Some public figures died on the same date they were born. The match is rare. Records confirm it — from emperors to entertainers. This post lists cases of actors, musicians, politicians, and others whose final day fell on their birthday.
Gertrude Astor — November 9, 1977
Gertrude Astor was a silent film actress known for her appearances in over 250 films. Her career spanned both silent movies and talkies. She passed away on her 90th birthday, and her death was acknowledged in trade publications as a quiet farewell to a bygone era.
Ingrid Bergman — August 29, 1982
Ingrid Bergman died on her 67th birthday. She won three Academy Awards and worked across five decades. Her final role was in A Woman Called Golda, where she played Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir. It aired after her death. Prominent outlets like The New York Times and The Guardian noticed the coincidence of birthdays and mentioned it in their obituaries.
Mel Street — October 21, 1978
Mel Street died by suicide on his 43rd birthday. He was a country singer with a voice built for heartbreak. His songs charted but never crossed over. The timing was noted in press coverage.
Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr. — August 17, 1988
Roosevelt Jr. died on his 74th birthday. He served in Congress and held a naval rank. He lived in his father’s shadow but carved his own path. His death was quietly observed.
Betty Friedan — February 4, 2006
Betty Friedan died on her 85th birthday. She wrote The Feminine Mystique and helped start the National Organization for Women (NOW). Her death was reported by The New York Times.
Sidney Bechet — May 14, 1959
Sidney Bechet died on his 62nd birthday in France, where he was revered. He was a jazz clarinetist and a pioneer of solo improvisation.
William Shakespeare — April 23, 1616
William Shakespeare died on April 23, 1616. He was baptised on April 26. His birthday is often listed as April 23, but the record doesn’t confirm it.
Maggie McNamara — June 18, 1978
Maggie McNamara died on her 49th birthday. She starred in The Moon Is Blue and left the film industry early. Her death was quietly observed. The birthday match was noted in some obituaries.
Corrie Ten Boom — April 15, 1983
Corrie Ten Boom died on her 91st birthday. Corrie hid Jews during the Holocaust and was a Ravensbrück survivor.
Merle Haggard — April 6, 2016
Merle Haggard died on his 79th birthday. He served time at San Quentin before launching his music career. Haggard’s country ballads often reflected regret, hardship, and working-class life. He won a Grammy award. His last album came out the year before.
Milton Glaser — June 26, 2020
Milton Glaser died on his 91st birthday. He designed the “I ♥ NY” logo and co-founded New York magazine. His death was reported by major outlets.
Machine Gun Kelly (George Barnes) — July 18, 1954
Machine Gun Kelly succumbed to a heart attack on July 18, 1954, at Leavenworth Penitentiary. He was serving a life sentence for kidnapping oil tycoon Charles F. Urschel in 1933. After spending years at Alcatraz, he was transferred to Leavenworth in 1951. He died on his 59th birthday.
Raphael — April 6, 1520
Raphael died on his 37th birthday. He was a leading painter and architect of the High Renaissance. He is best known for The School of Athens and other Vatican frescoes. He died in Rome after a brief illness. The cause was not recorded.
Zeng Guofan — November 26, 1872
Zeng Guofan died on his 61st birthday. He was a Qing dynasty official and military leader. Records confirm the date.
Edna May Oliver — November 9, 1942
Edna May Oliver, a character actress in early Hollywood, died on her 59th birthday of an intestinal ailment.
Swede Risberg — October 13, 1975
Swede Risberg died on his 81st birthday. He played for the 1919 Chicago White Sox. He was infamously banned for life after the Black Sox scandal.
Mike Douglas — August 11, 2006
Mike Douglas died on his 81st birthday in Florida. He was a Big Band singer and talk show host.
Fran Warren — March 4, 2013
Fran Warren died on her 87th birthday. She was a Big Band singer and actress. Her death was reported in trade publications.
Ed Aschoff — December 24, 2019
Ed Aschoff died on his 34th birthday. He was an ESPN college football reporter. He died of pneumonia. His death was widely reported.
Max Julien — January 1, 2022
Max Julien died on January 1, 2022 — his 88th birthday. He was best known for his role as Goldie in The Mack, a 1973 blaxploitation film that became a cultural touchstone. The film explored themes of power, survival, and street life in Oakland, California, and Julien’s performance helped define the genre’s style and swagger. His death was confirmed by his family and noted in entertainment publications.
Patterns and Coincidences
A 2012 study in Annals of Epidemiology found a 13.8% increase in birthday deaths among people over 60. Researchers cited psychological stress and behavioural risk as contributing factors — some linked birthdays to emotional disruption. The study remains a reference point in mortality research.
🔗 Think that was strange? There’s more. Explore our full Calendar Alignments Archive.
References
[1] In Ajdacic-Gross et al., Annals of Epidemiology (2012) – Study on Birthday Mortality. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
[2] In The Wrap. Famous People Who Died on Their Birthday. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
[3] In Screen Rant. Celebrities Who Died on Their Birthday Retrieved 13 November 2025.
[4] In FBI Vault. George “Machine Gun” Kelly. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
[5] In Vasari’s Lives of the Artists. Raphael’s entry. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
[6] In Britannica. Zeng Guofan biography. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
[7] In ESPN. Ed Aschoff obituary. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
[8] In Baseball Reference. Swede Risberg profile. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
[9] In Variety. Max Julien obituary. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
[10] In New York Times. Mike Douglas obituary. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
[11] In Britannica. Betty Friedan. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
[12] In Wikipedia. Ingrid Bergman. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
[13] In San Quentin Prison Records. Merle Haggard incarceration. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
[14] In Wikipedia. Shakespeare’s funerary monument. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
[15] In Milton Glaser. Case Study: New York Magazine. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
[16] In Wikipedia. Sidney Bechet. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
[17] In The Feminine Mystique. Betty Friedan (primary source). Retrieved 13 November 2025.
[18] In The Mack (1973 film). Max Julien performance context. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
[19] In UPI. Corrie Ten Boom Obituary. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
[20a] In Wikipedia. Maggie McNamara. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
[20b] In Wikipedia. Fran Warren. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
[20c] In Wikipedia. Gertrude Astor. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
[20d] In Wikipedia. Edna May Oliver. Retrieved 13 November 2025.