Events in Film & TV
- May 2 John Cage's "Water Music" (for a solo pianist, using a piano, a radio, whistles, water containers, and a deck of cards) premieres in New York City
- May 5 "Lucy Does a TV Commercial" (also known as "Vitameatavegamin") episode of "I Love Lucy" premieres, garnering 68% of US television viewers
- May 8 5th British Film and Television Awards (BAFTAs): "La Ronde" Best Film
Cannes Film Festival
May 10 5th Cannes Film Festival: "The Tragedy of Othello: The Moor of Venice" directed by Orson Welles and "Two Cents Worth of Hope" directed by Renato Castellani jointly awarded the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film
Birthdays in Film & TV
- May 2 Christine Baranski, American Tony and Emmy Award-winning stage and screen (Rumors; The Good Wife; Cybill - "Maryann"; The Birdcage), born in Buffalo, New York
- May 2 Mari Natsuki, Japanese singer, dancer and actress, born in Tokyo
- May 3 Caitlin Clarke, American actress (Dragonslayer), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (d. 2004)
- May 4 Michael Barrymore, English comedian, actor, quiz master and entertainer, born in Bermondsey, London
- May 5 Campbell McComas, Australian impersonator and broadcaster, born in Melbourne, Australia (d. 2005)
- May 5 Louis Cortelezzi, American rock and jazz saxophonist (Mink DeVille) and film composer (Pokemon), born in New Galilee, Pennsylvania
- May 6 Christian Clavier, French actor (Les Visiteurs (The Visitors)), and film maker, born in Paris France
- May 6 Michael O'Hare, American actor
- May 8 Beth Henley, American actress and playwright (Miss Firecracker), born in Jackson, Mississippi
- May 8 Peter McNab, Canadian ice hockey center (Boston Bruins and 3 other teams) and broadcaster (New Jersey Devils, 1987-95; Colorado Avalanche, 1995-2022), born in Vancouver, British Columbia (d. 2022)
- May 9 Patrick Ryecart, actor (Silas Mariner)
- May 11 Darrow Igus, American comedian (Fridays, Roll Out), born in Newark, New Jersey
- May 11 Frances Fisher, English-American actress (Titanic, Watchmen), born in Milford on Sea, England
- May 11 Mike Lupica, American sports journalist and newspaper columnist (New York Daily News, ESPN), born in Oneida, New York
- May 11 Renaud [Séchan], French pop singer, composer, and actor, born in Paris, France
- May 11 Shohreh Aghdashloo, Iranian actress
- May 11 Warren Littlefield, American television executive
- May 14 Robert Zemeckis, American film director (Forrest Gump, Back to the Future), born in Chicago, Illinois
- May 14 Scott Irwin, American professional wrestler (d. 1987)
- May 15 Chazz Palminteri, American actor (The Usual Suspects, Bronx Tale), born in The Bronx, New York
Mr. T (70 years old)
May 21 American actor (A-Team, Rocky III, T & T), born in Chicago, Illinois
Deaths in Film & TV
- May 8 William Fox [Wilhem Fuchs], Hungarian-American movie theater pioneer and film producer (Fox Film Corporation), dies at 73
- May 9 Canada Lee [Leonard Canegata], African-American actor (Lost Boundaries), dies of a heart attack at 45
- May 15 Albert Bassermann, German actor (Foreign Correspondent, Madame Curie), dies at 84
- May 21 John Garfield [Jacob Garfinkle], American actor (Four Daughters, Body and Soul), dies of coronary thrombosis at 39
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