List of Famous people who died in 1978

Erich Hagen was a German cyclist who competed at the 1956 and 1960 Summer Olympics.His sporting career began with SC Wissenschaft Leipzig. In 1956, he finished in 22nd place in the individual road race. His team won a bronze medal in the road race, but he did not score. In 1960, he won a silver medal in the 100 km team time trial and finished 21st in the road race.

Frank Santillo was an American film editor who won the Academy Award for Best Film Editing for Grand Prix in 1966. He was an associate of Slavko Vorkapich and Peter Ballbusch at MGM during the 1930s and 1940s and was known for his creative montage work. He was under contract as an editor at MGM from 1956 to 1966. He worked with director Sam Peckinpah on three films, and was interviewed at length about the production of Ride the High Country (1962).

Ilka Chase was an American actress, radio host, and novelist.

Pancho Haralanov Vladigerov was a Bulgarian composer, pedagogue, and pianist.