Famous People Who Died on December 28
Discover the most famous people who died on December 28. The list includes people like Maurice Ravel, Susan Sontag, Mary II of England, Allan Dwan, A. J. Liebling. Famous personalities featured on this list, include journalists, drummers, poets and philosophers and from other domains of life. This list includes people from United States, France, Austria & Russia and many more countries.
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1
Debbie Reynolds(One of the Most Popular American Actresses of the 20th Century)
Birthdate: April 1, 1932
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: El Paso, Texas, United States
Died: 2016
Debbie Reynolds was a famous American actress and singer whose career spanned nearly seven decades. Also a well-known humanitarian, Debbie served as president of a charitable organization called The Thalians. Debbie was also a businesswoman; the Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio, which she founded in 1979, still operates today. She also owned a hotel and casino in Las Vegas.
Birthdate: April 10, 1936
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Austin, Minnesota, United States
Died: 2021
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
3
Jerry Orbach(Actor, Singer)
Birthdate: October 20, 1935
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Bronx, New York, United States
Died: 2004
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
4
Dennis Wilson(musician)
Birthdate: December 4, 1944
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Inglewood, California, United States
Died: 1983
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
5
Lemmy(Founder of the Rock Band 'Motörhead')
Birthdate: December 24, 1945
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom
Died: 2015
Lemmy was an English musician who founded the popular rock band Motörhead. The only continuous member of Motörhead, Lemmy served as the band's lead singer, primary songwriter, and bassist. Renowned for his gravelly voice, which was counted among the most recognizable voices in rock, Lemmy is also remembered for his military-influenced fashion sense and his signature friendly mutton chops.
6
Maurice Ravel(One of the Leading Composers of Impressionist Music, Known for His Orchestral Work "Boléro,")
Birthdate: March 7, 1875
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Ciboure, France
Died: 1937
French impressionist composer Maurice Ravel is best known for his orchestral composition Boléro. He rejected the Legion d'honneur and all French awards. He was one the first composers to realize the importance of recording music to gain a wider reach. Most of his music consisted of piano and orchestration.
7
Rose Marie(Actress)
Birthdate: August 15, 1923
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: New York City, New York, USA
Died: 2017
Birthdate: April 30, 1662
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: London, England
Died: 1694
Mary II of England was Queen of England, Ireland, and Scotland from 1689 to 1694. Although she co-reigned along with her husband William III of England, she also took major decisions by herself whenever William was abroad. Mary has been portrayed in films, such as Orlando and England, My England.
Birthdate: December 15, 1948
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Sydney
Died: 1991
Australian actor Cassandra Harris is remembered for her role in the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only. Her third husband, Pierce Brosnan, met the director Albert R. Broccoli during the filming of the movie, eventually bagging James Bond’s role later. Harris died of ovarian cancer at 43.
10
The Rev(Musician, Drummer)
Birthdate: February 9, 1981
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Huntington Beach, California, United States
Died: 2009
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
11
Clayton Moore(American actor)
Birthdate: September 14, 1914
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: 1999
12
Sam Peckinpah(Film director)
Birthdate: February 21, 1925
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Fresno, California, United States
Died: 1984
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
13
June Whitfield(Actress)
Birthdate: November 11, 1925
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Streatham, London, England, UK
Died: 2018
Height: 5'1" (155 cm)
Birthdate: October 15, 1872
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Wytheville, Virginia, United States
Died: 1961
15
Susan Sontag(Writer and Filmmaker, Best Known for her Essay 'Notes on 'Camp')
Birthdate: January 16, 1933
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: 2004
Susan Sontag is best known for her essay anthologies such as Against Interpretation and her novels such as In America. She wrote about diverse issues such as human rights, photography, AIDS, and leftist beliefs, and also visited war-torn areas. The National Book Award-winning author was also openly bisexual.
16
Max Steiner(Conductor, Composer, Musician, Screenwriter, Film score composer)
Birthdate: May 10, 1888
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Vienna
Died: 1971
17
Theodore Dreiser(American Novelist and Journalist)
Birthdate: August 27, 1871
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Terre Haute, Indiana, United States
Died: 1945
18
Freddie King(Guitarist, Singer, Singer-songwriter)
Birthdate: September 3, 1934
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Gilmer
Died: 1976
19
Francis de Sales(Bishop of Geneva (1602 - 1622))
Birthdate: August 21, 1567
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Château de Sales, Thorens-Glières, France
Died: 1622
Called the Gentleman Saint for his tenderness and patience, Francis de Sales was a Catholic priest and Bishop of Geneva (1602-1622). Canonized in 1665, he was later proclaimed Doctor of the Church for his contribution to theology and patron of writers and journalists for his extensive use of broadsheets and books. He also invented sign languages for teaching the deaf.
20
Sue Grafton(American Author of Detective Novels)
Birthdate: April 24, 1940
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Died: 2017
21
Kiel Martin(Actor)
Birthdate: July 26, 1944
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: 1990
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
Birthdate: November 11, 1869
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Naples, Italy
Died: 1947
Victor Emmanuel III ruled as the king of Italy from 1900 till 1946. He was also the emperor of Ethiopia and the king of the Albanians. He made Benito Mussolini the Italian prime minister after the March on Rome, but deposed him during the World War II Allied invasion.
23
Piero the Unfortunate(Ruler of Florence Known for His Bad Decisions that Led to His Downfall)
Birthdate: February 15, 1472
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Florence, Italy
Died: 1503
A 15th-century lord of Florence, Piero the Unfortunate was the eldest son of Italian statesman Lorenzo de' Medici. Throughout his 2-year rule, he made foolish errors such as making an agreement accepting all the demands of French king Charles VIII, leading to a revolt in his kingdom.
24
Shehu Shagari(The First Nigerian President to be Democratically Elected)
Birthdate: February 25, 1925
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Shagari, Nigeria
Died: 2018
The great-grandson of a leader who founded his village, Nigerian politician Shehu Shagari served as the 6th president and the 1st democratically elected president of Nigeria. Initially a teacher, he joined politics as the secretary of the Northern People's Congress. He strengthened the economy of Nigeria and deported countless West African migrants.
25
William L. Shirer(Journalist, Historian, Writer)
Birthdate: February 23, 1904
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Chicago
Died: 1993
War correspondent and journalist William L. Shirer is best remembered for his National Book Award-winning book The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. He had worked for publications such as The Chicago Tribune and had also written extensively on Gandhi and the Third Republic of France.
Birthdate: November 16, 1895
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Hanau, Germany
Died: 1963
Although German composer and violinist Paul Hindemith had collaborated with leftist and Jewish musicians, his apolitical stance made him a favorite of the Nazis initially. However, he was later forced to comply with Nazi dictatorship. He moved to the U.S. after his performances were banned in Germany.
27
Sergei Yesenin(One of the Most Popular Russian Lyric Poets of the 20th Century)
Birthdate: October 3, 1895
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Konstantinovo, Russia
Died: 1925
Born into a peasant family, Russian lyrical poet Sergei Yesenin was a significant figure of Imaginism. Known as "the last poet of wooden Russia," Yesenin soared to fame with works such as Radunitsa. He later committed suicide in a hotel, having written his last poem in his own blood.
Birthdate: July 24, 1916
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Sharon, Pennysylvania
Died: 1986
29
Agathe von Trapp(Austrian American Singer)
Birthdate: March 12, 1913
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Pola, Istria, Austria-Hungary (present-day Pula, Croatia)
Died: 2010
30
Hermann Oberth(German Physicist and Rocket Pioneer)
Birthdate: June 25, 1894
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Sibiu, Romania
Died: 1989
Austro-Hungarian-born German physicist and engineer Hermann Oberth is regarded as one of the founding fathers of astronautics and rocketry along with Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, Robert Esnault-Pelterie, and Robert Goddard. His classic book The Rocket into Planetary Space gained him widespread attention. Oberth garnered a patent for his rocket design and launched his first rocket near Berlin, Germany, on May 7, 1931.
31
George Gissing(British Novelist Best Known for His Works: 'The Nether World', 'New Grub Street' and 'The Odd Women')
Birthdate: November 22, 1857
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Wakefield, England
Died: 1903
English novelist George Gissing is known for the way he showcased the realism of the lower-middle class in his works such as The Nether World. In spite of being a brilliant student, he was expelled from Owens College for theft. He specialized in the literary study of Charles Dickens and his works.
32
Guru Josh(Musician)
Birthdate: June 6, 1964
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Jersey
Died: 2015
33
Léon Bakst(Painter)
Birthdate: January 27, 1866
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Grodno, Belarus
Died: 1924
Léon Bakst was a Russian painter, costume designer, and scene designer of Belarusian origin. He worked closely with the Ballets Russes, where he designed richly colored, exotic costumes and sets. His best-known works include productions like Daphnis and Chloe, Spectre de la rose, and The Sleeping Princess. In 1914, he was made a member of the Russian Academy of Arts.
34
John Bradbury(English Drummer and Record Producer)
Birthdate: February 16, 1953
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Coventry, England
Died: 2015
35
Sam Levene(Broadway and Film Actor & Director)
Birthdate: August 28, 1905
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Russian Empire
Died: 1980
Sam Levene was a Russian Empire-born American actor who made contributions to various entertainment mediums such as radio, TV, Broadway, and film. Levene is credited with originating some of the most iconic comedic roles in the history of American theater in a career that spanned over five decades. In 1984, Levene was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame.
36
Elizabeth Freeman(The First Enslaved African American Person to Win a Freedom Suit in Massachusetts)
Birthdate: 1742 AD
Birthplace: Claverack
Died: 1829
Elizabeth Freeman was an African American midwife and herbalist. She is best remembered as the first enslaved African American person to win a freedom suit in Massachusetts. After gaining her freedom, Elizabeth Freeman became widely known for her skills as a midwife, nurse, and healer.
37
Nikolai Fyodorovich Fyodorov(Philosopher)
Birthdate: June 9, 1829
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Klyuchi, Russia
Died: 1903
38
Thomas Babington Macaulay(British Secretary at War (1839 - 1841) )
Birthdate: October 25, 1800
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Leicestershire, England
Died: 1859
A prominent Whig and essayist Thomas Babington Macaulay is best remembered for his 5-volume History of England. Though a qualified lawyer, he never took it up as a career. As part of his administrative work in India later, he introduced English as the chief medium of instruction in schools.
Birthdate: April 3, 1885
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Toronto
Died: 1981
40
Ernst Johann von Biron(Duke)
Birthdate: November 23, 1690
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Kalnciems, Latvia
Died: 1772
41
Tariq bin Taimur(Prime Minister of Oman)
Birthdate: June 30, 1921
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: İstanbul, Turkey
Died: 1980
42
Eduard Strauss(Composer)
Birthdate: February 14, 1835
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Austria
Died: 1916
43
Charles Habib Malik(Lebanese Diplomat, Academic, Politician, and Philosopher)
Listed In:
Birthdate: 1906 AD
Died: 1987
Charles Habib Malik was a Lebanese diplomat, academic, politician, and philosopher. He is best remembered for his role in the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. Charles Habib Malik is also remembered for his service as the Minister of Foreign Affairs between 1956 and 1958.
Birthdate: February 21, 1747
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Quito, Spanish Empire
Died: 1795
Eugenio Espejo was a medical pioneer, writer, and lawyer. He was of mestizo origin in colonial Ecuador. He inspired the separatist movement in Quito and is regarded as a key figure in colonial Ecuador. He spread enlightened ideas in the Royal Audiencia and wrote about sanitary conditions in colonial Ecuador. He aspired to awaken a rebellious spirit in the people.
45
James Wilkinson(American Soldier and 1st Governor of Louisiana Territory (1805 - 1807))
Birthdate: March 24, 1757
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Charles County, Maryland, United States
Died: 1825
James Wilkinson served the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and also revealed Aaron Burr’s conspiracy to the U.S. government. While he worked against the Spanish people as part of the U.S. army, he was later revealed to be a Spanish spy, also known as Number Thirteen.
46
Sarah Goodridge(Painter)
Birthdate: February 5, 1788
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Templeton, Massachusetts, United Stafes
Died: 1853
47
Johannes Rydberg(Swedish Physicist Known for Devising the Rydberg Formula to Describe the Wavelengths of Photons)
Birthdate: November 8, 1854
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Halmstad, Sweden
Died: 1919
Renowned Swedish physicist Johannes Rydberg is most recognised for devising the Rydberg formula, a mathematical formula used to determine the wavelengths of photons. He was twice nominated for the Nobel Prize and was inducted as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1919. He worked at the Lund University as a provisional professor of physics before becoming a full professor.
48
George Henry White(Politician, Lawyer)
Listed In:
Birthdate: December 18, 1852
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Rosindale, North Carolina
Died: 1918
49
Chris Barnard(South African Author and Movie Scriptwriter)
Birthdate: July 15, 1939
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Nelspruit, South Africa
Died: 2015
Chris Barnard was a South African cardiac surgeon best remembered for performing the first human-to-human heart transplant surgery in the world. Barnard is credited with developing a cure for intestinal atresia in children. He saved the lives of at least 10 babies in Cape Town and his technique was adopted by surgeons in the United States of America and Britain.
50
Princess Fadia of Egypt(Princess, Artists)
Birthdate: December 15, 1943
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Cairo, Egypt
Died: 2002
The youngest daughter of the Egyptian king Farouk I, Princess Fadia escaped to Italy and then to Switzerland after his father was deposed in the 1952 Egyptian Revolution. She later established herself as a talented painter and an equestrian. Well-versed in multiple languages, she also worked as a translator.
