7 Famous people who died in 1971

By Herbert Behrens / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA-3.0 / GFDL

Louis Armstrong

(Singer)

4 August 1901 – 6 July 1971 (Aged 69)

Armstrong, nicknamed ‘Satchmo’, was one of the most influential jazz musicians of all time.

Also a renowned trumpeter and singer, he was one of the best-loved entertainers of the 20th century.

Such was his popularity, Armstrong became one of the first African-Americans to be widely loved across American society.

In a career of many highlights, ‘What a Wonderful World’ and ‘When the Saints Go Marching In’ are among his most famous songs.

Less than a month shy of his 70th birthday, Armstrong died from a heart attack.

His home in Corona, Queens, New York, was made a National Historic Landmark in 1977.

Jim Morrison

(Singer)

8 December 1943 – 3 July 1971 (Aged 27)

Morrison was an American singer, best known for being the iconic lead singer for The Doors during the 1960s, delivering over the top stage performances.

A symbol of youth rebellion and counterculture, Morrison became one of the most influential rock stars of all time.

He struggled with alcoholism during his career, sometimes impacting on his ability to perform.

Morrison moved to Paris in early 1971 and wrote poetry while he was there.

He was found dead in the bath of his apartment at the age of 27, officially dying of heart failure, though no autopsy was carried out.

After his death, Morrison was buried in Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, with his grave becoming one of the city’s biggest tourist attractions.

Nikita Khrushchev

(Soviet Leader)

15 April 1894 – 11 September 1971 (Aged 78)

Khrushchev was the leader of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964.

He played a key role in the Cuban Missile Crisis and the building of the Berlin Wall.

In 1956, at the 20th Communist Party Congress, Khrushchev gave a speech denouncing Stalin’s purges, sparking off a de-Stalinization policy throughout the Soviet Union.

After being pushed from power in 1964, Khrushchev retired to an apartment in Moscow, while also being given a second home in the country, known as a dacha.

Khrushchev suffered from depression until his death from heart disease in 1971.

Coco Chanel

(Fashion Designer)

19 August 1883 – 10 January 1971 (Aged 87)

Chanel was a French fashion designer and businesswoman who became one of the most influential people of the 20th century.

After her mother died when Coco was 12, her father sent her to an orphanage where she was raised and taught to sew by nuns.

Chanel spent a short time singing in clubs, before going on to open her first in 1910, selling hats at first.

From there, her star rose, with her designs earning her wealth, while her fame saw her gain a prominent place in French high society.

During World War II, Chanel had a relationship with an occupying Nazi officer, which led to much controversy after the war ended.

She exiled herself to Switzerland before returning to Paris in 1953 and continued to grow her business.

Chanel died in her Hotel Ritz apartment in Paris at the age of 87.

François Duvalier

(Haitian President)

14 April 1907 – 21 April 1971 (Aged 64)

Duvalier, known as Papa Doc, was the Haitian president from 1957 to 1971.

During his time in office, he saw off an attempted coup, while his repressive regime saw many tortured and as many as 30,000 people killed.

A qualified doctor by profession, Duvalier was democratically elected before changing the constitution in 1964 to make himself president for life.

Duvalier continued in the position until his death, after which his son succeeded him.

Rudolf Abel

(Soviet Spy)

11 July 1903 – 15 November 1971 (Aged 68)

Abel was a Soviet spy convicted of espionage in the United States in 1957 under the alias William Fisher.

In 1962, Abel was released from prison and transferred back to the Soviet Union in exchange for American U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers.

This incident was the basis for the 2015 film ‘Bridge of Spies’.

After returning to Moscow, he was seen as a hero by the public, receiving the Order of Lenin before spending time lecturing about his experiences.

Abel died from lung cancer at the age of 68.

Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky

(Composer)

17 June 1882 – 6 April 1971 (Aged 88)

Stravinsky was a prolific Russian composer, widely regarded as one of the most influential and gifted composers of the 20th century.

Stravinsky achieved international fame with three ballets commissioned by Serge Diaghilev and performed in Paris, The Firebird, Petrushka, and The Rite of Spring.

The Rite of Spring transformed the way in which subsequent composers thought about rhythmic structure and played a pivotal role in forging Stravinsky’s reputation as a musical revolutionary.

Stravinsky died from heart failure at the age of 88.

In 1987, he was posthumously awarded the Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement.