List of Famous people who died at 78

Gerardus "Geer" van Velde was a Dutch painter.

Albert Paulsen was an Ecuadorian-American actor who appeared in many American television series beginning in the 1960s, playing characters primarily of European origin. A life member of The Actors Studio, Paulsen won an Emmy Award in 1964 for the Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre presentation One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, an historical novel by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. Mr. Paulsen was a graduate of the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre studying under Sanford Meisner. He died from natural causes at the age of 78.

Henri Johan "Hans" de Koster was a Dutch politician and diplomat of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and businessman.

Félix Ramananarivo was the Roman Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Antsirabe, Madagascar.

Ákos Tolnay (1903–1981) was a Hungarian screenwriter active mainly in Italian cinema, having previously worked in Britain. He also appeared in Roberto Rossellini's 1945 neorealist film Rome, Open City.

Maxwell Shane was an American movie and television director, screenwriter, and producer.

Fritz Glahn was a German politician of the Free Democratic Party (FDP) and former member of the German Bundestag.

Louise Otto was a German freestyle swimmer, who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics. She was born in Hamburg, Germany. She won a silver medal in the relay together with her teammates Grete Rosenberg, Wally Dressel and Hermine Stindt. Additionally, in the Women's 100 metre freestyle, she competed and was eliminated in the semi-finals.