Famous People Who Died in 2001

Discover the most famous people died who died in the year 2001. This list includes people like George Harrison, Aaliyah, Jennifer Syme, R. K. Narayan, Jack Lemmon and many more. This list of celebrities is loosely sorted by popularity. People featured on this list, include novelists, poets, political leaders and journalists who died in 2001. This list includes people from United States, United Kingdom, India & France and many more countries.

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Aaliyah

(Best Known as 'Princess of R&B' & 'Queen of Urban Pop')

Birthdate: January 16, 1979

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States

Died: August 25

Aaliyah was an American singer, actress and model, who became famous when her debut album, Age Ain't Nothing but a Number sold three million copies in the US. Her subsequent albums also sold in millions and won her numerous accolades. She also acted in some films. She tragically died in an airplane crash in the Bahamas, at the age of 22.

Birthdate: February 25, 1943

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Liverpool, England

Died: November 29

Gaining fame as the lead guitarist of the rock band, the Beatles, English musician, George Harrison, helped broaden the scope of popular music in the Western world. He was also successful as a solo performer and released many best-selling albums. He was named in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time

Birthdate: April 29, 1951

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Kannapolis, North Carolina, United States

Died: February 18

Dale Earnhardt was an American stock car driver who raced in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series from 1975 to 2001. Considered one of the greatest drivers in the history of NASCAR, Earnhardt won 76 Winston Cup races and seven Winston Cup championships in an illustrious career spanning 40 years. In 2010, he was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Birthdate: February 8, 1925

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Newton, Massachusetts, United States

Died: June 27

John Lemmon is best remembered for his Academy Award-winning roles in Mister Roberts and Save the Tiger, and his Emmy-winning performance in Tuesdays with Morrie. His narration in Harry S Truman: A Journey to Independence earned him a Grammy nomination. He collaborated with Walter Matthau in many projects.

Sir Donald Bradman

(Australian Cricketer Who is Considered the Greatest Batsman of All Time)

Birthdate: August 27, 1908

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Cootamundra, Australia

Died: February 25

Australian cricketer, Sir Donald Bradman, is widely acknowledged as the greatest batsman of all time. He started playing cricket as a young man and scored numerous records within a few years. In a career spanning around two decades, he retired with a career test batting average of 99.94. He retained a pre-eminent position in the game for decades following his retirement.

Anthony Quinn

(Best Known for His Roles in the films 'Viva Zapata!' and 'Lust for Life')

Birthdate: April 21, 1915

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Chihuahua, Mexico

Died: June 3

Mexican-American actor Anthony Quinn is best remembered for his Academy Award-winning roles in Viva Zapata! and Lust for Life. He also delivered stellar performances in the films Zorba the Greek, Wild Is the Wind, and The Guns of Navarone. He had exhibited his artwork and also written two memoirs.

Birthdate: August 2, 1924

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: The Bronx, New York, United States

Died: June 21

Carroll O'Connor was an American actor, director, and producer. In a TV career that spanned 40 years, O'Connor popularized several fictional characters, including Archie Bunker from the sitcom All in the Family, for which he received four Emmy Awards. In 1996, he was ranked 38th on the 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time list published by TV Guide.

Joey Ramone

(Lead vocalist of the punk rock band the Ramones)

Birthdate: May 19, 1951

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Forest Hills, New York, United States

Died: April 15

Joey Ramone revolutionized punk rock with his band the Ramones. He was known for his distinctive hiccups, croons, and snarls, which he incorporated in his songs. He was also part of the activist group Artists United Against Apartheid. He died at 49, after a 7-year struggle with lymphoma.

Thuy Trang

(Vietnamese-American Actress, Known for Her Role as ‘Trini Kwan’ in the TV Series ‘Mighty Morphin Power Rangers’)

Birthdate: December 14, 1973

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Died: September 3

Thuy Trang was a Vietnamese-American actress who is remembered for her portrayal of the first Yellow Ranger on the popular TV series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Unfortunately, she joined the infamous 27 Club when she passed away after suffering internal injuries caused by a car accident on September 3, 2001, in San Francisco, California, USA.

Ahmad Shah Massoud

(Afghan Political Leader and Guerilla Commander Who Served as Minister of Defense of Afghanistan from 1992 to 2001)

Birthdate: September 2, 1953

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Bazarak, Afghanistan

Died: September 9

Ahmad Shah Massoud was an Afghan military commander and politician. From 1979 to 1989, he played an important role in the Soviet-Afghan War, where he served as a powerful guerrilla commander. He was nicknamed Lion of Panjshir for his role in the war. Massoud was assassinated by Al-Qaeda in 2001. His death anniversary is observed as a national holiday in Afghanistan.

Douglas Adams

(Author of the BBC Radio Comedy Series "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy")

Birthdate: March 11, 1952

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Cambridge, England

Died: May 11

English author, screenwriter, and essayist, Douglas Adams, is most remembered for his comedy science fiction series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. As a screenwriter, he wrote two stories for the TV series Doctor Who. He advocated for environmentalism and spoke about environmental issues in his non-fiction radio series Last Chance to See.

Birthdate: January 27, 1936

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States

Died: September 2

Troy Donahue was an American actor and singer. During the 1950s and 1960s, Donahue became known as a popular sex symbol. He was also one of the most bankable stars during the early-1960s and was ranked the 20th most popular American star in 1963. The creation of Troy McClure, a character from The Simpsons, was inspired by Troy Donahue.

Perry Como

(Singer)

Birthdate: May 18, 1912

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, USA

Died: May 13

Height: 5'6" (168 cm)

William Hanna

(Creator of Popular Cartoon Characters Such as 'Tom and Jerry', 'The Flintstones' and 'Scooby-Doo')

Birthdate: July 14, 1910

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Melrose, New Mexico, United States

Died: March 22

William Hanna was an American animator, best known for creating popular cartoon characters such as Tom and Jerry, the Flintstones, and Scooby-Doo. He co-founded the Hanna-Barbera company, along with his longtime partner Joseph Barbera. Their team had produced more than 3,000 half-hour shows for 150 television cartoon series that won seven Academy Awards and eight Emmy Awards.

Birthdate: November 2, 1914

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Laurel, Mississippi, U.S.

Died: January 1

Rick Rescorla

(British American Private Security Specialist Who Saved Thousands of Lives During 9/11)

Birthdate: May 27, 1939

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Hayle, Cornwall, United Kingdom

Died: September 11

Rick Rescorla was a British American police officer, soldier, private security specialist, and educator. He is best remembered for saving thousands of lives by anticipating the 9/11 attacks and implementing evacuation procedures while serving as the director of security for the banking and financial services firm, Morgan Stanley, at the ill-fated WTC on September 11. Rescorla died during the attacks.

Chet Atkins

(Guitarist, Jazz musician, Record producer, Jazz guitarist, Classical guitarist, Songwriter)

Birthdate: June 20, 1924

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Luttrell

Died: June 30

Birthdate: November 8, 1922

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Beaufort West, South Africa

Died: September 2

Born to a preacher father of modest means, Christiaan Barnard completed his medical school on scholarships. In December 1967, he revolutionized medical science by performing the first human heart transplant by transplanting 25-year-old accident victim Denise Darvall’s heart into 53-year-old chronic heart patient grocer Louis Washkansky.

John Lee Hooker

(Guitarist, Singer, Singer-songwriter, Musician, Composer)

Birthdate: August 22, 1917

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Coahoma County

Died: June 21

Katharine Graham

(American Newspaper Publisher and Heiress Who Led 'The Washington Post' (1963 - 1991))

Birthdate: June 16, 1917

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: New York, New York, United States

Died: July 17

The daughter of American publisher and financier Eugene Meyer, Katharine Graham later carried forward her family’s newspaper, The Washington Post. While the newspaper was initially handed over to her husband, Philip Graham, by her father, she took over as the owner, following Philip’s suicide. She later penned a Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir.

Claude Shannon

(Mathematician, Engineer & Cryptographer Known as a 'Father of Information Theory')

Birthdate: April 30, 1916

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Petoskey, Michigan, United States

Died: February 24

Claude Shannon was an electrical engineer, mathematician, and cryptographer. He is credited with publishing the article A Mathematical Theory of Communication which gave rise to the field of information theory. Hence, Shannon is considered the father of information theory. He is also credited with founding digital circuit design theory. During World War II, he contributed to the field of cryptanalysis.

Eugene Sledge

(Biologist, Soldier, Academic, University teacher, Writer)

Birthdate: November 4, 1923

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Mobile

Died: March 3

Eugene Sledge was a US Marine, author, and university professor. He is remembered for chronicling his Second World War combat experiences in a memoir titled With the Old Breed, which was used as source material for a television documentary miniseries titled The War. The memoir also inspired the 2010 HBO miniseries, The Pacific, where Sledge was played by Joseph Mazzello.

Birthdate: January 30, 1920

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Huntington, West Virginia

Died: December 16

Carwood Lipton was a United States army officer who served during World War II. Lipton, who played a major role in the Battle of Normandy and Battle of the Bulge, was honored with three Purple Hearts and two Bronze Star medals. In the popular TV war drama miniseries Band of Brothers, Carwood Lipton was portrayed by actor Donnie Wahlberg.

Maureen Reagan

(American Political Activist)

Birthdate: January 4, 1941

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States

Died: August 8

Birthdate: June 14, 1916

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Omaha, Nebraska, United States

Died: September 13

Dieter Dengler

(Second Captured U.S. Airman to Escape Enemy Captivity During the Vietnam War)

Birthdate: May 22, 1938

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Wildberg, Germany

Died: February 7

Dieter Dengler was a German-born American aviator who served the US Navy during the Vietnam War. He was caught and tortured by the enemies for over six months, after which Dengler escaped from captivity, becoming only the second U.S. airman to escape captivity during the war. The experience was documented by Dieter Dengler in his book, Escape From Laos.

David Graf

(Best Known for His Role as ‘Sgt. Eugene Tackleberry’ in the ‘Police Academy’ Film Series)

Birthdate: April 16, 1950

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Zanesville, Ohio, United States

Died: April 7

David Graf is best known as Sgt. Eugene Tackleberry from the Police Academy film franchise. He has appeared in series such as Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and The West Wing, too. He has also been part of the Screen Actors Guild national board.

Birthdate: April 14, 1948

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Murray Hill, New York, United States

Died: September 11

Berry Berenson was an American actress, photographer, and model. Apart from appearing on films alongside actors like Jeff Bridges and Anthony Perkins, Berenson also contributed as a photographer; her works were featured in popular magazines like Newsweek, Glamour, Vogue, and Life. Berry Berenson died aboard American Airlines Flight 11 during the September 11 attacks.

Birthdate: December 28, 1945

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Kathmandu, Nepal

Died: June 1

Nepalese king Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, true to his royal lineage, had received an elite education at institutes such as Eton and Harvard. His murder, by his own son, Dipendra, during a dinner party massacre in 2001, that killed almost the entire Nepalese royal family, shocked the world.

Dale Evans

(Actress)

Birthdate: October 31, 1912

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Uvalde, Texas, United States

Died: February 7

Height: 5'4" (163 cm)

Emilie Schindler

(Oskar Schindler's Wife)

Birthdate: October 22, 1907

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Moravia, Czechia

Died: October 5

Emilie Schindler is best remembered as the wife of Oskar Schindler, the German industrialist who saved over a thousand Jews from the Nazis by employing them at his factory and later inspired the iconic Steven Spielberg movie Schindler's List. She later fled to Argentina with Oskar but was abandoned by him.

Birthdate: February 17, 1919

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States

Died: August 23

Height: 5'8" (173 cm)

R. K. Narayan

(Indian Author Known for His known for His Work Set in the Fictional South Indian Town of Malgudi)

Birthdate: October 10, 1906

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Died: May 13

Remembered as one of the greatest authors of Indian literature in English, R. K. Narayan created the iconic character Swami and related his experiences set in the fictional town of Malgudi. The Sahitya Akademi and Padma Vibhushan winner was also the brother of cartoonist R.K. Laxman.

Arlene Francis

(Actress & Radio Talk Show Host)

Birthdate: October 20, 1907

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Died: May 31

Birthdate: March 4, 1934

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, United States

Died: May 26

Birthdate: May 12, 1918

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Hot Wells, Cypress, Texas, United States

Died: November 22

Robert Ludlum

(Author of 27 thriller novels, best known as the creator of Jason Bourne from the original The Bourne Trilogy series.)

Birthdate: May 25, 1927

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: New York City, United States

Died: March 12

Birthdate: December 14, 1935

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States

Died: February 10

Michael Williams

(Actor)

Birthdate: July 9, 1935

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Liverpool, England

Died: January 11

Birthdate: November 18, 1908

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Died: June 2

Height: 5'3" (160 cm)

Birthdate: December 7, 1972

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Pico Rivera, California

Died: April 2

In her short career, American actress Jennifer Syme acted in few films like Lost Highway and also worked as musician DaveNavarro's personal assistant. She briefly dated Hollywood actor Keanu Reeves. The couple broke up after the death of their daughter who was stillborn. Tragically, the actress died at the young age of 28, when her vehicle crashed into a row of parked cars.

Ann Sothern

(Former actress in the 1949 film, A Letter to Three Wives)

Birthdate: January 22, 1909

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Valley City, North Dakota, United States

Died: March 15

Height: 5'1" (155 cm)

Foster Brooks

(Actor)

Birthdate: May 11, 1912

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Louisville, Kentucky, USA

Died: December 20

Nigel Hawthorne

(Actor)

Birthdate: April 5, 1929

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Coventry, England

Died: December 26

Height: 6'0" (183 cm)

Anne Morrow Lindbergh

(American Aviator and Writer Who Became the First Woman to Receive a U.S. Glider Pilot License)

Birthdate: June 22, 1906

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Englewood, New Jersey

Died: February 7

Anne Morrow Lindbergh was an American aviator and writer. She is best remembered for her exploratory flights along with her husband and pioneer aviator, Charles Lindbergh. Anne was the first woman to earn a US glider pilot license in 1930. In 1996, Anne Morrow Lindbergh was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.

Tove Jansson

(Finnish Penwoman and the Author of the Children’s Book Series 'Moomin')

Birthdate: August 9, 1914

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Helsinki, Finland

Died: June 27

Finnish author Tove Jansson was the woman behind the phenomenally successful children’s books and comics on the fictional white hippo-like creatures she called Moomins. While the Moomins books have been translated into more than 50 languages, Jansson’s literary works also include several other novels and short stories.

Ken Kesey

(Novelist & Essayist Known for His Novels: ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest’ & ‘Sometimes a Great Notion’)

Birthdate: September 17, 1935

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: La Junta, Colorado, United States

Died: November 10

Ken Kesey was a prolific American essayist, novelist, and counterculture figure who defined the Psychedelic Era. Renonwed as the hero of the hippie movement in the 1960s, he garnered critical and commercial success for his novels One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest and Sometimes a Great Notion. He was imprisoned for five months for marijuana possession.

Jason Miller

(Playwright, Actor)

Birthdate: April 22, 1939

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Queens, New York, United States

Died: May 13

Height: 5'8" (173 cm)

Peter Griffith

(Actor)

Birthdate: October 23, 1933

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Baltimore, Maryland, USA