- May 1 Bruce Robinson, actor (Story of Adele H)
- May 1 Jerry Weiss, American rocker (Blood, Sweat & Tears), born in NYC, New York
- May 1 Joanna Lumley, Kashmir India, actress (Abs Fab, OHM's Secret Service)
- May 1 Nick Fortuna, American rock bassist (The Buckinghams), born in Chicago, Illinois
- May 1 John Woo, Hong Kong director
- May 2 Lesley Gore, American singer (It's My Party, You Don't Own Me), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 2015)
- May 2 David Suchet, English actor (The Way We Live Now), born in London
- May 3 Greg Gumbel, American sportscaster (CBS TV, WFAN), born in New Orleans, Louisiana
- May 3 Norm Chow, American football coach, born in Honolulu, Hawaii
- May 4 Renee Powell, American LPGA golfer, born in East Canton, Ohio
- May 4 Richard L. Brodsky, American lawyer and NY State Assemblyman (D) (1983-2010), born in Brooklyn, New York
- May 4 John Watson, Northern Irish racecar driver, born in Belfast, Northern Ireland
- May 5 Stefania Sandrelli, Viareggio Italy, actress (Lie, Conformist, 1900)
- May 6 Jim Ramstad, (Rep-R-Minnesota)
- May 6 Susan Brown, actress (Gail Baldwin-General Hospital)
- May 7 Bill Danoff, American vocalist (Starland Vocal Band), born in Springfield, Massachusetts
- May 7 Bill Kreutzmann, American rock drummer (Grateful Dead), born in Palo Alto, California
- May 7 Brian Turner, English celebrity chef, born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England
- May 8 André Boulerice, Quebec politician
- May 9 Candice Bergen, Beverly Hills, actress (Carnal Knowledge, Murphy Brown)
- May 10 Graham Gouldman, bassist (10cc-No Milk Today), born in Manchester, England
- May 10 Maureen Lipman, actress (Educating Rita, Wonderworks)
- May 10 Dave Mason, Worcester England, singer/songwriter (We Just Disagree)
- May 10 Donovan [Philips Leitch], Scottish musician (Sunshine Superman, Catch the Wind), born in Glasgow, Scotland
- May 11 Robert Jarvik, American scientist and researcher (developed the Jarvik-7 artificial heart), born in Midland, Michigan
- May 11 Plume Latraverse, Quebec singer and musician
- May 12 Leonard Baichan, cricketer (WI opener, 103 v Pakistan on debut 1975)
- May 12 L. Neil Smith, American sci-fi author
- May 13 Tim Pigott-Smith, English actor (Jewel in Crown, King Charles III), born in Rugby (d. 2017)
- May 14 Alan David Marks, pianist/composer
- May 14 Derek Lek Leckenby, rock guitarist (Herman's Hermits-Kinda Hush)
- May 16 Robert Fripp, British guitarist (King Crimson), born in Wimborne Minster, Dorset
- May 16 Jessi B Wilson, Mississippi, murderer (FBI Most Wanted List)
- May 16 Roger Earl, English drummer (Foghat), born in London, England
- May 17 Sinaida Turchina, USSR, team handball (Olympic gold 1976)
- May 17 Udo Lindenberg, German musician, born in Gronau, Westphalia
- May 17 F. Paul Wilson, American novelist
Reggie Jackson
May 18 Reggie Jackson, American baseball right fielder (NY Yankees, Athletics) nicknamed "Mr. October" for his clutch hitting in the postseason, born in Wyncote, Pennsylvania
Reggie Jackson
André the Giant
May 19 André the Giant, French professional wrestler, born in Grenoble, France (d. 1993)
André the Giant
Cher
May 20 Cher [Cherilyn Sarkisian], American singer and actress (I Got You Babe, Jack Lalane, Mask), born in El Centro, California
Cher
- May 20 Craig Patrick, NHL coach
- May 20 Bobby Murcer, American baseball outfielder (NY Yankees, SF Giants and Chicago Cubs), born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (d. 2008)
- May 21 David Hill, Australian TV-reporter/owner (Fox Sports)
- May 21 Ronald Bear, actor and director (Make-up), born in Havana, Cuba
- May 22 George Best, Northern Irish footballer (Manchester United, Northern Ireland), born in Belfast
- May 22 Howard Kendall, English footballer and football manager (Everton), born in Ryton, County Durham (d. 2015)
- May 23 Danny Klein, American rock bassist (J Geils Band-Centerfold), born in NYC, New York
- May 23 Tom Dorris, horse trainer
- May 23 Frederik de Groot, Dutch actor
- May 23 H. Paul Shuch, American SETI scientist
- May 24 Irina Kirszenstein Szewinska, Lenningrad, long jumper (Olympic bronze 1972)
- May 24 Jeremy Treglown, English scholar/editor (TLS)
- May 24 Steve Upton, rock drummer (Wishbone Ash-There's the Rub, Locked In)
- May 25 Irnema Szewinski Kirszenstein, Polish 200m runner (1968 Olym Gold)
- May 25 Janet E[llen] Morris, American sci-fi author (Golden Sword, Tempus)
- May 25 Tommy Cecil, Irish ferryman, born Rathlin Island, County Antrim (d. 1997)
- May 25 David A. Hargrave, RPG designer
- May 25 Timothy "Tim" Hinkley, British singer-songwriter and keyboard player, born in London, England
- May 26 Neshka Robeva, Bulgarian Rhythmic gymnas and coach.
- May 26 Mick Ronson, English musician (d. 1993)
- May 27 Lewis Collins, English actor, (d. 2013)
- May 27 Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Danish musician (d. 2005)
- May 28 Madeleine Le Roux, Wyoming, Broadway actress (Cry Uncle)
- May 28 Satchidanandan, Indian poet
- May 28 Skip Jutze, American baseball player
- May 29 Robin Johnson, actress (Times Square), born in Brooklyn, New York
- May 29 Fernando Buesa, Basque politician (d. 2000)
- May 30 Candy Lightner, American political activist/founder (MADD), born in Pasadena, California
- May 31 Debbie Moore, founder/CEO (Pineapple Dance Studios)
- May 31 Steve Bucknor, cricketer (West Indian Test umpire, FIFA referee)
- May 31 Ted Baehr, American media critic