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December 15th
222 Notable deaths
Walt Disney
American animator, producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor and entrepreneur, founder of the walt disney company (1901–1966).
Born December 5th, 1901 in Chicago. [ref]
Died December 15th, 1966 at 65 years old in Burbank (circulatory collapse). [ref]
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Indian barrister, leader of the indian national congress and founding father of the republic of india (1875-1950).
Born October 31st, 1875 in Nadiad.
Died December 15th, 1950 at 75 years old in Mumbai (myocardial infarction).
Christopher Hitchens
English american author and journalist (1949–2011).
Born April 13th, 1949 in Portsmouth.
Died December 15th, 2011 at 62 years old in Houston (bronchopneumonia, esophageal cancer). [ref]
Joan Fontaine
British actress (1917–2013).
Born October 22nd, 1917 in Tokyo.
Died December 15th, 2013 at 96 years old in Carmel-by-the-Sea. [ref]
Glenn Miller
American band leader, arranger, and composer (1904–1944).
Born March 1st, 1904 in Clarinda.
Died December 15th, 1944 at 40 years old in English Channel (aviation accident).
Blake Edwards
American film director, screenwriter and producer (1922-2010).
Born July 26th, 1922 in Tulsa.
Died December 15th, 2010 at 88 years old in Santa Monica (pneumonia). [ref]
bell hooks
American author and activist (1952–2021).
Born September 25th, 1952 in Hopkinsville. [ref]
Died December 15th, 2021 at 69 years old in Berea (kidney failure). [ref]
José Gonzalo Rodríguez Gacha
Colombian mob boss (1947-1989).
Born May 14th, 1947 in Hospital.
Died December 15th, 1989 at 42 years old in Tolú.
Zakir Hussain
Indian tabla player, musical producer, film actor, and composer (1951–2024).
Born March 9th, 1951 in Mumbai.
Died December 15th, 2024 at 73 years old in San Francisco. [ref]
Charles Laughton
British-american actor (1899–1962).
Born July 1st, 1899 in Scarborough.
Died December 15th, 1962 at 63 years old in Hollywood (kidney cancer).
Oral Roberts
Christian religious leader, healing evangelist, author, educator, television personality.
Born January 24th, 1918 in Ada.
Died December 15th, 2009 at 91 years old in Newport Beach (pneumonia). [ref]
Vasily Zaytsev
Soviet sniper (1915-1991).
Born March 23rd, 1915 in Yeleninka.
Died December 15th, 1991 at 76 years old in Kyiv.
Fats Waller
American jazz pianist and composer (1904–1943).
Born May 21st, 1904 in New York City.
Died December 15th, 1943 at 39 years old in Kansas City (pneumonia).
Wolfgang Pauli
Physicist, nobel prize winner (1900–1958).
Born April 25th, 1900 in Vienna.
Died December 15th, 1958 at 58 years old in Zurich (pancreatic cancer).
Chill Wills
American actor (1902–1978).
Born July 18th, 1902 in Seagoville.
Died December 15th, 1978 at 76 years old in Encino (cancer).
Bob Feller
Major league baseball player (1918–2010).
Born November 3rd, 1918 in Van Meter. [ref]
Died December 15th, 2010 at 92 years old in Cleveland (cancer, leukemia). [ref]
Darlanne Fluegel
American actress (1953-2017).
Born November 25th, 1953 in Wilkes-Barre.
Died December 15th, 2017 at 64 years old in Orlando (Alzheimer's disease). [ref]
Clay Regazzoni
Swiss racecar driver.
Born September 5th, 1939 in Lugano.
Died December 15th, 2006 at 67 years old in Fontevivo (traffic collision, car collision). [ref]
Alice Bailey
British-american esoteric, theosophist and writer (1880-1949).
Born June 16th, 1880 in Manchester.
Died December 15th, 1949 at 69 years old in New York City.
Kamehameha III
King of the hawaiian islands from 1825 to 1854.
Born March 17th, 1814 in Keauhou Bay. [ref]
Died December 15th, 1854 at 40 years old in Honolulu (disease).
Rikidōzan
Zainichi korean professional wrestler (1924-1963).
Born November 14th, 1924 in Hongwon County.
Died December 15th, 1963 at 39 years old in Akasaka (peritonitis).
Harold Camping
American doomsday prophet (1921-2013).
Born July 19th, 1921 in Boulder.
Died December 15th, 2013 at 92 years old in Alameda (falling from height). [ref]
Carlos P. Romulo
Filipino politician and diplomat (1899-1985).
Born January 14th, 1899 in Manila, Camiling.
Died December 15th, 1985 at 86 years old in Manila.
Gustave Le Bon
French psychologist (1841-1931).
Born May 7th, 1841 in Nogent-le-Rotrou.
Died December 15th, 1931 at 90 years old in Paris.
Arthur Machen
Welsh author and mystic (1863–1947).
Born March 3rd, 1863 in Caerleon.
Died December 15th, 1947 at 84 years old in London.
Deaths 1 to 25 of 222
I could just remember how my father used to say that the reason for living was to get ready to stay dead a long time. William Faulkner