Famous people and celebrities who died on February 21

Welcome to Takemeback.to's page dedicated to remembering the celebrities and famous people who passed away on February 21. On this day, we honor the lives and legacies of notable figures from various fields who left an indelible mark on the world. Explore our list to learn about their remarkable contributions and celebrate their enduring impact.

• 1920 Jacinta Marto

  Catholic visionary and one of the three children who reported Marian apparitions in Fatima, Portugal in 1917.

• 1926 Heike Kamerlingh Onnes

  Prize laureate for his investigations on the properties of matter at low temperatures which led, inter alia, to the production of liquid...

• 1938 George Ellery Hale

  Hale is known for his contributions to the field of astronomy, including the development of the spectroheliograph and his work on the study...

• 1941 Frederick Grant Banting

  Prize laureate for the discovery of insulin.

• 1945 Eric Liddell

  Scottish Olympic gold medalist and missionary who became famous for refusing to run on Sunday during the 1924 Paris Olympics, later serving...

• 1965 Malcolm X

  Malcolm X was an influential African American civil rights leader, renowned for his powerful advocacy for Black empowerment and racial justice in the United States. After a troubled early life, he became a prominent spokesperson for the Nation of Islam, where he preached Black self-sufficiency and challenged mainstream civil rights strategies. In 1964, he broke with the Nation of Islam, … [bio]

• 1968 Howard Florey

  Howard Florey was an Australian pharmacologist who co-discovered penicillin and shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1945.

• 1974 Tim Horton

  Canadian ice hockey player and entrepreneur who co-founded the iconic Tim Hortons coffee and donut chain.

• 1980 Alfred Andersch

  Prominent German-Swiss writer, publisher, and intellectual who was a significant figure in post-World War II German literature, known for...

• 1982 Gershom Scholem

  German-born israeli jewish historian and philosopher, born in germany.

• 1984 Mikhail Sholokhov

  Renowned Soviet novelist and Nobel Prize in Literature winner, best known for his epic novel 'And Quiet Flows the Don', which depicts life...

• 1985 Ina Claire

  Ina Claire was an acclaimed American stage and film actress best known for her sophisticated comic roles on Broadway and in Hollywood during the early to mid-20th century. [bio]

• 1991 Margot Fonteyn

  Margot Fonteyn was a legendary British ballerina who revolutionized dance through her iconic partnership with Rudolf Nureyev.

• 1994 Johannes Steinhoff

  Prominent German fighter pilot and NATO commander who played a significant role during and after World War II.

• 1995 Robert Bolt

  Renowned British playwright and screenwriter famous for works like 'A Man for All Seasons' and 'Doctor Zhivago'.

• 1999 Gertrude Elion

  Gertrude Elion was a pioneering Nobel Prize-winning biochemist who revolutionized drug development.

• 1999 Ilmari Juutilainen

  Renowned Finnish fighter pilot during World War II, credited with the most aerial victories in the Winter War and Continuation War against...

• 2002 John Thaw

  John Thaw was an acclaimed English actor, best known for his iconic roles in television dramas such as 'Inspector Morse', 'The Sweeney', and 'Kavanagh QC'. His performances made him a household name in the UK and garnered international recognition. [bio]

• 2005 Guillermo Cabrera Infante

  Renowned Cuban novelist and essayist who was a key figure in Latin American literature, known for his experimental writing and cultural...

• 2015 Clark Terry

  Renowned jazz trumpeter, composer, and music educator who significantly influenced jazz improvisation and mentored many famous musicians...

• 2017 Kenneth Arrow

  Influential economist and Nobel Prize winner who made groundbreaking contributions to social choice theory and welfare economics.

• 2019 Peter Tork

  Peter Tork was an American musician and actor, best known as the keyboardist and bass guitarist for the 1960s pop/rock band The Monkees. Renowned for his musicianship and comedic presence, Tork contributed to the group's biggest hits and continued a diverse career in music and television. [bio]

• 2019 Stanley Donen

  Legendary Hollywood film director renowned for revolutionizing musical cinema with iconic films like 'Singin' in the Rain' and 'Funny Face'.