Famous People Who Died Today

Nicknamed The Golden Boy, Diego Maradona is considered one of the greatest footballers of all time. Thanks to his popularity and controversial personal life, which includes drug abuse issues and addiction to cocaine, Diego Maradona became a world-renowned counterculture icon. He was also an iconic figure in popular culture.

Jack Albertson was an eminent American actor having presence in films and plays alike, as evident from his successful performances in The Subject Was Roses both on the stage and on the big screen. The winner of Tony, Oscar and Emmy awards had such a passion for his career that he continued his acting despite being diagnosed for colorectal cancer.

Nick Drake was a British singer-songwriter best remembered for his acoustic guitar-based music. Although he failed to achieve popularity during his lifetime, Drake's music has achieved recognition in recent times. He suffered from depression throughout his life and died at the age of 26 from an overdose of a prescribed antidepressant called amitriptyline.

Burmese diplomat U Thant made history by becoming the first non-Scandinavian to be named the UN secretary-general. Later in life, he tried applying Buddhist principles such as detachment to solve major international conflicts. Following his death in New York, his burial in Burma became a source of riots.

Charles F. Kettering was an American engineer, inventor, and businessman. Kettering is credited with founding Delco Electronics Corporation. Holder of 186 patents, Kettering is also credited with the invention of Freon refrigerant for air conditioning and refrigeration systems. Over the course of his career, Charles F. Kettering won prestigious awards like the IEEE Edison Medal, Hoover Medal, and Franklin Medal. 

Andrea Doria, also known as the Prince of Melfi, was not just an able soldier and an efficient naval commander, but also the ruler of the Republic of Genoa. He fought the pirates and the Turks and also reformed Genoa’s constitution, introducing an oligarchic government.

Scottish king John Balliol, also known as Toom Tabard, was successful in taking over the reins of the kingdom out of 13 competitors for the crown, following Margaret, the Maid of Norway’s death. He eventually surrendered to the English king Edward I and was imprisoned at the Tower of London.

The son of a Union soldier, Kenesaw Mountain Landis was successful US federal judge. He was also the first Commissioner of Baseball and is remembered for his role in the Black Sox scandal, in which he removed eight Chicago White Sox players for deliberately losing the 1919 World Series.

Born to a cigar merchant in Germany, Ernest Oppenheimer went to South Africa as a representative of a diamond brokerage company and ended up becoming the mayor of Kimberley. He later established himself as a leading financier, who chaired De Beers and co-founded the Anglo American Corporation.

A legend of anatomy, Keith L. Moore was also one of the founders of the American Association of Clinical Anatomists. The author of books such as Before We Are Born, Moore was also known for his study on the scientific accuracy of statements related to embryology mentioned in the Quran.

Ludwig Mylius-Erichsen was a Danish ethnologist, explorer, and author. He is renowned for his explorations of Greenland. Mylius-Erichsen is credited with proving the nonexistence of the Peary Channel, thereby proving that American explorer Robert Peary was wrong. It was assumed that the channel existed until Ejnar Mikkelsen found Mylius-Erichsen's report in a cairn after Mylius-Erichsen’s death during his last exploration.

A renowned investment banker and the ninth President of the World Bank, James D. Wolfensohn was also a transformative and hands-on leader and a global champion of human rights.  Beginning his career in investment banking, he worked for several different institutions, before being nominated to the World Bank, shifting the Bank’s commitment back to alleviate poverty and promote social justice.  

Sir Anton Dolin was an English ballet choreographer and dancer. He is best remembered for his association with the Royal Ballet, where he served as the principal during the 1930s. Along with Alicia Markova, Sir Anton Dolin is credited with founding the London Festival Ballet and the Markova-Dolin Ballet. Dolin was featured in the documentary, A Portrait of Giselle.

Born into a family of engineers, Pierre Bézier grew up to earn degrees in both mechanical and electrical engineering. He later redefined the operations at Renault by introducing computer-aided 3D car designs. He popularized what is now known as the Bézier curve and later received a Steven A. Coons Award.

Apart from heading several ministries, Congress leader Yashwantrao Balwantrao Chavan had also served as the chief minister of Bombay State and the chief minister of Maharashtra. He was an active participant in the Quit India movement and had even been jailed. He was a patron of education and culture.

Madeline McDowell Breckinridge is best remembered for leading the women's suffrage movement in Kentucky. Mostly involved with campaigns related to children’s and women’s rights, she also established the Lexington Civic League, geared toward controlling child labor and upliftment of poor children. She was also associated with efforts to prevent tuberculosis.

Lars Hörmander was a Swedish mathematician whose four-volume textbook titled Analysis of Linear Partial Differential Operators is regarded as a foundational work on linear partial differential equations. In 2006, his book earned him the Steele Prize for Mathematical Exposition. Lars Hörmander was also a recipient of the Fields Medal and the Wolf Prize.