- Jan 3 Joseph Wirth, 5th Chancellor of the Weimar Republic, Germany (Stalin Peace Prize), dies at 76
- Jan 4 Alexandr Tikhonovich Grechaninov, composer, dies at 91
- Jan 5 Mistinguett [Jeanne Florentine Bourgeois], French actress and singer (Moulin Rouge star), dies of cerebral hemorrhage at 80
- Jan 8 Jim Elliot, American Christian missionary, dies at 28
- Jan 9 Paul Malengreau, Belgian organist, composer, and educator (Brussels Conservatory, 1813-53), dies at 71
- Jan 10 Henk Bremmer, Dutch art historian (Beeldende Kunst), dies at 84
- Jan 10 Karl Ludwig Schmidt, German-Swiss theologist (Urchristentum), dies at 64
- Jan 12 John Raedecker, Dutch sculptor (WW II Monument Amsterdam), dies at 70
- Jan 12 Norman Kerry [Kaiser], American silent and sound screen actor (A Little Princess; The Phantom of the Opera; Air Eagles), dies of a liver ailment at 61
- Jan 13 Lyonel Feininger, German-American cartoonist and painter, dies at 84
- Jan 14 Siegfried Frederick Nadel, Austrian-British anthropologist (Nuba), dies at 52
- Jan 18 Konstantin Päts, Estonian Prime Minister (1921-23, 1932-33) and dictator (1933-40), dies at 81
- Jan 19 Charles Dingle, American actor (The Little Foxes), dies at 68
- Jan 21 Sam Langford, Canadian boxer (World Coloured Heavyweight Champion x 5 1910-18), dies at 72
- Jan 22 P A M Speet, Dutch broadcast CEO (KRO), dies
- Jan 23 Alexander Korda, British movie producer (Henry VIII), dies at 62
- Jan 23 Billy Evans, American Baseball HOF umpire (American League 1906-27; at age 22, youngest umpire in MLB history), dies from a stroke at 71
- Jan 27 Erich Kleiber, Austrian-Argentine conductor (Teatro Colón, 1937-49; NBC Symphony, 1947-48), dies at 65
H. L. Mencken (1880-1956)
Jan 29 American newspaperman and critic (Prejudices, Smart Set), dies at 75
- Jan 30 Gerrit Mannoury, Dutch mathematician and philosopher, dies at 88
- Jan 30 Jane Seymour [Marjorie S. Fitz-patrick], Canadian-American actress (Tom, Dick and Harry, Young Mr Bobbin), dies at 62
A. A. Milne (1882-1956)
Jan 31 English author of the Winnie-the-Pooh books, dies at 74
Assassination
Car Crash
Hanging
Killed in Action
Plane Crash
Poisoning