- Apr 1 Jim Jordan, American actor and radio comedian (Fibber McGee), dies from a blood clot at 91
- Apr 1 Marius Holtrop, Dutch economist and President of Netherlands Bank, dies at 85
- Apr 3 Milton A Caniff, US cartoonist (Terry & the Pirates), dies at 81
- Apr 5 Alf Kjellin, Swedish actor and director (Juggler), dies
- Apr 7 Cesar Bresgen, Austrian organist and composer, dies at 74
- Apr 9 Brook Benton [Benjamin Franklin Peay], American soul vocalist (It's Just a Matter of Time, Rainy Night in Georgia), dies of meningitis at 56
- Apr 9 Dave Prater, American singer and musician (Sam & Dave), dies in a car crash at 50
- Apr 10 Cliff Gladwin, cricketer (8 Tests for England 1947-49), dies
- Apr 11 Jean "Jeff" Donnell, American actress (Gidget Goes to Rome, Hoedown, 9 Girls), dies at 66 of a heart attack
Alan Paton
Apr 12 Alan Paton, South African author (Cry, the Beloved Country, Too Late the Phalarope) and anti-apartheid activist, dies of cancer at 85
Alan Paton
- Apr 14 Herbert Reynolds Inch, American composer and teacher, dies at 83
- Apr 14 Johan Franco, Dutch composer, dies at 79
- Apr 14 John Stonehouse, British politician (b. 1925)
- Apr 15 Han G. Hoekstra, Dutch poet (Zandloper), dies at 81
- Apr 15 Kenneth Williams, British actor (Hancock's Half Hour, Carry On films), dies of an overdose at 61
- Apr 15 Youri Egorov, Soviet classical pianist, dies at 33
- Apr 16 Clifford Roach, cricketer (16 Tests early in West Indian cricket history), dies
- Apr 16 Jacques de Kadt, Dutch politician and writer (Fascism is War!), dies at 90
- Apr 16 Khalil al-Wazir, PLO leader, assassinated by Israeli commandos at 52
- Apr 16 Warde Donovan, dies at 72
- Apr 17 Eva Novak, actress (Medicine Man), dies of pneumonia at 90
- Apr 17 Louise Nevelson, sculptor, dies of brain tumor at 88
- Apr 18 Pierre Desproges, French humorist, dies at 48
- Apr 19 Kwon Ki-ok, first Korean female pilot (b. 1901)
- Apr 21 I. A. L. Diamond, Hollywood screenwriter (1960 Acad Award-Apartment), dies at 67
- Apr 22 Irene Rich, American actress (Beau Brumell, Champ), dies at 96
- Apr 23 Arthur Michael, Lord Ramsey/archbishop of Canterbury, dies
- Apr 24 E S "Bob" Newson, cricketer (South African fast bowler in 1930's), dies
- Apr 25 Boris Kremenliev, composer, dies at 76
- Apr 25 Carolyn Franklin, American singer-songwriter, sister of Aretha, dies of cancer at 43
- Apr 25 Clifford D. Simak, American sci-fi author (Hugo, Way Station), dies at 83
- Apr 25 Valerie Solanas, American radical feminist and author of SCUM Manifesto who attempted to assassinate Andy Warhol in 1968, dies of pneumonia at 52
- Apr 27 David Scarboro, British actor, dies at 20
- Apr 28 B. W. Stevenson, American country singer, dies at 38
- Apr 29 Andrew Cruickshank, actor (Body in Library, Murder Most Foul), dies
- Apr 29 Jan Kapr, Czech composer, dies at 74
- Apr 30 James McCracken, American operatic tenor (Otello), dies at 61