- Feb 1 Claude François, French pop singer-songwriter ("Comme d'habitude"), born in Ismaïlia, Egypt (d. 1978)
- Feb 1 Del McCoury, American bluegrass guitarist and singer, born in York, Pennsylvania
- Feb 1 Joe Sample, American jazz and session keyboardist and composer (The Jazz Crusaders), born in Houston, Texas (d. 2014)
- Feb 1 Paul Gillmor, American politician (Rep-R-Ohio 1989-2007), born in Tiffin, Ohio (d. 2007)
- Feb 2 Akbar Adibi, Iranian scientist, father of electronics in Iran (d. 2000)
- Feb 2 Dale T. Mortensen, American economist (Nobel, 2010), born in Enterprise, Oregon (d. 2014)
- Feb 3 Michael Cimino, American director (The Deer Hunter), born in New York City (d. 2016)
- Feb 3 Vladimir Yevgenyevich Preobrazhensky, Russian cosmonaut
- Feb 4 Jacques Charlier, Belgian artist and sculptor, born in Liège, Belgium
- Feb 4 Stan Lundine, American politician (Rep-D-NY, 1976-86, Lieutenant Governor of New York. 1987-94), born in Jamestown, New York
- Feb 5 Brian Luckhurst, cricketer (England opener of 60's & early 70's)
- Feb 5 Derek Wadsworth, British jazz composer and arranger, born in Cleckheaton, Yorkshire (d. 2008)
- Feb 5 Jane Bryant Quinn, newscaster/financial writer (Everyone's Money Book), born in Niagara Falls, New York
- Feb 5 Patric Standford, British composer (Taikayoku; Christus Requiem), born in Barnsley, Yorkshire, England (d. 2014)
- Feb 6 Mike Farrell, American actor (M*A*S*H;, 1975-83 - B.J."; Providence), producer (Patch Adams), and human rights activist, born in Saint Paul, Minnesota
- Feb 8 Gerrit Lakmaaker, Dutch sculptor/painter (Leidsepleingroep) (d. 1995)
- Feb 8 José Maria Sison, Filipino communist
- Feb 9 Barry Mann [Imberman], American pop songwriter ("You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling"), and singer ("Who Put the Bomp In The Bomp, Bomp, Bomp"), born in Brooklyn, New York
- Feb 9 Janet Suzman, South African actress (Dry White Season, Nuns on the Run)
- Feb 10 Adrienne Clarkson, 26th Governor General of Canada
- Feb 10 Barbara Kolb, American contemporary classical composer (Trobar Jus), born in Hartford, Connecticut
- Feb 10 Peter Purves, English television presenter and actor (Doctor Who, Blue Peter), born in Preston, Lancashire
- Feb 11 Bryan Gould, New Zealand and British politician (L), born in Hawera, New Zealand
- Feb 11 Gerry Goffin, American pop and rock lyricist ("Will You Love Me Tomorrow"; "Up On The Roof"; "Pleasant Valley Sunday"), married to Carole King, 1959-69, born in Queens, New York (d. 2014)
- Feb 11 Jane Yolen, American sci-fi and children's literature author and poet (Spider Jane; Heart's Blood), born in Manhattan, New York
- Feb 12 John D Hancock, American actor and director (Black Marble, Traxx, Houston Knights), born in Kansas City, Missouri
- Feb 12 Ray Manzarek, American rock organist and songwriter (The Doors - "Light My Fire"; "Love Her Madly"), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2013)
- Feb 13 Beate Klarsfeld, Franco-German journalist, born in Berlin, Germany
- Feb 13 Valery Rozhdestvensky, Soviet cosmonaut (Soyuz 23), born in Leningrad, Soviet Union (d. 2011)
- Feb 14 Chris Pyne, British jazz, touring, and session trombonist (Mike Gibbs; Ronnnie Scott; Humphrey Lyttelton), born in Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire, England (d. 1995)
- Feb 14 Michael Rudman, American theater director and producer working in the UK (Death of the Salesman, Donkeys' Years), born in Tyler, Texas (d. 2023) [1]
- Feb 15 Alvin Cash [Welch], American pop singer ("Twine Time"; "The Philly Freeze"), and actor, born in St. Louis, Missouri (d. 1999)
- Feb 15 Jo Clayton, American sci-fi author (Irsud, Maeve, Star Hunters)
- Feb 15 Ole Ellefsæter, Norwegian cross-country skier (Olympic gold 50km & 4×10km relay 1968; World C'ship gold 4×10km relay 1966), born in Furnes, Norway (d. 2022)
- Feb 15 Robert Hansen, American serial killer
- Feb 15 Tony Bloom, deputy CEO (Sketchley)
- Feb 16 David Griffiths, Welsh portrait painter, born in Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Feb 17 Mary Ann Mobley, American model and actress (Miss America-1959, Diff'rent Strokes), Biloxi Mississippi (d. 2014)
- Feb 18 Bobby Hart [Harshman], American pop songwriter ("I'm Not Your Steppin' Stone"; "Last Train To Clarksville") and singer (Boyce & Hart - "I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight"), born in Phoenix, Arizona
- Feb 18 Claude Ake, political scientist
- Feb 18 Dal Maxvill, American baseball player
- Feb 18 Marek Janowski, Polish-German conductor (Dresden Philharmonic, 2001-03 & 2019-23: Berlin Radio Symphony, 2002-16; Nouvel Orchestre Philharmonique, 1984-2000), born in Warsaw, Poland
- Feb 18 Marlos Nobre, Brazilian classical composer (Desafio), born in Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
- Feb 18 Petronella CM "Carletta" Banning, actress (Potasch & Perlemoer)
- Feb 19 Douglas Mitchell, Canadian Football Hall of Fame executive (CFL Commissioner 1984-88), born in Calgary, Alberta (d. 2022)
- Feb 19 Gwen Taylor, British actress (Monty Python's Life of Brian; Duty Free; Heartbeat - "Peggy"), born in Crich, Derbyshire, England
- Feb 20 (Roy George) Elroy Josephs, Jamaican-British jazz dance teacher, and actor, born in Jamaica (d. 1997)
- Feb 20 Frank Arundel, English footballer
- Feb 21 Richard Beymer, American stage actor and singer (West Side Story; Diary of Anne Frank), born in Avoca, Iowa
- Feb 21 Ron Nagle, American sculptor, and songwriter, born in San Francisco, California
- Feb 22 George Haslam, British avant-garde jazz baritone saxophonist, and tárogató player, born in Preston, Lancashire, England
- Feb 22 Steve Barber, American MLB pitcher (Baltimore Orioles, NY Yankees), born in Takoma Park, Maryland (d. 2007)
- Feb 23 Edmund Boyd Fisher, publisher
- Feb 23 Esteban "Steve" Jordan, American conjunto, Tejano, rock and jazz accordion player, born in Elsa, Texas (d. 2010)
- Feb 23 Josef Feistmantl, Austrian luger (Olympic gold men's doubles 1964; World C'ship gold singles 1969), born in Absam, Austria (d. 2019)
- Feb 24 George Bain, principal (London Business School)
- Feb 25 Marisa Mell, Graz Austria, actress (Masquerade, Casanova '70)
- Feb 26 Josephine Tewson, British actress (Keeping Up Appearances; Last Of The Summer Wine, 2003-10), born in Hampstead, England (d. 2022)
- Feb 27 Antoinette Sibley, British ballerina (Turning Point), born in Bromley, England
- Feb 27 Kenzō Takada, Japanese fashion designer (Kenzo), born in Himejo, Japan (d. 2020)
- Feb 27 Lester King, West Indian cricketer (WI fast bowler, 2 Tests 1962-68, 9 wkts), born in St Catherine, Jamaica
- Feb 27 Peter Revson, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500 1971 pole winner, runner-up), born in New York City (d. 1974)
- Feb 28 Charles Brown, featherweight boxer (Olympic bronze 1964), born in Cincinnati, Ohio
- Feb 28 Charles Gayle, American jazz saxophonist and composer ("Streets"), born in Buffalo, New York (d. 2023)
- Feb 28 John Fahey, American folk singer and guitarist (Transfiguration of Blind Joe Death), born in Washington, D.C. (d. 2001)
- Feb 28 Kamel Lemoui, Algerian soccer defender (7 caps; AS Béziers Hérault) and manager (Algeria 1988-89), born in Batna, Algeria (d. 2022)
- Feb 28 Tommy Tune, American dancer, choreographer, and theater director (Boyfriend), born in Wichita Falls, Texas
About February 1939
How Old? 85 years old
Generation: Silent Generation
Leap Year: No