline of this genre of art.  His works, which were generally characterized by subtle use of graded colors and multiple impressions, were source of inspiration to many 19-century European painters.

 32 
Margaret E. Knight
(Inventor, notably of a machine to produce flat-bottomed paper bags)
Margaret E. Knight
1
Birthdate: February 14, 1838
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: York, Maine, United States
Died: 1914
 33 
Gillo Pontecorvo
(Film Director)
Gillo Pontecorvo
0
Birthdate: November 19, 1919
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Pisa, Italy
Died: 2006

Italian filmmaker Gillo Pontecorvo, best known for his Golden Lion-winning The Battle of Algiers, had migrated to France to escape the fascism in his country. He initially studied chemistry and also worked as a journalist and a tennis coach, before venturing into filmmaking. He often cast non-professional actors.

 34 
Peter Wessel Zapffe
(Metaphysician, Mountaineer)
Peter Wessel Zapffe
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: December 18, 1899
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Tromsø, Norway
Died: 1990

Peter Wessel Zapffe was a Norwegian metaphysician, mountaineer, artist, author, and lawyer. He is best remembered for his 1933 essay The Last Messiah which was later included in his 1941 treatise On the Tragic. The essay reflects Peter Wessel Zapffe's philosophically pessimistic view of human existence.

 35 
Nat Pendleton
(Olympic wrestler, film actor)
Nat Pendleton
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: August 9, 1895
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Davenport, Iowa, United States
Died: 1967
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 36 
Ali Mazrui
(Academic)
Ali Mazrui
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: February 24, 1933
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Mombasa, Kenya
Died: 2014
 37 
Charles Rothschild
(Banker, Entomologist)
Charles Rothschild
0
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: May 9, 1877
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: London
Died: 1923
 38 
Frederick IV of Denmark
(King of Denmark and Norway from 1699 to 1730)
Frederick IV of Denmark
0
Birthdate: October 11, 1671
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Christiansborg Palace
Died: 1730
 39 
Frank Vandenbroucke
(Belgian Road Racing Cyclist)
Frank Vandenbroucke
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: November 6, 1974
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Mouscron, Belgium
Died: 2009

Frank Vandenbroucke was a Belgian road racing cyclist. Despite his troubles with drug addiction, Vandenbroucke was seen as a bright prospect and a great hope for Belgian cycling. However, his addiction ultimately led to his estrangement from the world of cycling. Frank Vandenbroucke died at the age of 34 due to a pulmonary embolism.

 40 
Katharine Burr Blodgett
2
Birthdate: January 10, 1898
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Schenectady
Died: 1979
 41 
Fahri Koruturk
(The 6th President of Turkey)
Fahri Koruturk
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: August 3, 1903
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Istanbul
Died: 1987

The 6th president of Turkey, Fahri Koruturk had also been the 3rd Commander of the Turkish Navy. He had an illustrious naval career, having served as a naval military attaché in Berlin, Rome, and Stockholm. He had also served as the Turkish ambassador to the Soviet Union and to Spain.

 42 
Franco Luambo
(Musician)
Franco Luambo
0
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: July 6, 1938
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Died: 1989
 43 
Bernarr MacFadden
(American Bodybuilder and Founder of Macfadden Publications)
Bernarr MacFadden
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: August 16, 1868
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Mill Spring, Missouri, United States
Died: 1955
 44 
Ram Manohar Lohia
(Indian Politician and Independence Movement Activist)
Ram Manohar Lohia
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: March 23, 1910
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Akbarpur, India
Died: 1967

Born to an Indian freedom fighter, Ram Manohar Lohia grew up to follow in his father’s footsteps and joined the Indian National Congress to oust the British. He was also associated with Gandhiji’s Quit India movement. He had also co-established the Congress Socialist Party and written extensively on the caste system.

 45 
John Corvinus
(King)
John Corvinus
1
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: April 2, 1473
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Buda, Hungary
Died: 1504
 46 
Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux
(French Sculptor and Painter During the Second Empire Under Napoleon III)
Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux
0
Birthdate: May 11, 1827
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Valenciennes, France
Died: 1875

Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux was a French painter and sculptor who worked during Napoleon III's reign. Impressed by his early works, which included a bust of Princess Mathilde, Napoleon III commissioned several works to Carpeaux which established his reputation as an important sculptor. Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux is credited with mentoring future sculptors like Olin Levi Warner and Jules Dalou.

 47 
Edwin Abbott Abbott
(English Schoolmaster, Theologian and Anglican Priest)
Edwin Abbott Abbott
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: December 20, 1838
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Marylebone, London, England
Died: 1926

Edwin Abbott Abbott was a theologian, schoolmaster, and Anglican priest. He is remembered for writing the 1884 novella Flatland. He served as the principal of the City of London School where he supervised the education of H.H. Asquith, who would go on to serve as the prime minister of the UK. Abbott is also credited with writing educational text books.

 48 
Celia Lovsky
(Actress)
Celia Lovsky
0
Birthdate: February 21, 1897
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Vienna, Austria
Died: 1979
 49 
Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor
2
Birthdate: July 31, 1527
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Vienna
Died: 1576

Maximilian II was the Holy Roman Emperor from 1564 until his death in 1576.  A member of the Austrian House of Habsburg, he was the eldest son of the Habsburg archduke Ferdinand I and Anne of Bohemia and Hungary. He was the nephew of Emperor Charles V. As the king, he adopted a policy of religious neutrality.

 50 
David McLean
(Actor)
David McLean
1
Birthdate: May 19, 1922
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Akron, Ohio, United States
Died: 1995
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)