Famous People Who Died on August 20

Discover the most famous people who died on August 20. The list includes people like Anne Hutchinson, Paul Ehrlich, William Booth, Tomas Luis De Victoria, Adolf von Baeyer. Famous personalities featured on this list, include political leaders, actors, physicists and mathematicians and from other domains of life. This list includes people from United States, United Kingdom, Germany & Spain and many more countries.

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Jerry Lewis

(Comedian, Actor and One of the Most Significant American Cultural Figures of All Time)

Birthdate: March 16, 1926

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Newark, New Jersey, United States

Died: 2017

One half of the popular American comedy duo Martin & Lewis, Jerry Lewis was nicknamed The King of Comedy for his comedic skills. Also a filmmaker, Jerry Lewis helped develop video assist and went on to popularize the system, which is widely used today. Also a humanitarian, Lewis worked closely with the Muscular Dystrophy Association, raising awareness about muscular dystrophy.

Phyllis Diller

(Comedian, Actress)

Birthdate: July 17, 1917

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Lima, Ohio, United States

Died: 2012

Height: 5'1" (155 cm)

Anne Hutchinson

(Puritan Religious Reformer, Spiritual Advisor and One of the Most Infamous English Women in Colonial American History)

Birthdate: 1591

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Alford, United Kingdom

Died: 1643

Anne Hutchinson was a Puritan religious reformer, spiritual advisor, and a prominent participant in the Free Grace Controversy, which shook the Massachusetts Bay Colony between 1636 and 1638. Anne Hutchinson is an important figure in the history of women in ministry and the history of religious freedom in the Thirteen British Colonies.

Birthdate: March 14, 1854

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Strzelin, Poland

Died: 1915

German scientist Paul Ehrlich is remembered for his contribution to immunology, which also won him a Nobel Prize. Known as the pioneer of chemotherapy, he also discovered the first-known treatment of syphilis. Born into a business family, he was introduced to the method of studying cells by his pathologist uncle.

Joe Dassin

(American-French Pop Singer Known for His Ability to Sing in Multiple Languages)

Birthdate: November 5, 1938

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States

Died: 1980

The son of American filmmaker Jules Dassin, French pop idol Joe Dassin was educated in Switzerland and the U.S., and earned degrees in anthropology before moving to France. After playing supporting roles in his father’s movies, he soared to fame with songs such as Les Champs-Élysées and L'Été indien.

Gene Upshaw

(American football player)

Birthdate: August 15, 1945

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Robstown, Texas, United States

Died: 2008

Height: 6'5" (196 cm)

Bernard of Clairvaux

(French Abbot, Theologian and Co-Founder of the 'Knights Templars')

Birthdate: 1090 AD

Birthplace: Fontaine-lès-Dijon, France

Died: 1153

Bernard of Clairvaux, or Saint Bernard, was a 12th-century Burgundian monk, who became the abbot of the abbey of Clairvaux, founded by him. He chose to live a life of physical austerities, which caused him ailments such as anemia. He is revered as the patron saint of beekeepers and candlemakers.

Birthdate: April 10, 1829

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Sneinton, Nottingham, England

Died: 1912

Hailed as the Prophet of the Poor, William Booth was the co-founder and the first the General of the Salvation Army, a Christian church known for its world-wide charitable work. Initially a Methodist preacher, he was moved by the plight of the poor and formed the Salvation Army, aiming to deliver salvation by meeting both their physical and spiritual needs.

Ed Freeman

(Helicopter pilot, Military personnel)

Birthdate: November 20, 1927

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Neely

Died: 2008

Fred Hoyle

(English Astronomer Who Formulated the Theory of 'Stellar Nucleosynthesis')

Birthdate: June 24, 1915

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Bingley, England

Died: 2001

Fred Hoyle was an English astronomer known for his theory of stellar nucleosynthesis. He spent most of his career at the Institute of Astronomy at Cambridge, serving as its director for six years. He was also an author of science fiction novels, short stories, and plays and appeared in a series of radio talks on astronomy for the BBC.

Joe Rosenthal

(Photographer, Artist, War photographer, Photojournalist, Journalist)

Birthdate: October 9, 1911

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Washington, D.C.

Died: 2006

Birthdate: December 14, 1918

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Bellur, Kolar district, Kingdom of Mysore (now Karnataka, India)

Died: 2014

Johan de Witt

(Mathematician, Politician)

Birthdate: September 24, 1625

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Dordrecht

Died: 1672

Colin Meads

(New Zealand Rugby Union Player)

Birthdate: June 3, 1936

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Cambridge, New Zealand

Died: 2017

Height: 6'4" (193 cm)

Birthdate: October 31, 1835

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Berlin

Died: 1917

Adolf von Baeyer was a German chemist who is best known for synthesizing indigo. Interested in science from a young age, he studied chemistry at the University of Heidelberg, where his mentor was the prominent organic chemist August Kekulé. He went on to have a successful career and received the 1905 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Brian Murray

(South African Actor and Theatre Director)

Birthdate: September 10, 1937

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Johannesburg, South Africa

Died: 2018

Brian Murray was a South African theatre director and actor. Over the course of his career, which spanned more than five decades, Murray received several awards nominations including three nominations for the prestigious Tony Award. In 1998, he was honored with the Lucille Lortel Award for his contribution to the arts. He also won a couple of Drama Desk Awards.

Donald O. Hebb

(Canadian Psychologist Best Known for Cell-Assembly-Theory)

Birthdate: July 22, 1904

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Chester, Nova Scotia, Canada

Died: 1985

Though born to physicians, Donald O. Hebb had initially aspired to be a novelist. He later pioneered neuropsychology by merging elements of psychology and neuroscience, and thus establishing psychology as part of bio science. His iconic work The Organization of Behavior spoke about many innovate concepts such as Hebb’s Rule.

Alfred Kubin

(Austrian Graphic Artist Known for His Drawings and Paintings of Dreamlike, Often Morbid, Subjects)

Birthdate: April 10, 1877

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Litomerice, Czechia

Died: 1959

Austrian printmaker, illustrator, and occasional writer Alfred Kubin is counted among the important representatives of Symbolism and Expressionism. He is noted for his inventive black-and-white drawings that included dreamlike, often morbid, subjects and portrayed supernatural creatures and sexual violence. He illustrated Der Orchideengarten magazine, and has also worked for the likes of E. T. A. Hoffmann and Edgar Allan Poe.

Carlos Finlay

(Epidemiologist)

Birthdate: December 3, 1833

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Camagüey, Cuba

Died: 1915

Dom Mintoff

(Politician)

Birthdate: August 6, 1916

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Bormla, Malta

Died: 2012

Hugo Pratt

(Novelist, Writer, Painter, Screenwriter)

Birthdate: June 15, 1927

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Rimini

Died: 1995

Pope Pius X

(Head of the Catholic Church from 1903 to 1914)

Birthdate: June 2, 1835

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Riese Pio X, Italy

Died: 1914

Pope Pius X was the head of the Catholic Church from 1903 to 1914. He is credited for initiating the preparation of the 1917 Code of Canon Law. He was vehemently opposed to modernism as a pope. He regularly gave homily sermons in the pulpit, a rare practice for popes. He was beatified in 1951 and canonized in 1954.

Matiur Rahman

(Military pilot)

Birthdate: October 29, 1941

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Dhaka

Died: 1971

Despised as traitor in Pakistan and hailed as martyr in Bangladesh, Bangladesh-born Pakistani air force officer Matiur Rahman died while attempting to defect to Bangladesh with a Lockheed T-33 jet trainer during the Bangladesh Liberation War. For thirty-five years, his mortal remains lay buried in fourth-class-employees’ graveyard in Pakistan before it could be reburied with full military honor in Dhaka.

Maria Nagaya

(Saint)

Birthdate: February 8, 1553

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Russia

Died: 1612

Kurt Schumacher

(Politician)

Birthdate: October 13, 1895

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Chełmno, Poland

Died: 1952

Ram Sharan Sharma

(Author, Historian, University teacher)

Birthdate: November 26, 1919

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Barauni

Died: 2011

Ram Sharan Sharma was an Indian historian and academic who worked as a teacher at the University of Delhi and Patna University between 1973 and 1985. He also served as the head of the departments of History at both universities. An influential figure, Ram Sharan Sharma had a strong say in matters pertaining to historical research in India.

Oleg Prokofiev

(Artist)

Birthdate: December 14, 1928

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Paris, France

Died: 1998

Oleg Prokofiev was a Russian artist, poet, and sculptor. Prokofiev traveled extensively and exhibited his work worldwide, including places like the UK, France, Russia, and the USA. Today, his artworks can be found in places like The State Tretyakov Gallery, The Stiftung Wilhelm Lehmbruck Museum, Leeds City Art Gallery, and the Zimmerli Art Museum.

George Taubman Goldie

(British Colonial Administrator Who Had a Major Role in Founding Nigeria)

Birthdate: May 20, 1846

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Douglas, Isle of Man

Died: 1925

British colonial administrator George Taubman Goldie who is known for his efforts in founding the country Nigeria. He led the Royal Niger Company and marked clear boundaries of control in his negotiations with the French and the German authorities. He was eventually knighted for his achievements.

Branko Kostić

(Secretary-General of the Non-Aligned Movement (1991-1992))

Birthdate: August 28, 1939

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Cetinje, Montenegro

Died: 2020

Mun Kyong-jin

(Violinist)

Birthdate: 1981 AD

Birthplace: North Korea

Died: 2013

Robert Stanley Weir

(Canadian judge and poet)

Birthdate: November 15, 1856

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Hamilton, Canada

Died: 1926

Robert Stanley Weir was a Canadian judge and poet. He is best known for writing the English lyrics to the national anthem of Canada, O Canada. He was trained as a teacher and lawyer. Over the course of his successful legal career, he was appointed a municipal court judge. He published several poems in magazines and book collections.

Dionys Mascolo

(Left-wing Political Activist, Essayist)

Birthdate: February 11, 1916

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Val-d'Oise, France

Died: 1997

Ilona Massey

(Actress)

Birthdate: June 16, 1910

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Budapest, Hungary

Died: 1974

Initially known as “the new Dietrich,” actor and opera singer Ilona Massey grew up amid poverty and funded her singing lessons by working as a dressmaker’s apprentice. From performing on radio and in night clubs, she later rose to be the quintessential temptress in films such as Love Happy.

John Gilmore

(Musician)

Birthdate: September 28, 1931

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Summit, Mississippi, United States

Died: 1995

Fielding H. Yost

(American Football Player)

Birthdate: April 30, 1871

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Fairview, West Virginia, United States

Died: 1946

Cristóbal de Villalpando

(Mexican Artist Known for His Decorative and Luminous Baroque Style)

Birthdate: 1649 AD

Birthplace: Mexico City, Mexico

Died: 1714

Born in Mexico, Baroque painter Cristóbal de Villalpando created masterpieces that still adorn Mexican cathedrals. Much of his work, such as Triumph of the Eucharist, was influenced by Peter Paul Rubens and his techniques of brushwork and color. He also drew from Mannerism and created a distinct local Mexican style.

Thad Jones

(Trumpeter, Composer)

Birthdate: March 28, 1923

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Pontiac, Michigan, United States

Died: 1986

Tom Weiskopf

(American Professional Golfer)

Birthdate: November 9, 1942

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Massillon, Ohio, United States

Died: 2022

Height: 6'3" (190 cm)

Miguel López de Legazpi

(Navigator and Governor Who Established the First Spanish Settlement in the East Indies)

Birthdate: 1502 AD

Birthplace: Zumarraga, Spain

Died: 1572

Bunny Austin

(British Tennis Player)

Birthdate: August 20, 1906

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: London, England

Died: 2000

Bunny Austin was an English professional tennis player. A former world No. 2, Austin remained the last Briton to play at the final of the Wimbledon men's singles for 74 years, before Andy Murray reached the finals in 2012. Bunny Austin was an important player of the British team that won three consecutive Davis Cups from 1933 to 1935.

Meles Zenawi

(Former Prime Minister of Ethiopia (1995 - 2012))

Birthdate: May 8, 1955

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Adwa, Ethiopia

Died: 2012

Ethiopian revolutionary-turned-politician Meles Zenawi served as the prime minister of Ethiopia. A medical school drop-out, he abandoned his studies to join the Tigrai Peoples Liberation Front. His reforms made Ethiopian economy as well as its education and agricultural sectors stronger. He died of an undisclosed ailment.

Pope Pius VII

(Pope)

Birthdate: August 14, 1742

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Cesena, Italy

Died: 1823

Georg von Frundsberg

(Military officer)

Birthdate: September 24, 1473

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Mindelsheim Castle, Germany

Died: 1528

Frank Cullotta

(Gangster)

Birthdate: December 14, 1938

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States

Died: 2020

Birthdate: July 4, 1919

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Marbletown, New York, United States

Died: 2007

Dubbed as the Queen of Mean, Leona Helmsley was a hotel magnate and a convicted felon. Seen as the symbol of arrogance, she first hogged the limelight for marrying entrepreneur Harry Helmsley. Her fall from grace occured when she was named for tax evasion. In 1989, she was convicted of federal income tax evasion and other crimes.

Walter Krueger

(Military personnel)

Birthdate: January 26, 1881

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Złotów

Died: 1967

Jules Laforgue

(Franco-Uruguayan Poet)

Birthdate: August 16, 1860

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Montevideo, Uruguay

Died: 1887

Jules Laforgue was a Franco-Uruguayan poet whose poetry has been referred to as part-symbolist, part-impressionist. Apart from being a poet, Jules Laforgue also served as a model for a French artist named Pierre-Auguste Renoir.

Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling

(Philosopher)

Birthdate: January 27, 1775

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Leonberg, Germany

Died: 1854

Ulla Jacobsson

(Swedish Actress )

Birthdate: May 23, 1929

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Mölndal, Sweden

Died: 1982