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December 31st
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New Year's Eve
Final evening of the Gregorian calendar year, celebrated worldwide with countdowns, fireworks, and gatherings.
277 Notable deaths
Betty White
American actress and comedian (1922–2021).
Born January 17th, 1922 in Oak Park.
Died December 31st, 2021 at 99 years old in Brentwood (stroke). [ref]
Benedict XVI
265 th pope of the catholic church (2005–2013).
Born April 16th, 1927 in Marktl.
Died December 31st, 2022 at 95 years old in Vatican City. [ref]
Harshad Mehta
Indian stockbroker (1953–2001).
Born July 29th, 1953 in Paneli Moti.
Died December 31st, 2001 at 48 years old in Mumbai.
Ricky Nelson
American musician, singer-songwriter, and actor.
Born May 8th, 1940 in Teaneck.
Died December 31st, 1985 at 45 years old in Dallas (aviation accident).
Natalie Cole
American singer (1950–2015).
Born February 6th, 1950 in Los Angeles.
Died December 31st, 2015 at 65 years old in Los Angeles (hepatitis C).
Kader Khan
Indian-canadian film actor, script and dialogue writer.
Born October 22nd, 1930 in Kabul.
Died December 31st, 2018 at 88 years old in Toronto (progressive supranuclear palsy).
Edward Herrmann
American actor, director (1943–2014).
Born July 21st, 1943 in Washington, D.C..
Died December 31st, 2014 at 71 years old in Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (brain cancer).
Roberto Clemente
Puerto rican baseball player (1934–1972).
Born August 18th, 1934 in Italy.
Died December 31st, 1972 at 38 years old in San Juan (falling from height).
Wayne Rogers
American actor (1933–2015).
Born April 7th, 1933 in Birmingham.
Died December 31st, 2015 at 82 years old in Los Angeles (pneumonia). [ref]
Jocelyn Wildenstein
Swiss socialite (1940–2024).
Born September 7th, 1945 in Lausanne.
Died December 31st, 2024 at 79 years old in 8th arrondissement of Paris (pulmonary embolism). [ref]
James Avery
American actor (1945–2013).
Born November 27th, 1945 in Suffolk.
Died December 31st, 2013 at 68 years old in Glendale (surgical complications). [ref]
Marshall McLuhan
Canadian educator, philosopher, and scholar (1911–1980).
Born July 21st, 1911 in Edmonton.
Died December 31st, 1980 at 69 years old in Toronto.
William Christopher
American actor (1932-2016).
Born October 20th, 1932 in Evanston.
Died December 31st, 2016 at 84 years old in Pasadena (cancer).
Beth Howland
American musical theatre and television actress (1941–2015).
Born May 28th, 1941 in Boston.
Died December 31st, 2015 at 74 years old in Santa Monica (cancer).
Gustave Courbet
French painter (1819–1877).
Born June 10th, 1819 in Ornans. [ref]
Died December 31st, 1877 at 58 years old in La Tour-de-Peilz (myocardial infarction).
Woody Strode
American athlete and actor (1914–1994).
Born July 25th, 1914 in Los Angeles. [ref]
Died December 31st, 1994 at 80 years old in Los Angeles, Glendora (lung cancer). [ref]
Pete Duel
American actor (1940–1971).
Born February 24th, 1940 in Rochester.
Died December 31st, 1971 at 31 years old in Hollywood.
Anita Pointer
American singer-songwriter (1948–2022).
Born January 23rd, 1948 in Oakland.
Died December 31st, 2022 at 74 years old in Beverly Hills. [ref]
Ylenia Carrisi
Italian actress and showgirl.
Born November 29th, 1970 in Rome.
Died December 31st, 1993 at 23 years old in New Orleans.
Leigh Bowery
Australian artist (1961-1994).
Born March 26th, 1961 in Melbourne, Sunshine.
Died December 31st, 1994 at 33 years old in London (death from AIDS-related complications).
Miguel de Unamuno
Spanish poet (1864–1936).
Born September 29th, 1864.
Died December 31st, 1936 at 72 years old in Casa del Regidor Ovalle Prieto, Salamanca.
Eileen Heckart
American actress (1919–2001).
Born March 29th, 1919 in Columbus.
Died December 31st, 2001 at 82 years old in Norwalk (lung cancer).
Cale Yarborough
American racecar driver (1939–2023).
Born March 27th, 1939 in Florence County.
Died December 31st, 2023 at 84 years old [ref]
Tommy Docherty
Scottish football player and manager (1928–2020).
Born April 24th, 1928 in Glasgow.
Died December 31st, 2020 at 92 years old in Marple. [ref]
Donald E. Westlake
American novelist (1933-2008).
Born July 12th, 1933 in Brooklyn.
Died December 31st, 2008 at 75 years old in Mexico (myocardial infarction).
Deaths 1 to 25 of 277
Everyone dies but not everyone lives. William Wallace