1952 in film

• January 10 – Cecil B. DeMille's circus epic, The Greatest Show on Earth, is premièred at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.^[13]
• March 27 – The MGM musical Singin' in the Rain premieres at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
• May 26 – Decision reached in Joseph Burstyn, Inc. v. Wilson determining that certain provisions of the New York Education Law allowing a censor to forbid the commercial showing of any non-licensed motion picture film, or revoke or deny the license of a film deemed to be "sacrilegious," was a "restraint on freedom of speech" and thereby a violation of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
• September 19 – While Charlie Chaplin is at sea on his way to the United Kingdom, the United States Attorney-General, James P. McGranery, announces plans to review his right to return to the US.^[14]
• September 30 – The Cinerama multiple-projection widescreen system, invented by Fred Waller, makes its début in New York with the film This Is Cinerama.^[15]
• November 27 – Bwana Devil, the first American, feature-length, color 3-D film, is released, and begins the demand for 3-D films that lasts for the next two years.

United States unless stated

• Blackhawk, starring Kirk Alyn
• King of the Congo, starring Buster Crabbe
• Radar Men from the Moon, starring George D. Wallace and Aline Towne
• Son of Geronimo starring Clayton Moore
• Zombies of the Stratosphere, starring Judd Holdren and Leonard Nimoy

• Mickey Mouse (1928–1953)
• Looney Tunes (1930–1969)
• Terrytoons (1930–1964)
• Merrie Melodies (1931–1969)
• Popeye (1933–1957)
• The Three Stooges (1934–1959)
• Donald Duck (1936)-(1956)
• Goofy (1939–1953)
• Tom and Jerry (1940–1958)
• Bugs Bunny (1940–1962)
• Mighty Mouse (1942–1955)
• Chip and Dale (1943–1956)
• Droopy (1943–1958)
• Yosemite Sam (1945–1963)

• January 1 – David Andrews, American character actor
• January 6
  • Armelia McQueen, American actress (died 2020)
  • Frank Sivero, Italian-American character actor
• January 11 – Bille Brown, Australian actor (died 2013)
• January 17 – Kevin Reynolds, American director and screenwriter
• January 18 – Michael Angelis, English actor (died 2020)
• January 22 – Ace Vergel, Filipino actor (died 2007)
• February 2 – Carol Ann Susi, American actress (died 2014)
• February 4
  • Lisa Eichhorn, American actress
  • Richard Lineback, American actor
• February 12 – Simon MacCorkindale, English actor (died 2010)
• February 14 – Anton Lesser, English actor
• February 22 – Issey Ogata, Japanese actor and comedian
• March 2 – Laraine Newman, American actress, voice actress, comedian and writer
• March 4 – Ronn Moss, American actor, musician and singer-songwriter
• March 6 – John David Carson, American actor (died 2009)
• March 11 – James Fleet, English actor
• March 13 - Jeffrey Nagler, American actor (died 2024)
• March 19 – Harvey Weinstein, American producer
• March 24 – Nicholas Campbell, Canadian actor and filmmaker
• March 27 – Kalju Orro, Estonian actor
• April 1 – Annette O'Toole, American actress
• April 5 – Mitch Pileggi, American actor
• April 6 – Marilu Henner, American actress
• April 7
  • Dennis Hayden, American actor, producer and writer
  • Clarke Peters, American-British actor, writer and director
• April 8 – Andrew Stahl, American actor
• April 10
  • Robert Miranda, American actor
  • Steven Seagal, American actor & martial artist
• April 11 – Michael Thomas, British actor (died 2019)
• April 13 – Erick Avari, Indian-American actor
• April 15 – Glenn Shadix, American actor (died 2010)
• April 16 – Billy West, American voice actor, musician, singer and songwriter
• April 17 – Joe Alaskey, American stand-up comedian, actor, voice artist, and impressionist (died 2016)
• April 19 - Tony Plana, Cuban-American actor and director
• April 26 – Spice Williams-Crosby, American actress
• April 28 – Mary McDonnell, American actress
• April 29 – Nora Dunn, American actress and comedian
• May 1
  • Margaret Michaels, former American actress
  • Pierre van Pletzen, South African actor, writer and director
• May 2
  • Christine Baranski, American actress
  • Thom Gossom Jr., American actor
• May 6
  • Gregg Henry, American actor & musician
  • Fred Newman, American actor and comedian
• May 9 – Patrick Ryecart, English actor
• May 11
  • Shohreh Aghdashloo, Iranian-American actress
  • Frances Fisher, British-born American actress
• May 14 – Robert Zemeckis, American director
• May 15 – Chazz Palminteri, American actor
• May 20 – Julia Deakin, English actress
• May 21 – Mr. T, American actor, bodyguard, television personality and retired professional wrestler
• May 22 – Mike Muscat, American actor
• May 28 – Denis Akiyama, Canadian actor (died 2018)
• May 31 – Carole Achache, French writer, photographer and actress (died 2016)^[16]
• June 4 – Kerry Shale, Canadian actor and writer
• June 5 – Connie Chiume, South African actress and filmmaker (died 2024)
• June 7 – Liam Neeson, Northern Irish actor
• June 18
  • Miriam Flynn, American voice actress and character actress
  • Carol Kane, American actress
  • Isabella Rossellini, Italian actress
• June 19 – Virginia Hey, Australian actress
• June 20
  • John Goodman, American actor
  • Larry Riley, American actor and musician (died 1992)
• June 22 – Graham Greene, Canadian actor
• June 26 – Peter Crombie, American actor (died 2024)
• June 30 – Patrick Pinney, American actor
• July 1
  • Dan Aykroyd, Canadian actor & comedian
  • Brian George, Israeli-English actor, voice artist, comedian and singer
• July 3
  • Rick Ducommun, Canadian stand-up comedian, actor, writer and producer (died 2015)
  • Cork Hubbert, American actor (d. 2003)
• July 6
  • Grant Goodeve, American actor
  • Dean Parisot, American director
• July 8 – Mary Ellen Trainor, American character actress (died 2015)
• July 11
  • Tim de Zarn, American actor
  • Stephen Lang, American actor
• July 13 – Rosemary Dunsmore, Canadian actress and director
• July 14
  • Stan Shaw, American actor
  • Joel Silver, American producer
• July 15
  • Celia Imrie, English actress
  • Terry O'Quinn, American actor
  • Judson Scott, American actor
• July 17 – David Hasselhoff, American actor, singer, producer and television personality
• July 20
  • Adrian Biddle, English cinematographer (died 2005)
  • Nathaniel Lees, New Zealand actor and director
• July 21 – George Wallace, American comedian and actor
• July 24 – Gus Van Sant, American director
• August 6 - Brian Levant, American filmmaker
• August 10
  • Daniel Hugh Kelly, American actor
  • Diane Venora, American actress
• August 12 – Ronald Guttman, Belgian actor and producer
• August 16 – Reginald VelJohnson, American actor
• August 18 – Patrick Swayze, American actor & dancer (died 2009)
• August 19 – Jonathan Frakes, American actor & director
• August 26 – Michael Jeter, American actor (died 2003)
• August 27 – Paul Reubens, American actor, comedian, writer and producer (died 2023)
• September 1 – Michael Massee, American actor (died 2016)
• September 4
  • Alan Blumenfeld, American character actor
  • Rishi Kapoor, Indian actor (died 2020)
• September 5 – Michael Horton, American actor
• September 6 – Vitali Baganov, Russian actor
• September 8 – David R. Ellis, American director and stunt performer (died 2013)
• September 9 – Angela Cartwright, British-American actress
• September 13 – Christine Estabrook, American actress
• September 16 – Mickey Rourke, American actor and screenwriter
• September 19 – Rein Aedma, Estonian actor
• September 24 – Christopher Reeve, American actor (died 2004)
• September 25 – Colin Friels, Scottish-born Australian actor
• September 26 – James Keane, American actor
• September 29 – Gábor Csupó, Hungarian animator, writer, director, producer, and graphic designer
• September 30
  • John Finn, American character actor
  • Al Leong, American stuntman and actor
  • Jack Wild, English actor and singer (died 2006)
• October 5 – Harold Faltermeyer, German musician and composer
• October 6 - Jim Downey, American writer, producer and actor
• October 7
  • Mary Badham, American actress
  • Tom McBride, American actor (died 1995)
• October 8 – Edward Zwick, American filmmaker
• October 13 – John Lone, Chinese-American actor
• October 14 – Rick Aviles, American stand-up comedian and actor (died 1995)
• October 22
  • Jeff Goldblum, American actor
  • John Howard, Australian actor
• October 23 - Robin Swicord, American screenwriter and director
• October 27 – Roberto Benigni, Italian actor
• October 28
  • Annie Potts, American actress
  • Jim Turner, American actor and stand-up comedian
• October 30 – Emily Kuroda, American actress
• November 3
  • Roseanne Barr, American actress and stand-up comedian
  • Jim Cummings, American voice actor
• November 6 – Gary Goetzman, American producer and actor
• November 8 – Alfre Woodard, American actress
• November 9 – John Megna, American actor and director (died 1995)
• November 13 – Art Malik, Pakistani-born British actor
• November 14
  • Bill Farmer, American voice actor and comedian
  • Chris Noonan, Australian filmmaker and actor
  • Maggie Roswell, American actress, comedian, writer and producer
• November 15 – Randy Savage, American professional wrestler, commentator, actor, rapper and professional baseball player (died 2011)
• November 18 – Delroy Lindo, British actor
• November 24 – Ulrich Seidl, Austrian director
• November 28 – S. Epatha Merkerson, American actress
• November 29 – Jeff Fahey, American actor
• November 30 – Mandy Patinkin, American actor
• December 1 – Forry Smith, American actor
• December 2 – Keith Szarabajka, American actor
• December 3 – Mel Smith, English comedian, actor and director (died 2013)
• December 8 – Greg Collins, American character actor and former professional football linebacker
• December 9 – Michael Dorn, American actor
• December 12 – Sarah Douglas, English actress
• December 20 – Jenny Agutter, English actress
• December 21 – Dennis Boutsikaris, American character actor
• December 25 – CCH Pounder, Guayanese-born American actress
• December 29 – Külliki Saldre, Estonian actress

• January 18 – Curly Howard, comedian (b. 1903), The Three Stooges
• January 25 – Polly Moran, actress (b. 1883), Chasing Rainbows, Adam's Rib
• March 1 – Gregory La Cava, director (b. 1892), My Man Godfrey, Stage Door
• March 26 – J. P. McGowan, director (b. 1880), Where the West Begins, Tarzan and the Golden Lion
• April 21 – Leslie Banks, actor (b. 1890), The Most Dangerous Game, Jamaica Inn
• May 8 – William Fox, movie executive (b. 1879), 7th Heaven
• May 9 – Canada Lee, actor (b. 1907), Lifeboat, Lost Boundaries, Cry, the Beloved Country
• May 21 – John Garfield, actor (b. 1913), Body and Soul, Nobody Lives Forever, Gentleman's Agreement
• May 26 – Richard Rober, actor (b. 1910), The Well, The File on Thelma Jordon
• June 27 – Elmo Lincoln, actor (b. 1889), Tarzan of the Apes, The Adventures of Tarzan
• July 6 – Gertrud Wolle, actress (b. 1891), The Hound of the Baskervilles
• August 2 – J. Farrell MacDonald, actor (b. 1875), Me and My Gal, The Last Alarm
• August 18 – Ralph Byrd, actor (b. 1909), Dick Tracy's Dilemma, The Vigilante
• August 28 – Lamar Trotti, screenwriter (b. 1900), The Ox-Bow Incident, Cheaper by the Dozen
• September 7 – Gertrude Lawrence, actress (b. 1898), Rembrandt, The Glass Menagerie
• October 11 – Jack Conway, director (b. 1888), Boom Town, Libeled Lady, Viva Villa!
• October 17 – Julia Dean, stage and screen actress (b. 1878), A Society Exile, The Curse of the Cat People
• October 20 – Basil Radford, actor (b. 1887), Crook's Tour, The Galloping Major
• October 23 – Susan Peters, actress (b. 1921), Song of Russia, Random Harvest
• October 26 – Hattie McDaniel, actress (b. 1893), Gone with the Wind, Saratoga
• November 1 – Dixie Lee, actress (b. 1912), Manhattan Love Song, Love in Bloom
• November 6 – George H. Reed, actor, (b. 1866), Huckleberry Finn, Green Pastures