Famous people and celebrities who died in August 1969

This page is dedicated to commemorating the celebrities and famous people who passed away in August 1969. 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

• Aug. 3 Alexander Mair

  Australian politician, 26th premier of new south wales (b. 1889)

• Aug. 6 Theodor Adorno

  Theodor Adorno was a prominent German philosopher and critical theorist of the Frankfurt School, known for his profound contributions to social philosophy, musicology, and cultural criticism. His works like 'Negative Dialectics' and 'The Philosophy of New Music' significantly influenced post-war intellectual thought. He was a key figure in developing critical theory and analyzing modern culture's complex dynamics.

• Aug. 7 Russ Morgan

  Russ Morgan was a prominent American big band and swing orchestra leader from Scranton, Pennsylvania, known for his musical contributions during the mid-20th century.

• Aug. 7 Joseph Kosma

  Joseph Kosma was a renowned Hungarian-French composer and pianist who made significant contributions to 20th-century classical and film music. He collaborated with notable French filmmakers and was known for his innovative musical compositions. Kosma's work bridged classical and contemporary musical styles.

• Aug. 8 Otmar Freiherr von Verschuer

  German biologist and eugenicist (b. 1896)

• Aug. 9 Sharon Tate

  Iconic Hollywood actress tragically murdered by the Manson Family in 1969. She was a rising star known for her beauty and promising acting career, married to director Roman Polanski.

• Aug. 9 Cecil Frank Powell

  Nobel Prize laureate for his development of the photographic method of studying nuclear processes and his discoveries regarding mesons made with this method

• Aug. 9 Jay Sebring

  Jay Sebring was a pioneering Hollywood hairstylist tragically murdered during the infamous Manson Family killings, becoming a symbol of the dark side of late 1960s Hollywood.

• Aug. 9 Steven Parent

  Steven Parent was a young man tragically murdered during the infamous Manson Family killings at the Tate residence in Los Angeles. He was an innocent victim who happened to be visiting a friend at the property when Charles Manson's followers committed their brutal murders on August 9, 1969. His death marked one of the most shocking moments in the Manson …

• Aug. 9 C. F. Powell

  PHY - English-italian physicist and academic, nobel prize laureate (d. 1969)

• Aug. 9 Abigail Folger

  Heiress to the Folger coffee fortune who tragically became known as a victim of the Manson Family murders in 1969, killed at her home in Los Angeles.

• Aug. 9 Wojciech Frykowski

  Polish-american actor and author (b. 1936)

• Aug. 9 Robert Lehman

  Us multi-millionaire/director (met museum of art).

• Aug. 10 János Kodolányi

  Hungarian author (b. 1899)

• Aug. 11 Miriam Licette

  English soprano and educator (d. 1969)

• Aug. 14 Sigrid Gurie

  Norwegian-American actress known for her roles in classic films like 'Algiers' during Hollywood's golden age, with a notable career in the 1930s and 1940s.

• Aug. 14 Leonard Woolf

  British writer and husband of author Virginia Woolf.

• Aug. 17 Otto Stern

  PHY - German physicist and academic, nobel prize laureate (b. 1888)

• Aug. 18 Mildred Davis

  Silent film actress known for comedy films, particularly her work with Harold Lloyd in the 1920s. She appeared in numerous comedic shorts and was a prominent figure in early Hollywood cinema.

• Aug. 25 Robert Cosgrove

  Australian politician, 30th premier of tasmania (b. 1884)

• Aug. 27 Erika Mann

  Erika Mann was a prominent German-Swiss actress, writer, and political activist, known for her anti-Nazi stance and being part of the famous Mann literary family.

• Aug. 27 Ivy Compton-Burnett

  Ivy Compton-Burnett was a British novelist known for her satirical and psychological fiction.

• Aug. 27 Claire Whitney

  At 79, silent film actress (blind fools) dies

• Aug. 27 Henri EJA de Page

  Belgian lawyer

• Aug. 28 Clarence R Hennecke

  Actor (keystonekops), dies at the age of 74

• Aug. 31 Rocky Marciano

  Legendary American boxer who held the world heavyweight championship from 1952 to 1956. He is the only heavyweight champion to retire undefeated, with a perfect 49-0 record, and is considered one of the greatest boxers in history.

• Aug. 31 Ottmar Gerster

  Composer dies at 72