List of Famous people who died in 1985

Ina Claire was an American stage and film actress.

Al Overton was an American sound engineer. He was nominated for an Academy Award in the category Best Sound for the film Diamonds Are Forever. He worked on more than 90 films between 1954 and 1975. His son, Al Overton Jr., was later nominated for four Academy Awards for Best Sound.

Alfred Hayes was a British-born screenwriter, television writer, novelist, and poet, who worked in Italy and the United States. His well-known poem about "Joe Hill" was set to music by Earl Robinson, and performed by Pete Seeger, Joan Baez and many other artists.

Grayson Hall was an American television, film and stage actress. She was widely regarded for her avant-garde theatrical performances from the 1960s to the 1980s. Hall was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and a Golden Globe Award for the John Huston film The Night of the Iguana (1964).

Karl Schmitt-Walter was a prominent German opera singer, particularly associated with Mozart and the more lyrical Wagner baritone roles.

Cornelis Bernardus van Niel was a Dutch-American microbiologist. He introduced the study of general microbiology to the United States and made key discoveries explaining the chemistry of photosynthesis.

Victor Vicas was a Russian-born French film director and screenwriter. His film The Wayward Bus was entered into the 7th Berlin International Film Festival. Between 1974 and 1983 he directed all thirty six episodes of the French TV series The Tiger Brigades.