29 January

Across recorded history, 1,636 notable lives are recorded as having ended on 29 January. Below are the 24 most widely documented — ranked by how many language editions of Wikipedia carry an article about them.

← January 28 January 30 →

Robert Frost

1874–1963

American poet

Robert Frost was an American poet known for his works depicting rural life in New England.

George III of Great Britain

1738–1820

King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1760 to 1820

George III of Great Britain was the monarch of Great Britain and Ireland who served as a patron of the arts.

Alfred Sisley

1839–1899

French, British painter

Alfred Sisley was a painter who focused on the landscape tradition of Impressionism.

H. L. Mencken

1880–1956

American journalist and writer

H. L. Mencken was an American journalist and writer known for his influential social and literary criticism.

Oscar Luigi Scalfaro

1918–2012

9th President of Italy

Oscar Luigi Scalfaro was an Italian politician who served as the President of Italy.

Christian IX of Denmark

1818–1906

King of Denmark from 1863 to 1906

Christian IX of Denmark was a monarch who served as the King of Denmark.

Yevgeny Leonov

1926–1994

Soviet and Russian actor

Yevgeny Leonov was an actor who performed in numerous Soviet and Russian films, television productions, and voice roles.

Edward Lear

1812–1888

British artist, illustrator, author and poet

Edward Lear was an artist and author who is recognized for his contributions to literature and illustration.

Colleen McCullough

1937–2015

Australian author

Colleen McCullough was an Australian novelist who wrote numerous works of fiction.

Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig

1861–1928

British senior officer during the First World War

Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig was a British army officer who served as a senior commander during the First World War.

Ioannis Metaxas

1871–1941

Greek military officer and politician

Ioannis Metaxas was a Greek military officer and politician who served as the Prime Minister of Greece.

Lee Yoo-hyung

1911–2003

Japanese and South Korean association football player

Lee Yoo-hyung was an association football player who competed for both Japan and South Korea.

Allen Dulles

1893–1969

first civilian and longest-serving Director of Central Intelligence (DCI)

Allen Dulles served as the first civilian and longest-serving Director of Central Intelligence.

Jacques Rivette

1928–2016

French film director, screenwriter and film critic

Jacques Rivette was a French film director who contributed to the development of the French New Wave movement.

B. H. Liddell Hart

1895–1970

British historian and theoretician of war

B. H. Liddell Hart was a military theorist who wrote extensively on the history and strategy of warfare.

Ernst Moritz Arndt

1769–1860

German historian, writer and politician

Ernst Moritz Arndt was a German historian who served as a member of parliament and wrote extensively on political and cultural topics.

Alan Ladd

1913–1964

American actor

Alan Ladd was an American actor who appeared in numerous motion pictures.

Ephraim Kishon

1924–2005

Israeli author, dramatist, screenwriter and film director

Ephraim Kishon was an Israeli writer and filmmaker known for his satirical works.

Paul François Jean Nicolas, vicomte de Barras

1755–1829

French politician

Paul François Jean Nicolas, vicomte de Barras was a French politician who served as a leading member of the Directory.

Sara Teasdale

1884–1933

American writer and poet

Sara Teasdale was an American poet known for her lyrical verse.

Annie Wersching

1977–2023

American actress

Annie Wersching was an American actor known for her work in television, film, and video games.

Leopold II, Grand Duke of Tuscany

1797–1870

Grand Duke of Tuscany

Leopold II, Grand Duke of Tuscany, served as the sovereign of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.

Harold Russell

1914–2002

film and television actor

Harold Russell was an actor who appeared in film and television productions.

Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

1784–1844

duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was a military officer who served as the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.

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.