Famous people and celebrities who died in August 1981

This page is dedicated to commemorating the celebrities and famous people who passed away in August 1981. 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

• Aug. 1 Paddy Chayefsky

  Renowned American screenwriter and playwright who won multiple Emmy Awards and an Oscar, best known for his critically acclaimed film 'Network' which revolutionized media criticism.

• Aug. 1 Seppo Antero Yrjonpoika Nummi

  Composer dies at 49

• Aug. 2 Kieran Doherty

  Irish republican prisoner who became a prominent political figure during the 1981 Irish hunger strike at the Maze Prison, ultimately dying after 66 days of fasting.

• Aug. 2 Stefanie Clausen

  Danish diver (b. 1900)

• Aug. 3 Robert Peci

  Leader of the italian brother of red brigade, killed

• Aug. 4 Melvyn Douglas

  Melvyn Douglas was a renowned Hollywood actor who won two Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor in 'Hud' and 'Being There'. He had a distinguished career spanning several decades in film and television.

• Aug. 8 Thomas McElwee

  Irish republican, pira volunteer and hunger striker (b. 1957)

• Aug. 14 Karl Böhm

  Austrian director and conductor (d. 1981).

• Aug. 15 Jørgen Løvset

  Norwegian gynaecologist and academic (b. 1896)

• Aug. 15 Carol Ryrie Brink

  American author (b. 1895)

• Aug. 18 Anita Loos

  Pioneering American screenwriter and author best known for her work on 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.'

• Aug. 19 Jessie Matthews

  Jessie Matthews was a prominent British actress and singer who was a leading musical film star during the interwar period, known for her vibrant performances in West End shows and cinema.

• Aug. 20 Michael Devine

  Irish republican hunger striker

• Aug. 21 Kaka Kalelkar

  Indian hindi writer(b. 1885)

• Aug. 22 Vicente Manansala

  Filipino painter (b. 1910)

• Aug. 25 Nassos Kedrakas

  Greek actor and cinematographer (b. 1915)

• Aug. 26 Roger Nash Baldwin

  American trade union leader, co-founded the american civil liberties union (b. 1884)

• Aug. 26 Lee Elhardt Hays

  American folksinger (born 1914)

• Aug. 27 Valeri Kharlamov

  Legendary Soviet ice hockey player considered one of the greatest in the history of the sport during the 1970s.

• Aug. 27 Joan Edwards

  Singer ( show), dies at age 62.

• Aug. 28 Béla Guttmann

  Hungarian footballer, coach, and manager (b. 1899)

• Aug. 29 Lowell Thomas

  American author and broadcaster known for his travels and writings on the Middle East.

• Aug. 30 Mohammad-Ali Rajai

  Iranian politician who served as the second president of Iran, assassinated in 1981 during the early years of the Iranian Revolution.