Famous Deaths on July 31

Aurelia Cotta (120-54 BC)

mother of Julius Caesar, dies at 66

450 Petrus Chrysologus, Emilia-Romagnan priest (1st archbishop of Ravenna, 433-50), Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox saint, dies at about 44 [birthdate uncertain]
855 Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Muslim Jurisprudent (b. 780)
1358 Etienne Marcel, French textile merchant/reformer/Boer leader, dies
1396 William Courtenay, Archbishop of Canterbury (b. 1342)
1508 Na'od, Emperor of Ethiopia (b. 1494)
1556 Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Spanish knight from a Basque noble family, hermit, priest, theologian and co-founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuit) religious order, dies in Rome at about 65
1566 Bartholome de Casas, Spanish historian/bishop of Chiapa, dies at 92
1638 Sybilla Schwarz, German baroque poet, dies at 17
1648 Benedictus J van Haeften, poet (Regia thru Crucis), dies at about 60
1653 Thomas Dudley, British colonial governor of Massachusetts, dies at 76
1693 Willem Kalf, Dutch 'Golden Age' painter (Still life with nautilus beaker and porcelain lidded bowl), dies at 73 or 74 [exact birthday in 1619, unknown]
1726 Nicolaus II Bernoulli, Swiss mathematician (b. 1695)
1750 John V, King of Portugal (1706-50), dies at 60
1763 James Kent, Fredericksburgh NY, legal scholar (Columbia), dies

Denis Diderot (1713-1784)

French enlightenment philosopher (Encyclopédie), dies at 70

1790 Johann Christian Frischmuth, German composer, dies at 48
1795 Basílio da Gama, Portuguese poet (O Uraguai), dies at 54
1805 Dheera Chinnamalai, Indian Polygar (governor) and freedom fighter, executed by the British at 49
1849 Sándor Petőfi, Hungarian poet (A virágnak megtiltani nem lehet - You Cannot Forbid the Flower), and revolutionary, last seen alive at the Battle of Segesvár (Transylvania), presumed killed in action at 26
1854 Samuel Wilson, American meat packer and possible namesake of Uncle Sam, dies at 87
1864 Louis Christophe François Hachette, French publisher (Librairie Hachette), dies at 64
1871 Phoebe Cary, American poet (Poems of Alice & Phoebe Cary), dies at 46

Andrew Johnson (1808-1875)

17th US President (Unionist: 1865-69), dies of a stroke at 66

Franz Liszt (1811-1886)

Hungarian romantic composer and virtuoso pianist (Faust Symphony), dies of heart disease at 74

1891 Jean-Baptist Capronnier, French-Belgian glass painter, dies at 77
1895 Richard Morris Hunt, American architect and educator, dies at 67
1911 Jack Edwards, Australian cricket batsman (3 Tests, Victoria CA), dies from mental illness at 51
1913 John Milne, British geologist (developed the first modern seismograph), dies of Bright's disease at 62
1914 A J Jean Jaurès, French socialist (L'Humanité/Les Preuves), murdered=
1917 Charlie Finlason, cricketer (South Africa's 1st Test), dies
1917 Francis Ledwidge, Irish poet (b. 1881)
1917 Hedd Wyn, Welsh poet (b. 1887)
1919 Dick Barlow, English cricket all-rounder (17 Tests, 2 x 50, 34 wickets, BB 7/40; Lancashire CCC), dies at 68
1927 Walter Travis, Australian-American golfer, writer, course designer (US Amateur C'ship 1900-01, 03; British Amateur 1904), dies at 65
1932 Francesco Paolo Neglia, Italian composer, dies at 58

Charles E. Hires (1851-1937)

American pharmacist, inventor and manufacturer of the Hires Root Beer beverage, dies at 85

1940 Whitey Krakow [or Krakower], American gangster and hitman (Murder Inc), murdered by "Bugsy" Siegel
1942 Francis Younghusband, British journalist and explorer (1904 British expedition to Tibet), dies at 79
1943 Hedley Verity, English cricket spin bowler (40 Tests, 144 wickets @ 24.37), dies in POW camp in Italy at 38
1944 Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, French writer, poet and pioneering aviator (The Little Prince), dies during a reconnaissance mission at 44
1948 Maria "Marie" Hens, Flemish actress (Female Revue), dies at 70
1951 J. Van Oudshoorn [Jan Koos Feylbrief], Dutch writer (Maze of Sentences), dies at 74
1952 N B F "Tufty" Mann, cricketer (South African slow lefty 1947-51), dies
1953 Robert A. Taft, American politician (U.S. Senator from Ohio), dies at 63
1954 Onofre Marimón, Argentine racing driver (b. 1923)
1958 Eino Kaila, Finnish psychologist and philosopher, dies at 67
1960 Karl Hasse, German composer, dies at 77
1961 Jesse Harper, American College Football HOF coach (Notre Dame 57–17–7 [football; 67–29 [basketball]; 88–53–1 [baseball]), dies at 77
1964 Jim Reeves, American country singer ("He'll Have To Go"; "Distant Drums"), and actor (Kimberley Jim), dies in airplane crash at 39
1965 James Rennie, Canadian actor (Lash, Little Damozel), dies at 75
1966 Alex von Falkenhausen, German general (China, WW II), dies at 87
1967 Margaret Kennedy, English novelist (The Constant Nymph), dies at 71
1967 Marios Varvoglis, Greek composer (Behind the Barbed Wire Fence), dies at 81
1967 Richard Kuhn, Austrian-German biochemist (Nobel 1938-work on carotenoids and vitamins), dies at 66
1968 Gertrude Short, actress (Stella Dallas, Blonde Venus), dies at 66
1970 Booker Ervin [Booker Telleferro Ervin II], American saxophonist (Charles Mingus), dies of kidney disease at 39
1970 Jimmy Conzelman, American Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback, coach, team owner (Chicago Cardinals), dies at 72
1970 Walter Briggs Jr, American sports executive (owner Detroit Tigers 1952-56), dies at 58
1972 Paul-Henri Spaak, Belgian politician (Prime Minister of Belgium, Secretary-General of NATO, 1957-61), dies at 73
1972 Rollie Hemsley, American baseball catcher (5-time MLB All Star), dies of a heart attack at 65
1977 Stacy Moskowitz, shot to death by Son of Sam, at 20
1978 Carleton Percy Hobbs, actor (I Claudius, Dark Places), dies at 80
1978 Enoch Light, American orchestra leader (Gulf Road Show with Bob Smith), dies at 70
1978 Günther Rennert, German film and opera director and producer, dies of a lung embolism at 67
1979 Beatrix Lehmann, British actress (Candles at Nine, Staircase), dies at 76
1980 Bobby Van [Stein], American stage and screen musical singer and actor (The Affairs of Dobie Gillis; Small Town Girl), dies of brain cancer at 49
1980 Mohd. Rafi, Indian playback singer (b. 1924)
1981 Gen Omar Torrijos, leader of Panama, dies in plane crash
1984 Bill Raisch, American one armed actor (The Fugitive, Spartacus, Sweet Smell of Success), dies from lung cancer at 79
1984 Paul Le Flem, French composer and music critic, dies at 103
1985 Eugene Carson Blake, US Secretary-General of World Council of Churches (1966-72), dies at 78
1985 Murray Chapple, New Zealand cricketer (NZ Test batsman through the 1950's), dies at 55
1986 Chiune Sugihara, Japanese diplomat (b. 1900)
1986 Teddy Wilson, American jazz pianist and arranger (Billie Holiday; Benny Goodman), dies of stomach cancer at 73 [1]
1988 André Navarra, French concert cellist (Jolivet's Cello Concerto), and educator (Paris Conservatoire, 1947-88), dies at 76
1988 Trinidad Silva, American character actor (Hill Street Blues -"Jesus Martinez"), killed in a car accident by a drunk driver at 38
1990 Albert Leduc, Canadian ice hockey defenseman (Stanley Cup 1930, 31 Montreal Canadiens), dies at 87
1990 Fernando Sancho, dies after operation for malignant tumor at 72
1992 G Harold Carswell, supreme court justice candidate 1970, dies at 72
1992 Joe George, American character actor (Across 110th Street; Seinfeld - "Uncle Mac"), dies of cancer at 65
1992 Ralph Strait, American character actor (Search for Tomorrow, 1985-86; Halloween III), dies of a heart attack at 56
1992 Sjoerd de Free, reporter (Radio Herrijzend Netherland), dies
1993 Baudouin I, King of Belgium (1951-93), dies from heart issues at 62
1993 George Keyt, Sri Lankan painter, dies at 92
1993 Paul Henry, US Republicans Congressional leader, dies at 51
1993 Rob Jones "The Bass Thing" English musician (The Wonder Stuff), dies at 29
1994 Anne Shelton, British singer (Glenn Miller Band), dies at 66
1994 Caitlin Thomas (née Macnamara), British author (Leftover Life to Kill) and the wife of the poet and writer Dylan Thomas, dies at 80
1994 G de Ru, chairman of Dutch Reformed Synode, dies
1994 Pieter C Buitendijk, co-founder (Free Netherlands), dies at 92
1995 Genevieve Tobin Keighley, actress (Zaza, Great Gambini), dies at 83
1996 Joan Warburton, Scottish painter, dies at 76
1996 Michael Jinks, child care pioneer, dies at 59
1996 Paul Crawford, American Dixieland jazz musician, arranger, (Olympic Brass Band), and music historian (Tulane University), dies of lung cancer at 71
1996 Seagram Miller, American rapper (b. 1970)
1997 Edith Fore, pitchwoman (I've fallen and I can't get up!), dies at 81
1997 Ulrich Ernst Simon, German-Jewish Anglican theologian, dies at 63
1998 Barbara Giuranna, Italian pianist and composer, dies at 98
1998 Serge Golovine, French ballet choreographer (Death of Narcissus), dies at 73
2000 Hendrik Christoffel Van de Hulst, Dutch astronomer (correctly predicted the existence of the 21 cm hyper-fine line of neutral atomic hydrogen in interstellar space), dies at 81
2001 Fanny Leys, Flemish author (Ontwijding), dies at 95
2001 Francisco da Costa Gomes, President of Portugal’s ruling military junta (1974-76), dies at 87
2001 Friedrich Franz, Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (b. 1910)
2001 Poul Anderson, American science-fiction and fantasy author, winner of 7 Hugo and 3 Nebula Awards (The Sharing of Flesh; Mirkheim; After Doomsday), dies of prostate cancer at 74
2002 Jerome Beatty Jr., American author of children's literature (Matthew and Maria Looney books), dies at 85
2003 Guido Crepax, Italian comics artist (b. 1933)
2003 John Aston Sr., English soccer striker (17 caps; Manchester United 253 games), dies at 81
2004 Laura Betti, Italian actress (b. 1927)
2004 Virginia Grey, American actress, dies at 87
2005 Les Braid, British bassist (Swinging Blue Jeans - "Hippie-Hippie Shake), dies of lung cancer at 67
2005 Wim Duisenberg, Dutch banker (b. 1935)
2006 Paul Eells, American sportscaster ("Voice of the Razorbacks"), dies at 70
2009 Harry Alan Towers, English film producer and screenwriter (b. 1920)
2009 Sir Bobby Robson, English soccer forward, coach (20 caps; England manager 1982-90), dies of lung cancer at 76
2010 Mitch Miller, American oboist and recording producer (Sing Along with Mitch), dies at 99
2012 Bobby Edwards [Moncrief], American country singer-songwriter ("You're The Reason"), dies at 86
2012 Gore Vidal, American author (Myra Breckinridge; Lincoln), dies from pneumonia at 86
2013 Michael Ansara, American actor (Broken Arrow, Centennial), dies at 91
2015 Billy Pierce, American baseball pitcher (MLB All Star x 7; World Series 1945; AL wins leader 1957; MLB ERA leader 1955; AL strikeout leader; 1953; Chicago White Sox), dies from gallbladder cancer at 88
2015 Gerald S O'Loughlin, American actor and director (Storefront Lawyer, Rookies, Wheels), dies at 93

Roddy Piper (1954-2015)

Canadian pro wrestler (WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight C'ship 1992; World Tag Team C'ship [Ric Flair] 2006), dies from cardiopulmonary arrest caused by hypertension at 61

2016 Chiyonofuji Mitsugu, Japanese sumo wrestler (31 tournament c'ships; Kyushu Tournament 1981-88), dies from pancreatic cancer at 61

Seymour Papert (1928-2016)

South African mathematician, dies at 88

2017 Jeanne Moreau, French actress (Going Places, Jules & Jim), dies at 89
2018 Tony Bullimore, British yachtsman (1997 solo around-the-world yacht race, dramatic rescue), dies of cancer at 79 [1]
2019 Gordon Brand Jr., Scottish golfer (8 x European Tour wins; Ryder Cup 1987, 89), dies from a heart attack at 60
2019 V. G. Siddhartha, Indian coffee entrepreneur (Café Coffee Day), found dead at 60
2020 Alan Parker, English director (Bugsy Malone, Midnight Express), dies at 76 [1]
2020 Stephen Tataw, Cameroonian soccer right-back (63 caps; captain Cameroon national team FIFA World Cup 1990, 94), dies at 57
2021 Alvin Ing, American stage and screen singer and actor (Flower Drum Song), dies of COVID-19 complications at 89
2021 Terry Cooper, English soccer defender (20 caps; Leeds, Middlesborough) and manager (Bristol City, Birmingham City), dies at 77

Bill Russell (1934-2022)

American Basketball HOF center (11 × NBA C'ship; 5 x NBA MVP; 12 x NBA All-Star; Boston Celtics; Olympic gold 1956) and coach (NBA C'ship 1968, 69 Boston Celtics), dies at 88 [1]

2022 Fidel V. Ramos, Filipino general and 12th President of the Philippines (1992-98), dies at 94
2022 Hartmut Heidemann, German soccer defender (3 caps West Germany; MSV Duisburg 347 games), dies at 81
2022 Mo Ostin [Ostrofsky], American record company executive (Verve; Reprise; Warner Bros,; Dreamworks), dies at 95

July 31 Highlights