- Dec 2 Vasily Pavlovich Solov'yov-Sedoy, Russian composer, dies at 72
- Dec 3 Dhyan Chand, Indian field hockey player (Olympic gold 1928, 1932, 1936; birthday 29/8 celebrated as India's National Sports Day), dies at 74
- Dec 4 Robert Karnes, actor (Max-The Lawless Years), dies at 62
- Dec 5 Sonia Delaunay, Russian-born French artist (Orphism), dies at 94
Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin (1900-1979)
Dec 7 British-American astronomer and astrophysicist who proposed that stars are composed largely of hydrogen and are not glowing balls of molten rock, dies at 79 [1]
- Dec 7 Mari Andriessen, Dutch sculptor (Dock Worker), dies at 82
- Dec 7 Nicolas Born, German writer, dies of cancer at 41
- Dec 7 Prince Chahryar Shafik, Shah of Iran's nephew, murdered in Paris
- Dec 9 Fulton J. Sheen, American archbishop and religious broadcaster (Life is Worth Living), dies in NYC at 84
- Dec 10 Ann Dvorak [McKim], American actress (G Men, Life of Her Own, Scarface), dies at 67
- Dec 11 Claire Carleton, American actress (Alice-Cimarron City), dies at 66
- Dec 11 James J. Gibson, American perceptual psychologist (b. 1904)
- Dec 13 Jon Hall, American actor (Ramar of the Jungle), dies at 64
- Dec 14 Nirode Chowdhury, Indian cricket medium pace bowler (2 Tests, 1 wicket; Bengal, Bihar), dies at 56
- Dec 14 Nirode Ranjan Chowdhury, Indian cricketer (2 Tests for India, avg 205), dies at 56
- Dec 15 Bern Hoffman, American actor (Major Dell Conway), dies at 66
- Dec 21 Mac Anderson, New Zealand cricketer (Test for NZ 1946, scored five & one), dies at 60
- Dec 22 Darryl F. Zanuck, American film producer and President (20th Century Fox), dies at 77
- Dec 23 Peggy Guggenheim, American art collector, dies at 81
- Dec 24 Dirk Uipko Stikker, Dutch politician, diplomat (Ambassador to Great Britain, 1952-58; Secretary General of NATO, 1961-64), and CEO (Heineken), dies at 82
- Dec 24 Rudi Dutschke, German political activist (Socialist Students Union (SDS)), dies from complications of injuries from 1968 assassination attempt at 39
- Dec 25 Joan Blondell, American actress (Real McCoys), dies of leukemia at 73
- Dec 25 Jordi Bonet, Quebec muralist and sculptor (b. 1932)
- Dec 25 Lee Bowman, American actor (Ellery Queen, Miami Undercover, The Impatient Years), dies from a heart attack at 64
- Dec 27 Hafizullah Amin, Afghan politician (President of Afghanistan, 1979), killed by Russian forces in a coup during Soviet invasion at 50
- Dec 29 Branimir Sakač, Croatian composer (Matrix Symphony), dies at 61
Richard Rodgers (1902-1979)
Dec 30 American composer, mostly for theater (Rodgers & Hart - "Pal Joey"; "Babes In Arms"; Rodgers & Hammerstein - "Oklahoma!"; "South Pacific"; "The King And I"; "The Sound Of Music") and 1st EGOT (Emmy; Grammy; Oscar; and Tony awards winner), dies at 77
Assassination
Drug Overdose
Gunshot Wound
Murder
Plane Crash
Suicide