In the year 1978
549 Notable deaths
Jim Jones
American cult leader (1931–1978).
Died November 18th, 1978 at 47 years old in Jonestown (ballistic trauma).
John Cazale
American actor (1935-1978).
Born August 12th, 1935 in Revere.
Died March 13th, 1978 at 42 years old in New York City (lung cancer).
Keith Moon
English rock musician, drummer of the who.
Born August 23rd, 1946 in Central Middlesex Hospital. [ref]
Died September 7th, 1978 at 32 years old in Mayfair (drug overdose).
Harvey Milk
American politician who became a martyr in the gay community (1930-1978).
Born May 22nd, 1930 in Woodmere. [ref]
Died November 27th, 1978 at 48 years old in San Francisco (ballistic trauma). [ref]
Golda Meir
Prime minister of israel from 1969 to 1974.
Born May 3rd, 1898 in Kyiv. [ref]
Died December 8th, 1978 at 80 years old in Jerusalem (leukemia). [ref]
Bob Crane
American actor, drummer, radio host, and disc jockey.
Born July 13th, 1928 in Waterbury. [ref]
Died June 29th, 1978 at 49 years old in Scottsdale (blunt trauma). [ref]
Robert Shaw
English actor and novelist (1927-1978).
Born August 9th, 1927 in Westhoughton. [ref]
Died August 28th, 1978 at 51 years old in Toormakeady (myocardial infarction).
John Paul I
Pope of the catholic church in 1978 (1912–1978).
Born October 17th, 1912 in Canale d'Agordo.
Died September 29th, 1978 at 65 years old in Vatican City (myocardial infarction).
Paul VI
Pope of the catholic church from 1963 to 1978.
Born September 26th, 1897 in Concesio.
Died August 6th, 1978 at 80 years old in Castel Gandolfo (myocardial infarction).
Hubert Humphrey
Vice president of the united states from 1965 to 1969.
Born May 27th, 1911 in Wallace. [ref]
Died January 13th, 1978 at 66 years old in Waverly (bladder cancer). [ref]
Norman Rockwell
American painter and illustrator (1894–1978).
Born February 3rd, 1894 in New York City.
Died November 8th, 1978 at 84 years old in Stockbridge (pulmonary emphysema).
Nancy Spungen
American girlfriend of sid vicious.
Born February 27th, 1958 in University City.
Died October 12th, 1978 at 20 years old in Chelsea (stab wound).
Terry Kath
American guitarist and singer (1946–1978).
Born January 31st, 1946 in Chicago.
Died January 23rd, 1978 at 31 years old in Woodland Hills (gunshot wound).
Kurt Gödel
Austrian-american logician, mathematician, and philosopher of mathematics (1906-1978).
Born April 28th, 1906 in Brno. [ref]
Died January 14th, 1978 at 71 years old in Princeton (starvation). [ref]
Adolf Dassler
German entrepreneur, founder of adidas shoe company (1900–1978).
Born November 3rd, 1900 in Herzogenaurach.
Died September 6th, 1978 at 77 years old in Herzogenaurach (heart failure).
Joseph Colombo
Boss of the colombo crime family.
Born June 16th, 1923 in Brooklyn.
Died May 22nd, 1978 at 54 years old in United States of America.
Will Geer
American actor and activist (1902–1978).
Born March 9th, 1902 in Frankfort.
Died April 22nd, 1978 at 76 years old in Los Angeles (respiratory failure).
Gig Young
American actor (1913–1978).
Born November 4th, 1913 in St. Cloud.
Died October 19th, 1978 at 64 years old in The Osborne (gunshot wound).
Ed Wood
American screenwriter, director, producer, actor, author, and film editor.
Born October 10th, 1924 in Poughkeepsie.
Died December 10th, 1978 at 54 years old in Hollywood (acute myocardial infarction).
Leo Ryan
American teacher and politician (1925-1978).
Born May 5th, 1925 in Lincoln.
Died November 18th, 1978 at 53 years old in Port Kaituma.
Louis Prima
American musician (1910–1978).
Born December 7th, 1910 in New Orleans.
Died August 24th, 1978 at 67 years old in New Orleans (cerebral hemorrhage).
Margaret Mead
American anthropologist (1901-1978).
Born December 16th, 1901 in Philadelphia.
Died November 15th, 1978 at 76 years old in New York City (pancreatic cancer).
Jomo Kenyatta
First prime minister (1963 to 1964) and president (1964 to 1978) of self-governing kenya.
Born October 20th, 1893 in Gatundu.
Died August 22nd, 1978 at 84 years old in Mombasa (myocardial infarction).
Sandy Denny
British singer (1947–1978).
Born January 6th, 1947 in London.
Died April 21st, 1978 at 31 years old in Wimbledon (cerebral hemorrhage).
Jack Warner
Canadian-american film executive (1892–1978).
Born August 2nd, 1892 in London. [ref]
Died September 9th, 1978 at 86 years old in Hollywood (pulmonary edema). [ref]
Deaths 1 to 25 of 549
Death is a challenge. It tells us not to waste time… It tells us to tell each other right now that we love each other. Leo Buscaglia