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In the year 1959

378 Notable deaths

Billie Holiday

American jazz singer (1915-1959).

Born April 7th, 1915 in Philadelphia. [ref]

Died July 17th, 1959 at 44 years old in Metropolitan Hospital Center (liver cirrhosis). [ref]

Buddy Holly

American singer-songwriter (1936–1959).

Born September 7th, 1936 in Lubbock. [ref]

Died February 3rd, 1959 at 22 years old in Clear Lake (aircraft crash). [ref]

Ritchie Valens

American singer, songwriter and guitarist.

Born May 13th, 1941 in Pacoima. [ref]

Died February 3rd, 1959 at 17 years old in Clear Lake (aviation accident). [ref]

Frank Lloyd Wright

American architect (1867-1959).

Born June 8th, 1867 in Richland Center. [ref]

Died April 9th, 1959 at 91 years old in Phoenix (surgical complications). [ref]

Errol Flynn

Australian actor (1909-1959).

Born June 20th, 1909 in Battery Point. [ref]

Died October 14th, 1959 at 50 years old in Vancouver (myocardial infarction). [ref]

George Reeves

American actor.

Born January 5th, 1914 in Woolstock.

Died June 16th, 1959 at 45 years old in Benedict Canyon (ballistic trauma). [ref]

Max Baer

American boxer (1909-1959).

Born February 11th, 1909 in Omaha.

Died November 21st, 1959 at 50 years old in Hollywood (myocardial infarction).

The Big Bopper

American musician (1930–1959).

Born October 24th, 1930 in Port Arthur.

Died February 3rd, 1959 at 28 years old in Clear Lake (aviation accident).

Cecil B. DeMille

American film director (1881-1959).

Born August 12th, 1881 in Ashfield. [ref]

Died January 21st, 1959 at 77 years old in Hollywood (heart failure). [ref]

Stepan Bandera

Ukrainian politician (1909–1959).

Born January 1st, 1909 in Staryi Uhryniv. [ref]

Died October 15th, 1959 at 50 years old in Munich (deliberate poisoning). [ref]

Deaths 1 to 10 of 378

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That’s what literature is. It’s the people who went before us, tapping out messages from the past, from beyond the grave, trying to tell us about life and death! Listen to them! Connie Willis