- Apr 1 Clement D'Hooghe, Belgian composer, dies at 51
- Apr 2 Simon Barere, Russian pianist, dies of a cerebral hemorrhage at 54 while performing Grieg's Piano Concerto at Carnegie Hall
- Apr 3 Johannes C. Kielstra, Dutch economist & governor (Suriname 1933-44), dies at 72
- Apr 4 Al Christie, Canadian film director and producer (b. 1881)
- Apr 4 George Albert Smith, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, dies
- Apr 5 Edward Rigby, British actor (Star Look Down, Young & Innocent), dies at 72
- Apr 6 Halfdan Cleve, Norwegian composer, dies at 71
- Apr 9 Sadiq Hidajat, Persian writer (Hadji Aga), dies at 48
- Apr 9 Vilhelm F K Bjerknes, Norwegian/US physicist/meteorology, dies at 89
- Apr 12 Harold Vincent Milligan, American musician and composer, dies at 62
- Apr 18 António Óscar Carmona, 97th Prime Minister of Portugal & 11th President of Portugal, dies at 81
- Apr 20 Ivanoe Bonomi, Prime Minister of Italy (b. 1873)
- Apr 22 Stanley Ridges, British-born actor (possessed, Sgt York, Mr Ace), dies at 59
- Apr 22 Horace Donisthorpe, British entomologist, dies at 81
- Apr 23 Charles G. Dawes, 30th Vice President of the United States, banker and 1925 Nobel Peace Prize winner, dies at 85
- Apr 25 Jerzy Fitelberg, Polish composer, dies at 47
- Apr 26 John Alden Carpenter, American composer (Sea Drift), dies at 75
- Apr 26 Arnold Sommerfeld, German physicist, dies at 82
- Apr 27 Philip Hands, South African cricketer (7 Tests for South Africa), dies at 61
- Apr 29 Jules Verstraete [Julien Gustave de Graef], Flemish actor (rubber, The Three Wishes), dies at 67
- Apr 29 Ludwig Wittgenstein, Austria English philosopher (Philosophical Investigations), dies at 62