Famous people and celebrities who died on May 5

Welcome to Takemeback.to's page dedicated to remembering the celebrities and famous people who passed away on May 5. 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.

• 1921 Alfred Hermann Fried

  Austrian journalist and publicist, nobel prize laureate (b. 1864).

• 1959 Carlos Saavedra Lamas

  Prize laureate for his role as father of the Argentine Antiwar Pact of 1933, which he also used as a means to mediate peace between Paraguay...

• 1965 John Waters

  John Waters is an iconic American filmmaker, writer, and actor known for his transgressive cult films like 'Pink Flamingos' and 'Hairspray',...

• 1976 Thomas Burnett Swann

  Thomas Burnett Swann was an American fantasy and science fiction author known for his mythological-themed novels like 'Day of the Minotaur'.

• 1980 Edmond Vandercammen

  Belgian poet and writer known for his significant literary contributions during the mid-20th century.

• 1981 Bobby Sands

  Irish republican activist and political prisoner who became a symbol of the Irish republican movement during the Troubles, dying after a...

• 1983 John Williams

  English-American actor known for various film and stage performances.

• 1983 Horst Schumann

  Nazi SS physician notorious for conducting unethical medical experiments on concentration camp prisoners during World War II, particularly...

• 1985 Donald Bailey

  Donald Bailey was a renowned British civil engineer who designed the Bailey bridge, a revolutionary portable military bridge used...

• 1992 Jean-Claude Pascal

  Jean-Claude Pascal was a French singer, actor, and writer best known for winning the Eurovision Song Contest in 1961, representing Luxembourg with the song 'Nous les amoureux'. He was also a prominent film actor and a well-known figure in French popular culture during the mid-20th century. [bio]

• 1995 Mikhail Botvinnik

  Legendary Soviet chess grandmaster who dominated world chess for decades and was a three-time world champion.

• 1996 Ai Qing

  Renowned Chinese poet and influential literary figure who played a significant role in modern Chinese poetry.

• 1996 Beryl Burton

  Legendary British cyclist who dominated women's cycling in the UK, setting numerous world records and national titles during her remarkable...

• 2000 Gino Bartali

  Legendary Italian cyclist known for his religious devotion and competitive spirit.

• 2001 Clifton Hillegass

  Founder of CliffsNotes, the popular study guide series that helped millions of students understand complex literature.

• 2001 Morris Graves

  Prominent American modernist painter associated with the Pacific Northwest School, known for mystical and symbolic nature-inspired artworks.

• 2002 Hugo Banzer

  Bolivian military dictator and politician who served as president from 1971 to 1978 and again democratically from 1997 to 2001.

• 2002 Paul Wilbur Klipsch

  Renowned American audio engineer and inventor who founded Klipsch Audio Technologies, revolutionizing speaker design and high-fidelity sound...

• 2002 George Sidney

  A prominent American film director and producer known for directing numerous Hollywood musicals and films during the mid-20th century.

• 2003 Walter Sisulu

  Walter Sisulu was a prominent South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, close friend of Nelson Mandela, and key leader in the African...

• 2006 Naushad Ali

  Legendary Indian music composer who significantly influenced Bollywood film music, known for his innovative compositions and classical...

• 2007 Theodore Maiman

  Theodore Maiman was a pioneering American physicist who invented the first functioning laser in 1960, revolutionizing scientific and...

• 2008 Irv Robbins

  Co-founder of Baskin-Robbins, the world-famous ice cream chain.

• 2010 Umaru Musa Yar'Adua

  Nigerian politician who served as the 13th President of Nigeria from 2007 until his death in 2010, known for his political reforms and...

• 2010 Giulietta Simionato

  Renowned Italian mezzo-soprano who was a leading opera performer of her generation, celebrated for her exceptional vocal range and dramatic...

• 2011 Dana Wynter

  Dana Wynter was a German-born British actress best known for her role as Becky Driscoll in the classic science fiction film 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers' (1956). She appeared in numerous films and television shows throughout the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, and was recognized for her elegance and versatility on screen. [bio]

• 2011 Claude Choules

  Claude Choules was a British Royal Navy sailor who served in World War I and was one of the last surviving veterans of that conflict.

• 2017 Adolph Kiefer

  Adolph Kiefer was an Olympic gold medalist swimmer who revolutionized backstroke technique and later developed innovative swimming equipment...