Famous people and celebrities who died in 1968

A dedicated page for remembering the famous people and celebrities who passed away in 1968. 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.

Feb. 7 Nick Adams
Nick Adams was an American actor and screenwriter, best known for his role as Johnny Yuma in the television series "The Rebel" and for his performances in several 1950s and 1960s films. [bio]
Feb. 13 Mae Marsh
Mae Marsh was an American film actress best known for her roles during the silent film era, particularly in D. W. Griffith's pioneering works. She became widely recognized for her emotive performances and appeared in over 100 films across her long career. [bio]
Feb. 17 Donald Wolfit
Donald Wolfit was an English actor-manager renowned for his stage performances, particularly in the plays of Shakespeare, and his dedication to touring classical theatre around Britain during the mid-20th century. [bio]
Feb. 21 Howard Florey
Howard Florey was an Australian pharmacologist who co-discovered penicillin and shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1945.
Feb. 28 Frankie Lymon
Legendary early rock and roll singer known for his exceptional boy soprano voice with the group Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers.
March 16 June Collyer
June Collyer was an American film and television actress prominent during the late 1920s through the 1950s, best known for her roles during Hollywood's silent and early sound eras, as well as her appearances on television. [bio]
March 27 Yuri Gagarin
Legendary Soviet cosmonaut who became the first human to journey into outer space, completing an orbital flight that marked a pivotal moment...
March 30 Bobby Driscoll
Bobby Driscoll was an American child actor, best known for his work with Walt Disney Studios and for being the original voice and animation reference model for Disney's 'Peter Pan.' [bio]
April 1 Lev Landau
Renowned Soviet theoretical physicist who made groundbreaking contributions to quantum mechanics, superfluidity, and superconductivity.
April 4 Martin Luther King
Martin Luther King Jr. was an American Baptist minister and civil rights leader who became the most visible spokesperson and leader in the American civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968. He is best known for advancing civil rights through nonviolence and civil disobedience inspired by his Christian beliefs and the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. [bio]
April 7 Jim Clark
Scottish racing driver who was a Formula One world champion, winning 25 Grand Prix races and the Indy 500 in 1965.
April 16 Fay Bainter
Fay Bainter was a distinguished American actress of stage and screen known for her compelling performances in both comedic and dramatic roles from the 1910s through the 1950s. [bio]
April 16 Edna Ferber
Edna Ferber was an American novelist, short story writer, and playwright who won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1925 for her novel 'So...
May 9 Marion Lorne
Marion Lorne was an American actress known for her work in stage, film, and television, best remembered for her role as Aunt Clara in the TV sitcom 'Bewitched.' [bio]
June 6 Robert F Kennedy
Prominent American political figure who served as Attorney General and was a passionate advocate for civil rights, social justice, and was a...
June 7 Dan Duryea
Dan Duryea was an American actor known for his roles in film noir, westerns, and melodramas during the mid-20th century. He became famous for playing antagonists and 'heel' characters in classic Hollywood films. [bio]
June 14 Salvatore Quasimodo
Renowned Italian poet and Nobel Prize in Literature laureate (1959), known for his significant contributions to modern Italian poetry and...
June 17 José Nasazzi
José Nasazzi was a legendary Uruguayan footballer and national team captain, known for his exceptional defensive skills and leadership...
June 25 Tony Hancock
Tony Hancock was a prominent English comedian and actor, best known for his pioneering radio and television work in the mid-20th century. He is celebrated for his influential series 'Hancock's Half Hour,' which contributed significantly to the evolution of British comedy. [bio]
July 1 Virginia Weidler
Virginia Weidler was an American child actress best known for her roles in classic films of the 1930s and 1940s, including 'The Philadelphia Story.' [bio]
Aug. 26 Kay Francis
Kay Francis was an American film and stage actress, considered one of the most prominent female stars of the 1930s, known for her roles in sophisticated dramas and comedies during the early sound era of Hollywood. [bio]
Sept. 18 Franchot Tone
Franchot Tone was an American actor best known for his work in both film and theater during Hollywood's Golden Age. He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his performance in the film 'Mutiny on the Bounty' (1935). [bio]
Oct. 15 Virginia Lee Burton
Renowned children's book author and illustrator, best known for classic works like 'Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel' and 'The Little...
Oct. 30 Ramon Novarro
Ramon Novarro was a Mexican-American film, stage, and television actor renowned for his leading roles in silent films and early talkies in Hollywood. He became one of the most prominent Latin actors of his era and is best remembered for his starring role in the 1925 epic 'Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ.' [bio]
Nov. 8 Wendell Corey
Wendell Corey was an American actor and politician, best known for his supporting roles in classic Hollywood films and his later service as the president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. [bio]
Dec. 10 Thomas Merton
Thomas Merton was an American Trappist monk, writer, theologian, mystic, and poet, renowned for his influential writings on spirituality, social justice, and interfaith dialogue. His autobiography, 'The Seven Storey Mountain,' is considered a spiritual classic and played a significant role in bringing monastic spirituality to a wider public. [bio]
Dec. 12 Tallulah Bankhead
Tallulah Bankhead was an American stage and screen actress, renowned for her husky voice, flamboyant personality, and memorable performances in theater, film, and radio. An icon of the early and mid-20th century, she was celebrated for her intelligence, wit, and indomitable spirit. [bio]
Dec. 20 John Steinbeck
John Steinbeck was an American author best known for his influential novels depicting the plight of the working class during the Great Depression, including 'The Grapes of Wrath,' 'Of Mice and Men,' and 'East of Eden.' He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1962. [bio]