- May 3 Johan H. Westerveld, Dutch WW II resistance fighter and leader of Order Service (OD), executed at 61
- May 3 Thorvald Stauning, Prime Minister of Denmark (1924-26, 1929-42), dies at 68
- May 5 Qemal Stafa, Albanian politician (b. 1920)
- May 7 (Paul) Felix Weingartner, Austrian pianist, conductor (Vienna Philharmonic, 1907-27; first to record all nine of Beethoven's symphonies), and composer (Die Dorfschule), dies at 78
- May 9 Graham McNamee, American sportscaster (originated play-by-play sports broadcasting; Baseball HOF Ford C. Frick Award; 1st Rose Bowl), dies at 53
- May 10 Joe Weber, American vaudeville comedian, singer (Weber and Fields), and theatrical producer, dies at 74
- May 13 Hyam Greenbaum, British violinist, composer and conductor of the 1st TV orchestra (BBC), dies of alcohol-related problems at 41
- May 16 Bronislaw Kasper Malinowski, anthropologist, dies
- May 17 Alfred Hollins, British composer, dies at 76
- May 19 Nicoline Magdalene Roll Anker, Norwegian author (Enken), dies at 69
- May 20 Hector Guimard, French Art Nouveau architect and designer (entrances to Paris Metros),
- May 25 Emanuel Feuermann, Ukrainian-born cellist (Chicago Symphony Orchestra), dies of complications during surgery at 39
- May 27 Chen Duxiu, Chinese revolutionary socialist and author who co-founded the Chinese Communist Party with Li Dazhao and was the 1st General Secretary (1921-27), dies at 62
- May 29 Akiko Yosano, Japanese poet (Tangled Hair), dies at 63
John Barrymore (1882-1942)
May 29 American actor (Beloved Rogue, Dinner at 8), dies from cirrhosis of the liver and kidney failure at 60
Assassination
Car Crash
Hanging
Killed in Action
Plane Crash
Poisoning