25 November

Across recorded history, 1,561 notable lives are recorded as having ended on 25 November. Below are the 24 most widely documented — ranked by how many language editions of Wikipedia carry an article about them.

← November 24 November 26 →

Fidel Castro

1926–2016

Cuban politician, author and revolutionary

Fidel Castro was a Cuban revolutionary and head of state who led the government of Cuba for several decades.

Diego Maradona

1960–2020

Argentine football player and manager

Diego Maradona was an Argentine association football player and coach.

Yukio Mishima

1925–1970

Japanese author

Yukio Mishima was a Japanese author known for his extensive body of literary work and his influence on twentieth-century Japanese literature.

Johannes V. Jensen

1873–1950

Danish author

Johannes V. Jensen was a Danish writer who authored numerous novels, essays, and poems.

George Best

1946–2005

Northern Irish footballer

George Best was a Northern Irish association football player.

U Thant

1909–1974

UN Secretary-General from 1961 to 1971

U Thant was a diplomat who served as the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Upton Sinclair

1878–1968

American writer

Upton Sinclair was an American writer known for his novels that highlighted social and economic conditions in the United States.

Gérard Philipe

1922–1959

French actor

Gérard Philipe was a French actor who performed in numerous film and stage productions.

Alfonso XII of Spain

1857–1885

king of Spain from 1874 to 1885

Alfonso XII of Spain was a sovereign who served as the monarch of Spain.

Oleksandr Dovzhenko

1894–1956

Soviet Ukrainian screenwriter, film producer and director

Oleksandr Dovzhenko was a Soviet Ukrainian film director who wrote and produced numerous motion pictures.

Vajiravudh

1881–1925

King of Siam from 1910 to 1925

Vajiravudh was the monarch of Siam who reigned during the early twentieth century.

Thomas A. Hendricks

1819–1885

American politician

Thomas A. Hendricks was an American politician who served as the Vice President of the United States.

Elsa Morante

1912–1985

Italian novelist

Elsa Morante was an Italian novelist known for her contributions to twentieth-century literature.

Nick Drake

1948–1974

British musician

Nick Drake was a British musician known for his work as a singer-songwriter.

Vladimir Gelfand

1923–1983

Russian writer

Vladimir Gelfand was a writer who authored detailed diaries documenting his experiences as a soldier during the Second World War.

Irene Cara

1959–2022

American singer and actress

Irene Cara was an American singer and actress who gained international recognition for her work in film and music.

Sabino Arana

1865–1903

Basque nationalist, writer and politician

Sabino Arana was a Basque nationalist who founded the Basque Nationalist Party and advocated for the political autonomy of the Basque Country.

Jack Albertson

1907–1981

American actor

Jack Albertson was an American actor known for his work in film, television, and on stage.

Heinrich Barth

1821–1865

German explorer

Heinrich Barth was an explorer who conducted extensive research and documentation throughout North and Central Africa.

Michel Bréal

1832–1915

French philologist

Michel Bréal was a French philologist who is recognized for his contributions to the field of semantics.

Ossip Zadkine

1888–1967

French sculptor and painter of Russian origin

Ossip Zadkine was a sculptor who produced works as a French artist of Russian origin.

Adolph Wilhelm Hermann Kolbe

1818–1884

German chemist

Adolph Wilhelm Hermann Kolbe was a German chemist who conducted research in organic chemistry.

Mikhail Gurevich

1893–1976

Soviet aircraft designer

Mikhail Gurevich was a Soviet aircraft designer who co-developed the MiG series of jet fighter aircraft.

Rance Howard

1928–2017

American actor

Rance Howard was an American actor who appeared in numerous film and television productions throughout his career.

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.