Birthdays are meant for celebrating with friends and enjoying another year around the sun. They’re a fun way to mark the passage of time, and signal excitement for life ahead. Some birthdays, particularly earlier in life, open up new possibilities, like being able to drive or vote. But sadly, many people have passed away on their birthday.
Some refer to this phenomenon as the birthday effect, a statistical occurrence where the likelihood of death increases around one’s birthday. Possible reasons for this include stress, substance abuse, or terminally ill individuals holding on until their birthday. In fact, researchers studied more than two million people and found that those aged 60 and older were 14% more likely to die on their birthday. Regardless of the cause, there are some very famous people who have died on their birthday.
20
Merle Haggard
April 6, 1937 – 2016, Age 79
Merle Haggard was an outlaw country star with 38 number-one hits in the U.S. After being released from San Quentin State Prison in 1960, he turned his life around and became a country music legend. Best known for songs such as “The Bottle Let Me Down” (1966) and “Swinging Doors” (1966), Merle sang about the working class and recorded several anti-Vietnam songs. He received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006 and a Kennedy Center Honor in 2010. Merle passed away from double pneumonia at his ranch in Shasta County, CA.
19
Ingrid Bergman
August 29, 1915 –1982, Age 67
Ingrid Bergman was one of the most influential actresses of all time. The Swedish actress starred in notable films such as Casablanca, Murder on the Orient Express, and Joan of Arc. She was a frequent collaborator of Alfred Hitchcock, appearing in three of his films. Bergman won three Academy Awards, two Emmy Awards, and a Tony. She passed away from cancer at midnight on her 67th birthday in London.
18
William Shakespeare
April 23, 1564 –1616, Age 53
William Shakespeare is often regarded as the greatest English writer of all time. During his lifetime, he wrote 37 plays, including Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and Julius Caesar. His works have been translated into every major living language. The exact cause of Shakespeare’s death remains a mystery; however, some suspect it was due to excessive drinking. The Bard passed away in Stratford-upon-Avon, where he was born.
Related
10 Movies You Never Knew Were Secretly Shakespeare Adaptations
Shakespeare’s works have had a massive influence on the stories we tell today, and in fact, many movies are direct adaptations of the Bard’s stories.
17
Raphael
April 6, 1483–1520, Age 37
Raphael was an artist considered one of the three greatest painters of the High Renaissance, alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. He is best known for his paintings of the Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus. The circumstances of his death in Rome remain mysterious, though some accounts claim he developed a fever from excessive lovemaking, which was mistakenly treated with bloodletting—an ancient practice of withdrawing blood to treat disease.
16
George Kelly Barnes (Machine Gun Kelly)
July 18, 1895 – 1954, Age 50
George Kelly Barnes, also known as Machine Gun Kelly, was a prominent gangster during the Prohibition era. Among his many crimes were bootlegging, armed robbery, and kidnapping an oil tycoon. He got his nickname because his weapon of choice was a Thompson submachine gun. He spent his last 21 years in prison, eventually dying in USP Leavenworth of a heart attack.
15
Mel Street
October 21, 1933 – 1978, Age 45
Mel Street was a well-known country music singer, best known for the song “Lovin’ on Back Streets.” During his career, he had 13 hit singles on the Billboard Country Charts and released 8 albums. He suffered from depression and alcoholism and died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
14
Betty Friedan
February 4, 1921 – 2006, Age 85
Betty Friedan was a writer and activist, best known for her novel The Feminine Mystique, which helped spark the women’s rights movement in the 1960s. She dedicated her life to fighting for women’s rights and equality. Tracy Ullman portrayed Friedan in the cast of the FX mini-series Mrs. America. She died of congestive heart failure at her home in Washington DC at the age of 85.
13
Mike Douglas
August 11, 1920 – 2006, Age 86
Mike Douglas was a singer, entertainer, and talk show host, best known for hosting The Mike Douglas Show for 20 years. The show had a popular format in which guests would co-host with Douglas for an entire week. Famous guests on the show included Truman Capote, Richard Nixon, Barbra Streisand, and the Rolling Stones. Douglas passed away after suffering from dehydration while golfing in Florida.
12
Maury Chaykin
July 27, 1949 – 2010, Age 61
Maury Chaykin was a Canadian character actor, best known for roles in My Cousin Vinny, Twins, WarGames, and Entourage. He often played larger-than-life personalities and had over 150 credits to his name. Chaykin died in Toronto from complications of a heart valve infection.
Related
Where Is My Cousin Vinny Streaming? Is It On Netflix, Hulu Or Prime?
Classic courtroom comedy My Cousin Vinny spawned a series of sequel novels and a Joe Pesci album (yes, really), but where is the movie streaming?
11
Yasujiro Ozu
December 12, 1903 – 1963, age 60
Yasujiro Ozu was one of the most acclaimed Japanese filmmakers of all time. His films explored family, marriage, and relationships throughout time. His film Tokyo Story was voted the third-best film of all time by the 2022 Sight & Sound poll. Unfortunately, he died of throat cancer on his 60th birthday.
10
John Banner
January 28, 1910- 73, Age 63
John Banner was an Austrian-born American actor, best known for his role as Sergeant Schultz on the hit sitcom Hogan’s Heroes, which aired for six seasons. On the show, he had a famous catchphrase: “I see nothing! I hear nothing! I know nothing!” He passed away in Vienna from a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm.
9
Gertrude Astor
November 9, 1887 – 1977, Age 90
Gertrude Astor was an actress during the early days of cinema. She was one of the first actresses to get a contract with Universal Studios and appeared in 250 movies. her last film role was in John Ford’s film The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. She died of a stroke at her home in Woodland Hills, CA.
8
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr.
August 17, 1914–1988, Age 74
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr. was a United States congressman from 1949 to 1955. He had an impressive military career and law practice before transitioning into politics. Franklin was the son of President Franklin Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt. He passed away in Poughkeepsie, New York on his 74th birthday after a battle with lung cancer.
7
Levi P. Morton
May 16, 1824-1920, age 96
Levi Parsons Morton was the 22nd Vice-President of the United States during the presidency of Benjamin Harrison. He also served as the U.S Ambassador to France and was the 31st Governor of New York. He ultimately passed away from Pneumonia.
6
Edna May Oliver
November 9, 1883 – 1942, Age 59
Edna May Oliver was a popular character actress who starred in 49 films and television shows. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1940 for her role as Mrs. McKlennar in the 1939 film Drums Along the Mohawk. She died in Los Angeles shortly after being diagnosed with abdominal cancer.
5
Swede Risberg
October 13, 1894 -1975, Age 81
Swede Risberg was a shortstop for the Chicago White Sox from 1917-1920. He was one of the ringleaders of the infamous White Sox scandal in which players intentionally played badly during the World Series for a fee. He went 2 for 25 while batting during the series and had a record-setting eight errors. Swede was paid $15,000 for helping fix the game, which was four times his salary. The last-living White Sox player, Risberg died in a convalescent home in Red Bluff, California. No cause of death was revealed.
4
Sidney Bechet
May 14, 1897 – 1959, Age 62
Sidney Bechet was one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time, a composer, clarinetist, and saxophonist. He was one of the first important jazz soloists, but only gained acclaim later in his life during the 1940s. He passed away in Garches, France after a battle with lung cancer.
3
Diane Shalet
February 23, 1935, 2006, Age 71
Diane Shalet is an actress who appeared in 40 films and television shows during her career. She played Judge Ellen Reynolds on one of the longest-running shows of all time, Days of Our Lives and her last role was Mrs. Hawkins on Matlock. She died in Palm Springs, CA on her 71st birthday.
2
Walter Diemer
January 8, 1905–1998, Age 93
Walter Diemer was an American accountant best known for inventing bubble gum. It differed from standard chewing gum because it was less sticky and stretched further. The gum was pink simply because it was the only food coloring available in the factory at the time — a tradition that continues to this day. Diemer passed away from congestive heart failure in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
1
Ella Baker
December 13, 1903 – 1986, Age 83
Ella Baker was a well-known civil rights activist. She worked alongside Martin Luther King, Thurgood Marshall, and W.E.B Du Bois. Many consider her to be one of the most important American leaders of the 20th century. She died in her sleep on her 83rd birthday in New York City.