Famous people and celebrities who died on September 8

Welcome to Takemeback.to's page dedicated to remembering the celebrities and famous people who passed away on September 8. 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.

• 1965 Dorothy Dandridge

  Dorothy Dandridge was a pioneering African American actress and singer who broke racial barriers in Hollywood during the 1950s. She was the first Black woman to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in 'Carmen Jones'. Her career was groundbreaking but tragically cut short.

• 1965 Hermann Staudinger

  CHE - German chemist and academic, nobel prize laureate (b. 1881)

• 1969 Bud Collyer

  Pioneering radio and television personality famous for voicing Superman and hosting popular game shows like 'Beat the Clock' and 'To Tell the Truth'.

• 1974 Wolfgang Windgassen

  Renowned German-French operatic tenor who was a leading interpreter of Wagner's operas during the 1950s and 1960s, performing extensively in major European opera houses.

• 1977 Zero Mostel

  Iconic American actor and comedian known for his powerful performances in theater and film, particularly in 'Fiddler on the Roof' and 'The Producers'.

• 1979 Jean Seberg

  Iconic American actress known for her breakthrough role in 'Saint Joan' and her memorable performance in Jean-Luc Godard's 'Breathless'. She was a significant figure in French New Wave cinema and was targeted by the FBI for her political activism with the Black Panther Party.

• 1980 Willard Libby

  Renowned American chemist who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for developing the carbon-14 dating method, revolutionizing archaeological and geological research.

• 1981 Roy Wilkins

  Roy Wilkins was a prominent civil rights leader who served as executive director of the NAACP from 1955 to 1977, playing a crucial role in advancing racial equality in the United States.

• 1981 Hideki Yukawa

  PHY - Japanese physicist and academic, nobel prize laureate (d. 1981)

• 1983 Antonin Magne

  Renowned French cyclist who won the Tour de France twice (1931 and 1934) and later became a cycling team manager, notably for Raymond Poulidor.

• 1985 John Franklin Enders

  MED - American virologist and academic, nobel prize laureate (b. 1887)

• 1985 Ana Mendieta

  Pioneering Cuban-American artist renowned for her groundbreaking performance art, earth-body works, and feminist artistic expressions exploring identity and cultural displacement.

• 1991 Alex North

  Renowned American film music composer known for iconic movie scores including Spartacus, Cleopatra, and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf. He was a pioneering film composer who received multiple Academy Award nominations.

• 1991 Brad Davis

  American actor known for powerful performances in 'Midnight Express' and 'Chariots of Fire', who tragically died at a young age from AIDS-related complications.

• 2003 Leni Riefenstahl

  Controversial German film director known for her Nazi propaganda films, particularly 'Triumph of the Will'. Her artistic work was deeply intertwined with the Nazi regime, which ultimately destroyed her professional reputation. Despite her technical brilliance, she remained a polarizing figure in film history.

• 2004 Frank Thomas

  Frank Thomas was a legendary Disney animator and one of Walt Disney's core animators, known as one of the 'Nine Old Men' who defined the golden age of Disney animation.

• 2007 Vincent Serventy

  Prominent Australian naturalist who made significant contributions to ornithology and conservation, authoring numerous books about wildlife and environmental protection.

• 2009 Mike Bongiorno

  Mike Bongiorno was a legendary Italian television host who pioneered quiz shows in Italy during the 1950s. Known as 'il re del quiz' (the quiz king), he was immensely popular and became a cultural icon with his trademark greeting 'Allegria!' (Cheers!). He passed away in Monte Carlo from a heart attack in 2009.

• 2009 Aage Bohr

  PHY - Danish physicist and academic, nobel prize laureate (d. 2009)

• 2009 Aage Niels Bohr

  Nobel Prize laureate for the discovery of the connection between collective motion and particle motion in atomic nuclei and the development of the theory of the structure of the atomic nucleus based on this connection

• 2012 Thomas Szasz

  Hungarian-American psychiatrist and academic known for his critical views on psychiatry and mental illness, challenging traditional psychiatric practices.

• 2014 S. Truett Cathy

  Founder of Chick-fil-A, a major American fast-food restaurant chain known for its chicken sandwiches. He transformed a small restaurant into a nationwide business empire and was known for his Christian values and business principles.

• 2014 Magda Olivero

  Renowned Italian operatic soprano known for her exceptional dramatic interpretations and long, distinguished career spanning several decades in the world of classical music.

• 2015 Joaquín Andújar

  Prominent Dominican baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball for several teams, including the St. Louis Cardinals, and was known for his passionate and unpredictable playing style.

• 2017 Jerry Pournelle

  Jerry Pournelle was a prominent American science fiction author, journalist, and political commentator known for his influential works in speculative fiction and technology writing.

• 2017 Pierre Bergé

  French entrepreneur and cultural patron best known as Yves Saint Laurent's life partner and business collaborator. He was a significant figure in French fashion and political activism, supporting left-wing causes.

• 2019 Camilo Sesto

  Renowned Spanish pop singer and songwriter who was a major figure in Latin American music during the 1970s and 1980s, known for his romantic ballads and significant international success.

• 2022 Elizabeth II

  Queen of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth realms from 1952 to 2022, she was the longest-reigning monarch in British history and a symbol of stability during significant global changes.