Born: 11 March 1952 · Died: 11 May 2001 · Age at death: 49
How old was Douglas Adams when he died?
Douglas Adams died aged 49. He was born on 11 March 1952 and died on 11 May 2001.
English writer of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which began as a radio series, revealing the answer 42
Did you know?A keen advocate for technology, he was one of the first people in the UK to purchase an original Apple Macintosh computer.
Quick facts
Date of birth11 March 1952
Date of death11 May 2001
Age at death49
Cause of deathMyocardial infarction
NationalityBritish
BirthplaceCambridge, United Kingdom
Occupationplaywright, screenwriter, novelist
Editor's Take:
Douglas Adams made the universe funny. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy began as a BBC radio series in 1978. It follows Arthur Dent, an ordinary Englishman, after Earth is demolished for a space bypass. The story spread to books, TV, games and a film. His jokes about bureaucracy and technology still land. He told readers the answer to life, the universe and everything is 42. He was also a passionate conservationist. He died suddenly at 49.
Key Milestones
1978: Hitchhiker's – BBC radio
1979: The Hitchhiker's Guide – novel
1980: Doctor Who – script editor
1987: Dirk Gently – novel
Douglas Noël Adams (11 March 1952 – 11 May 2001) was an English author, humourist, and screenwriter. He wrote The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which originated in 1978 as a BBC radio comedy, before developing into a "trilogy" of five books that sold more than 14 million copies in his lifetime.
