- Dec 2 Charlie Ventura [Venturo], American jazz tenor saxophonist and bandleader (Bop for the People), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1992)
- Dec 6 Hugo Peretti, American songwriter and record producer ("Shout"; "Twistin' The Night Away"), born in New York City (d. 1986)
- Dec 9 Merrill Ellis, American classical and experimental music composer, and performer (Kaleidoscope; Mutations), born in Cleburne, Texas (d. 1981)
- Dec 15 (Edwin) "Buddy" Cole, American jazz and session pianist, Hammond organist, orchestra leader, and composer ("Truth Or Consequences"), born in Irving, Illinois (d. 1964)
Betty Grable (1916-1973)
Dec 18 American singer, dancer, pin-up girl and actress (I Wake Up Screaming, How to Marry a Millionaire, Gay Divorcee), born in St. Louis, Missouri
- Dec 19 Hal Hastings, American orchestra leader (Chevrolet on Broadway), born in New York City (d. 1973)
- Dec 24 (Eduardo) "Lalo" Guerrero, American guitarist, Chicano singer-songwriter (Los Carlistas), and women's rights activist, born in Tucson, Arizona (d. 2005)
- Dec 25 Daniel Devoto, Argentine folklorist, musicologist, and poet, born in Buenos Aires, Argentina (d. 2001)
- Dec 26 Helmut Eder, Austrian composer, born in Linz (d. 2005)
- Dec 31 Suzy Delair, French actress (The Murderer Lives at Number 21; Utopia; White Paws), and singer, born in Paris, France (d. 2020)
About December 1916
How Old? 107 years old
Generation: Greatest Generation
Leap Year: Yes
Chinese Zodiac: Dragon
Star Signs: Sagittarius (Nov 22 - Dec 21), Capricorn (Dec 22 - Jan 19)
Country Singers
Jazz Singers
Opera Singers
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