October 21st
217 Notable deaths
Elliott Smith
American musician (1969–2003).
Born August 6th, 1969 in Omaha.
Died October 21st, 2003 at 34 years old in Echo Park (stab wound to the chest).
Jack Kerouac
American writer (1922–1969).
Born March 12th, 1922 in Lowell.
Died October 21st, 1969 at 47 years old in St. Petersburg (internal bleeding).
Bobby Charlton
English association football player and manager (1937–2023).
Born October 11th, 1937 in Ashington.
Died October 21st, 2023 at 86 years old in Macclesfield District General Hospital. [ref]
Yash Chopra
Indian film director, script writer and film producer (1932–2012).
Born September 27th, 1932 in Lahore.
Died October 21st, 2012 at 80 years old in Mumbai (dengue fever).
Shannon Hoon
American singer-songwriter.
Born September 26th, 1967 in Lafayette.
Died October 21st, 1995 at 28 years old in New Orleans (drug overdose).
Dan White
American politician, assassin of moscone and milk (1946-1985).
Born September 2nd, 1946 in Long Beach.
Died October 21st, 1985 at 39 years old in San Francisco (asphyxia).
George McGovern
American historian and politician (1922–2012).
Died October 21st, 2012 at 90 years old in Sioux Falls. [ref]
François Truffaut
French film director (1932–1984).
Born February 6th, 1932 in 17th arrondissement of Paris.
Died October 21st, 1984 at 52 years old in Neuilly-sur-Seine (brain tumor).
Halyna Hutchins
Ukrainian-american cinematographer and investigative journalist.
Born April 9th, 1979 in Horodets. [ref]
Died October 21st, 2021 at 42 years old in Albuquerque (gunshot wound). [ref]
Ben Bradlee
Executive editor of the washington post from 1968 to 1991 (1921–2014).
Born August 26th, 1921 in Boston.
Died October 21st, 2014 at 93 years old in Washington, D.C. (Alzheimer's disease).
Paul Di'Anno
British heavy metal singer (1958–2024).
Born May 17th, 1959 in Chingford. [ref]
Died October 21st, 2024 at 65 years old in Salisbury. [ref]
Gough Whitlam
Australian politician, 21st prime minister of australia (1916–2014).
Born July 11th, 1916 in Melbourne.
Died October 21st, 2014 at 98 years old in Sydney.
Jim Garrison
American district attorney (1921–1992).
Born November 20th, 1921 in Denison.
Died October 21st, 1992 at 70 years old in New Orleans (cancer).
Hans Asperger
Austrian pediatrician, medical theorist, and medical professor (1906-1980).
Born February 18th, 1906 in Vienna.
Died October 21st, 1980 at 74 years old in Vienna.
Pauline Pfeiffer
American journalist (1895–1951).
Born July 22nd, 1895 in Parkersburg.
Died October 21st, 1951 at 56 years old in Los Angeles.
Raine Spencer, Countess Spencer
British socialite and local politician (1929-2016).
Born September 9th, 1929 in Newbury.
Died October 21st, 2016 at 87 years old in London.
Hilma af Klint
Swedish artist (1862–1944).
Born October 26th, 1862 in Solna.
Died October 21st, 1944 at 81 years old in Danderyd (traffic collision).
Marge Champion
American dancer and actress (1919–2020).
Born September 2nd, 1919 in Los Angeles.
Died October 21st, 2020 at 101 years old in Los Angeles. [ref]
Anastas Mikoyan
Soviet revolutionary and statesman (1895–1978).
Born November 25th, 1895 in Sanahin.
Died October 21st, 1978 at 82 years old in Moscow.
Sandy West
American singer, songwriter, and drummer (1959–2006).
Born July 10th, 1959 in Long Beach.
Died October 21st, 2006 at 47 years old in San Dimas (lung cancer, brain cancer). [ref]
Tara Correa-McMullen
American actress (1989-2005).
Born May 24th, 1989 in Westminster.
Died October 21st, 2005 at 16 years old in Inglewood (ballistic trauma).
Kevin Meaney
American actor and comedian.
Born April 23rd, 1956 in White Plains.
Died October 21st, 2016 at 60 years old in Forestburgh (myocardial infarction).
Arthur Schnitzler
Austrian writer (1862–1931).
Born May 15th, 1862 in Vienna.
Died October 21st, 1931 at 69 years old in Vienna (stroke, cerebral hemorrhage).
Bill Black
American bassist (1926–1965).
Born September 17th, 1926 in Memphis.
Died October 21st, 1965 at 39 years old in Memphis (brain cancer).
John T. Scopes
American schoolteacher (1900–1970).
Born August 3rd, 1900 in Paducah.
Died October 21st, 1970 at 70 years old in Shreveport (cancer).
Deaths 1 to 25 of 217
I wanted a perfect ending. Now I’ve learned, the hard way, that some poems don’t rhyme, and some stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what’s going to happen next. Delicious ambiguity. Gilda Radner