List of Famous people who died at 81

Ernest Kellogg Gann was an American aviator, author, sailor, and conservationist. He is best known for his novels and memoirs about early aviation and nautical adventures. Some of his more famous aviation novels include The High and the Mighty and Island in the Sky, both of which were turned into Hollywood movies starring John Wayne. Gann's classic memoir of early commercial aviation, Fate Is the Hunter, is still in print today and considered by many one of the greatest aviation books ever written. Some of Gann's nautical themed novels include Fiddler's Green and Soldier of Fortune, which were also turned into major motion pictures.

Oscar Andriani was an Italian actor. He appeared in more than fifty films from 1937 to 1969.

James Joseph McGuinness served as the eighth Roman Catholic Bishop of Nottingham from 1974 to 2000.

William Gear RA RBSA was a Scottish painter, most notable for his abstract compositions.

Josef Müller, also known as "Ochsensepp", was a German politician. He was a member of the resistance during World War II and afterwards one of the founders of the Christian Social Union (CSU). He was a devout Catholic and a leading figure in the Catholic resistance to Hitler.

Balakrishna Vishwanath Keskar was an Indian politician and Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting between 1952 and 1962. Remembered for creating the Vrinda Vadya and promoting classical music through All India Radio, Keskar, who was India's longest serving Minister for Information and Broadcasting, was also responsible for banning Hindi film music, cricket commentaries and the harmonium on All India Radio.

On Kawara was a Japanese conceptual artist who lived in New York City from 1965. He took part in many solo and group exhibitions, including the Venice Biennale in 1976.

Joseph Michael Bellino was an American football halfback who won the Heisman Trophy in 1960 playing for the United States Naval Academy and played in the American Football League (AFL) for the Boston Patriots. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1977.