1997 deaths

Albanian-Indian Catholic nun and missionary (1910–1997)

Diana, Princess of Wales was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of Charles III and mother of Princes William and Harry. Her activism and glamour made her an international icon and earned her enduring popularity.

Chinese politician and paramount leader from 1978 to 1989

Japanese actor (1920–1997)

French naval officer, oceanographer, filmmaker and author (1910-1997)

James Maitland Stewart was an American actor and military aviator. Known for his distinctive drawl and everyman screen persona, Stewart appeared in 80 films from 1935 to 1991. His films are considered some of the greatest films of all time. In 1999, the American Film Institute (AFI) ranked him third on its list of the greatest American male actors; he received numerous honors including the AFI Life Achievement Award in 1980, the Kennedy Center Honor in 1983, as well as the Academy Honorary Award and Presidential Medal of Freedom, both in 1985.

American poet and writer (1926–1997)

Congolese politician and military officer, the first and only president of Zaire from 1971 to 1997 (1930 – 1997)

Austrian Holocaust survivor, psychiatrist, philosopher and author (1905–1997)

Russo-British-Latvian Jewish social and political theorist, philosopher and historian of ideas (1909–1997)

American novelist, short story writer, essayist, painter, and spoken word performer (1914–1997)

American physicist (1912-1997)

American actor (1917–1997)

First president of Malawi

French supercentenarian, person with the longest confirmed lifespan (1875–1997)

American astronomer (1906–1997)

Christopher George Latore Wallace, known professionally as the Notorious B.I.G. or Biggie Smalls, was an American rapper and songwriter. Rooted in the East Coast hip-hop and gangsta rap traditions, he is widely considered one of the greatest rappers of all time. Wallace became known for his distinctive, laidback lyrical delivery, offsetting his lyrics' often grim content. His music was semi-autobiographical, telling of hardship and criminality but also of debauchery and celebration.

American biochemist (1911–1997)

American actor (1907–1997)

American singer (1943–1997)

Soviet and Russian actor and clown (1921-1997)

English biochemist and crystallographer (1917–1997)

Chinese-American physicist (1912–1997) (death at 85 years)

Founder of the Church of Satan, author of the Satanic Bible (1930-1997)

Brazilian educator and philosopher (1921–1997)

British biochemist (1907-1997)

Pakistani musician, primarily a singer of qawwali (1948-1997)

Italian fashion designer (1946–1997)

French-Hungarian painter and printmaker (1906–1997)

Australian neurophysiologist (1903–1997)

British psychologist (1916–1997)

Emperor of Vietnam from 1926 to 1945

American pop artist (1923–1997)

Czech writer (1914–1997)

Austrian film director (1907-1997)

6th President of Israel (1983–1993) – (born1918–1997)

Hawaiian singer (1959–1998)

American biologist, biochemist, physiologist and Nobel laureate (1906–1997)

Nigerian musician and activist (1938–1997)

Soviet and Russian writer and singer (1924-1997)

Soviet pianist (1915-1997)

Dutch-American abstract expressionist artist (1904–1997)

Jeffrey Scott Buckley was an American musician. After a decade as a session guitarist in Los Angeles, he attracted a following in the early 1990s performing at venues in the East Village, Manhattan. He signed with Columbia and released his only studio album, Grace, in 1994. Buckley toured extensively to promote Grace, with concerts in the U.S., Europe, Japan, and Australia.

American physiologist (1901-1997)

President of the Philippines from 1961 to 1965

Japanese association football player (1909-1997)

American author (1907-1997)

American actor and comedian (1964–1997)

American geologist and astronomer

Ukrainian folk art painter (1909–1997)

French jazz violinist (1908–1997)

Italian architect (1931-1997)

Hungarian-British conductor (1912–1997)

Soviet prime minister 1980-1985, metallurgist

Greek-French philosopher (1922–1997)

Argentine-French football player and manager (1910-1997)

American novelist, playwright, essayist, and poet (1947–1997)

Hungarian footballer (1929-1997)

American novelist (1916–1997)

French recording artist; singer-songwriter (1930–1997)