Discover the most famous people died who died in the year 1983. This list includes people like Karen Carpenter, David Niven, Meyer Lansky, Tennessee Williams, Carolyn Jones and many more. This list of celebrities is loosely sorted by popularity. People featured on this list, include political leaders, novelists, journalists and composers who died in 1983. This list includes people from United States, United Kingdom, France & Germany and many more countries.
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1
Karen Carpenter(Singer & Drummer Known for Her Distinctive Three-Octave Contralto Vocal Range)
Birthdate: March 2, 1950
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: New Haven, Connecticut, United States
Died: February 4
One half of the popular musical duo The Carpenters, Karen Carpenter was an American drummer and singer. Her death at age 32 and life-long struggles with eating disorders led to increased awareness of conditions like anorexia and body dysmorphia, which were little-known at the time. In 2010, Carpenter was named on Rolling Stone's 100 greatest singers of all time list.
Birthdate: March 1, 1910
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: London
Died: July 29
David Niven, best known for his Academy Award-winning role as Major Pollock in Separate Tables, had also served the British Army. Some of his other notable films were Around the World in 80 Days, the Pink Panther films, and Casino Royale. Niven also wrote four books, including his autobiography.
3
Tennessee Williams(One of the Finest American Playwrights of the 20th-Century Best Known for His Work ‘The Glass Menagerie’ )
Birthdate: March 26, 1911
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Columbus, Mississippi, United States
Died: February 25
Pulitzer Prize-winning Tennessee Williams is regarded as one of the most significant playwrights of the 20th century, and had also written short stories, essays, and poetry. He is best remembered for his plays A Streetcar Named Desire, The Glass Menagerie, and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
Birthdate: April 4, 1913
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Issaquena County, Mississippi
Died: April 30
Grammy-winning blues singer McKinley Morganfield, better known as Muddy Waters, is considered the father of modern Chicago blues. He is remembered for his tracks Hoochie Coochie Man and Rollin' Stone, with the latter inspiring the name of the band The Rolling Stones. He shaped the rock and roll genre.
5
Jack Dempsey(One of the Most Popular Boxers in American History)
Birthdate: June 24, 1895
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Manassa, Colorado, United States
Died: May 31
Acknowledged by his rivals as a remarkable hitter, Jack Dempsey was an American heavyweight boxing champion who was known for his powerful punches. The record attendance at his bouts was an indication of his popularity. He was considered as one of the greatest fighters of all time. Born poor and nicknamed Kid Blackie, Jack Dempsey went on to become one of the richest athletes during his time.
6
Dennis Wilson
(musician)
Birthdate: December 4, 1944
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Inglewood, California, United States
Died: December 28
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
Birthdate: April 8, 1930
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Amarillo, Texas, United States
Died: August 3
Carolyn Jones was an American actress who contributed to the success of several films in the 1950s. She was also an influential figure in American television throughout the 1950s and 1960s. During the later stages of her acting career, Jones suffered from colon cancer but decided not to reveal about her condition to colleagues and continued acting through the pain.
Birthdate: June 29, 1919
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Kingsburg, California, United States
Died: December 8
Louis Burton Lindley Jr., or Slim Pickens, gained fame for his roles in Westerns. His background as a rodeo performer helped him grab cowboy roles. Some of his most noteworthy movies were Dr. Strangelove and One-Eyed Jacks. He also appeared in series such as The Americans and Hee Haw.
9
Bear Bryant(One of the Greatest College Football Coaches of All Time)
Birthdate: September 11, 1913
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Cleveland County, Arkansas, United States
Died: January 26
Bear Bryant was an American football player who represented the Crimson Tide of the University of Alabama. Bryant is remembered for his illustrious career as a coach. He served as the head coach of the Crimson Tide for 25 years, during which he helped his team win six national championships. He is regarded as the greatest college football coach ever.
10
Gloria Swanson(Actress and Producer Best Known for Her Motion Picture Drama ‘Sunset Boulevard’)
Birthdate: March 27, 1899
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: April 4
Actress and producer, Gloria Swanson, appeared in dozens of silent films in the 1920s and became a prominent Hollywood figure. As a teenager, she ventured into acting by chance and became a popular face soon after. After establishing herself as an actress, she became a filmmaker as well and is considered one of the film industry's pioneering women filmmakers.
Birthdate: July 12, 1895
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Milton, Massachusetts, United States
Died: July 1
Buckminster Fuller was an American systems theorist, architect, designer, inventor, author, and futurist. He is credited with popularizing the geodesic dome, which resembles carbon molecules known as fullerenes. Fullerenes were named after Fuller for their resemblance to geodesic spheres. Fuller's work has influenced several personalities from different walks of life. His work has also inspired a couple of documentary films.
12
Joan Miró(Spanish Painter, Sculptor and Ceramicist Known for His work in ‘Surrealism’, ‘Fauvism’ and ‘Expressionism’)
Birthdate: April 20, 1893
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Barcelona, Spain
Died: December 25
Born to an artisan father in Catalan, Joan Miró was allowed to attend art school after falling sick working as a clerk. Known for combining surrealism and abstract art, he experimented with various forms of art, including paintings, sculptures, and ceramics, and created masterpieces such as The Farm.
13
Dolores del Río
(Mexican Actress Who is Regarded as the First Major Female Latin American Crossover Star in Hollywood)
Birthdate: August 3, 1904
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Durango, Mexico
Died: April 11
Height: 5'3" (160 cm)
14
Norma Shearer(Best Known for Her Role in the Film ‘The Divorcee')
Birthdate: August 10, 1902
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Montreal, Canada
Died: June 12
Norma Shearer was a Canadian-American actress who often played sexually liberated ingénues in films. Shearer is often revered as a feminist pioneer as she played bold characters that challenged the norm of the society during the 1930s. In 2008, she was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame.
15
Louis de Funès
(Actor)
Birthdate: July 31, 1914
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Courbevoie, France
Died: January 27
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
16
Hergé(Cartoonist (Creator of Tintin))
Birthdate: May 22, 1907
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Etterbeek, Belgium
Died: March 3
Better known by his pseudonym, Hergé, Belgian cartoonist Georges Prosper Remi was the man behind Tintin, a cartoon series that several generations of kids and young adults have grown up reading. He was a self-taught artist and wrote Destination Moon, featuring Tintin, 15 years before Neil Armstrong’s feat.
Birthdate: March 13, 1901
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Dobbs Ferry, New York, United States
Died: October 14
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
18
Christopher George
(Actor)
Birthdate: February 25, 1931
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Royal Oak, Michigan, USA
Died: November 28
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
19
George Halas
(American football player)
Birthdate: February 2, 1895
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Died: October 31
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
20
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: January 20
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
21
Michael Conrad
(Actor)
Birthdate: October 16, 1925
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: November 22
Height: 6'6" (198 cm)
22
Joan Hackett
(Actress)
Birthdate: March 1, 1934
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: East Harlem, New York City, New York, USA
Died: October 8
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
Birthdate: February 1, 1947
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: October 23
24
Buster Crabbe
(Winner of the 1932 Olympic Gold Medal for 400-meter Freestyle Swimming Event)
Birthdate: February 7, 1908
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Oakland, California, United States
Died: April 23
Apart from being an Olympic gold-winning swimmer, Buster Crabbe later also became a well-known actor. He was seen in over 170 movies, with lead roles in series such as Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon. The International Swimming Hall of Fame inductee had also penned fitness books and owned a swimming pool company.
25
Raymond Massey
(Canadian Actor, Known for His Commanding, Stage-Trained Voice)
Birthdate: August 30, 1896
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Died: July 29
Raymond Massey was a Canadian actor best remembered for his stage-trained voice. Massey earned an Academy Award nomination under the Best Actor category for his portrayal of Abraham Lincoln in the 1940 biographical historical drama film Abe Lincoln in Illinois. Massey has two stars on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contribution to the film and TV industries.
26
Harry James
(Musician)
Birthdate: March 15, 1916
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Albany, Georgia, United States
Died: July 5
27
Ralph Richardson
(Actor)
Birthdate: December 19, 1902
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Tivoli Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, UK
Died: October 10
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
28
Klaus Nomi
(German Countertenor Known for His Wide Vocal Range and an Unusual, Otherworldly Stage Persona)
Birthdate: January 24, 1944
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Immenstadt, Germany
Died: August 6
Klaus Nomi was a German countertenor with a wide vocal range. He wore heavy makeup, unusual costumes, and a highly stylized signature hairdo. He had an otherworldly stage persona that was unique to him. His music was also considered unusual. He suffered from AIDS and was one of the earliest musicians known to die of the illness.
29
George Balanchine
(The Father of American Ballet)
Birthdate: January 22, 1904
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: St. Petersburg, Russia
Died: April 30
George Balanchine was a Georgian-American ballet choreographer. One of the most prominent choreographers of the 20th century, Balanchine won several prestigious awards like the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1983. Referred to as the father of American ballet, Balanchine is credited with co-founding the New York City Ballet. He was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1988.
30
Arthur Godfrey
(One of the Biggest Radio & TV Personalities in America in the 1950s)
Birthdate: August 31, 1903
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Manhattan, New York, United States
Died: March 16
Arthur Godfrey was an American entertainer and television and radio broadcaster. In the early and mid-1950s, Godfrey was seen on television and heard on the radio up to six days a week. His career inspired two films, namely The Great Man and A Face in the Crowd. Arthur Godfrey was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1987.
31
Ira Gershwin
(Lyricist)
Birthdate: December 6, 1896
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: New York City New York City, New York, U.S.
Died: August 17
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
Birthdate: September 26, 1907
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Bournemouth, Hampshire, England
Died: March 26
Art historian Anthony Blunt is best remembered as part of the spy group Cambridge Five. His confession, revealed after years, stripped him of his knighthood. An expert on the works of Baroque painter Nicolas Poussin, he had also authored works such as Art and Architecture in France 1500–1700.
33
Robert Aldrich
(Director)
Birthdate: August 9, 1918
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Cranston, Rhode Island, USA
Died: December 5
34
Benigno Aquino, Jr.
(Filipino Senator Who Was the Husband of President Corazon Aquino)
Birthdate: November 27, 1932
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Concepcion, Philippines
Died: August 21
Benigno Aquino, Jr., also known as Ninoy Aquino, was the son of Filipino politician Benigno Aquino Sr. and grew up to be a senator and the chief opposition leader during President Ferdinand E. Marcos’s rule. A supporter of democracy, he was assassinated at the Manila airport after returning from exile.
35
William Demarest
(Known for Playing 'Uncle Charley' in 'My Three Sons')
Birthdate: February 27, 1892
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States
Died: December 27
Starting his career with vaudeville and then moving on to Broadway, William Demarest later soared to fame with his role of retired sea captain Uncle Charley in the sitcom My Three Sons. His role in the biopic The Jolson Story got him nominated for an Academy Award.
Birthdate: July 7, 1899
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Manhattan, New York, U.S.
Died: January 24
37
Tom Evans
(Former Musician and Songwriter, Most Notable for His Work With the Band Badfinger)
Birthdate: June 5, 1947
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Liverpool, England
Died: November 19
38
Luis Buñuel
(Film director, Screenwriter, Actor, Film editor, Writer)
Birthdate: February 22, 1900
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Calanda, Spain
Died: July 29
Luis Buñuel was a Spanish-Mexican filmmaker with a brilliant career spanning almost half a century. He worked in France, Mexico, and Spain and directed films spanning various genres. His filmmaking technique was strongly influenced by mise-en-scène. He was hailed as a leader of avant-garde surrealism and is considered one of the top directors of the 20th century.
39
Corrie ten Boom
(Holocaust Survivor Best Known for Her Book 'The Hiding Place')
Birthdate: April 15, 1892
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Haarlem, Netherlands
Died: April 15
Born to jeweler and watchmaker Casper ten Boom, Corrie ten Boom followed in her father’s footsteps and became the first female licensed watchmaker in the Netherlands. She and her family hid scores of Jewish refugees during the Holocaust. Corrie later penned The Hiding Place, based on her experiences.
40
Merle Travis
(Musician)
Birthdate: November 29, 1917
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Rosewood, Kentucky, U.S.
Died: October 20
Birthdate: September 15, 1904
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Castle of Racconigi, Racconigi, Italy
Died: March 18
Umberto II, the only son of King Victor Emmanuel III, was the last king of Italy and ruled for just 34 days, from May 9 to June 12, 1946, and then went into exile. Also known as Re di Maggio, he was the de facto head of state since 1944.
Birthdate: July 31, 1897
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: New Castle, Pennsylvania
Died: November 13
43
John Le Mesurier
(English Actor)
Birthdate: April 5, 1912
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Bedford, Bedfordshire, England, UK
Died: November 15
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
44
Norm Van Brocklin
(American football player)
Birthdate: March 15, 1926
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Parade, South Dakota, United States
Died: May 2
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
45
Earl Hines
(Jazz musician)
Birthdate: December 28, 1903
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Duquesne, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: April 22
46
Pete Farndon
(Former English bassist and founding member of the rock band the Pretenders.)
Birthdate: June 12, 1952
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Hereford, England
Died: April 14
47
Eric Hoffer
(Writer, Philosopher, Psychologist)
Listed In:
Birthdate: July 25, 1902
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: New York City
Died: May 21
Social philosopher and author Eric Hoffer was rendered half-blind at 7 due to an accident but regained his sight at 15. Orphaned in his 20s, he took up odd jobs, and once even contemplated suicide. His first book, The True Believer, catapulted him to fame, and he never looked back.
Birthdate: March 29, 1902
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Oldham, England
Died: March 8
49
Walter Slezak
(American Actor)
Birthdate: May 3, 1902
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Vienna, Austria
Died: April 21
Walter Slezak was an Austrian-born actor with an illustrious career spanning over half a century. He often played clever, talkative, and philosophical characters. The son of a famous opera tenor, he was fascinated by the show business and began acting in the 1920s. He was famous as both a stage performer and a film actor.
50
Mike Kellin
(Actor, Military officer)
Birthdate: April 26, 1922
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Hartford, Connecticut, United States
Died: August 26
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
