Died On October 21st

Discover the most famous people who died on October 21. The list includes people like Elliott Smith, Jack Kerouac, Gough Whitlam, Horatio Nelson, Ben Bradlee. Famous personalities featured on this list, include poets, playwrights, artists and journalists and from other domains of life. This list includes people from United States, United Kingdom, Italy & India and many more countries.
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 1 
Horatio Nelson
7
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: September 29, 1758
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Burnham Thorpe
Died: 1805

Horatio Nelson was a British flag officer whose inspirational leadership brought about several British naval victories, especially during the Napoleonic Wars. Regarded as one of Britain's heroic figures, Horatio Nelson's legacy remains influential and several monuments, including the Nelson Monument and Nelson's Column, have been created in his memory.

 2 
Bobby Charlton
(One of the Greatest Football Players of All Time)
Bobby Charlton
17
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: October 11, 1937
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Ashington, Northumberland, England
Died: 2023

Widely considered one of the greatest players ever, Bobby Charlton was an important member of the England national football team that emerged victorious at the 1966 FIFA World Cup. The recipient of several prestigious awards, including the Ballon d'Or, Charlton received a knighthood in 1994. 

 3 
Jack Kerouac
(Novelist and Poet Best Known for His Novels: ‘On the Road', ‘The Dharma Bums’ and ‘Big Sur’)
Jack Kerouac
18
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: March 12, 1922
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Lowell, Massachusetts, United States
Died: 1969
Jack Kerouac is remembered as a prominent figure of the Beat Generation. His works, consisting of several novels and poems, with their focus on spirituality, drugs, travel, sex, and jazz, paved the way for the hippie movement. He is best known for his pathbreaking novel On the Road
 4 
Elliott Smith
(American Singer-Songwriter and Multi-Instrumentalist)
Elliott Smith
37
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: August 6, 1969
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Omaha
Died: 2003
Folk singer and guitarist Elliott Smith is best remembered for his tracks Needle in the Hay and Miss Misery, the latter being part of the Oscar-nominated soundtrack of Good Will Hunting. He pioneered the technique of "multi-tracking.” He apparently stabbed himself to death, though the autopsy was inconclusive.
 5 
Shannon Hoon
(Former Lead Singer of the Band 'Blind Melon')
Shannon Hoon
14
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: September 26, 1967
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Lafayette, Indiana, United States
Died: 1995
Shannon Hoon is best remembered as the lead singer of the rock band Blind Melon, which delivered chartbusting hits such as No Rain. He died of a drug overdose at age 28. He was known for his outrageous behavior, such as urinating on a fan and getting naked on stage.
 6 
Maxene Andrews
(Soprano)
Maxene Andrews
8
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: January 3, 1916
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Died: 1995
 7 
François Truffaut
(One of the Founders of the 'French New Wave' Art Movement & An Icon of the French Film Industry)
François Truffaut
9
Birthdate: February 6, 1932
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: 1984

François Truffaut was a French film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. He is credited to be one of the founders of the French New Wave. Beginning his career in the mid-1950s, he was active in the entertainment industry for close to three decades. His film The 400 Blows is considered a defining film of the French New Wave movement. 

 8 
Fred Berry
(Actor)
Fred Berry
11
Birthdate: March 19, 1951
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Died: 2003
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
 9 
Hans Asperger
(Paediatrician)
Hans Asperger
6
Listed In: Physicians
Birthdate: February 18, 1906
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Vienna
Died: 1980
Hans Asperger, who lent his name to Asperger’s syndrome, is remembered as a pioneer in autism research and was earlier believed to have saved children with disabilities from being killed by the Nazis. However, later evidence suggested he had sent two mentally disabled children for experiments under the Third Reich.
 10 
Hilma af Klint
(Swedish Artist and Mystic Best Known for Her 'Temple' Paintings)
Hilma af Klint
3
Birthdate: October 26, 1862
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Solna, Sweden
Died: 1944

Hilma af Klint was a Swedish mystic and artist whose paintings represented complex spiritual ideas. English musician and singer-songwriter Jane Weaver cited af Klint's work as inspiration for her 2017 album, Modern Kosmology. In 2019, Hilma af Klint became the subject of a feature-length documentary titled Beyond the Visible — Hilma af Klint.

 11 
Sandy West
(Former Drummer with the hard rock group The Runaways in the 1970s)
Sandy West
1
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: July 10, 1959
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Long Beach, California, United States
Died: 2006
 12 
Ben Bradlee
(Newspaper Editor & Journalist)
Ben Bradlee
5
Birthdate: August 26, 1921
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Boston
Died: 2014

Ben Bradlee was one of the most important journalists in the United States of America in the post-World War II era. From 1965 to 1991, Bradlee was associated with The Washington Post, serving as managing editor and then as executive editor. In 1988, Ben Bradlee was honored by the American Academy of Achievement with the prestigious Golden Plate Award.

 13 
Raine Spencer, Countess Spencer
(Politician)
Raine Spencer, Countess Spencer
4
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: September 9, 1929
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Newbury, London, England
Died: 2016
 14 
George McGovern
(United States Senator from South Dakota (1963 - 1981))
George McGovern
13
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: July 19, 1922
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Avon, South Dakota, United States
Died: 2012

Historian George McGovern had been the U.S. senator from South Dakota. He held important positions related to food, agriculture, and nutrition, too, and was named a World Food Prize laureate for his efforts in reducing world hunger. He had also advocated for the end of the Vietnam War.

 15 
Jack Frost
(Composer)
Jack Frost
3
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: November 25, 1893
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Died: 1959
 16 
John Scopes
(Educator)
John Scopes
2
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: August 3, 1900
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Paducah, Kentucky, United States
Died: 1970
 17 
Willie Brown
(American football player)
Willie Brown
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: December 2, 1940
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Yazoo City, Mississippi, United States
Died: 2019
 18 
Bill Black
(Musician)
Bill Black
0
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: September 17, 1926
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Died: 1965
 19 
Arthur Schnitzler
(Austrian Playwright and Novelist )
Arthur Schnitzler
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: May 15, 1862
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Vienna, Austria
Died: 1931

Born to a doctor, Arthur Schnitzler had initially followed in his father’s footsteps and practiced medicine, gaining expertise in psychiatry. He later made a mark as an author and playwright with works such as Anatol and None but the Brave, which became hallmarks of modernism and the decadent movement.

 20 
Marge Champion
(American Dancer and Actress)
Marge Champion
1
Listed In: Dancers
Birthdate: September 2, 1919
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
Died: 2020
 21 
Vada Pinson
(Baseball player)
Vada Pinson
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: August 11, 1938
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Died: 1995
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 22 
Isabelle Eberhardt
(Explorer)
Isabelle Eberhardt
1
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: February 17, 1877
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Geneva, Switzerland
Died: 1904
 23 
Jim Garrison
(Attorney)
Jim Garrison
3
Listed In: Lawyers & Judges
Birthdate: November 20, 1921
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Knoxville, Iowa, USA
Died: 1992
Height: 6'6" (198 cm)
 24 
Wacław Sierpiński
(Mathematician)
Wacław Sierpiński
2
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: March 14, 1882
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Warsaw
Died: 1969

One of the pioneering figures of the Polish school of mathematics, Wacław Sierpiński made revolutionary contributions to point-set topology. He withheld an award-winning essay on number theory, so that it could be printed in Polish instead of Russian. He spent most of his life teaching at the University of Warsaw.

 25 
Nikoloz Baratashvili
(Poet)
Nikoloz Baratashvili
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: December 4, 1817
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Tbilisi, Georgia
Died: 1845
 26 
Jim Duncan
(American Football Player)
Jim Duncan
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: August 3, 1946
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Lancaster, South Carolina, United States
Died: 1972
 27 
Anastas Mikoyan
(First Deputy Premier of the Soviet Union (1955 - 1964))
Anastas Mikoyan
3
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: November 25, 1895
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Sanahin, Alaverdi, Armenia
Died: 1978

Anastas Mikoyan was an Armenian Communist revolutionary. He was an Old Bolshevik. He held several high governmental posts during Joseph Stalin’s rule but began to lose favor towards the end of his regime. He once again regained his power during Nikita Khrushchev’s rule and served as the chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet. He also wrote several memoirs.  

 28 
Ileana Sonnabend
(Art dealer)
Ileana Sonnabend
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: October 29, 1914
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Bucharest, Romania
Died: 2007
 29 
Nancy Graves
(Artist)
Nancy Graves
1
Birthdate: December 23, 1939
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Pittsfield, Massachusetts, United States
Died: 1995
 30 
Elissa Landi
(Actress)
Elissa Landi
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: December 6, 1904
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Venice, Italy
Died: 1948
 31 
Birger Jarl
(Swedish Statesman and Former Jarl of Sweden (1248 - 1266))
Birger Jarl
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 1210 AD
Birthplace: Östergötland County, Sweden
Died: 1266

The Swedish statesman and Jarl of Sweden, Birger Jarl virtually ruled Sweden from 1248 until his death in 1266 (on behalf of his son/king Valdemar). He had a crucial role in the consolidation of Sweden and establishing Swedish rule in Finland. He is also traditionally credited as the founder of Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, though this is disputed.

 32 
Karl Korsch
(Philosopher)
Karl Korsch
0
Birthdate: August 15, 1886
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Tostedt, Germany
Died: 1961
 33 
Isabel Luisa, Princess of Beira
(Aristocrat)
Isabel Luisa, Princess of Beira
3
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: January 6, 1669
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Ribeira Palace, Lisbon, Portugal
Died: 1690
 34 
John Bromwich
(Australian Tennis Player and One of the First Great Players to Use a Two-Handed Backhand)
John Bromwich
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: November 14, 1918
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Died: 1999

John Bromwich was an Australian tennis player who twice won the Australian Championships singles title. Despite being a natural left-hander, he hit his serve with his right hand. He is considered one of the first great players to use a two-handed backhand. He was a brilliant doubles player and won 13 men's doubles titles and four mixed doubles titles. 

 35 
Harry M. Daugherty
(Attorney General)
Harry M. Daugherty
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: January 26, 1860
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Washington Court House, Ohio, United States
Died: 1941
 36 
James Henry Greathead
(British Mechanical and Civil Engineer Who Improved the Tunneling Shield and the Basic Tool of Underwater Tunneling)
James Henry Greathead
0
Listed In: Engineers
Birthdate: August 6, 1844
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Grahamstown, South Africa
Died: 1896

James Henry Greathead was a civil and mechanical engineer best remembered for his work on the Liverpool overhead railway, Winchester Cathedral, and the London Underground railways. He is also credited with inventing the Greathead Shield, Greathead Injector Hydrant, and Greathead Grouting Machine.

 37 
Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar
(Philosopher)
Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar
2
Birthdate: May 21, 1921
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Bihar
Died: 1990
 38 
Dimitrie Sturdza
(Statesman)
Dimitrie Sturdza
1
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: March 10, 1833
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Moldavia, Romania
Died: 1914
 39 
Sir Benjamin Collins Brodie, 1st Baronet
(British Physiologist and Surgeon Who Pioneered Research Into Bone and Joint Disease)
Sir Benjamin Collins Brodie, 1st Baronet
0
Listed In: Physicians
Birthdate: June 9, 1783
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: West Winterslow, England
Died: 1862

Sir Benjamin Collins Brodie, 1st Baronet, was an English surgeon and physiologist best remembered for his pioneering research into joint and bone disease. He was elected a member of the Royal Society in 1810 where he published many papers describing investigations in physiology. From 1858 to 1861, Sir Benjamin Collins Brodie served as the 29th President of the Royal Society.

 40 
Valko Chervenkov
(34th Prime Minister of Bulgaria (1950 - 1956))
Valko Chervenkov
2
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: September 6, 1900
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Zlatitsa, Bulgaria
Died: 1980

Valko Chervenkov was a Bulgarian politician best remembered for his service as the Prime Minister of Bulgaria from 1950 to 1956. His premiership was marked by rapid industrialization and large-scale persecution of political opponents. An important and influential politician, Valko Chervenkov also served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Bulgaria from 20 July 1949 to 3 February 1950.

 41 
Constantin von Economo
(Former psychiatrist, neurologist known for his discovery of encephalitis lethargica and his atlas of cytoarchitectonics of the cerebral cortex)
Constantin von Economo
0
Listed In: Physicians
Birthdate: August 21, 1876
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Brăila, Romania
Died: 1931
 42 
Edelmiro Julián Farrell
(Former President of the Argentine Republic (1944 - 1946), Vice President of Argentina (1943 - 1944))
Edelmiro Julián Farrell
1
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: February 12, 1887
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Lanús, Argentina
Died: 1980

Edelmiro J. Farrell was an Argentine general who served as the President of Argentina from 24 February 1944 to 3 June 1946. Farrell was responsible for the rise of Juan Perón, who went on to serve as the president of the country on three occasions between 1946 and 1974. 

 43 
José Hernández
(Journalist)
José Hernández
1
Birthdate: November 10, 1834
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Died: 1886

Argentine poet José Hernández is best known for his long epic poem Martín Fierro. Having spent a part of his life in the pampas, he learned the ways and means of the gauchos and often described them in his works, such as The Gaucho Martin Fierro, a fine work of gaucho poetry.

 44 
Melchior Ndadaye
(President)
Melchior Ndadaye
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: March 28, 1953
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Muramvya, Burundi
Died: 1993
 45 
Michael Meacher
(Minister of State for the Environment)
Michael Meacher
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: November 4, 1939
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England
Died: 2015
 46 
Mario Henderson
(American football player)
Mario Henderson
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: October 29, 1984
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Fort Myers, Florida, United States
Died: 2020
Height: 6'7" (201 cm)
 47 
Jack Nelson
(Journalist)
Jack Nelson
0
Birthdate: October 11, 1929
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Talladega, Alabama, United States
Died: 2009
 48 
Naoya Shiga
(Japanese Writer Known for Straightforward Style and Strong Autobiographical Overtones)
Naoya Shiga
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: February 20, 1883
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Ishinomaki, Miyagi, Japan
Died: 1971

Shiga Naoya was a Japanese short story writer and novelist best remembered for his works produced during the Shōwa and Taishō periods of Japan. He is credited with co-founding an influential literary magazine named Shirakaba which was published from 1910 to 1923. He is also credited with popularizing the I Novel literary form.

 49 
Manfred Krug
(Actor)
Manfred Krug
0
Birthdate: February 8, 1937
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Duisburg, Germany
Died: 2016
 50 
Michael J. Dolan
(Actor)
Michael J. Dolan
0
Birthdate: 1884 AD
Birthplace: Ireland
Died: 1954

Remembered for his long-term association with the Abbey Theatre and for films such as Scrooge, Irish actor Michael J. Dolan later also took over the management of the former. He was also known for his appearances in plays by Teresa Deevy, such as The King of Spain's Daughter.