List of Famous people who died in 1985

Nicolas Frantz was a Luxembourgish bicycle racer with 60 professional racing victories over his 12-year career. He rode for the Thomann team in 1923 and then for Alcyon-Dunlop from 1924 to 1931. He won the Tour de France in 1927 and 1928.

Elmer Austin Benson was an American lawyer and politician from Minnesota. In 1935, Elmer Benson was appointed to the U.S. Senate following the death of Thomas Schall. He served as the 24th Governor of Minnesota, defeating Republican Martin Nelson in a landslide victory in Minnesota's 1936 gubernatorial election. He lost the governorship two years later following his defeat to Republican Harold Stassen in the 1938 gubernatorial election.

Edmond Beauchamp, sometimes credited only as Beauchamp, was a French film and Broadway stage actor. He appeared in 70 films between 1928 and 1979.

Jonathan David Samuel Jones was an American jazz drummer. A band leader and pioneer in jazz percussion, Jones anchored the Count Basie Orchestra rhythm section from 1934 to 1948. He was sometimes known as Papa Jo Jones to distinguish him from younger drummer Philly Joe Jones.

John Jackson Sparkman was an American jurist and politician from the state of Alabama. A Southern Democrat, Sparkman served in the United States House of Representatives from 1937 to 1946 and the United States Senate from 1946 until 1979. He was also the Democratic Party's nominee for Vice President in the 1952 presidential election.

Josef Rufer (1893–1985) was an Austrian-born musicologist. He is regarded as a significant figure mainly on account of his association with and writings on Arnold Schoenberg.