The list of famous people who died at 40 includes John Lennon, Paul Walker, Edgar Allan Poe, Kalpana Chawla, Alexander McQueen. Famous personalities featured on this list, include emperors & kings, political leaders, military leaders and actors and from other domains of life. This list of celebrities who died at 40 includes people from United States, United Kingdom, France & Turkey and many more countries.
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1
Paul Walker(Best Known for His Role as 'Brian O'Conner' in the 'Fast & Furious' Franchise)
Birthdate: September 12, 1973
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Glendale, California, United States
Died: November 30, 2013
Actor Paul Walker is remembered for his role as Brian O'Conner in the Fast & Furious franchise. A talented star who made his debut as a child actor, he was known for taking up challenging roles, especially in action films. Besides acting, he had a keen interest in marine biology. He was killed in a tragic car accident in 2013.
2
John Lennon(The Founder, Co-Songwriter, Co-Lead Vocalist & Rhythm Guitarist of 'The Beatles')
Birthdate: October 9, 1940
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Liverpool, England, United Kingdom
Died: December 8, 1980
John Lennon was part of the hugely successful and popular music band, Beatles. It became the first British band to break out big in the US. However, they eventually broke up. Subsequently, Lennon went solo, with 1971 album, Imagine, being his most successful and acclaimed post-Beatles efforts. Sadly he was shot dead by a deranged fan in New York.
3
Edgar Allan Poe(Writer and Poet - Widely Regarded as a Central Figure of Romanticism in the United States)
Birthdate: January 19, 1809
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Died: October 7, 1849
American writer Edgar Allan Poe is regarded as the architect of modern short story, the inventor of the detective-fiction genre and a major contributor towards science fiction genre. The influential writer is recognised for his tales of mystery and macabre. His notable works include The Raven (poem), The Tell-Tale Heart and The Fall of the House of Usher (short stories).
4
Franz Kafka(Novelist and Short-Story Writer, Widely Regarded as One of the Major Figures of 20th-Century Literature)
Birthdate: July 3, 1883
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Prague, Czech Republic
Died: June 3, 1924
Considered one of the major authors of the 20th century, Franz Kafka was a Bohemian short-story writer and novelist. Franz Kafka is credited for being one of the earliest German-speaking authors to explore themes like absurdity, existential anxiety, and alienation. The term Kafkaesque is now widely used in the English language to explain those situations experienced by his characters.
5
John Coltrane(One of the Most Influential Saxophonists in Music History)
Birthdate: September 23, 1926
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: HaHamlet, North Carolina, United States
Died: July 17, 1967
Jazz saxophonist John Coltrane is remembered for his significant influence on modern jazz. He was initially part of the Navy band and eventually collaborated with musicians such as Miles Davis. He won a Pulitzer Prize and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and was canonized by the African Orthodox Church.
6
Chris Penn(Actor)
Birthdate: October 10, 1965
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
Died: January 24, 2006
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
Birthdate: January 12, 1876
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: San Francisco, California, United States
Died: November 22, 1916
Jack London was an American novelist, social activist, and journalist. A pioneer of American magazines and commercial fiction, London was one of the first authors from the US to become an international celebrity. His life and work inspired several films, such as the 1943 movie Jack London and 1980 film Klondike Fever. He was also portrayed in several TV series.
8
Vladimir Komarov(First Cosmonaut to Fly into Space Twice and the First Human to Die in a Space Flight)
Birthdate: March 16, 1927
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Moscow, Russia
Died: April 24, 1967
Soviet cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov was the first from his country to fly into space twice. He died when his Soyuz 1 capsule crashed while re-entering the Earth, due to a parachute failure, on April 24, 1967, which made him the first human to die in a space flight.
9
Glenn Miller(Trombonist)
Birthdate: March 1, 1904
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Clarinda, Iowa, United States
Died: December 15, 1944
10
Pete Maravich(American Professional Basketball Player and One of the Best Ball Handlers of All Time)
Birthdate: June 22, 1947
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: January 5, 1988
Pete Maravich, or Pistol Pete, played for three NBA teams till injuries ended his career. He initially played under his father, head coach Press Maravich, for the LSU Tigers. He also became the NCAA Division I top scorer of all time, with 3,667 points and 44.2 points per game.
Birthdate: April 3, 1926
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Mitchell, Indiana, United States
Died: January 27, 1967
Gus Grissom was the second U.S. astronaut to fly into space. The Distinguished Flying Cross-winner had fought in World War II and the Korean War before being part of Mercury-Redstone 4 and Project Gemini. He died during a pre-launch test of the Apollo 1 mission, along with two colleagues.
Birthdate: March 21, 1921
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Moscow, Russia
Died: March 19, 1962
Vasily Stalin was the son of Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin and his second wife. Vasily joined the Air Force during Nazi Germany’s Operation Barbarossa. He was the youngest major-general of the Red Army. Following his father’s death, he sank into alcoholism and was also imprisoned for a while.
Birthdate: April 28, 1442
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Rouen, France
Died: April 9, 1483
The King of England for several years from 1461 until his death in 1483, Edward IV of England was a central figure in the Wars of the Roses. He was a brave warrior and his contemporaries described him as handsome, affable, and energetic. He died at the relatively young age of 40. The cause of his death remains unknown.
14
Kalpana Chawla(Indian-Born American Astronaut Who Was the First Woman of Indian Origin to Go to Space)
Birthdate: March 17, 1962
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Karnal, Haryana, India
Died: February 1, 2003
Astronaut Kalpana Chawla became the first Indian-origin woman to go to space in the 1997 STS-87 mission. She and the other crew members of the Space Shuttle Columbia STS-107 mission died when the shuttle exploded before reaching Earth. The Indian weather satellite MetSat-1 was renamed Kalpana-1 in her honor.
15
Roy Halladay(Baseball Player)
Birthdate: May 14, 1977
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Denver, Colorado, USA
Died: November 7, 2017
Height: 6'6" (198 cm)
16
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, 1966
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.
17
Jim Reeves(Singer-Songwriter)
Birthdate: August 20, 1923
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Galloway, Texas, United States
Died: July 31, 1964
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
18
Ray Combs(American Stand-up Comedian, Actor and Game Show Host)
Birthdate: April 3, 1956
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Hamilton, Ohio, United States
Died: June 2, 1996
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
Birthdate: March 31, 1519
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France
Died: July 10, 1559
Henry II, son of Francis I, reigned as the king of France from 1547 to 1559. Though he achieved the Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis, which ended the Italian Wars, he died as a result of a would inflicted by Gabriel de Montgomery during a jousting event to celebrate the same.
20
Scott Fischer(First American to Summit Mt. Lhotse)
Birthdate: December 24, 1955
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Muskegon, Michigan, United States
Died: May 11, 1996
American mountaineer Scott Fischer was known for scaling the highest peaks of the world, including Mt. Everest and K2, without using oxygen cans. He later became a mountain guide and co-launched his own adventure travel company Mountain Madness. He died in a blizzard while guiding a group of clients to Mt. Everest.
21
Gerald Levert(Singer)
Birthdate: July 13, 1966
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Died: November 10, 2006
Birthdate: October 22, 1913
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Budapest, Hungary
Died: May 25, 1954
Robert Capa was a Hungarian-American photojournalist and war photographer. Regarded as the greatest adventure and combat photographer of all time, Robert Capa is best remembered for covering five major wars, namely Second Sino-Japanese War, Spanish Civil War, World War II, First Indochina War, and the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. In 1947, he was honored with the prestigious Medal of Freedom.
23
Paddy Mayne(One of Britain's Most Highly Decorated Soldiers in Second World War)
Birthdate: January 11, 1915
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Newtownards, County Down, Ireland
Died: December 14, 1955
Paddy Mayne was not just a British Army lieutenant colonel but also a legendary rugby player who had represented both Ireland and the British Lions. He was also known for his reckless behavior, including his drunken brawls. He was part of a huge debate after being denied the Victoria Cross.
24
Vitas Gerulaitis(American Professional Tennis Player)
Birthdate: July 26, 1954
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Died: September 17, 1994
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
Birthdate: March 16, 1774
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Donington
Died: July 19, 1814
26
Trevor Goddard(Best Known for His Role as ‘Kano’ in the Martial Arts Action Film ‘Mortal Kombat’)
Birthdate: October 14, 1962
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Croydon, Surrey, England
Died: June 7, 2003
Apart from being an actor, best known for the film Mortal Kombat and the series JAG, Trevor Goddard had also been a talented light heavyweight boxer. He also played cricket and football in his youth. He died of an accidental drug overdose at age 40, in his North Hollywood home.
27
Ian Charleson(Scottish actor)
Birthdate: August 11, 1949
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Edinburgh, Scotland
Died: January 6, 1990
28
Howard Ashman(Playwright, Lyricist & Stage Director)
Birthdate: May 17, 1950
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Died: March 14, 1991
Birthdate: September 27, 1783
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Morelia, Mexico
Died: July 19, 1824
Agustín de Iturbide was a Mexican politician and army general who played a key role during the Mexican War of Independence. During the war, Agustín built a successful military and political coalition that brought the entire Mexico City under its control on 27 September 1821, thus playing an important role in gaining independence for Mexico.
30
Michael J. Smith
Birthdate: April 30, 1945
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Beaufort
Died: January 28, 1986
31
Alaric I(King of the Visigoths from 395 to 410)
Birthdate: 0370 AD
Birthplace: Peuce Island
Died: 0410 AD
Alaric I reigned as the first king of the Visigoths. Alaric, who operated against the Western Roman regimes, is best remembered for playing a crucial role in the sack of Rome in 410, which was one of the major events leading up to the fall of the Western Roman Empire. After Rome's sack, Alaric fell ill and died in Bruttium.
32
Víctor Jara(Chilean Teacher and Theater Director Who Was Tortured and Killed by Dictator Augusto Pinochet’s Men)
Birthdate: September 28, 1932
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: San Ignacio, Chile
Died: September 16, 1973
Legendary Chilean folk singer Víctor Jara was eventually gearing up for a career as a priest and later studied theater, eventually switching to music. He pioneered the nueva canción genre of music in the middle of extreme political turmoil. He was tortured and shot dead during dictator Augusto Pinochet’s reign.
Birthdate: March 23, 1887
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Madrid, Spain
Died: May 11, 1927
Juan Gris was a Spanish painter whose paintings are counted among the Cubism movement's most distinctive works. Gris's works and style influenced the Purist style of Charles Edouard Jeanneret and Amédée Ozenfant. Some of his paintings, such as Still Life with Checked Tablecloth and The musician's Table, have sold for millions of dollars at the auction.
Birthdate: May 31, 1963
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: August 21, 2003
Height: 6'5" (196 cm)
35
James Bowie(American Pioneer, Slave Smuggler and Trader)
Birthdate: 1796 AD
Birthplace: Logan County, Kentucky, United States
Died: March 6, 1836
36
Kamehameha III(King)
Birthdate: March 17, 1814
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Keauhou Bay, Kahaluu-Keauhou, Hawaii, United States
Died: December 15, 1854
37
Philip III of France(King of France (1270–1285))
Birthdate: May 1, 1245
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Poissy, France
Died: October 5, 1285
38
Yusaku Matsuda(Japanese actor)
Birthdate: September 21, 1949
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture
Died: November 6, 1989
39
Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten(Swedish Prince and the Oldest Son of Gustaf VI Adolf)
Birthdate: April 22, 1906
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Stockholm Palace, Stockholm, Sweden
Died: January 26, 1947
Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten was a Swedish prince. He was the oldest son of Gustaf VI Adolf. He was an athlete and competed at the 1936 Olympics in show jumping. Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten was also associated with the Swedish Olympic Committee, where he served as the president from 1933 until his demise in 1947.
40
Alexander Blok(Poet)
Birthdate: November 28, 1880
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Saint Petersburg, Russia
Died: August 7, 1921
41
Udham Singh(Indian Revolutionary Known for Assassinating ‘Michael O’Dwyer’, the Former Lieutenant Governor of the Punjab in India)
Birthdate: December 26, 1899
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Sunam, Punjab, India
Died: July 31, 1940
42
Buenaventura Durruti(Anarcho-syndicalist, Anarchist, Trade unionist)
Birthdate: July 14, 1896
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: León
Died: November 20, 1936
43
Frank Gotch(Wrestler)
Birthdate: April 27, 1877
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Humboldt, Iowa,United States
Died: December 16, 1917
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
44
Tim Hetherington(War correspondent, Photographer, Film director, Film producer, Photojournalist, Journalist, War photographer)
Birthdate: December 5, 1970
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Birkenhead
Died: April 20, 2011
Tim Hetherington was a British photojournalist who produced films and books among other work that ranged from fly-poster exhibitions to multi-screen installations. Hetherington is remembered for co-directing the 2010 documentary film Restrepo, which received the Grand Jury Prize at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. Hetherington was killed at the age of 40 while covering the Libyan civil war in 2011.
45
Clyde McPhatter(Singer)
Birthdate: November 15, 1931
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Durham, North Carolina, United States
Died: June 13, 1972
Birthdate: December 26, 1924
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Alexandria, Egypt
Died: May 18, 1965
Israeli spy Eli Cohen is remembered for his espionage activities from 1961 to 1965 in Syria, where he served as the chief advisor to the defense minister. He was eventually convicted and publicly hanged. His story later inspired the Netflix miniseries The Spy and the TV film The Impossible Spy.
47
Sean Stephenson(Former Self-help writer)
Birthdate: May 5, 1979
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: August 28, 2019
Height: 3'0" (91 cm)
Birthdate: December 8, 1720
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Pune, Maharashtra, India
Died: June 23, 1761
Birthdate: May 8, 1829
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Died: December 18, 1869
50
Alex Lowe(Mountaineer and Climber Who was Widely Considered the 'Best' Climber of His Day)
Birthdate: December 24, 1958
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Frederick, Maryland, United States
Died: October 5, 1999
Alex Lowe was an American mountaineer who was admired and respected by his peers for doing exceptionally well in every aspect of mountaineering. He was associated with the North Face climbing team for nearly 10 years and is credited with inspiring an entire generation of climbers. In 1995, Lowe was honored by the American Alpine Club with the Underhill Award.
