- Oct 2 Katharine Susannah Prichard, Australian novelist (Black Opal), dies at 85
- Oct 3 Skip James, American blues musician (b. 1902)
- Oct 4 Vibart Wight, cricketer (member of WI 1st Test touring 1928), dies
- Oct 4 Natalino Otto, Italian singer (b. 1912)
- Oct 6 Walter Hagen, American golfer (11 major titles, US Open 1914, 19), dies of throat cancer at 76
- Oct 7 Léon Scieur, Belgian cyclist (b. 1888)
- Oct 8 Eduardo Ciannelli, Italian actor (Foreign Correspondent, Gunga Din), dies at 80
- Oct 12 Serge Poliakoff, Russ/French painter, dies
- Oct 12 Sonja Henie, Norwegian figure skater (Olympic gold 1928, 32, 36), actress (My Lucky Star), dies from leukemia at 57
- Oct 14 Arnie Herber, American NFL quarterback (Green Bay Packers, NY Giants), dies at 59
- Oct 15 Rod La Rocque, American actor (Mystery Woman), dies at 70
- Oct 15 Shermake, president of (Somalia), murdered
Jack Kerouac
Oct 21 Jack Kerouac, American writer (Doctor Sax, On the Road), dies at 47
Jack Kerouac
- Oct 21 Waclaw Sierpinski, Polish mathematician (Sierpinski triangle), dies at 87
- Oct 22 Giovanni Martinelli, Italian opera singer (NY Met), dies on 84th birthday
- Oct 23 Tommy Edwards, rocker, dies at 47
- Oct 24 Otto Jochum, German composer, dies at 71
- Oct 27 Jaime Pahissa, composer, dies at 89
- Oct 28 Constance Dowling, actress (Blind Spot), dies of cardiac arrest at 49
- Oct 29 Vic Richardson, cricketer (Aussie capt 1935-36), dies
- Oct 30 Pops Foster, American musician (b. 1892)
- Oct 31 Hugo Pfister, Swiss composer, dies at 55