Famous people and celebrities who died in October 2004

This page is dedicated to commemorating the celebrities and famous people who passed away in October 2004. 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. 1 Richard Avedon
Legendary American photographer renowned for transformative fashion and portrait photography. His work revolutionized visual storytelling in 20th-century photography. Captured iconic images of celebrities, politicians, and everyday people.
Oct. 1 Robert Vaidlo
Estonian journalist and author (b. 1921)
Oct. 3 Janet Leigh
Iconic Hollywood actress best known for her legendary shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock's 'Psycho', which revolutionized film horror. She had a successful career spanning several decades and was married to actor Tony Curtis.
Oct. 3 Jacques Benveniste
Renowned French immunologist who made significant contributions to understanding platelet activating factor and its relationship to histamine. He led INSERM's Unit 200 on immunology, allergy, and inflammation research.
Oct. 4 Gordon Cooper
NASA astronaut who was a key figure in Project Mercury and the space race. He completed 22 orbits on May 15, 1963, in a mission lasting 34 hours and 20 minutes. Cooper later flew on the Gemini 5 mission with Charles Conrad, marking significant achievements in early American space exploration.
Oct. 5 Rodney Dangerfield
Rodney Dangerfield was a legendary American comedian and actor known for his self-deprecating humor and iconic catchphrase 'I get no respect'. He starred in classic comedy films and was a significant influence on stand-up comedy.
Oct. 5 Maurice Wilkins
Maurice Wilkins was a Nobel Prize-winning biophysicist who played a critical role in understanding DNA's structure alongside Watson and Crick. His X-ray crystallography work was instrumental in revealing the double helix model of DNA. He shared the 1962 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for this groundbreaking scientific achievement.
Oct. 5 Maurice Hugh Frederick Wilkins
Nobel Prize laureate for their discoveries concerning the molecular structure of nucleic acids and its significance for information transfer in living material
Oct. 5 William H. Dobelle
Pioneering American biologist and biomedical engineer who made significant contributions to neural prosthetics and vision restoration technologies.
Oct. 8 James Chace
American historian and author (b. 1931)
Oct. 9 Jacques Derrida
Influential French-Algerian philosopher who developed deconstruction, a critical method of semiotic analysis. He was a key figure in post-structuralist and postmodern philosophy, teaching at prestigious institutions like the Sorbonne and ENS.
Oct. 10 Christopher Reeve
Iconic American actor best known for playing Superman in the landmark 1977 film and its sequels. He was a versatile performer who appeared in numerous films, TV movies, and stage productions. After a tragic horseback riding accident in 1995, he became a prominent advocate for spinal cord injury research.
Oct. 10 Arthur H. Robinson
Renowned Canadian cartographer who significantly contributed to map design and geographical visualization techniques, particularly known for the Robinson projection used in world maps.
Oct. 10 Ken Caminiti
American professional baseball player who played as an infielder, notably for the San Diego Padres, and passed away in 2004.
Oct. 11 Keith Miller
Legendary Australian cricketer and World War II pilot known for his exceptional sporting skills and wartime service.
Oct. 13 Bernice Rubens
Pioneering British novelist who made history as the first woman to win the prestigious Booker Prize, known for her compelling and introspective literary works.
Oct. 16 Pierre Salinger
Prominent American journalist and political figure who served as White House Press Secretary during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations. He was a respected investigative journalist with international experience and political connections.
Oct. 20 Anthony Hecht
Renowned American poet and academic, known for his sophisticated and technically precise poetry exploring themes of suffering and moral complexity.
Oct. 20 Chuck Hiller
American baseball player, coach, and manager (b. 1934)
Oct. 23 Bill Nicholson
Iconic English footballer and legendary Tottenham Hotspur manager who significantly shaped the club's history and football strategy in the mid-20th century.
Oct. 23 Robert Merrill
Renowned American baritone and opera singer who performed at the Metropolitan Opera and was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1993.
Oct. 24 Randy Dorton
American race car crewmember (born 1954).
Oct. 25 John Peel
English radio host and producer (d. 2004)
Oct. 28 Jimmy McLarnin
Jimmy McLarnin was a prominent Irish-American boxer known for his exceptional skills in the welterweight division during the 1920s and 1930s. He was a two-time world welterweight champion and considered one of the greatest boxers of his era.
Oct. 28 Eugene K. Bird
American colonel and author, us commandant of spandau prison (b. 1926)
Oct. 29 Edward Oliver LeBlanc
Prominent Dominican lawyer and politician who served as the first premier of Dominica, playing a crucial role in the country's early political development after independence.
Oct. 29 Vaughn Meader
Vaughn Meader was a famous comedian known for his satirical impersonations of President John F. Kennedy during the early 1960s, becoming a prominent figure in comedy and political humor.
Oct. 29 Princess Alice
Duchess of gloucester (b. 1901)
Oct. 30 Peggy Ryan
Peggy Ryan was a versatile American actress and dancer who appeared in numerous films during the 1940s, particularly known for her work in musical comedies.