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.

1985 January 3 Lucien Cailliet, composer, dies at age 93. [1] January 4 Brian Gwynne Horrocks, English Lieutenant-General (A Full Life), dies at age 89 (born 1895). [1] [84] January 6 Robert H W Welch Jr, US founder/leader John Birch Society, dies at age 85. [1] January 7 Johnny Guarnieri, jazz pianist (Morey Amsterdam Show), dies at age 67. [1] January 9 Don Brennan, cricket wicketkeeper (England in two Tests 1951), dies. [1] January 13 Carol Wayne, Johnny Carson's teatime movie hostess, dies at age 42. [1] January 14 Jetta Goudal, French actress (White Gold), dies at age 86. [1] January 18 Mahmoud Taha, Sudanese Muslim leader, hanged at age 76. [1] Wilfrid Brambell, actor (Hard Day's Night, Boys), dies at age 72. [1] January 20 Jo Juda, Dutch musician, dies at age 75. [1] January 21 Barbara Cowsill, rocker (Cowsills), dies of emphysema. [1] January 26 James Cameron, journalist, dies. [1] January 30 Ken Mayers, actor (Robbie Robertson - Space Patrol), dies at age 67. [1] February 6 Charles Briggs, actor (13 Frightened Girls, Captain Newman), dies at age 53. [1] Dandy Nichols, actress (Confessions of a Window Cleaner), dies at age 78. [1] February 7 Albert Dondeyne, Belgian philosopher/theologist, dies at age 83. [1] Uday Merchant, cricketer (brother of Vijay, prolific scorer), dies. [1] February 8 Marvin Miller, American actor (Michael Anthony of The Millionaire), dies at age 71 (born 1913). [1] [84] Tom Greenway, actor (Miami Story), dies of a heart attack at age 75. [1] February 9 U.S. drug agent Enrique Camarena is kidnapped and murdered in Mexico (his body is discovered March 5). [85] February 11 Heinz Eric Roemheld, composer, dies of pneumonia at age 83. [1] Henry Hathaway, actor/director (Nob Hill), dies of heart attack at age 86. [1] Ulysses Simpson Kay, composer, dies at age 68. [1] February 12 Nicholas Colssanto, actor (Coach - Cheers), dies at age 61. [1] February 16 Larry Ward, actor (Frank Ragan - Dakotas), dies at age 69. [1] February 17 Wanda Perry, actress (Roberta, Death of a Salesman), dies at age 67. [1] February 18 Willy Alberti [Carel Verbruggen], Dutch singer, dies at age 58. [1] February 19 Elizabeth Julesberg, author (Dick and Jane), dies. [1] George Holmes, actor (Man in the Trunk), dies at age 66. [1] February 20 Clarence Nash, the voice of Disney's Donald Duck for over 50 years, dies of leukemia (born 1904). [6] [85] February 21 Eric Herfst, Dutch cabaret performer (Floris), dies at age 47. [1] Ina Claire, actress/comedienne (Three Broadway Girls), dies of stroke at age 92. [1] Louis Hayward, actor (Lone Wolf, Survivors), dies of lung cancer at age 75. [1] February 22 Alexander Scourby, actor (Victory at Sea, Ransom), dies at age 71. [1] Efrem A Zimbalist, Russian/US composer/violinist, dies at age 95. [1] February 23 Alexander Scourby, actor (Jesus, Shaggy Dog, Giant), dies at age 71. [1] February 27 David Huffman, actor (FIST, Jane Doe, Firefox, Onion Field), dies. [1] Henry Cabot Lodge, Senator-Republican/diplomat dies at age 82. [1] J Pat O'Malley, actor (My Favorite Martian, Maude), dies at age 83. [1] February 28 Charita Bauer, actress (Mary - Aldrich Family), dies at age 62 in New York City, New York. [1] March 1 Eugene List, US concert pianist, dies at age 66. [1] March 2 John B Kelly Jr, chairman US Olympics Committee, dies at age 57. [1] Sir Michael Redgrave, actor/writer dies at age 77 of Parkinson's disease. [1] March 3 Sarah Blanding, first US female college head (Vassar 1946-64), dies at age 86. [1] March 6 Eric Sloane, US artist, dies at age 80. [1] March 7 George Schick, Czechoslovakian conductor (Chicago Symphony), dies at age 76. [1] Robert W Woodruff, CEO (Coca-Cola), dies at age 95. [1] Victor W Farris, inventor of paper milk carton, dies. [1] March 8 Thomas Creighton, US heart patient (3 implants in 46 hours), dies at age 33. [1] March 9 Edward Andrews, actor (Broadside, Harry - Supertrain), dies at age 70. [1] March 10 Konstantin Chernenko, party leader/President of USSR (1984-85), dies at age 73 (born 1911). [1] [84] March 12 Eugene Ormandy [Blau], Hungarian/US conductor, dies at age 85 (born 1899). [1] [84] March 16 B V A Röling, Dutch lawyer (WWII Tokyo trials), dies at age 78. [1] Roger Huntington Sessions, US composer (Black Masks), dies at age 88. [1] March 17 Dattu Phadkar, cricketer (Indian all-rounder, 31 Tests 1947-58), dies. [1] March 18 Jack Miller, orchestra leader (Kate Smith Evening Hour), dies at age 89. [1] March 21 Michael Redgrave, English actor (Goodbye Mr Chips, Mr Arkadin), dies at age 77 (born 1908). [1] [85] Salvador Ley, composer, dies at age 78. [1] March 23 Anton Constandse, Dutch anarchist/writer, dies at age 85. [1] Patricia Roberts Harris (Representative-Democrat) dies at age 60. [1] Singing Nun [Janine Deckers] commits suicide in Belgium at age 52. [1] March 28 Marc Chagall, Russian-born French painter, dies at age 97 (born 1887). [1] [85] Nand Baert, Belgian radio/tv-host, dies at age 53. [1] March 29 Death of Jeanine Deckers, Belgian nun and singer (born 1933). [85] March 30 Harold Peary, actor (Herb - Blondie, Willy), dies of heart attack at age 76. [1] April 5 Tyrell Johnson, cricketer (West Indies left-arm quickie, one Test 1939), dies. [1] April 8 Death of J. Fred Coots, American songwriter (born 1897). [85] April 11 Enver Hoxha, party leader/premier of Albania, dies at age 76 (born 1908). [1] [85] April 14 Reginald Beane, pianist (Starlit Time, Once Upon a Tune), dies at age 63. [1] April 16 Scott Brady [Gerald Tierney], actor (Shotgun Slade), dies at age 60. [1] April 17 Ilona Bodden, writer, dies. [1] April 21 Rudi Gernreich, US designer (unisex look, invisible underwear, miniskirt), dies at age 62. [1] [37] Tancredo Neves, President-elect of Brazil, dies at age 75 (born 1910). [1] [85] April 22 Death of Paul H. Emmett, American chemical engineer (born 1900). [85] April 23 Kent Smith, actor (Peyton Place, Invaders), dies at age 78. [1] Sam J Ervin Jr (Senator-Democrat-North Carolina) dies at age 88. [1] April 24 Sergei Yutkevich, Russian director, (Otello, Banya), dies at age 80. [1] April 25 Murray Matheson, actor (Felix - Banacek), dies at age 72. [1] Richard Haydn, British actor (Mutiny on the Bounty), dies at age 80. [1] April 30 George Pravada, Czechoslovakian actor (Felscher - Holocaust), dies at age 66 (born 1918). [1] [85] May 2 Hal LeRoy, dancer/actor (Harold Teen), dies at age 71 after cardiac surgery. [1] Milton S Eisenhower, US diplomat, dies at age 85. [1] May 4 Death of Clarence Wiseman, the 10th General of The Salvation Army (born 1907). [85] May 5 Death of Sir Donald Bailey, British civil engineer (born 1901). [85] May 6 Death of Julie Vega, Filipino child actress and singer (born 1968). [85] May 7 Dawn Addams, actress (Alan Young Show, Star Maidens), dies at age 54. [1] May 8 Dolph Sweet, actor (Gimme a Break, Gil McGowan - Another World), dies of cancer at age 64. [1] Karl Marx, German composer/conductor, dies at age 87. [1] Death of Theodore Sturgeon, American writer (born 1918). [85] May 9 Edmond O'Brien, American actor (Sam Benedict, Johnny Midnight), dies at age 69 of Alzheimer's disease (born 1915). [1] [85] May 10 Death of Chester Gould, American cartoonist (Dick Tracy), at age 84 (born 1900). [85] (May 11 [1]) May 11 Samuel Frith, English co-founder of soccer team (Bradford City), dies. [1] Garmt Stuiveling, literary (Ego and Echo), dies at age 77. [1] Jorja Curtright, actress (Whistle Stop), dies of a heart attack. [1] May 12 Jean Debuffet, French painter/sculptor, dies (born 1901). [1] [85] May 13 Leatrice Joy, silent screen star, dies in Riverdale (Bronx) New York City, New York at age 91. [1] May 14 Mohammed Munir, Indonesian worker's union leader, executed. [1] Selma Diamond, actress/comedienne (Selma-Night Court), dies of cancer at age 64. [1] May 15 Jackie Curtis, playwright/actor (Underground USA), dies of a drug overdose at age 38. [1] May 16 Margaret Hamilton, American actress (Wicked Witch - The Wizard of Oz), dies from a heart attack at age 82 (born 1902). [1] [85] May 17 Hugh Burden, actor (The House in Nightmare Park), dies at age 72. [1] Death of Abe Burrows, American songwriter, composer, and writer (born 1910). [85] May 18 Tex Terry, actor (Apache Rose, Timberjack), dies at age 82. [1] May 20 George Memmoli, actor (Earl - Hello Larry), dies at age 46. [1] May 22 Death of Wolfgang Reitherman, American animator (born 1909). [85] May 25 Harold Hecht, choreographer, dies at age 77 of cancer. [1] Robert Nathan, US writer/poet (Portrait of Jennie), dies at age 91. [1] May 27 Kay Campbell, actress (All My Children), dies at age 80. [1] May 29 Madge West, actress (Grandma - McLean Stevenson Show), dies at age 93. [1] June 1 Richard Greene, actor (Adventures of Robin Hood), dies at age 67. [1] June 10 Bob Prince, sportscaster (Monday Night Baseball), dies at age 68. [1] George Chandler actor (Lassie), dies of Alzheimer's disease at age 87. [1] June 11 Karen Ann Quinlan, American right-to-die activist, dies in Morris Plains, New Jersey at age 31 (born 1954). [1] [85] June 12 Death of Hua Luogeng, Chinese mathematician (born 1910). [85] June 14 TWA Flight 847, carrying 153 passengers from Athens, Greece to Rome, Italy, is hijacked by a Hezbollah fringe group. One passenger, U.S. Navy Petty Officer Robert Stethem, is killed. [1] [85] June 15 Meredith Wilson dies. [1] Death of Andy Stanfield, American athlete (born 1927). [85] June 28 James Craig, actor, dies of lung cancer at age 74. [1] July 2 Death of David Purley, British race car driver (born 1945). [85] July 5 Marion Byron, actress, dies at age 73. [1] July 7 Patti McCarty, actress, dies at age 64. [1] July 8 Phil Foster, comedian (Frank De Fazio - Laverne and Shirley), dies at age 72. [1] July 9 Rafael Campos, actor (Ramon - Rhoda, Sancho - V), dies of cancer at age 49. [1] Death of Jimmy Kinnon, Scottish founder of Narcotics Anonymous (born 1911). [85] July 16 Wayne King, orchestra leader (Wayne King Show), dies at age 84. [1] Death of Heinrich Böll, German writer (Nobel Prize for Literature 1972), near Bonn, Germany (born 1917). [37] [85] July 17 Margo, actress, dies at age 68 of a brain tumor. [1] July 19 Death of Janusz A. Zajdel, Polish writer (born 1938). [85] July 21 Mickey Shaughnessy, actor (Chicago Teddy Bears), dies at age 65. [1] July 23 Kay Kyser (James King Kern Kyser), US bandleader, dies. [1] Mickey Shaughnessy, actor, dies at age 64 of heart failure. [1] July 27 Death of John Scarne, American magician and card expert (born 1903). [85] July 28 Grant Williams, actor, dies of toxic poisoning at age 54. [1] July 29 James F Nolan, actor (Dante), dies of cancer at age 69. [1] August 1 Joseph Walker, cameraman, dies at age 92. [1] August 2 Frank Faylen, vaudevillian, dies at age 79 of pneumonia. [1] August 6 Death of Forbes Burnham, President of Guyana (born 1923). [85] August 8 Louise Brooks, actress, dies of a heart attack at age 78. [1] August 10 Kenny Backer, comedian, dies of a heart attack at age 72. [1] August 12 Death of Kyu Sakamoto, Japanese singer ("Sukiyaki"), killed in the crash of Japan Airlines Flight 123 (born 1941). [85] Death of Manfred Winkelhock, German race car driver (born 1951). [85] August 13 Marion Martin, actress, dies at age 67. [1] August 14 Gale Sondergaard, American actress, dies at cerebral vascular thrombosis (born 1899). [1] [85] August 22 Death of Paul Peter Ewald, German/American physicist, in Ithaca, New York (born in Berlin, Germany). [37] August 25 Samantha Smith, American activist/actress (Elizabeth - Lime Street), dies at age 13 (born 1972). [1] [85] August 28 Ruth Gordon, actress, dies at age 88 suffering a stroke in her sleep. [1] August 29 Evelyn Ankers, actress, dies at age 67. [1] Patrick Barr, actor, dies at age 77. [1] August 31 Death of Frank Macfarlane Burnet, Australian biologist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (born 1899). [85] September 1 Death of Stefan Bellof, race car driver and 1984 World SportsCars (Group C) Champion (born 1957). [85] September 4 George O'Brien, actor, dies of a stroke at age 85. [1] Isabel Jeans, actress, dies at age 93. [1] September 6 Jane Frazee, singer/actress (Alice - Beulah), dies at age 67 of pneumonia. [1] Johnny Desmond, singer (Your Hit Parade), dies of cancer at age 65. [1] Death of Little Brother Montgomery, American musician. [85] Death of Isabel Cox-Meighen, wife of Canadian prime minister Arthur Meighen (born 1882). [85] September 7 Death of Rodney Robert Porter, English biochemist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (born 1917). [85] September 8 Death of John Franklin Enders, American scientist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (born 1887). [85] September 9 Death of Paul Flory, American chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1910). [85] September 10 Alexa Kenin, actress (Mousie - Coed Fever), dies at age 23. [1] September 11 Death of William Alwyn, English composer (born 1905). [85] September 17 Death of Laura Ashley, Welsh designer (born 1925). [85] September 19 Death of Italo Calvino, Italian writer (born 1923). [85] September 23 Mickey Simpson, actor, dies of a heart attack at age 72. [1] September 27 Lloyd Nolan, actor (Dr Chegley - Julia), dies of lung cancer at age 83. [1] September 29 First of five cyanide-laced Tylenol victims dies. [1] October 1 Death of E.B. White, American writer (born 1899). [85] October 2 George Savalas, American actor, dies at age 58 (born 1924). [1] [85] Rock Hudson, American actor (MacMillian and Wife), dies at age 59 of AIDS (born 1925). [1] [85] Sidney Clute, actor (Lou Grant, Cagney and Lacey), dies at age 69. [1] October 3 Charles Collingwood, newscaster (Chronicles), dies at age 68. [1] Maurice Copeland, actor (Ralph-Those Young Charmings), dies at age 74. [1] October 6 Death of Nelson Riddle, American bandleader (born 1921). [85] October 10 Yul Brynner, American actor (King and I), dies of cancer at age 70 (born 1915). [1] [85] Death of Orson Welles, American film director/actor (Citizen Kane), of a heart attack at age 70 (born 1915). [1] [85] October 11 Tex Williams, country-western singer, dies at age 68 of cancer. [1] October 12 Johnny Olson, American game show announcer (Price is Right), dies at age 75 (born 1910). [1] [85] October 16 Claude Stroud, actor (Hobart-Ted Knight Show, Duke), dies at age 78. [1] October 22 Death of Thomas Townsend Brown, American scientist (born 1905). [85] October 25 Morton Downey, singer (Star of the Family), dies at age 83. [1] October 30 Kirby Grant Hoon Jr., of Butte Montana, actor (Sky King), dies in an auto accident at age 74. [1] October 31 Death of Poul Reichhardt, Danish actor (born 1913). [85] November 1 Phil Silvers, comedic actor (Sergeant Bilko), dies at age 73 in his sleep. [1] Death of Quick Draw Rick McGraw, American professional wrestler (born 1955). [85] November 5 Death of Arnold Chikobava, Georgian linguist (born 1898). [85] Death of Spencer W. Kimball, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (born 1895). [85] November 9 Helen Rose, costume designer, dies at age 81. [1] Mary MacLaren, actress, dies at age 85 of respiratory problems. [1] November 10 Pelle Lindbergh, Philadelphia Flyers' goalie, dies in drunk driving accident. [1] November 13 Death of William Pereira, American architect (born 1909). [85] Death of George Robert Vincent, American sound recording pioneer (born 1898). [85] November 17 Jimmy Ritz of Ritz brothers dies of heart failure at age 81. [1] November 19 Stepin Fetchit, first black star, dies of pneumonia at age 83. [1] November 20 Bill Scott, cartoon voice (Mr Peabody, Bullwinkle), dies at age 65. [1] November 24 Death of Big Joe Turner, American blues singer (born 1911). [85] November 26 Ransom Sherman, comedian (Father of the Bride), dies at age 87. [1] December 2 Alex Courtney actor (Sword of Justice), dies. [1] Philip Larkin [hermit of Hull] English poet, dies at age 63. [1] December 3 Sam Gillman, actor (Sam-Shane), dies at age 70. [1] December 4 Marcel Boereboom, Belgian musicologist, dies at age 83. [1] December 6 Burleigh Grimes, US baseball pitcher, dies at age 92. [1] Burr Tillstrom, puppeteer (Kukla Fran and Ollie), dies at age 68. [1] December 7 Potter Stewart, 94th Supreme Court Justice (1958-81), dies in New Hampshire at age 70. [1] Robert Graves, English writer/poet (King Jesus), dies at age 90 (born 1895). [1] [85] December 12 Anne Baxter, American actress (Myra - Marcus Welby, Victoria - Hotel), dies at age 62 (born 1923). [1] [85] Ian Stewart, Scottish keyboardist/road manager (Rolling Stones), dies at age 47 (born 1938). [1] [85] December 14 Roger Maris, homerun hitter (61 in 61, New York Yankees), dies of cancer at age 51. [1] [5] [56] Stanley G[rauman] Weinbaum, American science-fiction author (Red Peri), dies at age 85. [1] December 16 Dick Pollard, cricketer (England fast-medium bowler 1946-48), dies. [1] Merv Waite, cricketer (two Tests for Australia 1938, one wicket average 190), dies. [1] In New York City, Mafia bosses Paul Castellano and Thomas Bilotti are shot dead in front of Spark's Steak House, making hit organizer John Gotti the leader of the powerful Gambino organized crime family. [1] [85] December 17 Otto Gotsche, writer, dies. [1] December 22 Death of D. Boon, American singer and guitarist (born 1958). [85] December 23 James Vance (20) and Raymond Belknap (18) commit suicide, sparking their families to sue rock group Judas Priest for subliminal messages. [1] Death of Ferhat Abbas, Algerian nationalist (born 1899). [85] December 24 Right wing extremist David Lewis Rice murders civil rights attorney Charles Goldmark as well as Goldmark's wife and two children in Seattle, Washington. Rice suspected the family of being Jewish and Communist and claimed his dedication to the Christian Identity movement drove him to the crime. [85] December 25 George Rhodes, orchestra leader (Sammy Davis Jr Show), dies at age 66. [1] December 27 Dian Fossey, US naturalist (Gorillas in the Mist), found dead in Rwanda, murdered at age 53 (born 1932). [1] [85] December 31 Alexander Matheson, cricketer (two wickets/2 Tests for New Zealand 1930-31), dies. [1] Rick Nelson, American singer/actor (Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet), dies at age 45 (born 1940). [1] [85] Sam Spiegel, Austrian-born Academy Award winning American film producer (Betrayal, On the Waterfront, The Bridge on the River Kwai, Lawrence of Arabia, The African Queen), dies at age 84. [1] [37]