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In the year 1959
431 Notable deaths
Buddy Holly
American singer-songwriter (1936–1959).
Born September 7th, 1936 in Lubbock. [ref]
Died February 3rd, 1959 at 22 years old in Clear Lake (aircraft crash). [ref]
Billie Holiday
American jazz singer (1915–1959).
Born April 7th, 1915 in Philadelphia. [ref]
Died July 17th, 1959 at 44 years old in Metropolitan Hospital Center (liver cirrhosis). [ref]
Ritchie Valens
American singer, songwriter and guitarist.
Born May 13th, 1941 in Pacoima. [ref]
Died February 3rd, 1959 at 17 years old in Clear Lake (aviation accident). [ref]
Errol Flynn
Australian actor (1909-1959).
Born June 20th, 1909 in Battery Point. [ref]
Died October 14th, 1959 at 50 years old in Vancouver (myocardial infarction). [ref]
Frank Lloyd Wright
American architect (1867-1959).
Born June 8th, 1867 in Richland Center. [ref]
Died April 9th, 1959 at 91 years old in Phoenix (surgical complications). [ref]
George Reeves
American actor (1914–1959).
Born January 5th, 1914 in Woolstock.
Died June 16th, 1959 at 45 years old in Benedict Canyon, Beverly Hills (gunshot wound).
Max Baer
American boxer (1909–1959).
Born February 11th, 1909 in Omaha.
Died November 21st, 1959 at 50 years old in Hollywood (myocardial infarction).
The Big Bopper
American musician (1930–1959).
Born October 24th, 1930 in Port Arthur.
Died February 3rd, 1959 at 28 years old in Clear Lake (aviation accident).
Cecil B. DeMille
American film director (1881-1959).
Born August 12th, 1881 in Ashfield. [ref]
Died January 21st, 1959 at 77 years old in Hollywood (heart failure). [ref]
Stepan Bandera
Ukrainian nationalist leader (1909–1959).
Born January 1st, 1909 in Staryi Uhryniv.
Died October 15th, 1959 at 50 years old in Munich (poisoning).
Charles Starkweather
American spree killer (1938–1959).
Born November 24th, 1938 in Lincoln.
Died June 25th, 1959 at 20 years old in Lincoln, Nebraska State Penitentiary (electrocution).
Lou Costello
American actor and comedian (1906–1959).
Born March 6th, 1906 in Paterson.
Died March 3rd, 1959 at 52 years old in Los Angeles (myocardial infarction).
Raymond Chandler
American novelist and screenwriter.
Born July 23rd, 1888 in Chicago. [ref]
Died March 26th, 1959 at 70 years old in La Jolla (pneumonia). [ref]
Shirō Ishii
Japanese microbiologist and war criminal, director of unit 731.
Born June 25th, 1892 in Shibayama.
Died October 9th, 1959 at 67 years old in Tokyo (cancer).
William Halsey Jr.
United states admiral (1882–1959).
Born October 30th, 1882 in Elizabeth.
Died August 20th, 1959 at 76 years old in Fishers Island.
Edward Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
British politician (1881-1959).
Born April 16th, 1881 in Powderham Castle.
Died December 23rd, 1959 at 78 years old in Garrowby.
Carl Switzer
American actor (1927-1959).
Born August 7th, 1927 in Paris.
Died January 21st, 1959 at 31 years old in Mission Hills (ballistic trauma).
John Foster Dulles
United states secretary of state (1888-1959).
Born February 25th, 1888 in Washington, D.C..
Died May 24th, 1959 at 71 years old in Washington, D.C. (cancer).
Mario Lanza
American tenor and actor (1921-1959).
Born January 31st, 1921 in Philadelphia.
Died October 7th, 1959 at 38 years old in Rome (myocardial infarction).
Ante Pavelić
Croatian fascist general and military dictator (1889-1959).
Born July 14th, 1889 in Bradina. [ref]
Died December 28th, 1959 at 70 years old in Madrid (ballistic trauma). [ref]
George Marshall
American army officer and statesman (1880–1959).
Born December 31st, 1880 in Uniontown.
Died October 16th, 1959 at 78 years old in Washington, D.C..
Ethel Barrymore
American actress (1879-1959).
Born August 15th, 1879 in Philadelphia.
Died June 18th, 1959 at 79 years old in Beverly Hills (myocardial infarction).
Victor McLaglen
British-american actor (1886-1959).
Born December 10th, 1886 in Royal Tunbridge Wells.
Died November 7th, 1959 at 72 years old in Newport Beach (myocardial infarction).
Edmund Gwenn
British actor (1877–1959).
Born September 26th, 1877 in London.
Died September 6th, 1959 at 81 years old in Woodland Hills (pneumonia).
William J. Donovan
U.s. army soldier during wwii, lawyer, intelligence officer and diplomat, head of the oss (1883-1959).
Born January 1st, 1883 in Buffalo.
Died February 8th, 1959 at 76 years old in Washington, D.C..
Deaths 1 to 25 of 431
Even trees do not die without a groan. Henry David Thoreau