- Jan 1 David Broekman, musican (Think Fast), dies at 55
- Jan 1 Edward Weston, American photographer (b. 1886)
- Jan 4 John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley, British civil servant, politician and Chancellor of the Exchequer (1943-45), dies at 75
- Jan 6 Josephine CMA, princess of Belgium/nun, dies at 85
- Jan 7 Petru Groza, premier/president (Romania, 1945-58), dies at 74
- Jan 8 Paul Pilgrim, American athlete (Olympic gold 1904, 06), dies at 74
- Jan 9 Paul Fechter, German writer/historian (God's Magician), dies
- Jan 9 Willis Rodney Whitney, American Chemist, founder of the General Electric research laboratory, and pioneer of industrial scientific research, dies at 89
- Jan 10 Charles de Trooz, Belgian writer, dies at 52
- Jan 11 Alec Rowley, English composer, dies at 65
- Jan 12 Arthur Shepherd, composer, dies at 77
- Jan 12 Charles Mallory Hatfield, U.S. rainmaker (b. 1875)
- Jan 13 Edna Purviance, American actress (Charlie Chaplin, Sunnyside), dies at 61
- Jan 13 John Lindeboom, Dutch vicar/church historian, dies at 75
- Jan 13 Jesse L. Lasky, U.S. film producer (b. 1880)
- Jan 23 Nikolaos Georgantas, Greek discus thrower (b. 1880)
- Jan 30 Earnest H Heinkel, German airplane builder (WWII), dies at 70
- Jan 30 Jean Crotti, Swiss-French artist, dies at 79