Famous People Who Died Today

Grover Cleveland, a Democratic Party member, was the President of the United States from 1885 to 1889 and then again from 1893 to 1897. He is known for his campaign for political reform and fiscal conservatism. However, he was unable to deal with the economic depression in his second term as President, which led to massive decline in his popularity.

Jackie Gleason was an American actor, writer, comedian, composer, and conductor. Nicknamed The Great One, Jackie Gleason is credited with developing the popular TV series The Jackie Gleason Show, which enjoyed high ratings for nearly two decades. His life and work inspired the 2002 television biopic Gleason in which he was played by comedian and actor Brad Garrett.

Carlos Gardel was a French Argentine composer, singer-songwriter, and actor. Widely regarded as the most important personality in the history of tango, Gardel is the world's most famous tango singer of all time. Remembered for his baritone voice, Gardel is often referred to as The King of Tango. His life inspired the 1939 musical film, The Life of Carlos Gardel.

V. V. Giri served as the fourth president of India and was in the office from 1969 to 1974. For his immense contributions to the development of public affairs, V. V. Giri was honored with the Bharat Ratna. However, his presidency is often criticized as he was considered a rubber stamp president who subordinated himself to the prime minister.

Part of the famous Rockefeller family of bankers and industrialists, William Rockefeller played a major role in the development of the Standard Oil Company along with his brother John D. Rockefeller. His interests also included copper mining and railways, and he also set up what is now known as Citigroup.

Born in Moscow, Polish economist Leonid Hurwicz initially studied law but fled to the US during World War II. He was later associated with the MIT, among other prestigious institutes, and won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for his pioneering contribution to the mechanism design theory.

One of the Founding Fathers of the US, Thomas McKean was the son of a tavern keeper and later became a successful barrister and politician. He simultaneously served in the Continental Congress of Delaware while he was also the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.

Part of the École des Beaux-Arts school of architecture, French architect Henri Labrouste is best known for popularizing iron frame construction. The Prix de Rome winner also designed the Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève and the Bibliothèque Nationale. He also received a pension from the French government and lived in the Medici Villa.

Matilda Sissieretta Jones was an American soprano and the highest-paid African-American performer of her generation. She is credited with founding the Black Patti Troubadours, an acrobatic and musical act comprising 40 comedians, dancers, jugglers, and a chorus of 40 singers. In 2013, Matilda Sissieretta Jones was made an inductee of the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame. 

Pierre Werner was a Luxembourgian politician who served as the prime minister on two non-consecutive terms. He was a member of the Christian Social People's Party (CSV). He was a practicing lawyer before he became a politician. As prime minister, he undertook reforms to diversify the national economy. He also actively promoted the restoration of Luxembourg's heritage. 

Olof Celsius was a Swedish philologist, botanist, runologist, and clergyman. He also served as a professor at the famous Uppsala University. Olof Celsius is credited with mentoring future scientist and botanist, Carl Linnaeus. In 1739, Celsius was inducted into the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.   

Joachim Raff was a German-Swiss pianist, pedagogue, and composer. He is best remembered for his work at the Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt where he served as the institute's first director. He contributed immensely to the success of the conservatory and employed a number of renowned musicians as teachers, including Clara Schumann.

Mexican painter Rufino Tamayo, an icon of modernism, is remembered for combining Mexican folk themes and European concepts such as Surrealism and Cubism in his works. Known for his notable paintings such as Children Playing with Fire, Tamayo was from a Zapotec family and the son of a shoemaker.

Dragutin Dimitrijević was a Serbian army officer best remembered for his association with a secret military society called the Black Hand, which organized the May Coup and the assassination of Queen Draga and King Alexander I of Serbia. Dragutin Dimitrijević was found guilty of conspiracy and executed by firing squad on 26 June 1917.

Edith Södergran was a Finnish poet whose poetry has influenced numerous lyrical poets all over the world. Counted among the greatest Swedish-language poets of modernism, Södergran's work continues to influence Swedish-language musical lyrics and poetry. Edith Södergran did not live long enough to experience the appreciation of her poetry as she died at the age of 31 due to tuberculosis.

French author Robert Joseph Grugeau had used several pseudonyms, such as Saint-Saviol, but the best-known of his pen-names was Robert Charroux. His works such as The Gods Unknown and Forgotten Worlds were parts of his ancient astronaut series. He was also known to be a proponent of Celticism.