Famous people and celebrities who died in April 1978

This page is dedicated to commemorating the celebrities and famous people who passed away in April 1978. 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

• April 3 Ray Noble

  Ray Noble was a renowned English bandleader, composer, and actor who made significant contributions to popular music during the swing era. He was known for his musical arrangements and compositions that influenced big band and jazz music.

• April 4 Gino Contilli

  Composer dies at age 70

• April 6 Nicolas Nabokov

  Nicolas Nabokov was a prominent Russian-American composer, music educator, and cultural diplomat who played a significant role in 20th-century classical music and cultural exchange.

• April 6 Reinoud Anders

  Dutch actor unrest of grave, dies at 65

• April 7 Ernest Kanitz

  Composer dies at 83

• April 8 Ford Frick

  Baseball executive known for his role as the Commissioner of Major League Baseball.

• April 9 Clough Williams-Ellis

  The portmeirion village was designed by an english-welsh architect (d. 1978).

• April 10 Hjalmar Mäe

  Estonian politician (b. 1901)

• April 13 Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti

  Pioneering Nigerian educator, political activist, and women's rights leader who played a crucial role in Nigeria's independence movement and fought for women's suffrage.

• April 13 Jack Chambers

  Canadian painter and director (b. 1931)

• April 14 Joe Gordon

  American baseball player and manager (b. 1915)

• April 14 F. R. Leavis

  English educator and critic (b. 1895)

• April 16 Lucius D. Clay

  American officer and military governor in occupied germany (b. 1898)

• April 19 Emile de Strijker

  Belgian philosopher dies at the age of 70.

• April 21 Sandy Denny

  Influential British folk-rock singer and songwriter, best known for her work with Fairport Convention. She was a pivotal figure in the British folk-rock movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Her tragic death at a young age came after a fatal accident at her home.

• April 21 Thomas Wyatt Turner

  American biologist and academic (b. 1877)

• April 22 Will Geer

  American actor best known for his role as Grandpa Zebulon Tyler Walton in the popular TV series 'The Waltons', which aired from 1972 to 1981. He was a respected stage and screen actor with a long career in theater and film.

• April 25 Lee Kim Lai

  Singaporean police officer (born in 1960).

• April 28 Mohammed Daoud Khan

  Afghan commander and politician who became the first President of Afghanistan, playing a significant role in the country's modern political history.