References are numbered in [brackets], which are listed here. A number after the dot gives the page in the source.

Last updated: 2008 June 28.

1955 January 2 José Antonio Remon President of Panamá (1952-55), assassinated. [1] January 4 Dominicus Johner composer, dies at age 80. [1] François Rasse composer, dies at age 81. [1] Jan D Domela Nieuwenhuis Nyegaard Dutch preacher, dies at age 84. [1] January 7 Gerald Hartigan cricketer (South African batsman in five Tests 1911-14), dies. [1] January 11 Rodolfo Graziani Italian East-Africa Minister of Defense, dies at age 72. [1] January 15 Yves Tanguy French/American sailor/surrealistic painter, dies. [1] January 16 Jonkheer Reneke de Marees van Swinderen Dutch minister (1908-13), dies at age 94. [1] January 17 Joannes A Veraart Dutch judge/Member of Parliament, (Jews in Netherlands), dies at age 68. [1] January 21 Maarten P Vrij Dutch lawyer/criminologist/High Council, dies at age 59. [1] January 27 Ernst Penzoldt writer, dies. [1] January 29 Hans Hedtoft premier of Denmark (1947-55), dies at age 51. [1] January 31 John R Mott US theologist/founder (YMCA, Nobel Prize 1946), dies at age 89. [1] February 12 Tom Moore actor (Ladies be Seated, Majority Rules), dies at age 71. [1] February 14 Charles Cuvillier composer, dies at age 77. [1] February 15 S Z Sakall actor (Dolly Sisters, Casablanca), dies at age 71. [1] February 17 Otto J Gombosi Hungarian/US musicologist, dies at age 52. [1] February 23 Paul Claudel French poet/playwright (L'otage), dies at age 86. [1] February 25 Marij Kogoj composer, dies at age 59. [1] February 27 Tom Howard comedian (It Pays to be Ignorant), dies at age 66. [1] March 7 Tom Dugan actor (Pick a Star), dies at age 66. [1] March 8 Clementine Princess of Belgium, wife of V Napoleon Bonaparte, dies at age 82. [1] March 9 Matthew A Henson met Peary on 6/4/1909 at North Pole, dies at age 88. [1] March 11 Meat packer Oscar Mayer dies. [5] Alexander Fleming English bacteriologist (penicillin), dies at age 73. [1] March 12 Charlie "Bird" Parker US jazz saxophonist, dies in New York City, New York at age 34. [1] Theodor Plievier writer, dies. [1] March 13 Maharajadhiraja Tribhuvana Bir Bikram Yung Bahadur Shum Shere dies. [1] Yung Deva king of Nepal (191.-55), dies at about age 48. [1] March 16 Mayhew Lake composer, dies at age 75. [1] March 21 Muriel Aked dies at age 67. [1] March 29 Everard Verachtert Flemish linguist (I Can Speak Nicely), dies at age 81. [1] March 30 Harl McDonald US composer (Santa Fé Trail), dies at age 55. [1] April 1 Silvio d'Amico Italian theater critic (Il Teatro Italian), dies at age 68. [1] April 7 Theda Bara actress (Camille, Cleopatra, 2 Orphans), dies at age 62. [1] April 10 Oskar Frederik Lindberg composer, dies at age 68. [1] April 14 Birth of Simone Griffeth Savannah Georgia, actress (Death Race 2000, Bret Maverick, Amanda's). [1] April 18 Albert Einstein, German/US physicist (E=MC^2, Theory of Relativity), dies. [1] [5] Don Blackie cricketer (3 Tests for Australia 1928-29), dies at age 46. [1] Eugen Herrigel Zen philosopher/scholar, dies in Germany at age 70. [1] April 23 Robert H Woltjer classical/AR-First-Member of parliament, dies at age 76. [1] April 24 Alfred Polgar Austrian writer/theater critic, dies at age 79. [1] April 25 Constance Collier actress (Perils of Pauline), dies at age 77. [1] Paulus B Barth Swiss painter/lithographer, dies at age 73. [1] April 28 Lode Cantens Flemish playwrite (Gnomes of the City), dies at age 43. [1] May 2 Tadeusz Jarecki composer, dies at age 66. [1] May 3 Philips C Visser explorer/ambassador to Moscow, dies. [1] May 4 Georges Enescu Romanian/French violist/composer (Oedipe), dies at age 73. [1] Louis Breguet French aviation pioneer, dies at age 75. [1] May 11 G L Jessop cricketer (match-winning batsman, brilliant field), dies. [1] May 14 Betty Ann Davies dies at age 44. [1] May 16 James Agee US critic/writer (Death in Family), dies in New York. [1] May 17 Alan Fairfax cricketer (10 Tests for Australia 1928-31), dies. [1] Francesco Balilla Pratella composer, dies at age 75. [1] Leslie Hylton cricketer (West Indies quickie 1939), hung for murder. [1] May 18 Edwin Scharff German painter/sculptor (Rossebändiger), dies at age 68. [1] Mary McLeod Bethune educator and civil rights leader, dies at age 79. [1] May 29 Daniël G van Beuningen art collector, dies at age 78. [1] May 31 "Wild Bill" Vukovich killed in the Indianapolis 500. [1] Raoul Gunsbourg composer, dies at age 95. [1] June 22 Wyllis Cooper TV narrator (Volume One), dies at age 56. [1] July 22 Joseph Foley actor (Mr Peepers), dies at age 45. [1] July 23 Harry Haden actor (Harry-Stu Erwin Show), dies at age 73. [1] September 1 Philip Loeb actor (Jake-The Goldbergs), dies at age 61. [1] September 30 James Dean killed in an auto collision at age 24 near Cholame California. [1] October 27 Clark Griffith baseball player/manager (New York Yankees), dies at age 85. [1] November 14 Robert E Sherwood dramatist (Abe Lincoln in Illinois), dies at age 59. [1] December 5 Paul Harvey actor (Calamity Jane, Heldorado, Jamboree), dies at age 73. [1] December 8 Jacques Handschin Swiss musicologist, dies at age 69. [1] December 11 Franz Adolf Syberg composer, dies at age 51. [1] Johan C Altorf sculptor (October 3 Monument), dies at age 79. [1] December 21 Dorothy Bernard actress (Margaret-Life With Father), dies at age 65. [1] December 22 Len Braund cricketer (23 Tests for England 987 runs 47 wickets), dies. [1] December 24 Nana Bryant actress (Mrs Nestor-Our Miss Brooks), dies at age 67. [1] 1956 January 3 Alexander Tikhonovich Gretshaninov Russian/US composer, dies at age 91. [1] Death of Joseph Wirth in Freiburg, Germany; chancellor of the Weimar Republic (1921-22). [37] January 4 Alexandr Tikhonovich Grechaninov composer, dies at age 91. [1] January 5 Jeanne F Bourgeois French head mistress (Moulin Rouge), dies at age 84. [1] January 10 Henricus P Bremmer Dutch art historian (Beeldende Kunst), dies at age 84. [1] Karl L Schmidt German/Swiss theologist (Urchristentum), dies at age 64. [1] January 12 John Raedecker Dutch sculptor (WWII Monument Amsterdam), dies at age 70. [1] Norman Kerry actor (Air Eagles, Phantom of Opera), dies at age 61. [1] January 14 Siegfried F Nadel Australian/British anthropologist (Nuba), dies at age 52. [1] January 22 P A M Speet Dutch broadcast CEO (KRO), dies. [1] January 23 Alexander Korda English movie producer (Henry VIII), dies at age 62. [1] January 27 Erich Kleiber Austrian conductor, dies. [1] January 29 H[enry] L[ouis] Mencken, American essayist/critic/satirist (Smart Set), dies in Baltimore, Maryland at age 75. [1] [5] January 30 Gerrit Mannoury mathematician/philosopher, dies at age 88. [1] Jane Seymour actress (Young Mr Bobbin), dies at age 56. [1] February 2 Charley Grapewin actor (Ellery Queen), dies at age 86. [1] February 4 Leendert A Donker Dutch Social Democrat party-minister of Justice, dies at age 56. [1] Peder Gram composer, dies at age 74. [1] February 5 Savilly Tartakower Austrian/Polish/French chess player, dies at age 74. [1] February 8 Connie Mack baseball manager (Philadelphia Athletics, 1901-50), dies at age 93. [1] February 18 Gustave Charpentier French opera composer (Louise), dies at age 95. [1] February 21 Edwin Franko Goldman composer, dies at age 78. [1] February 22 Paul Léautaud [Maurice Boissard], French writer (Petit ami), dies at age 84. [1] February 26 Herman Courtens Belgian baron/painter, dies at age 72. [1] February 27 Frank Dailey orchestra leader (Music at Meadowbrook), dies at age 54. [1] Günther Ramin German organist/composer/choir conductor, dies at age 57. [1] February 29 Elpidio Quirino President of Philippines (1949-53), dies at age 65. [1] March 3 Willem H Keesom Dutch physicist (Helium I/II), dies at age 79. [1] March 5 Erich Itor Kahn composer, dies at age 50. [1] March 11 Sergey Nikiforovich Vasilenko Russian opera composer, dies at age 83. [1] March 16 Joseph John Richards composer, dies at age 77. [1] March 17 Fred Allen comedian (Colgate Comedy Hour, Fred Allen Radio Show), dies at age 61. [1] March 18 Friedrich Panzer German germanist (Hilde-Gudrun), dies at age 85. [1] Louis Bromfield writer, dies at age 59. [1] March 22 Death penalty against KPrime Minister-director Léon Jungschlaeger. [1] George A L Sarton Belgian/US historian, dies at age 71. [1] March 25 George Luther Foote composer, dies at age 70. [1] Robert Newton actor (Henry V, Odd Man Out), dies at age 50. [1] March 26 Thomas Alexandrovich de Hartmann composer, dies at age 70. [1] March 27 Frans Beelaerts van Blokland minister of Foreign affairs, dies at age 84. [1] March 28 Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup vocalist, dies of a heart attack. [1] April 2 Albert de Bassompierre Belgium ambassador to Tokyo, dies at age 82. [1] Chester Clute actor (Niagara Falls), dies at age 65. [1] Philippo de Pisis Italian painter, dies at age 59. [1] April 3 T Kostov Bulgarian vice-premier, executed. [1] April 4 Fritz Künkel German physician/charachterologist, dies at age 66. [1] April 10 Bozidar Sirola composer, dies at age 66. [1] Clarence Beaumont first batter in first World Series, dies at age 75. [1] Jozef Szulc composer, dies at age 81. [1] April 12 José Moscardo Ituarte Spanish General (Alcázar 1936), dies at age 77. [1] April 15 Emile Nolde [Hansen] German painter (Grablegung Christi), dies at age 88. [1] April 19 Ernst R Curtius German literature historian, dies at age 70. [1] Lionel K P "Buster" Crabb British diver (WWII), dies at age 47. [1] Léon N H Jungschlaeger head military intelligence Netherlands-Indies, dies at age 52. [1] April 20 Jaap Vranken organist/composer (Stabat mater), dies. [1] Lieven Duvosel Flemish music composer (Levensschets), dies at age 78. [1] April 24 Albrecht G Alt German theologist (Small Schriften), dies at age 72. [1] Henry Stephenson actor (Conquest, Mr Lucky), dies at age 85. [1] April 26 Edward Arnold actor (Mr Smith Goes to Washington), dies at age 66. [1] April 29 Nemesio Otano y Eugenio composer, dies at age 75. [1] April 30 Alben W Barkley (Vice President-Democrat-1949-53), dies at age 78. [1] May 5 Charles R Gallas lexicographer (French Dictionary), dies at age 88. [1] May 11 Walter S Adams US astronomer/director of Mount Wilson, dies at age 79. [1] May 12 Hendrik P Marchant Dutch minister of Education, dies at age 87. [1] Louis Calhern dies at age 61. [1] Vladimir Ambros composer, dies at age 65. [1] May 13 Aleksandr A Fadejev Russian author (Young Guard), commits suicide at age 54. [1] May 18 Maurice Tate cricketer (39 Tests for England, 155 wickets), dies. [1] May 20 André Eugene Maurice Charlot actor (Summer Storm), dies. [1] Max Beerbohm caricturist/writer (Yet Again), dies. [1] May 24 Guy Kibbee actor (Captain Blood, Babes in Arms), dies at age 74. [1] May 26 Al Simmons Outfielder (Oakland Athletics)/lifetime batting average of .334, dies at age 54. [1] May 29 Albert H Edelkoort theologist (Christusverwachting), dies at age 65. [1] Hermann Abendroth German conductor (Gewandhausorkest), dies at age 73. [1] June 6 Margaret Wycherly actress (Claudia), dies at age 75. [1] August 11 Jackson Pollock abstract artist, dies in auto accident (East Hampton). [1] September 21 Anastasio Somoza Nicaraguan dictator, assassinated by Roliberto Lopez. [1] September 23 Earl Godwin newscaster (Meet the Veep), dies at age 75. [1] September 27 Milburn Apt in X-2 rocket plane reaches 3370 kph, but, dies in crash. [1] Mildred "Babe" Didrickson Zaharias great female athlete, dies. [1] October 6 Walter Herlihy announcer (Music at Meadowbrook), dies at age 42. [1] November 1 Lajos Asztalos International Chess Master (1950), dies at age 67. [1] November 5 Art Tatum black pianist, dies at age 46 in Los Angeles. [1] November 11 Victor Young orchestra leader (Milton Berle Show), dies at age 56. [1] December 8 Edgar Leslie Bainton composer, dies at age 76. [1] December 9 Hans Barth composer, dies at age 59. [1] December 12 Lorenzo Perosi composer, dies at age 83. [1] December 17 Eddie Acuff actor (Guns of Pecos), dies at age 48. [1] December 21 Lewis M Terman psychologist (Genetic studies of genius), dies at age 79. [1] December 25 Robert Walser writer, dies at age 78. [1] December 26 Holmes Herbert actor (The Kiss), dies at age 74. [1] December 28 Roelof Kranenburg Dutch social democratic party-chairman, dies at age 76. [1] December 29 Martin Albertz German theologist (Jesus Christ's Church), dies at age 73. [1]