- May 1 George Pravda, Czech actor, dies at 68
- May 2 Hal LeRoy [John LeRoy Schotte], American vaudeville, Broadway and film dancer (Ziegfeld's Follies of 1931), dies at 71 after surgery
- May 6 Julie Vega, Filipina child actress and singer, dies at 16
- May 7 Dawn Addams, British actress (A King in New York, Star Maidens) who married the Prince of Roccasecca, dies of cancer at 54
- May 8 Adolphus "Dolph" Sweet, American actor (Gimme a Break, Which Way is Up), dies of cancer at 64
- May 9 Redmond "Edmond" O'Brien, American actor (The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Sam Benedict, Johnny Midnight), dies of Alzheimer's at 69
- May 11 Jorja Curtright, American stage and screen actress (Whistle Stop, Heaven Only Knows), and interior decorator, dies of a heart attack at 61
- May 13 Selma Diamond, Canadian-American comedy writer (Your Show Of Shows), and actress (Night Court, 1984-85 - "Selma"), dies of lung cancer at 64
- May 15 Jackie Curtis, actor (Underground USA), dies of a drug overdose at 38
Margaret Hamilton (1902-1985)
May 16 American character actress (The Wizard of Oz), dies of a heart attack at 82
- May 17 Bobby Ewing (Patrick Duffy) killed off on television soap opera "Dallas"
- May 17 Hugh Burden, actor (Night of Laughing Dead), dies at 72
- May 18 Tex Terry, American actor (Apache Rose, Timberjack), dies at 82
- May 20 George Memmoli, American actor (Earl-Hello Larry), dies at 46
- May 27 Kay Campbell, actress (All My Children), dies at 80
- May 29 Madge West, American actress (McLean Stevenson Show), dies at 93