Famous people and celebrities who died in 1949

A dedicated page for remembering the famous people and celebrities who passed away in 1949. This year saw the loss of many influential and beloved figures who left a lasting impact on the world. From entertainment icons and sports legends to renowned scholars and public figures, our comprehensive list pays tribute to their lives and legacies. Join us in honoring their contributions and celebrating their achievements as we reflect on their remarkable stories.

• Jan. 6 Victor Fleming

  American film director known for directing classics like The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind.

• Jan. 15 Black Dahlia

  Infamous murder victim whose unsolved killing became a notorious criminal case in Los Angeles, inspiring numerous books and films.

• Feb. 11 Axel Munthe

  Swedish physician and author known for his book 'The Story of San Michele.'

• Feb. 12 Hassan al-Banna

  Influential Egyptian religious and political leader who founded the Muslim Brotherhood, a significant Islamist organization with widespread impact in the Arab world.

• March 30 Friedrich Bergius

  CHE - German chemist and academic, nobel prize laureate (b. 1884)

• April 15 Wallace Beery

  American film actor. he is best known for playing bill in "min and bill", opposite marie dressler. also, long john silver in the "treasure island" movie, pancho villa in "viva villa!," and his title role in "the champ," which he was awarded the academy award for best actor.

• May 6 Maurice Maeterlinck

  Belgian essayist, poet and playwright. he was also a naturalist and lawyer. he won the 1911 nobel prize for literature. he was made a count in 1932 by the belgian king. he is best known for his books "the blind", 1891, and "the interior", 1892. there are also many studies on nature. maeterlinck was able to dedicate all his time …

• May 6 Count Maurice (Mooris) Polidore Marie Bernhard Maeterlinck

  Nobel Prize laureate in appreciation of his many-sided literary activities, and especially of his dramatic works, which are distinguished by a wealth of imagination and by a poetic fancy, which reveals, sometimes in the guise of a fairy tale, a deep inspiration, while in a mysterious way they appeal to the readers' own feelings and stimulate their imaginations

• May 20 Randolph West

  American biochemist known for the Dakin-West reaction, a significant organic chemistry process for amino acid synthesis.

• May 21 Klaus Mann

  Renowned German writer and intellectual, son of Thomas Mann, known for his novel 'Mephisto' and his complex personal life during the Nazi era.

• June 10 Sigrid Undset

  LIT - Danish-norwegian novelist, essayist, and translator, nobel prize laureate (b. 1882)

• June 14 Albert II

  Rhesus macaque and pioneering animal astronaut, recognized as the first mammal sent into space, marking a significant milestone in space exploration.

• Aug. 9 Harry Davenport

  Actor (cowboy & lady enchanted forest), died at 83

• Aug. 16 Margaret Mitchell

  Renowned American novelist who wrote the Pulitzer Prize-winning epic 'Gone with the Wind', a landmark work of historical fiction set during the American Civil War that became a global literary phenomenon.

• Sept. 13 Schack August Steenberg Krogh

  Nobel Prize laureate for his discovery of the capillary motor regulating mechanism

• Sept. 13 August Krogh

  MED - Danish physiologist and academic, nobel prize laureate (b. 1874)

• Sept. 18 Frank Morgan

  Frank morgan was an american actor best known for his role as the wizard in the classic film the wizard of oz.

• Sept. 20 Richard Dix

  American actor. the image of a tough, macho man. in 1931, his film "cimarron" was nominated to win an oscar. his other films include "devil's squadron" and "man of conquest." his last appearance was in 1949 in "the fountainhead."

• Sept. 20 Nikolaos Skalkottas

  Greek classical composer known for his significant contributions to modern Greek music, particularly in blending traditional Greek musical elements with avant-garde compositional techniques.

• Oct. 27 Marcel Cerdan

  Legendary French-Algerian boxer who was world middleweight champion, known for his exceptional fighting skills and tragic death. He defeated Tony Zale in 1948 and was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame in 1962. His life was cut short in a plane crash in 1949.

• Oct. 27 Ginette Neveu

  Ginette Neveu was a renowned French classical violinist who tragically died in a plane crash at the age of 30, cutting short a promising musical career. She was considered one of the most talented violinists of her generation, known for her exceptional technical skill and emotional depth. Her untimely death in 1949 while traveling to New York with her brother …

• Nov. 3 Solomon R. Guggenheim

  American art collector and philanthropist, founded the solomon r. guggenheim museum (b. 1861)

• Nov. 15 Nathuram Godse

  Infamous Indian nationalist who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi on January 30, 1948, in Delhi. He was a member of the Hindu Mahasabha and was executed by hanging for his crime in November 1949.

• Dec. 16 Sidney Olcott

  Canadian-american screenwriter and producer of actor (d. 1949).

• Dec. 28 Jack Lovelock

  New Zealand Olympic gold medalist runner who won the 1500 meters at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, known for his exceptional athletic performance during the pre-World War II era.

What happened in 1949?

Discover what the world looked like in 1949: