He was made Companion of Honour in the 1996 New Year Honours, but died of cancer two days after his 76th birthday, just a week before he was due to receive the honour.
1996 | 1996 Summer Olympics | 1996 in music | New Year's Day | New Year's Eve | New Year | Chinese New Year | 1996 ATP Tour | 1996–97 in English football | Wrestling at the 1996 Summer Olympics | One Year Later | 1996 in television | United States House of Representatives elections, 1996 | UEFA Euro 1996 | NASCAR Rookie of the Year | High School Musical 3: Senior Year | Four Year Strong | Song of the Year | Grammy Award for Song of the Year | 1996 in film | 1996 in baseball | Lunar New Year | International Geophysical Year | United States presidential election, 1996 | Australian federal election, 1996 | Telecommunications Act of 1996 | Queen's Birthday Honours | Latin Grammy Award for Album of the Year | Helms Foundation College Basketball Player of the Year | Grammy Award for Record of the Year |