Celebrities who died on May 26

George Brent (born George Brendan Nolan; 15 March 1904 – 26 May 1979) was an Irish-American stage, film, and television actor. He is best remembered for the eleven films he made with Bette Davis, which included Jezebel and Dark Victory.

Ajita Wilson (January 12, 1950 – May 26, 1987) was an American actress who starred in European exploitation and hardcore films in the 1970s and 1980s. Born in Brooklyn, Wilson was according to most accounts, transgender, born male name George Wilson. She also did some fashion modeling work. Wilson died from a brain hemorrhage on May 26, 1987, at age 37.

James Charles Rodgers (September 8, 1897 – May 26, 1933) was an American singer-songwriter and musician who rose to popularity in the late 1920s. Widely regarded as "the Father of Country Music", he is best known for his distinctive rhythmic yodeling. Unusual for a music star of his era, Rodgers rose to prominence based upon his recordings, among country music's earliest, rather than concert performances – which followed to similar public acclaim.

Edward Albert Heimberger (April 22, 1906 – May 26, 2005) was an American actor and activist. He was twice nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor; the first nomination came in 1954 for his performance in Roman Holiday, and the second in 1973 for The Heartbreak Kid.

Arthur Gordon Linkletter (born Gordon Arthur Kelly or Arthur Gordon Kelly (sources differ), July 17, 1912 – May 26, 2010) was a Canadian-born American radio and television personality. He was the host of House Party, which ran on CBS radio and television for 25 years, and People Are Funny, which aired on NBC radio and television for 19 years. He became a naturalized United States citizen in 1942.

Sharon Lynn (born D'Auvergne Sharon Lindsay, April 9, 1901 – May 26, 1963) was an American actress and singer. She began playing in silent films but enjoyed her biggest success in the early sound years of motion pictures before fading away in the mid 1930s. She is perhaps best known for portraying Lola Marcel, the villain in the Laurel and Hardy comedy feature, Way Out West.

Anthony James (born James Anthony; July 22, 1942 - May 26, 2020) was an American character actor who specialized in playing creepy, sleazy, oily villains in films and television, many of them Westerns.

Anne Ryan Thomas Haney (March 4, 1934 – May 26, 2001) was an American stage and screen actress. She was best known for her roles in Mrs. Doubtfire and Liar Liar.

Sydney Irwin Pollack (July 1, 1934 – May 26, 2008) was an American film director, producer and actor. Pollack is known for directing commercially and critically acclaimed studio films. Over his forty year career he received numerous accolades including two Academy Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award as well as nominations for three Golden Globe Awards and six BAFTA Awards.