Discover the most famous people died who died in the year 1966. This list includes people like Walt Disney, Georges Lemaître, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Montgomery Clift, Buster Keaton and many more. This list of celebrities is loosely sorted by popularity. People featured on this list, include political leaders, soldiers, poets and military leaders who died in 1966. This list includes people from United States, Germany, United Kingdom & France and many more countries.
Vote for Your Favourite People Who Died In 1966
Right IconThis ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet.
1
Walt Disney(Pioneer of the American Animation Industry)
Birthdate: December 5, 1901
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: December 15
Walt Disney is considered to be the forerunner of the American animation industry. He has won 22 Oscars and holds the record for most Academy Awards earned by an individual as a film producer. His The Walt Disney Company has produced many successful animation films. He later established amusement theme park, Disneyland, in 1955, which has since grown manifold.
2
Buster Keaton(Comedian, Actor and Filmmaker Known for His Deadpan Expressions, Which Earned Him the Nickname ‘The Great Stone Face’)
Birthdate: October 4, 1895
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Piqua, Kansas, United States
Died: February 1
Buster Keaton was an American comedian, filmmaker, actor, and stunt performer. Regarded as one of the greatest actor-directors of all time, Keaton was renowned for his physical comedy. Counted among the greatest stars of classic Hollywood cinema by the American Film Institute, Buster Keaton's films remain highly regarded. His 1926 film The General was admired by actors like Orson Welles.
Birthdate: October 17, 1920
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Omaha, Nebraska, United States
Died: July 23
Montgomery Clift was an American actor whose decision not to sign a contract in Hollywood for the first couple of films went on to help establish the structure of the star-studio relationship from the 1950s to the '80s. One of the original American method actors, Clift was the subject of a documentary named Making Montgomery Clift, which released in 2018.
4
Lenny Bruce(American Stand-Up Comedian and Social Critic)
Birthdate: October 13, 1925
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Mineola, New York, United States
Died: August 3
Regarded as one of the best American stand-up comedians of all time, Lenny Bruce was renowned for his critical form of comedy. His conviction for obscenity played a major role in redefining freedom of speech in the US. He is also credited with inspiring several comedians of the counterculture era. His life and career have inspired several works of art.
Birthdate: February 26, 1887
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Burlington, Iowa
Died: March 3
William Frawley is best remembered as Fred Mertz from the iconic sitcom I Love Lucy and as "Bub" O'Casey from My Three Sons. He had started his career as a vaudeville entertainer and later performed as part of the comedy duo Frawley and Louise, with his wife, Edna Louise Broedt.
6
Chester W. Nimitz(American Admiral Known for His Role as Commander in Chief of US Pacific Fleet in World War II)
Birthdate: February 24, 1885
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Fredericksburg, Texas, United States
Died: February 20
Chester W. Nimitz was part of the United States Navy where he served as a fleet admiral. He played a key role during World War II, commanding the US Pacific Fleet and the Allied air, sea, and land forces. He also played a crucial role in acquiring approval to develop USS Nautilus, the first nuclear-powered submarine in the world.
7
Margaret Sanger(Birth Control Activist Who Opened the First Birth Control Clinic in the United States)
Birthdate: September 14, 1879
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Corning, New York, United States
Died: September 6
Margaret Sanger was an American writer and sex educator. She is credited with popularizing the term birth control. A birth control activist, Sanger established the first birth control clinic in America. She also set up organizations that later became the well-known non-profit organization Planned Parenthood Federation of America. She also played a key role in legalizing contraception in the US.
Birthdate: July 17, 1894
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Charleroi, Belgium
Died: June 20
Georges Lemaître was a mathematician, astronomer, and professor of physics. Lemaître was the first person to theorize that the expansion of the universe can be used to explain the recession of nearby galaxies. In 1927, Lemaître published the first estimation of the Hubble constant. He also came up with the Big Bang theory to explain the origin of the universe.
Birthdate: October 2, 1904
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Mughalsarai, Uttar Pradesh, India
Died: January 11
The second prime minister of India, Lal Bahadur Shastri, was known for his environmental campaigns and his support for the White Revolution. His slogan "Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan,” during the 1965 Indo-Pakistan War, became immensely popular. He ended the war by signing the Tashkent Agreement, but died a day later.
Birthdate: July 4, 1925
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Santa Paula, California, United States
Died: September 28
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
11
Ed Wynn(Actor)
Birthdate: November 9, 1886
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Died: June 19
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
Birthdate: May 2, 1885
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: February 1
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
Birthdate: October 10, 1901
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Borgonovo, Bregaglia, Switzerland
Died: January 11
Alberto Giacometti was a Swiss painter, sculptor, printmaker, and draftsman. Widely regarded as one of the 20th century's most important sculptors, Giacometti's career and his friendship with American writer James Lord inspired the 2017 British-American drama film Final Portrait, in which Alberto Giacometti is portrayed by Australian actor Geoffrey Roy Rush.
14
Evelyn Waugh(One of the Great Prose Stylists of the English Language in the 20th Century)
Birthdate: October 28, 1903
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: West Hampstead, London, United Kingdom
Died: April 10
Arthur Evelyn St. John Waugh was an English author, known for his novels, biographies, and travelogues. Hailed as the most brilliant satirical novelist of his day, he wrote mostly satires before WWII. But during the war, his writings took a serious turn; he published Brideshead Revisited in 1945, a book that continues to appear on the best books list till now.
Birthdate: October 30, 1909
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Mumbai, India
Died: January 24
Padma Bhushan-winning physicist Homi Bhabha revolutionized the Indian nuclear program singlehandedly. Born into an affluent family, he was educated at Cambridge. Initially geared toward a career in mechanical engineering, he later drifted to physics, eventually contributing to the formation of TIFR. The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre is named after him.
16
Andre Breton(French Writer, Poet and Co-Founder of ‘Surrealism’)
Birthdate: February 19, 1896
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Tinchebray, France
Died: September 28
Born into a family of shopkeepers, French poet André Breton initially studied medicine and psychiatry. He then joined Dadaism and eventually branched out and became one of the pioneers of the surrealist movement. Known for his Surrealist Manifestos, Breton was also a collector of manuscripts, sculptures, and paintings.
17
Elizabeth Arden(Canadian-American Businesswoman)
Birthdate: December 31, 1878
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada
Died: October 18
18
Clifton Webb(Film actor, Singer)
Birthdate: November 19, 1889
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
Died: October 13
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
Birthdate: May 28, 1883
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Bhagur
Died: February 26
Vinayak Damodar Savarkar was an Indian politician and independence activist. He formulated the Hindu nationalist philosophy of Hindutva and was a leading figure in the Hindu Mahasabha. He was known for his strong oratory skills and was an eloquent writer. He was initially charged as a co-conspirator in the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi but was later acquitted.
20
Sergei Korolev(Lead Rocket Engineer and Founder of the Soviet Union’s Space Program)
Birthdate: January 1, 1907
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Zhytomyr, Ukraine
Died: January 14
Sergei Korolev was a Soviet spacecraft designer and rocket engineer who played an important role during the Space Race between the Soviet Union and the United States of America in the 1950s and 1960s. He was largely responsible for developing the R-7 Rocket and launching Yuri Gagarin into space. Sergei Korolev also launched Belka, Strelka, and Laika into space.
21
Alice Pearce(Actress)
Birthdate: October 16, 1917
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States
Died: March 3
Birthdate: August 27, 1899
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Cairo, Egypt
Died: April 2
23
Herbert Marshall(Screen and Radio Actor Best Known for His Role as ‘Gaston Monescu’ in the Film ‘Trouble in Paradise’)
Birthdate: May 23, 1890
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: London, England
Died: January 22
Herbert Marshall was an English actor best remembered for playing important roles in popular Hollywood films during the 1930s and 1940s. He was one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood at the peak of his career. In 1960, Herbert Marshall was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the film industry.
24
Bobby Fuller(Singer, Songwriter, Guitarist)
Birthdate: October 22, 1942
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Baytown
Died: July 18
25
Anna Akhmatova(One of the Most Significant Russian Poets of 20th Century)
Birthdate: June 23, 1889
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Odessa, Ukraine
Died: March 5
One of the greatest Russian women poets, Anna Akhmatova had started writing poems at age 11. She was part of the Acmeists, who laid down their own style, Acmeism. Poema bez geroya and Requiem remain two of her finest works. She later wrote about the horrors of the Stalinist regime.
26
Mississippi John Hurt(Singer)
Birthdate: March 8, 1892
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Teoc, Mississippi, United States
Died: November 2
27
Dorothy Macmillan(Socialite)
Birthdate: July 28, 1900
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Lancashire, United Kingdom
Died: May 21
28
Sophie Tucker(American Comedian, Actress, Singer, and Radio Personality)
Birthdate: January 13, 1886
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Tul'chyn, Ukraine
Died: February 9
29
Bud Powell(American Jazz Pianist and Composer)
Birthdate: September 27, 1924
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Harlem, New York, United States
Died: August 1
Birthdate: May 23, 1875
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: New Haven
Died: February 17
31
Elliot See(Officer, Test pilot, Astronaut)
Birthdate: July 23, 1927
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Dallas
Died: February 28
32
Jean Arp(German-French-Sculptor Best Known for His Biomorphic Sculptures)
Birthdate: September 16, 1886
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Strasbourg, France
Died: June 7
Jean Arp was born in Strasbourg, to a German father and a French mother. After studying art in Paris and Switzerland, he co-created The Modern Alliance and participated in the Dada and Abstraction-Création movements. An avant-garde painter and sculptor, he also experimented with media such as embroidery.
33
Giuseppe Farina(Italian Racing Driver and First Official Formula One World Champion)
Birthdate: October 30, 1906
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Turin, Italy
Died: June 30
Giuseppe Farina, or Nino Farina, was not just a Formula One racer but also boasted of a doctorate degree in engineering. He became the first winner of the world driving championship as per the modern point system. He died in a car accident while on his way to watch a race.
34
Joseph A. Walker(American World War II Pilot, NASA Test Pilot and Astronaut)
Birthdate: February 20, 1921
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Washington, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: June 8
35
Princess Beatrice of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha(Aristocrat)
Birthdate: April 20, 1884
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Eastwell Park, Kent, England
Died: July 13
36
Courtney Hicks Hodges(General)
Birthdate: January 5, 1887
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Perry, Georgia, United States
Died: January 16
37
Melvin Tolson(Poet)
Birthdate: February 6, 1898
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Moberly, Missouri, United States
Died: August 29
38
S.S. Kresge(Businessman)
Birthdate: July 31, 1867
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Allentown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died: October 18
39
Ahmadu Bello(The First and Only Premier of Northern Nigeria)
Birthdate: June 12, 1910
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Rabbah bar Nahmani
Died: January 15
Nigerian statesman Ahmadu Bello was the only Premier of Northern Nigeria. The Sardauna of Sokoto, he was one of the main spokespersons for Northern Nigeria during the country’s struggle for independence. He is also remembered as a founding father of modern Nigeria. He was assassinated in Nigeria’s first military coup.
40
George de Hevesy(Hungarian Radiochemist Known for His Key Role in the Development of 'Radioactive Tracers')
Birthdate: August 1, 1885
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Budapest, Hungary
Died: July 5
Nobel Prize-winning Hungarian-Swedish chemist George de Hevesy is best remembered for his research on isotopic tracer techniques to study animal metabolism. He is also credited with co-discovering the element hafnium with physicist Dirk Coster. He fled the Nazi regime and moved first to Denmark and then to Sweden.
41
Charles Bassett(Test pilot)
Birthdate: December 30, 1931
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Dayton, Ohio, United States
Died: February 28
42
Javier Solís(Mexican Singer and Actor)
Birthdate: September 1, 1931
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Tacubaya, Mexico City, Mexico
Died: April 19
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
43
Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi(Nigerian General Who Was the Country's First Military Head of State)
Birthdate: March 3, 1924
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Umuahia
Died: July 29
Nigerian general Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi was named Johnny Ironside after facing an angry mob of Congolese people during the Congo Crisis and releasing hostages from Katangese rebels. He reigned as Nigeria’s 1st military head of state. He was eventually assassinated by a few Northern Nigerian officers.
44
Milos Milos(Serbian-born American Stunt Double and Actor)
Birthdate: July 1, 1941
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Knjazevac, Serbia
Died: January 30
Milos Milos was a Serbian-born American stunt double, actor, and bodyguard for Alain Delon. He is best remembered for his portrayal of a naval officer in the American comedy film The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming. Milos Milos also played the titular role in the 1966 American horror film Incubus before committing suicide at the age of 24.
45
Lucy Burns(American Suffragist and Women’s Rights Activist)
Birthdate: July 28, 1879
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States
Died: December 22
46
Johnny Kidd(English Singer and Songwriter)
Birthdate: December 23, 1935
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Willesden, North London, England
Died: October 8
Johnny Kidd was an English singer and songwriter. He is best remembered for his association with the rock and roll group, Johnny Kidd & the Pirates, where he was the lead vocalist. Thanks to one of his most popular songs, Shakin' All Over, Johnny Kidd was one of the few British rockers to achieve international fame before the Beatles.
47
Harry F. Byrd(Politician, Publisher)
Birthdate: June 10, 1887
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Martinsburg, West Virginia, United States
Died: October 20
48
Billy Rose(Impresario)
Birthdate: September 6, 1899
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: February 10
49
Delmore Schwartz(Writer)
Birthdate: December 8, 1913
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Died: July 11
50
Cleo de Merode(Ballet dancer)
Birthdate: September 27, 1875
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: October 17
Cleo de Merode was a French dancer whose glamor overshadowed her dancing skills. Often referred to as the first modern celebrity and the first real celebrity icon, de Mérode was also the first female public figure whose pictures were distributed worldwide. She is also remembered for her sculpture La Danseuse which was sculpted from a plaster cast of her body.
