- January 27
- Death of Jack Paar at age 87; American actor/comedian/TV host (The Breakfast Club radio show, Up to Paar TV show, Bank on the Stars TV show, Early Show, Tonight Show). [25] [457]
- February 5
- John Hench dies, at age 95. Hench worked at The Walt Disney Company for 64 years, the longest of any Disney employee. He worked on animation, and took part in the creation of all Disney parks. [6]
- February 15
- Death of Jan Miner at age 86; actress (Madge - commercials for Palmolive Dishwashing Detergent). [457]
- February 16
- Death of Doris Troy AKA Doris Payne of emphysema at age 67; rhythm and blues singer ("Just One Kiss"), back-up singer (Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, George Harrison, Dusty Springfield, Nick Drake, Carly Simon). [457]
- February 17
- Death of José López Portillo, President of Mexico (born 1920). [25]
- February 21
- Death of Bart Howard at age 88 of complications from a stroke in Carmel, New York, USA; songwriter and pianist ("Fly Me to the Moon"). [457]
- February 23
- Death of Don Cornell at age 84 from emphysema and diabetes; singer (sold over 50 million records, "It Isn't Fair", "I'm Yours", "I'll Walk Alone", "Hold My Hand"). [457]
- February 24
- Death of John Randolph at age 88; American actor (Angie, Roseanne). [25] [457]
- February 26
- Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski is killed in a plane crash while landing in poor weather near Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. [25] [105]
- February 28
- Death of Daniel J. Boorstin, American historian and Librarian of Congress (born 1914). [25]
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- March 2
- Death of Mercedes McCambridge at age 85; American actress (Abie's Irish Rose radio show, I Love a Mystery radio show, Big Sister radio show, Betty & Bob radio show, This is Nora Drake radio show, One Man's Family TV show, The Exorcist movie, CBS Mystery Theatre radio show). [25] [457]
- March 8
- Death of Abu Abbas, founder of the Palestine Liberation Front (born 1948). [25]
- Death of Robert Pastorelli at age 49 from a heroin overdose; actor (Eldin - Murphy Brown TV show). [25] [457]
- Death of Tichi Wilkerson Kassel, American film personality and publisher of The Hollywood Reporter (born 1926). [25]
- March 15
- Death of John Pople, English chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1925). [25]
- March 20
- Death of Juliana, Queen Mother of the Netherlands (born 1909). [25]
- March 22
- Death of Ahmed Yassin, Palestinian co-founder of Hamas. [25]
- March 28
- Death of Art James at age 75; broadcaster, actor, host (Say When!, Fractured Phrases, The Who, What, Or Where Game, Matches 'N' Mates, Pay Cards!, Temptation, The Joker's Wild, The Magnificent Marble Machine, Concentration, Classic Concentration, Family Feud, Catchphrase). [457]
- Death of Peter Ustinov at age 82 due to heart failure; actor/writer/raconteur (In All Directions radio show, "The Grand Prix of Gibraltar" album). [5] [28] [457]
- March 29
- Death of Alistaire Cooke at age 95; British/American journalist, television personality and broadcaster (Masterpiece Theatre TV show, Omnibus TV show, Letter from America radio show). [25] (March 29 [457])
- April 6
- Death of Niki Sullivan at age 66 of a heart attack, at his home in Independence, Missouri, USA; guitarist and singer (Buddy Holly's backing group, The Crickets). [457]
- April 9
- Death of Harry Babbitt at age 90; band singer (Kay Kyser Band, Kollege of Musical Knowledge radio show) and TV host (Bandstand Review, Hollywood Opportunity). [457]
- April 12
- Death of Norman Campbell of a stroke at age 80; TV producer/director (CBC TV, All in the Family, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, One Day at a Time). [457]
- April 17
- Israeli helicopters fire missiles at a convoy of vehicles in the Gaza Strip, killing the Gaza leader of Hamas, Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi. [25]
- April 18
- Death of Kamisese Mara, first Prime Minister of Fiji and President of Fiji (born 1920). [25]
- April 19
- Death of Norris McWhirter, Scottish co-founder of the Guinness Book of Records (born 1925). [25]
- April 22
- Death of Pat Tillman, American football player and U.S. Army Ranger (killed in Iraq) (born 1976). [25]
- April 24
- Death of Estée Lauder, American cosmetics entrepreneur (born 1906). [5] [25]
- April 25
- Death of Thom Gunn, British poet (born 1929). [25]
- May 9
- Chechen president Akhmad Kadyrov is killed by a landmine placed under a VIP stage during a World War II memorial parade in Grozny. [25]
- Death of Alan King AKA Irwin Kniberg at age 76 from lung cancer; standup comedian and actor (33 times on Ed Sullivan Show TV show, co-hosted Tony Awards and the Oscar Awards). [5] [25] [457]
- May 12
- An American civilian contractor in Iraq, Nick Berg, is shown being decapitated by a group allegedly linked to al-Qaida on a web-distributed video. [25]
- May 14
- Death of Anna Lee at age 91 due to pneumonia; actress (A Date with Judy, Lila Quartermaine - General Hospital and Port Charles). [25] [457]
- May 16
- Death of June Taylor at age 85; choreographer (Jackie Gleason Show TV show). [457]
- May 17
- Ezzedine Salim, holder of the rotating leadership of the Iraqi Governing Council, is killed in a bomb blast in Baghdad. [25]
- Death of Tony Randall AKA Leonard Rosenberg at age 84 of pneumonia following heart surgery; actor (Reggie - I Love a Mystery radio show, Mr. Peepers TV show, The Odd Couple, The Tony Randall Show, Love Sidney). [25] [457]
- May 29
- Death of Archibald Cox, American Watergate special prosecutor (born 1912). [25]
- Death of Samuel Dash, American Congressional counsel (born 1925). [25]
- June 5
- Death of Ronald Reagan of Alzheimer's at age 93; actor, TV host (Death Valley Days, GE Theatre), 40th US President). [25] [129] [457]
- June 7
- Death of Quorthon, founder of Swedish black metal band, Bathory (born 1966). [25]
- June 9
- Death of Barbara Whiting at age 73 of cancer; singer (Junior Miss radio show), actress (Those Whiting Girls TV show). [457]
- June 10
- Death of Ray Charles at age 73 from liver failure; American singer and musician ("Confession Blues", "What'd I Say", "Georgia on My Mind" (1960, Grammy award), "Hit the Road Jack" (Grammy award)) (born 1930). [5] [25] [457]
- June 11
- Death of Xenophon Zolotas, Prime Minister of Greece (born 1904). [25]
- June 13
- Death of Danny Dark of a pulmonary hemmorhage at age 63; announcer (NBC Television, StarKist Tuna commercials), voice actor (Superman - Super Friends TV show). [457]
- June 16
- Death of Thanom Kittikachorn, Prime Minister of Thailand (born 1912). [25]
- June 20
- Death of Jim Bacon, Premier of Tasmania (born 1950). [25]
- June 27
- Death of George Patton IV, American general (born 1923). [5] [25]
- July 1
- Death of Todor Skalovski, Macedonian composer (born 1909). [25]
- July 5
- Death of Hugh Shearer, Prime Minister of Jamaica (born 1923). [25]
- July 6
- Death of Austrian President, Thomas Kleistl (born 1932). Kleistl died in office two days before the end of his term of office. He had been president since 1992. He had been the Austrian ambasador to the United Nations (1978) and the Ambasador to the USA (1982). [25] [37]
- Death of Syreeta Wright of bone cancer at age 58; soul singer-songwriter, secretary at Motown Records, spouse of Stevie Wonder. [457]
- July 7
- Death of Jeff Smith at age 65; TV chef (Frugal Gourmet), Methodist minister. [457]
- July 9
- Death of Sam McKim of heart failure; child actor, 20th Century Fox, Disney Studios, film storyboard artist, Walt Disney World, retires 1987, named Disney Legend 1996. [510.276]
- Death of Isabel Sanford at age 86 of cardiac arrest; actress (Louise 'Weezy' Jefferson - All in the Family, The Jeffersons). [25] [457]
- July 10
- German TV actress Inge Meysel dies at age 94. During the previous 40 years she had starred in over 100 TV productions. [37]
- July 12
- Death of Betty Oliphant, co-founder of National Ballet of Canada (born 1918). [25]
- July 19
- Death of Zenko Suzuki, Prime Minister of Japan (born 1911). [25]
- July 21
- Death of Edward B. Lewis, American geneticist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (born 1918). [25]
- July 28
- Death of Francis Crick, English molecular biologist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (born 1916). [25]
- Death of Jackson Beck at age 92; radio announcer (Superman - "It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Superman!"). [457]
- July 31
- Death of Virginia Grey at age 87 in Los Angeles, California, USA; actress (over 100 films and 40 TV shows, Wagon Train, The Moneychangers). [457]
- August 1
- Death of Philip Abelson, American physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1913). [25]
- Death of Chuck Boyajian at age 86; Disneyland worker 1955-81 as Manager of Custodial Operations, named Disney Legend in 2005. [510.82]
- August 4
- Death of Frank Maxwell at age 87 of complications from heart disease; actor (Our Man Higgins TV show, Felony Squad TV show, Return to Peyton Place TV show, The Young Marrieds TV show, General Hospital TV show). [457]
- August 6
- Death of Rick James at age 56; American musician (Super Freak (1981)). [5] [25] [457]
- August 9
- Death of Tony Mottola at age 86 after a stroke and double pneumonia; guitarist (studio musician, CBS studio orchestra, Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, arranger for Perry Como's TV variety show). [457]
- August 12
- Death of Godfrey Hounsfield, English electrical engineer and inventor, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (born 1919). [25]
- August 13
- Death of Julia Child, American chef (born 1912). [25]
- August 14
- Death of Czeslaw Milosz, Polish-born writer, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1911). [25]
- August 15
- Death of Sune Bergström, Swedish biochemist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (born 1916). [25]
- August 22
- Death of Daniel Petrie at age 83 of cancer; TV and stage director/actor (50 years, won 8 Emmy awards, Joe and Mabel TV show, The Hidden Room TV show, Stud's Place TV show, Eleanor & Franklin TV show, The Dollmaker TV show, Studio 1 TV show). [457]
- September 1
- Death of Ahmed Kuftaro, Grand Mufti of Syria (born 1915). [25]
- September 8
- Death of Frank Thomas, American animator (Walt Disney Company) (born 1912). [6] [25]
- September 11
- Death of Patriarch Peter VII of Alexandria (helicopter crash) (born 1949). [25]
- September 15
- Death of Johnny Ramone, American guitarist (The Ramones) (cancer) (born 1948). [25]
- September 24
- Death of Françoise Sagan, French writer (born 1935). [25]
- September 26
- Death of Marianna Komlos American professional wrestler and fitness model (born 1969). [25]
- October 1
- Death of Bruce Palmer, Canadian musician (Buffalo Springfield) (born 1946). [25]
- October 3
- Death of John Cerutti, baseball player and announcer at age 44 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada (born 1960). [25] [56]
- October 4
- Death of Bruce Palmer of a heart attack; bassist (The Mynah Birds, The Buffalo Springfield, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Neil Young). [457]
- October 5
- Death of Maurice Wilkins, New Zealand-born physicist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (born 1916). [25]
- October 8
- Kenneth Bigley, the British hostage held by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, an Iraqi insurgent, is killed after a failed escape attempt. [25]
- October 16
- Death of Pierre Salinger, John F. Kennedy's White House Press Secretary (born 1925). [25]
- October 25
- Death of John Peel at age 65 of a heart attack in Cuzco, Peru; BBC radio presenter/DJ. [25] [457]
- October 29
- Death of Edward Oliver LeBlanc, Dominican politician (born 1923). [25]
- Death of Peter Twinn, English mathematician and World War II code-breaker (born 1916). [25]
- November 2
- Death of H.H. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan-al Nahyan, ruler of Abu Dhabi and President of the United Arab Emirates (born 1918). [25]
- Dutch film maker Theo van Gogh is assassinated in Amsterdam, Netherlands by Mohammed Bouyeri. [25]
- November 7
- Death of Howard Keel of colon cancer at age 85; actor/singer (Dallas TV show). [5] [25] [457]
- November 11
- Death of Yasser Arafat, Palestinian leader, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (born 1929). [25]
- November 15
- Death of John Morgan at age 74 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; actor/comic (founding and longtime member of The Royal Canadian Air Farce radio and TV shows). [25] [457]
- November 19
- Death of John Robert Vane, British pharmacologist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (born 1927). [25]
- November 23
- Death of Rafael Eitan, Israeli politician (born 1929). [25]
- November 28
- A male Po'o-uli dies of avian malaria at the Maui Bird Conservation Center in Olinda before it can breed, making the species in all probability extinct. [25]
- November 30
- Death of Pierre Berton of heart failure at age 84; Canadian author and broadcaster (Front Page Challenge). [457]
- December 1
- Death of Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands (born 1911). [25]
- December 5
- Death of Seymour Ginsburg, American computer scientist (born 1928). [25]
- December 8
- Nathan Gale shoots and kills guitarist Dimebag Darrell of DamagePlan onstage in Colombus, Ohio. Three others are also killed before a police officer shoots and kills Gale. [25] [457]
- December 9
- Darrell "Dimebag" Abbott, formerly of the metal act Pantera, is shot by a jilted fan while performing with his new group, Damageplan. [467]
- December 10
- Death of Gary Webb, American journalist known for his investigation into the Iran-Contra affair (born 1955). [25]
- December 19
- Death of Herbert C. Brown, English-born chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1912). [25]
- December 23
- Death of P. V. Narasimha Rao, Prime Minister of India (born 1921). [25]
- December 26
- Death of Mieszko Talarczyk, Swedish guitarist/musician (Nasum) (born 1974). [25]
- December 28
- Death of Jerry Orbach of pancreatic cancer at age 69; actor (Law and Order, Dirty Dancing). [5] [25] [457]
- The Ukrainian transport minister, Heorhiy Kyrpa, is found shot dead, in a suspected suicide. [25]
- December 31
- Death of Gerard Debreu, French-born economist, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1921). [25]
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