Famous Deaths on July 15

Juan Ponce de León (1460-1521)

Spanish explorer and conquistador who searched for the fountain of youth and the first European to discover Florida, dies at 61

1571 Shimazu Takahisa, Japanese samurai and warlord (b. 1514)
1609 Annibale Carracci, Italian painter, dies at 48
1614 Pierre de Bourdeille, seigneur de Brantôme, French historian and biographer (b. c.1540)
1655 Girolamo Rainaldi, Italian architect (b. 1570)
1685 James Scott, Duke of Monmouth, bastard son of English king Charles II, executed at 36
1738 Alexander Voznitsyn, Rus Naval officer converted to Judaism, executed
1738 Antonio Maria Pacchioni, Baroque composer, dies at 84
1738 Baruch Leibov, converted Russian Naval officer to Judaism, executed
1750 Vasily Tatishchev, Russian statesman, dies at 73
1751 John Wilson, botanist, dies
1765 Charles-André Van Loo, French Rococo painter, dies at 60
1767 Michael Bruce, Scottish poet (Elegy written in Spring), dies at 21
1782 Farinelli [Carlo Broschi], Italian castrato (considered one of the great opera singers), dies at 77
1782 Robert Wainwright, English composer and church organist, dies at 33
1784 Johan B Straub, South German sculptor, dies
1789 Jacques Duphly, French composer and harpsichordist, dies at 74
1798 Gaetano Pugnani, Italian violinist and composer, dies at 66
1810 Jean-Baptiste Rey, composer, dies at 75
1828 Jean Antoine Houdon, French sculptor (b. 1741)
1839 Winthrop Mackworth Praed, English politician and poet, dies at 36
1844 Claude Charles Fauriel, French historian (b. 1772)
1854 Wincenty Studzinski, Polish violinist and composer, dies at 39
1856 Margaretha Jacoba de Neufville, Dutch author (The Kidnap), dies at 81
1857 Carl Czerny, Czech-Austrian pianist, composer (Schule der Virtuosen), student of Ludwig van Beethoven, and teacher of Franz Liszt, dies at 66
1862 David Emanuel Twiggs, US Confederate gen-mjr (Monterrey), dies at 72
1865 Reinier C. Bakhuizen van de Brink, Dutch historian, dies at 55
1868 William T. G. Morton, American dentist who first used ether as a surgical anaesthetic (HOF 1920), dies at 48
1869 A J Haynes, US army captain and civil war veteran, assassinated by KKK
1871 Tad Lincoln, youngest son of US President Abraham Lincoln, dies at 18
1876 Aleksander Fredro, Polish poet and comedy writer (Zemstra), dies at 82
1883 Charles Stratton [General Tom Thumb], American entertainer and famous small person (40"), worked with P. T. Barum, dies of a stroke at 44
1885 Rosalia de Castro, Spanish writer and poet in the Galician language ('Séculos Escuros') (b. 1837)
1898 Jean Baptiste Salpointe, French born second Archbishop of Santa Fe, dies at 75

Anton Chekhov (1860-1904)

Russian author and playwright (Cherry Orchard, Uncle Vanya), dies of tuberculosis at 44

1906 William Painter, American inventor (crown cork bottle cap and opener), dies at 67
1907 Qiu Jin, Chinese revolutionary, feminist, and writer considered a national heroine in China, executed after a failed uprising at 32
1910 Daniel Kinet, auto racer/1st Belgian flyer, dies
1912 Francisco Lazaro, Portuguese marathon runner (1912 Olympics), dies of electrolyte imbalance after smearing his body with suet during Olympic marathon in Stockholm at 24
1915 Ludwik Grossman, composer, dies at 80
1916 Ilya Mechnikov, Russian zoologist and bacteriologist known as the "father of natural immunity" (Nobel 1908), dies of heart failure at 71

Emil Fischer (1852-1919)

German chemist, discovered Fischer esterification (Nobel Prize 1902), commits suicide at 66

1927 Constance Markievicz, Irish politician, revolutionary and suffragist (1st woman elected to UK House of Commons, 1st female cabinet minister in Europe), dies of complications after surgery at 59 [1]
1929 Hugo Von Hofmannsthal, Austrian playwright (Der Unbestechliche) and poet, dies of a stroke at 55
1930 Leopold von Auer, Hungarian-American violinist, dies at 85
1931 Ladislaus Bortkiewicz, Russian mathematician (Poisson distribution) and economist, dies at 62
1933 Freddie Keppard, American jazz cornetist (Original Creole Orchestra), dies of tuberculosis at 44
1933 Irving Babbitt, American writer (Democracy & Leadership), dies at 67
1934 Jules Renkin, Belgian politician (28th Prime Minister of Belgium 1931-32), dies at 71
1935 Pieter Cort van de Linden, Dutch politician (Prime Minister of Netherlands 1913-18), dies at 89
1937 Walter Gay, artist, dies
1939 Johon Mellanby, physiologist, dies
1939 Percy Scott Worthington, architect, dies
1940 Donald Calthrop, British actor (Blackmail, Scrooge, Rome Express), dies from a heart attack at 52
1940 Eugen Bleuler, Swiss psychiatrist (introduced the term schizophrenia to describe the disorder previously known as dementia praecox), dies at 82
1940 Robert Wadlow, American who was world's tallest known person (8'11.1"), dies at 22
1942 Denis "Sonny" Moloney, New Zealand cricket all-rounder (3 Tests, 1 x 50; Otago, Wellington, Canterbury), dies in WWII action at El Alamein at 31
1946 Razor Smith, English cricket spin bowler (245 first class matches, Surry CCC), dies at 68
1947 Henry Kolker, German-American actor and director (Holiday, Baby Face, Mad Love), dies at 72
1947 Walter Donaldson, American pianist and popular song composer ("Makin' Whoopee"; "My Blue Heaven"; "My Buddy"), dies at 54

John J. Pershing (1860-1948)

American general and World War I commander, dies of coronary artery disease at 87

1951 Mary White Ovington, American journalist, suffragist, and co-founder of the NAACP, dies at 86
1953 Servant of God Archbishop Mar Ivanios (b.1882)
1955 Marie-Louise de Baufremont, wife of Prince Jean de Merode of Netherlands, dies at 81
1957 George Cleveland, Canadian actor (Mystery Liner, Courage of Lassie), dies from a heart attack at 74
1957 James M. Cox, American politician (b. 1870)
1957 Marie van Zeggelen, Dutch writer (children's books on Indonesia, Dessajongen), dies at 87
1957 Vasily Maklakov, Russian orator and liberal politician (b. 1869)
1958 Julia Lennon, mother of Beatle John, dies in an auto accident
1958 Nuri al-Said, Iraqi politician, 8-time Prime Minister of Iraq, assassinated while trying to escape during the revolution at 69
1959 Ernest Bloch, Swiss-American composer (Schelomo; Israel; Avodath Hakodesh), and educator (UC Berkeley, 1941-52), dies of cancer at 78
1959 Peter Egge, Norwegian writer (The Dream), dies at 90
1959 Vance Palmer, Australian author, dies at 73
1960 Lawrence Tibbett, American baritone (Metropolitan Opera, 1923-50), dies after surgery at 63
1960 Set Persson, Swedish communist politician, dies at 63
1961 John E. Brownlee, Canadian politician (b. 1884)
1965 Francis Cherry, American politician (b. 1908)
1968 Lura Anson, American silent film actress dies at 76
1969 Peter Van Eyck [Götz von Eick], German actor (The Longest Day; The Wages of Fear), dies after long illness at 56
1971 Guy Wilkerson, American actor (Dead or Alive, West of Texas, Shootin' Iron), dies of cancer at 71
1973 Clarence White, American session and country-rock guitarist (The Byrds, 1968-73 - "Ballad of Easy Rider"), struck and killed by a drunk driver at 29
1974 Christine Chubbuck, American TV news reporter, commits suicide live on TV at 29
1975 Charles Weidman, US dancer/choreographer (Fables for Our Time), dies
1976 Paul William Gallico, writer, dies at 78
1977 Konstantin Fedin, writer, dies
1979 Gustavo Díaz Ordaz, Mexican politician (President of Mexico 1964-70), dies of cancer at 68
1980 Eddie Jackson, comedian (Jimmy Durante Show), dies at 84
1980 Henri Martelli, French composer, dies at 85
1982 Bill Justis, American musician and producer (Raunchy), dies of cancer at 58
1982 Donald Beard, cricketer (4 Tests for NZ 1952-56), dies
1982 Wendy Caulfield, 1st Green River victim, found near Seattle
1983 Eddie Foy Jr [Edwin Fitzgerald Jr], American actor (The Pajama Game, Fair Exchange), dies of cancer at 78
1986 Benny Rubin, American actor and comedian (Benny Rubin Show), dies at 87
1986 Billy Haughton, American harness driver and trainer (Hambletonian x 4; Little Brown Jug x 5; Messenger Stakes x 7), dies from head injuries in fall at Yonkers Raceway at 62
1986 Florence Halop, American actress (Night Court, 1985-86 -"Florence"; St Elsewhere, 1984-85), dies of lung cancer at 63
1987 Alfie Bass [Abraham Basalinsky], British actor (Moonraker, Are You Being Served), dies at 71
1987 Jack O'Hagan, cricketer and composer (Our Don Bradman), dies at 88
1988 Eleanor Estes, American children's author and illustrator (Ginger Pye, Moffats), dies at 82
1989 Laurie Cunningham, English soccer left winger (6 caps; Orient, West Bromwich Albion, Real Madrid, Marseille, Rayo Vallecano), dies in a car crash at 33
1989 Will Bradley [Wilbur Schwichtenberg], American session, jazz, and boogie-woogie trombonist and bandleader ("Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar"), dies at 77
1990 Alison Leggatt, British character actress (Day of Triffids, Cows), dies at 86
1990 Margaret Lockwood, British actress (Cast a Dark Shadow, The Lady Vanishes), dies of cirrhosis of the liver at 73
1990 Troy Dixon, Ameican rapper (Trouble T-Roy of Heavy D), dies at 22 of a fall
1991 Bert Convy, American actor and game show host (Tattletales), dies at 57
1992 Chingiz Mustafayev, Azerbaijan's most noted journalist (b. 1960)
1992 Hammer DeRoburt, First President of Nauru, dies at 69
1992 Henk van der Molen, Dutch guitarist, composer, and writer (Martine Bijl), dies
1993 Bobby Kent, alleged Florida bully murdered by his friends (b. 1973)
1993 David Brian, American actor (Accused of Murder, Dawn at Sorocco), dies at 78
1993 Stephen Jurika, American naval officer (WWII Doolittle raid over Tokyo), dies at 82
1993 William S. Harvey, American graphic designer and album cover artist (The Doors; The Stooges; Tim Buckley), dies at 72
1994 Jeanne Bieruma Oosting, Dutch painter/illustrator, dies
1995 Paula Myers-Pope, American platform diver, (2 silver, 1 bronze Olympics 1952-60), dies at 60
1995 Willie George "Bill" Woodruff Sr, vocalist, dies at 66
1996 Dana Hill, American actress (Vacation), dies at 32
1997 Alan Chaig, paleontologist (Carl Sagan of BBC), dies at 70

Gianni Versace (1946-1997)

Italian fashion designer (Versace), shot and murdered by Andrew Cunanan at 50

1998 Gennadi Volnov, Russian basketball player (Olympic gold 1972), dies at 68
1999 George Brown Jr, American politician (Rep-D-CA, 1963-71, 73-99), dies at 79
2000 Genrikh Matusovich Vagner, Belarusian composer, dies at 78
2000 Louis Quilico, Canadian baritone (b. 1925)
2000 Paul Young, English singer (Mike + The Mechanics), dies of a cardiac arrest at 53
2003 Elisabeth Welch, American born British-based singer (Stormy Weather), dies at 99
2003 Roberto Bolaño, Chilean writer (2066), dies at 50
2003 Tex Schramm, American football team president and general manager (b. 1920)
2005 Arthur Crook, British editor (Times Literary Supplement), dies at 93
2006 Robert H. Brooks, founder of Hooters of America (b. 1937)
2007 Kelly Johnson, English guitarist, dies at 49
2008 Gyorgy Kolonics, Hungarian canoeist, Olympics medalist. (b. 1972)
2010 James E. Akins, American diplomat and advisor to Richard Nixon (b. 1926)
2011 Googie Withers, English actress and dancer (The Lady Vanishes), dies at 94
2012 Celeste Holm, American actress (Gentleman's Agreement, All About Eve), dies at 95
2013 Earl Gros, American NFL running back (Green Bay), dies at 72
2014 James MacGregor Burns, American political writer (The Lion & the Fox), dies at 95
2015 Alan Curtis, American harpsichordist, musicologist and conductor, dies at 80
2015 Howard Rumsey, American jazz musician (Lighthouse Cafe), dies at 97
2015 Wan Li, Chinese reform politician, dies at 98
2017 Babe Parilli, American football player, dies at 87
2017 Martin Landau, American actor (Ed Wood; North By Northwest; Mission Impossible; Space 1999), dies at 89
2020 Travell Mazion, American boxer (WBC-NABF super welterweight title 2020), dies in a car accident at 24
2021 Andy Fordham, English darts player (BDO World Champion 2004), dies from organ failure at 59
2021 Dennis Murphy, American sports entrepreneur (co-founder American Basketball Ass'n, World Hockey Ass'n, original World Team Tennis, Roller Hockey International), dies at 94
2021 Jerry Lewis, American politician (Rep-R-California, 1979-2013), dies at 86
2022 Georgi Yartsev, Russian soccer forward (5 caps USSR; FC Spartak Moscow) and manager (Russia; Spartak, Dynamo, Torpedo Moscow), dies at 74