List of Famous people who died in 1952

Gile Steele, was a Hollywood costume designer. His career began at MGM in 1938 with one of his first assignments being the Norma Shearer film Marie Antoinette. He also worked on many of the company's prestige pictures including Pride and Prejudice and Boom Town, Blossoms in the Dust and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Mrs. Miniver (1942) and Madame Curie (1943). He was one of the first nominees when the category for Best Costume Design was introduced at the Academy Awards in 1948 for his work on The Emperor Waltz. He won the Oscar for The Heiress in 1949 and Samson and Delilah in 1950. He died abruptly in 1952 at the age of 43.

Alfred Fowell Buxton was a British banker and local politician.

Kenwa Mabuni was one of the first karateka to teach karate in mainland Japan and is credited as developing the style known as Shitō-ryū. Originally, he chose the name Hanko-ryu, literally "half-hard style", to imply that the style used both hard and soft techniques. Toyama Kanken, who was trained the same way he was, teased Mabuni endlessly about the name, implying it meant "semi erect". Finally, Mabuni chose Shito-ryu, the first characters of the names Itosu and Higaonna, his two primary teachers. I.E. ITOHIGA.

John Langenus was a Belgian football referee, who officiated for FIFA in three World Cup competitions, including the first ever Final match in 1930.

Pauline Theresa Moran billed as Polly Moran, was an American actress of vaudeville, stage and screen and comedian.

Frances Benjamin Johnston was an early American photographer and photojournalist whose career lasted for almost half a century. She is most known for her portraits, images of southern architecture, and various photographic series featuring African Americans and Native Americans at the turn of the 20th century.

Count Carlo Sforza was an Italian diplomat and anti-fascist politician.

Flying Officer Anthony Watson-Gandy was a scholar and Denham Fouts's last lover, the one who was taking care of him at the time of his death in Rome.

Mauno Pekkala was a Finnish statesman and politician who served as Prime Minister from 1946 to 1948.