List of Famous people who died at 78

Anne Buttimer was an Irish geographer. She was emeritus professor of geography at University College, Dublin.

Ateyyat El Abnoudy, also known as Ateyyat Awad Mahmoud Khalil, was an Egyptian journalist, lawyer, actress, producer, and movie director. She was born in a small village along the Nile Delta in Egypt. El-Abnoudy was considered to be one of the pioneering Arab female movie directors as her films inspired the works of many Arab women in the industry. She has been called the "poor people's filmmaker" due to the subject matter that inspired her to make films, including civil rights issues and the condition of impoverished Arabs.

Max von der Grün was a German novelist.

Leonidas Eduardo Proaño Villalba was an Ecuadorian priest and theologian. He served as the bishop of Riobamba from 1954 to 1985. He was a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize and is considered one of the most important figures in Ecuadorian liberation theology.

Jiří Vršťala was a Czech film actor. He appeared in more than fifty films from 1950 to 1987.

Kornel Andrzej Morawiecki was a Polish politician, the founder and leader of Fighting Solidarity, one of the splinters of the Solidarity movement in Poland during the 1980s. His academic background was that of a theoretical physicist. He was also a member of the 8th legislature of the Sejm, of which was also the Senior Marshal from 12 November 2015 till his death. His son Mateusz Morawiecki is the Prime Minister of Poland and a former chairman of Bank Zachodni WBK.

Samuel Phillips Savage was an American novelist and poet, best known for his 2006 novel Firmin: Adventures of a Metropolitan Lowlife. Other published works are The Cry of the Sloth, The Criminal Life of Effie O, and Glass.

Viscount Léon de Poncins was a French aristocrat and a traditional Catholic journalist and essayist. He authored numerous books and articles advancing a Judeo-Masonic conspiracy theory.

Susan Hiller was an American-born artist who lived in London, United Kingdom. Her art practice included installation, video, photography, performance and writing.

Mohammed Hassan El Joundi was a Moroccan dramatic artist and one of the most iconic Moroccan artists of the 20th century. He is a pioneer of Arab theater and an award-winning author, film director and actor.