Famous people and celebrities who died in October 2001

This page is dedicated to commemorating the celebrities and famous people who passed away in October 2001. 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. 3 Costas Hajihristos

  Greek actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1921)

• Oct. 4 Blaise Alexander

  American race car driver (born 1976).

• Oct. 5 Mike Mansfield

  Prominent American politician who served as the United States Ambassador to Japan and was a long-serving Senate Majority Leader. He played a crucial role in US foreign policy during the mid-20th century.

• Oct. 7 Herblock

  Herblock (Herbert Block) was a renowned American political cartoonist and editorial illustrator who worked for The Washington Post for decades. He was famous for his sharp political commentary and influential political cartoons that critiqued various presidential administrations and social issues.

• Oct. 7 Christopher Adams

  British-born pro wrestler/judoka (born in 1955).

• Oct. 8 Dmitry Polyansky

  Dmitry Polyansky was a high-ranking Soviet politician who served as First Deputy Premier of the Soviet Union during the late Soviet era.

• Oct. 9 Herbert Ross

  Herbert Ross was an acclaimed American film director and producer known for his work in Hollywood, particularly in dance-themed movies.

• Oct. 10 Eddie Futch

  Eddie Futch was a legendary American boxing trainer who worked with numerous world-class fighters and significantly influenced the sport of boxing.

• Oct. 10 Vasily Mishin

  Soviet rocket designer (born 1917)

• Oct. 11 Beni Montresor

  Versatile Italian artist renowned for his work in illustration, set design, and children's books, winning the prestigious Caldecott Medal in 1965.

• Oct. 12 Richard Buckle

  Ballet critic and writer (b. 1916)

• Oct. 12 Hikmet Şimşek

  Turkish conductor (b. 1924)

• Oct. 15 Chang Hsüeh-liang

  Chinese general and warlord (b. 1901)

• Oct. 16 Etta Jones

  American singer-songwriter (b. 1928)

• Oct. 17 Rehavam Ze'evi

  Israeli military and political leader who served as Tourism Minister of Israel. He was a prominent right-wing politician and a former major general in the Israel Defense Forces. Ze'evi was assassinated by Palestinian militants in 2001.

• Oct. 17 Jay Livingston

  Renowned American songwriter and composer known for writing classic songs like 'Que Sera, Sera' and winning multiple Academy Awards for film music.

• Oct. 18 Micheline Ostermeyer

  Micheline Ostermeyer was an exceptional French athlete and pianist who won an Olympic gold medal in shot put and bronze medals in discus and shot put at the 1948 London Olympics. She was also a talented classical pianist and a great-niece of the famous writer Victor Hugo.

• Oct. 22 Howard Finster

  Howard Finster was a renowned American folk artist and Baptist preacher who created thousands of visionary artworks blending religious themes with outsider art. He gained international recognition for his unique, intricate paintings and was particularly famous for creating album art for bands like R.E.M. and Talking Heads.

• Oct. 23 Josh Kirby

  Celebrated English fantasy and science fiction illustrator, best known for creating iconic cover art for Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels.

• Oct. 23 Daniel Wildenstein

  Prominent French art expert and dealer from a renowned art dynasty, who published definitive catalogues on major Impressionist painters and was a global authority in art scholarship.

• Oct. 23 Ronald William Kirby

  British artist (born 1928).

• Oct. 24 Jaromil Jireš

  Renowned Czech film director and screenwriter, significant contributor to the Czech New Wave cinema movement of the 1960s and 1970s.

• Oct. 24 Kathleen Ankers

  American actress and set designer (b. 1919)

• Oct. 24 Wolf Rüdiger Hess

  German author and critic (b. 1937)

• Oct. 26 Hüseyin Hilmi Işık

  Turkish scholar and academic (b. 1911)

• Oct. 27 Pradeep Kumar

  Indian actor, director, and producer (b. 1925)

• Oct. 31 Régine Cavagnoud

  French alpine ski racer who tragically died after a fatal collision during a competition in Pitztal, Austria on October 29, 2001.