Discover the most famous people died who died in the year 1973. This list includes people like Bruce Lee, Pablo Picasso, Lyndon B. Johnson, J. R. R. Tolkien, Alan Watts and many more. This list of celebrities is loosely sorted by popularity. People featured on this list, include political leaders, philosophers, poets and military leaders who died in 1973. This list includes people from United States, United Kingdom, Germany & France and many more countries.
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1
Bruce Lee(The Most Influential Martial Artist of All Time)
Birthdate: November 27, 1940
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: San Francisco, California, United States
Died: July 20
An iconic actor and martial artist, Bruce Lee, in his short life, gained international fame and developed his own form of martial arts, Jeet Kune Do. In films, he debuted as a child actor and became a huge Hollywood star after the release of his last film Enter the Dragon.
2
Pablo Picasso(One of the Most Influential Artists of the 20th Century and Co-Founder of the 'Cubist Movement')
Birthdate: October 25, 1881
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Málaga, Spain
Died: April 8
Pablo Picasso was a renowned artist whose paintings sell by millions of dollars at auctions even today, many years after his death. With masterful strokes, attractive shades and rich textures, Picasso created some of the most visually impressive arts of the 20th century. While exploring new styles and experimenting with different techniques, Picasso co-founded Cubist art style and co-invented collage.
Birthdate: January 3, 1892
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Bloemfontein, South Africa
Died: September 2
Considered one of the greatest authors, JRR Tolkien is popularly called the father of the modern fantasy literature. He is best known for his high fantasy classic works The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, which is set in a conceived world called the Middle-Earth. Many years after his death, Tolkien continues to be one of the best-selling writers.
4
Jim Croce(Folk and Rock Singer Best Known for His Third album 'You Don't Mess Around with Jim')
Birthdate: January 10, 1943
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: September 20
Jim Croce was an American rock and folk singer-songwriter. At the peak of his popularity, Jim Croce died in a plane crash at age 30. Many of his works were released posthumously and achieved popularity. Jim Croce's music has been used in many popular films, such as The Hangover Part II, X-Men: Days of Future Past, and Hobbs & Shaw.
5
Alan Watts(English Writer Who Interpreted and Popularised Japanese, Chinese and Hindu Philosophy for Western Audience)
Birthdate: January 6, 1915
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Chislehurst, Kent, England
Died: November 16
Alan Watts was a British writer, philosopher, and speaker. He is credited with popularizing Hinduism, Taoism, and Buddhism in the Western world. A prolific writer, Alan Watts wrote one of Buddhism's first bestselling books, The Way of Zen. He also explored psychedelics and human consciousness in his works, such as The Joyous Cosmology and The New Alchemy.
Birthdate: August 27, 1908
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Stonewall, Texas, United States
Died: January 22
The era of Lyndon B Johnson, the 36th president of the United States, saw the passage of many important laws pertaining to civil rights, gun control and social security. Also, his ‘war on poverty’ helped millions to rise above the poverty line. However, he was criticised for the escalation of the Vietnam War.
7
Bobby Darin(Pop vocalist who released the hits "Mack the Knife," "Dream Lover," and "Beyond the Sea.")
Birthdate: May 14, 1936
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: East Harlem, New York, United States
Died: December 20
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
8
Betty Grable(Actress and Dancer Best Known for Her Films: ‘Mother Wore Tights’ and ‘How to Marry a Millionaire’)
Birthdate: December 18, 1916
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Died: July 2
Betty Grable was one of the most popular actresses in Hollywood during the 1930s and 1940s. She starred in numerous big-budget movies and was at one point the highest-salaried American woman. She began her career as a preteen and gained prominence as a young woman. A celebrated sex symbol, she was the number-one pin-up girl of World War II.
9
Veronica Lake(American Actress Known for Her Films: ‘Sullivan's Travels’ and ‘I Married a Witch’)
Birthdate: November 14, 1922
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Died: July 7
Veronica Lake is best remembered for playing the quintessential femme fatale in various film noirs, pairing up with Alan Ladd. She popularized the peek-a-boo hairstyle but changed it to encourage simpler hairstyles during World War II. She suffered from alcoholism and eventually died due to hepatitis and kidney ailments.
10
Edward G. Robinson(Romanian-American Actor Known for His Tough-Guy Roles as Gangsters)
Birthdate: December 12, 1893
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Bucharest, Romania
Died: January 26
Edward G. Robinson was an American actor who achieved popularity during the Hollywood's Golden Age. The quintessential tough guy of classical Hollywood cinema, Robinson has been featured in AFI's 25 greatest male stars of Hollywood list. Edward G. Robinson was posthumously awarded an Academy Honorary Award for his contribution to the film industry.
11
John Ford(One of the Most Important and Influential Filmmakers of His Generation)
Birthdate: February 1, 1894
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Cape Elizabeth, Maine, United States
Died: August 31
John Ford was an American naval officer and film director. The recipient of five Oscars, Ford is renowned for directing films like The Searchers and Stagecoach. He also holds the record for winning the most number of Academy Awards (four) under the Best Director category.John Ford is widely considered one of the most influential and important filmmakers of his generation.
Birthdate: October 16, 1886
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Płonsk, Poland
Died: December 1
David Ben-Gurion was the founder of the State of Israel and also served as Israel’s first prime minister. He was the leader of the Jews in British Mandate Palestine and had also been the country’s defense minister and the chairman of the Provisional State Council of Israel.
13
John Banner(Best Known for His Role as ‘Sergeant Schultz’ in Sitcom the ‘Hogan's Heroes’)
Birthdate: January 28, 1910
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine
Died: January 28
Austrian-born actor John Banner is best remembered as Sergeant Schultz from the World War II-themed sitcom Hogan's Heroes. He was known for his popular catchphrase “I see nothing! I hear nothing! I know nothing!" He has also appeared on Broadway and in films such as Once Upon a Honeymoon.
Birthdate: June 26, 1908
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Santiago, Chile
Died: September 11
Salvador Allende was a physician who later became the Chilean president, this becoming the first Marxist president of a Latin American nation. His policies included nationalization and collectivization. He committed suicide after delivering a farewell speech over radio, to escape General Augusto Pinochet’s coup to oust him from the government.
15
Gram Parsons(Singer, Singer-songwriter, Songwriter, Musician, Guitarist, Pianist)
Birthdate: November 5, 1946
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Winter Haven, Florida, United States
Died: September 19
Birthdate: July 12, 1904
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Parral, Chile
Died: September 23
Chilean poet-diplomat and politician, Pablo Neruda, won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971. He was a versatile writer and his works include surrealist poems, historical epics, political manifestos, and love poems. He is considered the national poet of Chile. As a politician, he served a term as a senator for the Chilean Communist Party and held several diplomatic positions.
17
Irene Ryan(Actress)
Birthdate: October 17, 1902
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: El Paso, Texas, USA
Died: April 26
Height: 5'2" (157 cm)
18
W. H. Auden(One of the Greatest Authors of 20th Century)
Birthdate: February 21, 1907
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: York, England, United Kingdom
Died: September 29
W. H. Auden was an Anglo-American poet. His poetry was noted for its technical achievement and versatility. He wrote poems on love, political and social themes, and cultural and psychological themes. Throughout his career, Auden was both influential and controversial. His personal life also attracted attention as he had sexual relationships with men, which was unusual at the time.
19
Hans Albert Einstein(Engineer, Educator)
Birthdate: May 14, 1904
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Bern, Switzerland
Died: July 26
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
20
Sister Rosetta Tharpe(Gospel Singer-Songwriter and Guitarist Known for Using Heavy Distortion on Her Electric Guitar)
Birthdate: March 20, 1915
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Cotton Plant, Arkansas, United States
Died: October 9
Sister Rosetta Tharpe was an American recording artist, guitarist, and singer-songwriter. Characterized by a mixture of electric guitar and spiritual lyrics, Tharpe's music played an influential role in the development of rock and roll. Her music influenced several rock-and-roll musicians like Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Chuck Berry. She is often referred to as the Godmother of rock and roll.
21
Pearl Buck(Winner of the 1938 Nobel Prize in Literature)
Birthdate: June 26, 1892
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Hillsboro
Died: March 6
Nobel Prize- and Pulitzer Prize-winning American author Pearl Buck was raised in China by her missionary parents. She grew up to teach English literature in Chinese universities and later penned books such as East Wind, West Wind and The Good Earth, which were based on her experiences in China.
22
Robert Ryan(American Actor Known for His Portrayals of Hardened Cops and Ruthless Villains)
Birthdate: November 11, 1909
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: July 11
Actor Robert Ryan was also a prominent civil rights activist. In his initial days, he was also a heavyweight boxing champion, and later also served in the US Marine Corps. He soared to fame with his roles of cops or bullies in films such as The Woman on the Beach and Crossfire.
23
Lon Chaney Jr.(Actor)
Birthdate: February 10, 1906
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
Died: July 12
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
Birthdate: October 1, 1928
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Joniškis
Died: November 25
Born in Lithuania, Laurence Harvey spent his childhood in South Africa, before moving to Britain. He dropped his original name, Larry Skikne, while making his film debut with House of Darkness. Known for his portrayal of intriguing and complex characters, he also won hearts with his baritone voice.
Birthdate: December 6, 1924
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan, United States
Died: February 15
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
Birthdate: March 15, 1887
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Springfield, Illinois, United States
Died: September 12
Entrepreneur and socialite Marjorie Merriweather Post was the daughter of General Foods founder C.W. Post. She diversified her father’s business by introducing a frozen food line to the pre-extisting cereal company. She was also known for her fetish for Russian art and her mansion Mar-a-Lago, later purchased by Donald Trump.
27
Abebe Bikila(First African to Win Olympic Gold Medal and the First Athlete to Win Two Olympic Marathons Back-to-Back)
Birthdate: July 7, 1932
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Shewa, Ethiopia
Died: October 25
Ethiopian marathon runner, Abebe Bikil,a became the first black African Olympic gold medalist at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. Four years later, he won his second gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics. He created world record both the times. A pioneer in long-distance running, he participated in a total of 16 marathons.
Birthdate: October 8, 1890
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Columbus, Ohio, United States
Died: July 23
Eddie Rickenbacker was an American fighter pilot who played an important role in World War I. With 26 aerial victories under his belt, Rickenbacker was the most decorated and most successful US flying ace of the First World War. A multi-talented personality, Eddie Rickenbacker was also an automotive designer and race car driver.
29
Jack Hawkins(One of the Most Popular British Film Stars of the 1950s)
Birthdate: September 14, 1910
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Wood Green, Middlesex, England
Died: July 18
Jack Hawkins was an English actor best remembered for playing military men during the 1950s. Hawkins achieved international stardom in the '50s when he entered Hollywood. In 1958, Jack Hawkins was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to the art.
30
Jeannette Rankin(Feminist Politician & the First Woman to be Part of the US Congress and Only from Montana)
Birthdate: June 11, 1880
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Missoula
Died: May 18
Jeannette Rankin scripted history as the first female member of the US Congress. A feminist, she was also associated with the women’s suffrage movement. Earlier, the Republican worked as a dressmaker, a furniture designer, and a teacher. She was the only legislator to vote against war after the Pearl Harbor incident.
31
Gene Krupa(American drummer)
Birthdate: January 15, 1909
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: October 16
Birthdate: December 22, 1927
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Appalachia, Virginia, United States
Died: August 11
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
Birthdate: December 16, 1899
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Teddington, England
Died: March 26
Sir Noël Peirce Coward was an English composer, playwright, singer, director, and actor. Renowned for his flamboyance and wit, Coward's style and work continue to influence popular culture. A recipient of several prestigious awards, including an Academy Honorary Award, Coward did not acknowledge his homosexuality publicly, although it was later discussed by biographers like Graham Payn.
34
Joe E. Brown(Actor)
Birthdate: July 28, 1891
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Holgate, Ohio, United States
Died: July 6
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
35
Nancy Mitford(English Novelist and Biographer Who is Known for Writing Popular Historical Biographies)
Birthdate: November 28, 1904
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: London, England
Died: June 30
Born to the 2nd Baron Redesdale, Nancy Mitford and her siblings were all homeschooled. Known as one of the brightest of the Mitford sisters, she became famous for writing semi-autobiographical novels such as The Pursuit of Love. She pioneered the use of language to distinguish between social classes in books.
36
Lex Barker(Actor)
Birthdate: May 8, 1919
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Rye, New York, United States
Died: May 11
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
37
Elsa Schiaparelli(Italian Fashion Designer Famous for Her Surrealist Fashions of the 1930s and for Her Witty Accessories)
Birthdate: September 10, 1890
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Rome, Italy
Died: November 13
Elsa Schiaparelli was an Italian fashion designer who designed the wardrobes for many films like Topaze and Moulin Rouge. Widely regarded as one of the most important figures in the world of fashion, Schiaparelli was considered the greatest rival of Coco Chanel.
Birthdate: November 30, 1924
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Chicago
Died: November 20
39
Anna Magnani(Italian Actress Who was Known for Her Explosive Acting and Earthy, Realistic Portrayals of Characters)
Birthdate: March 7, 1908
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Rome, Italy
Died: September 26
Anna Magnani was an Italian actress best remembered for her real-life portrayals of characters and explosive acting. In 1956, Magnani became the first Italian ever to receive an Academy Award when she won the award for her portrayal of Serafina Delle Rose in the 1955 film, The Rose Tattoo. She had also won other prestigious awards like the Silver Bear.
40
Pablo Casals(Composer, Conductor and One of the Greatest Cellists of All time)
Birthdate: December 29, 1876
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: El Vendrell, Spain
Died: October 22
Spanish cellist Pablo Casals got his first lessons in instruments such as the violin and the piano from his organist father. Known for his unique technique of using flexible left-hand positions, he later formed a celebrated trio with pianist Alfred Cortot and violinist Jacques Thibaud. He won a posthumous Grammy.
41
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
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.
42
Glenn Strange(Actor, Singer)
Birthdate: August 16, 1899
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Weed, New Mexico, United States
Died: September 20
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
43
Paavo Nurmi(Finnish Middle-Distance and Long-Distance Runner Who Dominated Distance Running in the Early 20th Century)
Birthdate: June 13, 1897
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Turku, Finland
Died: October 2
Paavo Nurmi was a Finnish athlete who specialized in long-distance and middle-distance running. Nicknamed the Flying Finn, Nurmi dominated important distance running events in the early 20th century. He won nine gold medals and three silver medals across three Olympics in 1920, 1924, and 1928. Paavo Nurmi also set 22 official world records during his career.
44
Max Yasgur(Farmer)
Birthdate: December 15, 1919
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: New York City
Died: February 9
45
Henry Darger(Novelist, Artist, and Writer)
Birthdate: April 12, 1892
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: April 13
Henry Darger was an American novelist, artist, and writer. He achieved posthumous fame when a 15,145-page fantasy novel of his was discovered after his death. Along with the novel, watercolor illustrations and several hundred drawings for the story was discovered. Henry Darger's artwork is now considered a fine example of outsider art.
46
Cecil Kellaway(South African Character Actor)
Birthdate: August 22, 1890
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Cape Town, South Africa
Died: February 28
Birthdate: February 21, 1929
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Islington, London, England
Died: August 6
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
48
William Haines(Actor, Interior designer)
Birthdate: January 2, 1900
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Staunton, Virginia, United States
Died: December 26
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
Birthdate: March 27, 1879
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Bivange
Died: March 25
Edward Steichen was a Luxembourgish American painter, curator, and photographer. Widely regarded as one of the most influential and prolific personalities in the history of photography, Steichen is credited with changing photography into an art form. During the 1920s and 1930s, Edward Steichen was considered the highest-paid and best-known photographer in the world.
50
İsmet İnönü(Turkey's 2nd President and 1st Prime Minister)
Birthdate: September 24, 1884
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: İzmir, Turkey
Died: December 25
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.
