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Famous people and celebrities who died in May 1972

This page is dedicated to commemorating the celebrities and famous people who passed away in May 1972. This month marked the loss of influential and beloved figures whose contributions spanned various fields and touched many lives. Explore our detailed list to remember and celebrate their enduring legacies and the remarkable impact they had on the world

  • J. Edgar Hoover
    May 2 J. Edgar Hoover

    American 1st director of the federal bureau of investigation (b. 1895).

  • Emil Breitkreutz
    May 3 Emil Breitkreutz

    American runner and coach (d. 1972).

  • Kenneth Bailey
    May 3 Kenneth Bailey

    Australian lawyer and diplomat, australian high commissioner to canada (b. 1898).

  • Edward Calvin Kendall
    May 4 Edward Calvin Kendall

    American chemist and academic, nobel prize laureate (b. 1886).

  • Josep Samitier
    May 5 Josep Samitier
  • Ralph Eugene Meatyard
    May 7 Ralph Eugene Meatyard
  • Pandurang Vaman Kane
    May 8 Pandurang Vaman Kane

    Indian indologist and sanskrit scholar, bharat ratna awardee (b. 1880).

  • Evelyn Jamison
    May 9 Evelyn Jamison
  • Fritz Schulz
    May 9 Fritz Schulz
  • Colonnello Toon
    May 10 Colonnello Toon
  • Francisco Bores
    May 10 Francisco Bores
  • Giovanni Bertone
    May 10 Giovanni Bertone
  • Winifred Beamish
    May 10 Winifred Beamish
  • Rhys Gemmell
    May 10 Rhys Gemmell
  • Dan Blocker
    May 13 Dan Blocker

    Dan Blocker was an American actor best known for his role as Eric 'Hoss' Cartwright on the long-running NBC Western television series 'Bonanza.' [bio]

  • Margaret Rutherford
    May 22 Margaret Rutherford

    Margaret Rutherford was an English actress known for her distinctive performances in comedy roles and period dramas. She gained international fame for her portrayal of Miss Marple in film adaptations of Agatha Christie's novels and received an Academy Award for her role in 'The V.I.P.s' (1963). [bio]

  • Cecil Day-Lewis
    May 22 Cecil Day-Lewis

    Cecil Day-Lewis was a prominent British poet and later Poet Laureate, known for his modernist poetry and significant contributions to...

  • Nino Pagot
    May 23 Nino Pagot
  • Asta Nielsen
    May 24 Asta Nielsen

    Asta Nielsen was a renowned Danish silent film actress, celebrated as one of the first international movie stars and a pivotal figure in early European cinema. [bio]

  • Luigi De Manes
    May 27 Luigi De Manes
  • Edward VIII of the United Kingdom (b. 1894)
    May 28 Edward VIII of the United Kingdom (b. 1894)
  • Violette Leduc
    May 28 Violette Leduc
  • Edoardo VIII del Regno Unito
    May 28 Edoardo VIII del Regno Unito
  • Moe Berg
    May 29 Moe Berg

    Moe Berg was an extraordinary American baseball player who became a spy during World War II, working for the Office of Strategic Services...

  • Stephen Timoshenko
    May 29 Stephen Timoshenko

    Ukrainian-american academic and engineer (d. 1972).

  • Emma Vecla
    May 29 Emma Vecla