List of Famous people who died in 1981

Jean Nohain (1900–1981) was a French playwright, lyricist, and screenwriter, as well as a noted radio and television producer and presenter. He was the son of the librettist Franc-Nohain and the brother of the actor Claude Dauphin.

Angela Olivia Pery, Countess of Limerick, CH GBE DStJ (1897–1981) was a leader of the International British Red Cross movements.

Raymond Rouleau was a Belgian actor and film director. He appeared in 49 films between 1928 and 1979. He also directed 22 films between 1932 and 1981. Rouleau studied at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, where he met Tania Balachova. They emigrated to Paris together and collaborated with a variety of directors at the cutting edge of French theatre, including Charles Dullin and Gaston Baty. They married in France and separated in 1940. He subsequently married the actress Françoise Lugagne.

Valentine Tessier (1892–1981) was a French actress who appeared in around thirty films during her career. She played the title role in Jean Renoir's 1934 film version of Madame Bovary.

Diki Tsering was the mother of three reincarnated Rinpoches/Lamas: Lhamo Thondup, Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th reincarnated Dalai Lama; Thubten Jigme Norbu, the 6th reincarnated Taktser Rinpoche; and Tendzin Choegyal, the 16th reincarnated Ngari Rinpoche. In the article The Discourse of Lama, Qianlong Emperor condemned families with multiple reincarnated Rinpoches/Lamas, and reincarnated lamas including the Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama.

Sir Lionel Frederick Heald, QC, PC was a British barrister and Conservative Party politician.