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.

1988 January 1 Leo Steiner, New York Carnegie Deli's owner, dies. [1] January 2 Death of Edmund Brisco Ford, British geneticist (born 1901). [82] January 3 Gaston Eyskens, Prime Minister of Belgium (1949, 1958-61, 1968-72), dies at age 82. [1] Rose Ausländer, writer, dies at age 70. [1] William Cagney, actor (Torrid Zone), dies of a heart attack at age 82. [1] January 5 "Pistol Pete" Mavarich, NBA player (Atlanta Hawks), dies of a heart attack at age 40 (born 1947). [1] [82] January 6 Brent Collins, soap actor (Another World), dies of heart attack at age 46. [1] January 7 Trevor Howard, British actor (Ryan's Daughter), dies of bronchitis at age 71 (born 1913). [1] [82] January 8 Frank Pace Jr, US Secretary of Army (1950-53), dies at age 76. [1] January 11 Gregory (Pappy) Boyington, American ace WWII pilot, dies at age 75 of cancer (born 1912). [1] [82] Isidor Isaac Rabi, nuclear physicist (Nobel Prize-1944), dies at age 89. [1] January 13 Chiang Ching-kuo, President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) (1978-88), dies at age 81 (born 1910). Vice-President Lee Teng-hui becomes president. [1] [82] January 14 Death of Georgi Malenkov, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Soviet Communist Party at age 86 (born 1902). [1] [82] January 15 Seán MacBride, commander of Irish Republican Army, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, dies at age 83 (born 1904). [1] [82] January 16 Death of Ballard Berkeley, British actor (born 1904). [82] January 19 Ballard Berkeley, actor (East meets West), dies at age 83. [1] January 20 Philippe de Rothschild, Bordeaux Vineyard manager, dies in Paris, France at age 86 (born 1902). [1] [82] January 21 Abraham Sofaer, actor (Naked Jungle, Elephant Walk), dies. [1] January 22 Georgi M Malenkov, Russian premier (1953-55), dies at age 86. [1] Parker Fennelly, actor (Kettles on Old MacDonald's Farm), dies at age 96. [1] Death of Parker Fennelly, American comedian and actor (born 1891). [82] January 24 Charles Glenn King, biochemist (discovered vitamin C), dies at age 91. [1] January 25 Colleen Moore, actress (These Girls Won't Talk), dies at age 87. [1] January 29 Bantcho Bantchevsky, US opera singer, commits suicide. [1] James R Killian Jr, MIT president (1948-59), dies at age 83. [1] Rogier van Otterloo, Dutch composer/conductor, dies at age 46. [1] January 30 Cornelia D "Corry" Spark, Dutch cabaret performer, dies at age 85. [1] February 1 Heather O'Rourke, American actress (Poltergeist), dies of intestinal ailment at age 12 (born 1975). [1] [82] Reinder Zwolsman, Dutch businessman, dies at age 75. [1] February 2 Clive Epstein, brother of Brian Epstein, dies at age 51. [1] G Mennen Williams, US Supreme Court justice, dies at age 76 in Detroit, Michigan. [1] February 3 Death of Robert Duncan, American poet (born 1919). [82] February 6 Lee Goodman, actor (Imitation of Life), dies of Tuberculosis at age 64. [1] Marghanita Laski, English author (Victorian chaise-lounge), dies. [1] February 7 Lin[wood V] Carter, American science-fiction writer (Lost World of Time), dies at age 57. [1] February 8 Allan Cuthbertson, actor (Running Man, 7th Dawn), dies at age 67. [1] February 14 Frederick Loewe, US composer (My Fair Lady), dies at age 84 in Palm Springs, California (born in Vienna, Austria). [1] [37] February 15 Gardiner Means, US economist, dies at age 91. [1] Gerard Holt, architect, dies at age 83. [1] Neil R[onald] Jones, science fiction writer (Space War, Twin Worlds), dies at age 78. [1] Richard P Feynman, American physicist (Nobel Prize 1965, Physical Law), dies at age 69 (born 1918). [1] [82] February 19 Death of René Char, French poet (born 1907). [82] Death of André Frédéric Cournand, French-born physician, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (born 1895). [82] February 24 Irwan Chanin, US theater builder, dies at age 96. [1] February 25 Amapola Del Vando, actress (Cowboy), dies at age 78. [1] Death of Kurt Mahler, German born Australian mathematician (born 1903). [82] February 28 Mikha'il Na'imah, Lebanese playwright, dies at age 99. [1] March 1 Jean Le Poulain, actor (The Gorillas), dies at age 63. [1] Joe Besser, comedian (The Three Stooges, Abbott and Costello), dies at age 80 (born 1907). [1] [82] March 3 Lois Wilson, actress (Crash, Deluge, Bright Eyes), dies. [1] Sewall Wright, US geneticist (evolution model), dies at age 98. [1] March 5 Death of Alberto Olmedo, Argentine comedian and actor (born 1933). [82] March 6 Konstantin Iliev, composer, dies at age 63. [1] March 7 Divine [Harris Glenn Milstead], American transvestite actor (Hairspray, Polyester, Pink Flamingos), dies in Los Angeles, California at age 42 (born 1945). [1] [82] Robert Livingston, actor (Lone Ranger), dies at age 83 of emphysema. [1] March 8 Death of Werner Hartmann, German physicist (born 1912). [82] Death of Henryk Szeryng, Polish-born violinist (born 1918). [82] March 9 Kurt Georg Kiesinger, third West German chancellor (1966-69), dies at age 83 (born 1904). [1] [37] March 10 Andy Gibb, British singer, dies in Oxford, England of an inflammatory heart virus at age 30 (born 1958). [1] [82] Glenn Cunningham, US world record miler, dies at age 78. [1] William Brocklesby Wordsworth, composer, dies at age 79. [1] March 11 Pham Hung, premier of Vietnam, dies at about age 74. [1] March 12 Billie Rhodes dies. [1] William Camp dies at age 74. [1] March 13 Olive Carey, actress (Affairs With a Stranger), dies at age 92. [1] March 15 Dmitri F Polyakov, Russian Secretary-General/top spy for US, executed. [1] March 16 Dorothy Adams Foulger, actress (Laura, Devil Commands), dies at age 88. [1] March 17 Reg Sinfield, cricketer (one Test for England vs Australia 1938), dies. [1] March 20 Gil Evans, Canadian/US jazz composer (Out of the Cool), dies at age 75. [1] Death of Ralph Wright, Writer and American actor (born 1908). [82] March 27 Jan van den Weghe, Flemish writer, dies at about age 67. [1] March 29 African National Congress representative Dulcie September is assassinated in Paris. [82] March 31 Talib Rasul Hakim, composer, dies at age 48. [1] Death of Sir William McMahon, twentieth Prime Minister of Australia (born 1908). [82] April 1 Jim Jordan, actor (Fibber McGee), dies from a blod clot at age 91 (born 1896). [1] [82] Marius W Holtrop, economist/president (Netherlands Bank), dies at age 85. [1] April 3 Milton A Caniff, US cartoonist (Terry and the Pirates), dies at age 81. [1] [82] April 5 Alf Kjellin, Swedish actor/director (Juggler), dies. [1] April 7 Cesar Bresgen, Austrian composer/organist, dies at age 74. [1] April 9 Brook Benton, singer (Just a Matter of Time), dies of meningitis at age 56. [1] April 10 Cliff Gladwin, cricketer (8 Tests for England 1947-49), dies. [1] April 11 David Prater, US singer (Sam and Dave - "Soul Man"), dies in car crash at age 50. [1] Jeff Donnell, actor (Hoedown, Nine Girls), dies of a heart attack at age 66. [1] April 12 Alan Stewart Paton, South African writer, dies (born 1903). [1] [82] Death of Harry McShane, Scottish socialist (born 1891). [82] April 14 Herbert Reynolds Inch, composer, dies at age 83. [1] Johan Franco, composer, dies at age 79. [1] April 15 Hendrikus G "Han" Hoekstra, Dutch poet (Zandloper), dies at age 81. [1] Death of Kenneth Williams, British actor and raconteur, at age 61 (born 1926). [1] [82] April 16 Clifford Roach, cricketer (16 Tests early in West Indies cricket history), dies. [1] Jacques de Kadt, Dutch second chamber member (Socialist-Democrat), dies at age 90. [1] Khalil al-Wazir (Abu Jihad), Palestinian Liberation Organization military commander, assassinated by Israeli commandos in Tunisia. [1] [82] In Forlì, Italy, the brigate rosse kill Senator Roberto Ruffilli, an advisor of Prime Minister Ciriaco de Mita. [82] Warde Donovan dies at age 72. [1] April 17 Eva Novak, actress (Medicine Man), dies of pneumonia at age 90. [1] Louise Nevelson, Ukrainian-born American sculptor, dies of a brain tumor at age 88 (born 1900). [1] [82] April 22 Irene Rich, US actress (Beau Brumell, Champ), dies at age 96. [1] April 23 Arthur Michael, Lord Ramsey/archbishop of Canterbury, dies (born 1904). [1] [82] April 24 E S "Bob" Newson, cricketer (South African fast bowler in 1930s), dies. [1] April 25 Boris Kremenliev, composer, dies at age 76. [1] Carolyn Franklin, singer/songwriter/son of Aretha, dies at age 43. [1] Clifford D[onald] Simak, sci-fi author (Hugo, Way Station), dies at age 83. [1] April 26 Death of James McCracken, American tenor, at age 61 (born 1926). [82] (April 30 [1]) Death of Valerie Solanas, American author (born 1936). [82] April 29 Andrew Cruickshank, actor (Body in Library, Murder Most Foul), dies. [1] Jan Kapr, composer, dies at age 74. [1] May 1 Carroll Righter, astrologer, dies at age 88 of prostate cancer. [1] Paolo Stoppa, actor (Garibaldi, Visit, Freedom Fighters), dies. [1] May 3 Death of Lev Semenovich Pontryagin, Russian mathematician (born 1908). [82] May 5 George Rose, actor (Devil's Disciple, Hideaways), dies at age 68. [1] Tamara Pos, Suriname/Dutch activist, dies. [1] May 7 Divine [Harris Glenn Milstead] dies of natural causes at age 42. [1] May 8 Robert A Heinlein, American science-fiction writer (Friday), dies of heart failure at age 80 (born 1907). [1] [82] May 10 Death of Shen Congwen, Chinese writer (born 1902). [82] Death of Ciaran Bourke, member of The Dubliners, of a brain hemorrhage. [82] May 11 H A R (Kim) Philby, British double agent, dies (born 1912). [1] [82] May 12 Chet Baker, American jazz trumpeter, falls to death out of a hotel window at age 59 (born 1929). [82] (May 13 [1]) May 14 Willem Drees, Prime Minister of Netherlands (1948-58), dies at age 101. [1] May 15 Andrew Duggan, actor (Jigsaw, Firehouse), dies of cancer at age 64. [1] Greta Nissen, actress (Ambassador Bill), dies. [1] May 16 Kay Baxter, Best Bodybuilder in the World (1983-85), dies in car crash at age 42. [1] Louise Wood, director of Girl Scouts of USA (1961-72), dies at age 78. [1] Death of Charles Keeping, British illustrator (born 1924). [82] May 18 Daws Butler, cartoon voice (Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound), dies at age 71 (born 1916). [1] [82] May 19 Virginia Farmer, actresss (Cyrano de Bergerac), dies at age 90. [1] May 21 Dino Conte Grandi, Italian delegate to league of nations, dies at age 92. [1] Death of Sammy Davis, Sr., American dancer (born 1900). [82] May 22 Dennis Day, tenor/comedian (Jack Benny Show, Danny Boy), dies at age 71. [1] Giorgio Almirante, Italian fascist (member of parliament), dies at age 73. [1] May 23 David Schoenbrun, CBS broadcast bureau head (Washington, Paris), dies at age 73. [1] May 24 James "Hamish" Hamilton, British publisher (Salinger/Mitford), dies at age 87. [1] Tom Burtt, cricketer (New Zealand slow left-armer in 11 Tests 1947-53), dies. [1] May 27 Death of Ernst Ruska, German physicist (Nobel Prize for Physics 1986, invented electronic microscope), in West Berlin, Germany (born 1906). [37] (May 25 [82]) Florida Friebus, actress (Bob Newhart Show), dies of a stroke at age 79 (born 1909). [1] [82] Melvin J "Cy" Oliver, US jazz composer/orchestra leader, dies at age 77. [1] Renato Salvatori, actor (Burn, Luna, Two Women), dies. [1] May 30 Ella Raines, actress (Uncle Harry, Runaround, Impact), dies at age 66. [1] June 2 Horace A Hildreth (Governor-Maine, 1945-49), dies at age 85. [1] June 5 Clarence M Pendleton, US chairman of committee on Civil Rights (1981-88) dies. [1] June 6 Ella Raines, actress, dies of throat cancer at age 67. [1] June 10 Louis L'Amour, western writer, dies at age 80 of cancer. [1] June 11 Giuseppe Saragat, president of Italy (1964-71), dies at age 89. [1] Nathan Cook, actor (White Night), dies of an allergic reaction at age 38. [1] June 22 Dennis Day, Irish-American singer and radio and television personality (Jack Benny Show), dies of Lou Gehrigs disease at age 71 (born 1916). [1] [82] June 25 Death of Hillel Slovak, Israeli-born guitarist (Red Hot Chili Peppers) (born 1962). [82] July 3 Gabe Dell, actor, dies at age 68 of leukemia. [1] July 4 Death of Adrian Adonis, American wrestler (born 1954). [82] July 8 Death of Ray Barbuti, American athlete (born 1905). [82] July 9 Barbara Woodhouse, dog trainer, dies at age 78 of a stroke. [1] July 12 Joshua Logan, Broadway producer, dies at age 79 of palsy. [1] July 15 Eleanor Estes, author (Ginger Pye, Moffats), dies at age 82. [1] July 17 Death of Bruiser Brody, American professional wrestler (born 1946). [82] July 18 Death of Nico, singer-songwriter, fashion model, actress and Warhol socialite (born 1938). [82] July 21 Death of Jack Clark, American television personality and Game Show host (born 1921). [82] July 22 Luigi Lucioni, Italian landscape painter (opera stars), dies at age 87. [1] July 25 Death of Judith Barsi, American child actress (born 1978). [82] July 27 Death of Frank Zamboni, American inventor (born 1901). [5] [82] July 29 Ellin Berlin (MacKay), Mrs Irving Berlin, dies at age 86. [1] July 31 Death of Trinidad Silva, American actor (born 1950). [82] August 1 Florence Eldridge, Broadway actress (The Swan), dies at age 86. [1] John Cardinal Dearden, US cardinal, dies at age 80. [1] Trindad Silva of TV show Hill Street Blues, dies at age 38 in an auto accident. [1] August 2 Raymond Carver, American poet/short story writer (Furious Season), dies at age 50 (born 1938). [1] [82] August 8 Death of Félix Leclerc, French-Canadian poet & singer (born 1914). [82] Death of Alan Napier, American actor (Alfred the Butler on Batman), at age 85 (born 1903). [82] (August 9 [1]) August 9 Death of Giacinto Scelsi, Italian composer (born 1905). [82] Death of Ramon Valdez, Mexican actor (born 1923). [82] August 10 Adela Rogers Saint John, journalist (Free Soul, Honeycomb), dies at age 94. [1] Arias Arnulfo, three time president of Panama, dies at age 86. [1] August 11 Anne Ramsey, American actress, dies of cancer at age 59 (born 1929). [1] [82] Jean-Pierre Ponnele, opera director (Carmina Burana), dies at age 56. [1] August 12 Death of Jean-Michel Basquiat, American musician/graffiti painter (born 1960). [82] Death of Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Deva Gosvami Maharaja, religious Guru from India (born 1895). [82] August 13 Otto E Passman (Representative-Democrat-Louisiana, 1947-77), dies at age 88. [1] August 14 Enzo Ferrari, Italian sportscar manufacturer (Ferrari), dies at age 90 in Italy (born 1898). [1] [5] [82] August 17 Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr (Representative-Democrat-New York, 1949-55) dies on 74th birthday (born 1914). [1] [5] [82] The Pakistani president, Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, and the U.S. ambassador to Pakistan, Arnold Raphel, are killed in a plane crash near Bhawalpur. [1] [82] August 18 Frederick Ashton, choreographer (Cinderella), dies at age 83. [1] August 24 Max Shulman, author (Dobie Gillis, Tender Trap), dies at age 69. [1] August 25 Price Daniel (Governor/Senator-Democrat-Texas), dies at age 77. [1] August 27 Death of William Sargant, British psychiatrist (born 1907). [82] September 1 Leonor Sullivan (Representative-Democrat-Missouri, 1955-77), dies at age 86. [1] Death of Luis Alvarez, American physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1911). [82] September 5 Death of Gert Fröbe, German actor (born 1913). [82] September 11 George Alpert, railroad executive, dies at age 90. [1] Luis W Alvarez, physicist (Nobel Prize-1968), dies at age 77. [1] Peter Tosh, reggae singer, shot dead at age 43 in Jamaica. [1] September 12 Alan Bible (Senator-Democrat-Nevada, 1954-74), dies at age 78. [1] William Mitchell dies of a heart attack from a brain tumor. [8] Lauris Norstad, NATO commander/CEO Corning Fiberglass, dies at age 71. [1] Death of Roger Hargreaves, author of the Mr. Men series (born 1935). [82] September 14 Louis Quinn, actor, dies at age 73 of cancer. [1] September 16 Death of Dick Pym, English footballer (born 1893). [82] September 18 Death of Mohammad-Hossein Shahriar, Iranian Azari poet (born 1906). [82] September 19 Oren Lee Staley, first president of National Farmers Organization (1955-79), dies at age 65. [1] September 21 Robert Gwathmey, artist, dies at age 85. [1] Death of Glenn Robert Davis, member of United States Congress (born 1914). [82] September 25 Billy Carter, President Carter's brother, dies of cancer at age 51. [1] September 27 William V Shannon, US ambassador to Ireland (1977-81), dies at age 61. [1] September 28 Charles Addams, American cartoonist (Addams Family), dies at age 76 of heart attack (born 1912). [82] (September 29 [1]) September 30 Joachim Prinz, author/Rabbi of Berlin (1926-37), dies at age 86. [1] October 1 Death of Sacheverell Sitwell, English writer (born 1897). [82] October 3 Franz Josef Strauss, German Federal Republic minister of defense (1956-62), dies at age 73. [1] [37] Generoso Pope Jr, National Enquirer owner, dies at age 61. [1] October 7 Billy Daniels, singer, dies of cancer at age 73. [1] October 9 Edward Chodorov, playwright/director (Louis Pasteur), dies at age 84. [1] Death of Jackie Milburn, English footballer (born 1924). [82] Felix Wankel, developer of the Wankel rotary engine, dies in Lindau, Germany. [1] [37] October 11 Waylon Flowers, puppeteer, dies at age 48. [1] October 12 Ken Murray, entertainer, dies at age 85. [1] Death of Ruth Manning-Sanders, British children's author (born 1895). [82] October 13 Mike Venezia, jockey, dies in 5th-race fall at Belmont Race Track, New York. [1] October 15 Death of Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji, English composer and pianist (born 1892). [82] October 19 Death of Son House, American musician (born 1902). [82] October 22 Death of Henry Armstrong, American boxer (born 1912). [82] October 27 S.B. Fuller, founder of Fuller products, dies at age 83. [1] Death of Charles Hawtrey, English Comic Actor (born 1914). [82] October 31 John Houseman, Romanian-born actor and producer, dies of spinal cancer at age 86 (born 1902). [1] [82] November 9 John Mitchell, former American Attorney General and convicted Watergate criminal, dies of heart attack in Washington (born 1913). [1] [82] November 11 Death of William Ifor Jones, Welsh conductor & organist (born 1900). [82] November 13 Death of Antal Dorati, Hungarian conductor (born 1906). [82] November 17 Sheilah Graham, gossip columnist, dies of heart failure at age 84. [1] November 19 Christine Onassis, American shipping heiress, dies of heart failure at age 37 (born 1950). [1] [82] November 27 John Carradine, American actor, dies at age 82 of kidney failure (born 1906). [1] [82] December 2 Death of Tata Giacobetti, Italian singer and lyricist (Quartetto Cetra) (born 1922). [82] December 6 Bill Harris, US guitarist (Clovers-"Love Potion No 9"), dies at age 63. [1] Roy Orbison, American rock singer ("Pretty Woman", "Only the Lonely"), dies of a massive heart attack at age 52 (born 1936). [1] [82] December 7 Andrei P Ershov, Russian computer pioneer, dies. [1] Christopher Connelly, actor (Liar's Moon, Hawmps), dies at age 47. [1] Peter Langan, Irish restaurateur (Langans London), dies in fire. [1] December 8 Anne Seymour, actress (Misty, Chevy Mystery Show), dies at age 79. [1] Herbert "Tubo" Rhoad, US singer (Persuasions-Good news), dies at age 44. [1] December 10 Dick Clair, comedian (Clair and McMahon, Facts of Life), dies of AIDS. [1] Richard Castellano, actor (Honor thy Father), dies at age 55. [1] December 12 John Canning, New York Post managing editor, dies at age 56. [1] December 16 H "Stork" Hendry, cricketer (11 Tests for Australia 1921-29), dies. [1] Death of Sylvester James, American R&B singer, disco performer (born 1948). [82] December 20 Max Robinson, first black network (ABC) TV anchor, dies of AIDS at age 49. [1] December 21 Bob Steele [Robert Bradbury] dies after short illness at age 60. [1] Death of Nikolaas Tinbergen at age 81, Dutch/British ornithologist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (born 1907). [1] [82] December 22 Tucker Smith, singer/dancer (Cool - West Side Story), dies. [1] Brazilian union and environmental activist Chico Mendes is assassinated. [82] December 26 John Loder, actor (Sabotage, Java Head), dies at age 90. [1] Death of Glenn McCarthy, American oil tycoon and businessman (born 1907). [82] December 27 Fox Harris, actor (Alienator, Warlords, Sid and Nancy), dies. [1] Hal Ashby, academy-award winning director (Shampoo, 8 Million Ways to Die), dies of cancer at age 59. [1]