Famous people and celebrities who died in October 1978

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

• Oct. 6 Johnny O'Keefe

  Pioneering Australian rock and roll singer-songwriter who was instrumental in developing the Australian music scene in the late 1950s and 1960s.

• Oct. 8 Karl Swenson

  Actor (lara little house on the prairie), died at 70

• Oct. 8 Tibor Serly

  Hungarian composer / violist (american elegy), died at 76

• Oct. 8 Jim Gilliam

  Coach (la dodgers), passes away at 49

• Oct. 9 Jacques Brel

  Legendary Belgian-French singer-songwriter who profoundly influenced modern chanson and is considered one of the most significant musical poets of the 20th century. His poetic and emotionally intense songs revolutionized French music and continue to inspire artists worldwide.

• Oct. 10 Ralph Metcalfe

  Ralph Metcalfe was an Olympic gold medal-winning sprinter who later became a prominent African American politician in Chicago, serving in the U.S. House of Representatives.

• Oct. 10 Gesina Van der Molen

  Dutch wwii resistance fighter / lawyer, dies at 86

• Oct. 12 Nancy Spungen

  Controversial figure in punk rock history, known for her tumultuous relationship with Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols and her tragic death.

• Oct. 15 W. Eugene Smith

  American photojournalist (b. 1918)

• Oct. 16 Dan Dailey

  Dan Dailey was a prominent American actor and dancer known for his versatile performances in film and television during the mid-20th century.

• Oct. 17 George Clark

  American frontiersman and soldier who served in the american revolutionary war.

• Oct. 17 Giovanni Gronchi

  Italian educator, soldier, and politician, 3rd president of the italian republic (b. 1887)

• Oct. 18 Ramon Mercader

  Ramon Mercader was a Spanish communist and Soviet agent who assassinated Leon Trotsky in Mexico City in 1940, a pivotal moment in the history of international communist politics.

• Oct. 19 Gig Young

  Gig Young was an accomplished American actor known for his versatile roles in romantic comedies and dramas. He won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 'They Shoot Horses, Don't They?' (1969). His career spanned several decades, making significant contributions to film and television.

• Oct. 21 Anastas Mikoyan

  Armenian-russian civil servant and politician (b. 1895)

• Oct. 22 John Riley

  English poet (murdered) (born 1937)

• Oct. 23 Maybelle Carter

  Pioneering American country music artist and autoharpist, a key member of the legendary Carter Family who significantly influenced the development of country and folk music in the 20th century.

• Oct. 26 Alexander Gerschenkron

  Ukrainian-american historian, critic, and academic (b. 1904)