Famous people and celebrities who died on November 17

Welcome to Takemeback.to's page dedicated to remembering the celebrities and famous people who passed away on November 17. 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.

• 1936 Ernestine Schumann-Heink

  Austrian opera singer who sang in oratorios, concerts, and in vaudeville. in 1899, she sang at the metropolitan opera house.

• 1959 Heitor Villa-Lobos

  Heitor Villa-Lobos was a Brazilian composer, described as the single most significant creative figure in 20th-century Brazilian art music.

• 1968 Mervyn Peake

  Renowned British writer, artist, and illustrator best known for the 'Gormenghast' fantasy trilogy. He was a multi-talented creative who suffered from encephalitis in his later years. His unique literary and artistic works have significantly influenced fantasy literature.

• 1970 Naunton Wayne

  Actor (dead of night), dies in 69

• 1971 Gladys Cooper

  Gladys Cooper was an English actress who had a successful career on stage and screen, earning multiple awards.

• 1974 Clive Brook

  Actor/director (on approval), dead at 87

• 1982 Ruth Donnelly

  Comedian, who dies in new york city at the age of 86.

• 1982 Eduard Tubin

  Eduard Tubin was a prominent Estonian classical composer and conductor who significantly contributed to 20th-century Baltic music. He composed numerous symphonies, chamber works, and orchestral pieces, and is considered one of Estonia's most important musical figures. During World War II, he emigrated to Sweden, where he continued his musical career.

• 1986 Georges Besse

  Prominent French industrial executive who led Renault and was later assassinated by a terrorist group. He was known for his strategic management and modernization efforts in French industry.

• 1987 Paul Derringer

  Paul Derringer was a prominent Major League Baseball pitcher who played primarily for the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals during the 1930s and 1940s. He was a seven-time All-Star and helped the Reds win the World Series in 1940.

• 1988 Sheilah Graham Westbrook

  Prominent Hollywood gossip columnist and author known for her relationship with F. Scott Fitzgerald. She wrote extensively about Hollywood's golden age and her personal experiences.

• 1990 Robert Hofstadter

  PHY - American physicist and academic, nobel prize laureate (d. 1990)

• 1992 Audre Lorde

  Renowned African American poet, feminist, and civil rights activist who powerfully addressed issues of race, gender, sexuality, and class through her writing and activism.

• 1998 Esther Rolle

  Prominent African American actress known for her groundbreaking roles in television, particularly in the sitcom 'Good Times' where she portrayed Florida Evans, a strong matriarch.

• 2000 Louis Eugène Félix Néel

  Nobel Prize laureate for fundamental work and discoveries concerning antiferromagnetism and ferrimagnetism which have led to important applications in solid state physics

• 2000 Louis Néel

  PHY - French physicist and academic, nobel prize laureate (d. 2000)

• 2002 Abba Eban

  South African-Israeli politician and diplomat who served as the first Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, playing a crucial role in Israel's early diplomatic efforts.

• 2003 Arthur Conley

  American soul singer known for his hit 'Sweet Soul Music', a significant figure in the 1960s R&B scene.

• 2004 Aleksandr Ragulin

  Legendary Soviet ice hockey player who won three Olympic gold medals in 1964, 1968, and 1972, representing the USSR national team.

• 2006 Ferenc Puskás

  Ferenc Puskás was a legendary Hungarian footballer widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, known for his extraordinary goal-scoring ability and remarkable success with both the Hungarian national team and Real Madrid.

• 2006 Ruth Brown

  Legendary R&B singer-songwriter and actress known as 'Miss Rhythm', who significantly influenced American music in the mid-20th century.

• 2006 Bo Schembechler

  Legendary American football coach who transformed the University of Michigan's football program. He is considered one of the most influential coaches in college football history, known for his motivational skills and leadership.

• 2008 Pete Newell

  Renowned American basketball coach and player who significantly influenced the sport's development in the mid-20th century. He coached the University of California, Berkeley basketball team and led the US Olympic team to gold in 1960.

• 2012 Bal Thackeray

  Influential Indian political activist, journalist, and cartoonist who founded the Shiv Sena party and was a prominent figure in Maharashtra's political landscape. He was known for his controversial and polarizing views on regional politics.

• 2013 Doris Lessing

  LIT - British novelist, poet, playwright, nobel prize laureate (d. 2013)

• 2014 Patrick Suppes

  Renowned American philosopher of science who made groundbreaking contributions to probability theory, decision theory, and mathematical philosophy. He was a professor at Stanford University and significantly influenced scientific methodology and epistemology.

• 2014 Bill Frenzel

  Bill Frenzel was a prominent American politician who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from Minnesota, known for his fiscal conservatism and expertise in budget matters.

• 2021 Young Dolph

  Prominent American rapper from Memphis known for his independent hip-hop career and tragically killed in a shooting in 2021.