Famous people and celebrities who died in May 1985

This page is dedicated to commemorating the celebrities and famous people who passed away in May 1985. 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 Denise Robins
Romantic novelists are prolific in europe.
May 1 Denise Robins (aka Francesca Wright
Ashley french, harriet gray and julia kane are british romance novelists (born 1897).
May 2 Attilio Bettega
Italian race car driver (b. 1951)
May 2 Hal LeRoy
After surgery, harold teen, a dancer/actor, dies at 71
May 4 Fikri Sönmez
Turkish tailor and politician (b. 1938)
May 5 Donald Bailey
Donald Bailey was a renowned British civil engineer who designed the Bailey bridge, a revolutionary portable military bridge used extensively during World War II, significantly contributing to Allied military logistics and engineering.
May 7 Dawn Addams
British actress known for international films and her high-profile marriage to Italian Prince Massimo. She had a notable Hollywood career spanning three years and was married twice.
May 8 Karl Marx
Author of 'The Communist Manifesto' and 'Das Kapital'.
May 8 Theodore Sturgeon
American science-fiction writer, who was the recipient of the hugo award in 1971, the nebula award 1970, and the international fantasy award in 1953 for "more than human." he also wrote many other works, including anthologies and "cavier." sturgeon first published his work in september 1939. he also worked many other jobs before becoming a well-known author.
May 8 Dolph Sweet
Actor gil mcgowan-another world, dies at 74
May 9 Edmond O'Brien
Edmond O'Brien was an Oscar-winning actor renowned for his powerful performances in film noir classics like 'D.O.A.' and 'The Wild Bunch'. He was a versatile performer who won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1955 for his role in 'The Barefoot Contessa'.
May 11 Jorja Curtright
Actor, whistle stop, dies from a heart attack
May 11 Chester Gould
Chester Gould was an influential American cartoonist best known for creating the iconic comic strip Dick Tracy, which revolutionized crime comics with its hard-boiled detective style and memorable villains.
May 11 Garmt Stuiveling
Literatrary (ego and echo) dies at 77
May 12 Jean Dubuffet
Jean Dubuffet was a pioneering French artist known for his raw, primitive art style that challenged traditional aesthetic norms. He founded the Art Brut movement, celebrating art created outside of professional artistic circles. His innovative techniques involved unconventional materials and expressive, textured surfaces that transformed painting into a visceral, tactile experience.
May 13 Leatrice Joy
Silent screen star, dies in riverdale (bronx) new york city, new york at age 91.
May 13 Richard Ellmann
Renowned American literary critic and biographer, best known for his seminal works on Oscar Wilde and James Joyce. He was a distinguished professor who significantly contributed to literary scholarship.
May 14 Barbara Yung Mei-ling
Actress from hong kong (born 1959).
May 15 Jackie Curtis
Jackie Curtis was a prominent Warhol Superstar and underground artist in New York City, known for groundbreaking performances in drag and avant-garde theater. A multifaceted talent, Curtis was a playwright, poet, and actor who challenged gender norms in the 1960s and 1970s art scene. His tragic early death at 38 cut short a remarkable artistic career.
May 16 Margaret Hamilton
Iconic American actress best known for her memorable role as the Wicked Witch of the West in the classic film 'The Wizard of Oz'. She was a prominent character actress who became a pop culture legend through her distinctive portrayal.
May 17 Hugh Burden
Actor (night of the laughing dead), passes away at 72
May 17 Abe Burrows
Abe Burrows was a celebrated American playwright, director, and writer best known for his iconic Broadway musical 'Guys and Dolls', which revolutionized musical theater in the 1950s.
May 17 Bobby Ewing
Dallas: (patrick duffy)
May 18 Tex Terry
Actor (apache rose and timberjack), died at 82
May 19 Maqbular Rahman Sarkar
Bangladeshi academic (b. 1928)
May 20 George Memmoli
Actor (earl hello larry), dies at 46
May 22 Wolfgang Reitherman
Renowned Disney animator, director, and producer who significantly contributed to classic animated films during the mid-20th century.
May 25 Harold Hecht
Choreographer dies from cancer at the age of 77
May 31 Gaston Rebuffat
Renowned French alpinist, mountain guide, and influential author who made numerous first ascents in the French Alps and significantly contributed to mountaineering literature.