Famous Deaths on July 29

• 238 Balbinus, Roman Emperor, ruled 3 months with Pupienus, murdered by the Praetorian guard at about 60
• 238 Pupienus, Roman Emperor ruled 3 months with Balbinus, murdered by the Praetorian guard at about 70
• 1030 Olaf II Haraldsson, King of Norway, dies in battle of Stiklestad at 34 or 35

• 1095 Ladislaus I, Árpád dynasty King of Hungary (1077-95), and King of Croatia (1091-95), dies at 55
• 1099 Urban II [Odo de Lagery], French Pope who began the First Crusade (1088-99), dies at about 64

• 1507 Martin Behaim, German navigator and geographer, designed the Erdapfel, the oldest terrestrial globe in the world, dies at 47
• 1566 Agnes Waterhouse, British woman hanged after being convicted of witchcraft at approximately 63
• 1573 John Caius, English physician, dies at 62
• 1573 Ruy Gómez de Silva, Spanish prince of Eboli (advisor to Spanish King Philip II), dies at 56
• 1596 Jacobus Latomus, Flemish poet (Psalms/Jeremias), dies at about 84
• 1612 Jacques Bongars, French scholar and diplomat (b. 1554)
• 1632 Samuel Ampzing, Dutch minister, poet, translator (Bijbel-poezije – Bible Poetry), and linguist (Taelbericht der Nederlandsche spellinge – Treatise on Dutch Selling), dies at 42
• 1644 Urban VIII [Maffeo Barberini], Pope (1623-44), dies
• 1649 David Teniers I, Flemish painter (altaar stukken), dies
• 1669 Christopher Simpson, English composer for the viola da gamba, dies (b. 1602 or 1606)
• 1752 Peter Warren, British admiral who served in the Americas, dies at 47 or 48
• 1781 Johann Kies, German astronomer and mathematician, dies at 73
• 1786 Franz Asplmayr, Austrian composer and violinist, dies at 58
• 1792 René Nicolas Charles Augustin de Maupeou, French politician, Chancellor of France (1768-90) who tried to destroy parlements system, dies at 78
• 1797 Christoph Rheineck, German composer, dies at 48
• 1808 Selim III, Turkish sultan (1789-1808) poet and composer, assassinated at 46
• 1813 Jean-Andoche Junot, French general (b. 1771)
• 1825 Micah Hawkins, American poet and composer, dies at 48

• 1838 Jonathan Huntington, American composer, dies at 66
• 1839 Gaspard de Prony, French mathematician, produced logarithmic and trigonometric tables (b. 1755)
• 1844 Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart, Austrian composer and 6th child of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, dies at 53

• 1857 Charles Lucien Bonaparte, French politician and Prince of Canino and Musignano, dies at 54
• 1857 Thomas Dick, Scottish scientific teacher and writer, dies at 82
• 1859 Auguste Mathieu Panseron, French composer, dies at 63
• 1863 Edward Needle Kirk, US Union brigadier general, dies in battle at about 35
• 1886 Adolf Muller Sr., Austrian composer of operettas, dies at 84
• 1886 Solomon Gazfried, Ukrainian rabbi and author (Kitzur Shulchan Aruch), dies (b. 1804)

• 1891 Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, father of Bengali prose (Exile of Sita), dies at 70
• 1897 Joost Gerard Kist, Dutch lawyer and president of High Council (1885-97), dies at 74
• 1900 Umberto I of Italy, King of Italy (1878-1900), shot four times and assassinated by Italian-American anarchist Gaetano Bresci at 56
• 1906 Alexandre Luigini, French violinist, conductor (Lyon Grand Théâtre, 1877-97; Opéra-Comique Paris, 1897-1906), composer (Ballet égyptien), and pedagogue, dies at 56
• 1912 Meiji [Mutsuhito], 122nd Emperor of Japan (1867-1912) and first monarch of the Empire of Japan, dies at 59
• 1913 Tobias Asser, Dutch advocate of world law (Nobel 1911), dies at 75
• 1918 Ernest William Christmas, Australian painter (Rowing away from the Storm), dies at 55 [1] [2]
• 1922 Edward Gailliard, Flemish linguist and archaeologist, dies at 81
• 1930 Alexander von Fielitz, German composer and conductor (Chicago Symphony Orchestra), dies at 69
• 1933 Gerhard Schjelderup, Norwegian opera composer and musicologist, dies at 73
• 1934 Didier Pitre, Canadian Hockey Hall of Fame right wing (Montreal Canadiens), dies of acute indigestion at 50
• 1936 Frank Gavan Duffy, Australian barrister and judge (High Court of Australia, 1913-35, and Chief Justice of Australia, 1931-35), dies at 84
• 1938 Nikolai Krylenko, Russian/Soviet jurist and politician (b. 1885)
• 1941 James Stephenson, British actor (Letter, Espionage Agent, Nancy Drew), dies at 52
• 1947 Willem Vliegen, Dutch journalist and chairman (SDAP), dies at 84
• 1953 Richard Pearse, New Zealand inventor and aviator who designed and flew one of the world’s first airplanes, dies at 75 [1]
• 1954 Coen de Koning, Dutch speed skater (World Alllround Speed Skating champion 1905), dies at 75
• 1956 Ludwig Klages, German philosopher (study of graves), dies at 83
• 1958 Charles O’Malley, American actor in silent westerns (Iron Horse), dies at 61
• 1960 Richard Simon, American book publisher (co-founder of Simon & Shuster), dies at 61
• 1963 Dave Smith, Australian cricket batsman (2 Tests, HS 24no; Victoria), dies at 78
• 1963 Dorian Le Gallienne, Australian composer, dies at 48
• 1964 Vean Gregg, American baseball player, dies at 79
• 1966 Pal Jardanyi, Hungarian composer, dies at 44
• 1970 (Giovanni) “John” Barbirolli, British cellist, and conductor (New York Philharmonic, 1936-43; Hallé Orchestra, 1943-1970; Houston Symphony, 1961-67), dies of a heart attackat 70
• 1970 Jonel Perlea, Romanian opera conductor, dies at 69
• 1973 Eileen Percy, Irish silent film actress (Wicked, Backstage), dies at 72
• 1973 Norm Smith, Australian rules footballer and coach (b. 1915)
• 1973 Roger Williamson, English racing driver (b. 1948)

• 1974 Erich Kästner, German writer poet and screenwriter (Emil and the Detectives ), dies at 75
• 1975 James Blish [pseudonym William Atheling, Jr], American-British sci-fi author (Star Trek Reader), dies at 54
• 1976 Mickey Cohen, American gangster (Cohen crime family), dies at 62
• 1977 Austin Matthews, cricketer (Test Eng v NZ 1937), dies
• 1978 Glen Goins, American guitarist and singer (Parliament-Funkadelic – “Fantasy is Reality”), dies from Hodgkin’s lymphoma at 24
• 1978 Wesley LaViolette, American composer,conductor, poet, and educator dies at 84
• 1979 Bill Todman, American TV game show producer known for his collaborations with Mark Goodson (The Price is Right, Family Feud), dies of heart problems at 62

• 1980 Jan Tausinger, Romanian-Czech violist and composer, dies at 58
• 1981 Robert Moses, American public official and urban planner (oversaw rebuilding of Long Island and NYC parks and roads), dies at 92
• 1982 Cor Kieboom, Dutch president of Feyenoord football club, dies at 81
• 1982 Harold Sakata [Toshiyuki], American actor (Gold Finger, Dimension 5), dies of liver cancer at 62
• 1982 Richard Gale, English general and airborne commander (Normandy), dies at 86

• 1983 J. B. Charles [Willem H. Nagel], Dutch criminologist and writer, dies at 83
• 1983 Luis Buñuel, Spanish surrealist film director (Monk), dies of cirrhosis of liver at 83
• 1983 Raymond Massey, Canadian-American stage and screen actor (Abe Lincoln In Illinois; Dr; Kildare (TV series)), dies of pneumonia at 86
• 1984 Fred Waring, American bandleader, conductor, and Waring Blender namesake, dies at 84
• 1984 Woodrow Parfey, American actor (Time Express), dies at 61 of a heart attack
• 1985 James F Nolan, actor (Dante), dies of cancer at 69
• 1986 Gordon Mills, British songwriter (Tom Jones – “It’s Not Unusual”), dies of cancer at 51
• 1987 Arthur Chipperfield, cricketer (14 Tests for Australia), dies
• 1987 Bibhutibhushan Mukhopadhyay, Bengali author (b. 1894)
• 1988 Ellin Berlin (née MacKay), American writer (Lace Curtain), and second wife of songwriter Irving Berlin (muse for his song “Always” and “Remember”), dies at 86
• 1988 Pete Drake, American pedal steel guitarist and producer, dies at 55
• 1990 Bruno Kreisky, union chancellor Austria, dies
• 1991 Christian Castries, French general (Dien Bien Phu), dies at 88
• 1992 Tavio Amorin, Togolese politician, murdered
• 1992 William Mathias, Welsh composer (wrote for 1981 royal wedding), dies at 57
• 1993 AJA Quintus Bosz, Indonesian/Suriname lawyer, dies at 78

• 1994 Francisco Veguillas, Spanish general, murdered at 68
• 1994 James Herman Barrett Jr, retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel killed by anti-abortion extremist Paul Hill at 74
• 1994 John Bayard Britton, American doctor who performed abortions, and killed by anti-abortion extremist Paul Hill, in Pensacola, Florida
• 1996 Aruna Asaf Ali, Indian independence activist and politician (first Mayor of Delhi), dies at 88
• 1996 Jason Thirsk, American punk rock bassist (Pennywise), dies of an accidental self-inflicted gunshot at 28
• 1996 Marcel-Paul Schützenberger, French mathematician, dies at 75
• 1996 Ric Nordman, Canadian politician, dies at 76
• 1997 Chuck Wayne [Jagelka], America session and bebop jazz guitarist (Woody Herman’s First Herd; George Shearing Quintet; Gil Evans; Tony Bennett), dies of emphysema at 74

• 1999 Rajendra Kumar, Indian actor, producer and director (Arzoo, Love Story, Sangam), dies at 70
• 2000 Edgar Beck, English civil engineer (led firm Mowlem that reconstructed Downing St, built new London Bridge and NatWest Tower), dies at 89
• 2000 Kobie Coetsee, South African Minister of Defense (1993-94) and Minister of Justice (1980-93), dies at 69
• 2001 Alex Nicol, American actor (The Screaming Skull, Man From Laramie, Air Cadet), dies of natural causes at 85
• 2001 Edward Gierek, Polish communist politician, dies of lung disease at 88
• 2001 Wau Holland, German computer hacker (b. 1951)
• 2003 Foday Sankoh, Sierra Leonean rebel leader (b. 1937)
• 2003 Johnny Walker [Badruddin Jamaluddin Kazi], Indian actor (Madhumati, Chachi 420), dies at 82
• 2004 James Hubert “Huby” Heard, American singer-songwriter (The God Squad), dies at 73
• 2004 Rena Vlahopoulou, Greek actress and singer (b. 1923)
• 2005 Hildegarde [Sell], American cabaret vocalist (“Leave It To The Girls”; “Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup”), dies at 99
• 2005 Pat McCormick, American comedy writer (Red Skeleton; Get Smart; The Tonight Show; Don Rickles Show), and actor (Smokey and the Bandit), dies at 78
• 2006 Jim Olin, American politician (Rep-D-VA, 1983-93), dies at 86
• 2007 Art Davis, American bassist (A Time Remembered), dies of a heart attack at 72
• 2007 Jim David, American NFL defensive back (Pro Bowl 1954-59; NFL Champion 1952-53, 57; Detroit Lions), dies at 79
• 2007 Marvin Zindler, American television reporter (b. 1921)
• 2007 Michel Serrault, French actor (Nelly & Monsieur Arnaud, La Cage aux Folles), dies at 79
• 2007 Mike Reid, English comedian and actor (Frank Butcher in “EastEnders”), dies at 67

• 2008 Eric Varley, British politician and cabinet minister, dies at 75
• 2008 Ishmeet Singh [Sodhi], Indian playback singer (Voice of India, 2007), drowns in a Maldives hotel swimming pool at 19
• 2009 Gayatri Devi, 3rd Maharani consort of Jaipur, India (1940-49), dies of lung failure and gastric problems at 90
• 2010 Roy Caton, American trumpet player and session musician, dies at 83
• 2011 Claude Laydu, Belgian-born Swiss actor (Diary of a Country Priest), dies at 84
• 2011 Nella Martinetti, Swiss singer-songwriter (Bella Musica”; “Ne partez pas sans moi”), dies of pancreatic cancer at 65
• 2013 Christian Benítez, Ecuadorian soccer striker (58 caps; El Nacional, Santos Laguna, América), dies from heart failure at 27
• 2013 Tony Gaze, Australian WWII fighter pilot and auto racer (first Australian to drive in a F1 GP 1951), dies at 93
• 2014 Idris Muhammad, American jazz drummer, dies at 74
• 2015 Peter O’Sullevan, British horse racing commentator ‘the voice of racing’, dies at 97
• 2016 Marta Marzotto, Italian countess and designer, dies at 85
• 2016 Zelda Fichandler, American theater director and producer (Raisin, K2), dies at 91
• 2017 Lee May “The Big Bopper”, American Major League Baseball 1st baseman, dies from pneumonia at 74
• 2018 Tomasz Stańko, Polish trumpeter (Astigmatic), dies of complication from lung cancer at 76
• 2019 Sam Trimble, Australian cricketer (Queensland batsman, 12th man for Australia, no Test), dies at 84
• 2020 Ajip Rosidi, Indonesian poet and writer (Madjalah Sunda, Pesta), dies at 82
• 2020 Andy Haden, New Zealand rugby union lock (41 Tests; 117 All Black games, 8 as captain; Auckland), dies from chronic lymphocytic leukemia at 69
• 2020 Mike Gillespie, American college baseball coach (College World Series 1998, Collegiate Coach of the Year 1998, USC), dies from a stroke at 80
• 2021 Carl Levin, American attorney and politician (U.S. Senator from Michigan, 1979-2015), dies at 87
• 2021 John Lindbergh, American diver and underwater demolition expert, 2nd son of aviator Charles Lindbergh, dies at 88 [1]
• 2021 Richard Lamm, American politician (38th Governor of Colorado 1975-87), dies at 85
• 2023 Clive Rowlands, Welsh rugby union scrum half (14 caps; Abercraf RFC, Pontypool RFC, Llanelli RFC, Swansea RFC), dies after a fall at 85
• 2023 David W. Potter, Scottish sports writer (published 60+ books, primarily Scottish football & cricket), dies at 74
• 2023 George Wilson. American basketball center (NCAA C’ship 1962 Uni of Cincinnati; Olympic gold 1964; Cincinnati Royals, Chicago Bulls, Seattle SuperSonics, Phoenix Suns), dies at 81
• 2024 Józef Szmidt, Polish athlete (Olympic gold triple jump 1960, 64; first to reach 17m; WR 17.03m 1960), dies from cancer at 89
• 2024 Robert Banas, American choreographer (The Judy Garland Show; Jonathan Winters Show), dies of pneumonia at 90
• 2025 Michael Hill, New Zealand entrepreneur and founder of global jewellery retailer Michael Hill Jeweller, dies at 86 [1]

July 29 Highlights