Famous people and celebrities who died in July 1979

This page is dedicated to commemorating the celebrities and famous people who passed away in July 1979. 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

• July 3 Louis Durey

  French composer, musician and member of the "les six" group for a while. although he wrote large-scale operas, his best music was the intimate.

• July 4 Lee Wai Tong

  Chinese footballer and manager (b. 1905)

• July 5 Elizabeth Ryan

  Wimbledon ace tennis player, dies at 87

• July 6 Van McCoy

  Renowned American singer and songwriter famous for disco hits like 'The Hustle', who tragically died at the young age of 35.

• July 8 Michael Wilding

  British actor known for his roles in films like 'The World of Suzie Wong' and his connection to the Courtney affair.

• July 8 Robert Woodward

  Renowned American organic chemist who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1965 for groundbreaking work on total synthesis of complex natural products. He is considered one of the most influential organic chemists of the 20th century.

• July 8 Sin-Itiro Tomonaga

  PHY - Japanese physicist and academic, nobel prize laureate (d. 1979)

• July 8 Tommaso Landolfi

  Tommaso Landolfi was a prominent Italian writer known for his surreal and experimental literary style, blending elements of fantasy, humor, and psychological depth in his works across multiple genres.

• July 9 Cornelia Otis Skinner

  American actress and author (born in 1899).

• July 9 Betty Evans Grayson

  Softball pitcher (hall of fame, 1959), dies at 53

• July 10 Arthur Fiedler

  American conductor (b. 1894)

• July 12 Minnie Riperton

  Renowned soul singer famous for her extraordinary five-octave vocal range and her iconic hit song 'Lovin' You', who tragically passed away from breast cancer at a young age.

• July 12 Kalervo Tuukkanen

  Composer dies at 69

• July 14 George De Witt

  Television host (name that tune) dies at 56

• July 15 Gustavo Díaz Ordaz

  Gustavo Díaz Ordaz was a prominent Mexican politician who served as the 49th President of Mexico from 1964 to 1970. He was a key figure in the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) and led Mexico during a complex period of political and social transformation.

• July 16 James F Mcintyre

  Los angeles archbishop, dies at 93

• July 21 Ludwig Renn

  Writer dies at the age of 90

• July 22 Sándor Kocsis

  Legendary Hungarian footballer and manager, renowned for his exceptional skills and significant impact on football history.

• July 23 Keith Godchaux

  Keyboardist for the legendary rock band Grateful Dead, known for his significant contribution to their unique sound during the 1970s. Tragically died in a car accident at the young age of 32.

• July 23 Joseph Kessel

  French novelist and journalist (born 1898).

• July 27 Ettore Manni

  Prolific Italian actor who appeared in numerous films during the 1950s and 1960s, contributing significantly to the Italian cinema of his era.

• July 27 Shirley Mason

  Famous psychiatric patient whose multiple personality disorder case inspired the influential book and film 'Sybil', significantly impacting public understanding of mental health.

• July 28 Marino Moretti

  Italian poet known for his lyrical works.

• July 28 Charles Shadwell

  English bandleader and conductor (born 1898).

• July 29 Herbert Marcuse

  Herbert Marcuse was a German-American philosopher and political theorist, known for his critical theory of society and his influential work on the relationship between technology and social change.

• July 29 Bill Todman

  Prominent American television producer and screenwriter who significantly contributed to the entertainment industry during the mid-20th century.