Did you know
John Heard made his debut appearance in film with the ensemble Between the Lines (1977).
Notable Deaths on July 21
2017 — John Heard
American film and television actor (born 1946)
July 21 has 91 recorded notable deaths across history, from 658 to 2025. This focused page highlights 20 people with the strongest available profile context.
By thisDay.info Editorial Team · — Wikipedia
Notable Deaths
91 source records
658 – 2025
Today in history
Major events on July 21
See what else happened on this day in history.
- 1774 Russo-Turkish War (1768–74): Russia and the Ottoman Empire sign the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca ending the war. It is the first time that an Ottoman ruler surrendered territory largely populated by Muslims and the first time that a separation of secular and spiritual authority in the Ottoman Empire was established. Source
- 1960 Sirimavo Bandaranaike is sworn in as prime minister of Ceylon, becoming the world's first democratically elected female head of government. Source
- 1798 French campaign in Egypt and Syria: Napoleon's forces defeat an Ottoman-Mamluk army near Cairo in the Battle of the Pyramids. Source
- 1959 NS Savannah, the first nuclear-powered cargo-passenger ship, is launched as a showcase for Dwight D. Eisenhower's "Atoms for Peace" initiative. Source
Did you know
Tony Bennett received many accolades, including 20 Grammy Awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award, and two Primetime Emmy Awards.
Did you know
The heir to a leading noble family in northern England, Hotspur was one of the earliest and prime movers behind the deposition of King Richard II in favour of Henry Bolingbroke in 1399.
Did you know
In the 1960s, he was one of the first British vocalists to sing the blues in clubs and shared the stage with many British musicians including the Rolling Stones, the Animals and the Beatles.
Did you know
Jimmie Foxx's greatest seasons were with the Philadelphia Athletics and the Boston Red Sox, where he hit a then-record 30 or more home runs in 12 consecutive seasons and drove in more than 100 runs in 13 consecutive years.
More major people who died on July 21
Notable people are ranked by substantive profile depth and public notability.
2023
Tony Bennett
American singer (born 1926)
Anthony Dominick Benedetto, known professionally as Tony Bennett, was an American jazz and traditional pop singer.
1403
Henry Percy
English soldier (born 1364)
Sir Henry Percy, nicknamed Hotspur or Harry Hotspur, was an English knight who fought in several campaigns against the Scots in the northern border and against the French during the Hundred Years' War.
2005
Long John Baldry
English-Canadian singer and actor (born 1941)
John William "Long John" Baldry was a British and Canadian musician and actor.
1967
Jimmie Foxx
American baseball player, coach, and manager (born 1907)
James Emory Foxx, nicknamed "Double X" and "the Beast", was an American professional baseball first baseman who played 20 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Athletics, Boston Red Sox, Chicago…
1425
Manuel II Palaiologos
Byzantine emperor (born 1350)
Manuel II Palaiologos or Palaeologus was Byzantine emperor from 1391 to 1425. Shortly before his death he was tonsured a monk and received the name Matthaios (Ματθαίος).
710
Wei
empress of the Tang dynasty
Empress Wei was an empress consort of the Chinese Tang dynasty.
1982
Dave Garroway
American journalist and actor (born 1913)
David Cunningham Garroway was an American radio and television host on NBC.
2010
Ralph Houk
American baseball player, coach, and manager (born 1919)
Ralph George Houk, nicknamed "the Major", was an American catcher, coach, manager, and front office executive in Major League Baseball.
710
Shangguan Wan'er
Chinese poet (born 664)
Shangguan Wan'er was a Chinese politician, poet, and imperial consort of the Wu Zhou and Tang dynasties.
1938
Owen Wister
American lawyer and author (born 1860)
Owen Wister was an American writer. His novel The Virginian, published in 1902, helped create the cowboy as a folk hero in the United States and built Wister's reputation as the "father of Western fiction." He was…
2014
Dan Borislow
American businessman, invented the magicJack (born 1961)
Daniel Marc Borislow was an American entrepreneur, sports team owner, inventor, and thoroughbred horse breeder. Borislow was born and grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and attended Widener University.
2015
E. L. Doctorow
American novelist, short story writer, and playwright (born 1931)
Edgar Lawrence Doctorow was an American novelist, editor, and professor, best known for his works of historical fiction.
1968
Ruth St. Denis
American dancer and choreographer (born 1878)
Ruth St. Denis was an American pioneer of modern dance, introducing eastern ideas into the art and paving the way for other women in dance. She was inspired by the Delsarte advocate Genevieve Stebbins. St.
2006
Ta Mok
Cambodian soldier and monk (born 1926)
Ta Mok, also known as Nguon Kang, was a Cambodian military chief who was a senior figure in the genocidal Khmer Rouge and the leader of the national army of Democratic Kampuchea.
1796
Robert Burns
Scottish poet and songwriter (born 1759)
Robert Burns, also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide.
1970
Mikhail Mikhaylovich Gerasimov
Russian anthropologist and sculptor (born 1907)
Mikhail Mikhaylovich Gerasimov was a Soviet archaeologist, and anthropologist who discovered the Mal'ta–Buret' culture and developed the first technique of forensic sculpture based on findings of anthropology,…
1952
Pedro Lascuráin
Mexican politician, president for 45 minutes on February 13, 1913. (born 1856)
Pedro José Domingo de la Calzada Manuel María Lascuráin Paredes was a Mexican politician and lawyer who served as the 38th president of Mexico for 45 minutes on 19 February 1913, the shortest presidency in history.
2020
Annie Ross
Scottish-American singer and actress (born 1930)
Annie Ross was a British-born American singer and actress, best known as a member of the influential jazz vocal trio Lambert, Hendricks & Ross.
1948
Arshile Gorky
Armenian-American painter and illustrator (born 1904)
Arshile Gorky was an Armenian-American painter. At first influenced by Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, Gorky's later work presaged and exerted a seminal influence on abstract expressionism.