Famous Deaths on February 29

American FBI agent that lead the manhunt for outlaws Baby Face Nelson, Pretty Boy Floyd and John Dillinger, dies of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at 56 British singer and actor (The Monkees - "Daydream Believer"), dies from heart attack at 66

February 29 Calendar
  • 468 Pope St. Hilarius (461-468), calendar reformer, dies (birth date unknown)
  • 992 Oswald of Worcester, Anglo-Saxon Archbishop of York and saint, leader in English monastic reforms, dies washing the feet of the poor
  • 1528 Patrick Hamilton, Scottish protestant martyr, burned at the stake in St Andrews at about 24
  • 1592 Alessandro Striggio, Italian composer (b. 1540)
  • 1604 John Whitgift, Archbishop of Canterbury (1583-1604), dies at about 74
  • 1740 Pietro Ottoboni, Italian cardinal and grandnephew of Pope Alexander VIII, dies at 72
  • 1744 John Theophilus Desaguliers, French-British natural philosopher and freemason, dies at 60
  • 1820 Johann Joachim Eschenburg, German literary critic (b. 1743)
  • 1844 Thaddäus Weigl, German-Austrian composer, publisher, and conductor, dies at 67
  • 1852 John Landseer, English printer and engraver (Royal Academy), dies (birth date unknown 1763-69)
  • 1860 George Bridgetower, Polish-African violinist (musical prodigy who inspired Beethoven), dies at 81 [1]
  • 1868 Ludwig I, King of Bavaria (1825-48), dies at 81
  • 1880 Sir James Wilson, Premier of Tasmania (b. 1812, also on 29 February)
  • 1908 John Hope, 1st Marquess of Linlithgow, first Governor-General of Australia (as Lord Hopetoun)
  • 1908 Pat Garrett, American Western lawman, dies at 57
  • 1916 Edward H J Keurvels, Flemish conductor/composer (Parisina), dies at 62
  • 1928 Adolphe Appia, Swiss set designer and theorist (Wagner opera sets), dies at 65
  • 1928 Armando Diaz, Italian marshal and minister of War (1922-24), dies at 66
  • 1928 Ina Coolbrith, first poet laureate of California (b. 1841)
  • 1940 Edward Frederic Benson, English novelist, dies at 72
  • 1944 Pehr Evind Svinhufvud, President of Finland (b. 1861)

American FBI agent that lead the manhunt for outlaws Baby Face Nelson, Pretty Boy Floyd and John Dillinger, dies of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at 56

  • 1964 Frank Albertson, American actor (Psycho; It's a Wonderful Life; Alice Adams), dies in his sleep at 55
  • 1964 Victor van Straelen, Flemish biologist and paleontologist, dies at 74
  • 1968 Lena Blackburne, American baseball infielder, manager, coach (Chicago White Sox; discovered rubbing clay to take the shine off baseballs), dies at 81
  • 1968 Tore Ørjasæter, Norwegian poet (b. 1886)
  • 1980 Gil Elvgren, American illustrator and commercial artist (Brown & Bigelow pin-up calendars), dies of cancer at 65
  • 1980 Yigal Allon (né Peikowitz) Israeli politician (Deputy Prime Minister, 1968-74), dies of heart failure at 61
  • 1984 Roland Culver, English actor (Thunderball), dies of heart problems at 83
  • 1992 Earl Scheib, CEO (Earl Scheib Auto Paint), dies at 85
  • 1992 Johnny Mack, British actor (Time Lord-Dr Who), dies at 70
  • 1992 Ruth Pitter, British poet and 1st woman to receive the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry in 1955, dies at 94
  • 1996 Frank Daniel, Czech-American screenwriter, director and teacher, dies at 69
  • 1996 Joe Minogue, British journalist (Guardian), dies at 72
  • 1996 John Grant, British rear-admiral (Royal Navy), dies at 87
  • 1996 Stuart Wilson-MacDonald, Scottish World War II fighter pilot, dies at 83
  • 1996 Wes Farrell, American songwriter (The Partridge Family), dies of cancer at 56
  • 2000 Abe Bolar, American double bass player (Oklahoma City Blue Devils; Hot Lips Page; Count Basie), dies at 90
  • 2000 Dennis Danell, American punk rock guitarist (Social Distortion), dies of heart failure at 38
  • 2004 Jerome Lawrence, American playwright (Inherit the Wind), dies at 88
  • 2008 Jerry Groom, American College Football HOF center (Notre Dame; NFL Pro Bowl 1954; Chicago Cardinals), dies at 78

British singer and actor (The Monkees - "Daydream Believer"), dies from heart attack at 66

  • 2016 Aron Burton, American electric and Chicago blues bass guitarist, singer, and songwriter, dies of heart disease and diabetes at 77
  • 2016 Edward M. Lawson, Canadian trade unionist and politician, dies at 86
  • 2020 Andrei Vedernikov, Russian road cyclist (first Soviet to win individual amateur road race at World C'ships 1981), dies as a result of a falling tree at 60
  • 2020 Bill Roe, American sports executive (President USA Track & Field 2000-2008), dies at 69
  • 2020 Éva Székely, Hungarian swimmer (Olympic gold 200m breaststroke 1952; silver 1956; first WR 400m individual medley 1953), dies at 92
  • 2020 William O. Smith [Bill Smith], American classical and jazz composer and clarinetist (played with Dave Brubeck), dies at 93
  • 2024 Andy Russell, American football linebacker (Super Bowl IX, X; First-team All-Pro 1975; 7 x Pro Bowl; Pittsburgh Steelers), dies at 82


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