Welcome! Check out today's deaths, recent deaths, or our deaths stats.
Feeling experimental? Head on over to our newest (and darkest) feature: Next-2-Die™ predictions
In the year 2008
719 Notable deaths
Heath Ledger
Australian actor (1979–2008).
Born April 4th, 1979 in Perth. [ref]
Died January 22nd, 2008 at 28 years old in Manhattan (opioid overdose). [ref]
Paul Newman
American actor and film director (1925–2008).
Born January 26th, 1925 in Shaker Heights. [ref]
Died September 26th, 2008 at 83 years old in Westport (lung cancer). [ref]
Bobby Fischer
American chess player and chess writer.
Born March 9th, 1943 in Chicago. [ref]
Died January 18th, 2008 at 64 years old in Reykjavík (kidney failure). [ref]
George Carlin
American stand-up comedian (1937–2008).
Born May 12th, 1937 in New York City. [ref]
Died June 22nd, 2008 at 71 years old in Santa Monica (heart failure). [ref]
Nina Simone
American singer, songwriter and pianist.
Born February 21st, 1933 in Tryon. [ref]
Died April 21st, 2008 at 75 years old in Carry-le-Rouet (breast cancer). [ref]
Bernie Mac
American actor.
Born October 5th, 1957 in Chicago.
Died August 9th, 2008 at 50 years old in Chicago (pneumonia). [ref]
Charlton Heston
American actor and political activist (1923–2008).
Born October 4th, 1923 in Evanston.
Died April 5th, 2008 at 84 years old in Beverly Hills (pneumonia, leukemia). [ref]
Estelle Getty
Actress (1923-2008).
Born July 25th, 1923 in New York City. [ref]
Died July 22nd, 2008 at 84 years old in Hollywood (dementia). [ref]
David Foster Wallace
American fiction writer and essayist.
Born February 21st, 1962 in Ithaca. [ref]
Died September 12th, 2008 at 46 years old in Claremont (hanging). [ref]
Michael Crichton
American author, screenwriter, film producer (1942-2008).
Born October 23rd, 1942 in Chicago. [ref]
Died November 4th, 2008 at 66 years old in Los Angeles (lymphoma). [ref]
Deaths 1 to 10 of 719
Every exit is an entry somewhere else. Tom Stoppard