Famous People Who Died in 1989

Discover the most famous people died who died in the year 1989. This list includes people like Ted Bundy, Lucille Ball, Bette Davis, Hirohito, Laurence Olivier and many more. This list of celebrities is loosely sorted by popularity. People featured on this list, include political leaders, journalists, actresses and poets who died in 1989. This list includes people from United States, United Kingdom, Italy & Spain and many more countries.

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Lucille Ball

(Actress and Comedienne Best Known for Her Shows: 'I Love Lucy', 'The Lucy Show' and 'Here's Lucy')

Birthdate: August 6, 1911

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Jamestown, New York, United States

Died: April 26

One of the most popular actresses of the 1950s and 1960s, Lucille Ball created the sitcom, I Love Lucy, in 1951. In 1962, she started managing the Desilu Productions, becoming the first woman to run a major TV studio. The recipient of two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Lucille Ball was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1984.

Salvador Dali

(Spanish Surrealist Painter Best Known for His Work 'The Persistence of Memory')

Birthdate: May 11, 1904

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Figueres, Catalonia, Spain

Died: January 23

Salvador Dali was a Spanish artist best remembered for his precise draftsmanship and technical skills. His artwork is famous for depicting bizarre and striking images. In spite of producing brilliant artworks, Dali's ostentatious and eccentric public behavior often overshadowed his professional achievements, much to the irritation of his fans and critics. His works have influenced other artists like Jeff Koons.

Birthdate: April 29, 1901

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Aoyama, Tokyo, Japan

Died: January 7

Hirohito, or Emperor Showa, the longest-reigning Japanese emperor, reigned from 1926 to 1989 and supported the Axis Powers during World War II. He also served in the Japanese military. He was not prosecuted for war crimes by the U.S. and played a major role in the post-war reconstruction of Japan.

Bette Davis

(American Actress Who was Known for Playing Unsympathetic, Sardonic Characters)

Birthdate: April 5, 1908

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Lowell, Massachusetts, United States

Died: October 6

Two-time Academy Award-winner Bette Davis, a prominent figure from the Golden Age of Hollywood, was known for playing unlikeable characters and her addiction to cigarettes both off and on screen. Fans loved her in All About Eve and Human Bondage. Bette was also the first female AFI Lifetime Achievement Award-winner.

John Cassavetes

(One of the Most Influential American Directors of the Later Half of the 20th Century)

Birthdate: December 9, 1929

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: New York, New York, United States

Died: February 3

John Cassavetes is best remembered for his Academy Award-nominated performance in The Dirty Dozen and for his Academy Award-nominated screenplay and direction in Faces and A Woman Under the Influence, respectively. His movies explored the cinéma verité style of filmmaking and included frequent collaborations with his wife, Gena Rowlands.

Lee Van Cleef

(American Actor, Best Known for His Role in the Film ‘For a Few Dollars More’)

Birthdate: January 9, 1925

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Somerville, New Jersey, United States

Died: December 16

Lee Van Cleef was an American actor popular for playing important roles in many Spaghetti Westerns. Since his physical appearance often overshadowed his acting skills, Lee Van Cleef is regarded by some as the unsung hero of the Western films of the 1950s. Ironically, his appearance served as an inspiration for characters in the Metal Gear Solid video game series.

Birthdate: May 22, 1907

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Dorking, Surrey, England

Died: July 11

Four-time Academy Award-winning actor Laurence Olivier began his career with stage, mostly playing Shakespearean characters. He founded London’s National Theatre. Some of his noteworthy films were Wuthering Heights, Rebecca, and the movie version of Hamlet. He had received the knighthood, the Order of Merit, and a life peerage.

Birthdate: May 3, 1921

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Ailey, Georgia, United States

Died: April 12

Sugar Ray Robinson was an American boxer. Considered one of the greatest boxers ever, Robinson held a 91-fight unbeaten streak from 1943 to 1951, the third-longest in the history of professional boxing. Also known for his flamboyant and classy lifestyle outside the ring, Sugar Ray Robinson unsuccessfully tried his hand at a career as an entertainer after retiring from boxing.

Gilda Radner

(Comedian)

Birthdate: June 28, 1946

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan, United States

Died: May 20

Height: 5'6" (168 cm)

Birthdate: September 11, 1917

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Sarrat, Ilocos Norte, Philippine Islands

Died: September 28

Ferdinand Marcos served as the tenth president of the Philippines. Marcos' rule was marked by brutality, extravagance, and corruption, making him the most controversial leader of his generation. Deemed a kleptocrat, Marcos' dictatorship caused an economic collapse during which the country suffered greatly. He was removed from power in 1986 after a series of protests called the People Power Revolution.

Mel Blanc

(Known for His Voices of 'Bugs Bunny', 'Daffy Duck' & 'Porky Pig' During the Golden Age of American Animation)

Birthdate: May 30, 1908

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: San Francisco, California, United States

Died: July 10

Mel Blanc was an American radio personality and voice actor. Dubbed The Man of a Thousand Voices, Blanc contributed immensely to the success of several theatrical cartoons by voicing famous characters, such as Porky Pig, Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny, Barney Rubble, and Mr. Spacely. He was considered one of the most influential and important personalities in the voice acting industry.

Birthdate: February 20, 1929

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Buffalo, New York, USA

Died: August 16

Illustrious as the sassy saloon owner, Miss Kitty, on Gunsmoke, Amanda Blake was a celebrated American actress. Also an animal lover, she ran one of the first successful programs for breeding cheetahs in captivity along with her husband, Frank Gilbert. She was also the third performer to be inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers, after Tom Mix and Gary Cooper.

Birthdate: December 14, 1902

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Manhattan, New York City, New York

Died: December 6

Frances Bavier was an American actress best known for playing Aunt Bee in the television series, The Andy Griffith Show and its spin-off, Mayberry R.F.D., winning an Emmy Award for her performance in 1967. Bavier chose not to marry and led a quiet life after her retirement. She promoted Easter Seal Societies and Christmas and often wrote letters to fans.

Samuel Beckett

(Irish Novelist Who Won the 1969 Nobel Prize in Literature)

Birthdate: April 13, 1906

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Foxrock, Ireland

Died: December 22

Samuel Beckett was a legendary Nobel Prize-winning Irish postmodernist and minimalist playwright and author, regarded as a prominent figure of the "Theatre of the Absurd.” He is best known for the play Waiting for Godot and for his tragi-comic themes and black comedy. He was also the Saoi of Aosdána.

Huey P. Newton

(Political Activist, Revolutionary Leader and Co-Founder of the ‘Black Panther Party’)

Birthdate: February 17, 1942

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Monroe, Louisiana, United States

Died: August 22

Huey P. Newton was an African-American civil and political rights activist. He is credited with co-founding The Black Panther Party (BPP), which went on to become one of black movement's most influential organizations of the late-1960s. The party, under Newton's leadership, founded more than 60 community support programs, including Free Breakfast for Children, which provided food to thousands of children.

Birthdate: November 6, 1967

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Eugene, Oregon, United States

Died: July 18

Rebecca Schaeffer started her career as a model and is best remembered for her role as Patricia "Patti" Russell in the comedy My Sister Sam. She was shot to death at 21, by an obsessed fan named Robert John Bardo, who had been stalking her for a while.

Jim Backus

(American Actor Best Known for His Role as ‘Thurston Howell III’ in the TV Sitcom ‘Gilligan's Island’)

Birthdate: February 25, 1913

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Died: July 3

Jim Backus is best known as Thurston Howell III from Gilligan's Island and as Frank Stark from Rebel Without a Cause. He also became popular as the voice of the animated character Mr. Magoo. He was also a skilled golfer and has his own show, The Jim Backus Show.

Graham Chapman

(British Actor, Writer and Member of the Surreal Comedy Group ‘Monty Python’)

Birthdate: January 8, 1941

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Leicester, England, United Kingdom

Died: October 4

Graham Chapman was an English comedian, author, actor, and writer. An important member of the popular comedy group Monty Python, Chapman was also a patron of the Dangerous Sports Club. An openly gay comedian, Chapman supported gay rights throughout his life. In September 2012, a blue plaque was unveiled at The Angel pub in North London to commemorate Graham Chapman.

Birthdate: December 4, 1934

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Santa Barbara, California, United States

Died: June 15

Victor French was an American actor remembered for playing important roles in television series, such as Carter Country, Highway to Heaven, and Little House on the Prairie. The son of actor and stuntman Ted French, Victor followed in the footsteps of his father and started his career as a stuntman before establishing himself as a successful actor.

Birthdate: July 1, 1955

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Bedford, Kentucky, United States

Died: May 9

Keith Whitley was an American singer whose career was cut short by his sudden death at the age of 34. Before his death, due to alcohol intoxication, Whitley recorded two albums, which spawned 12 chart-busting singles. His third and final studio album was released posthumously.

John Matuszak

(American Football Defensive End and Actor)

Birthdate: October 25, 1950

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Oak Creek, Wisconsin, United States

Died: June 17

Height: 6'7" (201 cm)

Irving Berlin

(American Composer and Lyricist)

Birthdate: May 11, 1888

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Tyumen, Russian Empire

Died: September 22

Irving Berlin was a composer and lyricist. He made tremendous contributions to the Great American Songbook and is widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in American history. He had an extensive career spanning six decades, during which he composed an estimated 1,500 songs. He received the Lawrence Langner Tony Award and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Sergio Leone

(Italian Filmmaker Best Known for Creating the 'Spaghetti Western' Genre)

Birthdate: January 3, 1929

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Rome, Italy

Died: April 30

Best known as a pioneer of the Spaghetti Western genre, Sergio Leone was born to legendary Italian actors Vincenzo Leone and Edvige Valcarenghi. He dropped out of law to focus on films and created masterpieces such as Once upon a Time in America and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

Robert Mapplethorpe

(American Photographer Best Known for His Black-And-White Photographs)

Birthdate: November 4, 1946

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Floral Park, New York, United States

Died: March 9

Best known for his black and white photographs, Robert Mapplethorpe chose homoerotic themes to express himself. His male nudes reflected the gay BDSM subculture of New York. His works also included flowers, still lifes, and portraits of celebrities. The gay photographer-artist eventually died of aids.

Billy Martin

(Baseball player)

Birthdate: May 16, 1928

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Berkeley, California, United States

Died: December 25

Birthdate: May 13, 1907

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: London, England

Died: April 19

Daphne du Maurier was an English playwright and author. Many of her works, which have been praised for narrative craft, have been adapted into films, including three of Alfred Hitchcock's movies. Such was her popularity that she was selected along with four other Women of Achievement to be featured on a set of British stamps, which were issued in 1996.

Birthdate: January 5, 1931

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Rogers, Texas, United States

Died: December 1

Lane Frost

(Bull Riders)

Birthdate: October 12, 1963

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: La Junta, Colorado, USA

Died: July 30

Height: 5'11" (180 cm)

Guy Williams

(Actor)

Birthdate: January 14, 1924

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Washington Heights, New York, United States

Died: April 30

Height: 6'3" (190 cm)

Vladimir Horowitz

(Russian-Born American Virtuoso Pianist)

Birthdate: October 1, 1903

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Kyiv, Ukraine

Died: November 5

Birthdate: December 18, 1949

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Malvern, Arkansas, United States

Died: February 1

William Shockley

(American Physicist, Inventor and Winner of the 1956 Nobel Prize in Physics)

Birthdate: February 13, 1910

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: London, England

Died: August 12

American physicist, inventor and Nobel laureate William Bradford Shockley Jr received the Nobel Prize in Physics with John Bardeen and Walter Brattain in 1956 for their researches on semiconductors and for discovering the transistor effect while working at the Bell Labs. He later became a proponent of eugenics while serving as a professor of electrical engineering at Stanford University.

Osamu Tezuka

(Film director, Film producer, Mangaka, Animator, Physician, Writer, Designer, Screenwriter)

Birthdate: November 3, 1928

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Toyonaka

Died: February 9

Osamu Tezuka was a Japanese manga artist, cartoonist, animator, and film director. He revolutionized the manga genre in Japan and was lovingly called "the Godfather of Manga". A prolific artist, he created works for both children and adult-oriented projects. He was the recipient of several awards, including the Winsor McCay Award and the Japan Cartoonists Association Award.

Andrei Sakharov

(Soviet Nuclear Physicist, Dissident and Winner of the 1975 Nobel Prize for Peace)

Birthdate: May 21, 1921

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Moscow, Russia

Died: December 14

Andrei Sakharov was a Russian dissident and nuclear physicist best remembered for designing RDS-37, Soviet Union's first two-stage hydrogen bomb. Also an activist for peace and human rights, Andrei Sakharov was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize in 1975. The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, which is awarded by the European Parliament, is named in his honor.

Christine Jorgensen

(Actress)

Birthdate: May 30, 1926

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States

Died: May 3

Birthdate: October 28, 1936

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Manhattan, New York, United States

Died: January 13

Height: 5'11" (180 cm)

Jock Mahoney

(Actor)

Birthdate: February 7, 1919

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, USA

Died: December 14

Height: 6'4" (193 cm)

Cornel Wilde

(Actor and Filmmaker Known for His Role in the Film 'A Song to Remember')

Birthdate: October 13, 1912

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Prievidza, Slovakia

Died: October 16

Starting his career with Broadway, Cornel Wilde later gained fame for his Academy Award-nominated role of Frédéric Chopin in A Song to Remember. Though he had made it to the US Olympic fencing team in 1936 and had also joined Columbia University to become a physician, he decided to focus on acting instead.

John Payne

(Actor)

Birthdate: May 23, 1912

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Roanoke, Virginia

Died: December 6

Birthdate: February 12, 1936

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States

Died: October 11

Height: 6'1" (185 cm)

Barry Sadler

(Soldier and Writer)

Birthdate: November 1, 1940

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Carlsbad, New Mexico, United States

Died: November 5

Konrad Lorenz

(Austrian Zoologist, Ethologist, Ornithologist and Winner of 1973 Nobel Prize in Medicine)

Birthdate: November 7, 1903

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Vienna, Austria

Died: February 21

Nobel Prize-winning Austrian zoologist Konrad Lorenz is remembered as a pioneer of ethology. The son of a surgeon father and a physician mother, Lorenz was a qualified physician himself. A university degree awarded to him was rescinded posthumously due to his association with the Nazi party

Birthdate: September 7, 1913

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Ainsdale, England

Died: October 20

Height: 6'1" (185 cm)

Robert Webber

(Actor)

Birthdate: October 14, 1924

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Santa Ana, California, United States

Died: May 19

Herbert von Karajan

(Austrian Conductor and Former Principal Conductor of the 'Berlin Philharmonic')

Birthdate: April 5, 1908

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Salzburg, Austria

Died: July 16

The principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic for over 3 decades, Herbert von Karajan was a piano prodigy in childhood. Though a Nazi Party member, he later claimed he had not been too keen on joining the party. The three-time Grammy winner was also an avid sports lover.

Diana Vreeland

(Magazine editor, fashion journalist and special consultant)

Birthdate: July 29, 1906

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Paris, France

Died: August 22

Diana Vreeland was a French-American editor and columnist who worked for popular fashion magazines like Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. From 1963 to 1971, she served as the editor-in-chief of Vogue. In 1964, she was inducted into the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame. Diana Vreeland’s life and career inspired the 2011 documentary Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel.

Georges Simenon

(One of the Most Widely Published Authors of the 20th Century)

Birthdate: February 13, 1903

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Liège, Belgium

Died: September 4

Georges Simenon was a Belgian writer who published nearly 500 novels during his illustrious career that spanned several years. Simenon is credited with creating one of the most popular fictional detectives of all time, Jules Maigret. A self-proclaimed Casanova, Simenon claimed in 1977 to have had sex with 10,000 women since his 13th birthday.

Birthdate: October 7, 1927

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Govanhill

Died: August 23

Psychiatrist R. D. Laing was known for his different perspective on mental illnesses, particularly psychosis. Known as anti-psychiatry, his theory of resolving mental ailments opposed the age-old shock therapy. His written works include The Divided Self. He was also a talented poet and had fathered 10 children by four women.

Edward Abbey

(Essayist)