Famous People Who Died Today

Immanuel Kant was a German philosopher whose works in fields like aesthetics and metaphysics have made him an important and influential personality in Western philosophy. His views continue to influence contemporary philosophy. Kant has had a major influence on prominent philosophers like Hegel, Schelling, Reinhold, and Fichte. Kant's work on mathematics is cited by Albert Einstein as an early influence.

Charles M. Schulz was an American cartoonist. He is credited with creating the popular comic strip, Peanuts, which featured world-renowned characters like Snoopy and Charlie Brown. Considered one of the most influential cartoonists ever, Schulz's works have influenced other cartoonists like Dav Pilkey, Matt Groening, and Jim Davis. In 1996, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Ivan Reitman is a screenwriter and film and TV producer and director. He is a co-owner of The Montecito Picture Company. He attended McMaster University, where he studied music. After being fired from his first job at a TV channel, he went on to produce stage productions. Later on, he began producing films as well. 

As a child, Ethan Allen was fond of deciphering passages from the Bible. He grew up to co-establish Vermont and led the Green Mountain Boys during the American Revolutionary War. After failing to achieve Vermont’s separation from New York, he tried to unite Vermont with Canada.

Julio Cortázar was an Argentine novelist, essayist, and short story writer. Counted among the founders of a literary movement called the Latin American Boom, Cortázar is credited with influencing a generation of Spanish-speaking writers and readers in Europe and America. He is also regarded as one of the most innovative authors of his time.

Jean Renoir was a French film director, screenwriter, and producer. The son of the prominent painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Jean was one of the first filmmakers to be known as an auteur. He started working during the silent film era and made more than 40 silent films. In 1975, he received a Lifetime Achievement Academy Award.

Renowned character actor S. Z. Sakall lost all of his 3 sisters in Nazi concentration camps. A talented stage actor in both Austria and Germany, he later gained international fame with his roles in movies such as Casablanca and Ball of Fire. He earned the nickname Cuddles for his affable appearance.

German mathematician Richard Dedekind is best remembered for his ideas on the real number and infinity. Initially interested in subjects such as physics and chemistry, he later deviated to math. He taught at various institutes and was awarded honorary doctorates from universities of Zurich, Oslo, and Braunschweig.

German composer and conductor Hans von Bülow was one of the greatest musical figures of the Romantic era. Known for his work with composers such as Richard Wagner, he eventually lost his wife, Cosima, to him. In his final years, his failing health made him retire to Cairo, where he eventually died.

Charles Le Brun was a French physiognomist, painter, and art theorist. He served as the director of many popular art schools of his time. He also served as the court painter to Louis the Great, who called him the greatest French artist. An influential artist of 17th-century France, Charles Le Brun's works are still preserved in the popular Louvre Museum. 

Donald Judd was an American artist widely regarded as one of the most prominent international exponents of minimalism. He is credited with founding a contemporary art museum named Chinati Foundation which houses the collection of popular artists like Carl Andre, Ilya Kabakov, Richard Long, and John Wesley. Judd also contributed as a teacher at many academic institutions in the USA.

Dziga Vertov was a Soviet documentary filmmaker and cinema theorist. His theories and filming practices had a significant impact on the cinéma vérité style of documentary filmmaking. Dziga Vertov's independent and exploratory style of filmmaking inspired and influenced numerous filmmakers including Guy Debord.

Born to journalist parents, who were both part of the Cuban intellectual sphere, Carmen Herrera received elite art education in Paris. The political unrest in Cuba forced her to leave her architecture studies incomplete and move to the U.S. She later established herself as a master painter of abstract art.

Austrian entertainer Peter Alexander had initially studied medicine but quit as soon as he realized his passion lay in entertainment. Starting his career with plays and cabaret, he eventually graduated to films and live singing. The 10-time Bambi Award winner also hosted the hit Peter Alexander Show on TV.

Albrecht Altdorfer was a German painter, engraver, and architect active during the Renaissance. He predominantly worked in Regensburg, Bavaria. He is considered one of the main representatives of the Danube School of painters. He was one of the first artists to focus on landscape as an independent subject. As an architect, he oversaw the construction of several commercial structures. 

Kristina Söderbaum was a Swedish-born German actress, photographer, and producer. She is best remembered for playing important roles in films that were made by the state-controlled production companies in Nazi Germany. Regarded as the quintessential Nazi star, Söderbaum portrayed the ideal Aryan woman. She later expressed regret for playing such roles. After her acting career, Söderbaum became a fashion photographer.

Economist Wilhelm Röpke is remembered as one of the major figures of social market economy. A professor, too, he was against collectivism in economic and socio-political theory. His days in the Germany army in his younger days disgusted him. He supported the Austrian School and later pioneered ordoliberalism, or sociological neoliberalism.

ʿUmar Tal was a West African Islamic scholar, political leader, Toucouleur military commander, and Tijani Sufi. He is best remembered for founding the short-lived Toucouleur Empire, which encompassed much of present-day Senegal, Mauritania, Guinea, and Mali. ʿUmar Tal remains an important figure in Senegal, Mali, and Guinea. 

Rachid Mimouni was an Algerian writer, human rights activist, and teacher. Best remembered for his realism novels that describe Algerian society, Mimouni received many literary awards during his lifetime. Some of these awards include Literary Freedom Award, Albert Camus Award, and Literary Critics Award. Rachid Mimouni was also honored at the Cannes Film Festival in 1990.