In the year 1978
594 Notable deaths
Maybelle Carter
American country musician (1909–1978).
Born May 10th, 1909 in Nickelsville.
Died October 23rd, 1978 at 69 years old in Nashville.
Harry Winston
American jeweller (1896–1978).
Born March 1st, 1896 in Manhattan. [ref]
Died December 28th, 1978 at 82 years old in Manhattan. [ref]
Hasso von Manteuffel
German general and politician (1897-1978).
Born January 14th, 1897 in Potsdam.
Died September 24th, 1978 at 81 years old in Reith im Alpbachtal.
Claude François
French pop singer, songwriter and dancer (1939–1978).
Born February 1st, 1939 in Ismailia.
Died March 11th, 1978 at 39 years old in 16th arrondissement of Paris (electrocution).
Karl Wallenda
German stunt performer (1905-1978).
Born January 21st, 1905 in Magdeburg.
Died March 22nd, 1978 at 73 years old in San Juan (falling from height).
Carl Betz
American stage, film and television actor (1921-1978).
Born March 9th, 1921 in Pittsburgh.
Died January 18th, 1978 at 56 years old in Los Angeles (lung cancer).
Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti
Nigerian educator, political campaigner, suffragist, and women's rights activist.
Born October 25th, 1900 in Abeokuta. [ref]
Died April 13th, 1978 at 77 years old in Lagos (falling from height). [ref]
Joe Davis
English snooker and billiards player (1901–1978).
Born April 15th, 1901 in Derbyshire.
Died July 10th, 1978 at 77 years old in Hampshire.
Karl Swenson
American actor (1908–1978).
Born July 23rd, 1908 in Brooklyn.
Died October 8th, 1978 at 70 years old in Torrington (myocardial infarction).
Dan Dailey
American actor, singer and dancer (1915–1978).
Born December 14th, 1915 in New York City.
Died October 16th, 1978 at 62 years old in Los Angeles (myocardial infarction).
W. Eugene Smith
American photojournalist (1918–1978).
Born December 30th, 1918 in Wichita.
Died October 15th, 1978 at 59 years old in Tucson (stroke).
Kurt Student
German luftwaffe general (1890–1978).
Born May 12th, 1890 in Birkholz.
Died July 1st, 1978 at 88 years old in Lemgo.
Leigh Brackett
American novelist and screenwriter (1915–1978).
Born December 7th, 1915 in Los Angeles.
Died March 18th, 1978 at 62 years old in Lancaster (cancer).
Ruth Etting
American singer, vaudevillian, musical theatre performer and film actress (1897–1978).
Born November 23rd, 1897 in David City.
Died September 24th, 1978 at 80 years old in Colorado Springs (disease).
Robert Shaw
British actor and writer (1927–1978).
Born August 9th, 1927 in Westhoughton.
Died August 28th, 1978 at 51 years old in Tuar Mhic Éadaigh (myocardial infarction).
Duncan Grant
British artist (1885-1978).
Born January 21st, 1885 in Aviemore.
Died May 8th, 1978 at 93 years old in Aldermaston.
Hannah Höch
German artist (1889–1978).
Born November 1st, 1889 in Gotha. [ref]
Died May 31st, 1978 at 88 years old in Berlin, West Berlin. [ref]
Al Sayed Musa al-Sadr
Lebanese politician (1928-).
Died August 31st, 1978 at 50 years old in disappearance.
William Grant Still
American composer (1895–1978).
Born May 11th, 1895 in Woodville.
Died December 3rd, 1978 at 83 years old in Los Angeles (heart failure).
Jean Acker
American actress (1893–1978).
Born October 23rd, 1893 in Trenton.
Died August 16th, 1978 at 84 years old in Los Angeles.
Philip Ahn
Korean-american actor (1905–1978).
Born March 29th, 1905 in Los Angeles.
Died February 28th, 1978 at 72 years old in Los Angeles (surgical complications).
Mohammed Daoud Khan
Politician, first president of afghanistan (1973-1978).
Born July 18th, 1909 in Kabul.
Died April 28th, 1978 at 68 years old in Kabul (gunshot wound). [ref]
Herta Oberheuser
Nazi physician (1911–1978).
Born May 15th, 1911 in Cologne.
Died January 24th, 1978 at 66 years old in Linz am Rhein.
Malcolm Caldwell
British academic (1931–1978).
Born September 27th, 1931 in Scotland.
Died December 23rd, 1978 at 47 years old in Phnom Penh.
Thayer David
American actor (1927-1978).
Born March 4th, 1927 in Medford.
Died July 17th, 1978 at 51 years old in New York City (myocardial infarction).
Deaths 51 to 75 of 594
I don’t want to die without any scars. Chuck Palahniuk