28 November

Across recorded history, 1,531 notable lives are recorded as having ended on 28 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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Enrico Fermi

1901–1954

Italian–American physicist

Enrico Fermi was a physicist who contributed to the development of nuclear energy.

Washington Irving

1783–1859

American writer, historian and diplomat

Washington Irving was an American writer known for his contributions to literature and his service as a diplomat.

Enid Blyton

1897–1968

English author

Enid Blyton was an English children's writer who authored numerous books for young readers.

Wilhelmina of the Netherlands

1880–1962

Queen of the Netherlands from 1890 to 1948

Wilhelmina of the Netherlands served as the monarch of the Netherlands.

Leslie Nielsen

1926–2010

Canadian-American actor and comedian

Leslie Nielsen was a Canadian-American actor and comedian known for his work in film and television.

Natalie Wood

1938–1981

American actress

Natalie Wood was an American actress who appeared in numerous film and television productions throughout her career.

James Naismith

1861–1939

Canadian-American coach; inventor of basketball

James Naismith was an inventor who created the sport of basketball.

Frédéric Bazille

1841–1870

French painter

Frédéric Bazille was a French painter known for his contributions to the development of Impressionism.

Karl Ernst von Baer

1792–1876

Baltic German scientist

Karl Ernst von Baer was a naturalist who discovered the blastula stage of development in animal embryos.

Mary Somerville

1780–1872

Scottish scientist, writer and polymath

Mary Somerville was a Scottish scientist who authored influential works on mathematics and physical science.

ʻAbdu'l-Bahá

1844–1921

son of Bahá'u'lláh and leader of the Bahá'í Faith

ʻAbdu'l-Bahá was the son of Bahá'u'lláh and served as a leader of the Bahá'í Faith.

Rosalind Russell

1907–1976

American actress

Rosalind Russell was an American actress known for her work in film, television, and stage productions.

Richard Wright

1908–1960

American novelist and poet

Richard Wright was an American novelist who wrote works exploring the social and racial experiences of African Americans.

Stanisław Wyspiański

1869–1907

Polish playwright, painter and poet

Stanisław Wyspiański was a Polish playwright who created works across the fields of painting, poetry, and architecture.

Elena of Montenegro

1873–1952

queen consort of Italy (1900-1946) and Servant of God; mother of Umberto II of Italy

Elena of Montenegro was the queen consort of Italy and the mother of Umberto II of Italy.

Charlie Munger

1924–2023

American businessman

Charlie Munger was an American investor who served as the vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway.

Alexander Cunningham

1814–1893

British army engineer and amateur archaeologist

Alexander Cunningham was an archaeologist who served as the first director-general of the Archaeological Survey of India.

Conrad Ferdinand Meyer

1825–1898

Swiss historical novelist and poet

Conrad Ferdinand Meyer was a Swiss writer known for his historical novels and poetry.

David Prowse

1935–2020

English bodybuilder, weightlifter, and actor

David Prowse was an actor who performed the physical portrayal of Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy.

Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque

1902–1947

French general

Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque was a French general who served as a military commander during the Second World War.

Dwight Filley Davis Sr.

1879–1945

American politician and tennis player

Dwight Filley Davis Sr. was a tennis player and politician who established the international tennis competition known as the Davis Cup.

Helen of Greece and Denmark

1896–1982

Greek and Romanian Royal

Helen of Greece and Denmark was a member of the Greek and Romanian royal families.

Ante Marković

1924–2011

last Prime minister of Yugoslavia

Ante Marković was a politician who served as the final Prime Minister of Yugoslavia.

Pim Verbeek

1956–2019

Dutch association football player and manager

Pim Verbeek was a Dutch association football manager who also played as a professional footballer.

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.