Obituaries of the Seventies, 1978

This is a list of people who died during 1978. Exact dates are listed when known.

We also have similar pages for the 80s and 90s.

January 04Willem Bruynzeel, Dutch timber/lumber/wood manufacturer, dies at 76
January 06John D MacArthur, US insurance billionaire, dies at 80
January 08Walter Keirnan, TV panelist (I've Got a Secret), dies at 75
January 09Eddie Gilbert, cricket (Aboriginal Qld quick got Don for a duck), dies
January 10Don Gillis, US composer (Symphony #5«), dies at 65
January 10John D Rockefeller III, US billionaire/philanthropist, dies at 71
January 10Pedro Joaqu¡n Chamorro, of La Prensa, assassinated in Managua
January 10Zeb Turner, country-rock performer (Chew Tobacco Rag), dies at 62
January 11Michael Bates, actor (Clockwork Orange, Salt & Pepper), dies at 57
January 12Nancy Spungen, stabbed to death by boyfriend Sid Vicious
January 13Hubert Humphrey, (Sen-D-Minn, VP), dies at 66 in Waverly, Minn
January 13Joseph V McCarthy, baseball manager (NY Yankees), dies at 96
January 14Blossom Rock, actress (Grandmamma-Addams Family), dies at 81
January 14Robert Heger, composer, dies at 91
January 15Margaret Bowman & Janet Levy, Chi Omega, FSU, killed by Ted Bundy
January 18Carl Betz, actor (Alex Stone-Donna Reed Show), dies at 67
January 18Ivan Ivonovich Dzerzhinsky, composer, dies at 68
January 19Carl Betz, actor (Donna Reed Show), dies at 56
January 22Herbert Sutcliffe, cricketer (54 Tests for England 4555 runs), dies
January 23Jack Oakie, actor (Great Dictator, Gang Buster), dies at 74
January 23Terry Kath, rock guitarist (Chicago), accidently shot in head at 32
January 25Tango Duke, dies in Australia at 42; oldest known thoroughbred horse
January 26Leo Genn, actor (Lady Chatterley's Lover, Henry V), dies at 72
January 27Marguerite Canal, composer, dies at 87
January 27Oscar Homolka, actor (7 Year Itch, Ball of Fire), dies at 79
January 29Tim McCoy, actor (Arizona Bound), dies at 86
February 02Wendy Barrie, TV hostess (Wendy Barrie Show), dies at 65
February 04Bergen Evans, English professor ($64,000 Question), dies at 73
February 05Annie [Anna HM] Romein-Verschoor, Dutch historian (Omzien), dies at 83
February 05Frans van Immerseel, Belgian graphic artist, dies at 68
February 09Kimberly Leach, killed by Ted Bundy in Lake City Fla at 12
February 11James B Conant, headmaster (Harvard University), dies at 84
February 15Ilka Chase, actress (Masquerade Party), dies at 72
February 18Charlotte Greenwood, actress (Oklahoma, Moon over Miami), dies at 84
February 18Derrick De Marney, actor (Inheritance, Projected Man), dies at 71
February 18Maggie McNamara, actress (3 Coins in a Fountain, Cardinal), dies at 49
February 20Vitorino Nem‚sio, Portuguese author (Presen‡a), dies at 76
February 22Ilka Chase, actress (Masquerade Party, Trials of O'Brien), dies at 74
February 22Phyllis McGinley, US poetess (Pulitzer 1961), dies at 72
February 25Daniel "Chappie" James Jr, retired Air Force general, dies at 58
February 27Vadim Nikolayevich Salmanov, composer, dies at 65
February 28Eric Frank Russell, sci-fi author (Hugo, Deep Space), dies at 73
February 28Philip Ahn, LA Calif, actor (Master Kan-Kung Fu), dies at 66
March 12John Cazale, actor (Dog Day Afternoon, Deer Hunter), dies at 41
March 12Tolchard Evans, composer/conductor, dies
March 13David McKinley Williams, composer, dies at 91
March 13Ghulam Mustafa Guard, cricketer (3 wkts in 2 Tests for India), dies
March 16Aldo Moro, 5 times PM of Italy, assassinated by terrorists
March 17George Dickinson, cricketer (8 wickets in 3 Tests for NZ), dies
March 18Faith Baldwin, US author (They Who Love), dies at 84
March 18Peggy Wood, actress (One Life to Live, Mama), dies at 86
March 22Karl Wallenda, falls to death walking high-wire in PR at 73
March 24Brackett Hamilton Leigh, [Douglass], author (Ginger Star), dies at 62
March 25Jack Hulbert, actor (Bulldog Jack), dies at 85
March 27Wilfred Pickles, actor (Billy Liar, Gay Dog), dies at 73
March 29Jayasinghrao Mansinghrao Ghorpade, cricketer (8 Tests for India), dies
March 30George Paine, lefty cricket spinner (for England in WI 1935), dies
March 30Harold Gimblett, cricketer (Batted in 3 Tests for England), suicide
March 31Astrid Allwyn, actress (Love Affair, Girl for Calgary), dies at 68
April 04Gino Contilli, composer, dies at 70
April 06Nicolas Nabokov, composer (Holy Devil), dies at 74
April 06Reinoud Anders, Dutch actor (Unrest of Grave), dies at 65
April 07Ernest Kanitz, composer, dies at 83
April 08Ford C Frick, baseball commissioner, dies at 83
April 13Paul McGrath, actor (Witness, No Time for Love), dies at 74
April 16Lucius D Clay, gen/gov US zone W-Germany (airlift), dies at 80
April 19Emile de Strijker, Belgian philosopher, dies at 70
April 21Sandy Denny, country singer, dies at 37
April 22Will Geer, actor (Grandpa Walton-Waltons), dies at 75
April 27Mohammed Daud, premier/president of Afghanistan, murdered
May 01Aram Katchaturian, Russian composer (The Earth), dies at 74
May 03Wim van Doorne, Dutch auto manufacturer (DAF), dies at 71
May 05Alfred H H Gilligan, cricketer (4 Tests for England), dies
May 06Ethelda Bleibtrey, US swimmer (Olympics-3 gold-1920), dies at 76
May 06Ko van Dijk Jr, Dutch actor (Zaak M P), dies at 61
May 11John Clinge Doorenbos, Dutch journalist/poet, dies at 93
May 13Albert Roberts, cricketer (5 Tests for NZ, 7 wickets), dies
May 17John Selwyn Brooke Selwyn Lloyd, speaker of house of commons, dies
May 19George Gladstone, cricketer (one Test WI v England 1930), dies
May 21Joseph EA "Jo" Spier, Dutch cartoonist/water color painter, dies at 77
May 22Bjarne Brustad, composer, dies at 83
May 29Bob Crane, actor (Donna Reed Show, Hogan-Hogan's Heroes), dies at 49
June 05John Meulenhoff, Dutch publisher, dies at 71
June 14Theodore Karyotakis, composer, dies at 74
June 15Anton Roosjen, politician/NCRV-chairman, dies at 83
June 17Cully Richards, actor (Don't Call Me Charlie), dies at 68
June 20Karel G Bakker, actor (Coffee House), dies at 66
June 25Hussein al-Ghasjmi, president of North-Yemen, murdered
June 26Rabbaji, president of South-Yemen, executed
June 29Bob Crane, actor (Hogan's Heroes), murdered at 59
July 03James Daly, actor (Medical Center), dies at 59
July 09Abdul Razak al-Naif, premier of Iraq, murdered
July 09Aladar Zoltan, composer, dies at 49
July 10Michel Gusikoff, composer, dies at 85
July 13Antonio Veretti, composer, dies at 78
July 17Thayer David, actor (Rocky, Roots, Savages), dies at 51
July 27Aasan Ferit Alnar, composer, dies at 72
July 27[John] Willem van Otterloo, conductor/composer (Symphonic), dies at 70
July 28Jan Willem van Otterloo, composer, dies at 70
July 29Wesley La Violette, composer, dies at 84
July 31Carleton Percy Hobbs, actor (I Claudius, Dark Places), dies at 80
July 31Enoch Light, orch leader (Gulf Road Show with Bob Smith), dies at 70
August 02Carlos Chavez y Ramires, Mexican composer, dies at 79
August 02Satomi Myodo, Zen nun/attendant of Hakuun Yasutani Roshi, dies at 82
August 02Totie Fields, [Sophie Feldman], comedienne, dies at about 48
August 03Ezzedin Kalak, Palestinian PLO representative in Paris, murdered
August 05Queenie Smith, actress/dancer (Funny Side), dies at 79
August 06Edward Durrell Stone, US architect, dies at 76
August 06Paul VI, [Giovanni Montini], Italian Pope (1963-78), dies at 80
August 07Franz Alphons Wolpert, composer, dies at 60
August 09James G Cozzens, US writer (Guard of Honor, Pulitzer), dies at 74
August 09Johan Daisne, [Thiery], Belgian writer (Lago Maggiore), dies at 66
August 15Harrison Kerr, composer, dies at 80
August 16Alidius WL Tjarda van Stachouwer, gov-gen of Neth Indies, dies at 90
August 20Ivan Jirko, composer, dies at 51
August 20Petros John Petridis, composer, dies at 86
August 21Charles Eames, US chair manufacturer, dies at 71
August 21Vinoo Mankad, cricketer (44 Tests for India, 2,109 runs), dies
August 22Ignazio Silone, Italian author (Fontamara, Pane e vino), dies at 78
August 22Jomo Kenyatta, 1st premier of Kenya (1963-78), dies at 83
August 24Louis Prima, singer, dies at 66
August 26Charles Boyer, actor (Gaslight, Rogues), dies at 78
August 26Charles Trowbridge Haubiel, composer, dies at 86
August 27Robert Shaw, actor (Dan-Buccaneers), dies of heart attack at 51
August 28Bruce Catton, US historian/writer (Civil War), dies at 78
September --Craig Slocum, actor (Jarry-Dark Shadows), dies
September 01Olga de Haas, Dutch ballerina, dies at 33
September 06Jan Berger, Dutch politician, dies at 59
September 07Keith Moon, rock drummer (Who), dies of drug OD at 31
September 08Pancho Vladigerov, composer, dies at 79
September 09Jack L Warner, US movie production (Warner Bros), dies at 86)
September 12Frank Ferguson, actor (Wagons West, Dynamite, My Gal Sal), dies at 69
September 15Willy Messerschmitt, German aircraft builder, dies at 80
September 19Rolf Gnther, East German priest, self imolation
September 22Lina Carstens, actress (Homeland, Broken Jug), dies at 85
September 23Jay Adler, actor (Macon County Line, Illegal, Big Combo), dies at 79
September 23Lyman Bostock, outfielder (Angels), shot & killed at 27
September 24Ruth Etting, US dancer/singer (Ziegfeld Follies), dies at 80
September 25Claire Adams, actress (Legally Dead, End of the Road), dies at 80
September 28John Paul I, [Albino Luciano], Pope (1978), dies after 33 days as pope
September 28Pope John Paul I (Albino Luciani), 263rd Catholic Pope, died
September 29John Paul I, Pope for 34 days, dies at 65
September 30Edgar Bergen, ventriloquist (Charlie McCarthy), dies at 75
October 08Jim Gilliam, coach (LA Dodgers), dies at 49
October 08Karl Swenson, actor (Lara-Little House on the Prairie), dies at 70
October 08Tibor Serly, Hungarian violist/composer (American Elegy), dies at 76
October 09Jacques Brel, Belgian chansonnier, buried on Atuama, dies at 49
October 10Gesina Van de Molen, Dutch lawyer, dies at 86
October 10Gesina Van der Molen, Dutch WWII resistance fighter/lawyer, dies at 86
October 10Ralph H Metcalfe, (Rep-D-Ill), dies at 68
October 11Nancy Spungen, killed by boyfriend Six Vicious in NYC
October 16Dan Dailey, dancer/actor (Gov Drinkwater-Governor & JJ), dies at 63
October 17Jean Am‚ry, [Johannes Mayer], Austr writer (Mind's Limits), dies at 65
October 18Frank Woolley, cricketer (58,969 1st-class runs), dies
October 18Jacques Mornard, [Ram¢n Mercader], murderer of Trotsky, dies at 64
October 19Gig Young, kills his bride of 3 weeks & then commits suicide at 64
October 21Anastas I Mikojan, Russian politician, dies at 83
October 23Maybelle Carter, country singer (Johnny Cash Show), dies at 69
October 26George Grant, cricketer (WI Test captain through early 1930's), dies
November 05Denis O'Dea, actor (Capt Horatio Hornblower), dies at 73
November 06Flora Campbell, actress (Faraway Hill, Date With Judy), dies at 67
November 07Gene Tunney, former heavyweight boxing champ (1926-28), dies at 80
November 07Janet Flanner, writer, dies at 86
November 08Norman Rockwell, artist (Saturday Evening Post covers), dies at 84
November 09Joe Wong, actor (Ken Murray Show), dies at 75
November 09Otto Siegl, composer, dies at 82
November 10Linda Scott, actress (Escape from Hell Island), dies at 28
November 10Theo Lingen, actor (Grosse Gluck), dies at 75
November 12Howard Swanson, composer, dies at 71
November 13George Hearne, S Afr cricketer (open bat in 3 Tests 1922-24), dies
November 15Margaret Mead, anthropologist (Thoughts & Female), dies in NY at 76
November 16Claude Dauphin, French actor (Les Miserables, Mado), dies at 75
November 16Cornelis P "Cor" Bru˜n, Dutch novelist (Sil), dies at 95
November 17Claude Dauphin, actor (Paris Precinct), dies at 75
November 17James J "Gene" Tunney, heavyweight boxing champ (1926-8), dies at 80
November 18Jim Jones, US pastor, leader of Jonestown Cult, commits suicide
November 18Leo J Ryan, (Rep-Cal) & 4 killed in Jonestown, Guyana by members of
November 18Peoples Temple, followed by ritual mass suicide of 914 member
November 27George Moscone, (SF Mayor), shot by Dan White
November 27Harvey Milk, (SF City Supervisor), shot by Dan White
November 27Susan Damante Shaw, actress (Wilderness Family), dies at 58
November 28Andre Morell, actor (Hound of the Baskervilles), dies at 69
November 29Alan Richardson, composer, dies at 74
December 03William Grant Still, composer, dies at 83
December 04Samuel Abraham Goldsmith, Neth/US phycists, dies at 76
December 08Golda Meir, Israel's PM (1969-74), dies in Jerusalem at 80
December 10Edward D Wood Jr, director (Plan 9), dies of heart failure at 54
December 10Miura Isshu, Zen teacher, Hakuin Rinzai line, dies at 75
December 12Clifton Chenier, US accordionist (Bayou Blues), dies at 53
December 12Fay Compton, actress (Othello), dies at 74
December 15Chill Wills, actor (Frontier Circus, Rounders), dies at 75
December 16Blanche Calloway, US singer/dancer/radio hostess, dies at 76
December 27Bob de Lange, Dutch actor/director (Daniel), dies at 62
December 27Chris Bell, rock guitarist (Big Star), dies at 27 in car crash
December 27Houari Boum‚diene, Algerian Pres, dies after 40 days in a coma at 53
December 28Harry Winston, US jeweler for the "rich & famous", dies at 82

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