Famous People Who Died Today

B. F. Skinner was an American behaviorist, psychologist, inventor, author, and social philosopher. Skinner, who taught psychology at Harvard University, is credited with founding a school of thought in psychology called the experimental analysis of behavior. Regarded as a pioneer of modern behaviorism, Skinner was named the 20th century's most influential psychologist, according to a survey conducted in June 2002. 

Ghanaian diplomat Kofi Annan served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006. He was the founder and chairman of the Kofi Annan Foundation and a co-recipient of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize. During his stint with the UN, he launched the UN Global Compact and worked to combat HIV/AIDS. 

An Indian nationalist known for his role in the country’s struggle for freedom from the British, Subhas Chandra Bose was a politician with radical views. He was part of the Indian National Congress in the late 1920s and 1930s. However, his association with Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan made him a controversial figure.

Chris McCandless, also known as Alexander Supertramp, was made famous by Jon Krakauer’s book Into the Wild, which was later made into a movie. The adventurer had hitchhiked through Alaska, and later took shelter in an abandoned bus, where he eventually died of starvation and poisoning, cut off from civilization.

Honoré de Balzac was a French playwright and novelist. Since his works gave a detailed, unfiltered representation of society, Honoré de Balzac is generally considered one of the founders of realism and an important figure in European literature. Renowned for creating multi-faceted characters, Balzac influenced several popular writers like Charles John Huffam Dickens, Émile Zola, Henry James, and Gustave Flaubert.

Phil Donahue is best known for his long stint as the host and creator of The Phil Donahue Show, later named Donahue, the first talk show that involved audience participation. He inspired iconic talk show host Oprah. He also hosted an MSNBC show and co-directed the documentary Body of War.

Alain Delon is a French actor, screenwriter, singer, filmmaker, and businessman. One of the most prominent actors and sex symbols in Europe during the 1960s and 1970s, Delon achieved critical acclaim for his performance in films like Rocco and His Brothers. In 1985, he was honored with the prestigious César Award for his portrayal of Robert Avranches in Our Story.

Son of a farmer, Kim Dae Jung later took over a company that he had initially joined as a clerk. He escaped from the clutches of death during the Korean War. The Nobel Peace Prize-winning politician also became the first opposition leader to be elected as the South Korean president.

Jesse Robredo was a Filipino politician best remembered for his service as the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government from 2010 until his death in 2012. He is also remembered for his service as the Mayor of Naga on two occasions. In 2000, Jesse Robredo became the first Filipino mayor to receive the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service.

French Catholic priest Urbain Grandier was a popular preacher in Loudun. However, he was later accused of practicing witchcraft and causing the demonic possession of a group of nuns from the Ursuline convent. It is believed the jealousy of the rival preachers was behind the accusation.

Frederick Ashton was a British choreographer and ballet dancer. He is best remembered for his work as a choreographer and director in opera, film, and revue. He achieved popularity as the chief choreographer at the Royal Ballet, where he worked alongside Ninette de Valois. Frederick Ashton succeeded de Valois as the company's director, serving until his retirement in 1970.

Italian Baroque painter Guido Reni was a major figure of the Bolognese School. His subjects were predominantly mythological and religious figures. Initially inspired by Annibale Carracci, he later deviated to lighter colors and free brushwork. His iconic works include the fresco Aurora and the composition Atalanta and Hippomenes.

Nikolaus Pevsner was a German-British architectural historian and art historian. He is best remembered for his 46-volume series of guide books called The Buildings of England. Pevsner is credited with co-founding the Victorian Society in 1957. The society aims at preserving Edwardian and Victorian architecture. In 1969, Nikolaus Pevsner was knighted for services to architecture and art.

British-Argentine author, naturalist, and ornithologist William Henry Hudson not just published a number of ornithological studies but also several novels, such as Green Mansions. He criticized Darwinism and was inspired by Samuel Butler’s writings. He was also part of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

Erwin Schulhoff was a Czech pianist and composer. His musical journey suffered the same fate as that of most European musicians whose careers were cut short by the rise of the Nazis at the beiginning of the 20th century. Although his works were seldom performed or noted during his lifetime, Erwin Schulhoff achieved posthumous recognition.

Alexandros Mavrokordatos was a Greek statesman, politician, diplomat, and member of the famous Mavrocordatos family of Phanariotes. He served as the President of the Provisional Administration of Greece from 1822 to 1823. An influential politician, who played a key role during the Greek Revolution, Mavrokordatos also served as the Prime Minister of Greece on four occasions between 1833 and 1855.

A 5th-century Roman general, Ricimer is remembered as a kingmaker of the Western Roman Empire. While he initially supported Emperor Majorian, he later deposed him in favor of Libius Severus. He later clashed with Emperor Anthemius and promoted Olybrius to the throne. He never ruled directly but showcased his influence through puppet rulers.

Archduke Wilhelm of Austria, or Vasyl Vyshyvani, the son of Archduke Karl Stephan, had been a Ukrainian army colonel. He had also served as a spy for the French and the British, against the Nazis and the Soviets. It is believed he was homosexual and a fine poet, too.

Finland-Swedish painter Albert Edelfelt, one of the founders of Realist art movement, is best-remembered for his Realist approach towards art and his naturalistic style. Counted among the first internationally famed Finnish artists and regarded as a prominent artist of Golden Age of Finnish Art, Edelfelt created notable paintings like Boys Playing on the Shore and Pasteur's Portrait in his laboratory.  

Richard Laurence Millington Synge was a British biochemist best remembered for winning the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1952 for the invention of partition chromatography. He was also associated with the Royal Society of Chemistry where he served as the treasurer of its Chemical Information Group. Synge also served as an honorary Professor at the University of East Anglia.

Russian-born American Yiddish poet, writer, and artist Celia Dropkin wrote several poems and short stories on varied subjects including on nature and children. She is however best known for her erotic poems which are noted for their frankness in dealing with love, sexuality, depression, relationships, and death. One of her notable works includes the poem The Acrobat.