Famous Deaths on June 23

Vespasian (9-79 AD)

Roman Emperor (69-79 AD), dies at 69

758 Ho-tse Shen-hui, Zen teacher/disciple of Hui-neng, dies at 74
1018 Henry I, Margrave of Austria (994-1018) known as "Henry the Strong", dies "in his armour" at an unknown age
1075 Theoduinus, Beiers prince-bishop of Liege, dies
1137 Adalbert I, archbishop of Mainz (1111-1137), dies
1139 Andries van Kuik, bishop of Utrecht, dies
1314 Sir Henry de Bohun, English knight, is killed on the first day of the Battle of Bannockburn by Robert the Bruce, King of Scots
1444 Marcus [Manuel] Eugenicus, Byzantine bishop of Efeze/theologist, dies
1555 Pedro Mascarenhas, Portuguese explorer (b. 1470)
1582 Shimizu Muneharu, Japanese military leader (b. 1537)
1615 Mashita Nagamori, Japanese warlord (b. 1545)
1677 Wilhelm Ludwig, Duke of Württemberg (b. 1647)
1686 William Coventry, English statesman
1707 John Mill, English theologian
1733 Johann Jakob Scheuchzer, Swiss scholar, dies at 60
1770 Mark Akenside, English poet and physician, dies at 48
1771 Jean-Claude Trial, French composer, dies at 38
1775 Karl Ludwig, Freiherr von Pöllnitz, German adventurer and writer (b. 1692)
1779 Ras Mikael Sehul, warlord of Ethiopia (b. about 1691)
1801 Bendix Friedrich Zinck, German composer, dies at 58
1806 Mathurin Jacques Brisson, French zoologist and naturalist (Ornithologie), dies at 83
1817 Otto Carl Erdmann Kospoth, Prussian composer, dies at 63
1832 James Hall, Scottish geologist, dies at 70
1833 Nikolaus Paul Zmeskall, composer, dies at 73
1836 James Mill, Scottish philosopher and historian, dies at 63
1839 Hester Stanhope, English aristocrat, traveller and archaeologist, dies at 63
1856 Ivan Kireyevsky, Russian literary critic and philosopher, dies at 50
1865 Samuel Francis DuPont, American Rear Admiral (Union Navy), dies at 61
1866 Samuel Sarphati, Amsterdam physician pharmacist and social activist in Amsterdam, dies at 53
1878 George Back, English sea officer and explorer (Back River), dies at 81
1888 Emil Naumann, German composer, dies at 60
1891 Francis Henry Brown, American teacher and composer (popular pre civil war composer), dies at 73
1891 George Parr, English cricket batsman (captain first England touring team [North America 1859], second tour [Australia & NZ 1864]), dies at 65
1891 Wilhelm Eduard Weber, German physicist, dies at 86
1893 Sir Theophilus Shepstone, British-born South African statesman (b. 1817)
1895 Joseph Paul Skelly, Irish-American composer ("Keep The Horseshoe Over The Door"), dies at 44
1901 Charles Kensington Salaman, British pianist and synagogue music composer, dies at 87
1910 John McGraw, 2nd Governor of Washington (1893-97), dies at 59
1919 Amy Gaston Bonet-Maury, French reformed theologist, dies at 75
1924 Cecil Sharp, British collector of English folk music and dance, dies at 64
1926 Viktor Vasnetsov, Russian painter (b. 1848)
1928 Thomas H. Rollinson, American composer, conductor and bandleader, dies at 84
1945 Lt Gen Ushijima, Japanese commander, commits suicide at Okinawa
1946 William S. Hart, American silent film actor (Wild Bill Hickok, Tumbleweeds), dies at 81
1951 Armin Knab, German composer (Wunderhorn), dies at 70
1956 Michael Arlen [Dikran Kouyoumdjian], British author and scriptwriter (An American Verdict), dies at 60
1956 Reinhold Glière, Russian-Soviet composer, dies at 81
1957 Louis Fornberg, writer, dies at 48
1958 Edvard Armas Jarnefeldt, composer, dies at 88
1959 Boris Vian, French writer and musician (b. 1920)
1959 Jean Gallon, French composer, dies at 80
1961 Franz de Backer, Belgian writer (Rubens' Daughter), dies at 70
1965 Mary Boland, actress (Boy Trouble, New Moon), dies at 83
1969 Chuck Taylor, American Basketball Hall of Fame promoter (Converse All Star shoes), dies of a heart attack at 67
1969 Stanley Andrews, American actor (Mr. Deeds Goes to Town), dies at 77
1969 Volmari Iso-Hollo, Finnish athlete (Olympic gold 3,000m steeplechase 1936), dies at 62
1970 Roscoe Turner, American aviator and racer (b. 1895)
1971 George Blagoi, entertainer, dies
1971 Walter Schulthess, Swiss composer, dies at 76
1972 Elton Britt, American country singer-songwriter, and guitarist (Saturday Night Jamboree), dies of a heart attack at 58
1973 Fay Holden, actress (Mother-Andy Hardy films), dies at 77
1975 William Hansen, American actor (1776, Pinky, Side Street, Homebodies), dies at 64
1976 Dehart Hubbard, American athlete (Olympic gold -long jump,1924; first African American to win individual event; WR 7.89m 1925), dies at 72
1976 Imogen Cunningham, American photographer (1965 ASMP award), dies at 93
1980 Clyfford Still, American abstract painter and leading figure of the Abstract Expressionists, dies at 75
1980 John Laurie, Scottish actor (Hamlet, The 39 Steps, Jericho, Island of Desire), dies at 83
1980 Odile Versois, actress (Nude in a White Car, Young Lovers), dies
1980 Sanjay Gandhi, Indian politician, dies in a plane crash at 33
1980 V.V. [Varahagiri Venkata] Giri, Fourth President of India (1969-74), dies at 85
1980 Walter Rodney, Guyanese historian (bomanslag), dies
1981 Zarah Leander, Swedish/German singer/actress (Gabriela), dies at 79
1982 Vincent Chin, Chinese-American hate crime victim (b. 1955)
1983 Osvaldo Dorticós Torrado, Cuban communist politician and 14th President of Cuba (1959-76), commits suicide by shooting himself at 64
1986 Nigel Stock, British actor (Lost Continent, Young Sherlock Holmes), dies at 66
1988 Dayton Lummis, actor (Moonfire, Flight that Disappeared), dies
1988 Evert Werkman, Dutch journalist (Het Parool), dies at 73
1988 M Gregor-Dellin, writer, dies
1989 Werner Best, German Nazi leader, jurist and convicted war criminal, dies at 85
1991 Antonio Jacinto, Angolan poet, dies at 66
1991 Bill Buysman, Dutch guitarist/singer (Kilima Hawaiians), dies
1992 Lou Ramos, entertainer, dies
1994 Alan Frank, English composer and music publisher, dies at 83
1994 Piet van Elk, cartoonist, dies at 74
1994 Stanley Gebler Davies, journalist/drinker, dies at 50
1995 Anatoly Tarasov, Russian ice hockey player and coach (considered as the father of Russian ice hockey), dies at 76
1995 Jack Schroer, British saxophonist & pianist (The Caledonia Soul Orchestra), dies at 51

Jonas Salk (1914-1995)

American medical researcher and virologist who created the Polio vaccine, dies of heart failure at 80

1996 Andreas Papandreou, Greek economist and politician (Prime Minister of Greece, 1981-89, 1993-96), dies at 76
1996 Angelo John Novarese, record company founder, dies at 72
1996 Elbert Parr Tuttle, American lawyer, judge and civil rights champion (one of the Fifth Circuit Four), dies at 98 [1]
1996 Pasqualino de Santis, Italian cinematographer, dies at 69
1996 Ray Lindwall, Australian cricket fast bowler (61 Tests, 228 wickets @ 23.03), dies from a stroke at 74
1996 Salah Abou Seif [Salah Abu Saif], Egyptian film director (Bidaya wa Nihaya), dies at 81
1997 "Wino" Willie Forkner, American biker (Wild One), dies of a heart attack at 77

Betty Shabazz (1940-1997)

American educator and civil rights activist who was the widow of Malcolm X, dies from burns suffered in a fire started by her young grandson at 63

1998 Maureen O'Sullivan, Irish actress (Tarzan, Pride & Prejudice, Hannah and Her Sisters), dies at 87
1998 Paul O'Dwyer, Irish-American politician and President of City Council (D-NYC), dies at 90
1999 Buster Merryfield, British actor (Only Fools and Horses), dies of a brain tumor at 78
2000 Jerome Richardson, an American jazz saxophonist, flute, clarinet, and piccolo player (Quincy Jones; Charles Mingus; Earl Hines), dies of heart failure at 79
2001 Corinne Calvet, French actress (Phantom of Hollywood, Apache Uprising), dies of a cerebral hemorrhage at 76
2001 Yvonne Dionne, one of the Canadian Dionne quintuplets (b. 1934)
2002 Pedro 'El Rockero' Alcazar, Panamanian boxer (b. 1975)
2003 Doug Ring, Australian cricketer (Australian leggie of the late 40's early 50's), dies at 84
2003 Maynard Jackson, Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia (b. 1938)
2005 Manolis Anagnostakis, Greek poet (b. 1925)
2005 Shana Alexander, American journalist (Life magazine, 60 Minutes), dies of cancer at 79
2006 Aaron Spelling, American television producer (Charlie's Angels, Dynasty), dies at 83
2006 Budhi Kunderan, Indian cricket wicketkeeper and batsman (18 Tests; 2 x 100s), dies of lung cancer at 66
2006 Dave Webster, American football player (led his football team to a National Championship in 1958), dies at 68
2006 Harriet, Galápagos tortoise (b. 1830)
2006 Luke Graham, American wrestler, dies at 66
2007 Rod Beck, American baseball pitcher (MLB All-Star 1993, 94, 97; San Francisco Giants), dies from a drug overdose at 38
2009 Ed McMahon, American TV host (Johnny Carson Show, Star Search), dies at 86
2010 Allyn Ferguson, American orchestra leader (Andy Williams Show), and TV theme composer (Barney Miller; Charlie's Angels), dies at 85
2010 Pete Quaife, English bassist (The Kinks, 1963-69 -"Sunny Afternoon"), and cartoonist, dies of kidney failure at 66
2011 Peter Falk, American actor (Colombo, Scared Straight), dies at 83
2012 Alan McDonald, Northern Irish soccer defender (52 caps; QPR 476 games), dies from a heart attack at 48
2013 Bobby Bland, American blues and soul singer, dies at 83
2013 Richard Matheson, American author and screenwriter, dies at 87
2013 Sharon Stouder, American swimmer, dies at 64
2015 Magali Noël [Guiffray], French actress and singer, dies at 83
2015 Richard "Dick" Van Patten, American actor, businessman, and animal welfare advocate (Tom Bradford in 8 is Enough), dies at 86
2016 Ralph Stanley, American bluegrass musician, dies at 89
2018 Donald Hall, American writer, literary critic and Poet Laureate of the United States, dies at 89
2018 Kim Jong-pil, South Korean Prime Minister (1971-75, 1998-2000) and founder of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (now the National Intelligence Service), dies at 92
2019 Dave Bartholomew, American R&B, rock, and jazz musician, composer, producer, and songwriter ("I Hear You Knocking"; "Ain't That A Shame"; "Walkin' To New Orleans"), dies at 100
2020 Liam Treadwell, English National Hunt jockey (Grand National 2009; 300+ race wins), dies at 34
2020 Margarita Pracatan [Figueroa], Cuban-American novelty singer (BBC's Saturday Night Clive), dies at 89
2020 Nikos Alefantos, Greek soccer midfielder and manager (Olympiacos), dies from a heart attack at 81
2020 Ryan Anthony, American trumpet player (Canadian Brass, 2000-03; Dallas Symphony, 2006-20), dies of cancer at 51
2021 Eldon Danenhauer, American football offensive tackle (AFL All Star 1962, 65; Denver Broncos 1960-65), dies at 85
2021 Ellen McIlwaine, American blues singer-songwriter, and slide guitarist ("Honky Tonky Angel"; “In My Time of Dying"), dies of esophageal cancer at 75
2022 Alain Plantefol, French rugby union second rower (11 Tests; Racing CF, SU Agen), dies at 79
2022 Christina Bass-Kaiser, Dutch speed skater (Olympic gold 3000m 1972; World C'ship gold allround 1967, 68; 9 x WR's), dies at 84