Discover the most famous people who died on January 20. The list includes people like Audrey Hepburn, Etta James, Barbara Stanwyck, John Ruskin, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan. Famous personalities featured on this list, include artists, political leaders, composers and emperors & kings and from other domains of life. This list includes people from United States, United Kingdom, Italy & France and many more countries.

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 1 

Audrey Hepburn

(British Actress Who was Famous as a Film and Fashion Icon)

Birthdate: May 4, 1929

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Ixelles, Belgium

Died: 1993

British actress Audrey Hepburn is counted among the greatest female screen legends in Golden Age Hollywood. Rising to prominence in the 1950s, she became one of the few people to win Academy, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Awards. She devoted much of her time in her later life to UNICEF and was actively involved in humanitarian work.

 2 

George V

(King of the United Kingdom (1910-36))

Birthdate: June 3, 1865

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: London, England

Died: 1936

George V became the King of Great Britain and the British Dominions in 1910. During the World War I, he played an active role in supporting the troops. The rise of socialism, communism, fascism and the Indian independence movement was witnessed during his rule. His reign also saw the supremacy of the elected British House of Commons established by the Parliament.

 3 

Meat Loaf

(American Rock Singer Known for His Powerful, Wide-Ranging Voice and Theatrical Live Shows)

Birthdate: September 27, 1947

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Dallas, Texas, United States

Died: 2022

Born Marvin Lee Aday, rock singer Meat Loaf was best known for his Bat Out of Hell trilogy. Famous for his wide-ranging voice and theatrical live shows, this Grammy-winning performer also appeared in over 50 movies and television shows. 

 4 

Barbara Stanwyck

(American Actress Known for Her Strong, Realistic Screen Presence and Versatility)

Birthdate: July 16, 1907

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States

Died: 1990

Barbara Stanwyck went on to become one of the greatest actresses of Classical Hollywood cinema after being orphaned at age four. One of the favorite actresses of directors like Cecil B. DeMille, Barbara had become the highest-paid actress in America by 1944. Known for her realistic screen presence, Barbara won several prestigious honorary lifetime awards for her contribution to cinema.

 5 

Etta James

(Singer-Songwriter Know for Hits Such as "The Wallflower", "At Last", "Tell Mama")

Birthdate: January 25, 1938

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States

Died: 2012

Etta James was an American singer whose powerful, deep voice bridged the gap between rock and roll and rhythm and blues. Her ability to perform in various genres earned her a spot in Rolling Stone magazine's 100 Greatest Singers of All Time list. Her work has influenced several musicians, including Christina Aguilera, Diana Ross, Janis Joplin, Adele, and Rita Ora.

 6 

Johnny Weissmuller

(Olympic Swimmer and Actor Who Played Tarzan)

Birthdate: June 2, 1904

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Freidorf, Romania

Died: 1984

Johnny Weissmuller was an American swimmer and actor. Although Weissmuller won five Olympic gold medals and set several world records during his illustrious swimming career, he is best remembered for his portrayal of the title role in the 1932 action-adventure film Tarzan the Ape Man. In 1965, he was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

Birthdate: February 8, 1819

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: England

Died: 1900

The leading English art critic of the Victorian era, John Ruskin was a hugely influential figure in the latter half of the 19th century. Also a philosopher and prominent social thinker, he wrote on varied subjects like geology, architecture, education, botany, myth, ornithology, literature, and political economy. He founded the charitable trust Guild of St George.

 8 

Bobby Hull

(One of the Greatest Ice Hockey Players of All Time)

Birthdate: January 3, 1939

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Point Anne, Belleville, Canada

Died: 2023

Height: 5'10" (178 cm)

 9 

Josh Gibson

(One of the Best Power Hitters and Catchers in Baseball History.)

Birthdate: December 21, 1911

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Buena Vista, Georgia, United States

Died: 1947

Joshua Gibson, or the Back Babe Ruth, was one of the most powerful hitters and catchers in the history of baseball. He had a long stint with the Negro League team the Homestead Grays. He was the second Negro League inductee of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

 10 

Garrincha

(One of the Greatest Football Players of All Time)

Birthdate: October 28, 1933

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Pau Grande, Magé, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Died: 1983

Height: 5'7" (170 cm)

 11 

Mira Furlan

(Actress)

Birthdate: September 7, 1955

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Zagreb, Croatia

Died: 2021

Height: 5'6" (168 cm)

 12 

Carrie Hamilton

(Actress)

Birthdate: December 5, 1963

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: New York City, New York, USA

Died: 2002

 13 

Alan Freed

(American Disc Jockey and Radio Personality)

Birthdate: December 15, 1921

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Johnstown, Pennsylvania, United States

Died: 1965

 14 

Paul Bocuse

(Chefs)

Birthdate: February 11, 1926

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Collonges-au-Mont-d'Or, France

Died: 2018

 15 

Curt Flood

(Baseball player)

Birthdate: January 18, 1938

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Houston

Died: 1997

Height: 5'9" (175 cm)

 16 

Kalakaua

(Monarch)

Birthdate: November 16, 1836

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Honolulu, Hawaii, United States

Died: 1891

 17 

Bobo Brazil

(Wrestler)

Birthdate: July 10, 1924

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Little Rock, Arkansas, United States

Died: 1998

Height: 6'6" (198 cm)

 18 

Jean-François Millet

(Artist)

Birthdate: October 4, 1814

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Gréville-Hague, La Hague, France

Died: 1875

 19 

Al Hirschfeld

(Caricaturist, Artist, Postage stamp designer)

Birthdate: June 21, 1903

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: St. Louis

Died: 2003

 20 

Claudio Abbado

(Conductor Who Was One of the leading conductors of his Generation)

Birthdate: June 26, 1933

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Milan, Italy

Died: 2014

 21 

Charles VII, Holy Roman Emperor

(Emperor)

Birthdate: August 6, 1697

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Brussels

Died: 1745

Birthdate: November 11, 1748

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Portici, Italy

Died: 1819

Charles IV of Spain reigned as the king of Spain from 1788 to 1808. His reign turned out to be a turning point in the history of Spain for various reasons. His reign is often criticized for allowing Spain to enter a series of unpropitious alliances, which eventually led to his abdication. 

 23 

Gerry Mulligan

(Former Jazz musician who teamed up with Chet Baker to form an influential cool jazz group)

Birthdate: April 6, 1927

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Queens Village, New York, United States

Died: 1996

 24 

Nedra Volz

(Actress, Singer)

Birthdate: June 18, 1908

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Montrose, Iowa, United States

Died: 2003

Height: 4'11" (150 cm)

 25 

Muhammad ibn Idris ash-Shafi`i

(Arab Muslim Scholar, Theologian, and Writer)

Birthdate: 0767

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Gaza

Died: 0820

 26 

David Garrick

(Actor, Playwright, Film producer, Writer, Screenwriter, Stage actor)

Birthdate: February 19, 1717

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Hereford

Died: 1779

 27 

Prince Henry of Battenberg

(Prince)

Birthdate: October 5, 1858

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Milan, Italy

Died: 1896

Prince Henry of Battenberg was a morganatic descendant of the Grand Ducal House of Hesse. He was the son of Prince Alexander of Hesse and by the Rhine, and his wife, Countess Julia von Hauke. He married Queen Victoria's youngest child, Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom, and became a member of the British Royal Family. 

 28 

Amílcar Cabral

(Agricultural engineer and Politician)

Birthdate: October 24, 1924

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Bafatá, Portuguese Guinea

Died: 1973

 29 

Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor

(Politician)

Birthdate: July 18, 1552

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Vienna

Died: 1612

Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor reigned as the King of the Romans and as the King in Germany between 1576 and 1612. Best remembered as an intellectual aficionado of occult arts, Rudolf is often seen as the founding father of the Scientific Revolution. He devoted his time to astrology and alchemy in an attempt to find the Philosopher's Stone.

 30 

Bairbre Dowling

(Actress)

Birthdate: March 27, 1953

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland

Died: 2016

 31 

Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni

(Military Personnel and Prime Minister of Japan from August 1945 to October 1945)

Birthdate: December 3, 1887

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan

Died: 1990

 32 

John Soane

(English Architect and Archaeologist)

Birthdate: September 10, 1753

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Goring, United Kingdom

Died: 1837

English architect John Soane contributed immensely to the Neo-Classical style of architecture. Born to a bricklayer, Soane began training as an architect at 15. He soared to fame during his 45-year stint as an architect of the Bank of England and was also knighted for his achievements.

 33 

Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan

(Political & Spiritual Leader and Founder of the 'Khudai Khidmatgar' Resistance Movement against British Colonial Rule in India)

Birthdate: February 6, 1890

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Utmānzai, Pakistan

Died: 1988

Abdul Ghaffar Khan was a Pashtun independence activist who opposed the British rule in India. A spiritual and political leader, Khan called for Hindu-Muslim unity in India and opposed the partition of India. Khan is still revered by many in India and Pakistan for his pacifist ideology. Many places in India are named in his honor.

 34 

Beatrice Lillie

(Actress)

Birthdate: May 29, 1894

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Toronto, Canada

Died: 1989

Height: 5'4" (163 cm)

 35 

José Guadalupe Posada

(Mexican Political Lithographer)

Birthdate: February 2, 1852

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Aguascalientes

Died: 1913

 36 

David Newman

(Composer)

Birthdate: February 24, 1933

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Corsicana, Texas, United States

Died: 2009

 37 

Minh Mang

(Emperor)

Birthdate: May 25, 1791

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Gia Định, Việt Nam

Died: 1841

 38 

Edgar Froese

(German Electronic Musician Best Known for Founding the Electronic Music Group 'Tangerine Dream')

Birthdate: June 6, 1944

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Sovetsk, Russia

Died: 2015

A pioneer in electronic music and founder of music band Tangerine Dream, Edgar Willmar Froese started playing guitar at the age of 15. At nineteen, he formed his first group, which disbanded within three years. By then, he had started experimenting and eventually formed Tangerine Dream, concurrently continuing to sing solo and release solo albums.

 39 

Gad Anders Rausing

(Industrialist)

Birthdate: May 19, 1922

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Bromma, Sweden

Died: 2000

Gad Anders Rausing was a Swedish archaeologist and industrialist. Alongside his brother Hans Anders Rausing, Gad is credited with popularizing the food packaging company Tetra Pak, which was founded by his father Ruben Rausing. Gad Rausing, who had a lifelong passion for archaeology, taught at Lund University's Institute of Archaeology. Gad Anders Rausing also authored several books on archaeology. 

 40 

Jaramogi Oginga Odinga

(Kenyan Political Leader Who Played a Key Role in Kenya's Struggle for Independence)

Birthdate: 1911

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Bondo, Kenya

Died: 1994

Jaramogi Oginga Odinga was a Kenyan political leader who played an important role in Kenya's struggle for independence. After Kenya's independence, Oginga Odinga served as the country's first vice-president from 12 December 1964 to 14 April 1966. Jaramogi Oginga Odinga is best remembered for his autobiography Not Yet Uhuru.

 41 

Adelaide of Austria

(Queen)

Birthdate: June 3, 1822

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Royal Palace, Milan, Italy

Died: 1855

The first wife of Victor Emmanuel II of Sardinia, who later became the king of Italy, Adelaide of Austria was a Milanese noblewoman who became the queen of Sardinia. She birthed 8 children, including future king of Italy, Umberto I. Her marriage to Victor was primarily a political alliance.

 42 

Thomas Mifflin

(Politician)

Birthdate: January 10, 1744

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Died: 1800

 43 

Craig Claiborne

(Food Critic)

Birthdate: September 4, 1920

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Sunflower, Mississippi, United States

Died: 2000

 44 

R. D. Blackmore

(Novelist)

Birthdate: June 9, 1825

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Longworth, England, United Kingdom

Died: 1900

 45 

Aslan Byutukayev

(Military Leader)

Birthdate: October 22, 1974

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Achkhoy-Martan, Russia

Died: 2021

 46 

Dante Lavelli

(Football player)

Birthdate: February 23, 1923

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Hudson, Ohio, United States

Died: 2009

Height: 6'0" (183 cm)

 47 

Anatol Rapoport

(American Mathematical Psychologist)

Birthdate: May 22, 1911

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Lozova,Russia

Died: 2007

 48 

Dit Clapper

(Canadian Professional Ice Hockey Player Who Played as Defencemen)

Birthdate: February 9, 1907

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Newmarket, Ontario, Canada

Died: 1978

Height: 6'2" (188 cm)

 49 

Sexy Cora

(Actress)

Birthdate: May 2, 1987

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: West Berlin, West Germany

Died: 2011

 50 

Zénobe Gramme

(Belgian Electrical Engineer Who Invented the Gramme Machine)

Birthdate: April 4, 1826

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Amay, Belgium

Died: 1901

Belgian electrical engineer Zénobe Gramme is remembered for inventing the Gramme machine. While he initially worked in an electrical industry factory in Paris, he later collaborated with French engineer Hippolyte Fontaine, to work on his dynamo model. His invention made use of much higher voltages than the standard dynamos back then.