List of Famous people who died in 1997

Willem de Kooning was a Dutch-American abstract expressionist artist. He was born in Rotterdam and moved to the United States in 1926, becoming an American citizen in 1962. In 1943, he married painter Elaine Fried.

Michael Anthony Dorris was an American novelist and scholar who was the first Chair of the Native American Studies program at Dartmouth College. His works include the novel A Yellow Raft in Blue Water (1987) and the memoir The Broken Cord (1989).

Manabu Mabe (マナブ間部) was a Japanese-Brazilian painter. Mabe worked as a vendor of hand-painted ties in São Paulo before becoming a famous artist.

Manuel Rodríguez Barros was a Spanish racing cyclist. He rode in the 1951 Tour de France.

Mukul S. Anand was an Indian film director and producer. He was the nephew of veteran film scriptwriter Inder Raj Anand and cousin of actor and director Tinnu Anand.

Edmond Jules Isidore Leburton was a Belgian politician who served as Prime Minister.

Zaki Badr was an Egyptian major general and the former interior minister of Egypt who served in the post from 1986 to 1990 in the Sedki Cabinet. Badr had a confrontational approach during his term.

Gyula Benkő (1918–1997) was a Hungarian actor and father of actor Péter Benkő.