Famous People Who Died At 37

Vincent van Gogh was a Dutch post-impressionist painter and is said to be one of the most famous and influential figures in the history of Western art. However, he was not commercially successful in his lifetime and died by suicide at 37 after years of mental health issues and poverty. He gained recognition and respect in the 20th century.

Italian painter and architect Raphael, along with Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, formed the great trio who ushered in the High Renaissance. He is mostly known for his frescoes of the Vatican Palace and The School of Athens. He also designed the Chigi Chapel, among other structures in Rome.

French poet Arthur Rimbaud is remembered for his influence on Dadaism, surrealism, and symbolism. Known for works such as Le Soleil Etait Encore Chaud and Voyelles, he later got involved in a relationship with poet Paul Verlaine. He also traveled as a merchant and explorer, before dying of cancer.

Lou Gehrig was an American baseball player. Nicknamed The Iron Horse for his durability and prowess as a hitter, Lou Gehrig played for the New York Yankees of the Major League Baseball (MLB). His life and career inspired the 1942 film The Pride of the Yankees in which he was portrayed by actor Gary Cooper.

Gholamreza Takhti was an Iranian wrestler best remembered for winning the gold medal in the 87 kg category at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne. A two-time world champion, Takhti had also won a gold medal at the 1958 Asian Games. Thanks to his sportsmanship and chivalrous behavior, Gholamreza Takhti was the most famous Iranian athlete of the 20th century.

The daughter of Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis, Christina Onassis had an unhappy life. She lost both her parents shortly after her brother’s accidental death. She married and divorced 4 times and had a long struggle with eating disorders. She tragically died of a heart attack at 37.

Shahab al-Din Yahya ibn Habash Suhrawardi was a Persian philosopher who founded the Iranian school of Illuminationism, an important school of thought in Islamic philosophy. He thought of himself as a reviver or resuscitator of the ancient tradition of Persian wisdom and produced his magnum opus, The Philosophy of Illumination at the age of 32.    

English ethnographer and traveler Mary Kingsley was the daughter of renowned physician and traveler George Kingsley and the niece of Charles Kingsley. Unlike girls of her era, she was well-educated and later ventured on an exploratory trip to West Africa, becoming the first European to enter remote areas such as Gabon.

A major figure of the Irish Literary Revival, John Millington Synge is best remembered for his play The Playboy of the Western World, which caused riots in Dublin due to its satiric depiction of the Irish nature of boasting. His life ended abruptly at 37, due to blood cancer.

Rainer Werner Fassbinder was a German actor, filmmaker, and playwright. He grew up in the aftermath of World War II and had a tough childhood. He sought solace by watching films and took acting lessons. He began his career in theater and eventually entered films as well. He is considered a prominent figure of the New German Cinema movement. 

Abu Muslim was a Persian military general best remembered for his service as the commander-in-chief of the third caliphate to succeed Prophet Muhammad, Abbasid Caliphate. He helped Abbasid Caliphate overthrow the Umayyad Caliphate by playing an important role in the Abbasid Revolution. Abu Muslim then became the governor of Khurasan in 747 after defeatng the Umayyad governor Nasr ibn Sayyar.

Women’s aviation pioneer, Harriet Quimby became the first female pilot to complete a flight across the English Channel. Starting her career as a journalist for Dramatic Review, she later worked as a drama critic for Leslie’s Weekly, before stepping into aviation. She was killed when her aircraft lost control over Dorchester Bay.

Mehmed III reigned as the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 16 January 1595 until his death on 22 December 1603. He is best remembered for his role in the Long Turkish War, where he successfully led his army at the all-important Battle of Keresztes. Also remembered for his diplomacy, Mehmed III established communications with the court of Elizabeth I. 

Prince Henry of Battenberg was a morganatic descendant of the Grand Ducal House of Hesse. He was the son of Prince Alexander of Hesse and by the Rhine, and his wife, Countess Julia von Hauke. He married Queen Victoria's youngest child, Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom, and became a member of the British Royal Family. 

Justin Wilson was a British open-wheel racing driver who took part in the IndyCar Series as well as the Formula One. He won many races, including the International Formula 3000 Championship title and the 2012 24 Hours of Daytona. In 2006 and 2007, Justin Wilson was honored with the prestigious Greg Moore Legacy Award.  

Remembered as the coach of tennis legend Roger Federer, Peter Carter had started off as a player but moved to coaching after his playing career was cut short due to injuries. He tragically died in a car accident at the Kruger National Park, where he was supposed to be holidaying with his wife.

Though born to a ballet dancer father and a pianist mother, Alexander Friedmann grew up to be a talented mathematician and cosmologist. He had served as an aviator during World War I and later also taught. He died of typhoid at age 37 after eating a pear during his honeymoon.

Silvana Armenulic was a Bosnian actress, singer, and songwriter. Nicknamed the Queen of Sevdalinka, Armenulić is regarded as one of the most important traditional sevdalinka singers in Yugoslavia. Although Silvana Armenulić died in a car accident at age 37, her voice and unique singing style are still cherished by her fans all over the world.

Elisabeth of Austria, Queen of France, is considered by many as the most attractive member of the Habsburg dynasty. The second daughter of Maria of Spain and Maximilian II of the Holy Roman Empire, she became the queen consort of France by virtue of her marriage to King Charles IX.