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.

1986 January 1 Death of Alfredo Binda, Italian cyclist (born 1902). [84] January 2 Una Merkel, US actress (Abraham Lincoln), dies at age 82. [1] January 3 Jens Bjerre, composer, dies at age 82. [1] January 4 Christopher Isherwood, British writer (Lions and Shadows), dies at age 81. [1] Phil Lynott, lead singer and bassist of rock group Thin Lizzy, dies of overdose at age 34 (born 1949). [1] [84] January 6 Louis Lebeer, Dutch art historian, dies at age 90. [1] January 7 Death of Juan Rulfo, Mexican writer (born 1917). [1] [84] M Rooi, editor-in-chief (New Rotterdam Daily), dies at age 79. [1] January 8 Yaroslav Seifert, Czechoslovakian poet (Nobel Prize 1984), dies at age 84. [1] Death of Pierre Fournier, French cellist (born 1906). [84] January 10 Joseph Kraft, US columnist, dies at age 61. [1] Death of Jaroslav Seifert, Czech writer, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1901). [84] January 12 Marcel Arland, French author (L'ordre, Lumière du Soir), dies at age 86. [1] January 13 Abdel Fattah Ismail, President of South-Yemen (1969-80), murdered. [1] January 14 Donna Reed, American actress (Donna Reed Show, Dallas), dies of cancer at age 64 (born 1921). [1] [84] Walter Leblanc, Belgian painter, dies at age 53. [1] January 15 James H "Jim" Crowley, US football player (Notre Dame), dies at age 83. [1] January 18 Claire James, actress (Jack Armstrong), dies. [1] January 23 Death of Joseph Beuys, West German avant-garde artist/politician, in Düsseldorf, Germany, at age 64. [1] [37] January 24 Gordon MacRae, American actor/singer (Oklahoma, Carousel), dies at age 64 (born 1921). [1] [84] L[aFayette] Ron[ald] Hubbard, American author (Dianetics, Death Quest) and founder of Scientology, dies at age 74 (born 1911). [1] [84] January 25 Ernst Schnabel, writer, dies at age 72. [1] Horace Smith, cricketer (one Test New Zealand vs England 1933, one wicket at 113), dies. [1] January 27 Lilli Palmer [Lillie Marie Peiser], German actress (Boys from Brazil, Kinder), dies at age 71 (born 1914). [1] [84] January 28 25th Space Shuttle mission (51L) - Challenger 10 explodes 73 seconds after liftoff. Killed are: Christa McAuliffe (teacher), Dr Judith Arlene Resnik, USAF Major Ellison S Onizuka Hawaii, USAF Francis R Scobee Washington, payload specialist Gregory B. Jarvis, USN Commander Michael J Smith, Ronald E McNair. [1] [84] January 29 Leif Erickson, actor (John - High Chaparral), dies at age 74. [1] [5] January 30 Ticker Freeman, pianist (Dinah Shore Show), dies at age 74. [1] February 1 Alva Myrdal, Swedish politician, diplomat, and writer, Nobel peace prize winner (1982), dies at age 84 (born 1902). [1] [84] Dick James, Beatles' music publisher (1962-70), dies in London at age 58. [1] February 2 Anita Cobby is murdered in Australia. [84] February 6 William Collier, actor (Up the River, She's My Weakness), dies. [1] Death of Frederick Coutts, the 8th General of The Salvation Army (born 1899). [84] February 7 Armand Preud'homme, Flemish organist/lyricist, dies at age 81. [1] February 10 Brian Aherne, actor (Juarez, My Sister Eileen, Rosie), dies at age 83. [1] February 11 Frank [Patrick] Herbert, American sci-fi author (Dune), dies at age 65 (born 1920). [1] [84] Death of Evelio Javier, Filipino politician, lawyer, and civil servant (born 1942). [84] February 12 Guy Douglas Hamilton Warrack, composer, dies at age 86. [1] Sid Stone, comedian (Milton Berle Show), dies at age 82. [1] February 16 Howard Da Silva of Cleveland, Ohio, actor (Ben Franklin-1776), dies at age 76. [1] February 17 Jiddu Krishnamurti, Indian philosopher (Kingdom Happiness), dies at age 90. [1] Paul Stewart, actor (Opening Night, In Cold Blood, Window), dies. [1] February 19 Adolfo Celi, actor (Thunderball), dies at age 63. [1] James O Eastland (Senator-Democrat-Mississippi) dies at age 81. [1] Paul Stewart, actor (Top Secret USA, Deadline), dies at age 77. [1] February 20 Francisco Paolo Mignone, composer, dies at age 88. [1] Jacobus G Rietkerk, Dutch foreign minister (VVD), dies at age 58. [1] February 21 Death of Helen Hooven Santmyer, American writer (born 1895). [84] February 24 Death of Tommy Douglas, Canadian politician and "Father of Medicare" in Canada (born 1904). [84] February 27 Death of Jacques Plante, Canadian hockey player (born 1929). [84] February 28 (11:21 PM) While walking home with his wife from a movie, Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme is shot dead in Stockholm. (To date, his murder remains unsolved.) [1] [7] [84] Death of Thomas Williams, British politician (born 1915). [84] March 2 Marcel Liebman, Belgian historian, dies at age 56. [1] Zafer Masri, mayor of Nablus, murdered. [1] March 4 Henri Knap, Dutch journalist/writer, dies at age 75. [1] Richard Manuel, Canadian rock vocalist/pianist (The Band), commits suicide at age 40 (born 1943). [1] [84] Death of Howard Greenfield, American songwriter (born 1936). [84] March 5 Teddy Hoad, cricketer (West Indian captain 1930), dies. [1] March 6 Adolph Caesar, actor (Club Paradise, Soldier's Story), dies. [1] Georgia O'Keeffe, American painter (Flowers), dies at age 98 (born 1887). [1] [84] March 7 Jacob K Javits (Senator-Republican-New York), dies in Palm Beach, Florida at age 81. [1] March 8 Hubert Fichte, writer, dies at age 50. [1] March 9 Ned Calmer, TV host (In the First Person), dies at age 78. [1] March 10 Ray Milland, Welsh actor (Lost Weekend - Academy Award 1945), dies at age 81 (born 1907). [1] [84] March 13 Alvaro Fayad Delgado, Colombian guerilla leader (M-19), dies. [1] March 14 Benno Ammann, composer, dies at age 81. [1] Edith Atwater, of Chicago, Illinois, actress (Phyllis - Love on a Rooftop), dies at age 74. [1] Jozef Kresanek, composer, dies at age 73. [1] March 17 Hal Buckley, actor (John Quincy-OK Crackerby), dies at age 49. [1] March 18 Bernard Malamud, US writer (Fixer, Natural), dies at age 71. [1] March 21 August de Boodt, Belgian politician, dies at age 90. [1] March 22 Charles Starrett, actor (Silver Streak, Jungle Bride), dies. [1] March 23 Death of Moshe Feinstein, Orthodox Rabbi (born 1895). [84] March 24 Sarah Cunningham, actress (Nurse Andrews - Trapper John MD), dies at age 67. [1] March 26 Bartlett Robinson, actor (Wendy and Me, Mona McCluskey), dies at age 73. [1] March 27 Cass Canfield, US publisher, dies at age 88. [1] March 28 Victor J Lopez, actor (Chuey - Man From Atlantis), dies at age 39. [1] Virginia Gilmore, actress (Jennie, Western Union), dies. [1] March 29 Harry Ritz, comedian/actor (Three Musketeers, On the Avenue), dies at age 79. [1] March 30 James F Cagney, American actor (Public Enemy, Angels With Dirty Faces, Yankee Doodle Dandy), dies at his Stanfordville, New York farm at age 86 (born 1899). [1] [84] John Ciardi, US poet/interpreter (Dante), dies at age 69. [1] March 31 Jerry Paris, director/actor (Jerry - Dick Van Dyke Show), dies at age 60. [1] O'Kelly Isley, Amefican singer (Isley Brothers), dies of heart attack at age 48. [1] April 3 Peter Pears, English tenor (Death in Venice), dies at age 75 (born 1910). [1] [84] Richard Manuel, rock pianist/vocalist (Band), dies on 41st birthday. [1] April 4 Frank Mortelmans, Belgian painter, dies at age 87. [1] April 5 Colin McCool, cricketer (14 Tests for Australia, 36 wickets), dies. [1] Manly Wade Wellman, science-fiction author (Devil's Planet), dies at age 82. [1] April 7 Death of Leonid Kantorovich, Russian economist, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1912). [84] April 8 Death of Yukiko Okada, Japanese idol singer (born 1967). [84] April 9 Jean Mogin, Belgian poet, dies at age 64. [1] April 10 Joseph P Addabbo, US defence specialist/(Senator-Democrat), dies at age 61. [1] April 13 Stephen Stucker, actor (Trading Places, Airplane), dies. [1] April 14 Simone de Beauvoir, French feminist author (Deuxième Sexe), dies at age 86 (born 1908). [1] [84] April 15 Jean Genêt, French playwright (Lesson Nègres), dies at age 75 (born 1910). [1] [84] Sergei Nikolayevich Anokhin, cosmonaut, dies at age 76. [1] Tim McIntire, actor (Bob Younger - Legend of Jesse James), dies at age 42. [1] April 17 Bessie Head, writer, dies. [1] April 18 Marcel Dassault [Bloch], French airplane builder, dies at age 94. [1] April 19 Alvin Childress, actor (Amos - Amos 'n' Andy), dies at age 78. [1] Dag Ivar Wiren, composer, dies at age 80. [1] Death of Aileen Britton, Australian actress (born 1916). [84] April 22 Mircea Eliade, Romanian historian of religions and writer, dies (born 1907). [1] [84] April 23 Harold Arlen [Hyman Arluck], American music composer, murdered at age 81 (born 1905). [1] [84] Jim Laker, cricketer (193 wickets for England at 21 24), dies. [1] Otto Preminger, Austrian-born film director (Advise and Consent, Anatomy of Murder), dies at age 79 (born 1906). [1] [84] April 24 Bessie Wallis Warfield Simpson (wife of King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom, Duchess of Windsor) dies at age 89 (born 1896). [1] [84] Bill Edrich, cricketer (39 Tests for England), dies. [1] April 26 Bessie Love, actress (Broadway Melody, Isadora), dies at age 87. [1] Death of Dechko Uzunov, Bulgarian painter (born 1899). [84] [William] Broderick Crawford, American actor (Highway Patrol), dies at age 74 (born 1911). [1] [84] April 29 Seamus McElwaine, Irish Republican Army-terrorist, killed at age 25. [1] May 1 Death of Hylda Baker, English comedy actress (born 1905). [84] May 2 Death of Henri Toivonen, Finnish rally car driver (born 1956). [84] May 3 Robert Alda, American-born actor (Dan Lewis - Supertrain), dies at age 72 (born 1914). [1] [84] May 5 Jon William Haussermann Jr, composer, dies at age 76. [1] Rui Coelho, composer, dies at age 94. [1] May 7 Gaston Deferre, French politician, dies at age 75. [1] May 9 Dirk de Vroome [Red Giant] Limbourg, activist, dies at age 60. [1] Herschel Bernardi, actor (Lieutenant Jacoby - Peter Gunn, Arnie), dies at age 62. [1] Tenzing Norgay, Tibetan climber (one of first pair to peak of Mount Everest 1953), dies at age 71 (born 1914). [1] [5] [84] May 11 Death of Henry P. McIlhenny, American art collector, socialite, philanthropist. and the chairman of the Philadelphia Art Museum (born 1910). [84] May 12 Elisabeth Bergner, Austrian actress, dies at age 85 (born 1897). [1] [84] Lee Bonnell dies. [1] May 15 Theodore H White, American journalist (Making of President, Pulitzer), dies at age 71 (born 1958). [1] [84] Death of Elio de Angelis, Italian race car driver (born 1958). [84] May 18 John Bubbles Sublett, tap dancer (Black and Bubbles), dies at age 84. [1] May 19 Death of Jimmy Lyons, American musician (born 1931). [84] May 20 Bernard Naylor, composer, dies at age 78. [1] Willem Pée, Belgian linguistic, dies at age 83. [1] May 22 Martin Gabel, actor (Thief, Marnie), dies at age 63. [1] May 23 Sterling Hayden, American actor (Blue and Gray), dies at age 70 (born 1916). [1] [84] May 24 Gunnar Björnstrand, actor (7th Seal, Devil's Eye), dies at age 76. [1] Stephen D Thorne, Lieutenant Commander USN/astronaut, dies in a plane crash at age 33. [1] Yakima Canutt, actor/director (Diary of a Young Comic), dies at age 91. [1] May 25 Chester Bowles, American senator/ambassador, dies at age 85 (born 1901). [1] [84] May 26 Death of Gian-Carlo Coppola, American film producer (born 1963). [84] May 27 Gaston Duribreux, Flemish writer (Sour Dove), dies at age 82. [1] May 28 Lurene Tuttle, actress (Father of Bride, Julia), dies at age 79. [1] May 30 Hank Mobley, US jazz saxophonist, dies at age 55. [1] May 31 Death of Jane Frank (Jane Schenthal Frank), American artist (born 1918). [84] Death of James Rainwater, American physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1917). [84] June 3 Patricia Wheel, actress (Christine - Woman to Remember), dies at age 42. [1] June 12 Tony Desimone, combo leader (Ernie in Kovacsland), dies at age 66. [1] June 13 Benny Goodman, American jazz clarinet playing King of Swing, dies in New York at age 77 (born 1909). [1] [5] [84] June 14 Alan Jay Lerner, Broadway librettist, dies in New York at age 67. [1] Jorge Luis Borges, Argentine author, dies in Geneva, Switzerland at age 86 (born 1899). [1] [84] Marlin Perkins, Wild Kingdom host, dies near Saint Louis, Missouri at age 81. [1] June 16 Death of Maurice Duruflé, French composer (born 1902). [84] June 17 Kate Smith, American singer ("God Bless America"), dies in Raleigh, North Carolina at age 78 (born 1907). [1] [84] June 18 Death of Frances Scott Fitzgerald, daughter of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda Sayre (born 1921). [84] June 19 Len Bias, American basketball player (Boston Celtics), suffers fatal cocaine-induced seizure (born 1963). [1] [84] Murray P Haydon, artificial heart recipient, dies in Louisville, Kentucky. [1] Death of Michel "Coluche" Colucci, French comedian and humorist (born 1944). [84] June 20 Tim Herbert, comedian (Dagmar's Canteen), dies at age 71. [1] June 21 Death of Assi Rahbani, Lebanese composer, musician, conductor and author (born 1923). [84] June 27 Don Rogers of the Cleveland Browns dies of cocaine poisoning. [1] June 29 Robert Drivas, actor (Our Private World), dies at age 47. [1] July 1 Roy Poole, actor (Winds of War), dies at age 62. [1] July 3 Rudy Vallee, singer (Vagabond Dreams), dies at age 84. [1] July 4 Death of Oscar Zariski, Russian mathematician (born 1899). [84] July 6 Death of Jagjivan Ram, Indian politician (born 1908). [84] July 8 Death of Hyman Rickover, American admiral (born 1900). [84] Death of Skeeter Webb, baseball player (born 1909). [84] July 11 Death of Frances Griffiths, Cotingley Fairies girl (born 1907). [84] July 14 Death of Raymond Loewy, French-born industrial designer (born 1893). [84] July 15 Benny Rubin, actor/comedian (Benny Rubin Show), dies at age 87. [1] Florence Halop, actress (Florence-Night Court), dies at age 63. [1] Death of Billy Haughton, American harness driver and trainer (born 1923). [84] July 20 Helen Craig, actress (Rich Man Poor Man), dies at age 74. [1] July 21 Virginia Hewitt, actress (Carol - Space Patrol), dies at age 60. [1] Death of Ernest Maas, American screenwriter (born 1892). [84] July 24 Death of Fritz Albert Lipmann, American biochemist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (born 1899). [84] July 25 Vincente Minnelli, American film director, dies in Los Angeles at age 76 (born 1903). [1] [84] July 26 Averell Harriman, statesman, dies in Yorktown Heights, New York at age 94. [1] July 27 Leroy Holmes, orchestra leader (The Tonight Show, 1956-57), dies at age 72. [1] August 2 Death of Roy Cohn, American lawyer and anti-Communist (born 1927). [84] August 6 William J Schroeder, second person to receive permanent artificial heart, dies at age 54 in Louisville, Kentucky, after 620 days with Jarvik VII man-made pump. [1] [84] August 16 Death of Jaime Saenz, Bolivian poet, novelist, and short story writer (born 1921). [84] August 19 Hermione Baddeley, actress (Camp Runamuck, Maude), dies at age 79. [1] August 20 Donn Bennett, TV host (The Big Idea), dies at age 76. [1] In Edmond, Oklahoma, United States Postal Service employee Patrick Sherrill guns down 14 of his co-workers before committing suicide. [1] [84] Walter Brooke, actor (DA Scanlon - Green Hornet), dies at age 71. [1] Death of Milton Acorn, Canadian poet, writer, and playwright (born 1923). [84] August 25 Allen Case, actor (Deputy, Legend of Jesse James), dies at age 51. [1] August 26 Jennifer Levin strangled by Robert Chambers in Central Park, New York. [1] Ted Knight, American actor (The Mary Tyler Moore Show), dies at age 62 (born 1923). [1] [84] August 31 Death of Urho Kekkonen, President of Finland (born 1900). [84] Death of Henry Moore, British sculptor (born 1898). [84] September 1 Murray Hamilton, actor (Rich Man Poor Man), dies at age 63. [1] September 4 Death of Hank Greenberg, baseball player (born 1911). [84] September 7 Death of Omar Ali Saifuddin III, Sultan of Brunei (born 1914). [84] September 12 Frank Nelson, actor (Ralph - I Love Lucy, Jack Benny Show), dies at age 75. [1] September 15 Virginia Gregg, actress (Little Women), dies at age 69. [1] September 21 Cheryl Keeton is found dead in her van on the Sunset Highway (California), inspiring the novel Dead By Sunset. [84] September 25 Death of Nikolay Nikolayevich Semyonov, Russian chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1896). [84] September 27 Death of Cliff Burton, American bassist (Metallica) (born 1962). [84] September 29 Betty Kean, actress (Amy Tucker - Leave it to Larry), dies at age 69. [1] October 5 Death of James H. Wilkinson, English mathematician (born 1919). [84] October 11 Norm Cash, first baseman (Detroit Tigers), dies at age 51. [1] October 14 Keenan Wynn, American actor (Dallas, Call to Glory, Last Precinct), dies at age 70 (born 1916). [1] [84] October 16 Death of Arthur Grumiaux, Belgian violinist (born 1921). [84] October 22 Ivor Francis, actor (Dusty's Trail), dies at age 68. [1] In New York City, WNBC Radio's traffic helicopter crashes into the Hudson River killing traffic reporter Jane Dornacker. [1] [84] Death of Albert Szent-Györgyi, Hungarian physiologist, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1893). [84] October 23 Death of Edward Adelbert Doisy, American biochemist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (born 1893). [84] October 25 Forrest Tucker, American actor (O'Rourke - F Troop, Dusty Trail), dies at age 67 (born 1919. [1] [84] October 26 Death of Jackson Scholz, American runner (born 1897). [84] October 28 Death of Ian Marter, British actor and writer (born 1944). [84] October 31 Death of Robert S. Mulliken, American physicist and chemist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry (born 1896). [84] November 2 Paul Frees, American animation voice actor (Bullwinkle), dies at age 66 (born 1920). [84] (November 1 [1]) November 3 President Machel killed in air crash in Mozambique. [1] November 6 Death of Elisabeth Grümmer, Alsatian soprano (born 1911). [84] November 8 Beatrice Kay, singer/actress (Sister Sue-Calvin and the Col), dies at age 78. [1] Death of Artur London, Czech statesman (born 1915). [84] Death of Vyacheslav Molotov, Soviet politician (born 1890). [84] November 11 Roger C Carmel, actor (Harry Mudd - Star Trek, Mothers-in-Law), dies at age 54. [1] November 17 Alan Hewitt, actor (Det Brennan - My Favorite Martian), dies at age 71. [1] November 18 Death of Gia Carangi, supermodel (born 1960). [84] November 21 Death of Dar Robinson, American film stuntman (born 1947). [84] November 22 Death of Scatman Crothers, American actor (Louie - Chico and the Man), musician, at age 76 (born 1910). [84] (November 26 [1]) Death of William Bradford Huie, American journalist, editor, publisher and author (born 1910). [84] November 27 Steve Tracy, actor (Percival - Little House on the Praire), dies at age 61. [1] November 28 Herb Vigran, actor (Ernest - Ed Wynn Show), dies at age 76. [1] November 29 Cary Grant, British-born actor, dies in Davenport, Iowa, at age 82 (born 1904). [1] [84] December 1 Horace Heidt, orchestra leader (Swift Show Wagon), dies at age 85. [1] Robert L "Bobby" Layne, football player (Detroit Lions), dies at age 59. [1] [Irving] Lee Dorsey [Kid Chocolate], US boxer/singer, dies at age 59. [1] December 2 Desi Arnaz, Cuban-born actor (Ricky Ricardo - I Love Lucy), dies of lung cancer at age 69 (born 1917). [1] [84] Lee Dorsey R&B singer, dies at age 59. [1] December 3 Death of Austin Hayes, Irish footballer (born 1958). [84] December 4 Reuben Nakian, US sculptor, dies at age 89. [1] December 5 Carmol Taylor, country songwriter, dies at age 53 of cancer. [1] December 6 Malik Oussekine, Algerian/French student, killed by police at age 22. [1] December 10 Kate Wolf, folksinger (Back Roads), dies of leukemia at age 44. [1] Susan Cabot-Roman, actress (Sorority Girl, Carnival Rock), dies. [1] December 11 Paul Keenan, actor (Summer Fantasy), dies at age 30. [1] December 13 Heather Angel, actress (Lifeboat, Daniel Boone), dies at age 77. [1] December 17 Ron Kass, record company president (MGM), dies at age 52 of cancer. [1] December 18 Mamo Clark, actor (One Million BC, Robinson Crusoe of Clipper Island), dies. [1] December 20 Three African Americans are assaulted by a group of white teens in the Howard Beach neighborhood of Queens, New York. One of the victims, Michael Griffith, is run over and killed by a motorist while attempting to flee the attackers. [1] [84] December 21 Death of Willy Coppens, Belgian pilot (born 1892). [84] December 22 Celius Dougherty, composer, dies at age 84. [1] British Liberal Party Member of Parliament David Penhaligon, 42, is killed in a car crash near Truro in Cornwall, England. [84] December 24 Gardner F[rancis] Fox, author (Kothar-Barbarian Swordsman), dies at age 75. [1] December 26 Elsa Lanchester, actress (Bride of Frankenstien), dies at age 84. [1] December 27 Cliff Burton, bass player (Metallica), dies in a bus crash at age 24. [1] Lars-Eric Vilner Larsson, composer, dies at age 78. [1] December 28 Andrei Tarkovsky dies. [1] Louis van Lint, Belgian painter, dies at age 77. [1] December 29 Andrei Tarkovski, Russian film director (Stalker), dies at age 54 (born 1932). [1] [84] John Antill, composer, dies at age 82. [1] [Maurice] Harold Macmillan, former British Prime Minister (1957-63), dies in Sussex, England, at age 92 (born 1894). [1] [84] December 30 Jiri Jaroch, composer, dies at age 66. [1] December 31 Lester Albert Trimble, composer, dies at age 63. [1] Lloyd Haynes, actor (Pete Dixon - Room 222), dies at age 54. [1]