Famous people and celebrities who died in 1946

A dedicated page for remembering the famous people and celebrities who passed away in 1946. 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. 8 Dion Fortune

  Author and welsh occultist psychologist (d. 1946).

• Jan. 9 Countee Cullen

  Countee Cullen was a prominent Harlem Renaissance poet known for his powerful lyrical works exploring African American identity and social...

• Feb. 5 George Arliss

  George Arliss was an acclaimed English actor, author, playwright, and filmmaker, best known for his performances in both stage and film. He became the first British actor to win an Academy Award, establishing himself as a major figure in early 20th-century entertainment. [bio]

• Feb. 8 Miles Mander

  Actor/director (murder, 3 musketeers), dead at 57.

• Feb. 17 Dorothy Gibson

  Dorothy Gibson was an American actress, artist's model, and one of the first film stars. She is notably recognized for surviving the sinking of the RMS Titanic and subsequently starring in 'Saved from the Titanic,' a film based on her real-life experience. [bio]

• April 1 Noah Beery

  Noah Beery Jr. was an American actor best known for his extensive work in film and television throughout the 20th century, often appearing in Westerns and as character roles. He gained fame for playing Joseph 'Rocky' Rockford on the television series 'The Rockford Files.' [bio]

• May 29 Martin Gottfried Weiss

  Nazi SS officer who served as commandant of the Dachau concentration camp during World War II.

• June 1 Ion Antonescu

  Ion Antonescu was a Romanian military officer and politician who served as the Prime Minister and Conducător (Leader) of Romania during...

• June 6 Gerhart Hauptmann

  German playwright, poet, novelist, and dramatist.

• June 6 Gerhart Johann Robert Hauptmann

  Prize laureate primarily in recognition of his fruitful, varied and outstanding production in the realm of dramatic art.

• June 9 Rama VIII

  King of Siam (Thailand) who ascended to the throne at a young age and tragically died at 21, marking a significant moment in Thai royal...

• June 10 Jack Johnson

  Jack Johnson is an American singer-songwriter and musician known for his mellow acoustic pop style, popularizing surf-folk music in the...

• June 14 John Logie Baird

  Inventor of the world's first practical, publicly demonstrated television system.

• June 22 Harlan Stone

  American businessman who co-founded the Stone & Webster engineering corporation.

• July 27 Gertrude Stein

  Gertrude Stein was an influential American novelist, poet, playwright, and art collector. Renowned for her avant-garde literary style, she is best known for works such as 'Three Lives' (1909), 'The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas' (1933), and 'Everybody's Autobiography' (1937). Stein lived most of her life in Paris, where her salon became a gathering place for groundbreaking artists and writers … [bio]

• July 28 Saint Alphonsa

  First woman of Indian origin to be canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church, known for her extraordinary devotion and spiritual life in...

• Aug. 6 Tony Lazzeri

  Tony Lazzeri was a prominent Major League Baseball player who played for the New York Yankees during the 1920s and 1930s.

• Aug. 13 H. G. Wells

  Nobel Prize-winning biologist known for his work on the discovery of the structure of DNA.

• Sept. 13 Amon Göth

  Notorious Nazi SS officer and commandant of the Płaszów concentration camp, infamous for his extreme cruelty during the Holocaust.

• Oct. 16 Ernst Kaltenbrunner

  High-ranking Nazi SS officer who served as chief of the Reich Main Security Office during World War II.

• Oct. 16 Joachim von Ribbentrop

  German soldier and politician, 14th german reich minister of foreign affairs (d. 1946).

• Dec. 10 Walter Johnson

  Hall of Fame pitcher with a career record of 417 wins and known for his fastball.

• Dec. 17 Constance Garnett

  English translator for 71 volumes of russian literature from the nineteenth century.

• Dec. 25 W.C. Fields

  W.C. Fields was an influential American comedian, actor, juggler, and writer, renowned for his distinctive persona and witty, sardonic humor on both stage and screen. He became a prominent figure in vaudeville and transitioned to film, where his unique comedic style left a lasting impact on American entertainment. [bio]

What happened in 1946?

Discover what the world looked like in 1946: