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In the year 1921
899 Notable birthdays
Jean-Bedel Bokassa
2nd president (1966–76) and emperor (r. 1976–79) of the central african republic.
Born February 22nd, 1921 in Bobangui. [ref]
Died November 3rd, 1996 at 75 years old in Bangui (myocardial infarction).
Mamie Till
African american schoolteacher.
Born November 23rd, 1921 in Webb.
Died January 6th, 2003 at 81 years old in Chicago (cardiac arrest).
Paulo Freire
Brazilian educator and philosopher (1921–1997).
Born October 19th, 1921 in Recife.
Died May 2nd, 1997 at 75 years old in São Paulo.
James Clavell
American novelist (1921-1994).
Born October 10th, 1921 in Sydney. [ref]
Died September 7th, 1994 at 72 years old in Vevey (cancer).
Françoise Gilot
French painter, art critic, writer and beloved of pablo picasso (1921–2023).
Born November 26th, 1921 in Neuilly-sur-Seine. [ref]
Died June 6th, 2023 at 101 years old in Manhattan. [ref]
Stanley Ho
Macau gambling magnate (1921–2020).
Born November 25th, 1921 in British Hong Kong.
Died May 26th, 2020 at 98 years old in Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital (stroke). [ref]
Mario Lanza
American tenor and actor (1921-1959).
Born January 31st, 1921 in Philadelphia.
Died October 7th, 1959 at 38 years old in Rome (myocardial infarction).
Betty Hutton
American actress (1921–2007).
Born February 26th, 1921 in Battle Creek.
Died March 12th, 2007 at 86 years old in Palm Springs (colorectal cancer). [ref]
Jim Garrison
American district attorney (1921–1992).
Born November 20th, 1921 in Denison.
Died October 21st, 1992 at 70 years old in New Orleans (cancer).
John Agar
American actor (1921-2002).
Born January 31st, 1921 in Chicago.
Died April 7th, 2002 at 81 years old in Burbank (pulmonary emphysema).
Jesse Helms
American politician (1921–2008).
Born October 18th, 1921 in Monroe.
Died July 4th, 2008 at 86 years old in Raleigh (dementia). [ref]
Leo Major
Canadian world war ii and korean war soldier (1921–2008).
Born January 23rd, 1921 in New Bedford.
Died October 12th, 2008 at 87 years old in Candiac.
James Dougherty
American police officer and husband of marilyn monroe (1921–2005).
Born April 12th, 1921 in Los Angeles.
Died August 15th, 2005 at 84 years old in San Rafael (leukemia).
Louis Jourdan
French actor (1921–2015).
Born June 19th, 1921 in Marseille. [ref]
Died February 14th, 2015 at 93 years old in Beverly Hills. [ref]
Gordon MacRae
American actor, singer (1921-1986).
Born March 12th, 1921 in East Orange.
Died January 24th, 1986 at 64 years old in William Jennings Bryan House (lip and oral cavity carcinoma).
Andrei Sakharov
Soviet nuclear physicist and human rights activist.
Born May 21st, 1921 in Moscow. [ref]
Died December 14th, 1989 at 68 years old in Moscow (myocardial infarction). [ref]
Leo Penn
American actor (1921-1998).
Born August 27th, 1921 in Lawrence. [ref]
Died September 5th, 1998 at 77 years old in Los Angeles (lung cancer). [ref]
Maila Nurmi
Finnish american actress (1922–2008).
Born December 21st, 1921 in Gloucester. [ref]
Died January 10th, 2008 at 86 years old in Los Angeles (myocardial infarction). [ref]
Lizabeth Scott
American actress and singer (1921–2015).
Born September 29th, 1921 in Scranton.
Died January 31st, 2015 at 93 years old in Los Angeles.
John Russell
American actor (1921–1991).
Born January 3rd, 1921 in Los Angeles.
Died January 19th, 1991 at 70 years old in Los Angeles (pulmonary emphysema).
Yves Montand
French-italian actor and singer (1921–1991).
Born October 13th, 1921 in Monsummano Terme.
Died November 9th, 1991 at 70 years old in Senlis (myocardial infarction). [ref]
Stanisław Lem
Polish science fiction author, philosopher and futurologist, studied medical doctor (1921–2006).
Born September 12th, 1921 in Lviv.
Died March 27th, 2006 at 84 years old in Kraków. [ref]
Paul Schäfer
German criminal and founder of a sect and agricultural commune colonia dignidad in chile (1921-2010).
Born December 4th, 1921 in Bonn.
Died April 24th, 2010 at 88 years old in Santiago (heart failure). [ref]
Harry Carey
American actor (1921–2012).
Born May 16th, 1921 in Santa Clarita. [ref]
Died December 27th, 2012 at 91 years old in Santa Barbara. [ref]
Frank Thornton
British actor (1921–2013).
Born January 15th, 1921 in London.
Died March 16th, 2013 at 92 years old in London. [ref]
Birthdays 51 to 75 of 899
You know you're getting old when the candles cost more than the cake. Bob Hope