Famous people and celebrities who died in January 1986

This page is dedicated to commemorating the celebrities and famous people who passed away in January 1986. 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

  • Bruce Norris
    Jan. 1 Bruce Norris

    American hockey executive (detroit red wings). (born in 1924)

  • Jan. 1 Jadi Baba

    Jadi Baba was a revered spiritual leader in India who attracted a large following of devotees.

  • Jan. 1 Michalina Tatarkówna-Majkowska

    Michalina Tatarkówna-Majkowska was a Polish politician who served as a member of the Sejm, the lower house of the Polish parliament.

  • Jan. 1 Abdulwahab Nushairwan

    Abdulwahab Nushairwan was an Iraqi poet who was known for his contributions to the development of modern Arabic poetry.

  • Jan. 1 Luverna Wingfield

    American politician who served in the U.S. House of Representatives.

  • Jan. 1 Pal Kádár

    Pal Kádár was a Hungarian film director known for his award-winning dramas.

  • Jan. 1 Isador Levine

    Isador Levine was an American sculptor known for his abstract and modernist works.

  • Una Merkel
    Jan. 2 Una Merkel

    Covington (kentucky) -- actress (42nd street and abraham lincoln).

  • Christopher Isherwood
    Jan. 4 Christopher Isherwood

    British-american essayist, screenwriter, playwright, and novelist. isherwood wrote over 20 books and is best known for his quasi-autobiographical "berlin novels," one of which, entitled "good bye to berlin" was the basis for the play "i am a camera" by john van druten and which later became the stage musical "cabaret." he was awarded a cambridge history scholarship, but was later …

  • Jan. 4 Nanna Svartz

    Nanna Svartz was a Swedish physician who made significant contributions to the field of rheumatology.

  • Jan. 4 Phil Lynott

    English-irish singer-songwriter and bass player (thin lizzy skid row, grand slam) (d. 1986).

  • Jan. 6 Isahia Leabua

    Notable author known for his contributions to African literature.

  • Jan. 7 Juan Rulfo

    Mexican screenwriter, writer, and photographer. rulfo is a latin american writer, screenwriter, and photographer. his reputation rests on his two slim books, pedro pa!ramo (1955) and el llano en llamas (53), a collection short stories. the burning plain and other stories published fifteen of the seventeen stories. this collection includes his beloved tale, "diles que me maten!" ("tell them not …

  • Jan. 10 Jaroslav Seifert

    LIT - Czech journalist and poet, nobel prize laureate (b. 1901)

  • Jan. 11 Theophil Antonicek

    Theophil Antonicek was an Austrian composer who specialized in orchestral and chamber music.

  • Jan. 13 Llewelyn Lloyd

    Legendary Welsh rugby player known for his exceptional skills and sportsmanship.

  • Donna Reed
    Jan. 14 Donna Reed

    American actor, most well-known for her tv series, "the donna reed show," as well as several movies, including the christmas movie, "it's a wonderful life".

  • Jan. 14 Daniel Balavoine

    French singer-songwriter (d. 1986).

  • Jan. 14 Mertha Bauer

    Mertha Bauer was a German actress who appeared in numerous films and television shows during the mid-20th century.

  • Jan. 14 Dovber Perlmutter

    A Polish-American mathematician who made significant contributions to the field of functional analysis.

  • Jan. 23 Joseph Beuys

    German Fluxus artist known for his performance art and sculptures.

  • Gordon MacRae
    Jan. 24 Gordon MacRae

    American singer and actor, who was a well-known musical comedy star in the 1950s. he made his film debut in 1948 in "the big punch" and was seen in five films alongside doris day. his most well-known role was that of a singer in "oklahoma," 1956.

  • Lilli Palmer
    Jan. 27 Lilli Palmer

    German actress with many awards and two nominations for the golden globes. rex harrison was her husband. she divorced him in 1956. she was married to carlos thompson, an argentinian actor, in her second marriage.

  • Jan. 28 Christa McAuliffe

    Christa McAuliffe was a teacher and the first private citizen selected to go into space on the Space Shuttle Challenger, tragically perishing in the Challenger disaster.

  • Jan. 28 Judith Resnik

    American astronaut. honor student, she graduated with a b.a. she received a b.a. in electrical engineering in honor and began her training to become an astronaut in march 1978. she flew six days on her first shuttle flight aboard the discovery on 8/30/1984. her solar experiments won her accolades.

  • Jan. 28 Ellison Onizuka

    American astronaut aboard challenger that lifted off from cape kennedy, fl on 1/28/86 at 11:39 am est. it exploded one minute and twelve seconds later.

  • Jan. 28 Michael J Smith

    Beaufort nc, cmdr usn, astr, dies in challenger

  • Leif Erickson
    Jan. 29 Leif Erickson

    California, united states -- actor ("invaders from mars, on the waterfront")