References are numbered in [brackets], which are listed here. A number after the dot gives the page in the source.

Last updated: 2008 June 28.

1950 January 2 Death of Emil Jannings (birth name: Theodor Friedrich Emil Janez) in Rorschach, Switzerland, age 65; movie actor Der blaue Engel, The Way of All Flesh. [1] [37] January 6 Isaiah Bowman geographer/co-founder (Geographical Review), dies at age 71. [1] January 8 George Rowe cricketer (15 wickets in four Tests for South Africa 1895-1902), dies. [1] Joseph A Schumpeter Austrian/US economist/Minister of Finance, dies at age 66. [1] Joseph Issac Shneerson Jewish Lubavitch Chabal leader, dies. [1] January 11 Karin Michaelis writer, dies at age 77. [1] January 12 Koos van de Griend composer, dies at age 44. [1] January 16 Death of Gustav von Bohlen und Halbach near Salzburg, Austria; married the heiress of the Krupp family (steel and arms), Bertha Krupp, and gained control of Krupp Industries. [37] January 21 George Orwell [Eric Arthur Blair] author (Animal Farm, 1984), dies from tuberculosis in London at age 46. [1] January 22 Alan Hale Sr actor (The Seahawk, Yellowstone), dies at age 57. [1] January 24 Bull Montana actor (Son of Sheik), dies at age 62. [1] January 26 Betsy van den Arend Dutch [Betje], actress (Miss Hobbs), dies at age 78. [1] February 1 Harry Blomberg Swedish author (Jacobs Dröm), dies at age 56. [1] February 3 Karl Seitz President of Austria, dies at age 80. [1] February 10 Armen Tigran Tigranyan composer, dies at age 70. [1] February 14 Eduard Hermann German linguist (Homer), dies at age 80. [1] Karl G Jansky Czechoslovakian discoverer of cosmic radio sources, dies at age 44. [1] February 16 David Denton cricketer (England batsman in 11 Tests 1905-10), dies. [1] February 18 Voranc Prezikov [Lovro Kuhar], Slavic author (Jamaica), dies at age 56. [1] February 19 Edyth Walker US singer, dies at age 82. [1] February 26 Harry Lauder (Maclennan) Scottish comic/singer, dies at about age 75. [1] February 27 Ivan Goll writer, dies at age 58. [1] March 2 M Joseph V d'Arbaud French poet/author (Li cant palustre), dies at age 76. [1] March 6 Lew Lehr comedian (Stop Me if I heard this One), dies at age 54. [1] March 8 Jaroslav Kocian composer, dies at age 67. [1] March 11 Florence Arliss actress (Disraeli), dies at age 78. [1] March 12 L Heinrich Mann German/US writer (Between the Races), dies at age 78. [1] March 14 Rick Dees is born; disc jockey. [5] March 19 Edgar Rice Burroughs sci-fi author (Tarzan of the Apes), dies at age 74. [1] March 20 Walter Eucken German economist, dies at age 59. [1] March 23 Douglas Carr England cricket leg-spinner (Test 1909), dies. [1] March 28 Georgine M "May" Basting actress (Occupier), dies at age 67. [1] March 30 Léon Blum French premier (People's Front Govt), dies at age 77. [1] April 1 Charles R Drew surgeon/developer of blood bank concept, dies at age 45. [1] April 3 Adolf Wiklund composer, dies at age 70. [1] Carter G Woodson "father of black history", dies in Washington DC at age 74. [1] Kurt Julian Weill German composer (Dreigroschenoper), dies at age 50. [1] April 7 Walter Huston dies at age 66. [1] April 8 Albert Ehrenstein Austria writer (Strum), dies at age 63. [1] Vaslav Fromich Nijinsky Ukrainian ballet dancer, dies in London. [1] April 19 Tyrwhitt-Wilson 14th baron Berners/composer, dies at age 66. [1] April 22 Charles H Houston architect of NAACP legal campaign, dies at age 54. [1] April 27 Adam Tadeusz Wieniawski composer, dies at age 70. [1] Karl Straube German organist/conductor, dies. [1] May 6 Agnes Smedley writer, dies. [1] May 8 Franklin Dyall dies at age 76. [1] May 10 John G Fletcher US poet (Burning Mountain), dies. [1] May 17 Eduardo Fabini composer, dies at age 67. [1] May 26 Antonina Neshdanova Russian soprano (Bolshoi Theater), dies. [1] September 13 Sara Allgood actress (Jane Eyre, Spiral Staircase), dies at age 56. [1] November 2 George Bernard Shaw dies. [5] December 1 Ernest John Moeran British composer, dies at age 55. [1] December 2 Dino Lipatti composer, dies at age 33. [1] December 14 Albrecht Schaeffer German writer (Heroische Fahrt), dies at age 65. [1] December 15 Robert Muller-Hartmann composer, dies at age 66. [1] December 16 Otto Vrieslander composer, dies at age 70. [1] December 22 Julius Weismann composer, dies at age 70. [1] Walter Johannes Damrosch composer, dies at age 88. [1] December 23 Vincenzo Tommasini composer, dies at age 72. [1] December 25 Xavier Villaurrutia Mexican poet (Nostalgia de la muerte), dies at age 47. [1] December 26 Emile Enthoven composer, dies at age 47. [1] James Stephens Irish poet (Crock of Gold), dies at age 68. [1] December 27 Max Beckmann German painter/graphic artist, dies at age 66. [1] December 31 Charles Koechlin French composer (Jungle Book), dies at age 83. [1] Karl Renner Austrian Chancellor/President (1918-20, 45-50), dies at age 80. [1] 1951 January 3 Fred Barlow composer, dies at age 69. [1] January 5 Andrei P Platonov Russian author (Prok, Kotlovan), dies at age 51. [1] January 7 Johanna C H "Nelly" Bodenheim painter (Luilekkerland), dies at age 76. [1] January 10 Athos Palma composer, dies at age 59. [1] Harry Sinclair Lewis US writer (Nobel Prize 1930), dies at age 65. [1] January 15 "Cloud of Death" rolls down Mount Lamington, New Guinea kills 3-5,000. [1] January 18 Robert Mark US chairman (Caste World Congress), dies at age 41. [1] January 19 Constantin Nottara composer, dies at age 60. [1] Wilhelm Schäfer German writer (Mein Leben), dies at age 82. [1] January 22 Eastwood Lane composer, dies at age 71. [1] January 29 James Bridie [Osborne Henry Mavor], dramatist, dies. [1] January 30 Ferdinand Porsche German car inventor (Porsche), dies at age 75. [1] February 10 Joseph Bovet composer, dies at age 71. [1] February 16 Henri Velge first chairman (Belgian Council of State), dies at age 65. [1] February 17 Nikoghayos Fadeyi Tigranyan composer, dies at age 94. [1] February 18 Piet A W Hopmans bishop of Breda (Crusade), dies at age 85. [1] February 19 André[-Paul-Guillaume] Gide French writer (Nobel Prize 1947), dies at age 81. [1] February 20 Howard Brockway composer, dies at age 80. [1] February 21 Anton Roemer Dutch actor (Gay Death), dies at age 63. [1] March 6 Ivor Novello actor/writer (Lodger, Phantom Fiend), dies at age 58. [1] March 7 Ali Razmara Shah of Iran (1950-51), assassinated. [1] Ivor Novello British writer (Keep the Home Fires Burning), dies at age 58. [1] March 8 John Winter Thompson composer, dies at age 83. [1] March 11 Philippe of Isacker Belgian minister, dies at age 66. [1] March 13 Alfred Hugenberg German Roman Catholic president-director of Krupp/media magnate, dies. [1] James I Wedgwood British theosophist/Catholic bishop, dies at age 67. [1] March 19 H Zur Mühlen writer, dies. [1] March 20 Jan Ingenhoven composer, dies at age 74. [1] Kathleen Lockhart Manning composer, dies at age 60. [1] March 22 J Willem Mengelberg Dutch conductor (Matthäus Passion), dies at age 79. [1] March 25 Edward Collins Hall of Fame infielder (Chicago White Sox, Athletics), dies at age 63. [1] March 31 Ralph Forbes actor (Riptide, Shock, Shock), dies at age 45. [1] April 1 Clement D'Hooghe composer, dies at age 51. [1] April 2 Simon Barere pianist, dies while perfoming at Carnegie Hall. [1] April 3 Johannes C Kielstra Dut economist/Governor (Suriname 1933-44), dies at age 72. [1] April 5 Edward Rigby dies at age 72. [1] April 6 Halfdan Cleve composer, dies at age 71. [1] April 9 Sadiq Hidajat Persian writer (Hadji Aga), dies. [1] Vilhelm F K Bjerknes Norwegian/US physicist/meteorology, dies at age 89. [1] April 12 Harold Vincent Milligan composer, dies at age 62. [1] April 16 Emile Erens Dutch hagiographer (Pastor of Ars), dies at age 85. [1] April 17 Birth of Olivia Hussey Buenos Aires, actress (Romeo and Juliet, Death on Nile). [1] April 22 Stanley Ridges actor (possessed, Sergeant York, Mr Ace), dies at age 59. [1] April 25 Jerzy Fitelberg composer, dies at age 47. [1] April 26 John Alden Carpenter US composer (Sea Drift), dies at age 75. [1] April 27 Philip Albert Myburgh Hands cricketer (7 Tests for South Africa), dies. [1] April 29 Jules Verstraete [Julien G de Graef] actor (Boefje), dies at age 67. [1] Ludwig J J Wittgenstein Austria/English philosopher, dies at age 62. [1] May 5 Eddie Dunn comedian (Face to Face, Spin the Picture), dies at age 54. [1] May 7 Warner Baxter dies at age 62. [1] May 9 Marie Ault dies at age 80. [1] May 12 Oscar DePriest (Representative-Democrat-Illinois), dies at age 80. [1] May 13 Marianne [Goudeket-]Philips author (Issue Beukennoot), dies at age 65. [1] May 17 Karl Heinrich David composer, dies at age 66. [1] May 26 Lincoln Ellsworth Arctic explorer, dies at age 71. [1] May 27 Thomas Blamey soldier, dies. [1] May 29 Dimitrios Levidis composer, dies at age 66. [1] Fanny Brice Ziegfeld Girl (Baby Snooks Show), dies at age 59. [1] Josef Bohuslav Foerster composer, dies at age 91. [1] Robert Kahn composer, dies at age 85. [1] May 30 Hermann Broch writer, dies at age 64. [1] July 9 Harry Heilmann baseball hall of famer outfielder (Det), dies at age 56. [1] July 20 Abdullah Ibn Hussein Jordan's King assassinated in Jerusalem. [1] July 23 Henri Philippe Pétain dies. [1] August 14 William Randolph Hearst newspaper publisher, dies in Beverly Hills. [1] September 7 Maria Montez actress, dies at age 31. [1] September 24 Phillippus Paracelsus physician/alchemist, dies at age 48. [1] October 6 Henry Gurney British high commissioner to Malaya assassinated. [1] October 16 Liaquat Ali Khan Prime Minister of Pakistan, assassinated by Said Akbar. [1] December 1 Felix Petyrek composer, dies at age 59. [1] December 5 "Shoeless" Joe Jackson of baseball's black sox scandal, dies. [1] December 6 J Edward Bromberg dies at age 47. [1] December 13 Selim Palmgren Finnish pianist/composer (Daniel Hjort), dies at age 73. [1] December 15 Eric Drummond first Secretary-General League of Nations (1919-33), dies at age 75. [1] December 19 Barton Yarbrough actor (Dragnet), dies at age 51. [1] December 22 Powell Weaver composer, dies at age 61. [1] December 23 Alfreds Kalnins composer, dies at age 72. [1] Benito Lynch Irish/Argentine writer (Palo Verde), dies at age 66. [1] December 25 Harry T Moore Florida NAACP official, killed by bomb. [1] December 30 Jozef E Stokvis Dutch Member of Parliament (SDAP), dies at age 76. [1] December 31 Maxim M Litvinov [Meyer H Wallach] Russian diplomat, dies at age 75. [1] Philipp A Kohnstamm Dutch philosopher/physicist, dies at age 76. [1] 1952 January 4 Constantly Permeke Flemish painter (Boerin), dies at age 65. [1] January 5 Nawab of Pataudi cricket (play polo three Tests for England three for India), dies. [1] Victor Alexander John Hope viceroy of India (1936-43), dies at age 64. [1] January 8 Antonia Maury discoverer (supergiant, giant and dwarf stars), dies. [1] Joseph Arendt Belgian worker's union leader, dies at age 66. [1] January 11 Jean de Lattre de Tassigny General (North-Africa/Indo-China), dies at age 61. [1] January 17 Walter O "Spike" Briggs owner (Detroit Tigers), dies at age 74. [1] January 18 Comedic actor Curly Howard dies. [5] January 20 Arthur Farwell composer, dies at age 74. [1] January 22 Roger Vitrac French poet/dramatist (Mysteries of Love), dies at age 52. [1] January 25 Sveinn Bjørnsson Danish first President of Iceland (1944-52), dies at age 70. [1] January 26 Louis van Deyssel Dutch writer (Diary of Franc Rozelaar), dies at age 87. [1] February 2 Charles De Roche actor (10 Commandments), dies at age 72. [1] Johann Babtist Thaller composer, dies at age 79. [1] February 5 Reginald Allen cricketer (uncle of Gubby, Test Australia vs England 1887), dies. [1] February 6 George VI King of Britain (1936-52), dies at age 56 (succeeded by daughter, Elizabeth II). [1] February 9 Norman Douglas essayist/novelist, dies. [1] February 13 Alfred Einstein German/US musicologist, dies at age 71. [1] February 16 Knut [Pedersen] Hamsun Norwegian writer (Wanders, Nobel Prize 1920), dies. [1] February 19 Knut Hamsun writer, dies at age 92. [1] Lawrence Grant actor (Bulldog Drummond), dies at age 82. [1] February 27 Theodorus Pangalos Greek General/dictator 1926, dies at age 74. [1] March 5 Vladimir Vladimirovich Scherbachov composer, dies at age 63. [1] March 21 A J Pieters SS-Untersturmführer, executed. [1] Wilhelm Albrecht German SD-chief, executed. [1] March 23 Klaas Schilder Dutch vicar/theologist/antifascist, dies at age 61. [1] April 1 Ferenc Molnár Hungarian playwright (Farkas, Tester), dies at age 76. [1] April 2 Bernard F Lyot French astronomer (chronograph, Lyot-filter), dies at age 55. [1] April 5 Henri Vandeputte Belgian writer (L'Autre Vie), dies at age 75. [1] April 11 Wadi' Sabra composer, dies at age 76. [1] April 13 [Rosalie] Julia Cuypers Flemish actress (Adelaarsjong), dies at age 79. [1] April 21 Leslie Banks actor (Henry V, 21 Days, Eye Witness), dies at age 61. [1] [Richard] Stafford Cripps English minister of Plane-manufacturing, dies at age 62. [1] April 23 Elisabeth Schumann singer, dies. [1] Minus van Looi [Benjamin van der Neart] Flemish writer, dies at age 60. [1] April 24 Hans [Hendrik A] Kramers physicist (quantum mechanics), dies at age 57. [1] Jules Poncelet Belgian minister of State, dies at age 82. [1] April 26 Charles L Baars Dutch actor (Women Tamers), dies at age 59. [1] April 30 Charles Radoux-Rogier composer, dies. [1] May 1 William Fox [Fried] US film pioneer (Nickelodeon), dies at age 73. [1] May 6 Alberto Savinio Italian composer (Capitano Ulisse), dies at age 60. [1] Maria Montessori Italian physician/educationist, dies at age 81. [1] May 9 Canada Lee black actor (Lost Boundaries), dies in New York City, New York at age 45. [1] May 11 Giovanni Tebaldini composer, dies at age 87. [1] May 15 Albert Basserman actor (Madame Curie, Rhapsody in Blue), dies at age 84. [1] Italo Montemezzi composer, dies at age 76. [1] May 16 Alec Hearne cricketer (scored 9 in Test for England vs South Africa 1892), dies. [1] May 18 Rossetter Gleason Cole composer, dies at age 86. [1] May 21 John Garfield actor (Juarez, Air Force), dies at age 39. [1] May 23 Georg Alfred Schumann composer, dies at age 85. [1] May 26 Dámaso Alonso Spanish linguistic/poet (Hombrey Dios), dies at age 55. [1] May 31 Walter Schellenberg German lawyer/headed spy (Venlo), dies. [1] July 26 Eva "Evita" Peron Argentina's first lady, dies in Buenos Aires at age 33. [1] August 18 Ralph Byrd actor (Dick Tracy TV Show), dies at age 43. [1] August 30 Arky Vaughn infielder (Pittsburgh Pirates and Brooklyn Dodgers), drowns. [1] November 9 Chaim Weizmann first President of Israel, dies at age 57. [1] December 1 Victor E Orlando Italian premier (1917-19), dies at age 92. [1] December 4 Karen Horney German/US neo freudian psycho analyst, dies at age 67. [1] December 14 Olav Fartein Vålen Norwegian composer, dies at age 65. [1] December 19 Harry Makepeace cricketer (cricket and soccer international for England), dies. [1] December 24 Henry A "Hans" Kramers Dutch theoretical physicist, dies at age 58. [1] December 26 Pietro Pancrazi Italian critic (Pegaso), dies at age 59. [1] December 27 Henri G Winkelman Dutch supreme commander army/navy 1940, dies at age 76. [1] December 29 Beryl Rubinstein composer, dies at age 54. [1] December 30 Ivan Olbracht writer, dies. [1]