Famous people and celebrities who died in 1934

A dedicated page for remembering the famous people and celebrities who passed away in 1934. This year saw the loss of many influential and beloved figures who left a lasting impact on the world. From entertainment icons and sports legends to renowned scholars and public figures, our comprehensive list pays tribute to their lives and legacies. Join us in honoring their contributions and celebrating their achievements as we reflect on their remarkable stories.

• Jan. 6 Herbert Chapman

  Revolutionized English football as a successful manager of Arsenal FC.

• Jan. 10 Marinus van der Lubbe

  Dutch communist who was controversially accused of setting the Reichstag fire in 1933, a pivotal event in Nazi Germany's rise to power.

• Jan. 29 Fritz Haber

  Polish-german chemist and engineer, nobel prize laureate (b. 1868).

• Feb. 23 Edward Elgar

  Renowned English composer known for works like the Enigma Variations and Pomp and Circumstance.

• March 21 Lilyan Tashman

  Lilyan Tashman was an American stage and film actress, best known for her work in the 1920s and early 1930s. She appeared in both vaudeville and Broadway productions before making a successful transition to silent films and early talkies. Renowned for her wit, sophistication, and fashion sense, Tashman was a prominent figure in Hollywood's social scene. [bio]

• May 23 Bonnie Parker

  Infamous American outlaw who, alongside Clyde Barrow, formed one of the most notorious criminal couples during the Great Depression.

• May 23 Clyde Barrow

  Clyde Barrow was a notorious American outlaw who, alongside Bonnie Parker, became famous for a series of bank robberies and violent crimes...

• June 11 Lev Vygotsky

  Renowned for his theory of sociocultural development in psychology.

• July 4 Marie Curie

  Marie Curie was a pioneering Polish-born physicist and chemist renowned for her groundbreaking work on radioactivity. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, the first person to win two Nobel Prizes in different sciences (Physics and Chemistry), and remains an iconic figure in science and women's history. [bio]

• July 4 Marie Curie, née Skłodowska

  Prize laureate in recognition of the extraordinary services they have rendered by their joint researches on the radiation phenomena...

• July 22 John Dillinger

  Notorious American gangster of the Great Depression era, known for spectacular bank robberies and prison escapes.

• July 25 Engelbert Dollfuss

  Austrian Chancellor who tried to keep Austria independent from Nazi Germany.

• July 25 Nestor Makhno

  Ukrainian anarchist revolutionary and military leader.

• July 26 Winsor McCay

  Winsor McCay was a pioneering American cartoonist and animator known for his comic strip Little Nemo and his animated films such as Gertie...

• July 28 Marie Dressler

  Marie Dressler was a Canadian-American stage and screen actress, comedian, and early silent film star who gained major prominence in the late 1920s and 1930s. She is best remembered for her comic timing and roles in early American films, earning an Academy Award for Best Actress. [bio]

• Sept. 2 Russ Columbo

  Russ Columbo was a popular American crooner, violinist, and actor during the early 1930s, known for his romantic ballads and film...

• Oct. 5 Jean Vigo

  Influential French avant-garde filmmaker known for pioneering poetic realism.

• Oct. 13 Gertrude Käsebier

  American photographer known for her portraits and contributions to the Pictorialist movement.

• Oct. 15 Raymond Poincaré

  He was a french politician who served four terms as prime minister of france's third republic and was president during world war i..

• Oct. 18 Santiago Ramón y Cajal

  Spanish pathologist, histologist, and neuroscientist, nobel prize laureate (b. 1852).

• Oct. 22 Pretty Boy Floyd

  Infamous American gangster and bank robber during the Great Depression era, known for his criminal activities in the Midwest United States.

• Nov. 16 Alice Liddell

  The young girl who inspired the character of Alice in Lewis Carroll's classic novel 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'.

• Nov. 27 Baby Face Nelson

  Notorious American criminal and bank robber during the Great Depression era, known for his violent criminal activities and conflicts with...

• Nov. 28 Everett Ruess

  An enigmatic American artist and adventurer who mysteriously disappeared in the Utah wilderness at age 20, becoming a legendary figure in...

• Nov. 30 Hélène Boucher

  Pioneering French aviator who set numerous aviation records in the 1930s.

What happened in 1934?

Discover what the world looked like in 1934: