Famous People Who Died in 1983
- ChokingThomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the three foremost playwrights of 20th-century American drama.After years of obscurity, at age 33 he became suddenly famous with the success of The Glass Menagerie (1944) in New York City. This play closely reflected his own unhappy family background. It was the first of a string of successes, including A Streetcar Named Desire (1947), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1955), Sweet Bird of Youth (1959), and The Night of the Iguana (1961). With his later work, he attempted a new style that did not appeal to audiences. His drama A Streetcar Named Desire is often numbered on short lists of the finest American plays of the 20th century alongside Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night and Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman.Much of Williams' most acclaimed work has been adapted for the cinema. He also wrote short stories, poetry, essays and a volume of memoirs. In 1979, four years before his death, Williams was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame.
- Richard Buckminster "Bucky" Fuller was an American neo-futuristic architect, systems theorist, author, designer, and inventor. Fuller published more than 30 books, coining or popularizing terms such as "Spaceship Earth", ephemeralization, and synergetic. He also developed numerous inventions, mainly architectural designs, and popularized the widely known geodesic dome. Carbon molecules known as fullerenes were later named by scientists for their resemblance to geodesic spheres. Buckminster Fuller was the second president of Mensa from 1974 to 1983.
- BronchopneumoniaEdith Norma Shearer (August 10, 1902 – June 12, 1983) was a Canadian American actress and Hollywood star from 1925 through 1942. Shearer often played spunky, sexually liberated ingenues. She appeared in adaptations of Noël Coward, Eugene O'Neill, and William Shakespeare, and was the first person to be nominated five times for an Academy Award for acting, winning Best Actress for her performance in the 1930 film The Divorcee.Reviewing Shearer's work, Mick LaSalle called her "the exemplar of sophisticated 1930s womanhood ... exploring love and sex with an honesty that would be considered frank by modern standards". As a result, Shearer is celebrated as a feminist pioneer, "the first American film actress to make it chic and acceptable to be single and not a virgin on screen".
- William Harrison "Jack" Dempsey (June 24, 1895 – May 31, 1983), nicknamed "Kid Blackie" and "The Manassa Mauler", was an American professional boxer who competed from 1914 to 1927, and reigned as the world heavyweight champion from 1919 to 1926. A cultural icon of the 1920s, Dempsey's aggressive fighting style and exceptional punching power made him one of the most popular boxers in history. Many of his fights set financial and attendance records, including the first million-dollar gate.Dempsey is ranked tenth on The Ring magazine's list of all-time heavyweights and seventh among its Top 100 Greatest Punchers, while in 1950 the Associated Press voted him as the greatest fighter of the past 50 years. He is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame, and was in the previous Boxing Hall of Fame.
- DrowningDennis Carl Wilson (December 4, 1944 – December 28, 1983) was an American musician, singer, and songwriter who co-founded the Beach Boys. He is best remembered as their drummer and as the middle brother of bandmates Brian and Carl Wilson. Dennis was the only true surfer in the Beach Boys, and his personal life exemplified the "California Myth" that the band's early songs often celebrated. He was also known for his brief association with Charles Manson, a songwriter later convicted of several murders, and for co-starring in the 1971 film Two-Lane Blacktop. Wilson served mainly on drums and backing vocals for the Beach Boys, and contrary to popular belief, his playing can be heard on many of the group's hits. He originally had few lead vocals on the band's songs, but starting with their 1968 album Friends, his prominence as a singer-songwriter increased. Unlike Brian's music, Dennis' is characterized for reflecting his "edginess" and "little of his happy charm". His original songs for the group included "Little Bird" (1968), "Forever" (1970), and "Slip On Through" (1970). Friends and biographers also say that Wilson was an uncredited writer on "You Are So Beautiful", a hit for Joe Cocker in 1974. During his final years, Wilson struggled with substance addictions that contributed to tensions with his bandmates. His only solo album, Pacific Ocean Blue (1977), was released to warm reviews, but moderate sales." Sessions for a follow-up, Bambu, disintegrated before his death. In 1988, Wilson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Beach Boys. He died from drowning at the age of 39 in 1983.
- Motor neuron diseaseDavid Niven, a name synonymous with the golden age of Hollywood, was born on March 1, 1910, in London, England. He was a charismatic and versatile actor who became one of the most recognizable faces in film during the mid-20th century. Niven's early life was marked by adversity; he lost his father during World War I and was expelled from several schools. Despite these challenges, he managed to secure a place at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, which set the stage for his future career. Niven joined the British army upon graduation but left in the mid-1930s to pursue an acting career. His charm and good looks quickly caught the attention of Hollywood producers, and he made his film debut in 1935. Over the next three decades, Niven starred in over ninety films, including classics like The Pink Panther, Around the World in 80 Days, and Separate Tables, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor. His roles were marked by his quintessential Englishness, which made him a favorite among American audiences. Aside from his acting career, Niven demonstrated remarkable courage during World War II. He returned to the British army and served with distinction, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel. After the war, he resumed his acting career and also became a successful author, penning two witty and candid autobiographies. David Niven passed away on July 29, 1983, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire actors and audiences alike.
- Anorexia nervosaKaren Carpenter, a name etched in the annals of music history, was an iconic American singer and drummer who carved out a space for herself and her brother Richard in the Pop industry during the 1970s. Born on March 2, 1950, in New Haven, Connecticut, Karen's enchanting journey into the world of music commenced at a young age, with her distinctively soft contralto vocals quickly gaining attention from music enthusiasts. Recognized for her unique vocal style, Karen, alongside her brother Richard, formed The Carpenters, which went on to become one of the most successful groups during that era. Their mesmerizing melodies transcended genre lines and captured hearts worldwide. Some of their most notable hits include "We've Only Just Begun," "Close to You," and "Top of the World". Karen's skills extended beyond singing, as she was also a talented drummer. Her drumming prowess was often overshadowed by her angelic voice but was nonetheless appreciated by musicians and critics alike. Unfortunately, Karen's journey was fraught with personal struggles as well. She battled anorexia nervosa, a little-understood illness at the time, which led to her untimely death on February 4, 1983, at the age of 32. Despite her relatively short career, Karen Carpenter's profound impact on pop music remains undeniable. Her legacy continues to inspire generations of musicians and fans, cementing her status as a timeless icon in the music industry.
- Liver failureDolores del Río (Spanish pronunciation: [doˈloɾez ðel ˈri.o]; born María de los Dolores Asúnsolo López-Negrete; 3 August 1905 – 11 April 1983) was a Mexican actress of film, television, and theater. With a career spanning more than 50 years, she is regarded as the first major female Latin American crossover star in Hollywood, with an outstanding career in American films in the 1920s and 1930s. She was also considered one of the most important female figures in the Golden Age of Mexican cinema in the 1940s and 1950s. del Río is also remembered as one of the most beautiful faces of the cinema in her time.After being discovered in Mexico, she began her film career in the American cinema in 1925. She had roles in a series of successful silent films and came to be considered a sort of feminine version of Rudolph Valentino, a "female Latin Lover". With the advent of sound, she acted in a range of film genres, from contemporary crime melodramas, musical comedies and romantic dramas. In the early 1940s, when her Hollywood career began to decline, del Río returned to Mexico and joined the Mexican film industry, which at that time was at its peak. When del Río returned to her native country, she became one of the more important promoters and stars of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. A series of Mexican films starring del Rio, are considered classic masterpieces and helped boost Mexican cinema worldwide. Del Río remained active mainly in Mexican films throughout the 1950s. In 1960 she returned to Hollywood. During the next years she appeared in Mexican and American films. From the late 1950s until the early 1970s she also successfully ventured into theater in Mexico and appeared in some American television series. Del Río is considered a mythical figure of cinema in Latin America and a quintessential representation of the female face of Mexico in the entire world.
Peter Ivers
MurderPeter Scott Ivers (September 20, 1946 – March 3, 1983) was an American musician, songwriter and television personality. He was the host of the experimental music television show New Wave Theatre. Despite never having achieved mainstream success, biographer Josh Frank has described Ivers as being connected by "a second degree to every major pop culture event of the last 30 years."Ivers' primary instrument was the harmonica, and at a concert in 1968, Muddy Waters referred to him as "the greatest harp player alive." Ivers was signed by Van Dyke Parks and Lenny Waronker to a $100,000 contract as a solo artist with Warner Bros. Records in the early 1970s; his albums Terminal Love and Peter Ivers were commercial flops, but would eventually come to be well-regarded by music journalists. He made his live debut opening for The New York Dolls, and would share concert bills with such notable acts as Fleetwood Mac and John Cale.Ivers scored the 1977 David Lynch film Eraserhead, and also contributed both songwriting and vocals to the piece "In Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song)". Later in his career, he wrote songs that were recorded by Diana Ross and The Pointer Sisters. Ivers was murdered in 1983 under mysterious circumstances, and the crime remains unsolved. Following the publication of a 2008 biography on Ivers, the LAPD re-opened the investigation into his death.- Urethral cancerMichael Conrad is a film and television actor best known for his roles in "The Longest Yard" and "Hill Street Blues." Conrad made his television debut in 1955 on the long-running theater series "The Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse," and soon landed steady work on such series as "Brenner" and "The Defenders." After landing recurring roles on such hit shows as "Gunsmoke" and "The Dick Van Dyke Show," in 1969 Conrad appeared as a dance marathon contestant in the award-winning film "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?." He worked steadily through the early '70s on such shows as "Love, American Style" and "All in the Family," and in 1974 he gave a memorable performance as a retired NFL player and prison football coach in "The Longest Yard." From 1976 to 1977 he appeared as Lt. Macavan on the police drama "Delvecchio," and cemented his reputation as a sought-after character actor with roles on "The Waltons" and "Barney Miller." In 1981 he was cast as Sgt. Phil Esterhaus in the Steven Bochco inner city police drama "Hill Street Blues," and won Emmy awards in 1981 and 1982 for his portrayal of the veteran cop.
- Myocardial infarctionOne of the most respected directors of Hollywood's Golden Age, Oscar-winning filmmaker George Cukor was frequently described as a "women's director," thanks to his stellar collaborations with Katherine Hepburn on ten films, including "The Philadelphia Story" (1940), as well as Joan Crawford on "The Women" (1939), Ingrid Bergman on "Gaslight" (1944), Judy Holliday on "Born Yesterday" (1950), Judy Garland on "A Star is Born" (1957) and Audrey Hepburn on "My Fair Lady" (1964). The appellation, while appropriate, did not sufficiently explain the scope of Cukor's five-decade career; rather, it was his scrupulous attention to every detail of his films - from pace and design to casting, scripting and editing - that created a fluid, flawless aesthetic that remained almost invisible to viewers until after the final credits rolled. Though he worked in all genres - from comedies and dramas to musicals - his true focus was the complicated entanglement of relationships between friends and lovers in the face of political, social and interpersonal conflicts. In doing so, Cukor crafted a body of work that represented some of the finest pictures ever released by Hollywood studios; pictures that stood the test of time and changing audiences, who returned to Cukor's cinematic offerings in order to see a master craftsman at work.
- Cardiovascular diseaseJoan Miró i Ferrà ( mi-ROH, also US: mee-ROH, Catalan: [ʒuˈam miˈɾo j fəˈra]; 20 April 1893 – 25 December 1983) was a Spanish painter, sculptor, and ceramicist born in Barcelona. A museum dedicated to his work, the Fundació Joan Miró, was established in his native city of Barcelona in 1975, and another, the Fundació Pilar i Joan Miró, was established in his adoptive city of Palma de Mallorca in 1981. Earning international acclaim, his work has been interpreted as Surrealism, a sandbox for the subconscious mind, a re-creation of the childlike, and a manifestation of Catalan pride. In numerous interviews dating from the 1930s onwards, Miró expressed contempt for conventional painting methods as a way of supporting bourgeois society, and declared an "assassination of painting" in favour of upsetting the visual elements of established painting.
- Anthony Frederick Blunt (26 September 1907 – 26 March 1983), styled as Sir Anthony Blunt, KCVO, from 1956 to 1979, was a leading British art historian who in 1964, after being offered immunity from prosecution, confessed to having been a Soviet spy. Blunt had been a member of the Cambridge Five, a group of spies working for the Soviet Union from some time in the 1930s to at least the early 1950s. His confession, a closely held secret for many years, was revealed publicly by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in November 1979. He was stripped of his knighthood immediately thereafter. Blunt was professor of art history at the University of London, director of the Courtauld Institute of Art, and Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures. His 1967 monograph on the French Baroque painter Nicolas Poussin is still widely regarded as a watershed book in art history. His teaching text and reference work Art and Architecture in France 1500–1700, first published in 1953, reached its fifth edition in a slightly revised version by Richard Beresford in 1999, when it was still considered the best account of the subject.
- EmphysemaArthur Morton Godfrey (August 31, 1903 – March 16, 1983) was an American radio and television broadcaster and entertainer who was sometimes introduced by his nickname, The Old Redhead. An infamous on-air incident undermined his folksy image and resulted in a marked decline in his popularity. At the peak of his success in the mid-1950s, Godfrey helmed two CBS-TV weekly series and a daily 90-minute television mid-morning show, but, by the early 1960s, his presence had been reduced to hosting the occasional TV special and his daily network radio show, which ended in 1972. One of the medium's early master commercial pitchmen, he was strongly identified with many of his sponsors, especially Chesterfield cigarettes and Lipton Tea. Having advertised Chesterfield for many years, during which time he devised the slogan "Buy 'em by the carton", Godfrey terminated his relationship with the company after he quit smoking, five years before he was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1959. Subsequently, he became a prominent spokesman for anti-smoking education.
- Heart AilmentGloria May Josephine Swanson (March 27, 1899 – April 4, 1983) was an American actress and producer. A major Hollywood star of the silent era, she later achieved widespread critical acclaim and recognition for her role as Norma Desmond, a reclusive silent film star, in the critically acclaimed 1950 film Sunset Boulevard. The film earned her an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe Award win. Swanson was also a star in the silent film era as both an actress and a fashion icon, especially under the direction of Cecil B. DeMille. Throughout the 1920s, Swanson was one of Hollywood's top box office draws.Swanson starred in dozens of silent films, and was nominated for the first Academy Award for Best Actress. She also produced her own films during this period, including The Love of Sunya (1927) and Sadie Thompson (1928). In 1929, Swanson transitioned into talkies with her performance in The Trespasser. Personal problems and changing tastes saw her popularity wane during the 1930s and she subsequently ventured into theater and television.
- Capital punishmentMaurice Rupert Bishop (29 May 1944 – 19 October 1983) was a Grenadian revolutionary and the leader of New Jewel Movement – popular efforts in the areas of socio-economic development, education, and Black liberation – that came to power during the 13 March 1979 revolution that removed Eric Gairy from office. Bishop headed the People's Revolutionary Government of Grenada from 1979 to 1983, when he was dismissed from his post and shot during the coup by Bernard Coard, a staunch militaristic element in the government, leading to upheaval.
John Bodkin Adams
John Bodkin Adams (21 January 1899 – 4 July 1983) was a British general practitioner, convicted fraudster and suspected serial killer. Between 1946 and 1956, more than 160 of his patients died in suspicious circumstances. Of these, 132 left him money or items in their wills. He was tried and acquitted for the murder of one patient in 1957. Another count of murder was withdrawn by the prosecution in what was later described as "an abuse of process" by the presiding judge Sir Patrick Devlin, causing questions to be asked in Parliament about the prosecution's handling of events. The trial was featured in headlines around the world and was described at the time as "one of the greatest murder trials of all time" and "murder trial of the century". It was also described at the time as "unique" because, in the words of the judge, "the act of murder" had "to be proved by expert evidence."The trial had several important legal ramifications. It established the doctrine of double effect, whereby a doctor giving treatment with the aim of relieving pain may, as an unintentional result, shorten life. Secondly, because of the publicity surrounding Adams' committal hearing, the law was changed to allow defendants to ask for such hearings to be held in private. Finally, although a defendant had not been required within recorded legal history to give evidence in his own defence, the judge underlined in his summing-up that no prejudice should be attached by the jury to Adams not doing so.Adams was found guilty in a subsequent trial of 13 offences of prescription fraud, lying on cremation forms, obstructing a police search and failing to keep a dangerous drugs register. He was struck off the medical register in 1957 and reinstated in 1961 after two failed applications. Scotland Yard's files on the case were initially closed to the public for 75 years, and would have remained so until 2033. Following a request by historian Pamela Cullen, special permission was granted in 2003 to reopen the files.- Myocardial infarctionTV hunk Christopher George was best known for his starring role in the war drama "The Rat Patrol" in the late 1960s. He came by the role honestly--George had served an extended hitch in the United States Marine Corps in the late '40s and early '50s. Becoming an actor after his service, George worked in live theater in New York; along with the usual off-Broadway and Broadway roles, George also spent some time in a Greek repertory company, having spoken the language fluently since childhood as the son of Greek immigrants. George toiled in the usual small film and television roles until securing the lead role as Sergeant Sam Troy in "The Rat Patrol" in '66. Set in a commando unit serving in the North African campaign of World War II, the series was a solid success. But when it went off the air in '68, George was unable to capitalize on its success. Aside from a short-lived science-fiction series called "The Immortal," supporting roles in several films starring his boyhood idol John Wayne, and some European-made thrillers co-starring his wife, Lynda Day George, George spent the rest of his career guesting on TV series and playing small character parts on film. He died in '83 of a heart problem thought to be caused by a Jeep accident suffered on the set of "The Rat Patrol" in '67.
- Colorectal cancerCarolyn Sue Jones (April 28, 1930 – August 3, 1983) was an American actress of television and film. Jones began her film career in the early 1950s, and by the end of the decade had achieved recognition with a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for The Bachelor Party (1957) and a Golden Globe Award as one of the most promising actresses of 1959. Her film career continued for another 20 years. In 1964, she began playing the role of Morticia Addams (as well as her sister Ophelia and the feminine counterpart of Thing, Lady Fingers), in the original black and white television series The Addams Family.
- Assassination, Murder, Car bombRocco Chinnici (Italian pronunciation: [ˈrɔkko kinˈniːtʃi], Sicilian: [kɪnˈniːʃɪ]; 19 January 1925 in Misilmeri – 29 July 1983 in Palermo) was a noted Italian anti-Mafia magistrate killed by the Sicilian Mafia.
- Liver cancer, Pancreatic cancerOne of the founders of surrealist cinema, Luis Bunuel enjoyed a career as diverse and contradictory as his films: he was a master of both silent and sound cinema, of documentaries as well as features; his greatest work was produced in the two decades after his 60th year; and although frequently characterized as a surrealist, many of his films were dramas and farces in the realist or neo-realist mode. Yet despite all the innovations and permutations of his work, Bunuel remained surprisingly consistent in the targets of his social satire: the Catholic Church, bourgeois culture, and Fascism. As he once commented, "Religious education and Surrealism have marked me for life."
- Traffic collision, DrowningJessica Beth Savitch (February 1, 1947 – October 23, 1983) was an American television news presenter and correspondent, best known for being the weekend anchor of NBC Nightly News and daily presenter of NBC News updates during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Savitch was one of the first women to anchor an evening network news broadcast alone, following in the footsteps of Marlene Sanders of ABC News and Catherine Mackin of NBC News. She also hosted PBS's public affairs documentary program Frontline from its January 1983 debut until her death in an automobile accident later that year.Shortly before her death in October 1983, Savitch also became known for her live broadcast of a short NBC News update in which her delivery was erratic and she appeared to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The incident caused widespread speculation that she was abusing drugs. She died three weeks later by drowning when a car in which she was a passenger accidentally drove into a canal during a heavy rainstorm. No drugs and very little alcohol were present in her system at the time of her death. Savitch was renowned for her audience appeal and her skills as an on-camera news reader, although she drew criticism for her relative lack of news reporting experience. Prior to joining NBC News, she was a popular local anchorwoman in Philadelphia, and before that, while working at a Houston television station, she was the first female news anchor in the South. Posthumously she became the subject of two biographies and a television film, Almost Golden: The Jessica Savitch Story, as well as television documentaries. The 1996 feature film Up Close and Personal starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert Redford was very loosely based on her life, with many details changed in order to produce a film more upbeat than Savitch's troubled personal life. Her experiences as a pioneer female news anchor also helped inspire Will Ferrell to make the 2004 film Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.
- John Beverley Nichols (9 September 1898 – 15 September 1983) was an English author, playwright, journalist, composer, and public speaker.
Emil Grunzweig
AssassinationEmil Grünzweig (Hebrew: אמיל גרינצווייג) (December 1, 1947 – February 10, 1983) was an Israeli teacher and peace activist affiliated with the Peace Now movement. He became an icon of the Israeli left after he was killed by a grenade thrown at a peace rally in Jerusalem in 1983. In 1987, a nonprofit educational organization in Jerusalem was established in his name, called the Adam Institute for Democracy and Peace in Memory of Emil Greenzweig.- Myocardial infarctionGold medal-winning Olympic swimmer, in Hollywood from 1933 in action/adventure roles incuding Tarzan, Flash Gordon and Billy the Kid.
Edgar Graham
Firearm, AssassinationFor the pop musician, see Ugly Casanova.Edgar Samuel David Graham, MPA, BL (1954 – 7 December 1983), was an Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) politician and academic from Northern Ireland. He was regarded as a rising star of both legal studies and Unionism, and a possible future leader of the UUP, until he was killed on 7 December 1983 by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA).Albert Schaufelberger
AssassinationAlbert Arthur Schaufelberger (August 8, 1949 – May 25, 1983) was a Lieutenant Commander in the United States Navy who was assassinated in El Salvador.- CirrhosisJohn Le Mesurier (, born John Elton Le Mesurier Halliley; 5 April 1912 – 15 November 1983) was an English actor. He is perhaps best remembered for his comedic role as Sergeant Arthur Wilson in the BBC television situation comedy Dad's Army (1968–77). A self-confessed "jobbing actor", Le Mesurier appeared in more than 120 films across a range of genres, normally in smaller supporting parts. Le Mesurier became interested in the stage as a young adult and enrolled at the Fay Compton Studio of Dramatic Art in 1933. From there he took a position in repertory theatre and made his stage debut in September 1934 at the Palladium Theatre in Edinburgh in the J. B. Priestley play Dangerous Corner. He later accepted an offer to work with Alec Guinness in a John Gielgud production of Hamlet. He first appeared on television in 1938 as Seigneur de Miolans in the BBC broadcast of The Marvellous History of St Bernard. During the Second World War Le Mesurier was posted to British India, as a captain with the Royal Tank Regiment. He returned to acting and made his film debut in 1948, starring in the second feature comedy short Death in the Hand, opposite Esme Percy and Ernest Jay. Le Mesurier had a prolific film career, appearing mostly in comedies, usually in roles portraying figures of authority such as army officers, policemen and judges. As well as Hancock's Half Hour, Le Mesurier appeared in Hancock's two principal films, The Rebel and The Punch and Judy Man. In 1971 Le Mesurier received his only award: a British Academy of Film and Television Arts "Best Television Actor" award for his lead performance in Dennis Potter's television play Traitor; it was one of the few lead roles he played during the course of his career. He took a relaxed approach to acting and felt that his parts were those of "a decent chap all at sea in a chaotic world not of his own making". Le Mesurier was married three times, most notably to the actress Hattie Jacques. A heavy drinker of alcohol for most of his life, Le Mesurier died in 1983, aged 71, from a stomach haemorrhage, brought about as a complication of cirrhosis of the liver. After his death, critics reflected that, for an actor who normally took minor roles, the viewing public were "enormously fond of him".
- CancerJudy Canova (November 20, 1913 – August 5, 1983) (another source gives her birth date as November 20, 1916), born Juliette Canova (some sources indicate Julietta Canova), was an American comedian, actress, singer, and radio personality. She appeared on Broadway and in films. She hosted her own self-titled network radio program, a popular series broadcast from 1943 to 1955.
- Brain tumorFavorite Hollywood cowboy of the 1950s through the 70s; perhaps best known as the B-52 pilot who, at the end of Stanley Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove" (1964), "rides" a hydrogen bomb to destruction, Slim Pickens was a hoarse-voiced veteran of the rodeo circuit -- in fact he was said to have gotten his name when a sidebuster looked at him and said, "Slim pickins -- that's all you'll get in this rodeo." He was 13 when he joined the rodeo and he spent years as a rodeo clown and performer before he migrated to Hollywood in 1950. Pickens made his feature film debut in 1950 in an Errol Flynn western at Warner Bros., "Rocky Mountain." He was serious about entertaining and a "pro," to be sure, but the audience took to his joie de vivre. John Ford saw it and cast Pickens in "The Sun Shines Bright" (1953), which Ford later said was his favorite film. He played dozens of sidekicks, scouts, and sometimes varmints chewing and spitting tobacco (or worse) in films of the 50s and 60s, among them "Old Overland Trail" (1953), "The Boy From Oklahoma" (1954), "Major Dundee" (1965) and the remake of "Stagecoach" (1966). Mel Brooks chose him to play Taggart, the prickly third lead of "Blazing Saddles" (1974). Whether a comically vicious outlaw in "The Apple Dumpling Gang" (1975), or Tex, the calculating survivor of "Beyond the Poseidon Adventure" (1979), Pickens was an engaging, charismatic performer.
- Claude Vivier (14 April 1948 – 7 March 1983) was a Canadian composer.
- Leopold Godowsky Jr. (May 27, 1900 – February 18, 1983) was an American violinist and chemist, who together with Leopold Mannes created the first practical color transparency film, Kodachrome.
- AIDSKlaus Sperber (January 24, 1944 – August 6, 1983), better known as Klaus Nomi, was a German countertenor noted for his wide vocal range and an unusual, otherworldly stage persona. Nomi was known for his bizarrely visionary theatrical live performances, heavy make-up, unusual costumes, and a highly stylized signature hairdo that flaunted a receding hairline. His songs were equally unusual, ranging from synthesizer-laden interpretations of classical opera to covers of 1960s pop standards like Chubby Checker's "The Twist" and Lou Christie's "Lightnin' Strikes". He is remembered in the United States as one of David Bowie's backup singers for a 1979 performance on Saturday Night Live.Nomi died in 1983 at the age of 39 as a result of complications from AIDS. He was one of the earliest known figures from the arts community to die from the disease.
Owen Dodson
Cardiovascular diseaseOwen Vincent Dodson (November 28, 1914 – June 21, 1983) was an American poet, novelist, and playwright. He was one of the leading African-American poets of his time, associated with the generation of black poets following the Harlem Renaissance.Jerzy Andrzejewski
Myocardial infarctionJerzy Andrzejewski (Polish pronunciation: [ˈjɛʐɨ andʐɛˈjɛfskʲi]; 19 August 1909 – 19 April 1983) was a prolific Polish author. His novels, Ashes and Diamonds (about the immediate post-war situation in Poland), and Holy Week (treating the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising), have been made into film adaptations by the Oscar-winning Polish director Andrzej Wajda. Holy Week and Ashes and Diamonds have both been translated into English. His novel The Gates of Paradise was translated into English by James Kirkup and published by Panther Books with the anglicised spelling "George Andrzeyevski".- PneumoniaExceptionally tall, with distinctive, unconventional features and a commanding presence, actor Raymond Massey built an impressive career out of playing reassuring authority figures and scheming villains equally well. The Canadian-born actor first honed his craft on the stages of the U.K. for nearly 10 years before venturing across the Atlantic to appear on Broadway as "Hamlet" and in early sound pictures like "The Speckled Band" (1931), in the role of Sherlock Holmes. Massey demonstrated his versatility with venomous characters in films like "The Prisoner of Zenda" (1937) juxtaposed against his career-defining portrayal of the 16th U.S. president in "Abe Lincoln in Illinois" (1940), based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning play written with him in mind. Massey became the stuff of Hollywood legend when the aftermath of his divorce from actress Adrianne Allen inspired the beloved Tracy-Hepburn comedy "Adam's Rib" (1949). As an actor, Massey continually impressed with is ability to make difficult characters sympathetic in such films as "The Fountainhead" (1949), opposite Gary Cooper, and as James Dean's emotionally unavailable father in "East of Eden" (1955). A younger generation of fans came to appreciate his later work as Richard Chamberlain's authoritative mentor Dr. Gillespie on "Dr. Kildare" (NBC, 1961-66). Even as his half-century career neared its end, Massey continued to make memorable contributions to such big-budget Hollywood offerings as the Western "Mackenna's Gold" (1969). One of the first and best examples of a "working actor" in film, Massey never failed to elevate the integrity of any project.
- Muddy Waters, born as McKinley Morganfield on April 4, 1913, in Issaquena County, Mississippi, was an influential figure in the world of blues music. His journey began in the cotton fields of the Mississippi Delta, where he developed his love for music. Raised by his grandmother after losing both parents at a young age, Waters grew up listening to the local blues musicians that frequented the area's juke joints. He taught himself harmonica before moving onto the guitar, inspired by his idol, Son House. In the early 1940s, Waters's talent was recognized by musicologist Alan Lomax who recorded him for the Library of Congress. The encounter marked a turning point in Waters's life, inspiring him to pursue a professional career in music. In 1943, he migrated north to Chicago in search of better opportunities. There, he revolutionized the blues genre by incorporating electric guitar and creating the "Chicago Blues" sound. His powerful performances and innovative style attracted the attention of Chess Records, one of the leading blues record companies, which offered him a contract in 1947. Over the next two decades, Waters produced several hit records, including "I Can't Be Satisfied," "Rollin' Stone," and "Hoochie Coochie Man." Muddy Waters's influence extends far beyond his own prolific career. His electrifying performances and distinctive sound had a profound impact on many rock 'n' roll legends such as The Rolling Stones, who named themselves after his hit song, and Eric Clapton, who cited Waters as one of his greatest influences. Despite facing numerous personal and professional challenges, Waters remained dedicated to his craft until his death on April 30, 1983. His legacy continues to resonate within the music industry, serving as a testament to his indomitable spirit and enduring contributions to the world of blues music.
- Cancer, Bone cancerFrank James Reynolds (November 29, 1923 – July 20, 1983) was an American television journalist for CBS and ABC News.Reynolds was a New York-based anchor of the ABC Evening News from 1968 to 1970 and later was the Washington, D.C.-based co-anchor of World News Tonight from 1978 until his death in 1983. During the Iran hostage crisis, he began the 30-minute late-night program America Held Hostage, which later was renamed Nightline, and then taken over by Ted Koppel.
- Lung cancerMeyer Lansky (born Meier Suchowlański; July 4, 1902 – January 15, 1983), known as the "Mob's Accountant", was an American major organized crime figure who, along with his associate Charles "Lucky" Luciano, was instrumental in the development of the National Crime Syndicate in the United States.Associated with the Jewish mob, Lansky developed a gambling empire that stretched across the world. He was said to own points (percentages) in casinos in Las Vegas, Cuba, The Bahamas and London. Although a member of the Jewish mob, Lansky undoubtedly had strong influence with the Italian-American Mafia and played a large role in the consolidation of the criminal underworld. The full extent of this role has been the subject of some debate, as Lansky himself denied many of the accusations against him.Despite nearly fifty years as a member-participant in organized crime, Lansky was never found guilty of anything more serious than illegal gambling. He has a legacy of being one of the most financially successful gangsters in American history. Before he fled Cuba, he was said to be worth an estimated $20 million (equivalent to $189 million in 2018). However, when he died in 1983, his family was shocked to learn that his estate was worth around $57,000.
- AIDSBruce Wayne Campbell (December 14, 1946 – August 4, 1983), known by his stage name Jobriath, was an American rock musician and actor. He was the first openly gay rock musician to be signed to a major record label, and one of the first internationally famous musicians to die of AIDS.
Robert Weitbrecht
Robert Haig Weitbrecht was an engineer at SRI International and later the spin-off company Weitbrecht Communications who invented a type of a modem (a form of acoustic coupler).Fred Pusey
Fred Pusey was a British film art director and production designer, and a Second World War camouflage officer. His artistic skill was put to use on large-scale deception schemes in the Western Desert, including a dummy railhead and a dummy port.Jane Chambers
Jane Chambers was an American playwright. She was a "pioneer in writing theatrical works with openly lesbian characters".- CancerFernand Legros (French: [ləɡʁo]; 26 January 1931 – 7 April 1983) was an art dealer who for over a decade, from the middle 1950s until the late 1960s, sold the forged artworks of Elmyr de Hory, an artist and "the Greatest Art Forger of Our Time" (taken from the title of Clifford Irving's biography of de Hory, "Fake!", published in 1969).
- Myocardial infarctionLouis Germain David de Funès de Galarza (French pronunciation: [lwi də fy.nɛs]; 31 July 1914 – 27 January 1983) was a French actor and comedian. According to several polls conducted since 1968, he is France's favourite actor – having played over 130 roles in film and over 100 on stage. His acting style is remembered for its high-energy performance and his wide range of facial expressions and tics. A considerable part of his best-known acting was directed by Jean Girault. He often still is a household name in many countries such as Italy, Greece, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Belgium, Poland, Bulgaria, Germany, Spain, Turkey, Albania, Romania, Croatia, former countries of the Soviet Union, as well as Iran. Yet he remains almost unknown in the English-speaking world. He was exposed to a wider audience only once in the United States, in 1974, with the release of The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob, which was nominated for a Golden Globe Award.
- Cardiovascular diseaseIra Gershwin (born Israel Gershowitz, December 6, 1896 – August 17, 1983) was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs of the 20th Century.With George he wrote more than a dozen Broadway shows, featuring songs such as "I Got Rhythm", "Embraceable You", "The Man I Love" and "Someone to Watch Over Me". He was also responsible, along with DuBose Heyward, for the libretto to George's opera Porgy and Bess. The success the Gershwin brothers had with their collaborative works has often overshadowed the creative role that Ira played. His mastery of songwriting continued, however, after the early death of George. He wrote additional hit songs with composers Jerome Kern, Kurt Weill, Harry Warren and Harold Arlen. His critically acclaimed 1959 book Lyrics on Several Occasions, an amalgam of autobiography and annotated anthology, is an important source for studying the art of the lyricist in the golden age of American popular song.
- Felix Bloch (23 October 1905 – 10 September 1983) was a Swiss-American physicist and Nobel physics laureate who worked mainly in the U.S. He and Edward Mills Purcell were awarded the 1952 Nobel Prize for Physics for "their development of new ways and methods for nuclear magnetic precision measurements." In 1954–1955, he served for one year as the first Director-General of CERN. Felix Bloch made fundamental theoretical contributions to the understanding of electron behavior in crystal lattices, ferromagnetism, and nuclear magnetic resonance.
- Prostate cancer, PneumoniaProlific character player of the 1930s and 40s, later on TV, typically in cranky but endearing comedy roles. Appeared in all of Preston Sturges' Paramount films of the 1940s, most memorably as Officer Kockenlocker in "The Miracle of Morgan's Creek" and as the tough Marine sergeant in "Hail the Conquering Hero" (both 1944). Well known as Uncle Charley on the long-running TV series "My Three Sons."
Jerry Pentland
Alexander Augustus Norman Dudley "Jerry" Pentland, (5 August 1894 – 3 November 1983) was an Australian fighter ace in World War I. Born in Maitland, New South Wales, he commenced service as a Lighthorseman with the Australian Imperial Force in 1915, and saw action at Gallipoli. He transferred to the Royal Flying Corps the following year, rising to captain. Credited with twenty-three aerial victories, Pentland became the fifth highest-scoring Australian ace of the war, after Robert Little, Stan Dallas, Harry Cobby and Roy King. He was awarded the Military Cross in January 1918 for "conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty" on a mission attacking an aerodrome behind enemy lines, and the Distinguished Flying Cross that August for engaging four hostile aircraft single-handedly. Pentland served in the fledgling Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), and later the Royal Air Force, before going into business in 1927. His ventures included commercial flying around the goldfields of New Guinea, aircraft design and manufacture, flight instruction, and charter work. In the early 1930s, he was employed as a pilot with Australian National Airways, and also spent time as a dairy farmer. Soon after the outbreak of World War II, he re-enlisted in the RAAF, attaining the rank of squadron leader and commanding rescue and communications units in the South West Pacific. Perhaps the oldest operational pilot in the wartime RAAF, Pentland was responsible for rescuing airmen, soldiers and civilians, and earned the Air Force Cross for his "outstanding courage, initiative and skill". He became a trader in New Guinea when the war ended in 1945, and later a coffee planter. Retiring in 1959, he died in 1983 at the age of eighty-nine.Issam Sartawi
Firearm, AssassinationDr Issam Sartawi (Arabic: عصام السرطاوي; 1935 - April 10, 1983) was a senior member of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). He was assassinated on April 10, 1983.- SuicideScott Nearing (August 6, 1883 – August 24, 1983) was an American radical economist, educator, writer, political activist, pacifist, and advocate of simple living.
- Kawleikgyin Ne Win (Burmese: ကောလိပ်ဂျင်နေဝင်း, pronounced [kɔ̀lèdʑɪ̀ɴ nè wɪ́ɴ]; 1 October 1928 – 2 June 1983) was a two-time Burmese Academy Award winning Burmese film actor and director.
- Alfred Tarski (; January 14, 1901 – October 26, 1983), born Alfred Teitelbaum, was a Polish-American logician and mathematician of Polish-Jewish descent. Educated in Poland at the University of Warsaw, and a member of the Lwów–Warsaw school of logic and the Warsaw school of mathematics, he immigrated to the United States in 1939 where he became a naturalized citizen in 1945. Tarski taught and carried out research in mathematics at the University of California, Berkeley, from 1942 until his death in 1983.A prolific author best known for his work on model theory, metamathematics, and algebraic logic, he also contributed to abstract algebra, topology, geometry, measure theory, mathematical logic, set theory, and analytic philosophy. His biographers Anita and Solomon Feferman state that, "Along with his contemporary, Kurt Gödel, he changed the face of logic in the twentieth century, especially through his work on the concept of truth and the theory of models."
Michel Micombero
General Michel Micombero (August 26, 1940 – July 16, 1983) was a Burundian politician and soldier who ruled the country as its first president and de facto dictator for the decade between 1966 and 1976. He was a member of the Tutsi ethnic group. Micombero was an ethnic Tutsi who began his career as an officer in the Burundian army at the time of Burundi's independence in 1962. He studied abroad and was given a ministerial portfolio on his return. He rose to prominence for his role in helping to crush an attempted coup d'état in October 1965 by ethnic Hutu soldiers against the country's (Tutsi) monarchy. Over 1965 and 1966, Micombero himself instigated two further coups against the monarchy which he perceived as too moderate. The first coup forced the incumbent king into exile, propelling Micombero to the role of prime minister. The second abolished the monarchy itself, bringing Micombero to power as Burundi's first president. Micombero ruled Burundi as a military dictator. He led a one-party state which centralised the country's institutions and adopted a neutral stance in the Cold War. Dissent was repressed and, in 1972, an attempt to challenge Micombero's power led to a genocide against the Hutu population in which around 100,000 people, mainly Hutus, were killed. His regime finally collapsed in 1976 when he was ousted in a coup d'état by another army officer Jean-Baptiste Bagaza, who installed himself as president. Micombero went into exile in Somalia where he died in 1983.- Maxwell Shane was an American writer, director, and producer who was known for writing "Thriller," "The Glass Wall," and "You're a Sweetheart."
- Air Vice Marshal William Ernest Staton, (27 August 1898 – 22 July 1983) was a British airman who began his career as a First World War flying ace credited with 26 victories. He was transferred to the Royal Air Force (RAF) on its creation in 1918 and remained in the RAF during the inter-war years. During the Second World War he served in England and pioneered the bombing technique of using pathfinders to mark targets. He then served in the Far East before becoming a prisoner of war to the Japanese. After the war he returned to Great Britain and the RAF where he reached air rank and twice captained the British Olympic Shooting Team.
Pentti Saarikoski
Pentti Saarikoski was one of the most important poets in the literary scene of Finland during the 1960s and 1970s. His body of work comprises poetry and translations, among them such classics as Homer's Odyssey and James Joyce's Ulysses. According to Saarikoski, he was the only person in the world who had ever translated both Homer's and Joyce's Ulysses – a statement that probably holds true even today. Moreover, it only took two years for him to translate Homer's Odyssey from Victor Bérard's edition, which is thought to be a rather fast accomplishment. Other notable translations include Poetics by Aristotle and Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. Saarikoski is buried in Heinävesi in the cemetery of the New Valamo monastery.- Renal failureRobert Burgess Aldrich (August 9, 1918 – December 5, 1983) was an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. His notable credits include Vera Cruz (1954), Kiss Me Deadly (1955), The Big Knife (1955), Autumn Leaves (1956), Attack (1956), What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962), Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964), The Flight of the Phoenix (1965), The Dirty Dozen (1967) and The Longest Yard (1974). Aldrich was portrayed by Alfred Molina in the television miniseries Feud (2017).
- Roy Bunny Milton (July 31, 1907 – September 18, 1983) was an American R&B and jump blues singer, drummer and bandleader.
- CancerTough-talking actor Simon Oakland started out as a concert violinist before moving into acting on stage in the late 1940s. In the late 1950s, Oakland made some appearances on television before getting the pivotal role of Edward Montgomery, a newspaper reporter trying to get the full story in Susan Hayward's campy yet harrowing Oscar-winner "I Want to Live!." After that, in 1960, Oakland earned immortality as a glib doctor trying to offer a pat explanation for the behavior of the killer Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock's classic thriller "Psycho." He appeared in the Oscar-winning musical "West Side Story" in 1961, and then mainly appeared on television shows such as the mind-bending anthology series "Twilight Zone" and the Prohibition-era crime drama "The Untouchables" in the mid-'60s. Oakland played a doctor again on the big screen in Vincente Minnelli's musical "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever" in 1970, and then finished out his career on television.
Attati Mpakati
AssassinationAttati Mpakati (died 24 March 1983 in Harare, Zimbabwe) was a Malawian dissident and - following the death of Yatuta Chisiza - leader of the Socialist League of Malawi (LESOMA) from 1975 until his death. He was killed by a letter bomb while in exile in Zimbabwe. It is widely suspected that the parcel was sent by agents of President Hastings Banda of Malawi. Mpakati had survived a similar attack in 1979, which President Banda admitted ordering. After this first attack, which crippled both of his hands, Mkapati, together with his wife and children, first flew to London for medical treatment and then tried without success to fly to East Berlin to meet with the exiled LESOMA representative for Eastern Europe Mahoma M. Mwaungulu.- Surgical complicationsMarian Nixon (born Marja Nissinen, October 20, 1904 – February 13, 1983) was an American film actress. She appeared in more than 70 films.
- John Arthur Thomas Robinson (16 May 1919 – 5 December 1983) was an English New Testament scholar, author and the Anglican Bishop of Woolwich. He was a lecturer at Trinity College, Cambridge, and later Dean of Trinity College until his death in 1983 from cancer. Robinson was considered a major force in shaping liberal Christian theology. Along with Harvard theologian Harvey Cox, he spearheaded the field of secular theology and, like William Barclay, he was a believer in universal salvation.
- Cornelia Arnolda Johanna "Corrie" ten Boom (15 April 1892 – 15 April 1983) was a Dutch watchmaker and later a writer who worked with her father, Casper ten Boom, her sister Betsie ten Boom, and other family members to help many Jews escape the Nazi Holocaust during World War II by hiding them in her home. They were caught and she was arrested and sent to Ravensbrück concentration camp. Her most famous book, The Hiding Place, is a biography that recounts the story of her family's efforts and how ten Boom found hope while imprisoned at the concentration camp.
- Herman Kahn (February 15, 1922 – July 7, 1983) was a founder of the Hudson Institute and one of the preeminent futurists of the latter part of the twentieth century. He originally came to prominence as a military strategist and systems theorist while employed at the RAND Corporation. He became known for analyzing the likely consequences of nuclear war and recommending ways to improve survivability, making him one of three historical inspirations for the title character of Stanley Kubrick's classic black comedy film satire Dr. Strangelove.His theories contributed heavily to the development of the nuclear strategy of the United States.
- Ovarian cancerJoan Ann Hackett (March 1, 1934 – October 8, 1983) was an American actress of film, stage and television. She was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Actress for the 1966 film The Group, and starred in the 1967 western Will Penny. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress for the 1981 film Only When I Laugh. She also starred as Christine Mannon in the 1978 PBS miniseries version of Mourning Becomes Electra.
- SuicideWalter Slezak (German pronunciation: [ˌvaltɐ ˈslɛzak]; 3 May 1902 – 21 April 1983) was an Austrian-born character actor and singer who appeared in German films before migrating to the US in 1930 and featuring in numerous Hollywood productions.Slezak often portrayed villains or thugs, most notably the German U-boat captain in Alfred Hitchcock's film Lifeboat (1944), but occasionally he got to play lighter roles, as in The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm (1962) and as a wandering gypsy in The Inspector General (1949). He also played a cheerfully corrupt and philosophical private detective in the film noir Born to Kill (1947) and appeared as Squire Trelawney in Treasure Island (1972).
- Smoke inhalation, Aviation accident or incidentStanley Allison Rogers (November 29, 1949 – June 2, 1983) was a Canadian folk musician and songwriter. Rogers was noted for his rich, baritone voice and his traditional-sounding songs which were frequently inspired by Canadian history and the daily lives of working people, especially those from the fishing villages of the Maritime provinces and, later, the farms of the Canadian prairies and Great Lakes. Rogers died in a fire aboard Air Canada Flight 797 on the ground at the Greater Cincinnati Airport at the age of 33.
- Major Robert Louis Constantine Lee-Dillon FitzGibbon (8 June 1919 - 25 March 1983) was an American-born historian, translator and novelist.
- Cardiovascular diseaseMaría Isabel Granda Larco (Cotabambas, Apurímac, Peru, 3 September 1920 - Miami, United States, 1983), better known as Chabuca Granda, was a Peruvian singer and composer. She created and interpreted a vast number of Criollo waltzes with Afro-Peruvian rhythms. Her best known song is "La flor de la canela" (The Cinnamon Flower).
- Suicide, Parkinson's diseaseArthur Koestler, (UK: , US: ; German: [ˈkœstlɐ]; Hungarian: Kösztler Artúr; 5 September 1905 – 1 March 1983) was a Hungarian British author and journalist. Koestler was born in Budapest and apart from his early school years was educated in Austria. In 1931, Koestler joined the Communist Party of Germany until he resigned in 1938, disillusioned by Stalinism. In 1940, he published his novel Darkness at Noon, an anti-totalitarian work that gained him international fame. Over the next 43 years, from his residence in Britain, Koestler espoused many political causes, and wrote novels, memoirs, biographies and numerous essays. In 1968 he was awarded the Sonning Prize "for [his] outstanding contribution to European culture" and in 1972 he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). In 1976, he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and in 1979 with terminal leukaemia. In 1983 he and his wife committed suicide at their home in London.
- CancerRod Cameron may refer to: Rod Cameron (actor), Canadian actor Rod Cameron (footballer), English footballer Roderick Cameron, Canadian-American businessman
- PyelonephritisGrigori Vasilyevich Aleksandrov or Alexandrov (Russian: Григо́рий Васи́льевич Алекса́ндров; original family name was Мормоненко or Mormonenko; 23 January 1903 – 16 December 1983) was a prominent Soviet film director who was named a People's Artist of the USSR in 1947 and a Hero of Socialist Labor in 1973. He was awarded the Stalin Prizes for 1941 and 1950. Initially associated with Sergei Eisenstein, with whom he worked as a co-director, screenwriter and actor, Aleksandrov became a major director in his own right in the 1930s, when he directed Jolly Fellows and a string of other musical comedies starring his wife Lyubov Orlova. Though Aleksandrov remained active until his death, his musicals, amongst the first made in the Soviet Union, remain his most popular films. They rival Ivan Pyryev's films as the most effective and light-hearted showcase ever designed for the Stalin-era USSR.
- Traffic collisionAlexander Fu Sheng (simplified Chinese: 傅声; traditional Chinese: 傅聲; pinyin: Fù Shēng; Jyutping: Fu6 Sing1) (born Cheung Fu-sheng (simplified Chinese: 张富声; traditional Chinese: 張富聲; pinyin: Zhāng Fùshēng); 20 October 1954 – 7 July 1983), also known as Fu Sheng was a Hong Kong martial arts film star in the 1970s.
John A. Carroll
John Albert Carroll (July 30, 1901 – August 31, 1983) was a Democratic United States Representative and United States Senator from Colorado. Born in Denver, he attended the public schools, and during the First World War served in the United States Army (1918–1919). He graduated from Westminster Law School in Denver in 1929, and was admitted to the bar the same year and commenced practice in Denver. In 1933 and 1934, he was assistant United States attorney, and was district attorney of Denver from 1937 to 1941. He was regional attorney for the Office of Price Administration in 1942 and 1943, and served in the Second World War as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army from 1943 to 1945. He resumed the practice of law, and was elected as a Democratic representative to the Eightieth and Eighty-first Congresses (January 3, 1947 to January 3, 1951). Carroll was not a candidate for renomination in 1950 but was an unsuccessful candidate for election as a Democrat to the United States Senate in 1950 and again in 1954. He was special assistant to President Harry Truman in 1951 and 1952. He was elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate in 1956, after defeating former United States Secretary of Agriculture Charles F. Brannan in the Democratic primary and former Republican Governor Daniel I.J. Thornton in the election and served from January 3, 1957 to January 3, 1963. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1962—defeated by Republican Peter H. Dominick—and was a resident of Denver until his death. Interment was at Ft. Logan National Cemetery, Denver.- Aviation accident or incidentLawrence Patton McDonald (April 1, 1935 – September 1, 1983) was an American politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Georgia's 7th congressional district as a Democrat from 1975 until he was killed while a passenger on board Korean Air Lines Flight 007 when it was shot down by Soviet interceptors. A conservative Democrat, McDonald was active in numerous civic organizations and maintained one of the most conservative voting records in Congress. He was known for his staunch opposition to communism. He was the second president of the John Birch Society.
- Sir William Turner Walton, OM (29 March 1902 – 8 March 1983) was an English composer. During a sixty-year career, he wrote music in several classical genres and styles, from film scores to opera. His best-known works include Façade, the cantata Belshazzar's Feast, the Viola Concerto, the First Symphony, and the British coronation anthems Crown Imperial and Orb and Sceptre. Born in Oldham, Lancashire, the son of a musician, Walton was a chorister and then an undergraduate at Christ Church, Oxford. On leaving the university, he was taken up by the literary Sitwell siblings, who provided him with a home and a cultural education. His earliest work of note was a collaboration with Edith Sitwell, Façade, which at first brought him notoriety as a modernist, but later became a popular ballet score. In middle age, Walton left Britain and set up home with his young wife Susana on the Italian island of Ischia. By this time, he had ceased to be regarded as a modernist, and some of his compositions of the 1950s were criticised as old-fashioned. His only full-length opera, Troilus and Cressida, was among the works to be so labelled and has made little impact in opera houses. In his last years, his works came back into critical fashion; his later compositions, dismissed by critics at the time of their premieres, were revalued and regarded alongside his earlier works. Walton was a slow worker, painstakingly perfectionist, and his complete body of work across his long career is not large. His most popular compositions continue to be frequently performed in the 21st century, and by 2010 almost all his works had been released on CD.
- StrokeAlice White was an actress who had a successful Hollywood career. Early on in her acting career, White landed roles in various films, including "American Beauty" (1927), "The Sea Tiger" (1927) and "The Private Life of Helen of Troy" (1927). She also appeared in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" (1928), "The Big Noise" (1928) and "Broadway Babies" (1929). She continued to act in productions like "The Show of Shows" (1929) with Frank Fay"The Widow From Chicago" (1930) and "Showgirl in Hollywood" (1930). She also appeared in "The Naughty Flirt" (1931). In the latter half of her career, she continued to act in "Jimmy the Gent" (1934) with James Cagney, the drama "The Big City" (1937) with Spencer Tracy and the drama "King of the Newsboys" (1938) with Lew Ayres. She also appeared in "Telephone Operator" (1938) and "Annabel Takes a Tour" (1938). White last acted in the crime drama "Flamingo Road" (1949) with Joan Crawford. White was married to Sy Bartlett. White passed away in February 1983 at the age of 76.
- LeukemiaGeorges Prosper Remi (French: [ʁəmi]; 22 May 1907 – 3 March 1983), known by the pen name Hergé (; French: [ɛʁʒe]), was a Belgian cartoonist. He is best known for creating The Adventures of Tintin, the series of comic albums which are considered one of the most popular European comics of the 20th century. He was also responsible for two other well-known series, Quick & Flupke (1930–1940) and The Adventures of Jo, Zette and Jocko (1936–1957). His works were executed in his distinct ligne claire drawing style. Born to a lower middle-class family in Etterbeek, Brussels, Hergé began his career by contributing illustrations to Scouting magazines, developing his first comic series, The Adventures of Totor, for Le Boy-Scout Belge in 1926. Working for the conservative Catholic newspaper Le Vingtième Siècle, he created The Adventures of Tintin in 1929 on the advice of its editor Norbert Wallez. Revolving around the actions of boy reporter Tintin and his dog Snowy, the series' early installments — Tintin in the Land of the Soviets, Tintin in the Congo, and Tintin in America — were designed as conservative propaganda for children. Domestically successful, after serialisation the stories were published in book form, with Hergé continuing the series and also developing both the Quick & Flupke and Jo, Zette and Jocko series for Le Vingtième Siècle. Influenced by his friend Zhang Chongren, from 1934 Hergé placed far greater emphasis on conducting background research for his stories, resulting in increased realism from The Blue Lotus onward. Following the German occupation of Belgium in 1940, Le Vingtième Siècle was closed, but Hergé continued his series in Le Soir, a popular newspaper controlled by the Nazi administration. After the Allied liberation of Belgium in 1944, Le Soir was shut down and its staff — including Hergé — accused of having been collaborators. An official investigation was launched, and while no charges were brought against Hergé, in subsequent years he repeatedly faced accusations of having been a traitor and collaborator. With Raymond Leblanc he established Tintin magazine in 1946, through which he serialised new Adventures of Tintin stories. As the magazine's artistic director, he also oversaw the publication of other successful comics series, such as Edgar P. Jacobs' Blake and Mortimer. In 1950 he established Studios Hergé as a team to aid him in his ongoing projects; prominent staff members Jacques Martin and Bob de Moor greatly contributed to subsequent volumes of The Adventures of Tintin. Amid personal turmoil following the collapse of his first marriage, he produced Tintin in Tibet, his personal favourite of his works. In later years he became less prolific, and unsuccessfully attempted to establish himself as an abstract artist. Hergé's works have been widely acclaimed for their clarity of draughtsmanship and meticulous, well-researched plots. They have been the source of a wide range of adaptations, in theatre, radio, television, cinema, and computer gaming. He remains a strong influence on the comic book medium, particularly in Europe. He is widely celebrated in Belgium: a Hergé Museum was established in Louvain-la-Neuve in 2009.
- AccidentSergei Chalibashvili (Georgian: სერგო შალიბაშვილი; Russian: Шалибашвили Сергей; June 22, 1962 – July 16, 1983) was a Georgian competitive diver from the Soviet Union. He earned a silver medal at the European Youth Championship in 1978 in Florence, diving from the 10-meter diving platform.
- Stomach cancerFaye Emerson was an American actress who was known for her role in "Guilty Bystander" as Georgia. Emerson was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in 1957.
James Hayden
Heroin overdoseJames Hayden was an actor who appeared in "Once Upon A Time In America," "Marilyn: The Untold Story," and "An Act of Love: The Patricia Neal Story."Øivin Fjeldstad
Øivin Fjeldstad was a Norwegian conductor and violinist who led the Oslo Philharmonic from 1962 to 1969. A native of Oslo, Øivin Fjeldstad debuted as a violinist in 1921 following musical instruction in the conservatories of Oslo and Leipzig. Ten years later, having studied with Clemens Krauss in Berlin, he began his conducting career in Oslo and, after the end of World War II and the founding of the Norwegian Radio Orchestra in 1946, he became its head conductor. Between 1958 and 1960, the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet had Kirsten Flagstad as its general manager and Øivin Fjeldstad as its first artistic director. In 1962 he, along with Herbert Blomstedt, succeeded Odd Grüner-Hegge as head conductor of Oslo Philharmonic, the nation's leading orchestra, becoming one of the most influential figures in his country's postwar musical history. He was awarded the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav, which is bestowed for remarkable accomplishments on behalf of native land and humanity. Øivin Fjeldstad died in Oslo at the age of 80. His daughter, Lise Fjeldstad, is a well-known actress while his son Øivin Skappel Fjeldstad is a banker and politician.- CancerJan Clayton was an actress who has appeared in her role in "Lassie" as Ellen Miller; Jeff's mother. Clayton was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in 1958 for the same project.
Julia Sauer
Julia L. Sauer is a writer.- DrowningJoe Alton Delaney (; October 30, 1958 – June 29, 1983) was an American football running back who played two seasons in the National Football League (NFL). In his two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, Delaney set four franchise records that would stand for more than twenty years. He was a two-time All-American athlete for the Northwestern State Demons football team, as well as a track and field star. Delaney played two seasons with the Chiefs and was chosen as the AFC Rookie of the Year in 1981 by United Press International.Delaney died on June 29, 1983 while attempting to rescue three children from drowning in a pond in Monroe in northeastern Louisiana. He was posthumously awarded the Presidential Citizen's Medal from U.S. President Ronald W. Reagan. While not officially retired, his jersey number while playing for the Chiefs, No. 37, has not been worn since his death.
Francis Taylor Pearsons Plimpton
Francis Taylor Pearsons Plimpton was a diplomat, prominent New York City lawyer, partner at the law firm Debevoise & Plimpton, and a president of the New York City Bar Association.- Raymond Claude Ferdinand Aron (French: [ʁɛmɔ̃ aʁɔ̃]; 14 March 1905 – 17 October 1983) was a French philosopher, sociologist, political scientist, and journalist. He is best known for his 1955 book The Opium of the Intellectuals, the title of which inverts Karl Marx's claim that religion was the opium of the people – Aron argues that in post-war France, Marxism was the opium of the intellectuals. In the book, Aron chastised French intellectuals for what he described as their harsh criticism of capitalism and democracy and their simultaneous defense of Marxist oppression, atrocities, and intolerance. Critic Roger Kimball suggests that Opium is "a seminal book of the twentieth century." Aron is also known for his lifelong friendship, sometimes fractious, with philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre.As a voice of moderation in politics, Aron had many disciples on both the political left and right, but he remarked that he personally was "more of a left-wing Aronian than a right-wing one."Aron wrote extensively on a wide range of other topics. Citing the breadth and quality of Aron's writings, historian James R. Garland suggests, "Though he may be little known in America, Raymond Aron arguably stood as the preeminent example of French intellectualism for much of the twentieth century."
B. J. Vorster
Balthazar Johannes "B. J." Vorster (Afrikaans pronunciation: [ˈbaltɑːzar jʊəˈhanəs ˈfɔrstər]; 13 December 1915 – 10 September 1983), served as the Prime Minister of South Africa from 1966 to 1978 and as the fourth State President of South Africa from 1978 to 1979. Vorster was known for his staunch adherence to apartheid, overseeing (as Minister of Justice) the Rivonia Trial in which Nelson Mandela was sentenced to life imprisonment for sabotage, and (as Prime Minister) the Terrorism Act, the complete abolition of non-white political representation, the Soweto Riots and the Steve Biko crisis. He conducted a more pragmatic foreign policy than his predecessors in an effort to improve relations between the white minority government and South Africa's neighbours, particularly after the break-up of the Portuguese colonial empire. Shortly after the Internal Settlement in Rhodesia, in which he was instrumental, he was implicated in the Muldergate Scandal and resigned the premiership in favour of the ceremonial presidency, which he was forced to give up as well eight months later.- StrokeSir Ralph David Richardson (19 December 1902 – 10 October 1983) was an English actor who, along with his contemporaries Peggy Ashcroft, John Gielgud, and Laurence Olivier, dominated the British stage of the mid-20th century. He worked in films throughout most of his career, and played more than sixty cinema roles. From an artistic but not theatrical background, Richardson had no thought of a stage career until a production of Hamlet in Brighton inspired him to become an actor. He learned his craft in the 1920s with a touring company and later the Birmingham Repertory Theatre. In 1931 he joined the Old Vic, playing mostly Shakespearean roles. He led the company the following season, succeeding Gielgud, who had taught him much about stage technique. After he left the company, a series of leading roles took him to stardom in the West End and on Broadway. In the 1940s, together with Olivier and John Burrell, Richardson was the co-director of the Old Vic company. There, his most celebrated roles included Peer Gynt and Falstaff. He and Olivier led the company to Europe and Broadway in 1945 and 1946, before their success provoked resentment among the governing board of the Old Vic, leading to their dismissal from the company in 1947. In the 1950s, in the West End and occasionally on tour, Richardson played in modern and classic works including The Heiress, Home at Seven, and Three Sisters. He continued on stage and in films until shortly before his sudden death at the age of eighty. He was celebrated in later years for his work with Peter Hall's National Theatre and his frequent stage partnership with Gielgud. He was not known for his portrayal of the great tragic roles in the classics, preferring character parts in old and new plays. Richardson's film career began as an extra in 1931. He was soon cast in leading roles in British and American films including Things to Come (1936), The Fallen Idol (1948), Long Day's Journey into Night (1962) and Doctor Zhivago (1965). He received nominations and awards in the UK, Europe and the US for his stage and screen work from 1948 until his death. Richardson was twice nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, first for The Heiress (1949) and again (posthumously) for his final film, Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984). Throughout his career, and increasingly in later years, Richardson was known for his eccentric behaviour on and off stage. He was often seen as detached from conventional ways of looking at the world, and his acting was regularly described as poetic or magical.
- Symphony conductor who scored his first film in Italy (Max Ophuls' "La Signora di Tutti" 1934) before immigrating to the US in 1937. Amfitheatrof signed with MGM in 1939 and scored numerous films for various studios over the next three decades. Highlights include "Letter from an Unknown Woman" (1948, for Ophuls), "The Desert Fox" (1951) and "Major Dundee" (1964).
- Frederick Alfred Martin (December 9, 1906 – September 30, 1983) was an American bandleader and tenor saxophonist.
- PneumoniaLynn Fontanne (; 6 December 1887 – 30 July 1983) was a British-born American-based actress for over 40 years. She teamed with her husband, Alfred Lunt. Lunt and Fontanne were given special Tony Awards in 1970. They both won Emmy Awards in 1965, and Broadway's Lunt-Fontanne Theatre was named for them. Fontanne is regarded as one of the American theater's great leading ladies of the 20th century.
- Cancer, Pancreatic cancerGeorge Stanley Halas Sr. (; February 2, 1895 – October 31, 1983), nicknamed "Papa Bear" and "Mr. Everything", was a player, coach, and owner involved with professional American football. He was the founder, owner, and head coach of the National Football League's Chicago Bears. He was also lesser known as a Major League Baseball player for the New York Yankees. Halas was one of the co-founders of the National Football League (NFL) in 1920, and in 1963 became one of the first 17 inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
- Ted Berrigan (November 15, 1934 – July 4, 1983) was an American poet.
- Marguerite Marie Broquedis (French pronunciation: [maʁ.ɡə.ʁit bʁɔkədi]; 17 April 1893 – 23 April 1983; married names Billout, Bordes) was a French female tennis player.
- Georges Auric (French: [ɔʁik]; 15 February 1899 – 23 July 1983) was a French composer, born in Lodève, Hérault. He was considered one of Les Six, a group of artists informally associated with Jean Cocteau and Erik Satie. Before he turned 20 he had orchestrated and written incidental music for several ballets and stage productions. He also had a distinguished career as a film composer.
Art Ruble
William Arthur Ruble (March 11, 1903 – November 1, 1983) was a professional baseball player. Nicknamed "Speed", he was an outfielder over parts of two seasons (1927, 1934) with the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies. For his career, he compiled a .207 batting average in 145 at-bats, with 19 runs batted in. An alumnus of Maryville College, he was born in Knoxville, Tennessee and died in Maryville, Tennessee at the age of 80.- Farrell Dobbs (July 25, 1907 – October 31, 1983) was an American Trotskyist, trade unionist, politician, and historian.
- Aviation accident or incidentJorge Ibargüengoitia Antillón (born January 22, 1928 in Guanajuato, Mexico; died November 27, 1983 in Mejorada del Campo, Madrid, Spain) was a Mexican novelist and playwright who achieved great popular and critical success with his satires, three of which have appeared in English: Las Muertas (The Dead Girls), Dos Crímenes (Two Crimes), and Los Relámpagos de Agosto (The Lightning of August). His plays include Susana y los Jóvenes and Ante varias esfinges, both dating from the 1950s. In 1955, Ibarguengoitia received a Rockefeller grant to study in New York City; five years later he received the Mexico City literary award. He died in Avianca Flight 011 on route Frankfurt via Paris, Madrid, and Caracas to Bogotá that crashed on November 27, 1983.
