Did you know
Franz Kafka's best-known works include the novella The Metamorphosis (1915) and the novels The Trial (1924) and The Castle (1926).
Notable Deaths on June 3
1924 — Franz Kafka
Czech-Austrian lawyer and author (born 1883)
June 3 has 92 recorded notable deaths across history, from 628 to 2025. This focused page highlights 20 people with the strongest available profile context.
By thisDay.info Editorial Team · — Wikipedia
Notable Deaths
92 source records
628 – 2025
Today in history
Major events on June 3
See what else happened on this day in history.
- 2006 The union of Serbia and Montenegro comes to an end with Montenegro's formal declaration of independence. Source
- 1965 The launch of Gemini 4, the first multi-day space mission by a NASA crew. Ed White, a crew member, performs the first American spacewalk. Source
- 1950 Herzog and Lachenal of the French Annapurna expedition become the first climbers to reach the summit of an 8,000-metre peak. Source
- 1839 In Humen, China, Lin Zexu destroys 1.2 million kilograms of opium confiscated from British merchants, providing Britain with a casus belli to open hostilities, resulting in the First Opium War. Source
Did you know
In Europe, Arness reached cult status for his role as Zeb Macahan in the Western series How the West Was Won.
Did you know
To deal with the volatile issue of whether to extend slavery into US territories, Douglas became the foremost advocate of popular sovereignty, which held that the voters of each territory should be allowed to decide.
Did you know
Andrew Maurice Gold was an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and record producer who influenced much of the Los Angeles-dominated pop/soft rock sound in the 1970s.
Did you know
Catherine Joséphine "Katia" Krafft and her husband, Maurice Paul Krafft were French volcanologists and filmmakers who died in a pyroclastic flow on Mount Unzen, Nagasaki, Japan, on 3 June 1991.
More major people who died on June 3
Notable people are ranked by substantive profile depth and public notability.
2011
James Arness
American actor and producer (born 1923)
James King Arness was an American actor, best known for portraying Marshal Matt Dillon for 20 years in the series Gunsmoke.
1861
Stephen A. Douglas
American lawyer and politician, 7th Secretary of State of Illinois (born 1813)
Stephen Arnold Douglas was an American politician and lawyer from Illinois.
2011
Andrew Gold
American singer, songwriter, musician and arranger (born 1951)
Andrew Maurice Gold was an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and record producer who influenced much of the Los Angeles-dominated pop/soft rock sound in the 1970s.
1991
Katia Krafft
French volcanologist and geologist (born 1942)
Catherine Joséphine "Katia" Krafft and her husband, Maurice Paul Krafft were French volcanologists and filmmakers who died in a pyroclastic flow on Mount Unzen, Nagasaki, Japan, on 3 June 1991.
1991
Maurice Krafft
French volcanologist and geologist (born 1946)
Catherine Joséphine "Katia" Krafft and her husband, Maurice Paul Krafft were French volcanologists and filmmakers who died in a pyroclastic flow on Mount Unzen, Nagasaki, Japan, on 3 June 1991.
1780
Thomas Hutchinson
American businessman and politician, Governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay (born 1711)
Thomas Hutchinson was an American merchant, politician, historian, and colonial administrator who repeatedly served as governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay in the years leading up to the American Revolution.
2002
Lew Wasserman
American talent agent and manager (born 1913)
Lewis Robert Wasserman was an American businessman and talent agent, described as "the last of the legendary movie moguls" and "arguably the most powerful and influential Hollywood titan in the four decades after World…
2025
Edmund White
American novelist, memoirist and essayist (born 1940)
Edmund Valentine White III was an American novelist, memoirist, playwright, biographer and essayist.
2025
Shigeo Nagashima
Japanese baseball player and manager (born 1936)
Shigeo Nagashima was a Japanese professional baseball player and manager.
1991
Brian Bevan
Australian rugby league player (born 1924)
Brian Eyrl Bevan, also known by the nickname of "Wing Wizard", was an Australian professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s.
1902
Vital-Justin Grandin
French-Canadian bishop and missionary (born 1829)
Vital-Justin Grandin was a Roman Catholic priest and bishop. He has been labelled as a key architect of the Canadian Indian residential school system by contemporary news sources, which has been considered an instrument…
1052
Prince Guaimar IV of Salerno
Guaimar IV was Prince of Salerno (1027–1052), Duke of Amalfi (1039–1052), Duke of Gaeta (1040–1041), and Prince of Capua (1038–1047) in Southern Italy over the period from 1027 to 1052.
2016
Muhammad Ali
American boxer (born 1942)
Muhammad Ali was an American professional boxer and activist. A global cultural icon, widely known by the nickname "the Greatest", he is often regarded as the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time.
1975
Eisaku Satō
Japanese and politician, Prime Minister of Japan (born 1901)
Eisaku Satō was a Japanese politician who served as prime minister of Japan from 1964 to 1972. He was the third longest-serving and longest-uninterrupted–serving Japanese prime minister.
1994
Puig Aubert
German-French rugby player and coach (born 1925)
Puig Aubert, is often considered the best French rugby league footballer of all time.
1615
Sanada Yukimura
Japanese samurai (born 1567)
Sanada Nobushige , also known as Sanada Yukimura , was a Japanese samurai warrior of the Sengoku period. He was especially known as the leading general on the defending side of the Siege of Osaka.
1977
Roberto Rossellini
Italian director and screenwriter (born 1906)
Roberto Gastone Zeffiro Rossellini was an Italian film director, screenwriter and producer.
2025
Jim Marshall
American football player (born 1937)
James Lawrence Marshall was an American professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons, primarily with the Minnesota Vikings.
2024
William Russell
English actor (born 1924)
William Russell Enoch was an English actor who performed as both Russell Enoch and William Russell.