Famous people and celebrities who died in December 2017

This page is dedicated to commemorating the celebrities and famous people who passed away in December 2017. 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. 4 Shashi Kapoor
Iconic Bollywood actor from the legendary Kapoor film dynasty, who significantly contributed to Indian cinema across multiple roles including acting, producing, and directing.
Dec. 5 Michael I of Romania
Fifth and last king of romania (b. 1921)
Dec. 7 Steve Reevis
Native american actor (b. 1962)
Dec. 10 Curtis W. Harris
American minister (b. 1924)
Dec. 10 Charles M. Green Jr.
American internet personality (b. 1950)
Dec. 10 Bruce Brown
American filmmaker (b. 1937)
Dec. 11 Keith Chegwin
British television personality famous for hosting 'Multi-Colored Swap Shop' and 'Cheggers Plays Pop', who was open about his personal struggles with alcohol addiction.
Dec. 12 Ed Lee
American politician and attorney who served as the 43rd mayor of San Francisco from 2011 until his unexpected death in 2017.
Dec. 12 Carol Bellamy
Prominent global leader who served as Executive Director of UNICEF from 1995 to 2005, significantly contributing to international children's welfare and humanitarian efforts.
Dec. 12 Pat DiNizio
American singer-songwriter and guitarist, founding member of the rock band The Smithereens, who passed away in December 2017.
Dec. 14 Yu Kwang-chung
Chinese writer (b. 1928)
Dec. 15 Heinz Wolff
Heinz Wolff was a renowned German-British physiologist, engineer, and academic who made significant contributions to biomedical research and science communication.
Dec. 15 Calestous Juma
Academic (b. 1953)
Dec. 16 Keely Smith
Renowned American jazz and pop singer known for her work with Louis Prima and her successful solo career in the 1950s and 1960s.
Dec. 18 Kim Jong-hyun
Kim Jong-hyun was a talented South Korean singer and SHINee member who tragically passed away in 2017, leaving a significant impact on the K-pop music industry.
Dec. 19 Clifford Irving
Famous for orchestrating one of the most notorious literary hoaxes in history, Irving falsely claimed to have written an authorized biography of Howard Hughes. His elaborate fraud involved creating fake manuscripts and convincing McGraw-Hill to publish the book before being exposed as a complete fabrication.
Dec. 21 Bruce McCandless II
Us astronaut who conducted the first untethered spacewalk (b. 1937)
Dec. 22 Gonzalo Morales Sáurez
Costa rican painter (b. 1945)
Dec. 23 Maurice Hayes
Prominent Irish educator and politician who made significant contributions to public service and education.
Dec. 24 Heather Menzies
Canadian-American actress and model known for her roles in television and film, who passed away in December 2017.
Dec. 25 D. Herbert Lipson
American magazine publisher (philadelphia, boston) (b. 1929)
Dec. 26 Irv Weinstein
American broadcaster and television news anchor (b. 1930)
Dec. 28 Rose Marie
Rose Marie was a renowned American entertainer who began her career as a child actress and became a popular singer, comedian, and television performer, best known for her role as Sally Rogers on 'The Dick Van Dyke Show'.
Dec. 28 Sue Grafton
Renowned American mystery novelist who created the innovative 'Alphabet Series' of detective novels featuring private investigator Kinsey Millhone. Her unique alphabetical mystery books became a landmark in contemporary crime fiction, selling over 7.5 million copies and translated into 24 languages.
Dec. 29 Peggy Cummins
Peggy Cummins was a notable Irish actress known for her roles in film noir and classic cinema, particularly remembered for her performance in the iconic movie 'Gun Crazy' (1950).
Dec. 29 John C. Portman Jr.
American neofuturistic architect and real estate developer (b. 1924)