- May 3 Johan H. Westerveld, Dutch WW II resistance fighter and leader of Order Service (OD), executed at 61
- May 3 Thorvald Stauning, Prime Minister of Denmark (1924-26, 1929-42), dies at 68
- May 5 Qemal Stafa, Albanian politician (b. 1920)
- May 7 Felix Paul von Weingartner, Austria conductor and composer, dies at 79
- May 9 Graham McNamee, American early sportscaster (1st Rose Bowl), dies at 53
- May 10 Joseph M Weber, comedian/singer (Weber & Lewis Fields), dies at 74
- May 13 Hyam Greenbaum, British violinist, composer and conductor of the 1st TV orchestra (BBC), dies of alcohol-related problems at 41
- May 16 Bronislaw Kasper Malinowski, anthropologist, dies
- May 17 Alfred Hollins, British composer, dies at 76
- May 19 Nicoline Magdalene Roll Anker, Norwegian author (Enken), dies at 69
- May 20 Hector Guimard, French Art Nouveau architect and designer (entrances to Paris Metros),
- May 25 Emanuel Feuermann, cellist (Chicago Symphony Orchestra), dies at 39
John Barrymore
May 29 John Barrymore, American actor (Beloved Rogue, Dinner at 8), dies from cirrhosis of the liver and kidney failure at 60
- May 29 Akiko Yosano, Japanese poet (Tangled Hair), dies at 63