List of Famous people who died in 1996

Heinz Engelmann (1911–1996) was a German film actor. He was married to the actress Gertrud Meyen.

François Genoud was a noted Swiss financier and a principal benefactor of the Nazi diaspora through the ODESSA network and supporter of Middle Eastern militant groups during the post-World War II 20th century.

Liu Pang-yu was a Taiwanese politician. He served as the Magistrate of Taoyuan County from 1989 until his death in 1996. Taoyuan County is now Taoyuan City, and the office of the Magistrate is now the office of the Mayor.

François Chaumette (1923–1996) was a French actor.

Winston Hsiao-tzu Chang was a president of Soochow University in Taipei.

Brook Antony Bernacchi was a lawyer and politician in Hong Kong. He was the long-time chairman of the Reform Club of Hong Kong, the then quasi-opposition party in the colony and the longest serving elected officeholder in Hong Kong history, sitting on the Urban Council of Hong Kong, from 1952 to 1981, 1983 to 1986 and 1989 to 1995. He was well known for his efforts of pushing direct elections and political reform in Hong Kong.

Akira Noguchi was a Japanese baseball pitcher, infielder, catcher, and manager who played 15 total seasons in the Japanese Baseball League and then Nippon Professional Baseball, during the period 1936 to 1955. The rare two-way player, Noguchi was particularly unusual in that he excelled in the specialized positions of both pitcher and catcher.

Catherine Josephine Van Fleet was an American stage, film, and television actress. During her long career, which spanned over four decades, she often played characters much older than her actual age. Van Fleet won a Tony Award in 1954 for her performance in the Broadway production The Trip to Bountiful, and the next year she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her supporting role in East of Eden.

John Watson Jr., known professionally as “Johnny Guitar” Watson, was an American blues, soul, and funk musician and singer-songwriter. A flamboyant showman and electric guitarist in the style of T-Bone Walker, Watson recorded throughout the 1950s and 1960s with some success. His creative reinvention in the 1970s with funk overtones, saw Watson have hits with "Ain't That a Bitch" and "Superman Lover". His successful recording career spanned forty years, with his highest chart appearance being the 1977 song "A Real Mother for Ya".

Antonio Ruiz Soler, was a Spanish flamenco dancer, choreographer and dance director. He was professionally known as Antonio or Antonio el Bailarín. With Rosario he had a partnership which lasted from 1928 until 1952 and which became world-famous. They were billed as Rosario y Antonio.