Famous people and celebrities who died on May 5

Welcome to Takemeback.to's page dedicated to remembering the celebrities and famous people who passed away on May 5. On this day, we honor the lives and legacies of notable figures from various fields who left an indelible mark on the world. Explore our list to learn about their remarkable contributions and celebrate their enduring impact.

• 1921 Alfred Hermann Fried

  PEA - Austrian journalist and publicist, nobel prize laureate (b. 1864)

• 1959 Carlos Saavedra Lamas

  Nobel Prize laureate for his role as father of the Argentine Antiwar Pact of 1933, which he also used as a means to mediate peace between Paraguay and Bolivia in 1935

• 1965 John Waters

  John Waters is an iconic American filmmaker, writer, and actor known for his transgressive cult films like 'Pink Flamingos' and 'Hairspray', who significantly influenced independent cinema.

• 1968 Albert Dekker

  Deaths from accidental suffocation at the age of 62

• 1976 Thomas Burnett Swann

  Thomas Burnett Swann was an American fantasy and science fiction author known for his mythological-themed novels like 'Day of the Minotaur'. He was a notable writer in the speculative fiction genre during the mid-20th century.

• 1980 Edmond Vandercammen

  Belgian poet and writer known for his significant literary contributions during the mid-20th century. He was an important figure in Belgian poetry, exploring themes of social struggle and human experience.

• 1981 Bobby Sands

  Irish republican activist and political prisoner who became a symbol of the Irish republican movement during the Troubles, dying after a 66-day hunger strike in 1981.

• 1983 John Williams

  English-American actor known for various film and stage performances.

• 1983 Horst Schumann

  Nazi SS physician notorious for conducting unethical medical experiments on concentration camp prisoners during World War II, particularly in Auschwitz, focusing on sterilization and human experimentation.

• 1985 Donald Bailey

  Donald Bailey was a renowned British civil engineer who designed the Bailey bridge, a revolutionary portable military bridge used extensively during World War II, significantly contributing to Allied military logistics and engineering.

• 1992 Jean-Claude Pascal

  French actor known for his role in 'Golden Salamander', who had a notable career in cinema and passed away at 64.

• 1993 Irving Howe

  Prominent American literary critic and socialist intellectual, best known for his influential book 'World of Our Fathers' about Jewish immigrant experience.

• 1995 Mikhail Botvinnik

  Legendary Soviet chess grandmaster who dominated world chess for decades and was a three-time world champion. He significantly influenced chess theory and was a pioneer in computer chess research.

• 1996 Ai Qing

  Renowned Chinese poet and influential literary figure who played a significant role in modern Chinese poetry. He was persecuted during the Cultural Revolution but remained an important cultural icon.

• 2000 Gino Bartali

  Legendary Italian cyclist known for his religious devotion and competitive spirit. He was a two-time Giro d'Italia winner and Tour de France champion. During World War II, he also helped save Jewish lives by smuggling documents in his bicycle frame.

• 2001 Clifton Hillegass

  Founder of CliffsNotes, the popular study guide series that helped millions of students understand complex literature. His educational resource became a cultural phenomenon in academic circles.

• 2002 Hugo Banzer

  Bolivian military dictator and politician who served as president from 1971 to 1978 and again democratically from 1997 to 2001. He played a significant role in Bolivian political history.

• 2002 Paul Wilbur Klipsch

  Renowned American audio engineer and inventor who founded Klipsch Audio Technologies, revolutionizing speaker design and high-fidelity sound reproduction in the mid-20th century.

• 2002 George Sidney

  A prominent American film director and producer known for directing numerous Hollywood musicals and films during the mid-20th century. He worked extensively with MGM studios and directed classic movies.

• 2003 Walter Sisulu

  Walter Sisulu was a prominent South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, close friend of Nelson Mandela, and key leader in the African National Congress who played a crucial role in ending apartheid.

• 2005 Elisabeth Fraser

  American television, film and stage actress (born 1920).

• 2006 Naushad Ali

  Legendary Indian music composer who significantly influenced Bollywood film music, known for his innovative compositions and classical approach to film soundtracks.

• 2007 Theodore Maiman

  Theodore Maiman was a pioneering American physicist who invented the first functioning laser in 1960, revolutionizing scientific and technological fields. He authored 'The Laser Odyssey' in 2000, documenting his groundbreaking work in laser technology.

• 2010 Umaru Musa Yar'Adua

  Nigerian politician who served as the 13th President of Nigeria from 2007 until his death in 2010, known for his political reforms and leadership.

• 2010 Giulietta Simionato

  Renowned Italian mezzo-soprano who was a leading opera performer of her generation, celebrated for her exceptional vocal range and dramatic interpretations in major European opera houses.

• 2011 Dana Wynter

  German-English actress known for her roles in classic films, including the science fiction thriller 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers' (1956).

• 2011 Claude Choules

  Claude Choules was a British Royal Navy sailor who served in World War I and was one of the last surviving veterans of that conflict. He lived an extraordinary life, passing away at the remarkable age of 110 and becoming known as the last combat veteran of World War I.

• 2017 Adolph Kiefer

  Adolph Kiefer was an Olympic gold medalist swimmer who revolutionized backstroke technique and later developed innovative swimming equipment and training methods. He was a world record holder and played a significant role in advancing competitive swimming in the United States during the mid-20th century.