4 August

Across recorded history, 1,396 notable lives are recorded as having ended on 4 August. Below are the 24 most widely documented — ranked by how many language editions of Wikipedia carry an article about them.

← August 3 August 5 →

Hans Christian Andersen

1805–1875

Danish writer and poet

Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish author best known for his fairy tales.

Marilyn Monroe

1926–1962

American actress and model

Marilyn Monroe was an American actress and model who became a prominent cultural icon.

Tsung-Dao Lee

1926–2024

Chinese-American physicist

Tsung-Dao Lee was a physicist who conducted research in theoretical physics.

Enver Pasha

1881–1922

Ottoman politician and general

Enver Pasha was an Ottoman military officer and politician who served as a leader of the Young Turk Revolution.

Mileva Marić

1875–1948

Serbian mathematician and wife of Albert Einstein

Mileva Marić was a mathematician who was married to Albert Einstein.

Edgar Douglas Adrian

1889–1977

English electrophysiologist

Edgar Douglas Adrian was a physiologist who conducted research on the function of neurons.

Ernst Bloch

1885–1977

German philosopher

Ernst Bloch was a German philosopher known for his extensive work on the philosophy of hope.

Frederick Chapman Robbins

1916–2003

American doctor

Frederick Chapman Robbins was an American physician who worked as a virologist, microbiologist, physiologist, pediatrician, and university teacher.

Jean-Marie Vianney

1786–1859

French priest and saint

Jean-Marie Vianney was a French priest recognized as a saint.

Isaac Levitan

1860–1900

Russian artist

Isaac Levitan was a Russian painter known for his landscape works.

Melvyn Douglas

1901–1981

American actor

Melvyn Douglas was an American actor who performed in film, television, and stage productions.

Frances Allen

1932–2020

American computer scientist

Frances Allen was an American computer scientist who made significant contributions to the field of compiler optimization.

Giovanni Spadolini

1925–1994

45th Prime Minister of Italy

Giovanni Spadolini was an Italian politician who served as the Prime Minister of Italy.

Mihály Babits

1883–1941

Hungarian poet, translator

Mihály Babits was a Hungarian poet and translator who contributed significantly to the development of twentieth-century literature.

Étienne Lenoir

1822–1900

Belgian engineer

Étienne Lenoir was an inventor who developed the first commercially successful internal combustion engine.

Victor Mature

1913–1999

American actor

Victor Mature was an American actor who appeared in numerous film, television, and stage productions throughout his career.

Moa Martinson

1890–1964

Swedish writer

Moa Martinson was a Swedish writer known for her literary works depicting the lives of working-class women.

Jules Lemaître

1853–1914

French critic and dramatist

Jules Lemaître was a French literary critic and dramatist who contributed to the development of modern theatrical criticism.

Boniface Alexandre

1936–2023

Haitian politician

Boniface Alexandre was a Haitian judge who served as the interim president of Haiti.

Carl Auer von Welsbach

1858–1929

Austrian scientist and inventor

Carl Auer von Welsbach was an Austrian chemist and inventor who developed the incandescent gas mantle.

Walther Flemming

1813–1905

German biologist

Walther Flemming was a biologist who pioneered the study of cell division and discovered the process of mitosis.

Yuri Levitan

1914–1983

Soviet radio announcer

Yuri Levitan was a Soviet radio announcer who served as the primary voice for official government broadcasts.

Kristjan Jaak Peterson

1801–1822

Estonian writer

Kristjan Jaak Peterson was an Estonian poet who contributed to the development of national literature.

Ivan Mažuranić

1814–1890

Croatian writer and politician

Ivan Mažuranić was a Croatian politician and writer who served as the first non-noble ban of Croatia.

Source: Wikidata, released into the public domain under CC0. Snapshot: 2026-07. Names, dates and roles come from Wikidata; summaries are condensed from it. Nothing here is generated to fill a gap.