Profession: Captain of the Titanic
Born: January 27, 1850 Died: April 15, 1912 (aged 62)
Birthplace: Hanley, Staffordshire, England
Cause of Death: Drowned when the RMS Titanic sunk
Smith is most famous as the captain of the RMS Titanic
during its ill-fated last voyage, when it hit an iceberg and sank on 15 April
1912.
Prior to his posting with White Star Lines, who owned the
Titanic, Smith had a career in the Royal Navy. He joined White Star Lines when
he received his master's ticket, and served as captain on many of their
vessels.
When the Titanic sunk, Smith went down with the ship,
reflecting the maritime practice of a captain who aids evacuation of all before
evacuating himself. His resoluteness in the face of one of the worst maritime
disasters in history became a symbol of the British 'stiff upper lip.'
2. Whitney Houston
Profession: Singer
Born: August 9, 1963 / Died: February 11, 2012 (aged 48)
Birthplace: Newark, New Jersey, USA
Cause of Death: Accidental drowning
One of the most awarded and the best-selling female music
artist ever. Houston first came to prominence as a teen model and moved into
music full time after she signed a record contract in 1983.
Her debut album "Whitney Houston" was released in
1985 and in 1986 was the No. 1 selling album (Billboard). Her second album
"Whitney" was also a major success with a record 7 No. 1 hits.
She moved into film roles with "The Bodyguard" in
1992. The film's soundtrack containing her so-called signature song "I
Will Always Love You".
Whitney continued to perform while her personal life became more chaotic amid alleged drug-taking until she died in 2012 in an accidental drowning. She is remembered for her huge vocal range and her use of the melisma technique
3. Rodney King
Profession: Victim of Police Violence
Born: April 2, 1965 / Died: June 17, 2012 (aged 47)
Birthplace: Sacramento, California, USA
Cause of Death: Accidental drowning
Rodney King, an African American construction worker was on
parole for robbery when after a car chase in Los Angeles he was stopped and
beaten by LA police officers in 1991. The beating was filmed and shown around
the world.
Four of the police officers were acquitted of assault in a
Los Angeles court, sparking the 1992 LA riots in which 53 people were killed.
Two of these officers were subsequently convicted of violating King's civil
rights.
King was later awarded US$3.8 million compensation in a
federal civil rights case but for the rest of his life struggled to come to
terms with the events and his personal addictions, accidentally drowning in
2012.
4. Sridevi Kapoor
Profession: Actress and Film Producer
Born: August 13 1963
Died: February 24 2018 (aged 54)
Birthplace: Sivakasi Madras State (present-day Tamil Nadu),
India
Cause of Death: Accidental drowning
Sridevi is one of Indian cinema's most popular actresses who
hit first the screens in the 1960s at the age of 4.
While she appeared in about 300 films over her career, some
of Sridevi's best known films include Chaalbaaz, Himmatwala, Mr. India,
Chandni, and English Vinglish.
In 2013 she was awarded India's fourth-highest civilian
award, the Padma Shri, for her services to the film industry
5. Horatio Kitchener
Profession: General and Secretary of War
Nationality: United Kingdom, British
Born: June 24 1850
Died: June 5 1916 (aged 65)
Birthplace: Ballylongford County Kerry Ireland
Cause of Death: Drowned after the HMS Hampshire struck a
German mine west of the Orkney Islands, Scotland while on his way to Russia for
negotiations
Known in popular culture as the face of the Lord Kitchener
Wants You recruitment posters during World War I, Kitchener first gained
notoriety for his brutal efforts during the Second Boer War.
During World War I he was appointed Secretary of War. He
died aboard the HMS Hampshire when it struck a German mine in 1916.
Profession: Businessman
Nationality: United States of America, American
Born: July 16 1907
Died: September 19 1995 (aged 88)
Birthplace: Brazil Indiana USA
Cause of Death: Suffered a heart attack and drowned
Orville Redenbacher was an American businessman and food
scientist, known for the Orville Redenbacher popcorn. He and his business
partner Charlie Bowman developed an initial corn hybrid for use as this popping
corn.
Redenbacher grew up on a family farm where he had an early
interest in popcorn selling it from his car. He then attended Purdue University
and received a degree in agronomy.
While Redenbacher started out selling fertilizer, his
experiments with popcorn eventually led to the partnership with Bowman. The
company launched its popping corn under Redenbacher's name in 1970.
7. Frederick Barbarossa
Profession: Holy Roman Emperor
Nationality: German
Birthplace : Haguenau, France
Born : December 1122
Died: June 10, 1190
Cause of Death: Drowned
Frederick Barbarossa was the Holy Roman Emperor from 1155
until his death in 1190. A member of the House of Hohenstaufen, his reign was
marked by efforts to restore the imperial authority that had waned during the
Investiture Controversy. Notably, Barbarossa led six campaigns in Italy, which
earned him a reputation as one of the most audacious of the Holy Roman
Emperors.
Beyond Italy, Barbarossa sought to expand his influence. He
engaged in numerous wars against Poland, Denmark, and the Eastern Roman Empire,
with varying degrees of success. His diplomatic marriage to Beatrice of
Burgundy significantly expanded his territory in France and bolstered his power
in Western Europe.
Barbarossa's life came to an unexpected end during the Third
Crusade. He drowned while crossing a river in Anatolia, a tragic event that
caused disarray among the crusaders and led to the eventual failure of the
campaign. Despite his untimely demise, Barbarossa's legacy lived on, notably
influencing German nationalism in the 19th century. He is often depicted as a
model of chivalry and a symbol of German unity.
Profession: Business Magnate
Nationality: American
Born: October 20 1877
Died: May 7 1915 (aged 37)
Birthplace: NYC New York USA
Cause of Death: Died in the sinking of the RMS Lusitania
after it was torpedoed by a German U-boat during World War I. Vanderbilt helped
others into lifeboats and gave his lifejacket to a female passenger with an
infant tying it on himself despite not being able to swim. His body was never
recovered and is presumed to have drowned.
He inherited his father's fortune in 1899 at the age of 21
and started investing in business ventures. This included a major investment in
Belmont Park, a famous horse-racing track in New York. His interest in horse
racing went beyond business; he was an active sportsman who loved the thrill of
the race and served as the head of the American Jockey Club.
In 1912, Vanderbilt gained public admiration when he gave up
his seat on the ill-fated maiden voyage of the Titanic to a woman who was
desperate to return to America. This act of chivalry would foreshadow his own
untimely demise a few years later.
His life was tragically cut short in 1915, when he was
aboard the RMS Lusitania as it was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine
during World War I. Vanderbilt's death was mourned widely, and his heroism
during the sinking—he helped others onto lifeboats, foregoing his own
safety—was remembered and celebrated. His death also served to shift public
opinion in the United States against Germany and played a part in the country's
eventual entry into World War I.
9. Matthew Perry
Profession: Actor
Nationality: American
, Canadian
Born: August 19 1969
Died: October 28 2023 (aged 54)
Birthplace: Williamston Massachusetts USA
Cause of Death: Apparently drowned after a cardiac arrest in
a jacuzzi
Perry became a household name in the 1990s with his starring
role as Chandler Bing on the sitcom Friends 1994-2004, which became one of the
most popular television shows of all time.
In addition he has had numerous film roles, such as in The
Whole Nine Yards 2000, Fools Rush In 1997 and 17 Again 2009. His other
television credits include the short-lived Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
2006-2007, Mr. Sunshine 2011 and Go On 2012-2013. He also starred as Oscar
Madison in the sitcom The Odd Couple 2015-17.
10. Maxentius
Profession: Roman Emperor
Nationality: Roman
Born: c. 283, Died: October 28, 312
Cause of Death: Drowned during battle
Roman Emperor from 306 to 312. He was defeated by
Constantine at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge, and has since been vilified
and presented as a cruel and bloodthirsty tyrant.
11. Natalie Wood
Profession: Actress
Nationality: American
Born: July 20, 1938 / Died: November 29, 1981 (aged 43)
Birthplace: San Francisco, California, USA
Cause of Death: Drowned under mysterious circumstances
Natalie Wood was an American actress who began her career in
film as a child and successfully transitioned to young adult roles.
Wood started acting at age four and was given a co-starring
role at age eight in Miracle on 34th Street (1947). As a teenager, she was
nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance
in Rebel Without a Cause (1955), followed by a role in John Ford's The
Searchers (1956)
12. Johan Willem Friso
Profession: Prince of Orange and Monarch of Nassau-Dietz
Nationality: Dutch
Born: August 14, 1687 / Died: July 14, 1711 (aged 23)
Birthplace: Dessau, Anhalt, Holy Roman Empire
Cause of Death: Accidental drowning
Johan Willem Friso was Prince of Orange from 1702 to 1711,
when he died by accidental drowning in the Hollands Diep after the ferry he was
travelling on overturned. He is, along with his wife Maria Louise van
Hessen-Kassel, the most recent common ancestor of the current set of European
monarchs.
He took the title of Prince of Orange after the death of
William III of Orange, after which there were no direct heirs. This initiated
the third House of Orange, though it was opposed by some within the Netherlands
as well as King Frederick I of Prussia.
Johan Willem Friso was also a military leader, serving as
general of the Dutch army during the War of Spanish Succession and commanding
the Dutch infantry at the Battle of Oudenarde, the Siege of Lille, and the
Battle of Malplaquet.
Profession: Portuguese Explorer
Nationality: Portuguese
Birthplace: Portugal
Born : c. 1450 Died: May 29 1500
Cause of Death: Drowned
Regarded as one of the greatest Portuguese explorers Dias
was of noble birth and part of the Portuguese royal Household.
In around 1487 Dias was charged to led a Portuguese
expedition to find the extent of the African continent and a possible trade
route to India. Diaz's expedition consisted of three ships which rounded the
Cape of Good Hope without actually seeing it. It was only on his way back that
the expedition sighted the cape which Diaz named Cape of Storms. It was later
renamed the Cape of Good Hope.
Dias was himself to drown in a storm near the Cape of Good
Hope in 1500.
Profession: Guitarist and Multi-Instrumentalist
Nationality: England
Born: February 28
1942 , Died: July 3 1969 (aged 27)
Birthplace: Cheltenham Gloucestershire England
Cause of Death: Drowned in his swimming pool
Brian Jones was an English musician and singer, best known as the founder and original leader of the Rolling Stones. He started the band in 1962, though Keith Richards and Mick Jagger would later come to exert a greater influence over the band's sound.
Later Jones struggled with drugs and alcohol, and as a
result played an increasingly minor role in the band. Ultimately he was kicked
out of the band and replaced by Mick Taylor.
Jones drowned in his swimming pool less than a month later.
Profession: Long Distance Swimmer
Nationality: England
Born: January 19 1848 , Died: July 24 1883 (aged 35)
Birthplace: Dawley, Shropshire, England
Cause of Death: Drowned in the Niagara Falls whirlpool
Webb made the first
recorded swim across the English Channel without artificial supports.
In 1875 he swam from the Admiralty Pier at Dover to near
Calais in approximately 21 hours and 40 minutes, becoming an instant celebrity
and now professional swimmer. Webb now performed a variety of further stunts.
These took him to the US and culminated in an effort to swim
the Whirlpool Rapids on the Niagara River near the Niagara Falls. After
succeeding in the first part of the swim Webb succumbed to the powerful swell
at the entrance to the Whirlpool and drowned.
Profession: Business Magnate
Nationality: American
Born: July 13 1864 , Died: April 15 1912 (aged 47)
Birthplace: Rhinebeck New York USA
Cause of Death: Died in the sinking of the Titanic, presumed
drowned
John Jacob Astor IV was involved a large number of
enterprises. He was a writer, having written as science-fiction novel titled A
Journal in Other Worlds (1894), as well as an inventor. In 1898, for instance,
Astor patented a new form of bicycle brake.
Astor was also involved in real estate, most notably
building the Astoria Hotel in New York City in 1897. This hotel was next to the
Waldorf Hotel, and together the complex came to be known as the Waldorf-Astoria
Hotel.
In 1912 Astor was
aboard the RMS Titanic when it sunk in the North Atlantic Ocean. He was the
richest passenger to die in the sinking of the Titanic and was likely one of
the richest people in the world.
Profession: Feminist and Journalist
Nationality: American
Born: May 23 1810 , Died: July 19 1850 (aged 40)
Birthplace: Cambridge Massachusetts USA
Cause of Death: Drowned after being shipwrecked aboard the
US merchant ship 'Elizabeth' which ran aground 100 yards from Fire Island New
York
Margaret Fuller is best known for her book "Woman in
the Nineteenth Century" (1845) a major feminist work. Her father gave her
a rigorous education from a young age. In 1839 she began holding discussion
groups for women in Boston known as "Conversations."
In 1840 Fuller became the first editor of The Dial a
transcendentalist journal. She later published "Woman in the Nineteenth
Century" which made her a leading voice for women's rights. In 1844, she
became the first female editor at the New-York Tribune.
The Tribune sent Fuller to Europe in 1846 as its first
female foreign correspondent. While there
she met figures like Thomas Carlyle and Giuseppe Mazzini. She also began
a relationship with Giovanni Ossoli with whom she had a child in 1848.
In 1850 Fuller Ossoli and their son died in a shipwreck off
the coast of New York as they were returning to America.
Profession: American football running back
Nationality: American
Born: October 30 1958 , Died: June 29 1983 (aged 25)
Birthplace: Henderson
Texas United States.
Cause of Death: Drowned in Pond
Joe Alton Delaney was
an American football running back who played two seasons in the National
Football League (NFL). In his two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs Delaney set four franchise records that would
stand for more than 20 years. His nephew is Terrace Marshall Jr.
He was a two-time All-American athlete for the Northwestern
State Demons football team, as well as a track and field star. Delaney played
two seasons with the Chiefs and was chosen as the AFC Rookie of the Year in
1981 by United Press International.
Delaney died while attempting to rescue three children from
drowning in a pond in Monroe in northeastern Louisiana. He was posthumously
awarded the Presidential Citizen's Medal from US President Ronald W Reagan.
While not officially retired his jersey number while playing for the Chiefs No.
37 has not been worn since his death
Profession: American businessman
Nationality: American
Born: October 26 1865 , Died: April 15 1912
Birthplace: Philadelphia Pennsylvania
Cause of Death: He
died aboard RMS Titanic when the ship sank in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Benjamin Guggenheim
was an American businessman, who was a wealthy member of the Guggenheim
family. He was among the most prominent American passengers aboard RMS Titanic
and perished along with 1,500 people when the ship sank on her maiden voyage.
Profession: American jazz saxophonist
Nationality: American
Born: August 3 1961 , Died: November 23 1996 (Age 35)
Birthplace: Little Rock Arkansas
Cause of Death: He
died aboard RMS Titanic when the ship sank in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Arthur Lee Porter Jr. was an American jazz saxophonist. He
was the son of jazz musician Art Porter Sr. and the namesake of "The Art
Porter Bill". Porter signed with
Verve Forecast Records and PolyGram and produced several albums, beginning in
the summer of 1992 with Pocket City, followed by Straight to the Point,
Undercover and finally Lay Your Hands on Me.
Porter was inducted into the Arkansas Jazz Hall of Fame and
the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame. He received the Arkansas Jazz Hall of
Fame Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998.
Looking for more Cinema news which includes Riches Peoples, Famous people who we lost and More:
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