Discover the most famous people who died on December 25. The list includes people like Charlie Chaplin, James Brown, Nicolae Ceau?escu, Anatoli Boukreev, Samuel de Champlain. Famous personalities featured on this list, include actors, composers, political leaders and explorers and from other domains of life. This list includes people from United States, France, India & United Kingdom and many more countries.
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1
Charlie Chaplin(The Greatest Comic Artist Ever & One of the Most Important Figures in Motion-Picture History)
Birthdate: April 16, 1889
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Walworth, London, England
Died: 1977
Cinema lovers around the world hold Charlie Chaplin in high esteem. One of the biggest stars of the silent film era and an icon, he left the audience in splits with his comedic performances. Even today, his performances in movies like Modern Times and The Gold Rush are considered classic. The legendary actor was also a writer, director and producer.
2
George Michael(English Singer Who is Considered One of the Most Significant Cultural Icons of the MTV Generation)
Birthdate: June 25, 1963
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: East Finchley, London, England
Died: 2016
George Michael is one of the best-selling music artists of all time. He rose to fame as a member of the music duo Wham and later went solo. His first solo single Careless Whisper reached number one in over 20 countries. He came out as gay in 1998. He was often in news for his personal life and legal troubles.
3
James Brown(Central Progenitor of Funk Music and Referred to as 'Godfather of Soul')
Birthdate: May 3, 1933
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Barnwell, South Carolina, United States
Died: 2006
Referred to by honorific nicknames, such as Godfather of Soul, James Brown was a prominent figure of 20th century music. A progenitor of funk music, Brown influenced the development of many music genres. An inductee of the Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame, Brown is ranked seventh in Rolling Stone magazine's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time list.
4
Dean Martin(One of the Most Popular and Enduring American Entertainers of the Mid-20th Century)
Birthdate: June 7, 1917
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Steubenville, Ohio, United States
Died: 1995
An actor, singer, and comedian, Dean Martin earned the nickname The King of Cool for his effortless self-assurance and charisma. One of the most popular entertainers of the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s, Dean performed in nightclubs and concert stages and appeared in film and TV productions. Such is his popularity that his songs continue to be featured across popular culture.
5
Eartha Kitt(Singer with a Distinctive Voice Known for her Hits "Let's Do It", and "C'est si bon")
Birthdate: January 17, 1927
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: North, South Carolina, United States
Died: 2008
Eartha Kitt was an American actress, comedian, dancer, and singer-songwriter. Renowned for her distinctive singing style, Kitt recorded several chartbusting songs during the 1950s. Also a well-known activist, Eartha Kitt established a non-profit organization called the Kittsville Youth Foundation, which helped underprivileged youths in Los Angeles. She was also an ardent advocate for same-sex marriage and LGBT rights.
Birthdate: August 13, 1574
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Hiers-Brouage, Marennes-Hiers-Brouage, France
Died: 1635
Samuel de Champlain was a French colonist, navigator, draftsman, soldier, and explorer who made between 21 and 29 trips across the Atlantic Ocean. He founded Quebec and New France and is considered an important figure in Canadian history. He is also referred to as the "Father of New France." As a businessman, he founded many trading companies.
7
Joan Blondell(American Actress Best Known for Her Film 'The Blue Veil')
Birthdate: August 30, 1906
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Manhattan, New York, United States
Died: 1979
Joan Blondell was an American actress whose film and TV career spanned over 50 years. She is perhaps best remembered for her portrayal of Annie Rawlins in the 1951 historical drama film The Blue Veil, which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
8
Joan Miró(Spanish Painter, Sculptor and Ceramicist Known for His work in ‘Surrealism’, ‘Fauvism’ and ‘Expressionism’)
Birthdate: April 20, 1893
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Barcelona, Spain
Died: 1983
Born to an artisan father in Catalan, Joan Miró was allowed to attend art school after falling sick working as a clerk. Known for combining surrealism and abstract art, he experimented with various forms of art, including paintings, sculptures, and ceramics, and created masterpieces such as The Farm.
9
Denver Pyle(Actor and Director Known for His TV Series ‘The Andy Griffith Show’ and ‘The Dukes of Hazzard’)
Birthdate: May 11, 1920
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Bethune, Colorado, United States
Died: 1997
Denver Pyle was an American actor and director. He achieved popularity during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s when he appeared in TV series like The Andy Griffith Show and The Doris Day Show. Also known for his charitable efforts, Denver Pyle sponsored a tournament called Uncle Jesse's Fishing Tournament, which raised over $160,000 in 10 years to support children's programs.
Birthdate: August 31, 1879
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Tokyo, Japann
Died: 1926
Emperor Taishō was the 123rd Emperor of Japan. He was the son of Emperor Meiji and Yanagihara Naruko, a concubine. As the eldest living son of the emperor, he was formally named the crown prince in 1888. Upon the death of his father in 1912, he ascended the throne. A sickly man with disabilities, he died at 47.
Birthdate: January 29, 1880
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Darby, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: 1946
12
Billy Martin(Baseball player)
Birthdate: May 16, 1928
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Berkeley, California, United States
Died: 1989
Birthdate: August 6, 1990
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Atlanta, Georgia
Died: 1996
JonBenet Ramsey was a child beauty queen known for her participation in child beauty pageants. Ramsey's body was found in the basement of her parents' house when she was six years old. Although her demise was adjudged a homicide, with the case generating nationwide public interest, the crime remains unsolved and the case is open with the Boulder Police Department.
Birthdate: December 9, 1878
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Thorapalli, Tamil Nadu, India
Died: 1972
Bharat Ratna-winner C. Rajagopalachari, nicknamed Rajaji or C.R., was the last Governor-General of India and the first Indian to hold the post. He had also served as an INC leader, the Governor of West Bengal, and the Premier of the Madras Presidency. He launched the Swatantra Party and propagated peace.
15
K. C. Jones(Basketball player, Basketball coach)
Birthdate: May 25, 1932
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Taylor, Texas, United States
Died: 2020
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
16
Richard Marcinko(Navy officer)
Birthdate: November 21, 1940
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Lansford, Pennsylvania, USA
Died: 2021
17
Vera Rubin(American Astronomer Known for Her Pioneering Work on Galaxy Rotation Rates)
Birthdate: July 23, 1928
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: 2016
American astronomer Vera Rubin is best known for her pioneering discoveries on galaxy rotation rates, her groundbreaking work confirming the existence of dark matter and for her life-long advocacy for women in science. She studied the galactic rotation curves and provided strong evidence of the existence of dark matter. The Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile is named after her.
18
Wayne Thiebaud(American Painter)
Birthdate: November 15, 1920
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Mesa
Died: 2021
Birthdate: September 30, 1972
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Aarhus, Denmark
Died: 2019
Ari Behn was a Norwegian author, visual artist, and playwright. He achieved international recognition in 2017 when his artwork was widely exhibited all over the world. Although he was married to Princess Märtha Louise, he remained a private citizen and held no title or special status. Behn committed suicide at the age of 47 after struggling with mental health problems.
20
Young Tom Morris(Scottish Professional Golfer)
Birthdate: April 20, 1851
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: St. Andrews, Scotland
Died: 1875
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
21
Tristan Tzara(French Writer Known for Being One of the Founders and Central Figures of the Anti-Establishment 'Dada Movement')
Birthdate: April 28, 1896
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Moinești, Romania
Died: 1963
Tristan Tzara was a Romanian-born French avant-garde performance artist, poet, and essayist. A multi-talented personality, Tzara was also active as a playwright, journalist, art and literary critic, film director, and composer. Tristan Tzara is best remembered for co-founding the anti-establishment Dada movement, which he helped popularize. He is also credited with co-founding the Romanian literary and art magazine Simbolul.
22
Willard Van Orman Quine(Mathematician, Analytic philosopher, Philosopher of language, Epistemologist, Philosopher of science, University teacher, Professor, Philosopher)
Birthdate: June 25, 1908
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Akron
Died: 2000
23
İsmet İnönü(Turkey's 2nd President and 1st Prime Minister)
Birthdate: September 24, 1884
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: İzmir, Turkey
Died: 1973
The 2nd president of Turkey, İsmet İnönü had also been a 3-time prime minister of the country. Previously an efficient military commander, who had fought in World War I and the Greco-Turkish War, he later led the Republican People's Party in Turkey’s one-party state. He had also been Turkey's foreign affairs minister.
Birthdate: May 5, 1916
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Faridkot, Punjab, India
Died: 1994
Zail Singh was the seventh President of India and was the first Sikh to occupy the office. Before becoming the President, he served as the Home Minister of India in Indira Ganhi's cabinet. The latter part of his presidency was marked by tension with the then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.
25
Eugen Goldstein(Physicist)
Birthdate: September 5, 1850
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Gliwice, Poland
Died: 1930
26
Birgit Nilsson(Swedish Singer Best Known for Her Performances in the Operas of ‘Richard Wagner’ and ‘Richard Strauss’)
Birthdate: May 17, 1918
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Västra Karup, Sweden
Died: 2005
Birgit Nilsson was a Swedish dramatic soprano remembered for her association with composers like Richard Strauss and Richard Wagner. One of the most celebrated Swedish singers of all time, Nilsson won many awards, such as the 1966 Sonning Award. In 1982, she won the Swedish-American of the Year Award. In 2012, she was inducted into the Gramophone's Hall of Fame.
27
Joe Gilliam(American football player)
Birthdate: December 29, 1950
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Charleston, West Virginia, United States
Died: 2000
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
28
Emmanuel Levinas(Philosopher most remembered for his work on subjects like Jewish philosophy and existentialism.)
Birthdate: January 12, 1906
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Kaunas, Lithuania
Died: 1995
29
Karel Čapek(Czech Writer and Playwright Who is Best Known for His Science Fiction)
Birthdate: January 9, 1890
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Malé Svatoňovice, Czechia
Died: 1938
Karel Čapek was a Czech writer, critic, and playwright. He is best remembered for his science fiction work, including his play Rossum's Universal Robots and his novel War with the Newts. Credited with introducing the word robot, Karel Čapek's works were celebrated after World War II. He was also nominated for the prestigious Nobel Prize in Literature on seven occasions.
30
Leo V the Armenian(Emperor of the Byzantine Empire from 813 to 820)
Birthdate: 0775 AD
Birthplace: Armenia
Died: 0820
31
Robert Walser(Writer)
Birthdate: April 15, 1878
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Biel/Bienne, Switzerland
Died: 1956
32
Pedro de Valdivia(Spanish Conquistador Who Became the 1st Royal Governor of Chile)
Birthdate: April 17, 1497
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Castuera
Died: 1553
Spanish conquistador Pedro de Valdivia served the Spanish army under Charles I. He led an expedition into Chile where he founded the cities of Santiago, Concepción and Valdivia, the latter was named after him. He extended Spanish rule south to the Biobío River and served as 1st Royal Governor of Chile. He also held-office as 2nd Adelantado of Terra Australis.
33
Derek Bailey(Musician)
Birthdate: January 29, 1930
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Sheffield, England
Died: 2005
34
Rui de Noronha(Poet and Journalist)
Birthdate: October 28, 1909
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Maputo, Mozambique
Died: 1943
Rui de Noronha was a Mozambican poet best remembered as the forefather of modern Mozambican poetry. His dream of publishing a book of poems was never realized during his lifetime as he died at the age of 34. However, Dr. Domingos Reis Costa collected and revised 60 of his poems and published a posthumous edition titled Sonetos in 1946.
35
Henry III of Castile(Monarch)
Birthdate: October 4, 1379
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Burgos
Died: 1406
36
Oliver P. Smith(U.S. Marine Four Star General and Decorated Combat Veteran of World War II)
Birthdate: October 26, 1893
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Menard, Texas, United States
Died: 1977
Birthdate: January 16, 1958
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Korkino, Chelyabinsk Oblast
Died: 1997
Anatoli Boukreev was a Russian Kazakhstani mountaineer best remembered for his efforts that saved the lives of many during the 1996 Mount Everest disaster. The following year, he died in an avalanche in Nepal. In the 2015 historical adventure film Everest, which depicts the 1996 disaster, Anatoli Boukreev is played by actor Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson.
38
Pat Kirkwood(Actress)
Birthdate: February 24, 1921
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Pendleton, Salford, Lancashire, England
Died: 2007
39
Otto Loewi(American Pharmacologist and Psychobiologist)
Birthdate: June 3, 1873
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Frankfurt, Germany
Died: 1961
Otto Loewi was a German-born American psycho-biologist and pharmacologist, whose research on neurology proved that chemicals were involved in the transmission of nerve impulses. Working with Sir Henry Dale, he established the role of acetylcholine as an endogenous neurotransmitter, co-winning the Nobel Prize for it. Later, he worked on diabetes and devised Loewi’s test for the detection of pancreatic disease.
40
Anil Nedumangad(Actor)
Birthdate: May 30, 1972
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Nedumangad, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
Died: 2020
41
William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle(Courtier)
Birthdate: December 16, 1593
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Handsworth, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Died: 1676
42
Charles Pathé(French Film Producer and Businessman Who Pioneered the Development of the Motion Picture)
Birthdate: December 26, 1863
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Chevry-Cossigny, France
Died: 1957
Charles Pathé was a French film producer and businessman. A pioneer of the French recording and film industries, Pathé is best remembered for pioneering the development of the motion picture. Charles Pathé is also credited with founding a company named Société Pathé Frères.
43
Gabriel Almond(Political Scientist)
Birthdate: January 12, 1911
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Rock Island, Illinois, United States
Died: 2002
44
Han Yu(Historian)
Birthdate: 0768 AD
Birthplace: Nanyang, China
Died: 0824
45
Eadric Streona(Noblemen)
Birthplace: Unknown
Died: 1017
46
Gabriel Voisin(French Aviation Pioneer and the Creator of Europe’s First Manned, Engine-Powered, Heavier-Than-Air Aircraft)
Birthdate: February 5, 1880
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Belleville-sur-Saone, France
Died: 1973
French aviation pioneer Gabriel Voisin was the creator of Europe's first manned, engine-powered, heavier-than-air aircraft. His company became a major producer of military aircraft, notably the Voisin III during World War I. Subsequently, he switched to the design and production of luxury automobiles under the name Avions Voisin. The French aviation pioneer and aircraft manufacturer was inspired by Clément Ader.
47
Knut Magne Haugland(Explorer)
Birthdate: September 23, 1917
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Norway
Died: 2009
48
Valery Khalilov(Conductor)
Birthdate: January 30, 1952
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Termez, Uzbekistan
Died: 2016
49
Linus Yale Jr.(Inventor)
Birthdate: April 4, 1821
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Salisbury, New York, United States
Died: 1868
Best known for inventing the cylinder lock named after him, Linus Yale Jr. was a descendant of the benefactor of Yale University. While working in his father’s lock shop, Yale introduced many innovative designs for bank locks. He also put to use his painting skills in drawing lock designs.
50
Peter Schreier(Tenor in opera)
Birthdate: July 29, 1935
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Meissen, Germany
Died: 2019
