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In the year 1981
628 Notable deaths
Adele Astaire
American dancer and entertainer (1896-1981).
Born September 10th, 1896 in Omaha.
Died January 25th, 1981 at 84 years old in Tucson, Scottsdale (stroke).
William Saroyan
Armenian-american novelist, playwright, and short story writer (1908-1981).
Born August 31st, 1908 in Fresno.
Died May 18th, 1981 at 72 years old in Fresno (prostate cancer).
Juan Trippe
American commercial aviation pioneer and founder of pan american world airways (1899–1981).
Born June 27th, 1899 in Sea Bright.
Died April 3rd, 1981 at 81 years old in New York City (stroke).
D. R. Bendre
Kannada poet (1896–1981).
Born January 31st, 1896.
Died October 26th, 1981 at 85 years old in Mumbai.
Marcel Breuer
Hungarian-american architect (1902-1981).
Born May 22nd, 1902 in Pécs. [ref]
Died July 1st, 1981 at 79 years old in New York City. [ref]
Hazel Scott
American musician (1920-1981).
Born June 11th, 1920 in Port of Spain.
Died October 2nd, 1981 at 61 years old in New York City (pancreatic cancer).
A. J. Cronin
Scottish novelist (1896–1981).
Born July 19th, 1896 in Cardross.
Died January 6th, 1981 at 84 years old in Montreux.
Yasuhiko Asaka
Japanese prince (1887-1981).
Born October 20th, 1887 in Kyoto.
Died April 12th, 1981 at 93 years old in Atami.
Lotte Reiniger
German silhouette animator and film director (1899–1981).
Born June 2nd, 1899 in Charlottenburg.
Died June 19th, 1981 at 82 years old in Dettenhausen.
Wanda Hendrix
American actress (1928-1981).
Born November 3rd, 1928 in Jacksonville.
Died February 1st, 1981 at 52 years old in Burbank (pneumonia).
Claude Auchinleck
British world war ii army commander (1884–1981).
Born June 21st, 1884 in Aldershot.
Died March 23rd, 1981 at 96 years old in Marrakech.
Bob Hite
American musician (1943–1981).
Born February 26th, 1943 in Torrance.
Died April 16th, 1981 at 38 years old in Los Angeles (myocardial infarction).
Francesca Woodman
American photographer (1958 - 1981).
Born April 3rd, 1958 in Denver.
Died January 21st, 1981 at 22 years old in New York City (falling).
Carl Vinson
Democratic united states congressman (1883-1981).
Born November 18th, 1883 in Baldwin County.
Died June 1st, 1981 at 97 years old in Milledgeville.
Jack Warner
British actor (1895–1981).
Born October 24th, 1895 in London.
Died May 24th, 1981 at 85 years old in London (pneumonia).
Mike Hailwood
British motorcycle racer and racing driver (1940–1981).
Born April 2nd, 1940 in Great Milton.
Died March 23rd, 1981 at 40 years old in Warwickshire (traffic collision).
Patsy Kelly
American actress (1910–1981).
Born January 12th, 1910 in Brooklyn.
Died September 24th, 1981 at 71 years old in Woodland Hills (cancer).
Nisargadatta Maharaj
Indian guru (1897-1981).
Born April 17th, 1897 in Mumbai.
Died September 8th, 1981 at 84 years old in Mumbai.
Omar Torrijos
Panamanian dictator who ruled panama 1968–1981 (1929–1981).
Born February 13th, 1929 in Santiago de Veraguas.
Died July 31st, 1981 at 52 years old in Penonomé (aviation accident).
Arthur O'Connell
American stage, film and television actor (1908-1981).
Born March 29th, 1908 in Manhattan.
Died May 18th, 1981 at 73 years old in Woodland Hills (Alzheimer's disease).
Duško Popov
Serbian double agent (1912–1981).
Born July 10th, 1912 in Titel.
Died August 10th, 1981 at 69 years old in Opio.
Andrei Alexandrovich of Russia
Russian prince (1897–1981).
Born January 24th, 1897 in Saint Petersburg.
Died May 8th, 1981 at 84 years old in Faversham.
Roy Wilkins
African-american naacp leader.
Born August 30th, 1901 in St. Louis. [ref]
Died September 8th, 1981 at 80 years old in New York City. [ref]
Mohammad-Ali Rajai
Iranian prime minister and president of iran (1933-1981).
Born June 15th, 1933 in Qazvin.
Died August 30th, 1981 at 48 years old in Tehran (explosive device).
Claud Cockburn
British journalist (1904-1981).
Born April 12th, 1904 in Beijing.
Died December 15th, 1981 at 77 years old in Cork.
Deaths 51 to 75 of 628
A normal human being does not want the Kingdom of Heaven: he wants life on earth to continue. George Orwell