Famous People Who Died on August 6

Discover the most famous people who died on August 6. The list includes people like Rick James, Diego Velázquez (Painter), Ben Jonson, Andre Weil, Robin Day. Famous personalities featured on this list, include mathematicians, novelists, actors and composers and from other domains of life. This list includes people from United States, Germany, United Kingdom & Italy and many more countries.

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 1 

Rick James

(American Singer-Songwriter, Multi-Instrumentalist and Record Producer.)

Birthdate: February 1, 1948

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Buffalo, New York, United States

Died: 2004

Rick James was an American multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and record producer. He is credited with forming several bands, including The Mynah Birds and Stone City Band. His career was hampered by his controversial personal life and drug addiction problems; he was convicted of kidnapping and torturing women on two separate instances under the influence of crack.

Birthdate: November 26, 1933

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Honduras

Died: 2016

Alfredo Bowman was a Honduran self-proclaimed healer and herbalist. Bowman was known for his dramatic claims that HIV doesn’t cause AIDS and diseases could be cured with a vegan diet and herbs. His client list included celebrities like Michael Jackson and Eddie Murphy. Bowman often landed in trouble for his controversial claims and was arrested on a couple of occasions.

 3 

John Hughes

(American Filmmaker Known for His Coming-Of-Age Teen Comedy Films with Honest Depictions of Suburban Teenage Life)

Birthdate: February 18, 1950

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Lansing, Michigan, United States

Died: 2009

Largely known for popularizing the teen movie genre in the 1980s, John Hughes had dropped out of university to work as an ad copywriter and then a comedy writer. He soared to fame with his stories in National Lampoon magazine and then directed many films of the National Lampoon franchise.

Birthdate: June 6, 1599

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Seville, Spain

Died: 1660

Diego Velázquez was a Spanish painter who served as the most important artist in King Philip IV's court. The leading artist of the Spanish Golden Age, Velázquez's work served as a model for impressionist and realist painters of the 19th century. In the 20th century, personalities like Salvador Dalí and Pablo Picasso re-interpreted some of Velázquez's most iconic images.

 5 

Marvin Hamlisch

(Composer, Conductor)

Birthdate: June 2, 1944

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Manhattan, New York, United States

Died: 2012

Height: 6'2" (188 cm)

Birthdate: June 11, 1572

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Westminster, London, England

Died: 1637

Birthdate: September 11, 1903

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Frankfurt, Germany

Died: 1969

One of the most prominent intellectuals of the 20th century, Theodor Adorno was a pioneer of the Frankfurt School of Critical Theory and despised the culture industry. Born to a singer mother, the German sociologist grew up amid music and could even play Beethoven on the piano by 12.

 8 

Klaus Nomi

(German Countertenor Known for His Wide Vocal Range and an Unusual, Otherworldly Stage Persona)

Birthdate: January 24, 1944

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Immenstadt, Germany

Died: 1983

Klaus Nomi was a German countertenor with a wide vocal range. He wore heavy makeup, unusual costumes, and a highly stylized signature hairdo. He had an otherworldly stage persona that was unique to him. His music was also considered unusual. He suffered from AIDS and was one of the earliest musicians known to die of the illness.  

Birthdate: November 27, 1911

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Intramuros

Died: 2011

Fe del Mundo was a Filipina paediatrician who achieved international recognition in 1977 when she was honored with the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service. In 1980, she was named National Scientist of the Philippines, becoming the first woman to be named so. Del Mundo is credited with founding Philippines' first pediatric hospital.

 10 

Richard Bong

(Aircraft pilot, Military personnel)

Birthdate: September 24, 1920

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Superior, Wisconsin, United States

Died: 1945

 11 

Bix Beiderbecke

(Musician)

Birthdate: March 10, 1903

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Davenport, Iowa, United States

Died: 1931

Height: 5'10" (178 cm)

 12 

Bohdan Khmelnytsky

(Hetman of Zaporizhian Host (1648 –1657))

Birthdate: 1595 AD

Birthplace: Subotiv, Ukraine

Died: 1657

 13 

Cedric Hardwicke

(British Stage and Film Actor Known for His Performances in the Plays of 'Shakespeare' and 'Shaw')

Birthdate: February 19, 1893

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Lye, Stourbridge, Worcestershire, England

Died: 1964

English actor Cedric Hardwicke is mostly remembered for his roles in the plays of Shakespeare and Shaw. Nicknamed Butch and Badger, he was one of the finest character actors of the initial days of talkies. He was also known for his baritone voice and later moved to the US permanently.

 14 

Preston Sturges

(Playwright, Director)

Birthdate: August 29, 1898

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States

Died: 1959

 15 

Harry Reasoner

(Journalist)

Birthdate: April 17, 1923

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Dakota City, Iowa, United States

Died: 1991

 16 

Edsger W. Dijkstra

(Dutch Mathematician and Computer Scientist Best Known for His Shortest-Path Algorithm in Graph Theory)

Birthdate: May 11, 1930

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Rotterdam, Netherlands

Died: 2002

A pioneering computer scientist from the Netherlands, Edsger W. Dijkstra had initially studied theoretical physics, before focusing on computers. He developed the domain of structured programming and also won honors such as the Turing Award. He died at 72, after a long struggle with cancer.

 17 

Shahpur Bakhtiar

(45th Prime Minister of Iran (January 1979 - February 1979))

Birthdate: June 26, 1914

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Shahrekord, Iran

Died: 1991

Shahpur Bakhtiar was an Iranian politician best remembered for serving as the 45th Prime Minister of Iran from 6 January 1979 to 11 February 1979. Bakhtiar also wrote many articles and books, including Ma Fidélité and 37 Days after 37 Years. Shahpur Bakhtiar was killed in France on 6 August 1991 after he had escaped a couple of assassination attempts.

Birthdate: February 21, 1929

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Islington, London, England

Died: 1973

Height: 5'11" (180 cm)

 19 

Ellen Wilson

(First Lady of the United States from 1913 to 1914)

Birthdate: May 15, 1860

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Savannah, Georgia, United States

Died: 1914

 20 

Warner Oland

(Actor)

Birthdate: October 3, 1879

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Bjurholm Municipality, Sweden

Died: 1938

Height: 5'11" (180 cm)

Birthdate: April 20, 1938

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Ermington, Australia

Died: 2017

Australian sprinter Betty Cuthbert, also known as the Golden Girl, had won three Olympic gold medals, with three of them from the 1956 Olympic Games. She started training at 8 and later became known for her signature style of running with her mouth open. She later suffered from multiple sclerosis.

 22 

Pete Fountain

(Clarinetist)

Birthdate: July 3, 1930

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

Died: 2016

Birthdate: May 6, 1906

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Paris, France

Died: 1998

French mathematician Andre Weil, who was also the brother of philosopher Simone Weil, is best known for his contribution to algebraic geometry. He also co-founded the Bourbaki group, consisting of mathematicians who collectively wrote using the pseudonym Nicolas Bourbaki. Weil took a keen interest in Hinduism and also learned Sanskrit.

Birthdate: October 24, 1923

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: London, England

Died: 2000

 25 

Brent Scowcroft

(Chair of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board)

Birthdate: March 19, 1925

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Ogden, Utah, United States

Died: 2020

 26 

Sushma Swaraj

(Politician)

Birthdate: February 14, 1952

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: New Delhi, india

Died: 2019

Supreme Court lawyer and BJP leader Sushma Swaraj had held several ministries, such as external affairs and information and broadcasting. Named India’s “best loved politician” by Wall Street Journal, Swaraj was known for her prompt assistance to Indians in emergency situations abroad and was awarded the Padma Vibhushan posthumously.

Birthdate: September 26, 1897

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Concesio, Italy

Died: 1978

Succeeding Pope John XXIII, Pope Paul VI was elected the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State in June 1963 and continued in his role till his death in August 1978. He reconvened the Second Vatican Council and after its conclusion worked towards implementation of its reforms. He was canonised in 2018 by Pope Francis.

 28 

Ibrahim Ferrer

(Cuban Singer)

Birthdate: February 20, 1927

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: San Luis, Cuba

Died: 2005

Ibrahim Ferrer was a Cuban singer best remembered for his association with Los Bocucos. Apart from performing with the band for nearly 40 years, Ferrer also collaborated with other popular musical groups like Chepín y su Orquesta Oriental and Conjunto Sorpresa.

 29 

Girolamo Fracastoro

(Italian Physician, Poet and Scholar in Mathematics, Geography and Astronomy)

Birthdate: 1478 AD

Birthplace: Verona, Italy

Died: 1553

Girolamo Fracastoro was an Italian poet, physician, and scholar in astronomy, geography and mathematics. He is credited with authoring a theory, which is regarded as a precursor to germ theory; his theory was influential for almost three centuries. He is also credited with inventing terms, such as syphilis. 

 30 

Donald Kagan

(American Historian)

Birthdate: May 1, 1932

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Kuršėnai, Lithuania

Died: 2021

Yale University historian Donald Kagan is best known for his expertise in ancient Greece and his iconic four-volume work History of the Peloponnesian War, which is the main text in the area. The Lithuanian-born American is a National Humanities Medal winner and the father of authors Robert and Frederick Kagan.

 31 

Jack Brickhouse

(Sportscaster)

Birthdate: January 24, 1916

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Peoria, Illinois, United States

Died: 1998

 32 

Bernadine Healy

(American Cardiologist and the First Female Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH))

Birthdate: August 4, 1944

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States

Died: 2011

Bernadine Healy created history by becoming the first woman to serve as the director of the National Institutes of Health. Apart from being a seasoned cardiologist, she had also taught medicine at institutes such as Johns Hopkins and had been the president of the American Red Cross and other non-profits.

 33 

Tony Lazzeri

(Baseball player)

Birthdate: December 6, 1903

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: San Francisco, California, United States

Died: 1946

 34 

Pope Callixtus III

(Former Head of the Catholic Church and Ruler of the Papal States)

Birthdate: December 31, 1378

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Canals, Spain

Died: 1458

Pope Callixtus III was initially a professor of law. He later helped King Alfonso V with Pope Martin V reconcile. He was infamous for his nepotism, as he was highly biased toward his nephew, Rodrigo Borgia, whom he made a cardinal and who later took over as the pope.

 35 

Domenico Modugno

(Singer-songwriter)

Birthdate: January 9, 1928

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Polignano a Mare, Italy

Died: 1994

 36 

Saint Dominic

(Spanish Priest and Founder of the Dominican Order and Patron Saint of Astronomers)

Birthdate: August 8, 1170

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Caleruega, Spain

Died: 1221

Saint Dominic was a Castilian Catholic priest who is credited with founding the Dominican Order. Dominic is said to have abstained from meat throughout his life. He is also remembered for putting himself to undue hardship like traveling barefoot and rejecting the luxury of a bed. He is regarded as the patron saint of astronomers.

 37 

Pope Sixtus II

(Bishop of Rome)

Birthplace: Greece

Died: 0258

Pope Sixtus II served as the bishop of Rome from 257 to 258. He was among the deacons who were persecuted by Emperor Valerian. One of the first victims to be beheaded on 6 August 258, Pope Sixtus II was martyred with six other deacons. He is venerated by the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church.  

 38 

Pope Hormisdas

(Former Pope)

Birthdate: 0450 AD

Birthplace: Frosinone, Italy

Died: 0523

 39 

Hiram Johnson

(Former Governor of California)

Birthdate: September 2, 1866

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Sacramento, California, U.S

Died: 1945

 40 

Bernard Lovell

(British Physicist and Radio Astronomer Known for Developing the 76m Radio Telescope at Jodrell Bank)

Birthdate: August 31, 1913

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Oldland Common, Bristol, England

Died: 2012

Bernard Lovell was a British physicist and radio astronomer who served as the first director of Jodrell Bank Observatory, holding this position from 1945 to 1980. He studied at the University of Bristol and embarked on an academic career. During World War II, he worked for the Telecommunications Research Establishment (TRE). He was awarded the Benjamin Franklin Medal in 1980. 

 41 

Jorge Amado

(Brazilian Writer Best Known for His 1978 Novel 'Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands')

Birthdate: August 10, 1912

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Itabuna, Bahia, Brazil

Died: 2001

Jorge Amado was a Brazilian writer affiliated with the modernist school. He is regarded as one of the best modern Brazilian writers, and his works have been translated into around 49 languages. He was the 23rd chairperson of the Brazilian Academy of Letters, holding this post from 1961 until he died in 2001.  

 42 

Larry Adler

(Composer)

Birthdate: February 10, 1914

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Died: 2001

 43 

Élie de Rothschild

(Banker)

Birthdate: May 29, 1917

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Paris, France

Died: 2007

 44 

Gene Ammons

(Musician)

Birthdate: April 14, 1925

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois

Died: 1974

 45 

Jacques Soustelle

(Anthropologist)

Birthdate: February 3, 1912

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Montpellier, France

Died: 1990

 46 

Marwān II

(Ruler)

Birthdate: 0688 AD

Birthplace: Egypt

Died: 0750

 47 

Gregor Piatigorsky

(Cellist)

Birthdate: April 17, 1903

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Dnipro, Ukraine

Died: 1976

 48 

Kurt Kasznar

(Actor)

Birthdate: August 12, 1913

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Vienna, Austria

Died: 1979

Kurt Kasznar was an American actor who contributed immensely to Broadway, TV, and the film industry. He also served in the Second World War as a soldier and was among the first Army photographers from the USA to capture the ruins of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on camera.

 49 

Muhammad al-Badr

(King)

Birthdate: February 15, 1926

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Sana'a, Yemen

Died: 1996

 50 

Forbes Burnham

(Politician)

Birthdate: February 20, 1923

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Georgetown, Guyana

Died: 1985