Famous people and celebrities who died in December 1987

This page is dedicated to commemorating the celebrities and famous people who passed away in December 1987. 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

Dec. 1 James Baldwin
James Baldwin was an influential African-American writer who explored profound themes of race, sexuality, and social justice in his seminal works like 'Go Tell It on the Mountain' and 'The Fire Next Time'.
Dec. 1 Punch Imlach
Legendary Canadian ice hockey coach and general manager who played a significant role in the development of professional hockey in Canada during the mid-20th century.
Dec. 1 James Arthur Baldwin
Writer (another country) dies at 63
Dec. 2 Yakov Borisovich Zel'dovich
Prominent Soviet physicist and cosmologist who made significant contributions to nuclear physics, astrophysics, and the theory of combustion. He played a crucial role in the Soviet nuclear weapons program and made groundbreaking discoveries in theoretical physics.
Dec. 2 Luis F. Leloir
Nobel Prize laureate for his discovery of sugar nucleotides and their role in the biosynthesis of carbohydrates
Dec. 2 Luis Federico Leloir
CHE - French-argentinian physician and biochemist, nobel prize laureate (d. 1987)
Dec. 4 Arnold Lobel
American author and illustrator (b. 1933)
Dec. 4 Rouben Mamoulian
Georgian-american director and screenwriter (b. 1897)
Dec. 6 James Dobson
Focus on the family was founded by american psychologist and author focus on the family
Dec. 10 Jascha Heifetz
Jascha Heifetz was a legendary Lithuanian-American violinist considered one of the greatest classical musicians of the 20th century. He revolutionized violin performance with his extraordinary technical precision and emotional depth. His prodigious talent was evident from childhood, making him a global sensation by his early teens.
Dec. 12 Louis de Meester
Composer dies at 83
Dec. 14 Paul Clinton Sundberg
Actor (belle of ny easter parade).
Dec. 17 Marguerite Yourcenar
Belgian-born French novelist and essayist, the first woman to be elected to the Académie française. She was a renowned writer known for her intellectual depth and historical novels.
Dec. 17 Bernardus Johannes Alfrink
Dutch cardinal (b. 1900)
Dec. 17 Linda Wong
American porn actress (b. 1951)
Dec. 18 Conny Plank
Influential German music producer and electronic music pioneer known for his groundbreaking work with bands like Cluster and Kraftwerk, significantly shaping the development of experimental and electronic music in the 1970s and 1980s.
Dec. 19 August Mälk
Estonian author, playwright, and politician (b. 1900)
Dec. 21 Robert Paige
Actor (son of dracula, pardon my sarong).
Dec. 22 Alice Terry [Taaffe]
Actress (4 horsemen of apocalypse).
Dec. 22 Leonidas Zoras
Composer dies at 82
Dec. 24 M. G. Ramachandran
Legendary Indian actor, film producer, and politician who served as the 5th Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, widely regarded as a cultural icon in South Indian cinema and politics.
Dec. 24 Joop den Uyl
Joop den Uyl was a prominent Dutch politician who served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 1973 to 1977, leading the Labour Party and significantly influencing Dutch social democratic politics.
Dec. 26 Dorothy Bliss
Prominent American invertebrate zoologist who served as a curator at the American Museum of Natural History, making significant contributions to marine biology research.
Dec. 27 Rewi Alley
New zealand author and pro-chinese communist dies in beijing at the age of 90
Dec. 29 Jun Ishikawa
Japanese author (b. 1899)
Dec. 29 Wilbert E. Moore
American sociologist (b. 1914)
Dec. 31 Jerry Turner
American television anchorman (born 1929).
Dec. 31 [Gordon] Randall [P D] Garrett
Author (lord darcy) dies at 60