12 November

Across recorded history, 1,522 notable lives are recorded as having ended on 12 November. Below are the 24 most widely documented — ranked by how many language editions of Wikipedia carry an article about them.

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Stan Lee

1922–2018

American comic book writer, editor, publisher, and producer

Stan Lee was a comic book writer who co-created numerous iconic superhero characters for Marvel Comics.

Masatoshi Koshiba

1926–2020

Japanese physicist and astronomer

Physicist Masatoshi Koshiba conducted research that confirmed the existence of cosmic neutrinos.

William Holden

1918–1981

American actor

William Holden was an American actor who appeared in numerous film and television productions.

Elizabeth Gaskell

1810–1865

British author

Elizabeth Gaskell was a British novelist and biographer known for her literary works depicting Victorian social life.

Dolores Ibárruri

1895–1989

Spanish Republican leader of the Spanish Civil War and communist politician

Dolores Ibárruri was a Spanish politician and communist leader who served as a prominent figure during the Spanish Civil War.

Percival Lowell

1855–1916

American astronomer

Percival Lowell was an astronomer who conducted extensive research on the planet Mars and predicted the existence of the planet Pluto.

Liu Shaoqi

1898–1969

2nd President of the People's Republic of China

Liu Shaoqi was a politician who served as the second President of the People's Republic of China.

Wilma Rudolph

1940–1994

American athlete

Wilma Rudolph was an American sprinter who achieved international recognition for her performance in track and field.

Jerry Rawlings

1947–2020

fourth President of the Republic of Ghana

Jerry Rawlings was a politician who served as the fourth President of the Republic of Ghana.

Mitsuhisa Taguchi

1955–2019

Japanese association football player

Mitsuhisa Taguchi was a Japanese association football player.

Henryk Mikolaj Górecki

1933–2010

Polish composer

Henryk Mikolaj Górecki was a Polish composer known for his contributions to contemporary classical music.

Emma Orczy

1865–1947

Hungarian-born British novelist and playwright

Emma Orczy was a Hungarian-born British novelist and playwright best known for creating the character the Scarlet Pimpernel.

Ira Levin

1928–2007

American novelist, playwright

Ira Levin was an American novelist and playwright known for writing works of suspense and science fiction.

Umberto Giordano

1867–1948

Italian opera composer

Umberto Giordano was an Italian opera composer known for his contributions to the verismo movement.

Eve Arden

1908–1990

American actress

Eve Arden was an American actor known for her extensive work in film, television, and on stage.

Juan Negrín

1892–1956

Prime Minister of Spain

Juan Negrín was a politician who served as the Prime Minister of Spain.

Alfréd Hajós

1878–1955

Hungarian swimmer, footballer, and architect

Alfréd Hajós was a Hungarian swimmer and architect who designed sports facilities.

Jonathan Brandis

1976–2003

American actor

Jonathan Brandis was an American actor who appeared in various film and television productions.

Mehran Karimi Nasseri

1945–2022

Iranian refugee who spent 18 years in a French airport

Mehran Karimi Nasseri was an Iranian refugee who resided in a French airport for eighteen years.

Tin Ujević

1891–1955

Croatian poet

Tin Ujević was a Croatian poet who worked as a writer, translator, linguist, and non-fiction writer.

Sourou-Migan Apithy

1913–1989

Beninese politician

Sourou-Migan Apithy was a Beninese politician who served as a statesperson.

Mitch Mitchell

1947–2008

English drummer

Mitch Mitchell was an English drummer best known for his work with the Jimi Hendrix Experience.

Johann Friedrich Overbeck

1789–1869

German painter, a member of the Nazarene movement

Johann Friedrich Overbeck was a German painter who belonged to the Nazarene movement.

John Tavener

1944–2013

British composer

John Tavener was a British composer known for his contemporary classical works.

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.