Famous people and celebrities who died in January 1960
This page is dedicated to commemorating the celebrities and famous people who passed away in January 1960. This month marked the loss of influential and beloved figures whose contributions spanned various fields and touched many lives. Explore our detailed list to remember and celebrate their enduring legacies and the remarkable impact they had on the world
- Jan. 1 Margaret Sullavan
Renowned Hollywood actress of the 1930s and 1940s, known for her distinctive voice and compelling stage performances. She was a prominent figure in Broadway and film, with a notable career spanning multiple genres.
- Jan. 2 Fausto Coppi
Legendary Italian cyclist considered one of the greatest champions in the history of road bicycle racing. Known as 'Il Campionissimo' (Champion of Champions), he dominated cycling in the 1940s and 1950s.
- Jan. 2 Paul Sauvé
Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 17th Premier of Quebec from 1959 to 1960, playing a significant role in Quebec's political landscape during a transformative period.
- Jan. 2 Cees [Cornelis J] Laseur
Dutch actor/director (hague comedy), passes away at 60
- Jan. 3 Eric P. Kelly
American journalist, author, and academic (b. 1884)
- Jan. 4 Albert Camus
Albert Camus was a renowned French philosopher, author, and journalist who significantly influenced existentialist thought. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1957 for his profound works exploring human morality and absurdism. His novels 'The Stranger' and 'The Plague' remain seminal texts in 20th-century literature.
- Jan. 6 Erik Lindahl
Swedish economist (scope & means) dies at 68
- Jan. 6 Edith Barstow
Frankie laine time, choreographer, dies at 52
- Jan. 7 Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers
English tennis player and coach (b. 1878)
- Jan. 7 Luis da Costa
Composer dies at age 80
- Jan. 9 Elsie J. Oxenham
English author and educator (b. 1880)
- Jan. 10 Jack Laviolette
Canadian ice hockey player, coach, and manager (b. 1879)
- Jan. 11 Johan E Elias
Dutch historian elias family, dies at the age of 84.
- Jan. 12 Nevil Shute
English engineer and author (b. 1899)
- Jan. 18 Gladys Bentley
Gladys Bentley was a pioneering African American blues singer and performer known for her groundbreaking LGBTQ+ representation during the Harlem Renaissance. She was famous for performing in masculine attire and openly celebrating her lesbian identity at a time of significant social constraints.
- Jan. 20 Matt Moore
Actor (deluge and coquette), passes away at 72
- Jan. 24 Edwin Fischer
Swiss pianist and conductor (born in 1886).
- Jan. 24 John Miljan
Actor charlie chan in paris, yankee clipper) dies at 66
- Jan. 25 Diana Barrymore
A member of the famous Barrymore acting dynasty, Diana was a talented actress who struggled with alcoholism and personal challenges. Her autobiography 'Too Much, Too Soon' candidly detailed her tumultuous life and was later adapted into a film.
- Jan. 28 Zora Neale Hurston
American novelist, short story writer, and folklorist (b. 1891)
- Jan. 28 Jacques de Menasce
Composer dies at 54
- Jan. 29 Mack Harrell
American operatic and concert baritone vocalist (b. 1909)
- Jan. 29 George S. Messersmith
American diplomat (b. 1883)
- Jan. 29 Louis Jean Heydt
Actor (joe waterfront), dies at 54
- Jan. 31 Auguste Herbin
French painter. he studied drawing at the a%0cole des beaux-arts de lille from 1898 to 1901 when he settled in paris.
- Jan. 31 Lowell Gilmore
Actor (calcutta roadblock), dead at 53