# 1978 in film

The year 1978 in film involved some significant events.

## Highest-grossing films (U.S.)

The top ten 1978 released films by box office gross in the United States and Canada are as follows:
Highest-grossing films of 1978 :
| Rank | Title | Distributor | Box-office gross |
| 1 | Grease | Paramount | $159,978,870 |
| 2 | Superman | Warner Bros. | $134,218,018 |
| 3 | National Lampoon's Animal House | Universal | $120,091,123 |
| 4 | Every Which Way but Loose | Warner Bros. | $85,196,485 |
| 5 | Heaven Can Wait | Paramount | $81,640,278 |
| 6 | Hooper | Warner Bros. | $78,000,000 |
| 7 | Jaws 2 | Universal | $77,737,272 |
| 8 | Revenge of the Pink Panther | United Artists | $49,579,269 |
| 9 | The Deer Hunter | Universal | $48,979,328 |
| 10 | Halloween | Compass International | $47,000,000 |

## Events

* February 6 – David Begelman resigns as president of Columbia Pictures.
* March 1 – Charlie Chaplin's coffin is stolen from a Swiss cemetery three months after burial. After recovery a few weeks later, the casket is sealed in a concrete vault prior to reburial.
* March – Leigh Brackett completes the first draft for The Empire Strikes Back, but dies only two weeks later.
* June – Daniel Melnick becomes head of Columbia Pictures after the David Begelman scandal.
* June 4 – Grease, starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, has its world premiere at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. It becomes the highest-grossing musical ever and Paramount Pictures' highest-grossing film.
* July 20 – Alan Hirschfield is fired as president and CEO of Columbia Pictures. He is replaced by Francis T. Vincent.
* August – Production begins on Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
* September – George Lucas purchases Bulltail Ranch, on Lucas Valley Road, for the development of Skywalker Ranch.
* October 25 – Halloween is released.
* November 17 – Star Wars Holiday Special airs on CBS. The special gives fans their first glimpse of Boba Fett, a character from the upcoming sequel. But he was not enough for the special to avoid negative reviews upon airing.
* December 10 – Superman premieres at the Kennedy Centre in Washington, D.C., and has a European Royal Charity Premiere at the Empire, Leicester Square in London three days later in the presence of HM Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Andrew, Duke of York.

## Awards

| Category/Organization | 36th Golden Globe Awards January 27, 1979 | 36th Golden Globe Awards January 27, 1979 | 32nd BAFTA Awards March 22, 1979 | 51st Academy Awards April 9, 1979 |
| Category/Organization | Drama | Musical or Comedy | 32nd BAFTA Awards March 22, 1979 | 51st Academy Awards April 9, 1979 |
| Best Film | Midnight Express | Heaven Can Wait | Julia | The Deer Hunter |
| Best Director | Michael Cimino The Deer Hunter | Michael Cimino The Deer Hunter | Alan Parker Midnight Express | Michael Cimino The Deer Hunter |
| Best Actor | Jon Voight Coming Home | Warren Beatty Heaven Can Wait | Richard Dreyfuss The Goodbye Girl | Jon Voight Coming Home |
| Best Actress | Jane Fonda Coming Home | Ellen Burstyn Same Time, Next Year Maggie Smith California Suite | Jane Fonda Julia | Jane Fonda Coming Home |
| Best Supporting Actor | John Hurt Midnight Express | John Hurt Midnight Express | John Hurt Midnight Express | Christopher Walken The Deer Hunter |
| Best Supporting Actress | Dyan Cannon Heaven Can Wait | Dyan Cannon Heaven Can Wait | Geraldine Page Interiors | Maggie Smith California Suite |
| Best Screenplay, Adapted | Oliver Stone Midnight Express | Oliver Stone Midnight Express | Alvin Sargent Julia | Oliver Stone Midnight Express |
| Best Screenplay, Original | Oliver Stone Midnight Express | Oliver Stone Midnight Express | Alvin Sargent Julia | Nancy Dowd, Waldo Salt and Robert C. Jones Coming Home |
| Best Original Score | Giorgio Moroder Midnight Express | Giorgio Moroder Midnight Express | John Williams Star Wars | Giorgio Moroder Midnight Express Joe Renzetti The Buddy Holly Story |
| Best Original Song | "Last Dance" Thank God It's Friday | "Last Dance" Thank God It's Friday | N/A | "Last Dance" Thank God It's Friday |
| Best Foreign Language Film | Autumn Sonata | Autumn Sonata | N/A | Get Out Your Handkerchiefs |
Palme d'Or (Cannes Film Festival):
    The Tree of Wooden Clogs (L'Albero degli zoccoli), directed by Ermanno Olmi, Italy
Golden Bear (Berlin Film Festival):
    Trout (Las Truchas), directed by José Luis García Sánchez, Spain
    What Max Said (Las Palabras de Max), directed by Emilio Martínez-Lázaro, Spain

## 1978 films
### By country/region

* List of American films of 1978
* List of Argentine films of 1978
* List of Australian films of 1978
* List of Bangladeshi films of 1978
* List of British films of 1978
* List of Canadian films of 1978
* List of French films of 1978
* List of Hong Kong films of 1978
* List of Indian films of 1978
** List of Hindi films of 1978
** List of Kannada films of 1978
** List of Malayalam films of 1978
** List of Marathi films of 1978
** List of Tamil films of 1978
** List of Telugu films of 1978
* List of Japanese films of 1978
* List of Mexican films of 1978
* List of Pakistani films of 1978
* List of South Korean films of 1978
* List of Soviet films of 1978
* List of Spanish films of 1978

### By genre/medium

* List of action films of 1978
* List of animated feature films of 1978
* List of avant-garde films of 1978
* List of comedy films of 1978
* List of drama films of 1978
* List of horror films of 1978
* List of science fiction films of 1978
* List of thriller films of 1978
* List of western films of 1978

## Births

* January 1 – Christian Tessier, Canadian actor
* January 2
** Raghda Khateb, Syrian voice actress
** Megumi Toyoguchi, Japanese voice actress
* January 3 – Kimberley Locke, American singer-songwriter and model
* January 5
** Clarine Harp, American voice actress
** January Jones, American actress and model
** America Olivo, American actress and singer
* January 6 – Tara Spencer-Nairn, Canadian actress
* January 8 – Scott Whyte, American actor
* January 9 – AJ McLean, American musician, singer, dancer, actor, and entertainer
* January 10 – Antonio Cupo, Canadian film and television actor
* January 14 - Blake Ritson, English actor
* January 15
** Eddie Cahill, American actor
** Jamie Clayton, American actress, model
* January 17
** Pampita, Argentine model, actress, television personality
** Takatoshi Kaneko, Japanese actor
** Ricky Wilson, English actor, singer
* January 20 – Omar Sy, French actor
* January 24
** Mark Hildreth, Canadian actor, voice actor
** Kristen Schaal, American actress, comedian and writer
* January 25 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian actor and politician
* January 27 – Jake Pavelka, American pilot, television personality
* January 28 – Stephen Farrelly, Irish actor, professional wrestler
* February 1 - Bryan Dick, English actor
* February 7 – Ashton Kutcher, American actor
* February 9 – A. J. Buckley, Canadian actor
* February 10 - Don Omar, Puerto Rican singer, rapper and actor
* February 11 - Lymari Nadal, Puerto Rican actress, producer and screenwriter
* February 12 –
** Paul Anderson, British actor
** Gethin Jones, Welsh television presenter
* February 14 – Danai Gurira, actress, playwright
* February 17
** Ashton Holmes, American actor
** Rory Kinnear, English actor and playwright
* February 20
** Jay Hernandez, American actor
** Julia Jentsch, German actress
** Chelsea Peretti, American comedian, actress, television writer and singer-songwriter
* February 23 – Kris Lemche, Canadian actor
* February 24 – Nicole Lyn, Canadian actress
* February 28 - Geoffrey Arend, American actor
* March 1 – Jensen Ackles, American actor
* March 3 – Aarti Mann, Indian-American actress
* March 5 – Kimberly McCullough, American actress, dancer, director
* March 8 – Nick Zano, American actor
* March 9 – Katherine Parkinson, English actress
* March 16 – Sophie Hunter, English actress and singer
* March 17 – Patrick Seitz, American voice actor
* March 21
** Kevin Federline, American rapper, DJ, actor, television personality, professional wrestler, and fashion model
** Rani Mukerji, Indian actress
* March 23 – Nicholle Tom and David Tom, American actress and actor
* March 24 – Amanda Brugel, Canadian actress
* March 25
** Teddy Lussi-Modeste, French film director, screenwriter and literature teacher
** Maribeth Monroe, American actress, writer and comedian
* March 27 - Romesh Ranganathan, British actor, comedian and presenter
* March 31 - Daniel Mays, English actor
* April 1
** JJ Feild, British-American actor
** Anamaria Marinca, Romanian actress
* April 2 – Deon Richmond, American actor
* April 3 – Matthew Goode, English actor
* April 6 - Lauren Ridloff, deaf American actress
* April 7
** Duncan James, English actor, television presenter and singer
** Scott McGillivray, Canadian television host
* April 8
** Paola Núñez, Mexican actress and producer
** Rachel Roberts, Canadian model and actress
* April 12 – Riley Smith, American actor
* April 13 – Kyle Howard, American actor
* April 14 - Michelle Duncan, Scottish-Canadian actress
* April 16 – Lara Dutta, Indian actress
* April 17 – Ido Mosseri, Israeli actor, singer and musician
* April 19
** James Franco, American actor
** Joanna Gaines, American designer, businesswoman, entrepreneur, television personality
* April 20
** Matt Austin, Canadian actor
** Clayne Crawford, American actor
* April 23 – Ian Brennan, American writer, actor, producer
* April 26
** Stana Katic, Canadian-American actress, producer
** Pablo Schreiber, Canadian actor
* April 28
** Nate Richert, American actor, musician
** Drew Scott, Canadian actor, realtor, and entrepreneur
** Jonathan Scott, Canadian reality television personality, contractor, illusionist, and television and film producer
* April 29 – Tyler Labine, Canadian actor
* April 30 – Sandra Huller, German actress
* May 1 – James Badge Dale, American actor
* May 2 - Kumail Nanjiani, Pakistani-American comedian, actor and screenwriter
* May 4 – Daisuke Ono, Japanese voice actor and singer
* May 5 – Santiago Cabrera, Venezuelan-born Chilean actor
* May 8
** Matthew Davis, American actor
** Ana Maria Lombo, American musician and television personality
** Josie Maran, American model, actress, and entrepreneur
* May 9 – Daniel Franzese, American actor, comedian and activist
* May 10
** Corri English, American actress
** Kenan Thompson, American actor, comedian
* May 11 – Warren Brown, English actor and former professional Thai boxer
* May 12
** Aaron Abrams, Canadian actor, writer
** Malin Åkerman, Swedish-Canadian actress
** Jason Biggs, American actor
* May 13 - Patrick Hughes, Australian director and screenwriter
* May 15
** Caroline Dhavernas, Canadian actress
** David Krumholtz, American actor
* May 16 – Jim Sturgess, English actor
* May 17
** Gabriel Hogan, Canadian-born American actor
** Kat Foster, American actress
* May 18 – Chad Donella, Canadian actor
* May 21 – Chris Santos, American actor
* May 22 – Ginnifer Goodwin, American actress
* May 24 – Bryan Greenberg, American actor
* May 25 – Kick Gurry, Australian actor
* May 26 – Laurence Fox, English actor, singer-songwriter, and guitarist
* May 28 – Jake Johnson, actor, comedian
* May 29 – Adam Rickitt, English actor, singer and model
* June 2
** Dominic Cooper, English actor
** Nikki Cox, American actress
** Justin Long, American actor
* June 4
** Josh McDermitt, American film and television actor and comedian
** Robin Lord Taylor, American actor
* June 5
** Nick Kroll, American actor, comedian, writer and producer
** Jeff Schroeder, American television and online talk show host
* June 6 - Judith Barsi, American child actress (d. 1988)
* June 7
** Bill Hader, American actor, comedian
** Anna Torv, Australian actress
* June 8 – Maria Menounos, American actress
* June 9
** Michaela Conlin, American actress
** Youssef Kerkour, Moroccan-British actor
* June 10
** DJ Qualls, American actor
** Shane West, American actor
** Marko Zaror, Chilean martial artist and actor
* June 11 – Joshua Jackson, Canadian actor
* June 12 - Timothy Simons, American actor and comedian
* June 13 – Ethan Embry, American actor
* June 14 - Diablo Cody, Canadian writer
* June 16 – Daniel Brühl, German actor
* June 18 – Tara Platt, American voice actress
* June 19
** Mía Maestro, Argentine actress and singer-songwriter
** Zoe Saldana, American actress
* June 20
** Quinton Jackson, American mixed martial artist, actor and former professional wrestler
** Mike Birbiglia, American stand-up comedian, actor, and writer
* June 21 – Erica Durance, Canadian actress
* June 22 - David Derrick Jr., American director and storyboard artist
* June 27 – Courtney Ford, American actress
* June 28 – Ha Ji-won, South Korean actress
* June 29 –
** Luke Kirby, Canadian actor
** Nicole Scherzinger, American singer, songwriter, dancer, actress and television personality
* July 2 – Owain Yeoman, Welsh actor
* July 3 – Ian Anthony Dale, American actor
* July 4
** Becki Newton, American actress
* July 6
** Adam Busch, American actor, film director and singer
** Tia Mowry and Tamera Mowry, American actresses
* July 8 – Rachael Lillis, American voice actress (d. 2024)
* July 9 – Kyle Davis, American actor
* July 11
** Dustin Demri-Burns, English actor, comedian, and writer
** Jonjo O'Neill, Irish actor
** Thomas Stone, Hungarian pornographic actor
* July 12
** Topher Grace, American actor
** Michelle Rodriguez, American actress
* July 15 – Greg Sestero, American actor, writer
* July 17
** Justine Triet, French film director, screenwriter and editor
** R. J. Williams, American actor, television host, CEO of Young Hollywood
* July 20
** Charlie Korsmo, American former child actor
** Anatol Yusef, English stage, film and television actor
* July 21
** Justin Bartha, American actor
** Josh Hartnett, American actor
* July 22 – A. J. Cook, Canadian actress
* July 23 - Pearry Reginald Teo, Singaporean filmmaker (d. 2023)
* July 24 – Jeff Mauro, American actor, chef
* July 27 - Jeff Fowler, American director and animator
* July 29 - Paul King, British writer and director
* August 2 – Natashia Williams, American actress, model
* August 3
** Tommy Dewey, American actor, producer, writer
** Shanelle Workman, American actress, voice actress, producer and director
* August 4 – Mick Cain, American actor
* August 6 – Lee Ji-ah, South Korean actress
* August 8 – Countess Vaughn, American actress
* August 10
** Leo Fitzpatrick, American actor
** Alison Folland, American actress and filmmaker
* August 18 – Andy Samberg, American actor, comedian
* August 19 - Michelle Borth, American actress
* August 20 – Kris Smith, English Australian model, television presenter and rugby league footballer
* August 22 – James Corden, English singer, actor, television host
* August 23
** Kobe Bryant, American actor and basketball player (d. 2020)
** Andrew Rannells, American actor, voice actor, singer
* August 24 – Beth Riesgraf, American actress
* August 25 – Kel Mitchell, American actor, comedian
* August 28 – Sam Wills, New Zealand prop comic, busker, clown, and mime
* August 30 – Gianpaolo Venuta, Canadian actor
* August 31 – Mike Erwin, American actor
* September 1 - Nathalie Cox, British actress
* September 3 – Nick Wechsler, American actor
* September 4 – Wes Bentley, American actor
* September 5
** James Ponsoldt, American director, actor and screenwriter
** Yu Nan, Chinese actress
* September 7 – Devon Sawa, Canadian actor
* September 12 – Benjamin McKenzie, American actor
* September 16
** Carolina Dieckmann, Brazilian actress
** Ebonie Smith, American former actress and model
* September 18 – Billy Eichner, American comedian, actor, writer, and television personality
* September 20 – Charlie Weber, American actor
* September 21 – Paulo Costanzo, Canadian actor
* September 22 – Daniella Alonso, American actress and fashion model
* September 23 – Anthony Mackie, American actor
* September 24 - Christopher Nowinski, American author, co-founder and executive director of the Concussion Legacy Foundation; as well as a former professional wrestler with World Wrestling Entertainment
* September 25 – Rossif Sutherland, Canadian actor
* September 28 – Lucas Bryant, Canadian actor
* September 29 – Nathan West, American actor
* September 30 - Stark Sands, American actor
* October 1 – Katie Aselton, American actress, film director and producer
* October 3
** Christian Coulson, English actor
** Shannyn Sossamon, American actress
* October 6 - Lindsey Pearlman, American actress (d. 2022)
* October 7
** Joe Armstrong, English actor
** Hattie Morahan, English actress
* October 9 – Randy Spelling, American actor
* October 10
** Trevor Eyster, American actor
** Edan Gross, American former child actor
** Jodi Lyn O'Keefe, American actress
* October 11
** Wes Chatham, American actor
** Trevor Donovan, American actor
* October 14 – Usher, American singer, actor
* October 15
** Devon Gummersall, American actor
** Matt Lutz, American actor
* October 16 – Kala Savage, American actress
* October 18 – Wesley Jonathan, American actor
* October 21
** Will Estes, American actor
** Michael McMillian, American actor
* October 26 –
** CM Punk, American mixed martial artist, comic book writer and retired professional wrestler
** Anthony Carrino, American contractor, designer, developer and television personality
* October 27 – David Walton, American actor
* October 28
** Gwendoline Christie, English actress and model
** Justin Guarini, American singer and actor
* October 30 - Matthew Morrison, American singer, actor
* October 31 – Brian Hallisay, American actor
* November 1 – Mary Kate Schellhardt, American actress
* November 2
** Oliver Chris, English actor
** Whit Hertford, American theatre director, writer and actor
* November 7 - Will Gluck, American director, producer, screenwriter and composer
* November 8 – Keir O'Donnell, Australian-American actor
* November 9 – Sisqó, American singer, actor, songwriter
* November 10
** David Paetkau, Canadian actor
** Diplo, American actor, DJ, record producer, rapper, songwriter
* November 12
** Nicolas Giraud, French actor and filmmaker
** Alexandra Maria Lara, Romanian-German actress
** Ashley Williams, American actress
* November 13 - Marit Velle Kile, Norwegian former actress
* November 17
** Nonso Anozie, British actor
** Zoe Bell, New Zealand stuntwoman, actress
** Tom Ellis, Welsh actor
** Rachel McAdams, Canadian actress
* November 19 – Eric Nenninger, American actor
* November 20 - Nadine Velazquez, American actress and model
* November 21 – Yasmine Al Massri, International actress, dancer, video artist and human rights advocate
* November 23 – Kayvan Novak, British actor, voice actor, and comedian
* November 24 – Katherine Heigl, American actress
* November 25 – Taís Araújo, Brazilian actress
* November 26 – Jun Fukuyama, Japanese voice actor and singer
* November 28 – Jodie Resther, Canadian actress
* November 29 – Lauren German, American actress
* November 30
* Gael García Bernal, Mexican film actor, director, and producer
* December 1
** Camille Cottin, French actress and comedian
** Stefan Kapičić, Serbian actor
* December 6 - K. D. Aubert, American actress
* December 7
** Shiri Appleby, American actress
** Kristofer Hivju, Norwegian film actor, producer and writer
* December 8 – Ian Somerhalder, American actor
* December 9 – Jesse Metcalfe, American actor
* December 10 - Summer Phoenix, American actress
* December 12 - Gbenga Akinnagbe, American actor and writer
* December 13 – Cameron Douglas, American actor
* December 15 – Will Wikle, American actor and reality television personality
* December 16 – Joe Absolom, English actor
* December 17 – Douglas Tait, American actor, stuntman, filmmaker
* December 18
** Josh Dallas, American actor
** Katie Holmes, American actress
** Ravi Patel, American actor
* December 21
** Charles Dera, American pornographic actor, dancer, model, martial artist, and former U.S. Marine
** Mike Vitar, American actor
* December 22 – Mia Tyler, American actress, model, author, visual artist, media personality, socialite, fashion designer, talent manager and music promoter
* December 23 - Josh Cowdery, American actor
* December 24 – Carlson Twins, American actors, models
* December 25 – Jeremy Strong, American film, television, and stage actor
* December 27 - Lisa Jakub, Canadian writer and former actress
* December 28 – John Legend, American composer and actor
* December 30 – Tyrese Gibson, American actor, singer, model
* December 31 – Johnny Sins, pornographic actor, director, and Internet personality

## Deaths

| Month | Date | Name | Age | Country | Profession | Notable films |
| January | 5 | Sally Eilers | 69 | US | Actress | Bad GirlThe Black Camel |
| January | 12 | Arthur Sheekman | 76 | US | Screenwriter | Duck SoupSome Came Running |
| January | 23 | Jack Oakie | 74 | US | Actor | The Great DictatorLover Come Back |
| January | 26 | Leo Genn | 72 | UK | Actor | Quo VadisThe Longest Day |
| January | 27 | Oskar Homolka | 79 | Austria | Actor | SabotageI Remember Mama |
| January | 29 | Tim McCoy | 86 | US | Actor | Texas CycloneTwo-Fisted Law |
| February | 2 | Wendy Barrie | 69 | UK | Actress | The Hound of the BaskervillesThe Private Life of Henry VIII |
| February | 14 | Claude Binyon | 72 | US | Writer, Director | The Saxon CharmDreamboat |
| February | 15 | Ilka Chase | 77 | US | Actress | Now, VoyagerOcean's 11 |
| February | 18 | Kathleen Lockhart | 83 | UK | Actress | A Christmas CarolBewitched |
| February | 18 | Maggie McNamara | 48 | US | Actress | The Moon Is BlueThree Coins in the Fountain |
| February | 24 | Franco Arcalli | 48 | Italy | Screenwriter | Last Tango in ParisZabriskie Point |
| February | 28 | Philip Ahn | 72 | US | Actor | Never So FewParadise, Hawaiian Style |
| March | 12 | John Cazale | 42 | US | Actor | The GodfatherDog Day Afternoon |
| March | 16 | Reb Russell | 72 | US | Actor | Range WarfareBorder Vengeance |
| March | 18 | Peggy Wood | 86 | US | Actress | The Sound of MusicThe Story of Ruth |
| March | 24 | Leigh Brackett | 62 | US | Screenwriter | The Big SleepThe Empire Strikes Back |
| March | 25 | Leslie Fenton | 76 | UK | Actor, Director | Boys TownWhispering Smith |
| March | 25 | Jack Hulbert | 85 | UK | Actor | Bulldog JackJack Ahoy |
| March | 25 | Hanna Ralph | 92 | Germany | Actress | FaustHelena |
| March | 31 | Astrid Allwyn | 72 | US | Actress | Follow the FleetLove Affair |
| April | 1 | Lynne Roberts | 56 | US | Actress | Girls of the Big HousePort Sinister |
| April | 9 | Michael Wilson | 63 | US | Screenwriter | The Bridge on the River KwaiLawrence of Arabia |
| April | 13 | Paul McGrath | 74 | US | Actor | A Face in the CrowdAdvise & Consent |
| April | 22 | Will Geer | 76 | US | Actor | Winchester '73Bandolero! |
| May | 6 | Loyal Griggs | 71 | US | Cinematographer | White ChristmasShane |
| | 11 | Philip Ray | 79 | UK | Actor | A Night to RememberDracula: Prince of Darkness |
| | 12 | Robert Coogan | 53 | US | Actor | SkippyJohnny Doughboy |
| | 16 | Robert Florey | 78 | France | Director | The CocoanutsMurders in the Rue Morgue |
| June | 20 | Mark Robson | 64 | Canada | Director | Peyton PlaceThe Inn of the Sixth Happiness |
| June | 29 | Bob Crane | 49 | US | Actor | GusSuperdad |
| June | 30 | Frank Santillo | 65 | US | Editor | Grand PrixJunior Bonner |
| July | 3 | James Daly | 59 | US | Actor | Planet of the ApesThe Big Bounce |
| July | 14 | Jack Woolgar | 64 | UK | Actor | Death Line |
| July | 17 | Thayer David | 51 | US | Actor | RockyThe Eiger Sanction |
| July | 19 | Agnes Christine Johnston | 82 | US | Screenwriter | Life Begins for Andy HardyBlack Beauty |
| August | 5 | Queenie Smith | 79 | US | Actress | MississippiThe Killers |
| August | 13 | Ferenc Kiss | 86 | Hungary | Actor | Cafe MoscowThe Talking Rob |
| August | 23 | Agustín Isunza | 77 | Mexico | Actor | El TopoWild Flower |
| August | 24 | Louis Prima | 67 | US | Actor, Singer | The Jungle BookRose of Washington Square |
| August | 26 | Charles Boyer | 78 | France | Actor | GaslightAlgiers |
| August | 28 | Robert Shaw | 51 | UK | Actor | JawsThe Sting |
| August | 31 | Lee Garmes | 80 | US | Cinematographer | Detective StoryA Big Hand for the Little Lady |
| September | 3 | Karin Molander | 89 | Sweden | Actress | HalvblodErotikon |
| September | 9 | Jack L. Warner | 86 | Canada | Producer, Studio Executive | My Fair LadyCamelot |
| September | 12 | Frank Ferguson | 78 | US | Actor | Rancho NotoriousThe Good Humor Man |
| September | 18 | Ann Shoemaker | 87 | US | Actress | Sunrise at CampobelloAlice Adams |
| September | 24 | Ruth Etting | 80 | US | Singer, Actress | Roman ScandalsGift of Gab |
| September | 30 | Edgar Bergen | 75 | US | Actor, Ventriloquist | The Muppet MovieFun and Fancy Free |
| October | 10 | Kathryn McGuire | 74 | US | Actress | Sherlock Jr.The Navigator |
| October | 16 | Dan Dailey | 62 | US | Actor | It's Always Fair WeatherThere's No Business Like Show Business |
| October | 19 | Gig Young | 64 | US | Actor | They Shoot Horses Don't TheyThat Touch of Mink |
| October | 30 | Brian Hayles | 47 | UK | Screenwriter | Warlords of AtlantisArabian Adventure |
| November | 5 | Denis O'Dea | 73 | Ireland | Actor | Esther and the KingNiagara |
| November | 9 | Florence Marly | 59 | Czechoslovakia | Actress | Sealed VerdictTokyo Joe |
| November | 16 | Claude Dauphin | 75 | France | Actor | BarbarellaGrand Prix |
| November | 20 | Robert Alan Aurthur | 56 | US | Screenwriter | Grand PrixAll That Jazz |
| November | 23 | June Martel | 69 | US | Actress | Fighting YouthSanta Fe Stampede |
| November | 26 | Ford Beebe | 90 | US | Director | The Green HornetBuck Rogers |
| November | 27 | Susan Shaw | 44 | UK | Actress | Wide BoyFire Maidens from Outer Space |
| November | 28 | André Morell | 69 | UK | Actor | The Bridge on the River KwaiThe Hound of the Baskervilles |
| December | 7 | I. Stanford Jolley | 78 | US | Actor | King of the Rocket MenI Killed Wild Bill Hickok |
| December | 10 | Ed Wood | 54 | US | Director, Screenwriter, Actor | Glen or GlendaPlan 9 from Outer Space |
| December | 12 | Fay Compton | 84 | UK | Actress | OthelloThe Haunting |
| December | 15 | Chill Wills | 76 | US | Actor | The AlamoGiant |
| December | 19 | Duncan Lamont | 60 | UK | Actor | Frankenstein Created WomanBattle of Britain |
| December | 23 | Louis de Rochemont | 89 | US | Producer | WindjammerThe Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone |

## Film debuts

* Karen Allen – National Lampoon's Animal House
* Pedro Almodóvar (director) – Folle...folle...fólleme Tim!
* María Conchita Alonso – Savana – Sesso e diamanti
* Tomas Arana – Blood Feud
* Kevin Bacon – National Lampoon's Animal House
* Jonathan Banks – Coming Home
* Ellen Barkin – Up in Smoke
* Frances Bay – Foul Play
* Jim Belushi – The Fury
* Michael Biehn – Coach
* Roy Brocksmith – The Rip-Off
* Jake Busey – Straight Time
* Tommy Chong – Up in Smoke
* Billy Connolly – Absolution
* Billy Crystal – Rabbit Test
* Jamie Lee Curtis – Halloween
* E. G. Daily – Jukebox
* Eddie Deezen – Laserblast
* Julie Delpy – Guerres civiles en France
* R. Lee Ermey – The Boys in Company C
* Corey Feldman – Born Again
* Tovah Feldshuh – Nunzio
* William Forsythe – Long Shot
* Dennis Franz – The Fury
* Joe Grifasi – The Deer Hunter
* Harry Hamlin – Movie Movie
* Daryl Hannah – The Fury
* Mark Harmon – Comes a Horseman
* Woody Harrelson – Harper Valley PTA
* Ed Harris – Coma
* Phil Hartman – Stunt Rock
* Gregg Henry – Mean Dog Blues
* Mary Beth Hurt – Interiors
* John Kani – The Wild Geese
* Michael Keaton – Rabbit Test
* John Malkovich – A Wedding
* Joe Mantegna – Towing
* Cheech Marin – Up in Smoke
* Laurie Metcalf – A Wedding
* Liam Neeson – Pilgrim's Progress
* Natalia Nogulich – Stony Island
* Deborah Offner – Rush It
* Michael O'Keefe – Gray Lady Down
* Mandy Patinkin – The Big Fix
* Roddy Piper – The One and Only
* Tony Plana – The Boss's Son
* Annie Potts – Corvette Summer
* Robert Prosky – The Brink's Job
* David Rasche – An Unmarried Woman
* Christopher Reeve – Gray Lady Down
* James Remar – On the Yard
* Jean Reno – The Hypothesis of the Stolen Painting
* Peter Riegert – National Lampoon's Animal House
* Eric Roberts – King of the Gypsies
* Deborah Rush – Oliver's Story
* Diana Scarwid – Pretty Baby
* Gary Sinise – A Wedding
* James Spader – Team-Mates
* Mary Steenburgen – Goin' South
* Peter Stormare – The Score
* Carel Struycken – Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
* Rachel Ticotin – King of the Gypsies
* Tom Waits – Paradise Alley
* Alberta Watson – Power Play
* Norbert Weisser – Midnight Express
* George Wendt – A Wedding
* Alfre Woodard – Remember My Name
* Grace Zabriskie – They Went That-A-Way & That-A-Way
* Robert Zemeckis (director) – I Wanna Hold Your Hand