Did you know
As a film producer, he holds the record for most Academy Awards won (22) and nominations (59) by an individual.
Notable Deaths on December 15
1966 — Walt Disney
American animator, director, producer, and screenwriter, co-founded The Walt Disney Company (born 1901)
December 15 has 86 recorded notable deaths across history, from 933 to 2025. This focused page highlights 20 people with the strongest available profile context.
By thisDay.info Editorial Team · — Wikipedia
Notable Deaths
86 source records
933 – 2025
Today in history
Major events on December 15
See what else happened on this day in history.
- 1945 Occupation of Japan/Shinto Directive: General Douglas MacArthur orders that Shinto be abolished as the state religion of Japan. Source
- 1965 Project Gemini: Gemini 6A, crewed by Wally Schirra and Thomas Stafford, is launched from Cape Kennedy, Florida. Four orbits later, it achieves the first space rendezvous, with Gemini 7. Source
- 1869 The short-lived Republic of Ezo is proclaimed in the Ezo area of Japan. It is the first attempt to establish a democracy in Japan. Source
- 1960 Richard Pavlick is arrested for plotting to assassinate U.S. President-Elect John F. Kennedy. Source
Did you know
Vallabhbhai Patel, commonly known as Sardar Patel, was a Gandhian Indian independence activist, lawyer and statesman who served as the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of India from 1947 to 1950.
Did you know
The throne thus went to two generals, Nikephoros Phokas and John Tzimiskes before Basil became senior emperor, though his influential great-uncle Basil Lekapenos remained as the de facto ruler until 985.
Did you know
Granville Oral Roberts was an American Charismatic Christian televangelist, who was one of the first to propagate Prosperity Gospel Theology.
Did you know
Arthur Llewellyn Jones, known by his pen name Arthur Machen, was a Welsh author and mystic of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
More major people who died on December 15
Notable people are ranked by substantive profile depth and public notability.
1950
Vallabhbhai Patel
Indian lawyer and politician, 1st Deputy Prime Minister of India (born 1875)
Vallabhbhai Patel, commonly known as Sardar Patel, was a Gandhian Indian independence activist, lawyer and statesman who served as the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of India from 1947 to 1950.
1025
Basil II
Byzantine emperor (born 958)
Basil II Porphyrogenitus, given the epithet the Bulgar Slayer, was the senior Byzantine emperor from 976 to 1025.
2009
Oral Roberts
American evangelist, founded the Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association (born 1918)
Granville Oral Roberts was an American Charismatic Christian televangelist, who was one of the first to propagate Prosperity Gospel Theology.
1947
Arthur Machen
Welsh journalist and author (born 1863)
Arthur Llewellyn Jones, known by his pen name Arthur Machen, was a Welsh author and mystic of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is best known for his influential supernatural, fantasy and horror fiction.
1161
Wanyan Liang
Chinese emperor (born 1122)
Digunai, also known by his sinicised name Wanyan Liang and his formal title Prince of Hailing, was the fourth emperor of the Jurchen-led Jin dynasty of China.
1792
Joseph Martin Kraus
Swedish pianist, violinist, and composer (born 1756)
Joseph Martin Kraus, was a German-Swedish composer in the Classical era who was born in Miltenberg am Main, Holy Roman Empire. He moved to Sweden at age 21, and died at the age of 36 in Stockholm.
2012
Olga Zubarry
Argentinian actress (born 1929)
Olga Zubarry was an Argentine actress who appeared in film between 1943 and 1997.
1698
Louis Victor de Rochechouart de Mortemart
French nobleman (born 1636)
Louis Victor de Rochechouart, 2nd Duke of Mortemart and Duke of Vivonne was a French military officer and nobleman who was a member of the ancient House of Rochechouart.
2017
Calestous Juma
academic (born 1953)
Calestous Juma was a Kenyan scientist and academic, specializing in sustainable development. He was named one of the most influential 100 Africans in 2012, 2013 and 2014 by the New African magazine.
2012
Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa
Nigerian politician, 18th Governor of Kaduna State (born 1948)
Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa (1 December 1948 – 15 December 2012) was a Nigerian politician who served as governor of Kaduna State from 2010 to 2012.
2025
William J. Bauer
senior United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Chicago and previously a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, (born 1926)
William Joseph Bauer was an American judge who was a senior circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Chicago from 1974 until his death, having been nominated to the position by…
1230
Ottokar I
duke of Bohemia (born 1155)
Ottokar I was Duke of Bohemia periodically beginning in 1192, then acquired the title of King of Bohemia, first in 1198 from Philip of Swabia, later in 1203 from Otto IV of Brunswick and in 1212 from Frederick II.
2010
Bob Feller
American baseball player and sportscaster (born 1918)
Robert William Andrew Feller, nicknamed "the Heater from Van Meter", "Bullet Bob", and "Rapid Robert", was an American professional baseball player who was a pitcher for 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the…
2024
Zakir Hussain
Indian tabla player, musical producer, film actor and composer (born 1951)
Ustad Zakir Hussain Qureshi was an Indian tabla player, composer, arranger, percussionist, music producer and film actor who was based for much of his career in the San Francisco Bay Area.
2007
Julia Carson
American lawyer and politician (born 1938)
Julia May Carson was an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives for Indiana's 7th congressional district from 1997 until she died in 2007.
1675
Johannes Vermeer
Dutch painter and educator (born 1632)
Johannes Vermeer was a Dutch painter who specialized in domestic interior scenes of middle-class life. He is considered one of the greatest painters of the Dutch Golden Age.
1947
Crawford Vaughan
Australian politician, 27th Premier of South Australia (born 1874)
Crawford Vaughan was an Australian politician, and the Premier of South Australia from 1915 to 1917.
1753
Richard Boyle
3rd Earl of Burlington, English architect and politician, designed Chiswick House (born 1694)
Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington was a British architect and politician often called the "Apollo of the Arts" and the "Architect Earl".
1878
Alfred Bird
English chemist and businessman, invented baking powder (born 1811)
Alfred Bird was an English food manufacturer and chemist. He was born in Nympsfield, Gloucestershire, England in 1811 and was later a pupil at King Edward's School, Birmingham.