Famous people and celebrities who died in December 1971

This page is dedicated to commemorating the celebrities and famous people who passed away in December 1971. 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

• Dec. 4 Shunryū Suzuki

  Japanese-American Zen Buddhist monk who played a crucial role in introducing Zen Buddhism to the West, founding the San Francisco Zen Center.

• Dec. 7 Milton Rosmer

  Director (murder at the red barn), is killed at 90

• Dec. 8 Eleni Ourani

  Greek poet and critic (b. 1896)

• Dec. 9 Ralph Bunche

  Ralph Bunche was a prominent African American diplomat, political scientist, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate who played a crucial role in international peacekeeping efforts during the mid-20th century.

• Dec. 9 Rev. Aeneas Francon Williams

  Church of scotland minister, missionary in india and china, writer and poet (b. 1886)

• Dec. 9 Sergey Konenkov

  Russian sculptor and painter (b. 1874)

• Dec. 11 Maurice McDonald

  Co-founder of McDonald's, the global fast-food restaurant chain that revolutionized the food service industry with its standardized menu and quick service model.

• Dec. 12 Frank Wolff

  Actor (erotic ilusion, last gun), suicide at 43

• Dec. 14 Dick Tiger

  Legendary Nigerian boxer who was a two-time world champion in middleweight and light heavyweight divisions, known for his exceptional boxing skills and international success.

• Dec. 14 Mufazzal Haider Chaudhury

  Bangladeshi linguist and scholar (b. 1926)

• Dec. 14 Munier Choudhury

  Bangladeshi author, playwright, and critic (b. 1925)

• Dec. 14 Shahidullah Kaiser

  Bangladeshi journalist and author (b. 1927)

• Dec. 15 Paul Lévy

  French mathematician and theorist (b. 1886)

• Dec. 18 Diana Lynn

  Diana Lynn was an American actress known for her roles in films like 'Annapolis Story' and 'Easy Come, Easy Go' during the mid-20th century Hollywood era.

• Dec. 18 Bobby Jones

  Professional basketball player who competed in the 1972 Olympics and played for the Denver Nuggets and Philadelphia 76ers, winning an NBA championship in 1983.

• Dec. 20 Roy Disney

  Roy Disney was the co-founder of The Walt Disney Company and the older brother of Walt Disney.

• Dec. 22 Godfried Bomans

  Prominent Dutch writer and journalist known for his witty and ironic storytelling, who studied law and philosophy before dedicating himself to writing.

• Dec. 25 Byron Arnold

  Composer dies at age 70

• Dec. 28 Max Steiner

  Austrian-american pianist, composer, and conductor (b. 1888)

• Dec. 29 John Marshall Harlan II

  American lawyer and jurist (b. 1899)

• Dec. 30 Dorothy Comingore

  American actress best known for her role in Orson Welles' landmark film Citizen Kane, where she played Susan Alexander Kane. She was a talented performer who became a notable figure in Hollywood's golden era.

• Dec. 30 Jo Cals

  Dutch lawyer and politician, prime minister of the netherlands (b. 1914)

• Dec. 30 Melba Rae

  American actress (born in 1922)

• Dec. 31 Pete Duel

  Pete Duel was an American actor best known for his role in the TV series 'Alias Smith and Jones'. He tragically died by suicide on December 31, 1971, at the height of his career.

• Dec. 31 Vikram Sarabhai

  A visionary Indian scientist considered the father of India's space program, who played a crucial role in establishing the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).