- Aug 1 Nirad C. Chaudhuri, Indian-born writer (b. 1897)
- Aug 3 Leroy Vinnegar, American jazz and session bassist (Shelly Manne; Teddy Edwards; Les McCann), dies of a heart attack at 71
- Aug 3 Rodney William "Rod" Ansell, Australian bushman and inspiration for "Crocodile Dundee", dies following a shootout with police officers at 44
- Aug 4 Carl Toms, British stage designer (1 Million BC, Moon Zero Two), dies at 72
- Aug 4 Liselott Linsenhoff, German equestrian rider (Olympic gold 1968, 72), dies at 71
- Aug 4 Victor Mature, American actor (I Wake Up Screaming, Samson and Delilah), dies from leukemia at 86
- Aug 5 D. W. Brooks, American farmer and businessman, dies at 97
- Aug 6 Ilse Pausin, Austrian figure skater (Olympic silver pairs 1936; World C'ship silver x 5 [with brother Erik Pausin]), dies at 80
- Aug 7 Brian Connell, British writer and broadcaster, dies at 83
- Aug 7 Brion James, American actor (b. 1945)
- Aug 10 Padma Bhushan Acharya Baldev Upadhyaya, Eminent Sanskrit Scholar in India (b. 1899)
- Aug 12 Jean Drapeau, Canadian politician (Mayor of Montreal 1954-57, 1960-86), dies at 83
- Aug 12 John Rigby Hale, British linguist and historian, dies at 75
- Aug 13 Jaime Garzón, Colombian journalist and comedian, murdered at 38
- Aug 13 Sulo Nurmela, Finish skier (Olympic gold 1936), dies at 91
- Aug 14 Harold "Pee Wee" Reese, American Baseball HOF shortstop (10 x MLB All-Star; World Series 1955, 59 Brooklyn/LA Dodgers), dies of cancer 81
- Aug 14 Lane Kirkland, American labour union leader (President AFL-CIO 1979-95), dies at 77
- Aug 14 Pat Mullin, American baseball outfielder (MLB All Star 1947-48; Detroit Tigers), dies at 81
- Aug 15 Hugh Casson, British architect (director of architecture of the Festival of Britain 1948, President of the Royal Academy) and artist, dies at 89
- Aug 17 Reiner Klimke, German equestrian (Olympic gold 1984), dies of a heart attack at 63
- Aug 20 Bobby Sheehan, American bassist (Blues Traveler - "Run-Around"), dies of a drug overdose at 31
- Aug 21 Juan Carlos Zorzi, Argentinian composer, and conductor, dies of esophageal cancer at 63
- Aug 21 Leo Castelli, Italian-American art dealer, dies at 91
- Aug 23 James White, Northern Irish sci-fi author (Star Surgeon, Star Healer), dies of a stroke at 71
- Aug 23 Norman Wexler, American screenwriter (b.1926)
- Aug 24 Alexandre Lagoya, Greek-Italian-French classical guitarist and composer, dies at 70
- Aug 24 Mary Jane Croft, American actress (Our Miss Brooks; The Lucy Show), dies of natural causes at 83
- Aug 25 Rob Fisher, British rock keyboardist (Naked Eyes), dies at 42
- Aug 26 Lilo Hardel, German writer, dies at 85
- Aug 27 Hélder Câmara, Brazilian Roman Catholic archbishop (b. 1909)
- Aug 29 Jaime Fields, American NFL and WLAF linebacker (KC Chiefs, Scotland Claymores), dies in a hit-and-run automobile accident at 29
- Aug 30 Raymond Poïvet, French cartoonist, dies at 89
- Aug 31 Marguerite Chapman, American actress (The Seven Year Itch, Spy Smasher, Flight to Mars), dies at 81
Assassination
Drug Overdose
Gunshot Wound
Murder
Plane Crash
Suicide