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In the year 1961
430 Notable deaths
Maurice Merleau-Ponty
French phenomenological philosopher.
Born March 14th, 1908 in Rochefort.
Died May 3rd, 1961 at 53 years old in Paris, 6th arrondissement of Paris (myocardial infarction). [ref]
Barry Fitzgerald
Irish actor (1888–1961).
Born March 10th, 1888 in Dublin.
Died January 14th, 1961 at 72 years old in Dublin (myocardial infarction).
James Thurber
American cartoonist, author, journalist, playwright (1894–1961).
Born December 18th, 1894 in Columbus. [ref]
Died November 2nd, 1961 at 66 years old in New York City (pneumonia).
Charles Coburn
American film and theater actor (1877-1961).
Born June 19th, 1877 in Savannah. [ref]
Died August 30th, 1961 at 84 years old in Manhattan (myocardial infarction). [ref]
Mohammed V of Morocco
King of morocco (1909-1961).
Born August 10th, 1909 in Fez.
Died February 26th, 1961 at 51 years old in Rabat.
Whittaker Chambers
Defected communist spy, writer, editor (1901–1961).
Born April 1st, 1901 in Philadelphia.
Died July 9th, 1961 at 60 years old in Westminster.
Kurt Meyer
German general (1910-1961).
Born December 23rd, 1910 in Jerxheim.
Died December 23rd, 1961 at 51 years old in Hagen (myocardial infarction).
Learned Hand
American legal scholar, court of appeals judge (1872–1961).
Born January 27th, 1872 in Albany.
Died August 18th, 1961 at 89 years old in New York City.
Eugene Bullard
First african-american military pilot.
Born October 9th, 1895 in Columbus.
Died October 13th, 1961 at 66 years old in New York City (stomach cancer).
Joan McCracken
American dancer and actress (1917–1961).
Born December 31st, 1917 in Philadelphia.
Died November 1st, 1961 at 43 years old in New York City (myocardial infarction).
Charles D. B. King
President of liberia (1875-1961).
Born March 12th, 1875 in Monrovia.
Died September 4th, 1961 at 86 years old in Monrovia.
Walter Bedell Smith
United states army general and director of central intelligence (1895-1961).
Born October 5th, 1895 in Indianapolis.
Died August 9th, 1961 at 65 years old in Washington, D.C. (myocardial infarction).
Percy Grainger
Australian composer, arranger and pianist.
Born July 8th, 1882 in Melbourne. [ref]
Died February 20th, 1961 at 78 years old in White Plains. [ref]
Govind Ballabh Pant
Indian politician and freedom fighter (1887–1961).
Born September 10th, 1887 in Almora.
Died March 7th, 1961 at 73 years old in New Delhi.
Margherita Sarfatti
Italian writer, journalist, art critic and unmarried partner of benito mussolini (1880-1961).
Born April 8th, 1880 in Venice.
Died October 30th, 1961 at 81 years old in Cavallasca.
Maya Deren
American filmmaker (1917-1961).
Born May 12th, 1917 in Kyiv. [ref]
Died October 13th, 1961 at 44 years old in New York City (cerebral hemorrhage). [ref]
Lee de Forest
American inventor (1873-1961).
Born August 26th, 1873 in Council Bluffs. [ref]
Died June 30th, 1961 at 87 years old in Hollywood. [ref]
Clark Ashton Smith
American author (1893-1961).
Born January 13th, 1893 in Long Valley.
Died August 14th, 1961 at 68 years old in Pacific Grove (cerebral hemorrhage).
Susanna M. Salter
American politician and activist (1860–1961).
Born March 2nd, 1860 in Belmont County.
Died March 17th, 1961 at 101 years old in Norman.
H.D.
American imagist poet (1886–1961).
Born September 10th, 1886 in Bethlehem.
Died September 27th, 1961 at 75 years old
Moss Hart
American playwright, librettist, and theatre director (1904-1961).
Born October 24th, 1904 in New York City.
Died December 20th, 1961 at 57 years old in Palm Springs (myocardial infarction).
Maria of Yugoslavia
Queen consort of yugoslavia (1922 - 1934).
Born January 6th, 1900 in Gotha.
Died June 22nd, 1961 at 61 years old in London.
George S. Kaufman
American writer (1889-1961).
Born November 16th, 1889 in Pittsburgh.
Died June 2nd, 1961 at 71 years old in New York City.
Augustus John
Welsh painter (1878–1961).
Born January 4th, 1878 in Tenby.
Died October 31st, 1961 at 83 years old in Fordingbridge.
Lucian Blaga
Romanian writer.
Born May 21st, 1895 in Lancrăm. [ref]
Died May 6th, 1961 at 65 years old in Cluj-Napoca (cancer). [ref]
Deaths 26 to 50 of 430
Death never takes the wise man by surprise, he is always ready to go. Jean de La Fontaine