Famous People Who Died In 1988

Jean-Michel Basquiat was an American artist whose legacy has had an influence upon fashion, film, music, and literature. He serves as an inspiration to street artists as he started off as one, painting graffiti on buildings. After his death, at the age of 27, the value of his work has increased; in 2017, one of his paintings sold for a record $110.5 million.

Theoretical physicist Richard Feynman won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965, along with Julian Schwinger and Shin'ichirō Tomonaga, for his research on quantum electrodynamics. He also contributed to the development of the atomic bomb. Feyman made it to Physics World’s list of the 10 greatest physicists of all time.

A beloved child actress of the 1980s, Judith Barsi started acting when she was just five years old. She appeared in many commercials and TV shows before getting a chance to act in films as well. The child met a tragic end when she and her mother were murdered by her father who then died by suicide.

Chet Baker was an American vocalist and jazz trumpeter. He achieved recognition during the 1950s and his innovations within cool jazz, a style of modern jazz music, earned him the nickname prince of cool. However, his drug addiction overshadowed much of his professional achievements. His life and work inspired the 2015 drama film Born to Be Blue.

John Carradine is considered one of the most famous character actors in Hollywood history. With an extensive career spanning almost six decades, he became known for his roles in horror films. He holds 351 film and TV credits and is among the most prolific English-speaking actors of all time. Many of his descendants are also actors.

Robert A. Heinlein was an American author, naval officer, and aeronautical engineer. Heinlein is credited with pioneering a literary subgenre called hard science fiction as he was among the first to stress the importance of scientific accuracy in fiction. Robert A. Heinlein is one of the most influential science-fiction writers of all time.

Nico was a German musician, singer, and songwriter. Her work continues to serve as an inspiration to several musicians like Björk, Morrissey, and the English rock band The Cure. In 2017, Susanna Nicchiarelli directed Nico's biographical film titled Nico, 1988. Also an actress, Nico appeared in many films, including Andy Warhol's experimental underground film Chelsea Girls.

British actor Trevor Howard achieved stardom with his bit role of Alec in the romantic drama film Brief Encounter. He started his career with Shakespearean stage roles and then served as a paratrooper during World War II. His performance as Walter Morel in Sons and Lovers got him nominated for the Academy Award.

Roy Kinnear was a British actor known for playing important roles in Richard Lester's films, such as Help!, How I Won the War, and The Three Musketeers. Kinnear died in an accident while filming the 1989 sequel of The Three Musketeers. In 1994, the 'Roy Kinnear Trust' was founded in his honor. The foundation aims at helping differently-abled young adults.

Kenneth Williams was an English actor. Although he suffered from depression throughout his life, Kenneth Williams continued playing comedy roles for which he was fondly regarded in the British entertainment industry. In 2006, Welsh actor Michael Sheen played Kenneth Williams in the television play Kenneth Williams: Fantabulosa, which was inspired by his life and work.

Romanian-born US actor and producer John Houseman is remembered for his Academy Award- and Golden Globe-winning role in The Paper Chase. Primarily a character actor, he also gained fame as a theater director and producer and collaborated with director Orson Welles on many projects.

German theoretical physicist Klaus Fuchs worked on many significant theoretical calculations relating to the first nuclear weapons. He was also an atomic spy who provided information about nuclear weapons production to the Soviet Union during World War II. He was convicted and jailed for nine years, following which he resumed his career as a physicist.

Also known as The Chief, Art Rooney not only founded the NFL team Pittsburgh Steelers but was also named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He won the Super Bowl four times as an owner and was a major force behind the NFL-AFL merger. He was also a track racing enthusiast.

Experimental physicist and Nobel laureate Luis Walter Alvarez is best remembered for inventing the liquid hydrogen bubble chamber, which enabled the discovery of countless short-lived resonance particles. The University of California, Berkeley professor and MIT scientist had also been part of the development of the atomic bomb.

Mostly known as a cartoonist for The New Yorker, Charles Addams was known for including dark humor in his works. Also known by his pseudonym, Chas Addams, he gained fame for his cartoons about a family of ghosts, which later inspired The Addams Family series of the 1960s.

Isamu Noguchi was an American landscape architect and artist best remembered for designing the iconic Noguchi table. His sculptures are credited with bridging East and West and some of his works are considered landmarks of 20th-century art. In 1982, he won the Edward MacDowell Medal. In 1987, he received the National Medal of Arts for his contribution to the arts. 

The first American racing driver to exceed 400 mph, Mickey Thompson was also an important auto racing builder and promoter, known for forming sanctioning bodies like SCORE International and Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group. A hot rodder from the very beginning, he won many track and dragster championships, later establishing Mickey Thompson Equipment Co. to manufacture high performance equipment for racers.

Raj Kapoor was an Indian film actor, producer, and director best remembered for his contribution to the Hindi film industry. The recipient of 11 Filmfare Awards and three National Film Awards, Raj Kapoor is regarded as one of the greatest Indian actors of all time. In 1987, he was honored with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India's highest honor in cinema.

Catholic theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar was one of the chief figures behind the formation of the Community of St. John. He also co-launched the Catholic journal Communio and penned numerous books on themes such as classical literature. Declared a cardinal, he died shortly before his investiture.

Alan Paton was a South African anti-apartheid activist and author best remembered for his novels, Too Late the Phalarope and Cry, the Beloved Country. Through his works, Paton aimed at exposing the apartheid oppression to reform his society. He was honored on various occasions for his exceptional contribution to literature. The Alan Paton Award is presented annually in his honor.