List of prematurely reported obituaries

Pope John Paul II was the subject of three premature obituaries.

A prematurely reported obituary is an obituary of someone who was still alive at the time of publication. Examples include that of inventor and philanthropist Alfred Nobel, whose premature obituary condemning him as a "merchant of death" for creating military explosives may have prompted him to create the Nobel Prize;[1] black nationalist Marcus Garvey, whose actual death may have been precipitated by reading his own obituary;[2] and actor Abe Vigoda, who was the subject of so many death reports and rumours that a website was created to state whether he was alive or dead.

This article lists the recipients of incorrect death reports (not just formal obituaries) from publications, media organisations, official bodies, and widely used information sources; but not mere rumours of deaths. People who were presumed (though not categorically declared) to be dead, and joke death reports that were widely believed, are also included.

  1. ^ Golden, Frederic (October 16, 2000). "The Worst And The Brightest". Time. New York City, United States. ISSN 0040-781X. Archived from the original on November 3, 2007. Retrieved March 20, 2009.
  2. ^ "Marcus Garvey: Look for Me in the Whirlwind". American Experiences. Season 13. Episode 6. January 19, 2001. Public Broadcasting Service. Archived from the original on March 11, 2017. Retrieved September 3, 2017.