Did you know
David Lynch is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential filmmakers in the history of cinema, with his films often characterized by a distinctive surrealist sensibility that gave rise to the adjective "Lynchian".
Notable Deaths on January 15
2025 — David Lynch
American television and film director, visual artist and musician, complications from emphysema (born 1946)
January 15 has 125 recorded notable deaths across history, from 69 to 2025. This focused page highlights 20 people with the strongest available profile context.
By thisDay.info Editorial Team · — Wikipedia
Notable Deaths
125 source records
69 – 2025
Today in history
Major events on January 15
See what else happened on this day in history.
- 1973 Vietnam War: Citing progress in peace negotiations, President Richard Nixon announces the suspension of offensive action in North Vietnam. Source
- 1822 Greek War of Independence: Demetrios Ypsilantis is elected president of the legislative assembly. Source
- 1970 Nigerian Civil War: Biafran rebels surrender following an unsuccessful 32-month fight for independence from Nigeria. Source
- 1908 The Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority becomes the first Greek-letter organization founded and established by African American college women. Source
Did you know
Ray Bolger first became interested in dancing as a teenager and, while working as a bank clerk in Boston, participated in dance contests and attended musical performances.
Did you know
Henry Harley "Hap" Arnold was an American general officer holding the ranks of General of the Army and later, General of the Air Force.
Did you know
Sammy Cahn played the piano and violin, and won an Oscar four times for his songs, including the popular hit "Three Coins in the Fountain".
Did you know
After the war, Marks became a playwright and screenwriter, writing scripts that frequently utilised his war-time cryptographic experiences.
More major people who died on January 15
Notable people are ranked by substantive profile depth and public notability.
1987
Ray Bolger
American actor, singer, and dancer (born 1904)
Raymond Wallace Bolger was an American vaudevillian, eccentric dancer, comedian, actor and singer best known for his performance as the Scarecrow in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's 1939 film The Wizard of Oz.
1950
Henry H. Arnold
American general (born 1886)
Henry Harley "Hap" Arnold was an American general officer holding the ranks of General of the Army and later, General of the Air Force.
1993
Sammy Cahn
American songwriter (born 1913)
Samuel Cohen, known professionally as Sammy Cahn, was an American lyricist, songwriter, and musician.
2001
Leo Marks
English cryptographer, playwright, and screenwriter (born 1920)
Leopold Samuel Marks was an English writer, screenwriter, and cryptographer.
1968
Bill Masterton
Canadian-American ice hockey player (born 1938)
William John Masterton was a Canadian–American professional ice hockey player who was a centre in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Minnesota North Stars in 1967–68.
2025
Melba Montgomery
American country music singer-songwriter (born 1938)
Melba Joyce Montgomery was an American country music singer and songwriter. She was known for a series of duet recordings made with George Jones, Gene Pitney, and Charlie Louvin.
1775
Giovanni Battista Sammartini
Italian organist and composer (born 1700)
Giovanni Battista Sammartini was an Italian composer, violinist, organist, choirmaster and teacher. He counted Gluck among his students, and was highly regarded by younger composers including Johann Christian Bach.
1623
Paolo Sarpi
Italian lawyer, historian, and scholar (born 1552)
Paolo Sarpi, O.S.M. was an Italian Servite friar and Catholic priest who was a notable historian, scientist, canon lawyer, polymath, and statesman active on behalf of the Venetian Republic during the period of its…
2002
Michael Anthony Bilandic
American politician, 49th Mayor of Chicago (born 1923)
Michael Anthony Bilandic was an American Democratic politician, judge, and attorney who served as the 49th mayor of Chicago from 1976 to 1979, after the death of his predecessor, Richard J. Daley.
2008
Robert V. Bruce
American historian, author, and academic (born 1923)
Robert Vance Bruce was an American historian specializing in the American Civil War, who won the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for History for his book The Launching of Modern American Science, 1846–1876 (1987).
1864
Isaac Nathan
English-Australian composer and journalist (born 1792)
Isaac Nathan was an Anglo-Jewish emigre Australian musician, composer, musicologist, and music educator, who has been called the "father of Australian music", having assisted the careers of numerous colonial musicians…
2013
John Thomas
American high jumper (born 1941)
John Curtis Thomas was an American track and field athlete who set several world records in the high jump using the straddle technique. As a youth, he earned the Eagle Scout award.
2015
Ray Nagel
American football player and coach (born 1927)
Raymond Robert Nagel was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator.
2014
Roger Lloyd-Pack
English actor (born 1944)
Roger Anthony Lloyd Pack was a British actor. He is best known for playing Trigger in Only Fools and Horses from 1981 to 2003, and Owen Newitt in The Vicar of Dibley from 1994 to 2007.
1804
Dru Drury
English entomologist and author (born 1725)
Dru Drury was a British collector of natural history specimens and an entomologist. He received specimens collected from across the world through a network of ship's officers and collectors including Henry Smeathman.
1783
Lord Stirling
American Revolutionary War Major General (born 1726)
Major General William Alexander, also known as Lord Stirling was a Continental Army officer who served in the American Revolutionary War.
2013
Nagisa Oshima
Japanese director and screenwriter (born 1932)
Nagisa Ōshima was a Japanese film director, writer, and left-wing activist who is best known for his fiction films, of which he directed 23 features in a career spanning from 1959 to 1999.
1909
Arnold Janssen
German priest and missionary (born 1837)
Arnold Janssen, was a German-Dutch Catholic priest and missionary who is venerated as a saint.
1876
Eliza McCardle Johnson
American wife of Andrew Johnson, 18th First Lady of the United States (born 1810)
Eliza McCardle Johnson was the first lady of the United States from 1865 to 1869 as the wife of President Andrew Johnson.