Famous Deaths on September 4

• 422 Saint Boniface I, Italian Bishop of Rome, dies
• 454 Dioscorus of Alexandria, Patriarch of Alexandria, deposed at the Council of Chalcedon, dies
• 1037 King Bermudo III of Leon (b. 1010)

• 1085 Irmgarde van Suchtelen, German countess of Aspel, hermit and saint, dies
• 1199 Joan of England, Queen consort of Sicily, wife of William II of Sicily (b. 1165)
• 1537 Johann Dietenberger, German theologian (b. c. 1475)
• 1553 Cornelia da Nomatalcino, monk converted to Judaism, burned at stake
• 1571 Matthew Stuart, Earl of Lennox, regent of Scotland for his grandson King James VI, shot and killed during a skirmish in Stirling at 54
• 1588 Robert Dudley, English Earl of Leicester, favourite of Elizabeth I, dies at 87
• 1644 John Wtenbogaert, Dutch theologist (Kerckelicke history), dies at 87
• 1709 Jean-François Regnard, French comedic poet, dramatist and traveller (captured by pirates to be a slave in Algeria), dies at 54
• 1759 Girolamo Chiti, Italian composer and music theorist, dies at 80
• 1759 Princess Elizabeth Caroline of Wales, second daughter of Prince Frederick and Princess Augusta, dies at 18
• 1767 Charles Townshend, English politician, 3rd Viscount of Townshend, dies at 42
• 1780 John Fielding, English magistrate and social reformer (b. 1721)
• 1784 César-François Cassini de Thury, French astronomer (geodesic labor), dies at 70
• 1794 John Hely-Hutchinson, Irish statesman (b. 1724)
• 1804 Richard Somers, American naval officer, killed during assault on Tripoli during First Barbary Wars at 25

• 1828 Cornelis Stevens, Belgian priest and polemist, dies at 80
• 1845 Pierre-Paul Royer-Collard, French statesman and philosopher, dies at 82
• 1852 William MacGillivray, Scottish naturalist and ornithologist (b. 1796)
• 1853 Jonathan Blewitt, English organist and composer, dies at 71

• 1903 Hermann Zumpe, German composer, dies at 53
• 1907 Edvard Grieg, Norwegian composer (Peer Gynt Suite), dies at 64

• 1916 José Echegaray, Spanish politician and dramatist (Nobel Prize for Literature 1904), dies at 84
• 1922 Georges Sorel, French philosopher and theorist of Sorelianism, dies at 74
• 1937 Giovanni Salviucci, Italian composer, dies at 29
• 1938 Clifford Dempsey, American actor (Salute), dies at 73
• 1944 Izaak van der Horst, Dutch resistance fighter, executed at Herzogenbusch concentration camp at 35
• 1960 Alfred E. Green, American film director (Copacabana, The Jolson Story), dies after long illness at 71
• 1962 William Clothier, American tennis player (US Nat C’ships 1906; 1st President International Hall of Fame 1954), dies at 80
• 1963 Robert Schuman, Luxembourg-born French statesman and Prime Minister of France (1947-48), dies at 77
• 1964 Werner Bergengruen, Baltic German writer (Der Großtyrann und das Gericht), dies at 71
• 1965 Albert Schweitzer, German-French theologian and philosopher (Nobel Peace Prize 1954), dies at 90
• 1970 James M. Taylor, American USAF officer and astronaut, killed during a training mission at 39
• 1974 Creighton W. Abrams, US general and army staff chief (Vietnam), dies at 59
• 1974 Lewi Pethrus, Swedish Pentecostal minister and politician, dies at 90
• 1974 Marcel Achard, French playwright (La forges the Paris), dies at 75
• 1975 Walter Tetley, American voice-over actor (Sherman-Bullwinkle Show), dies at 60
• 1977 E. F. Schumacher, German economist and statistician (b. 1911)
• 1977 Gabriel Mekler, Israeli-American songwriter and record producer (Steppenwolf, Three Dog Night, Janis Joplin, Etta James), dies in a motorcycle crash at 32
• 1977 Jean Rostand, French biologist and philosopher, dies at 82
• 1977 Stelios Perpiniadis, Greek folk singer, songwriter and guitarist, dies at 78
• 1979 Canuplin, Filipino magician and bodabil entertainer, dies at 75
• 1979 Jef van de Wiele, Belgian pro-Nazi politician, dies at 76
• 1979 Turkey Stearnes, American Baseball HOF outfielder (5 × NgL All-Star; 2 × Negro NL batting champion; KC Monarchs, Chicago American Giants), dies at 78
• 1980 Wolfgang Gentner, German nuclear physicist, dies at 74
• 1981 Verne Rowe, American character actor (Fernwood 2-Night – “Verne”), dies at 59
• 1984 Ernst Stueckelberg, Swiss mathematician and physicist, dies at 79
• 1985 George O’Brien, American actor (Sunrise: A Song of Two Human), dies of a stroke at 85
• 1985 Isabel Jeans, actress (Suspicion, Easy Virtue, Tovarich), dies at 93
• 1985 Robert McCormick, American NBC newscaster (Current Opinion), dies at 74

• 1988 Oda Schaefer, German writer and journalist (Die Windharfe, Ladies Only), dies at 87
• 1989 Georges Simenon, Belgian born writer and director (Maigret detective novels), dies at 86
• 1989 Ronald Syme, New Zealand-born classicist and historian, dies at 86
• 1990 Henry Faas [Wandelganger], Dutch journalist (Volkskrant), dies

• 1991 Charlie Barnet, saxophonist (Cherokee), dies of pneumonia at 77
• 1991 Dottie West [Dorothy Marsh], American country singer (“Here Comes My Baby”; with Kenny Rogers – “What Are We Doin’ in Love”), dies from internal injuries sustained in a car crash at 58
• 1991 Henri de Lubac, French Jesuit cardinal and theologist of the “new theology” movement that influenced the Second Vatican Council, dies at 95
• 1991 Margaret Ramsay, vocalist, dies
• 1991 Tom Tryon, American actor (The Cardinal, All That Glitters, The Longest Day) and novelist (The Other), dies of stomach cancer at 65
• 1992 John van Dreelen [Jacques T van Drielen Gimberg], actor (Topaz), dies
• 1993 Clyde Adler, American writer and voice actor (Soupy Sales Show – “White Fang”; “Black Tooth”), dies at 67
• 1993 Hervé Villechaize, French-American actor (Fantasy Island – Ze plane! Ze plane!), shoots self to death at 50
• 1993 Mehmet Sincar, Turkish/Kurd MP, murdered
• 1994 Ladislav Holoubek, Slovak conductor (Košice Opera, 1966-81), and composer (Rodina), dies at 81
• 1994 Laurens van Deenen, Dutch biochemist, dies at 66
• 1994 Louis Myers, American blues guitarist and harmonica player, dies at 64
• 1995 Chuck Greenberg, new age musician (Shadowfax), dies at 45
• 1995 Edmond Jouhaud, French general, dies at 90
• 1995 William Kunstler, American defense attorney (defended the Chicago 7), dies at 78
• 1996 Joan Clarke, English cryptanalyst and code-breaker at Bletchley Park during World War II (Enigma Project), dies at 79 [1]
• 1996 Sam Cook, English cricket spin bowler in (1 Test; Gloucestershire CCC), dies at 75
• 1997 Aldo Rossi, Italian architect (b. 1931)
• 1997 Belle Stewart, Scottish traditional singer, dies at 91
• 1997 Hans Eysenck, German-born British psychologist (most frequently cited living psychologist), dies at 81
• 1997 Jeffrey Bernard, British writer (Spectator Magazine – Low Life), dies at 65
• 1997 Natko Devčić, Croatian composer, dies at 83
• 1998 Elizabeth Kata, Australian writer, A Patch of Blue (b. 1912)
• 1999 Klement Slavický, Czech composer (Sinfonietta No. 4 – Pax hominibus in universo orbi), dies at 88 [1]
• 2000 David Brown, American rock bassist (Santana, 1967-71, 1974-76), dies of liver and kidney failure at 53
• 2000 John Beith, British diplomat who served as the ambassador to Israel and Belgium, dies at 86 [1]
• 2001 Hank the Angry Drunken Dwarf, American radio personality (b. 1962)
• 2002 Jerome Biffle, American long jumper (Olympic gold 1952), track coach, and jogging proponent, dies at 74
• 2002 Vlado Perlemuter, Lithuanian-French pianist, dies at 98
• 2003 Lola Bobesco, Romanian-born violinist (b. 1921)
• 2003 Susan Chilcott, English operatic soprano, dies of breast cancer at 40
• 2003 Tibor Varga, Hungarian violinist and orchestra leader (Ripley’s Game), dies at 82
• 2004 Alphonso Ford, American basketball guard (EuroLeague Top Scorer, All-EuroLeague First Team 2001, 03; Olympiacos, Montepaschi Siena), dies from leukemia at 32
• 2004 James O. Page, American paramedic (b. 1936)
• 2004 Moe Norman, Canadian golfer (Canadian Golf Hall of Fame), dies from congestive heart failure at 75
• 2006 Astrid Varnay, Swedish soprano (Met Opera 1941-56), dies at 88
• 2006 Colin Thiele, Australian author and educator (b. 1920)
• 2006 Giacinto Facchetti, Italian soccer left-back (94 caps; Inter Milan 476 games), dies at 64
• 2006 John Conte, American actor (The Man with the Golden Arm, Lost in a Harem, Mantovani), dies of natural causes at 90

• 2007 John Scott, 9th Duke of Buccleuch, 11th Duke of Queensberry, Scottish peer, largest landowner in Scotland, and 1st MP in a wheelchair, dies at 83
• 2007 Ryūzō Sejima, Japanese army officer and educator, dies at 95
• 2007 Seth Tobias, American financial commentator and founder of the hedge fund Circle T, dies of a heart attack at 44 [1] [2]
• 2009 (Robert) “Buddy” Blattner, American table tennis player (World Championship – gold, doubles 1936, 1937), MLB baseball second baseman, 1942-49 (New York Giants, and two other teams), and broadcaster, dies at 89
• 2009 Iain Cuthbertson, Scottish actor (Guilty, Scandal, Rep, Danger UXB), dies at 79
• 2010 Paul Conrad, American cartoonist (Pulitzer 1964, 71, 84), dies at 86
• 2011 Lee Roy Selmon, American College-Pro Football HOF defensive end (NFL Defensive Player of the Year 1979; First-team All-Pro 1979, 80, 82; 6× Pro Bowl; TB Buccaneers), dies from a stroke at 56
• 2012 Ian Parrott, British-Welsh composer (The Black Ram), dies at 96
• 2014 Donatas Banionis, Lithuanian actor (Solaris, Goya or the Hard Way to Enlightenment), dies at 90
• 2014 Gustavo Cerati, Argentinian rock singer-songwriter (Soda Stereo), dies of cardiac arrest after 4 years in a coma at 55

• 2014 Ron Mulock, Australian politician (Deputy Premier of New South Wales, 1984-88; Mayor of Perth, Penrith, 1968-71), dies at 84
• 2014 Wolfhart Pannenberg, German theologist (Gingham Girl), dies at 85
• 2014 Włodzimierz Kotoński, Polish composer, dies at 89
• 2015 Emmanuel “Rico” Rodriguez, Jamaican ska trombonist (The Specials), dies at 80
• 2015 Jean Darling [Dorothy Jean LeVake] American child actress (Our Gang), dies at 93
• 2015 Rainer Kirsch, German writer, playwright (Heinrich Schlaghands Höllenfahrt), and poet, dies at 81
• 2016 David Jenkins, English controversial cleric (Bishop of Durham), dies at 91
• 2016 Ralph Goings, American photorealistic painter, dies at 88
• 2017 Iryna Kyrylina, Ukrainian composer (Rozmyte bachene (What I have seen has been washed away), choral director, and educator, dies at 62
• 2018 Bill Daily, American actor and comedian (I Dream of Jeannie – “Roger”; The Bob Newhart Show – “Howard”), dies at 91
• 2019 Peter Ellis, New Zealand convicted child abuser, dies at 61
• 2020 Gary Peacock, American jazz bassist (Keith Jarrett Trio), dies at 85 [1]
• 2020 Peter Cronjé, South African rugby union center (7 caps; Transvaal, Natal), dies from cancer at 70
• 2021 Tunch Ilkin, American football offensive tackle (Pro Bowl 1988, 89; Pittsburgh Steelers) and broadcaster (Pittsburgh Steelers TV & radio 1998-2020), dies of ALS complications at 63
• 2021 Willard Scott, American weather forecaster (Today Show), dies at 87
• 2022 Bo Brundin, Swedish actor (The Rhinemann Exchange; A Baltic Tragedy), dies at 85
• 2022 Boris Lagutin, Russian boxer (Olympic gold USSR light-middleweight 1964, 68; bronze 1960), dies at 84
• 2022 John Till, Canadian rock guitarist (Full Tilt Boogie Band), dies at 76
• 2023 Ed Meador, American football cornerback (First-team All-Pro 1968, 69; 6 × Pro Bowl; Los Angeles Rams), dies at 86
• 2023 Ferid Murad, American physician and pharmacologist (Nobel Prize for Medicine – 1998), dies at 86 [1]
• 2023 Gary Wright, American rock singer and keyboardist (Spooky Tooth – It’s All About; solo – “Dream Weaver”), dies of complications from Parkinson’s disease at 80 [1]
• 2023 Hameur Hizem, Tunisian soccer coach (Tunisia national team 1970-74, 1978-79, 1980-81; US Monastir), dies at 85
• 2023 Steve Harwell, American rock singer-songwriter (Smash Mouth, 1994-2021 – “All Star”, “I’m A Believer”), dies of liver failure at 56 [1]
• 2024 Luis Ayala, Chilean tennis player (French Open mixed doubles 1956), dies at 91

September 4 Highlights