- Jan 1 Amphilochius of Pochayiv [Yakov Varnavovich Golovatyuk], Ukrainian Orthodox Christian saint, dies at 76
- Jan 2 Lloyd Hall, African-American chemist and pioneer in food chemistry (science of food preservation), dies at 76
- Jan 2 Richard Maxwell (Dick) Haldane, South African trade unionist, dies at 62
- Jan 2 Willard Maas, American educator and experimental filmmaker, dies at 64
- Jan 4 Arthur Ford, American clairaudient (b. 1896)
- Jan 5 Columbus O'Donnell Iselin, American oceanographer, dies at 66
- Jan 5 Douglas Shearer, Canadian film engineer (b. 1899)
- Jan 7 Madame Spivy [Bertha Levine], American actress (All Fall Down) and nightclub owner, dies of cancer at 64
- Jan 7 Richard "Dick" Kollmar, American actor (Broadway Spotlight, Guess What), dies from complications from a blood clotting disorder at 60
- Jan 8 Adriano Lualdi, Italian composer (Il diavolo nel campanile), and conductor, dies at 85
- Jan 9 Elmer Flick, American Baseball HOF outfielder (AL batting champion 1905; NL RBI leader 1900; 2 × AL stolen base leader; Philadelphia Phillies, Cleveland Bronchos/Naps), dies at 94
- Jan 9 Giannis Christou, Greek composer (b. 1926)
- Jan 10 (Gabrielle) "Coco" Chanel, French fashion designer (Chanel), dies at 87
- Jan 11 Irene Rice Pereira, American abstract artist, dies aged 68
- Jan 13 Bernard "Heinz" Lammerding, German SS-gen/contractor (Tulle), dies at 65
- Jan 13 Henri Tomasi, French conductor, classical and film music composer (Requiem for Peace; The Silence of the Sea), dies at 69
- Jan 13 Robert Still, English composer, dies at 60
- Jan 14 Ethel Glenn Hier, American composer, dies at 82
- Jan 15 John Dall, actor (Corn is Green, Rope), dies of a heart attack at 50
- Jan 16 Kermit Maynard, American cowboy actor (Valley of Terror, Saturday Roundup), dies at 73
- Jan 16 Philippe Thys, Belgian cyclist (three times winner of Tour de France), dies at 81
- Jan 18 Catherine Calvert, American actress (Fires of Faith), dies of stroke at 80
- Jan 19 Harry Shields, American musician (b. 1899)
- Jan 20 Antonio Bacci, Italian cardinal, dies at 85
- Jan 20 Broncho Billy Anderson [Maxwell Aronson], American silent and sound screen actor, the 1st cowboy in a movie (The Great Train Robbery; A Lucky Dog), and studio executive, dies at 90 [1]
- Jan 21 Richard B Russell, (Sen-D-Ga), dies at 73
- Jan 23 Fritz Feigl, Austria-born chemist (b. 1871)
- Jan 24 Bill W. [William Wilson], American co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous (b. 1895)
Jacobo Árbenz (1913-1971)
Jan 27 President of Guatemala (1951-54); overthrown by CIA, dies at 57
Assassination
Car Crash
Hanging
Killed in Action
Plane Crash
Poisoning