Aged 50
Famous people who died at 50
145 of the 11,867 best-known people in our data died aged 50, including Michael Jackson, Virgil and James Cook. Here are the 100 best known.
- Michael JacksonAmerican singer, songwriter, record producer, and dancer · 1958–2009
- VirgilRoman poet (1st century BC) · 70–19 BC
- James CookBritish explorer, cartographer and naval officer · 1728–1779
- Gustav MahlerAustrian late-Romantic composer · 1860–1911
- Sergei EisensteinSoviet filmmaker · 1898–1948
- Nicholas II of Russia14th and last Emperor of Russia · 1868–1918
- Antoine LavoisierFrench nobleman and chemist · 1743–1794
- RamakrishnaIndian mystic and religious preacher · 1836–1886
- Isadora DuncanaAmerican dancer and choreographer · 1877–1927
- Archduke Franz Ferdinand of AustriaHeir presumptive to the throne of Austria-Hungary · 1863–1914
- Alfred the GreatKing of Wessex · c. AD 849–899
- Humphry DavyBritish chemist · 1778–1829
- Camillo Benso di CavourFirst Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Italy from March to June in 1861 · 1810–1861
- Basil of Caesarea4th-century Christian bishop, theologian, and saint · c. AD 329–379
- Jean-Paul MaratPolitician and journalist during the French Revolution · 1743–1793
- Catherine of AragonFirst wife of Henry VIII of England · 1485–1536
- Daniel Gabriel FahrenheitGerman-Polish physicist and engineer · 1686–1736
- SallustRoman historian and politician · 86–35 BC
- Benedict IIPope · c. AD 635–685
- Batu KhanKhan of the Golden Horde · c. 1205–1255
- Steve McQueenAmerican actor · 1930–1980
- DeciusRoman Emperor · c. AD 201–251
- Stepan BanderaUkrainian nationalist leader · 1909–1959
- Clement VPope of the Catholic Church from 1305 to 1314 · c. 1264–1314
- Darius IIILast king of the Achaemenid Empire · c. 380–330 BC
- Errol FlynnAustralian actor · 1909–1959
- Gaetano DonizettiItalian opera composer · 1797–1848
- Jacob BernoulliSwiss mathematician · 1654–1705
- Jean de La Bruyère17th-century French writer and philosopher · 1645–1696
- Leo VIIIPope · c. AD 915–965
- Selim II11th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire · 1524–1574
- Sixtus IIIPope and bishop of Rome from 432 to 440 · c. AD 390–440
- Edith SteinJewish-German Catholic nun, theologian and philosopher · 1891–1942
- John VIPope · c. AD 655–705
- Joséphine de BeauharnaisEmpress consort of the French from 1804 to 1814 · 1763–1814
- Jim VarneyAmerican actor and comedian · 1949–2000
- Jean-Antoine-Nicolas de Caritat de CondorcetFrench philosopher, mathematician, and political scientist · 1743–1794
- Julius NeposRoman emperor · c. AD 430–480
- ValensRoman emperor from 364 to 378 · c. AD 328–378
- GallienusRoman emperor · c. AD 218–268
- Stieg LarssonSwedish author · 1954–2004
- Charles the SimpleKing of West Francia · AD 879–929
- Edmond Rostand ↗French poet and dramatist · 1868–1918
- Friedrich Hebbel ↗German poet and dramatist · 1813–1863
- Probus ↗3rd-century Roman Emperor · c. AD 232–282
- Tariq ibn Ziyad ↗8th-century Muslim general · c. AD 670–720
- Johann Joachim Winckelmann ↗German art historian and archaeologist, and conservator of the Vatican Library · 1717–1768
- Zoran Đinđić ↗Serbian politician · 1952–2003
- Baldassarre Castiglione ↗Italian Renaissance author · 1478–1529
- Bernie Mac ↗American actor · 1957–2008
- Gianni Versace ↗Italian fashion designer · 1946–1997
- Alban Berg ↗Austrian composer · 1885–1935
- Edward the Elder ↗King of the Anglo-Saxons · c. AD 874–924
- Wolfram von Eschenbach ↗German knight and poet · c. 1170–1220
- Sweyn I of Denmark ↗King of Denmark, England, and Norway · 963–1014
- Valery Bryusov ↗Russian poet, prose writer, dramatist, translator, critic and historian · 1873–1924
- Daniel D. Tompkins ↗American politician; sixth vice president of the United States · 1774–1825
- Bruno Schulz ↗Jewish novelist and painter · 1892–1942
- Solomon ibn Gabirol ↗11th-century Andalusian poet and Jewish philosopher · c. 1020–1070
- Alexander ↗King of Alba from 1214 to 1249 · 1198–1249
- Glenn Gould ↗Canadian composer and pianist · 1932–1982
- Ludwig Börne ↗German writer · 1786–1837
- Michael Jeter ↗American actor · 1952–2003
- Möngke Khan ↗Fourth Great Khan of the Mongol Empire · c. 1209–1259
- Raymond Carver ↗Penman, poet, screenwriter, novelist, prose writer, teacher, short story writer · 1938–1988
- Sergo Ordzhonikidze ↗Soviet politician · 1886–1937
- Carson McCullers ↗American writer · 1917–1967
- Veronica Lake ↗American actress · 1922–1973
- Madame du Barry ↗French noblewoman by marriage (1743–1793), last mistress of Louis XV · 1743–1793
- Roberto Bolaño ↗Chilean author · 1953–2003
- Albrecht von Wallenstein ↗Bohemian military leader and statesman who fought on the Catholic side during the Thirty Years' War · 1583–1634
- Aulus Gellius ↗2nd century Roman author and grammarian · c. AD 130–180
- Grant Wood ↗American painter · 1891–1942
- Hafizullah Amin ↗Afghan communist revolutionary, politician and teacher · 1929–1979
- John of Bohemia ↗King of Bohemia · 1296–1346
- Pedanius Dioscorides ↗Greco-Roman physician and pharmacologist (AD c.40-90) · c. AD 40–90
- Luís I of Portugal ↗King of Portugal from 1861 to 1889 · 1838–1889
- Manuel Belgrano ↗Argentine politician and military leader · 1770–1820
- Ninoy Aquino ↗Filipino senator and governor of Tarlac · 1932–1983
- Tobias Smollett ↗Scottish writer and surgeon · 1721–1771
- Hong Taiji ↗1st emperor of the Qing Dynasty · 1592–1643
- Kurt Weill ↗German composer · 1900–1950
- Zaynab bint Jahsh ↗Cousin and seventh wife of Muhammad · c. AD 592–642
- Carlo Alberto I of Sardinia ↗King of Sardinia from 1831 to 1849 · 1798–1849
- Djemal Pasha ↗Turkish general and politician · 1872–1922
- Józef Poniatowski ↗Nephew of King of Poland Stanislaus II; Marshal of France · 1763–1813
- Chaïm Soutine ↗Belarusian-French painter · 1893–1943
- Fritz Todt ↗German engineer, Holocaust perpetrator, and senior Nazi figure · 1891–1942
- Sabbatai Zevi ↗Mystic, rabbis · 1626–1676
- Taylor Hawkins ↗American drummer · 1972–2022
- Carloman of Bavaria ↗King of Bavaria from 876 to 879 · c. AD 830–880
- Domnall mac Ailpín ↗King of the Picts from 858 to 862 · c. AD 812–862
- Leslie Howard ↗British actor · 1893–1943
- Alan Ladd ↗American actor · 1913–1964
- Ferdinand I of León and Castile ↗King of Castile, then León and Castile (c.1015-1065) · c. 1016–1066
- Joe Strummer ↗British singer, musician and songwriter · 1952–2002
- Magnentius ↗Ancient Roman emperor · c. AD 303–353
- Mohammed Nadir Shah ↗King of Afghanistan from 1929 to 1933 · 1883–1933
- Auguste Villiers de l'Isle-Adam ↗French writer · 1838–1889
- Gaius Valerius Flaccus ↗1st-century Roman poet and writer · c. AD 45–95
"c." means only the years are known, so the age could be a year out. Dates are from Wikidata (CC0), last updated 22 October 2026.
Other ages
Keep score on your phone
Outlived for iPhone tracks every famous person you outlive, tells you who is next, and gives you a nudge on the day.