Did you know
In 1959, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for services to the arts.
Notable Deaths on August 5
2000 — Alec Guinness
English actor (born 1914)
August 5 has 116 recorded notable deaths across history, from 553 to 2025. This focused page highlights 20 people with the strongest available profile context.
By thisDay.info Editorial Team · — Wikipedia
Notable Deaths
116 source records
553 – 2025
Today in history
Major events on August 5
See what else happened on this day in history.
- 1735 Freedom of the press: New York Weekly Journal writer John Peter Zenger is acquitted of seditious libel against the royal governor of New York, on the basis that what he had published was true. Source
- 1861 The United States Army abolishes flogging. Source
- 1192 Richard I of England defeats Saladin in the battle of Jaffa, which enables him to conclude a favourable treaty for the crusaders. Source
- 1963 Cold War: The United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union sign the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Source
Did you know
Thomas Linley the younger was one of the most precocious composers and performers that have been known in England.
Did you know
When Sesame Street began in 1969, not only did Robinson play Gordon, but he also provided the voice of the puppet Roosevelt Franklin and was one of the show's producers.
Did you know
Hearn was the first broadcaster named to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
Did you know
Millicent Fawcett campaigned for women's suffrage by legal change and in 1897–1919 led Britain's largest women's rights association, the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (NUWSS), explaining, "I cannot say I became a suffragist.
More major people who died on August 5
Notable people are ranked by substantive profile depth and public notability.
1778
Thomas Linley the younger
English composer (born 1756)
Thomas Linley the younger, also known as Thomas Linley, Junior or Tom Linley, was the eldest son of the composer Thomas Linley and his wife Mary Johnson.
2002
Matt Robinson
American actor, producer, and screenwriter (born 1937)
Matthew Thomas Robinson Jr. was an American actor, writer and television producer. Robinson was the first actor to portray the character of Gordon Robinson on the PBS children's TV program Sesame Street.
2002
Chick Hearn
American sportscaster (born 1916)
Francis Dayle "Chick" Hearn was an American sportscaster who was the play-by-play announcer for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association for 41 years, as well as the team's assistant general manager…
1929
Millicent Fawcett
English trade union leader and activist (born 1847)
Dame Millicent Garrett Fawcett was an English political activist and writer.
2002
Darrell Porter
American baseball player (born 1952)
Darrell Ray Porter was an American professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1971 to 1987 for the Milwaukee Brewers, Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Cardinals, and Texas Rangers.
1447
John Holland
2nd Duke of Exeter (born 1395)
John Holland, 2nd Duke of Exeter, 2nd Earl of Huntingdon was an English nobleman and military commander during the Hundred Years' War.
2022
Ali Haydar
Syrian army officer (born 1932)
Ali Haydar, known as the "Father of the Syrian Special Forces", was a Syrian military officer who was the commander of the Syrian Special Forces for 26 years.
1964
Art Ross
Canadian-American ice hockey player and coach (born 1886)
Arthur Howey Ross was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and executive from 1905 until 1954.
1911
Bob Caruthers
American baseball player and umpire (born 1864)
Robert Lee Caruthers, nicknamed "Parisian Bob", was an American right-handed pitcher and right fielder in Major League Baseball who played primarily for the St. Louis Browns and Brooklyn Bridegrooms.
1877
Robert Williams (known as Trebor Mai)
Welsh poet (born 1830)
Robert Williams, usually referred to by his bardic name Trebor Mai, was a Welsh language poet, born at Ty'n-yr-ardd near Llanrhychwyn, near Llanrwst, in the old county of Caernarfonshire, the son of a tailor.
882
Louis III
Frankish king (born 863)
Louis III was King of West Francia from 879 until his death in 882.
1901
Victoria
Princess Royal of the United Kingdom and German Empress (born 1840)
Victoria, Princess Royal was German Empress and Queen of Prussia as the wife of Frederick III, German Emperor.
1978
Jesse Haines
American baseball player and coach (born 1893)
Jesse Joseph Haines, nicknamed "Pop", was an American professional baseball pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB).
2011
Andrzej Lepper
Polish farmer and politician, Deputy Prime Minister of Poland (born 1954)
Andrzej Zbigniew Lepper was a Polish politician, farmer, and trade unionist who led the Self-Defence of the Republic of Poland, an agrarian populist party that, between 2005 and 2007, was the third-largest political…
1946
Wilhelm Marx
German lawyer and politician, 17th Chancellor of Germany (born 1863)
Wilhelm Marx was a German judge, lawyer, and politician who twice served as chancellor of Germany during the Weimar Republic, from 1923 to 1925 and again from 1926 to 1928.
917
Euthymius I of Constantinople (born 834)
Euthymius I Syncellus was the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from February 907 to 15 May 912.
1799
Richard Howe
1st Earl Howe, English admiral and politician (born 1726)
Admiral of the Fleet Richard Howe, Earl Howe was a Royal Navy officer and politician.
1792
Frederick North
Lord North, English politician, Prime Minister of Great Britain (born 1732)
Frederick North, 2nd Earl of Guilford, was Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1770 to 1782.
1881
Spotted Tail
American tribal chief (born 1823)
Spotted Tail was a Sichangu Lakota tribal chief. Famed as a great warrior since his youth, warring on Ute, Pawnee and Absaroke (“Crow”), and having taken a leading part in the Grattan Massacre, he led his warriors in…