Famous people and celebrities who died in May 1989

This page is dedicated to commemorating the celebrities and famous people who passed away in May 1989. This month marked the loss of influential and beloved figures whose contributions spanned various fields and touched many lives. Explore our detailed list to remember and celebrate their enduring legacies and the remarkable impact they had on the world

• May 1 Marion Mack

  Marion Mack was an American actress, screenwriter, and real estate broker, best known for her role as the female lead in Buster Keaton's silent film classic, 'The General' (1926). Her career in entertainment primarily spanned the silent film era, after which she transitioned into screenwriting and later real estate. [bio]

• May 1 V. M. Panchalingam

  Sri lankan civil servant (b. 1930).

• May 2 Giuseppe Siri

  Giuseppe Siri was a prominent Italian Catholic cardinal who served as the Archbishop of Genoa from 1946 to 1987.

• May 3 Christine Jorgensen

  Christine Jorgensen was a pioneering transgender woman who underwent gender reassignment surgery in Denmark in the early 1950s, becoming one...

• May 6 Earl Blaik

  Former american football coach (born in 1897).

• May 7 Guy Williams

  Guy Williams was an American actor best known for his starring roles in classic television series during the 1950s and 1960s, notably as the title character in Disney's 'Zorro' and as Professor John Robinson in 'Lost in Space.' [bio]

• May 9 Keith Whitley

  Keith Whitley was a prominent American country music singer and songwriter known for his influential 1988 album 'Don't Close Your Eyes',...

• May 10 Woody Shaw

  Renowned American jazz musician who made significant contributions to the jazz genre before his untimely death in 1989.

• May 15 Johnny Green

  Acclaimed American composer, conductor, and arranger who won multiple Academy Awards for his musical compositions.

• May 15 Luc Lacourcière

  Canadian ethnographer and author (b. 1910).

• May 17 Robert Webber

  Robert Webber was an American actor known for his roles in film, television, and theater, often playing suave, tough, or authoritative characters. [bio]

• May 19 Cyril Lionel Robert James
• May 20 Gilda Radner

  Gilda Radner was an American comedian and actress best known as one of the original cast members of 'Saturday Night Live' (SNL). Her vibrant characters and comedic timing made her a trailblazer in the world of sketch comedy. [bio]

• May 20 Anton Diffring

  Anton Diffring was a German-born British actor best known for his roles as German officers and villains in British and American films during the mid-20th century. His distinctive appearance and fluent English led to a prolific career, especially in war movies and thrillers. [bio]

• May 20 John Hicks

  English economist and academic, nobel prize laureate (d. 1989).

• May 22 Steven De Groote

  South african pianist and educator (b. 1953).

• May 23 Karl Koch

  German computer hacker (b. 1965).

• May 23 Georgy Tovstonogov

  Russian director and producer (b. 1915).

• May 26 Don Revie

  Influential British soccer player and manager who revolutionized tactical analysis in football, leading Leeds United and the England...

• May 27 Arseny Tarkovsky

  Renowned Russian poet and literary translator who significantly influenced 20th-century Soviet poetry.

• May 29 George C. Homans

  American sociologist and academic (b. 1910).

• May 30 Zinka Milanov

  Zinka Milanov was a renowned Metropolitan Opera diva who passed away at 83 after suffering a stroke.

• May 31 C. L. R. James

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• May 31 Owen Lattimore

  American author and academic (b. 1900).