Famous people and celebrities who died in October 1972

This page is dedicated to commemorating the celebrities and famous people who passed away in October 1972. 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

• Oct. 1 Louis Leakey

  Renowned paleoanthropologist who made groundbreaking discoveries of early human fossils in East Africa's Olduvai Gorge. His work fundamentally transformed our understanding of human origins and evolution. Leakey's research established that humans originated in Africa and revolutionized prehistoric archaeology.

• Oct. 1 Kurt Hiller

  Writer dies at 87

• Oct. 4 Colin Gordon

  Actor john-baron dies at 61

• Oct. 6 Cléo de Verberena

  Brazilian actress and film director (born c. 1909)

• Oct. 9 Miriam Hopkins

  Prominent Hollywood actress of the Golden Age, known for her versatile roles in pre-Code films and classic movies like 'Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'. She was a significant figure in 1930s and 1940s cinema, working with notable directors and actors of her time.

• Oct. 9 Giuseppe Capogrossi

  Italian painter dies at 72

• Oct. 12 Robert Le Vigan

  French character actor who was prominent in the French cinema of the 1930s and early 1940s, known for his versatile supporting roles in numerous films.

• Oct. 14 Joseph Kaminski

  Composer dies at 68

• Oct. 16 Hale Boggs

  Prominent American politician who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and was a significant figure in Louisiana's political landscape during the mid-20th century.

• Oct. 16 Leo G. Carroll

  English-american actor (b. 1886)

• Oct. 16 Nick Begich

  American lawyer and politician (b. 1932)

• Oct. 17 George

  Crown prince of serbia (b. 1887)

• Oct. 17 Billy Williams

  American actor. he is a handsome box-office star and his twin. his first acting gig was on stage at seven years old. he began his career as an extra on cbs tv and soon became a fan of the showbiz. he played a variety of roles on broadway, including "mahogany", but his most well-known stage role was that of dr. …

• Oct. 20 Harlow Shapley

  Harlow Shapley was an American astronomer known for his work on the size and shape of the Milky Way galaxy.

• Oct. 22 James K. Baxter

  New zealand poet, writer, theologian, and social commentator. (b. 1926)

• Oct. 22 Kurt Edzard

  German sculptor (nudist / portraits)

• Oct. 23 Clarice Cliff

  Famous English ceramic artist known for her unique designs.

• Oct. 24 Jackie Robinson

  Jackie Robinson was a groundbreaking baseball player who broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball, becoming the first African American to play in the modern era. His courage and exceptional athletic skills with the Brooklyn Dodgers transformed American sports and civil rights. Robinson's legacy extends far beyond baseball, symbolizing racial integration and social progress. [bio]

• Oct. 24 Claire Windsor

  American actress (born 1897).

• Oct. 25 Norman Norell [Levinson]

  Us fashion designer, dies at 72

• Oct. 26 Igor Sikorsky

  Ukrainian-american engineer and academic, founded sikorsky aircraft (b. 1889)

• Oct. 27 Lew Parker

  Actor lou marie-that girl, who died just a few days before turning 65, is the actor

• Oct. 30 Alan Roth

  At 68, the orchestra leader (milton berle show), dies