Posts tagged: Landmark Deathdays

University of Texas / Wikimedia Commons

Who Hated Jane Austen So Much?

Was it Rudyard Kipling? Or Mark Twain? Which popular author hated Jane Austen so much? Jane Austen’s 200th deathday is July 18th, and The New York Times is celebrating with a Jane Austen quiz. …..

Photo of William Shakespeare in a crazy wide white starched collar, embroidered coat, bags under his eyes and bald pate with long hair down past his ears on each side

Happy 400th Deathday (Maybe) to William Shakespeare!

William Shakespeare, the Immortal Bard, proved all too mortal on this day 400 years ago. Or close to this day: he died on or about April 23, 1616. The exact day of Shakespeare’s …..

Christopher Hitchens: Obituary First Lines

Troublemaker, charmer, provocateur, polemicist… that’s what the obituaries are calling Christopher Hitchens. He died yesterday in a Houston hospital at age 62. 

Happy 100th Deathday, Gustav Mahler!

The great Viennese composer and conductor Gustav Mahler died in his beloved Vienna on this day in 1911. Mahler had a weak heart, and he had been struggling with a bacterial infection of the heart tissues for several weeks. The New York Times obituary noted that his death “was precipitated by the spread of his heart affliction to his lungs, which developed a fatal pneumonic weakness during the last few days.”  He was only 50, for pete’s sakes. 

Jack Wild, Happy Fifth Deathday to You

Actor Jack Wild died on this day in 2006. Cancer of the mouth was the cause; he’d had most of his tongue and larynx removed in 2004, but the disease got him at age 53.

Happy 30th Deathday, Bill Haley!

Wow: It’s been 30 years since the death of Bill Haley, Mr. Rock-Around-the-Clock himself.  Haley was only 55 when he died of a brain tumor (or a heart attack, depending on who’s talking) in 1981.

Mary Shelley +160 Years

The mother of Frankenstein died 160 years ago today.It’s been closer to 200 years since she first published Frankenstein: or, the Modern Prometheus in 1818.

Erwin Schrodinger +50 Years

Happy 50th deathday to you, genius physicist Erwin Schrödinger.  You died on this day in 1961.

Charles Rocket +5

Charles Rocket, the former TV news anchor who joined the cast of Saturday Night Live only to be fired in 1981, killed himself five years ago today.Some think Rocket was a victim of the Saturday Night Live curse.

Janis Joplin +40

Rock and blues singer Janis Joplin died on this day in 1970.

Jean Piaget +30

Psychologist Jean Piaget died 30 years ago today.He was a specialist — a pioneer, really — in child development. See our full Piaget profile.

Happy 45th Deathday, Edward R. Murrow!

Edward R. Murrow, journalist extraordinaire, died 45 years ago today.We offered a two-word salute to Murrow on his centennial in 2008.(Edward R. Murrow seen through an office window at CBS News in 1957.)

Guy Walks Into a Bar…

A drunk was in front of a judge. The judge says “You’ve been brought here for drinking.” The drunk says, “Okay, let’s get started.” A man goes to a psychiatrist. The doctor says, “You’re crazy.” The man says, “I want a second opinion!” “Okay, you’re ugly too!” The food on the plane was fit for a king. “Here, King!”Happy 12th deathday to the “king of the one-liners,” Henny Youngman.

Patricia Highsmith, Happy 15th Deathday!

Patricia Highsmith, the creepy and sophisticated author of The Talented Mr. Ripley, died 15 years ago today.(Aside: When did 1995 get to be 15 years ago?)