1979 deaths

Events

January

* January 1
** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the ''International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the song ''Chiquitita'' to commemorate the event.
** The United States and the People's Republic of China establish full Sino-American relations, diplomatic relations.
** Following a deal agreed during 1978, France, French carmaker Peugeot completes a takeover of American manufacturer Chrysler's Chrysler Europe, European operations, which are based in United Kingdom, Britain's former Rootes Group factories, as well as the former Simca factories in France.
* January 7 – Cambodian–Vietnamese War: The People's Army of Vietnam and Vietnamese-backed Kampuchean United Front for National Salvation, Cambodian insurgents announce the fall of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and the collapse of the Pol Pot regime. Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge retreat west to an area along the Thailand, Thai border, ending large-scale fighting.
* January 8 – Whiddy Island Disaster: The French tanker ''Betelgeuse'' explodes at the Gulf Oil terminal at Bantry, Ireland; 50 are killed.
* January 9 – The ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' is held at the United Nations General Assembly to raise money for UNICEF and promote the Year of the Child. It is broadcast the following day in the United States and around the world. Hosted by the Bee Gees, other performers include Donna Summer, ABBA, Rod Stewart and Earth, Wind & Fire. A soundtrack album is later released.
* January 16 – Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi flees Iran with his family, relocating to Egypt after a year of turmoil.
* January 19 – Former U.S. Attorney General John N. Mitchell is released on parole after 19 months at a federal prison in Alabama.
* January 22 – Uganda–Tanzania War: Battle of Mutukula: The Tanzanian military captures the Ugandan border town of Mutukula, Uganda, Mutukula after a short battle.
* January 25 – Pope John Paul II arrives in Mexico City for his first visit to Mexico, mainly for 1979's Latin American Episcopal Conference (CELAM) or Conference of Puebla.
* January 28 - Deng Xiaoping arrives in Washington, D.C. for the State visit by Deng Xiaoping to the United States, first visit of a paramount leader of the People's Republic of China to the United States.

February

* February 1 - Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returns to Tehran, Iran after nearly 15 years of exile.
* February 3 – Ayatollah Khomeini creates the Council of the Islamic Revolution.
* February 7
** Iranian Revolution: Supporters of Ayatollah Khomeini take over the Iranian law enforcement, courts, and government administration; the final session of the Iranian Islamic Consultative Assembly, National Consultative Assembly is held.
** Pluto moves inside Neptune's orbit for the first time since either was known to science.
** Nazi criminal Josef Mengele suffers a stroke and drowns while swimming in Bertioga, Brazilian military government, Brazil. His remains are found in 1985.
* February 10–February 11, 11 – The Iranian Revolution ends with the Iranian army withdrawing to its barracks leaving power in the hands of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Khomeini, ending the Pahlavi dynasty.
* February 11 – Uganda–Tanzania War: Battle of Simba Hills: The Tanzanian military began its assault on the Simba Hills near the town of Kakuuto, Uganda, Kakuuto.
* February 12 – Prime Minister Hissène Habré starts the Battle of N'Djamena in an attempt to overthrow Chad's President Félix Malloum.
* February 13
** An intense February 13, 1979 windstorm, windstorm strikes western Washington (state), Washington and sinks a long section of the Hood Canal Bridge.
** The Guardian Angels are formed in New York City as an unarmed organization of young crime fighters.
* February 14 – In Kabul, Muslim extremists kidnap the American ambassador to Afghanistan, Adolph Dubs, who is killed during a gunfight between his kidnappers and police.
* February 15 – A 1979 Warsaw gas explosion, suspected gas explosion in a Warsaw bank kills 49.
* February 17 – The People's Republic of China invades northern Vietnam, launching the Sino-Vietnamese War.
* February 18
**The 1979 Daytona 500 is televised on CBS, the first ever full airing of a 500-mile race on US television, Richard Petty wins after Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison battle for first place on the final lap and crash out, leading to a fist fight. This race brought NASCAR to a wider audience.
** The Khomeini government in Iran cuts Iran-Israel relations, diplomatic relations with Israel.
* February 21 – Uganda–Tanzania War: Battle of Gayaza Hills: A Tanzanian brigade successfully dislodged Ugandan forces from the Gayaza Hills. The battle is hard-fought, and the Tanzanians suffer their largest number of casualties in a single engagement of the war.
* February 22 – Saint Lucia becomes independent from the United Kingdom.
* February 26
** A Solar eclipse of February 26, 1979, total solar eclipse, the last visible from the continental United States until 2017, arcs over northwestern conterminous USA and central Canada ending in Greenland. A partial solar eclipse is visible over almost all of North America and Central America including the eastern half of Alaska and the western half of the UK.
** The Superliner (railcar), Superliner railcar enters revenue service with Amtrak.
* February 27
**The annual Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans is cancelled due to a strike called by the New Orleans Police Department.
**The Soviet oil tanker Antonio Gramsci (ship), ''Antonio Gramsci'' suffers a minor shipwreck in shallow waters shortly after leaving shore in Ventspils, resulting in a 5,000 ton oil spill, the largest that has ever occurred on the Baltic Sea.

March

* March 1
** 1979 Scottish devolution referendum, Scottish devolution referendum: Scotland votes in favour of a Scottish Assembly, which is not implemented due to failing a condition that at least 40% of the electorate must support the proposal; in a 1979 Welsh devolution referendum, Welsh devolution referendum, Wales votes against devolution.
** Philips publicly demonstrate a prototype of an Compact disc, optical digital audio disc at a press conference in Eindhoven, Netherlands.
* March 2 – Uganda–Tanzania War: Battle of Tororo: Ugandan rebels attack and capture the town of Tororo.
* March 4
** The U.S. ''Voyager 1'' spaceprobe photos reveal Jupiter's rings.
** Uganda–Tanzania War: Battle of Tororo: The Ugandan military retakes Tororo from rebels.
* March 5 – ''Voyager 1'' makes its closest approach to Jupiter at .
* March 7 – The largest Magnetar (Soft gamma repeater) event is recorded.
* March 8
**Philips demonstrates the compact disc publicly for the first time.
** Thousands of women participate in the International Women's Day Protests in Tehran, 1979 against the introduction of mandatory veiling during the Iranian revolution.
** Images taken by Voyager I proved the Volcanism on Io, existence of volcanoes on Io (moon), Io, a moon of Jupiter.
* March 10 – Uganda–Tanzania War: Battle of Lukaya: The Ugandan military, a Libyan expeditionary force and allied Palestine Liberation Organisation militants begin a counter-offensive against Tanzanian troops in south-central Uganda. The Ugandan-led alliance retakes Lukaya, Uganda, Lukaya after a short clash with the Tanzanian military.
* March 11 – Uganda–Tanzania War: Battle of Lukaya: The Tanzanian military counter-attacks at Lukaya, completely defeating the Ugandan-led alliance. This defeat permanently cripples the Ugandan military.
* March 13 – Maurice Bishop leads a successful coup in Grenada. His government will be crushed by Invasion of Grenada, American intervention in 1983.
* March 14 – In China, a Hawker Siddeley Trident crashes into a factory near Beijing, killing 31 people on the ground and injuring 200.
* March 16
**End of major hostilities in the Sino-Vietnamese War.
** In his letter to the United Nations, Elísio de Figueiredo, Elisio De Figueiredo, the People’s Republic of Angola’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, requests an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council on the question of South African Border War, South Africa’s continuous acts of aggression in Angola.
* March 17 – The Penmanshiel Tunnel in the UK collapses, killing two workers.
* March 19 - C-SPAN, an American television channel focusing on government and public affairs, is launched.
* March 18 – Ten miners die in a methane gas explosion at Golborne Colliery near Wigan, Greater Manchester, England.
* March 22 – The National Hockey League, NHL votes to approve its NHL–WHA merger, merger with the World Hockey Association, WHA, effective in the fall.
* March 25 – The first fully functional Space Shuttle orbiter, Space Shuttle Columbia, ''Columbia'', is delivered to the Kennedy Space Center, to be prepared for its first launch.
* March 26
** In a ceremony at the White House, President Anwar Sadat of Egypt and Prime Minister Menachem Begin of Israel sign an Egypt–Israel peace treaty.
** Michigan State Spartans men's basketball, Michigan State University, led by Magic Johnson, Earvin "Magic" Johnson, defeats Larry Bird-led Indiana State Sycamores men's basketball, Indiana State 75–64 in the 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, NCAA tournament 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Game, championship game at Salt Lake City.
* March 28
** In Britain, James Callaghan's minority Labour Party (UK), Labour government loses a motion of confidence by one vote, forcing a general election which is to be held on 3 May.
** America's most serious nuclear power plant accident occurs, at Three Mile Island accident, Three Mile Island, Pennsylvania.
* March 29 – Sultan Yahya Petra of Kelantan, the 6th Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Head of State) of Malaysia, dies in office. He is replaced by Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang.
* March 30 – Airey Neave, Conservative M.P. in the British House of Commons, is killed, presumably by an Irish National Liberation Army bomb in the car park for the Houses of Parliament.
* March 31
** The last British soldier (belonging to the Royal Navy) leaves the Maltese Islands, after 179 years of presence. Malta declares its Freedom Day (Jum il-Helsien).
** Milk and Honey (group), Milk and Honey win the Eurovision Song Contest 1979 for Israel, with the song ''Hallelujah (Milk and Honey song), Hallelujah''.

April

* April 1
** Iran's government becomes an Islamic Republic by a 98% vote, overthrowing the Shah officially.
** Nickelodeon launches from QUBE, QUBE's Pinwheel (TV series), Pinwheel experiment and begins airing on various Warner Cable systems beginning in Buffalo, New York, expanding its audience reach.
**Dale Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt Sr wins his first career NASCAR race at the 1979 Southeastern 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. He would go on to win 76 races and 7 championships during his career.
* April 1–April 18, 18 – Police lock Andreas Mihavecz in a holding cell in Bregenz, Austria and forget about him, leaving him there without food or drink.
* April 2 – Sverdlovsk anthrax leak: A Soviet Union, Soviet biowarfare laboratory at Yekaterinburg, Sverdlovsk accidentally releases airborne anthrax spores, killing 66 plus an unknown amount of livestock. It is a violation of the Biological Weapons Convention of 1972.
* April 2 - In Japan, the channel of TV Asahi premieres ''Doraemon''.
* April 4 – Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pakistani Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto is executed by hanging for the murder of a political opponent.
* April 6 – 1979 Nepalese student protests, Student protests break out in Nepal.
* April 7 – In Japan, Yoshiyuki Tomino directs ''Mobile Suit Gundam'', the first series of the metaseries of the same name.
* April 10 – A tornado hits Wichita Falls, Texas, killing 42 people (the most notable of 1979 Red River Valley tornado outbreak, 26 tornadoes that day).
* April 11 – Uganda–Tanzania War: Fall of Kampala: Tanzanian troops take Kampala, the capital of Uganda; Idi Amin flees.
* April 13 – The La Soufrière (volcano), La Soufrière volcano erupts in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
* April 14 – The Progressive Alliance of Liberia stages a protest, without a permit, against an increase in rice prices proposed by the government, with clashes between protestors and the police resulting over 70 deaths and over 500 injured.
* April 15 – 1979 Montenegro earthquake: A 6.9 shock affects Montenegro (then part of Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Yugoslavia) and parts of Albania, causing extensive damage to coastal areas and taking 136 lives; the old town of Budva is devastated.
* April 17 – Schoolchildren in the Central African Republic are arrested (and around 100 killed) for protesting against compulsory school uniforms. An African judicial commission later determines that Emperor Jean-Bédel Bokassa "almost certainly" took part in the massacre.
* April 22 – The Albert Einstein Memorial is unveiled at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C.
* April 23 – Fighting breaks out in London between the Anti-Nazi League and the Metropolitan Police's Special Patrol Group; protester Blair Peach receives fatal injuries during the incident, now officially attributed to the SPG.

May

* May 1 – Greenland is granted limited autonomy from Denmark, with its own Parliament of Greenland, Parliament sitting in Nuuk.
* May 3 – The 1979 United Kingdom general election for the House of Commons takes place, giving the Conservative Party (UK), Conservatives a majority, and electing Margaret Thatcher as the nation's first woman prime minister, ending the rule of James Callaghan's Labour Party (UK), Labour government.
* May 8 – Ten shoppers die in Woolworths fire, a fire at the Woolworths department store in Manchester city centre in England.
* May 9
** The Salvadoran Civil War begins.
** The Unabomber bomb injures Northwestern University graduate student John Harris.
* May 10 – The Federated States of Micronesia becomes self-governing.
* May 15 – Uganda–Tanzania War: Battle of Lira: Tanzania and its Uganda National Liberation Front allies capture Lira, Uganda, from the forces of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin.
* May 21
** Dan White is convicted of manslaughter, rather than murder, for the assassination of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk, after using what would become known as the "Twinkie defense" and persuading a jury that the crime was not premeditated. The maximum sentence is seven years imprisonment, with eligibility for early parole, prompting the "White Night riots" in the gay community.
** The Montreal Canadiens defeat the New York Rangers four games to one to win their fourth consecutive Stanley Cup.
* May 25
** American Airlines Flight 191: In Chicago, a McDonnell Douglas DC-10, DC-10 crashes during takeoff at O'Hare International Airport, killing all 271 on board and 2 people on the ground in the deadliest aviation accident in U.S. history.
** John Spenkelink is executed in Florida, in the first use of the electric chair in America after the reintroduction of the death penalty in 1976.
** Disappearance of Etan Patz, Etan Patz, 6 years old, is kidnapped in New York. He is often referred to as the "Boy on the Milk Carton" and the investigation later sprouts into one of the most famous child abduction cases of all time. This is a cold case until 2010 when it is re-opened. In April 2017, Pedro Hernandez is convicted of the murder and kidnapping and sentenced to life imprisonment.
* May 27 – 1979 Indianapolis 500, Indianapolis 500: Rick Mears wins the race for the first time, and car owner Roger Penske for the second time.

June

* June 1
** The Vizianagaram district is formed in Andhra Pradesh, India.
** The first black-led government of Rhodesia in 90 years takes power, in succession to Ian Smith and under his power-sharing deal, in the unrecognized republic of Zimbabwe Rhodesia.
** The Seattle SuperSonics win the NBA Championship against the Washington Bullets.
* June 2
** Pope John Paul II arrives in his native Poland on his first official, nine-day stay, becoming the first Pope to visit a Communist country. This visit, known as nine days that changed the world, brings about the solidarity of the Polish people against Communism, ultimately leading to the rise of the Solidarity (Polish trade union), Solidarity movement.
** Los Angeles' city council passes the city's first homosexual rights bill signed without fanfare by mayor Tom Bradley (American politician), Tom Bradley.
* June 3
** Ixtoc I oil spill: A blowout at the Ixtoc I oil well in the southern Gulf of Mexico causes at least 600,000 tons (176,400,000 gallons) of oil to be spilled into the waters, the worst oil spill to date. Some estimate the spill to be 428 million gallons, making it the largest unintentional oil spill until it is surpassed by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, ''Deepwater Horizon'' oil spill in 2010.
** 1979 Italian general election: The Italian Communist Party loses a significant number of seats.
* June 4
** Joe Clark becomes Canada's 16th and youngest Prime Minister.
** Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings takes power in Ghana after a military coup d'état, coup in which General officer, General Fred Akuffo is overthrown.
** Following the "Muldergate" Information Scandal, John Vorster resigns as State President of South Africa.Archontology.org: A Guide for Study of Historical Offices: South Africa: Heads of State: 1961–1994
Accessed 14 April 2017.
* June 7 – 1979 European Parliament election: The first direct elections to the European Parliament begin, allowing citizens from across all nine (at this time) member states of the European Union to elect 410 Member of the European Parliament, MEPs. It is also the first international election in history.
* June 12 – Bryan Allen (hang glider), Bryan Allen flies the man-powered ''Gossamer Albatross'' across the English Channel.
* June 15
** McDonald's introduces the Happy Meal in the United States in a nationwide advertising campaign after testing the product since February in franchises in the U.S. state of Missouri.
** The ecological horror-thriller ''Prophecy (film), Prophecy'' is theatrical release, released in the United States by Paramount Pictures.
* June 18 – Jimmy Carter and Leonid Brezhnev sign the SALT II agreement in Vienna.
* June 19 – Marais Viljoen becomes State President of South Africa.
* June 20 – A Nicaraguan National Guard soldier kills American Broadcasting Company, ABC TV news correspondent Bill Stewart (television journalist), Bill Stewart and his interpreter Juan Espinosa. Other members of the news crew capture the killing on tape.
* June 22
**''The Muppet Movie'' is released.
** Former Liberal Party (UK), Liberal Party leader Jeremy Thorpe was acquitted of Thorpe affair, conspiracy to murder Norman Josiffe, Norman Scott, who had accused Thorpe of having a relationship with him.
* June 23 – New South Wales Premier Neville Wran officially opens the Eastern Suburbs Railway in Sydney. It operates as a shuttle between Central and Bondi Junction until full integration with the Illawarra Line in 1980.
* June 24 – The Permanent Peoples' Tribunal, an international opinion tribunal, is founded in Bologna at the initiative of Senator Lelio Basso.
* June 25 – NATO Supreme Allied Commander Alexander Haig escapes an assassination attempt in Belgium by the Red Army Faction, Baader-Meinhof terrorist organization.

July

* July 1
** Sweden outlaws corporal punishment in the home.
** The Sony Walkman goes on sale for the first time in Japan.
* July 3 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter signs the first directive for secret aid to the opponents of the pro-Soviet regime in Afghanistan.
* July 5 – Queen Elizabeth II attends the millennium celebrations of the Isle of Man's Parliament, Tynwald.
* July 8 – Los Angeles passes its gay and lesbian civil rights bill.
* July 9 – A car bomb destroys a Renault owned by Nazi hunters Serge and Beate Klarsfeld at their home in France. A note purportedly from ODESSA claims responsibility.
* July 11 – NASA's first orbiting space station, ''Skylab'', begins falling back Earth as its orbit decays after more than six years.
* July 12
** The Gilbert Islands become fully independent of the United Kingdom as Kiribati.
** A ''Disco Demolition Night'' publicity stunt goes awry at Comiskey Park, forcing the Chicago White Sox to Forfeit (baseball), forfeit their game against the Detroit Tigers.
** Carmine Galante, boss of the Bonanno crime family, is assassinated in Brooklyn.
** A Hotel Corona de Aragón fire, fire at a hotel in Zaragoza, Spain, leaves 72 dead, the worst hotel fire in Europe in decades.
* July 15 – President Jimmy Carter addresses the nation in a televised speech talking about the "crisis of confidence in America today"; it would go on to be known as his "national malaise" speech.
* July 16 – Iraqi President Hasan al-Bakr resigns and Vice President Saddam al-Tikriti, more commonly referred to in the Western press as "Saddam Hussein", replaces him.
* July 17 – Nicaraguan president General Anastasio Somoza Debayle resigns and flees to Miami.
* July 21
** The Sandinista National Liberation Front concludes a successful revolutionary campaign against the Somoza dynasty and assumes power in Nicaragua.
** Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo becomes prime minister of Portugal.
** Maritza Sayalero of Venezuela wins the Miss Universe 1979, Miss Universe pageant; the stage collapses after contestants and news photographers rush to her throne.
** The disco music genre dominates and peaks on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart, with the first six spots (beginning with Donna Summer's ''Bad Girls (Donna Summer song), Bad Girls''), and seven of the chart's top ten songs ending that week.
* July 22 – 1979 Ba'ath Party Purge: Ba'athist Iraq, Iraqi president Saddam Hussein arranges the arrest and later execution of nearly seventy members of his ruling Ba'ath Party (Iraqi-dominated faction), Ba'ath Party.
* July 28 – Morarji Desai resigns as India's prime minister and Charan Singh succeeds him.

August

* August 3 – Dictator Francisco Macías Nguema of Equatorial Guinea is overthrown in a bloody coup d'état led by Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.
* August 4 – Opening game of the ''German Football League, American Football Bundesliga'' played between Frankfurter Löwen and Düsseldorf Panther, first-ever league game of American football in Germany.
* August 5 – The Polisario Front signs a peace treaty with Mauritania. Mauritania withdraws from the Western Sahara territory it had occupied, and cedes it to the SADR.
* August 6 - Bauhaus (band), Bauhaus releases their debut single "Bela Lugosi's Dead", considered to be the first gothic rock release.
* August 8 – Two American commercial divers, Richard Walker and Victor Guiel, die of hypothermia after their diving bell Wildrake diving accident, becomes stranded at a depth of over in the East Shetland Basin. The legal repercussions of the accident will lead to important safety changes in the diving industry.
* August 9 – Raymond Washington, co-founder of the Crips, today one of the largest, most notorious gangs in the United States, is killed in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles; the killers have not yet been identified.
* August 10 – Michael Jackson releases his breakthrough album ''Off the Wall''. It sells 7 million copies in the United States alone, making it a 7× platinum album.
* August 11
** The former Mauritanian province of Tiris al-Gharbiyya in Western Sahara is annexed by Morocco.
** The 1979 Machchhu dam failure, Machchu-2 dam in Morbi, India, collapses, killing between 1800 and 25000 people in one of the worst ever dam failures.
* August 14 – 1979 Fastnet race, A freak storm during the Fastnet Race results in the deaths of 15 sailors.
* August 17 – The controversial religious satirical film ''Monty Python's Life of Brian'' premieres in the United States.
* August 27 – Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, Lord Mountbatten of Burma and two others are killed in a bombing on his boat in the Republic of Ireland by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA). Mountbatten was a British admiral, statesman and an uncle of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, The Duke of Edinburgh. On the same day, the Warrenpoint ambush occurs, killing 18 British soldiers. Doreen Knatchbull, Baroness Brabourne would die in a hospital the following day from injuries sustained in the bombing.
* August 29 – A national referendum is held in which Somalia, Somali voters approve a new liberal constitution, promulgated by Siad Barre, President Siad Barre to placate the United States.

September

* September 1
** The U.S. ''Pioneer 11'' becomes the first spacecraft to visit Saturn when it passes the planet at a distance of .
** Sri Lanka Army Women's Corps is formed.
* September 7 – The first cable sports channel, the Entertainment Sports Programming Network (better known as ESPN), is launched in the United States.
* September 9 – The long-running comic strip ''For Better or For Worse'' begins its run, in Canada, before becoming syndicated elsewhere in North America and the world.
* September 12 – Hurricane Frederic makes landfall at 10:00 p.m. on Alabama's Gulf Coast.
* September 13 – South Africa grants independence to the "homeland" of Venda (not recognised outside South Africa).
* September 16
** East German balloon escape: Two families flee from East Germany by balloon.
** The Sugarhill Gang release ''Rapper's Delight'' in the United States, the first rap Single (music), single to become a Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
* September 20 – French paratroopers help David Dacko to overthrow Jean-Bédel Bokassa, Emperor Bokassa in the Central African Republic.
* September 22 – Vela incident: The "South Atlantic Flash" is observed near the Prince Edward Islands in the Indian Ocean, thought to be a nuclear weapons test conducted by South Africa and Israel.
* September 29 – The overthrown dictator Francisco Macías Nguema of Equatorial Guinea is convicted of genocide and executed by firing squad.
* September 30 – The Hong Kong MTR metro begins service with the opening of its Modified Initial System, the Kwun Tong Line.

October

* October 1 – Nigeria terminates military rule, and the Second Nigerian Republic is established.
* October 1–October 7, 7 – Pope John Paul II visits the United States, starting in Boston.
* October 1 – The MTR, the rapid transit railway system in Hong Kong, opens.
* October 2 – Pope John Paul II arrives in New York City for his first papal tour where he addresses the U.N. General Assembly against all forms of concentration camps and torture.
* October 6 – Federal Reserve System changes from an interest rate target policy to a money supply target policy.
* October 7 – Pope John Paul II ends his first U.S. papal visit in Washington, D.C. with his first-ever visit to the White House.
* October 9 – Peter Brock wins the Bathurst 1000 by a record six laps, with a lap record on the last lap.
* October 12
** Near Guam, Typhoon Tip reaches a record intensity of 870 millibars, the lowest pressure recorded at sea level. This makes Tip the most powerful tropical cyclone in known world history.
** Thorbjörn Fälldin returns as Prime Minister of Sweden, replacing Ola Ullsten who is named Foreign Minister of Sweden.
** ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'', the first novel by Douglas Adams, is published in the United Kingdom
* October 14 – National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, National March for LGBT rights by country or territory, gay rights takes place in Washington, D.C., involving tens of thousands of people.
* October 15 – Black Monday (Malta), Black Monday events, in which members of a political group sack a newspaper office, unfold in Malta.
* October 16 – A 1979 Nice tsunami, tsunami in Nice, France kills 23 people.
* October 17 – The Pittsburgh Pirates become only the fourth Major League Baseball, MLB team (as well as the only MLB franchise to accomplish the feat twice) to recover from a 3-games-to-1 deficit to win the 1979 World Series.
* October 19 – 13 U.S. Marines die in a fire at Camp Fuji, Japan as a result of Typhoon Tip.
* October 20 – The first McDonald's in Singapore opens at Liat Towers in Orchard Road.
* October 26 –
**Park Chung-hee, the President of South Korea, is assassinated by KCIA director Kim Jae-gyu.
**The eradication of the smallpox virus is announced by the World Health Organization, making smallpox the first of only two human diseases that have been driven to extinction (rinderpest in 2011 being the other).
* October 27 – Saint Vincent and the Grenadines gains independence from the UK.
* October 31 – Western Airlines Flight 2605 crashes upon landing at Mexico City International Airport, killing 72 occupants plus one on the ground; 16 people on board survive.

November

* November 1
** Military coup in Bolivia.
** Iran hostage crisis: Iranian Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini urges his people to demonstrate on November 4 and to expand attacks on United States and Israeli interests.
* November 2
** French police shoot gangster Jacques Mesrine in Paris.
** Assata Shakur (née Joanne Chesimard), a former member of the Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army, escapes from a New York prison to Cuba, where she remains under political asylum.
* November 3 – In Greensboro, North Carolina, five members of the Communist Workers' Party (United States), Communist Workers Party are shot to death and seven are wounded by a group of Ku Klux Klan, Klansmen and neo-Nazis, during a "Death to the Klan" rally.
* November 4 – Iran hostage crisis begins: 500 Iranian radicals, mostly students, invade the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and take 90 hostages (53 of whom are American). They demand that the United States send the former Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Shah of Iran back to stand trial.
* November 5
** All Saints' Massacre: The military junta in Bolivia initiates a violent crack-down on its opponents.
** The radio news program ''Morning Edition'' premieres on National Public Radio in the United States.
* November 6 – At Montevideo, Uruguay, the International Olympic Committee adopts a resolution, whereby Taiwan Olympic and sports teams will participate with the name Chinese Taipei in future Olympic Games and international sports tournaments and championships.
* November 7 – U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy announces that he will challenge President Jimmy Carter for the 1980 Democratic Party (United States), Democratic presidential nomination.
* November 9
** The Carl Bridgewater murder trial ends in England with all four men found guilty. James Robinson, 45, and 25-year-old Vincent Hickey are sentenced to life imprisonment with a recommended 25-year minimum for murder. 18-year-old Michael Hickey is also found guilty of murder and sentenced to indefinite detention. Patrick Molloy, 53, is found guilty on a lesser charge of manslaughter and sentenced to 12 years in prison.
** Nuclear false alarm: the NORAD computers and the Alternate National Military Command Center in Fort Ritchie, Maryland, detect an apparent massive Soviet Union, Soviet Nuclear warfare, nuclear strike. After reviewing the raw data from satellites and checking the early-warning radars, the alert is cancelled.
* November 10 – 1979 Mississauga train derailment: A 106-car Canadian Pacific freight train carrying explosive and poisonous chemicals from Windsor, Ontario, Canada derails in Mississauga, just west of Toronto, causing a massive explosion and the largest peacetime evacuation in Canadian history and one of the largest in North American history.
* November 12
** Iran hostage crisis: In response to the hostage situation in Tehran, U.S. President Jimmy Carter orders a halt to all Petroleum, oil imports into the United States from Iran.
** Süleyman Demirel, of the Justice Party (Turkey), Justice Party (AP) forms the new government of Turkey (43rd government, a minority government).
* November 13 - Ronald Reagan announced his candidacy for President of the United States.
* November 14 – Iran hostage crisis: U.S. President Jimmy Carter issues Executive Order 12170, freezing all Iranian assets in the United States and U.S. banks in response to the hostage crisis.
* November 15 – British art historian and former Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures Anthony Blunt's role as the "fourth man" of the 'Cambridge Five' double agents for the Soviet Union, Soviet NKVD during World War II is revealed by Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom; she gives further details on November 21.
* November 16 – Bucharest Metro Line One is opened, in Bucharest, Romania (from Timpuri Noi to Semanatoarea stations, ).
* November 17 – Iran hostage crisis: Iranian leader Ruhollah Khomeini orders the release of 13 female and African American hostages being held at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran.
* November 20 – Grand Mosque seizure: A group of 200 Juhayman al-Otaybi militants occupy Mecca's Masjid al-Haram, the holiest place in Islam. They are driven out by Saudi military forces after bloody fighting that leaves 250 people dead and 600 wounded.
* November 21 – After false radio reports from the Ayatollah Khomeini that the Americans had occupied the Grand Mosque in Mecca, the United States Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan is attacked by a mob and set afire, killing 4, and disturbing Pakistan–United States relations.
* November 23 – In Dublin, Ireland, Provisional Irish Republican Army member Thomas McMahon (Irish republican), Thomas McMahon is sentenced to life in prison for the assassination of Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, Lord Mountbatten of Burma.
* November 25 – The last cargo of phosphate was shipped from Banaba Island in Kiribati in the South Pacific ocean, bringing an end to the island's chief industry.
* November 28 – Air New Zealand Flight 901: an Air New Zealand McDonnell Douglas DC-10, DC-10 crashes into Mount Erebus in Antarctica on a sightseeing trip, killing all 257 people on board.
* November 30 – ''The Wall'', a rock opera and concept album by Pink Floyd, is first released.

December

* December 3
** The Who concert disaster: Eleven fans are killed during a crowd crush for unreserved seats before The Who rock concert at the Riverfront Coliseum in Cincinnati.
** The United States dollar exchange rate with the Deutsche Mark falls to 1.7079 DM, the all-time low so far; this record is not broken until November 5, 1987.
** Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini becomes the first Supreme Leader of Iran.
* December 4 – The Hastie fire in Kingston upon Hull, England, leads to the deaths of 3 boys and begins the hunt for Bruce George Peter Lee, the UK's most prolific killer.
* December 5 – Jack Lynch resigns as Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland; he is succeeded by Charles Haughey.
* December 6 – The world premiere of ''Star Trek: The Motion Picture'' is held at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
* December 12
** The NATO Double-Track Decision: is the decision of NATO from December 12, 1979, to offer the Warsaw Pact a mutual limitation of medium-range ballistic missiles and intermediate-range ballistic missiles combined with the threat that in case of disagreement NATO would deploy more middle-range nuclear weapons in Western Europe, following the so-called "Euromissile Crisis".
** The 8.2 1979 Tumaco earthquake, Tumaco earthquake shakes Colombia and Ecuador with a maximum Mercalli intensity scale, Mercalli intensity of IX (''Violent''), killing 300–600, and generating a large tsunami.
** Coup d'état of December Twelfth: South Korean Army Major General Chun Doo-hwan orders the arrest of Army Chief of Staff General Jeong Seung-hwa without authorization from President Choi Kyu-hah, alleging involvement in the assassination of ex-President Park Chung-hee.
** The unrecognised state of Zimbabwe Rhodesia returns to British control and resumes using the name Southern Rhodesia.
* December 13 – The government of Canada falls in a non-confidence motion.
* December 15 – The directorial debut of Hayao Miyazaki, ''The Castle of Cagliostro'' based on the manga series ''Lupin III'' is released in Japan.
* December 21 – A ceasefire for Rhodesia is signed at London.
* December 23 – The highest aerial tramway in Europe, the Klein Matterhorn, opens.
* December 24
** The Soviet Union covertly launches its Soviet–Afghan War, invasion of Afghanistan - 3 days later, People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan, PDPA general secretary Hafizullah Amin is executed in Operation Storm-333 and Babrak Karmal replaces him, beginning the war.
** The first European Ariane 1, Ariane rocket is launched.
* December 26 – In Rhodesia, 96 Patriotic Front guerrillas enter the capital Harare, Salisbury to monitor a ceasefire that begins December 28.

Date unknown

* The One-child policy is introduced in China – it contributes to Missing women of China. It was loosened in 2013.
* Hànyǔ Pīnyīn is widely adopted as the official romanization system for Standard Chinese, leading to changes in Western spelling of Chinese toponyms.
* VisiCalc becomes the first Commerce, commercial Spreadsheet#Autoplan/Autotab spreadsheet programming language, spreadsheet program.
* The first usenet experiments are conducted by Tom Truscott and Jim Ellis (computing), Jim Ellis of Duke University.
* Worldwide per capita oil production reaches a historic peak oil, peak.
* The remains of Tsar Nicholas II and some of the Romanovs are discovered and exhumed near Sverdlovsk (now Yekaterinburg).
* NBC introduces a new version of its famous peacock, used in conjunction with the 1975-style N, for the 1979 in American television, Fall season.
*''Onde Tem Bruxa Tem Fada'', book is published.
* Citic Group, China International Trust Investment Group (CITIC) founded.

Births

January

* January 1
** Brody Dalle, Australian singer
** Vidya Balan, Indian actress
** Gisela (singer), Gisela, Spanish pop singer and voice actress
* January 2
**Erica Hubbard, American actress
**Jagmeet Singh, Canadian politician, leader of the New Democratic Party
* January 3
** Koit Toome, Estonian singer and musical actor
** Rie Tanaka, Japanese voice actress
* January 4 – Kevin Kuske, German Olympic bobsledder
* January 6
** Christina Chanée, Danish-Thai pop singer
** Bernice Liu, Hong Kong actress
* January 7
** Bipasha Basu, Indian actress and model
** Christian Lindner, German politician
* January 8
** Sarah Polley, Canadian actress, writer, director, producer and political activist
** Seol Ki-hyeon, South Korean footballer
** Stipe Pletikosa, Croatian football goalkeeper
* January 9
** Tomiko Van, Japanese singer (Do As Infinity)
** Bipasha Basu, Indian actress and model
** Hannah Yeoh, Malaysian politician
* January 11
** Terence Morris, American basketball player
**Siti Nurhaliza, Malaysian singer
* January 12
** Marián Hossa, Slovak ice hockey player
** Lee Bo-young, South Korean actress and model
** Grzegorz Rasiak, Polish footballer
* January 13
** María de Villota, Spanish racing driver (d. 2013)
* January 15
** Drew Brees, American football player
** Martin Petrov, Bulgarian footballer
* January 16 – Aaliyah, American R&B singer and actress (d. 2001)
* January 17 – Sharon Chan, Hong Kong actress
* January 18
** Jay Chou, Taiwanese singer, song producer and actor
** Paulo Ferreira, Portuguese footballer
** Leo Varadkar, 14th Taoiseach of Ireland
* January 19 – Svetlana Khorkina, Russian artistic gymnast
* January 20
** Rob Bourdon, American drummer (Linkin Park)
** Asaka Kubo, Japanese gravure idol
** Will Young, English singer
* January 21
** Brian O'Driscoll, Irish rugby union player
** Inul Daratista, Indonesian dangdut singer
** Johann Hari, Scot-Swiss Journalist and author
* January 23 – Larry Hughes, American basketball player
* January 24 – Tatyana Ali, American actress
* January 25 – Christine Lakin, American actress
* January 26
** Antônio Carlos Magalhães Neto, ACM Neto, Brazilian lawyer and politician
** Sara Rue, American actress
* January 27
** Daniel Vettori, New Zealand cricketer
* January 29 – B. J. Flores, American boxer
* January 31 – Jenny Wolf, German speed skater

February

* February 1
** Julie Augustyniak, American footballer
** Mahek Chahal, Norwegian actress and model
** Valentín Elizalde, Mexican singer (d. 2006)
** Peter Fulton, New Zealand cricketer
** Rachelle Lefevre, Canadian actress
** Clodoaldo Silva, Brazilian paralympian swimmer
* February 2
** David Paisley, Scottish actor
** Fani Chalkia, Greek athlete
** Mayer Hawthorne, American soul singer
** Christine Lampard, Northern Irish television presenter
** Shamita Shetty, Indian actress and interior designer
** Yuichi Tsuchiya, Japanese actor
* February 4
**Andrei Arlovski, Belarusian mixed martial artist
** Jodi Shilling, American actress
** Tabitha Brown (actress), Tabitha Brown, American actress
* February 5
** Paulo Gonçalves (motorcyclist), Paulo Gonçalves, Portuguese rally racing motorcycle rider (d. 2020)
** Katie Brambley, Canadian distance freestyle swimmer
* February 6 – David Dolníček, Czech ice hockey player
* February 7
** Cerina Vincent, American actress and writer
** Michał Karwan, Polish footballer
** Tawakkol Karman, Yemeni politician, Nobel Peace Prize laureate
* February 8
** Josh Keaton, American actor
** Martin Rowlands, Irish footballer
** Aleksey Mishin (wrestler), Aleksey Mishin, Russian wrestler
* February 9
** Zhang Ziyi, Chinese actress and model
** Irina Slutskaya, Russian figure skater
* February 10
** Paul Waggoner, American guitarist (Between the Buried and Me)
* February 11 – Brandy Norwood, African-American singer and actress
* February 12
** Antonio Chatman, American football player
** Jesse Spencer, Australian actor
* February 13
** Anders Behring Breivik, Norwegian Right-wing terrorism, far-right terrorist responsible for the 2011 Norway attacks
** Mena Suvari, American actress
** Rafael Márquez, Mexican footballer
* February 14 – Jocelyn Quivrin, French actor (d. 2009)
* February 15 – Gordon Shedden, Scottish race car driver
* February 16
** Valentino Rossi, Italian seven-time Grand Prix motorcycle racing#MotoGP class, MotoGP world champion
** Eric Mun, leader of Korean boy-band Shinhwa
* February 19
** Mariana Ochoa, Mexican singer and actress
** Vitas, Ukrainian and Russian singer and actor
* February 20 – Song Chong-gug, South Korean footballer
* February 21
** Maria Annus, Estonian actress
** Carly Colón, Puerto Rican professional wrestler
** Jennifer Love Hewitt, American actress and singer
** Jordan Peele, American actor, comedian, writer, director, and producer
* February 25 – László Bodnár, Hungarian footballer
* February 26
** Corinne Bailey Rae, British singer-songwriter and guitarist
** Susana Diazayas, Mexican actress
** Ngô Thanh Vân, Norwegian-Vietnamese actress, singer and model
* February 28
** Michael Bisping, British mixed martial artist
** Sébastien Bourdais, French racing driver
** Sander van Doorn, Dutch DJ and electronic music producer

March

* March 1 – Iurie Chiorescu, Moldova politician
* March 4
** Ben Fouhy, New Zealand flatwater canoeist
** Geoff Huegill, Australian swimmer
** Jon Fratelli, Scottish singer (The Fratellis)
* March 5
** Martin Axenrot, Swedish metal drummer
** Riki Lindhome, American actress and comedian
** Tang Gonghong, Chinese weightlifter
* March 6 – Érik Bédard, Canadian pitcher
* March 7
** Stephanie Anne Mills, Canadian voice actress
** Ricardo Rosselló, Puerto Rican politician, Governor of Puerto Rico
* March 8
** Jasmine You, Japanese musician (d. 2009)
** Tom Chaplin, British singer (Keane (band), Keane)
* March 9
** Oscar Isaac, Guatemalan-American actor
** Melina Perez, American professional wrestler
* March 12 – Pete Doherty, British singer and guitarist (The Libertines, Babyshambles)
* March 13 – Johan Santana, Venezuelan baseball player
* March 14
** Nicolas Anelka, French footballer
** Gao Ling, Chinese badminton player
** Chris Klein (actor), Chris Klein, American actor
** Michele Riondino, Italian actor
* March 16 – Adriana Fonseca, Mexican actress and dancer
* March 17 – Samoa Joe, American professional wrestler
* March 18
** Shola Ama, English singer
** Adam Levine, American singer (Maroon 5)
* March 19
** Emil Dimitriev, Macedonian politician, Prime Minister
** Hedo Türkoğlu, Turkish basketball player
* March 20
**Daniel Cormier, American retired mixed martial artist
** Freema Agyeman, British actress
** Molly Jenson, American musician
** Bianca Lawson, American actress
* March 21 – Jimenez Lai, American architect
* March 23
** Mark Buehrle, American baseball player
** Bryan Fletcher (American football), Bryan Fletcher, American football player
* March 25
** Lee Pace, American actor
** Traxamillion, American producer rapper
** Gorilla Zoe, American rapper
* March 28
** Shakib Khan, Bangladeshi film actor, producer, singer, film organiser and media personalities
* March 29 – Estela Giménez, Spanish gymnast
* March 30
** Daniel Arenas, Colombian-Mexican actor
** Norah Jones, American musician
** Jose Pablo Cantillo, American actor

April

* April 2
** Lindy Booth, Canadian actress
** Jesse Carmichael, American musician (Maroon 5)
* April 3
** Grégoire (musician), Grégoire, French singer-songwriter
** Živilė Balčiūnaitė, Lithuanian long-distance runner
* April 4
** Heath Ledger, Australian actor and music video director (d. 2008)
** Roberto Luongo, Canadian ice hockey goaltender
** Maksim Opalev, Russian canoeist
* April 8
** Mohamed Kader, Togolese footballer
** Alexi Laiho, Finnish musician (Children of Bodom) (d. 2020)
** David Petruschin, American drag queen
* April 9
** Sebastián Silva (director), Sebastián Silva, Chilean director, actor, screenwriter, painter and musician
** Keshia Knight Pulliam, African-American actress
** Mario Matt, Austrian alpine skier
* April 10
** Ryan Agoncillo, Filipino actor and TV personality
** Rachel Corrie, American activist and diarist (d. 2003)
** Tsuyoshi Domoto, Japanese entertainer (KinKi Kids)
** Sophie Ellis-Bextor, British singer
* April 11
** Sebastien Grainger, Canadian singer and musician
** Michel Riesen, Swiss ice hockey player
** Josh Server, American actor
* April 12
** Claire Danes, American actress
** Jennifer Morrison, American actress
* April 13 – Baron Davis, American basketball player
* April 14
** Pedro Andrade, Brazilian journalist and model
** Rebecca DiPietro, American model
** Pierre Roland, Indonesian actor
* April 15 – Luke Evans, Welsh actor and singer
* April 17 – Sung Si-kyung, South Korean singer
* April 18
** Michael Bradley (basketball), Michael Bradley, American basketball player
** Anthony Davidson, English racing driver
** Yusuke Kamiji, Japanese actor
** Kourtney Kardashian, American reality television star
* April 19
** Kate Hudson, American actress and co-founder of Fabletics
** Antoaneta Stefanova, Bulgarian chess player
* April 20 – Teoh Beng Hock, Malaysian journalist (d. 2009)
* April 21
** Cindy Kurleto, Filipina-Austrian model and TV personality
** James McAvoy, Scottish actor
** Karin Rask, Estonian actress
* April 22 – Daniel Johns, Australian musician (Silverchair)
* April 23
** Jaime King, American actress
** Yana Gupta, Indian actress of Czech origin
* April 24
** Laurentia Tan, Singaporean Paralympic equestrienne
** Avey Tare, American musician
** Adam Andretti, American race car driver
* April 25
** Andreas Küttel, Swiss ski jumper
** Andrea Osvárt, Hungarian actress
* April 27 – Travis Meeks, American musician (Days of the New)
* April 28 – Bahram Radan, Iranian actor
* April 29
** Jo O'Meara, English singer (S Club 7)
* April 30 – Shelley Calene-Black, American voice actress

May

* May 1
** Roman Lyashenko, Russian ice hockey player (d. 2003)
** Lars Berger, Norwegian biathlete and cross-country skier
** Mauro Bergamasco, Italian rugby union player
* May 2 – Jason Chimera, Canadian ice hockey player
* May 3
** Danny Foster (musician), Danny Foster, English singer (Hear'Say)
** Ingrid Isotamm, Estonian actress
* May 4
** Lance Bass, American singer (NSYNC)
** Wes Butters, English broadcaster
* May 5 – Vincent Kartheiser, American actor
* May 6
** Mark Burrier, American cartoonist
** Kerry Ellis, English stage actress and singer
** Gerd Kanter, Estonian discus thrower
** Jon Montgomery, Canadian former skeleton racer and television personality; host of ''The Amazing Race Canada''
* May 8 – Wendy Armoko, Indonesian singer, actor, presenter and comedian
* May 9
** Pierre Bouvier, Canadian musician
** Rosario Dawson, American actress
* May 10
** Marieke Vervoort, Belgian athlete (d. 2019)
** Lee Hyori, South Korean entertainer
* May 12 – Adrian Serioux, Canadian soccer player
* May 13
** Mickey Madden, American musician (Maroon 5)
** Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland
* May 14 – Urijah Faber, WEC Featherweight Champion
* May 15 – James Mackenzie (actor), James Mackenzie, Scottish actor and TV presenter
* May 16
** Brandon Lee (pornographic actor), Brandon Lee, Filipino-American gay pornographic film actor
** Jessica Morris, American actress
* May 18
** Mariusz Lewandowski, Polish footballer
** Michal Martikán, Slovak slalom canoeist
** Jens Bergensten ("Jeb"), Swedish game designer and co-founder of the game company Mojang
* May 19
** Andrea Pirlo, Italian footballer
** Diego Forlán, Uruguayan football player
* May 20 – Andrew Scheer, Canadian politician
* May 21 – Sonja Vectomov, Czech-Finnish electronic musician and composer
* May 22
** Maggie Q, American actress
**Nazanin Boniadi, Iranian-British-American actress
* May 23 – Rasual Butler, American basketball player (d. 2018)
* May 24
** Frank Mir, American mixed martial artist
** Tracy McGrady, American basketball player
* May 25 – Jonny Wilkinson, English rugby union player
* May 26
** Ashley Massaro, American professional wrestler and model (d. 2019)
** Elisabeth Harnois, American actress
* May 27 – Michael Buonauro, American comic creator
* May 28 – Jesse Bradford, American actor
* May 29 – Brian Kendrick, American wrestler
* May 30
** Mike Bishai, Canadian ice hockey player
** Clint Bowyer, American race car driver
** Rie Kugimiya, Japanese voice actress and singer

June

* June 1
** TheFatRat, German musician and producer
** Markus Persson, Markus "Notch" Persson, Swedish video game programmer, designer and creator of Minecraft
** Rhea Santos, Filipina journalist based in Canada
* June 2
** Choirul Huda, Indonesian professional footballer and civil servant (d. 2017)
** Morena Baccarin, Brazilian actress
* June 5
** François Sagat, French male gay porn film actor, model and director
** Pete Wentz, American musician, lyricist and bassist (Fall Out Boy)
* June 6 – Murder of Shanda Sharer, Shanda Sharer, American murder victim (d. 1992)
* June 7
** Anna Torv, Australian actress
** Kevin Hofland, Dutch footballer
* June 8
** Pete Orr, Canadian baseball player
** Eddie Hearn, British promoter
* June 9 – Émilie Loit, French tennis player
* June 10 – Lee Brice, American country music singer-songwriter
* June 12
** Robyn, Swedish singer-songwriter
** Amandine Bourgeois, French singer
** Diego Milito, Argentine football player
** Jodie Prenger, British actress
* June 13
** Nila Håkedal, Norwegian beach volleyball player
** Ágnes Csomor, Hungarian actress
* June 14
** Paradorn Srichaphan, Thai tennis player
* June 15 – Yulia Nestsiarenka, Belarusian athlete
* June 16 – Ari Hest, American singer-songwriter
* June 17 – Young Maylay, American actor, record producer and rapper
* June 18
** Yumiko Kobayashi, Japanese voice actress
** Chris Neil, Canadian ice hockey player
** Pini Balili, Israeli-Turkish footballer and manager
** Ivana Wong, Hong Kong singer-songwriter
* June 19
** John Duddy, Irish boxer
** Kate Tsui, Hong Kong actress
* June 21
** Chris Pratt, American actor
** Makasini Richter, Tongan rugby league player
* June 22
** Sandra Klösel, German tennis player
** Jai Rodriguez, American actor and musician
* June 23
** Marilyn Agliotti, Dutch field hockey player
** LaDainian Tomlinson, American football player
* June 24
** Petra Němcová, Czech model
** Joaquín de Orbegoso, Peruvian actor
** Craig Shergold, British cancer patient
** Mindy Kaling, American actress, comedian and author
* June 25
** Busy Philipps, American film actress
* June 26
** Ryan Tedder, American singer (OneRepublic), songwriter and producer
** Julia Benson, Canadian actress
* June 27
** Cazwell, American rapper and songwriter
** Scott Taylor (politician), Scott Taylor, American politician
** Fabrizio Miccoli, Italian professional footballer
* June 28
** Felicia Day, American actress, writer, director, violinist and singer
** Randy McMichael, American football player
* June 29
** Lee Hee-joon, South Korean actor
** Abz Love, English singer (Five (band), 5ive)
** Marleen Veldhuis, Dutch swimmer
** Yehuda Levi, Israeli actor and male model
** Liliana Castro, Ecuadorian-born Brazilian actress
** Artur Avila, Brazilian and French mathematician
* June 30
** Rick Gonzalez, American actor
** Ed Kavalee, Australian comedian, actor, radio and television host
** Faisal Shahzad, Pakistani-American bomber
** Matisyahu, Jewish-American reggae vocalist, beatboxer and alternative rock musician
** Nelson Lucas, Seychellois sprinter
** Christopher Jacot, Canadian actor
** Andy Burrows, English songwriter and musician

July

* July 1
** Danisa Phiri, Zimbabwean footballer
** Forrest Griffin, American mixed martial arts fighter
** Patrik Baboumian, German-Iranian strongman competitor, strength athlete and bodybuilder
* July 2
** Diana Gurtskaya, Georgian singer
** Sam Hornish Jr., American race car driver
** Ayiesha Woods, American singer
* July 3
** Sayuri Katayama, Japanese actress, singer and lyricist
** Ludivine Sagnier, French model and actress
* July 4 – Kevin Thoms, American actor and voice actor
* July 5
** Oh Dae-hwan, South Korean actor
** Shane Filan, Irish singer (Westlife)
** Amélie Mauresmo, French tennis player
** Darine Hamze, Lebanese actress
* July 6
** Mohsen Bengar, Iranian footballer
** Kevin Hart, American actor, comedian, writer and producer
* July 7
** Pat Barry (kickboxer), Pat Barry, American kickboxer and mixed martial artist
** Douglas Hondo, Zimbabwean cricketer
** Shebly Niavarani, Swedish actor
** Amanda Françozo, Brazilian television presenter and model
* July 8 – Ben Jelen, Scottish-born American former singer-songwriter
* July 9
** Ella Koon, Hong Kong actress
** Gary Chaw, Malaysian Chinese singer
* July 10
** Gong Yoo, South Korean actor
** Dimitri Soudas, Canadian political consultant
* July 11
** Im Soo-jung, South Korean actress
** Marina Gatell, Spanish actress
* July 12
** Nikos Barlos, Greek basketball player and coach
** Justin Rockefeller, American venture capitalist and political activist
** Sam Golzari, British actor
* July 13
** Dejan Ćirjaković, Serbian actor, screenwriter and musician
** Daniel Galera, Brazilian writer, translator and editor
** Holly Gauthier-Frankel, Canadian voice actress
** Ladyhawke (musician), Ladyhawke, New Zealand singer-songwriter
* July 14
** Axel Teichmann, German cross-country skier
** Scott Porter, American actor and singer
** Cristián Verón, Argentine footballer
* July 15
** Laura Benanti, American actress and singer
** Travis Fimmel, Australian fashion model and actor
** Philipp Karner, American actor, writer and director
* July 16
** Landy Wen, Taiwanese singer
** Jayma Mays, American actress and singer
** Kinya Kotani, Japanese singer
** Kim Rhode, American double trap and skeet shooter
* July 17
** Mike Vogel, American actor
** Brendan James, American piano-based singer/songwriter
* July 18
** Rick Baxter, American politician
** Jason Weaver, American actor and singer
* July 19
** Malavika (actress), Malavika, Indian actress
** David Sakurai, Danish-Japanese actor, director, scriptwriter and martial artist
** Bruno Cabrerizo, Brazilian football player, model and actor
* July 20
** Claudine Barretto, Filipino film actress, television actress, entrepreneur and product endorser
** Marcos Mion, Brazilian TV host, actor, voice actor and businessman
** Milan Nikolić (musician), Milan Nikolić, Serbian accordionist
** Adam Rose, South African professional wrestler
** Amr Shabana, Egyptian squash player
* July 22 – Parvesh Cheena, American actor
* July 23 – Michelle Williams (singer), Michelle Williams, American singer and actress
* July 24
** Rose Byrne, Australian actress
** Lee Si-yeon, South Korean actress
** Stat Quo, American rapper
* July 25
** Juan Pablo Di Pace, Argentinian actor and singer
** Allister Carter, English snooker player
* July 26
** Johnson Beharry, British recipient of the Victoria Cross
** Tamyra Gray, American singer
** Derek Paravicini, British pianist
** Hamudi Salman, Arab-Israeli professional football player
** Peter Sarno, Canadian ice hockey player
** Mageina Tovah, American actress
* July 27
** Marielle Franco, Brazilian politician (d. 2018)
** Jorge Arce, Mexican boxer
** Shannon Moore, American professional wrestler
* July 30
** Carlos Arroyo, Puerto Rican basketball player
** Show Lo, Taiwanese singer
** Graeme McDowell, Northern Irish professional golfer
** Maya Nasser, Syrian journalist (d. 2012)
* July 31 – B. J. Novak, American actor, director and producer

August

* August 1
** Jason Momoa, American actor
** Junior Agogo, Ghanaian footballer (d. 2019)
** Honeysuckle Weeks, British actress
* August 3
** Evangeline Lilly, Canadian actress and author of children's literature
** Maria Haukaas Mittet, Norwegian recording artist
* August 4 – Patryk Dominik Sztyber, Polish rock musician
* August 5 – David Healy (footballer), David Healy, Northern Irish footballer
* August 7 – Miguel Llera, Spanish footballer
* August 10
** JoAnna Garcia, American actress
** Ted Geoghegan, American screenwriter
* August 11
** Drew Nelson (actor), Drew Nelson, Canadian actor and voice actor
** Bubba Crosby, American baseball player
* August 12
** Peter Browngardt, American cartoonist
** Cindy Klassen, Canadian speed skater
* August 13 – Taizō Sugimura, Japanese politician
* August 15
** Carl Edwards, American race car driver
** Peter Shukoff, American comedian, musician and personality
* August 16
** Sarah Balabagan, Filipina prisoner and singer
* August 19 – Oumar Kondé, Swiss footballer
* August 20 – Jamie Cullum, English jazz pianist and singer
* August 22
**Matt Walters, American football player
**Angelu de Leon, Filipina actress
* August 23
** Mulan Jameela, Indonesian singer and politician
** Ritchie Neville, English singer (Five (band), 5ive)
* August 24
** Elva Hsiao, Taiwanese singer
** Michael Redd, American basketball player
* August 25 – Andrew Hussie, American artist
* August 26
** Jamal Lewis, American football player
** Cristian Mora, Ecuadorian footballer
* August 27
** Giovanni Capitello, American filmmaker and actor
** Tian Liang, Chinese diver
** Aaron Paul, American actor
* August 28
** Robert Hoyzer, German football referee
** Yuki Maeda, Japanese singer
** Shane Van Dyke, American actor
* August 29 – Justine Pasek, Miss Universe 2002
* August 30
** Leon Lopez, British actor, film director, singer-songwriter and occasional model
** Tavia Yeung, Hong Kong actress
** Niki Chow, Hong Kong actress
* August 31
** Mickie James, American professional wrestler
** Simon Neil, Scottish musician (vocalist, guitarist, songwriter), Biffy Clyro Marmaduke Duke
** Yuvan Shankar Raja, Indian film composer

September

* September 1 – Neg Dupree, British comedian
* September 2
** Ron Ng, Hong Kong actor
** Łukasz Żygadło, Polish volleyball player
* September 3 – Júlio César (football goalkeeper, born 1979), Júlio César, Brazilian football goalkeeper
* September 4 – Maxim Afinogenov, Russian ice hockey player
* September 5
** John Carew, Norwegian footballer
** Stacey Dales, Canadian basketball player and sportscaster
* September 6 – Ned Collette, Australian singer and musician
* September 7 – Nathan Hindmarsh, Australian rugby league player
* September 8
** Pink (singer), Pink, American singer and actress
**Ashraf Sinclair, English-Malaysian actor (d. 2020)
* September 10 – Mustis, Norwegian pianist
* September 11
** Ariana Richards, American actress
** Eric Abidal, French footballer
** Cameron Richardson, American actress and model
* September 12
** Michelle Dorrance, American tap dancer
** Jay McGraw, American author, son of TV psychologist Dr. Phil McGraw
* September 13 – Ivan Miljković, Serbian volleyball player
* September 14
** Stuart Fielden, English rugby league player
** Chris John (boxer), Chris John, Indonesian former featherweight boxing champion
** Kamya Panjabi, Indian television actress
* September 15
** Dave Annable, American actor
** Amy Davidson, American actress
** Edna Kiplagat, Edna Ngeringway Kiplagat, Kenyan long-distance runner
** Patrick Marleau, Canadian ice hockey player
* September 16
** Fanny (singer), Fanny, French singer
** Flo Rida, African-American rapper
** Soo Ae, South Korean actress
* September 17
** Akin Ayodele, American football player
** Chuck Comeau, Canadian drummer
* September 18
** Junichi Inamoto, Japanese footballer
** Alison Lohman, American actress
* September 19 – Noémie Lenoir, French supermodel
* September 20 – David Long (New Zealand musician), David Long, New Zealand musician
* September 22 – MyAnna Buring, Swedish-English actress
* September 23 – Lote Tuqiri (rugby, born 1979), Lote Tuqiri, Fijian-Australian rugby player
* September 24
** Justin Bruening, American actor and model
** Erin Chambers, American actress
** Katja Kassin, German porn actress
** Julia Clarete, Filipina actress
* September 25
** Rashad Evans, American retired mixed martial artist
** Michele Scarponi, Italian road bicycle racer (d. 2017)
* September 26
** Naomichi Marufuji, Japanese professional wrestler
** Taavi Rõivas, Prime Minister of Estonia
* September 27
** Zoltán Horváth (basketball), Zoltán Horváth, Hungarian basketball player (d. 2009)
** Shinji Ono, Japanese football player
** Nathan Foley (singer), Nathan Foley, Australian performer
* September 28
** Bam Margera, American skateboarder
** Anndi McAfee, American actress and voice actress
* September 29
** Gaitana (singer), Gaitana, Ukrainian singer and songwriter of Ukrainian and Congolese descent
** Artika Sari Devi, Putri Indonesia 2004
* September 30
** Mike Damus, American actor
** Vince Chong, Malaysian singer
** Juho Kuosmanen, Finnish film director and screenwriter

October

* October 1
** Rudi Johnson, American football player
** Senit, Italian singer of Eritrean descent
** Marko Stanojevic, English-born Italian rugby union player
* October 2 – Brianna Brown, American actress
* October 3
** Matt Davis (comedian), Matt Davis, American stand-up comedian
** Josh Klinghoffer, American musician (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
** John Morrison (wrestler), John Hennigan, American professional wrestler
* October 4
** Caitriona Balfe, Irish model and actress
** Brandon Barash, American actor
** Rachael Leigh Cook, American actress
** Adam Voges, Australian cricketer
* October 5 – Gao Yuanyuan, Chinese actress
* October 7
** Aaron Ashmore, Canadian film and television actor
** Shawn Ashmore, Canadian film and television actor
** Simona Amânar, Romanian gymnast
** Tang Wei, Chinese actress
* October 8 – Kristanna Loken, American actress and model
* October 9
** Csézy, Hungarian singer
** Vernon Fox, American football player
** Alex Greenwald, American singer-songwriter, producer and actor (Phantom Planet and Phases (band), JJAMZ)
** Todd Kelly, Australian race car driver
** Chris O'Dowd, Irish actor and comedian
** DJ Rashad, Chicago-based electronic musician, producer and DJ (d. 2014)
** Hendrik Odendaal, South African swimmer
** Brandon Routh, American actor
** Gonzalo Sorondo, Uruguayan footballer
* October 10
** Wu Chun, Bruneian actor, model and singer
** Nicolás Massú, Chilean tennis player
** Mýa, American singer and actress
* October 11
** Bae Doona, South Korean actress
** Gabe Saporta, Uruguayan singer (Cobra Starship)
* October 13
** Ryan Malcolm, Canadian singer
** Mamadou Niang, Senegalese footballer
* October 14 – Stacy Keibler, American actress and model
* October 15 – Jaci Velasquez, American Christian singer
* October 16 – Erin Brown, American actress
* October 17 – Kimi Räikkönen, Finnish 2007 Formula 1 world champion
* October 18 – Ne-Yo, African-American singer and songwriter
* October 19 – Marc Elliott, British actor
* October 20
** John Krasinski, American actor
** Paul O'Connell, Irish rugby union player
**Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden, American filmmaker
* October 23
** Jorge Solís, Mexican professional boxer
** Prabhas, Indian actor
* October 25 – Sarah Thompson (actress), Sarah Thompson, American actress
* October 26 – Jonathan Chase (actor), Jonathan Chase, American actor
* October 28
** Brett Dennen, American folk/pop singer and songwriter
**Glover Teixeira, Brazilian-American mixed martial artist
** Jawed Karim, German and Bangladeshi-American software engineer, Internet entrepreneur and co-founder of YouTube
** Martin Škoula, Czech ice hockey player
* October 30 – Yukie Nakama, Japanese actress

November

* November 1
** Coco Crisp, American baseball player
** Atsuko Enomoto, Japanese voice actress
** Milan Dudić, Serbian footballer
* November 2
** Marián Čišovský, Slovak footballer (d. 2020)
** Erika Flores, American actress
* November 3
** Pablo Aimar, Argentine footballer
** Tim McIlrath, American rock singer, songwriter (Rise Against)
* November 4 – Audrey Hollander, American porn actress
* November 5
** Leonardo Nam, Australian actor
** Tarek Boudali, French actor
** Patrick Owomoyela, German Footballer of Nigerian descent
* November 6
** Lamar Odom, African-American retired basketball player
** Myolie Wu, Hong Kong actress
* November 7 – Jon Peter Lewis, American singer and songwriter
* November 8
** Aaron Hughes, Northern Irish footballer
** Dania Ramirez, Dominican actress
** Dash Berlin, Dutch DJ and music producer
** Salvatore Cascio, Italian actor
* November 9
** Cory Hardrict, American actor
** Darren Trumeter, American actor and comedian
* November 12
** Matt Cappotelli, American professional wrestler (d. 2018)
** Cote de Pablo, Chilean actress
** Matt Stevic, Australian rules football umpire
* November 13
** Henry Wolfe, American actor and musician
** Metta World Peace, American basketball player
* November 14
** Mavie Hörbiger, German actress
** Olga Kurylenko, Ukrainian model and actress
** Mpule Kwelagobe, Miss Universe 1999
* November 17 – Matthew Spring, English footballer
* November 18 – Neeti Mohan, Indian playback singer
* November 19
** Barry Jenkins, American film director, producer, and screenwriter
** Larry Johnson (running back), Larry Johnson, American football player
** Michelle Vieth, American born Mexican actress and model
* November 20 – Ericson Alexander Molano, Colombian gospel singer
* November 21 – Kim Dong-wan, South Korean singer and actor
* November 22
** Chris Doran, Irish singer
** Scott Robinson (singer), Scott Robinson, English singer (Five (band), 5ive)
** Njabuliso Simelane, Swaziland international footballer
* November 23
** Ivica Kostelić, Croatian alpine skier
** Kelly Brook, English actress and model
* November 25 – Joel Kinnaman, Swedish-American actor
* November 27
** Ricky Carmichael, American motorcycle and stock car racer
** Hilary Hahn, American violinist
* November 28
** Dane Bowers, English singer-songwriter (Another Level (group), Another Level)
** Jamie Korab, Canadian curler
** Hakeem Seriki, African-American rapper (Chamillionaire)
** Daniel Henney, American actor and model
* November 29
** Simon Amstell, English comedian and writer
** Jayceon Taylor, American rapper (The Game (rapper), The Game)
* November 30
** Diego Klattenhoff, Canadian actor
** Andrés Nocioni, Argentinian basketball player

December

* December 2
** Sabina Babayeva, Azerbaijani singer
** Yvonne Catterfeld, German singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality
* December 3
** Daniel Bedingfield, English pop singer and songwriter
** Rock Cartwright, American football player
** Robby Mook, American former political campaign strategist and campaign manager
** Tiffany Haddish, American actress and comedian
* December 7
** Eric Bauza, Canadian comedian and voice actor
** Sara Bareilles, American singer, songwriter and pianist
** Ayako Fujitani, Japanese actress
** Jennifer Carpenter, American actress
* December 8 – Ingrid Michaelson, American indie pop singer-songwriter
* December 10 – Keiko Nemoto, Japanese voice actress
* December 11 – Rider Strong, American actor, director, producer and screenwriter
* December 12
** Emin Agalarov, Azerbaijani-Russian singer-songwriter and businessman
** Barulaganye Bolofete, Botswana footballer
* December 14
** Chris Cheng, American sport shooter
** Michael Owen, English footballer
* December 15
** Adam Brody, American actor
** Eric Young (wrestler), Eric Young, Canadian wrestler
** Lee Carr, African-American singer and songwriter
* December 16
** Trevor Immelman, South African golfer
** Brodie Lee, American professional wrestler (d. 2020)
** Daniel Narcisse, French handball player
** Mihai Trăistariu, Romanian singer and musician
* December 17
**Jaimee Foxworth, American actress and model
**Erion Veliaj, Albanian politician, Mayor of Tirana
* December 19
** Kevin Devine, American songwriter and musician
** Paola Rey, Colombian actress and model
** Tara Summers, English actress
* December 20
** Flávio Amado, Flávio, Angolan footballer
** Ramón Rodríguez (actor), Ramon Rodriguez, Puerto Rican actor
* December 21 – Rutina Wesley, American actress
* December 22 – Petra Majdič, Slovene cross-country skier
* December 23
** Jacqueline Bracamontes, Mexican actress and beauty contest winner (Nuestra Belleza México 2000)
** Kenny Miller, Scottish football player
* December 25 – Ferman Akgül, vocalist of Turkish nu-metal band Manga (band), maNga
* December 26
** Chris Daughtry, American singer and guitarist
** Dimitry Vassiliev, Russian ski jumper
* December 28
** James Blake (tennis), James Blake, American tennis pro
** André Holland, American actor
** Bree Williamson, Canadian actress
** B-Tight, Robert Edward Davis, German-American rapper
** Zach Hill, American drummer (Death Grips)
* December 29 - Diego Luna, Mexican actor
*December 30
** Milana Terloeva, Chechen journalist and author
** Yelawolf, American rapper
* December 31
** Bob Bryar, American drummer (My Chemical Romance)
** Elaine Cassidy, Irish actress
** Josh Hawley, American politician, United States Senate, U.S. Senator (Republican Party (United States), R-Missouri, MO) from 2019

Deaths

January

* January 3 – Conrad Hilton, American hotelier (b. 1887)
* January 4 – Vincent Korda, Hungarian art director (b. 1897)
* January 5
** Billy Bletcher, American actor (b. 1894)
** Charles Mingus, American musician (b. 1922)
* January 11 – Jack Soo, Japanese-born American actor (b. 1917)
* January 13 – Donny Hathaway, American musician (b. 1945)
* January 15 – Charles W. Morris, American philosopher and semiotician (b. 1901)
* January 16 – Ted Cassidy, American actor (b. 1932)
* January 22 – Ali Hassan Salameh, Palestinian Leader of Black September and mastermind of the 1972 Munich Massacre (b. 1940)
* January 26 – Nelson Rockefeller, List of Vice Presidents of the United States, 41st Vice President of the United States (b. 1908)
* January 27 – Victoria Ocampo, Argentine publisher, writer and critic (b. 1890)

February

* February 1
** William H. Brockman Jr., United States Navy admiral (b. 1904)
** Abdi İpekçi, Turkish journalist and human rights activist (b. 1929)
* February 2
** Issa Pliyev, Soviet general (b. 1903)
** Sid Vicious, English musician (b. 1957)
* February 7 – Josef Mengele, German officer and physician (b. 1911)
* February 10
** Edvard Kardelj, Slovene general, economist, and politician, 2nd Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Yugoslavia), Foreign Minister of Yugoslavia (b. 1910))
** Karl von Eberstein, German politician (b. 1894)
* February 12 – Jean Renoir, French film director and actor (b. 1894)
* February 14 – Reginald Maudling, British politician (b. 1917)
* February 17 – William Gargan, American actor (b. 1905)
* February 20 – Nereo Rocco, Italian footballer and manager (b. 1912)
* February 25 – Henrich Focke, German aviation pioneer (b. 1890)

March

* March 1
** Mustafa Barzani, Iraqi Kurdish politician (b. 1903)
** Dolores Costello, American actress (b. 1903)
* March 15 – Léonide Massine, Russian dancer and choreographer (b. 1896)
* March 18 – Marjorie Daw (actress), Marjorie Daw, American actress (b. 1902)
* March 19 – Richard Beckinsale, British actor (b. 1947)
* March 22 – Ben Lyon, American actor (b. 1901)
* March 24 – Yvonne Mitchell, English actress (b. 1915)
* March 26 – Jean Stafford, American writer (b. 1915)
* March 29 – Sultan Yahya Petra ibni Almarhum Sultan Ibrahim Petra, Sultan of Kelantan and 6th King of Malaysia (b. 1917)
* March 30
** Airey Neave, British politician (assassinated) (b. 1916)
** José María Velasco Ibarra, Ecuadorian politician, 24th President of Ecuador (b. 1893)

April

* April 4
** Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, 9th Prime Minister of Pakistan and 4th President of Pakistan (executed) (b. 1928)
** Edgar Buchanan, American actor (b. 1903)
* April 10 – Nino Rota, Italian composer (b. 1911)
* April 11 – Hassan Pakravan, Iranian diplomat (b. 1911)
* April 19 – Wilhelm Bittrich, German ''Waffen SS'' general (b. 1894)
* April 23 – Blair Peach, New Zealand-born, British teacher (b. 1946)
* April 24 – John Carroll (actor), John Carroll, American actor (b. 1906)
* April 27 – Phan Huy Quát, 4th Prime Minister of the Republic of Vietnam, Prime Minister of South Vietnam (b. 1908)

May

* May 1 – Morteza Motahhari, Iranian cleric and politician (b. 1919)
* May 2 – Giulio Natta, Italian chemist, Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1903)
* May 6 – Milton Ager, American songwriter (b. 1893)
* May 8 – Talcott Parsons, American sociologist (b. 1902)
* May 11
** Joan Chandler, American actress (b. 1923)
** Barbara Hutton, American socialite (b. 1912)
* May 13 – Predrag Đajić, Bosnian Serb and Yugoslavs, Yugoslav association football, footballer (b. 1922)
* May 14 – Jean Rhys, Dominican novelist (b. 1890)
* May 16 – A. Philip Randolph, African-American civil rights activist (b. 1889)
* May 27 – Ahmed Ould Bouceif, Mauritanian military officer, second Prime Minister of Mauritania (b. 1934)
* May 29 – Mary Pickford, Canadian-American actress and producer (b. 1892)

June

* June 1
** Ján Kadár, Czechoslovakian film director (b. 1918)
** Jack Mulhall, American actor (b. 1887)
* June 2 - Jim Hutton, American actor (b. 1934)
* June 5 – Heinz Erhardt, German comedian, musician, entertainer, actor and poet (b. 1909)
* June 6 – Jack Haley, American actor (b. 1897)
* June 8 - Reinhard Gehlen, German general, 20 July Plotter (b. 1902)
* June 9 - Cyclone Taylor, Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1884)
* June 11
** John Wayne, American Academy Award-winning actor and film director (b. 1907)
** Loren Murchison, American Olympic athlete (b. 1898)
* June 13 – Darla Hood, American actress (b. 1931)
* June 16 – Nicholas Ray, American film director, screenwriter and actor (b. 1911)
* June 22 – Louis Chiron, Monacan Grand Prix driver (b. 1899)
* June 25 – Dave Fleischer, American animator (b. 1894)
* June 26 – Akwasi Afrifa, Ghanaian soldier and politician, List of heads of state of Ghana, Head of state (1969–1970) (b. 1936)
* June 28 – Philippe Cousteau, French diver and cinematographer (b. 1940)
* June 29 – Lowell George, American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer (b. 1945)

July

* July 2 – Carlyle Smith Beals, Canadian astronomer (b. 1899)
* July 3 – Louis Durey, French composer (b. 1888)
* July 4 – Theodora Kroeber, American writer and anthropologist (b. 1897)
* July 6
** Antonio María Barbieri, Uruguay Roman Catholic cardinal (b. 1892)
** Van McCoy, American musician noted for his 1975 hit "The Hustle (song), The Hustle" (b. 1940)
* July 8
** Elizabeth Ryan, American 30 Grand Slam (tennis) Tennis Champion (b. 1892)
** Shin'ichirō Tomonaga, Japanese physicist, Nobel Prize in Physics, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1906)
** Michael Wilding (actor), Michael Wilding, English actor (b. 1912)
** Robert Burns Woodward, American chemist, Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1917)
* July 10 – Arthur Fiedler, American conductor (''Boston Pops'') (b. 1894)
* July 12 – Minnie Riperton, American rhythm and blues singer (''Lovin' You'') (b. 1947)
* July 13 – Corinne Griffith, American actress and author (b. 1894)
* July 15
** Gustavo Díaz Ordaz, Mexican politician, 49th President of Mexico, 1964-1970 (b. 1911)
** Juana de Ibarbourou, Uruguayan poet (b. 1892)
* July 16 – Alfred Deller, English countertenor (b. 1912)
* July 17 – Edward Akufo-Addo, Ghanese politician and lawyer, 5th President of Ghana (b. 1906)
* July 20 – Herbert Butterfield, Sir Herbert Butterfield, English philosopher and historian (b. 1900)
* July 22 – Sándor Kocsis, Hungarian footballer (b. 1929)
* July 28 – George Seaton, American screenwriter and director (b. 1911)
* July 29 – Herbert Marcuse, German-American philosopher, sociologist and political theorist (b. 1898)

August

* August 2
** Víctor Raúl Haya de la Torre, Peruvian politician, founder and leader of American Popular Revolutionary Alliance, APRA party (b. 1895)
** Thurman Munson, American baseball player (b. 1947)
* August 3 – Bertil Ohlin, Swedish economist and Liberal politician, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences (b. 1899)
* August 6 – Feodor Lynen, German biochemist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (b. 1911)
* August 9 – Walter O'Malley, American baseball executive (b. 1903)
* August 10
** Dick Foran, American actor (b. 1910)
** Mohammad Nur Ahmad Etemadi, Afghan politician, 9th Prime Minister of Afghanistan (b. 1921)
* August 12 – Ernst Chain, German-born British biochemist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1906)
* August 16 – John Diefenbaker, 13th Prime Minister of Canada (b. 1895)
* August 17 – Vivian Vance, American actress and singer (b. 1909)
* August 19 – Saad Jumaa, Prime Minister of Jordan (b. 1916)
* August 21 – Stuart Heisler, American film and television director (b. 1896)
* August 24
** Ahmad Daouk, Lebanese politician, 12th Prime Minister of Lebanon (b. 1892)
** Hanna Reitsch, German aviator (b. 1912)
* August 25 – Stan Kenton, American jazz pianist (b. 1911)
* August 26
** Alvin Karpis, American criminal (b. 1907)
** Mika Waltari, Finnish author (b. 1908)
* August 27 – Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, British Viceroy of India (assassinated) (b. 1900)
* August 30 (body found on September 8) – Jean Seberg, American actress (b. 1938)
* August 31 – Sally Rand, American dancer (b. 1904)

September

* September 1 – Doris Kenyon, American actress (b. 1897)
* September 2 – Felix Aylmer, British actor (b. 1889)
* September 5 – Alberto di Jorio, Italian Roman Catholic cardinal (b. 1884)
* September 9 – Norrie Paramor, British music producer (b. 1914)
* September 10 – Agostinho Neto, Angolan poet and politician, 1st President of Angola (b. 1922)
* September 16
** Giò Ponti, Italian architect, industrial designer, furniture designer and artist (b. 1891)
** Rob Slotemaker, Indonesian-born, Dutch Formula 1 racing car driver (b. 1929)
* September 20
** Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah, Sultan of Terengganu and 4th King of Malaysia (b. 1907)
** Ludvík Svoboda, 8th President of Czechoslovakia (b. 1895)
* September 22
** Abul A'la Maududi, Pakistani journalist and philosopher (b. 1903)
** Otto Robert Frisch, Austrian-born British physicist (b. 1904)
* September 24 – Carl Laemmle Jr., American film studio executive (b. 1908)
* September 25 – Yury Kovalyov, Soviet footballer (b. 1934)
* September 26
** John Cromwell (director), John Cromwell, American film director and actor (b. 1887)
** Arthur Hunnicutt, American actor (b. 1910)
* September 27
** Gracie Fields, British actress (b. 1898)
** Jimmy McCulloch, Scottish guitarist (Paul McCartney & Wings) (b. 1953)
* September 29
** Francisco Macías Nguema, 1st President of Equatorial Guinea (executed) (b. 1924)
** Ivan Wyschnegradsky, Russian composer (b. 1893)

October

* October 1 – Dorothy Arzner, American film director (b. 1897)
* October 6 – Elizabeth Bishop, American poet (b. 1911)
* October 9 – Nur Muhammad Taraki, Afghan revolutionary communist politician, journalist and writer (b. 1917)
* October 15 – Jacob L. Devers, American army general (b. 1887)
* October 16 – Johan Borgen, Norwegian author (b. 1903)
* October 18 – Virgilio Piñera, Cuban author, playwright and poet (b. 1912)
* October 22 – Nadia Boulanger, French composer and composition teacher (b. 1887)
* October 23 – Antonio Caggiano, Argentine cardinal (b. 1889)
* October 25
** Maphevu Dlamini, 2nd Prime Minister of Swaziland (b. 1922)
** Gerald Templer, British field marshal (b. 1898)
* October 26 – Park Chung-hee, Korean politician, 3rd President of the Republic of Korea (South Korea) (assassinated) (b. 1917)
* October 27 – Father Charles Coughlin, Canadian-born American priest and controversial conservative radio show commentator (b. 1891)
* October 30
** Barnes Wallis, British aeronautical engineer (b. 1887)
** Rachele Mussolini, Italian, wife of Benito Mussolini (b. 1890)

November

* November 1
** Albert Préjean, French actor (b. 1894)
** Mamie Eisenhower, 34th First Lady of the United States (b. 1896)
* November 2 – Jacques Mesrine, French criminal; known as the "French Robin Hood" (b. 1936)
* November 5
** Al Capp, American cartoonist (b. 1909)
** Amedeo Nazzari, Italian actor (b. 1907)
* November 8 – Yvonne de Gaulle, French political wife of former President of France Charles de Gaulle (b. 1900)
* November 11 – Dimitri Tiomkin, Russian film composer (b. 1894)
* November 17 – Immanuel Velikovsky, Russian author and psychiatrist (b. 1895)
* November 23
** Merle Oberon, British actress (b. 1911)
** Judee Sill, American singer and songwriter (b. 1944)
* November 26 – Marcel L'Herbier, French movie-maker (b. 1888)
* November 30 – Zeppo Marx, American actor and comedian (b. 1901)

December

* December 3 – Dhyan Chand, Indian hockey player (b. 1905)
* December 5 – Sonia Delaunay, Russian-born French artist (b. 1885)
* December 7 – Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, British-born American astronomer and astrophysicist (b. 1900)
* December 9 – Fulton J. Sheen, American Roman Catholic bishop and venerable (b. 1895)
* December 10 – Ann Dvorak, American actress (b. 1911)
* December 11 – James J. Gibson, American psychologist and academic (b. 1904)
* December 13 – Jon Hall (actor), Jon Hall, American actor (b. 1915)
* December 15 – Ethel Lackie, American Olympic swimmer (b. 1907)
* December 16 – Vagif Mustafazadeh, Azerbaijani jazz musician (b. 1940)
* December 21 – Ermindo Onega, Argentine footballer (b. 1940)
* December 22 – Darryl F. Zanuck, American film producer (b. 1902)
* December 23
** Peggy Guggenheim, American art collector (b. 1898)
** Ernest B. Schoedsack, American film producer and director (b. 1893)
* December 24 – Rudi Dutschke, German radical student leader (b. 1940)
* December 25
** Joan Blondell, American actress (b. 1906)
** Lee Bowman, American actor (b. 1914)
* December 26 – Helmut Hasse, German mathematician (b. 1898)
* December 27 – Hafizullah Amin, 2nd General Secretary of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan, People's Democratic Party and Chairman of the Revolutionary Council (Afghanistan), Revolutionary Council (b. 1929)
* December 28 – Rafael Filiberto Bonnelly, 43rd President of the Dominican Republic (b. 1904)
* December 30 – Richard Rodgers, American composer (b. 1902)

Nobel Prizes

* Nobel Prize in Physics, Physics – Sheldon Glashow, Abdus Salam, Steven Weinberg
* Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Chemistry – Herbert C. Brown, Georg Wittig
* Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, Medicine – Allan MacLeod Cormack, Godfrey Hounsfield
* Nobel Prize in Literature, Literature – Odysseas Elytis
* Nobel Peace Prize, Peace – Mother Teresa
* Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, Economics – Theodore Schultz, W. Arthur Lewis

Media

* The ''Doctor Who'' story ''City of Death'' is set in 1979, its year of broadcast.
* The events of the 2011 science fiction film ''Super 8 (2011 film), Super 8'' take place during 1979.
* 1979 Revolution: Black Friday, an interactive drama video game released in 2016, based on the events of the Iranian Revolution in 1979.

References

Further reading

* Caryl, Christian, ''Strange Rebels: 1979 and the Birth of the 21st Century'' (2013), 1979 as worldwide turning point
excerpt and text search
* Facts on File. ''Facts on File Yearbook: 1979'' (1980) weekly factual report on events worldwide.
* Hodson, H.V. ''Annual Register of World Events 1979'' (1980), in-depth coverage of major countries
* Paxton, John, ed. ''Statesman's Yearbook 1978–1979'' (1980), statistical details on all countries

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