15 December

Across recorded history, 1,599 notable lives are recorded as having ended on 15 December. Below are the 24 most widely documented — ranked by how many language editions of Wikipedia carry an article about them.

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Walt Disney

1901–1966

American animator, producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor and entrepreneur, founder of The Walt Disney Company

Walt Disney was an animator who founded The Walt Disney Company.

Alphonse Daudet

1840–1897

French novelist, playwright, and poet

Alphonse Daudet was a French novelist who authored numerous works of prose, plays, and poetry.

Wolfgang Pauli

1900–1958

physicist, Nobel prize winner

Wolfgang Pauli was a theoretical physicist who received the Nobel Prize.

Sitting Bull

1831–1890

Hunkpapa Lakota medicine man and holy man

Sitting Bull was a Hunkpapa Lakota medicine man who served as a traditional leader for his people.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

1875–1950

Indian barrister, leader of the Indian National Congress and founding father of the Republic of India

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was a barrister and a founding father of the Republic of India.

Christopher Hitchens

1949–2011

English American author and journalist

Christopher Hitchens was a journalist and author known for his critical essays on politics, religion, and literature.

Joan Fontaine

1917–2013

British actress

Joan Fontaine was an actor who appeared in numerous motion pictures.

Charles Laughton

1899–1962

British-American actor

Charles Laughton was an actor who performed in numerous film, television, and theatre productions throughout his career.

bell hooks

1952–2021

American author and activist

bell hooks was an American author and activist who wrote extensively on the intersections of race, capitalism, and gender.

Blake Edwards

1922–2010

American film director, screenwriter and producer

Blake Edwards was an American film director known for his work on the Pink Panther series.

Vasily Zaytsev

1915–1991

Soviet sniper

Vasily Zaytsev was a Soviet sniper who served during the Second World War.

Francisco Tárrega

1852–1909

Spanish composer and classical guitarist

Francisco Tárrega was a Spanish composer and classical guitarist.

Ferdinand II of Portugal

1816–1885

King of Portugal

Ferdinand II of Portugal was a king of Portugal who practiced painting.

Zakir Hussain

1951–2024

Indian tabla player, musical producer, film actor, and composer

Zakir Hussain is a percussionist known for his contributions to Indian classical music and international jazz fusion.

Valery Chkalov

1904–1938

Soviet aviator, Hero of the Soviet Union

Valery Chkalov was a Soviet aviator who served as a test pilot.

Fats Waller

1904–1943

American jazz pianist and composer

Fats Waller was an American jazz pianist and composer who gained prominence for his influential contributions to the development of stride piano.

George Cayley

1773–1857

British aeronautics engineer

George Cayley was an aeronautics engineer who pioneered the scientific principles of heavier-than-air flight.

Arthur Machen

1863–1947

Welsh author and mystic

Arthur Machen was a Welsh author and mystic known for his contributions to the genres of supernatural fiction and literary criticism.

Georg Friedrich Grotefend

1775–1853

German epigraphist and philologist

Georg Friedrich Grotefend was a philologist who contributed to the decipherment of cuneiform script.

Anatole Litvak

1902–1974

Ukrainian-American filmmaker

Anatole Litvak was a Ukrainian-American filmmaker who worked as a director and producer.

León Febres-Cordero

1931–2008

President of Ecuador (1984 - 1988)

León Febres-Cordero was a politician who served as the President of Ecuador.

Kamehameha III

1813–1854

King of the Hawaiian Islands from 1825 to 1854

Kamehameha III was the King of the Hawaiian Islands who served as the monarch of the kingdom.

Clay Regazzoni

1939–2006

Swiss racecar driver

Clay Regazzoni was a Swiss racecar driver who competed in Formula One.

Alice Bailey

1880–1949

British-American esoteric, theosophist and writer

Alice Bailey was a writer and theosophist who authored numerous books on esoteric subjects.

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.