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Months in 1940: January February April May June July August September October November December

Historical Events

Results 1 - 28 of 28

1st - 12th Academy Awards - "Gone with the Wind," R Donat & V Leigh win
1st - Richard Wright's novel "Native Son" is published
2nd - 1st intercollegiate track meet telecast, MSG, NYC
2nd - Soviet armies conquer Tuppura Island Finland
3rd - Artie Shaw records "Frenesi" on RCA Victor label
6th - 1st US telecast from an airplane, NYC
7th - Mont Canadiens lose record tying NHL 15th straight game at home
7th - Ray Steele beats B Nagurski in St Louis, to become wrestling champ
10th - 1st US opera telecast, W2XBS, NYC, I Pagliacci
12th - Finland surrenders to Russia during WW II, gives Karelische Isthmus
13th - Finland-Russian cease fire signed, Finland gives up Karelische
13th - The Russo-Finnish Winter War ends.
14th - 27 killed, 15 injured when truck full of migrant workers collides with a train outside McAllen, Texas
15th - Goering says 100-200 church bells enough for Germany, smelt the rest
16th - German air raid on British fleet base Scapa Flow
18th - Mussolini joins Hitler in Germany's war against France & Britain
19th - Failed British air raid on German base at Sylt
19th - French govt of Daladier, falls
20th - Paul Reynoud becomes French premier
23rd - 1st radio broadcast of "Truth or Consequences" on CBS
23rd - All-India-Moslem League calls for a Moslem homeland
23rd - The Lahore Resolution (Qarardad-e-Pakistan or the then Qarardad-e-Lahore) is put forward at the Annual General Convention of the All India Muslim League.
26th - Ernest Hemingway & Benjamin Glazer premiere in NYC
27th - Himmler orders building of Auschwitz concentration camp, at Katowice
28th - Construction begins of the exhibition center to host the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair.
29th - Joe Louis KOs Johnny Paycheck in 2 to retain heavyweight boxing title
30th - 2nd NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Indiana U beats Kansas 60-42
31st - Karelo-Finnish SSR becomes 12th Soviet republic (until 1956)

Famous Birthdays

Results 1 - 72 of 72

1st - David Broome, Show Jumper (world champ-1970)
1st - Ralph Towner, rocker (Oregon)
1st - Robert Grossman, American illustrator
2nd - Frederik van Zyl Slabbert, chairman (S Afr Prog Fed Party, 1979-86)
2nd - Tony Croatto, Italian-born composer (d. 2005)
3rd - Germán Castro Caycedo, Colombian writer and journalist
3rd - Owen Spencer-Thomas, English broadcaster, journalist and Anglican clergyman
4th - Kas Garas, Kaunas Lithuania, actor (Hamlyn-Strange Report)
4th - Volodymyr Morozov, Ukrainian flatwater canoer
5th - Mary Rose Oakar, (Rep)
5th - Malcolm Hebden, English actor
6th - Joanna Miles, Nice France, actress (Cross Creek, Delta County USA)
6th - Willie Stargell, outfielder/1st baseman (Pirates, 1971 NL HR leader)
7th - Daniel J Travanti, Kenosha Wisc, actor (Frank Furillo-Hill St Blues)
7th - Harald Gerlach, writer
7th - Rudi [Rudolf] Dutschke, German student leader (Glasnost Berlin)
7th - Viktor Petrovich Savinykh, USSR, cosmonaut (Soyuz T-4, T-13, TM-5)
8th - Leslie Isben Rogge, one of FBI's most wanted
8th - Susan Clark, Sarnia Ontario, actress (Night Moves, Webster)
8th - Theo Laseroms, [The Tank], Dutch soccer player (Feyenoord)
9th - Raul Julia, PR, actor (Addams Family, Kiss of the Spider Woman)
10th - Chuck Norris, [Carlos Ray], OK, martial arts actor (Missing in Action)
10th - David Rabe, Dubuque Iowa, playwright (Streamers)
10th - Dean Torrence, LA Cal, surf music singer (Jan & Dean-Little Old Lady)
10th - Francis Schwartz, composer
10th - Wayne Dyer, psychologist (Universe Within You)
11th - Alberto Cortez, Argentinian singer
12th - Al Jarreau, Milwaukee WI, jazz singer (Moonlighting)
12th - Albert Johanneson, soccer star
12th - M.A. Numminen, Finnish singer and writer
14th - Eleanor Fount, English actress (Women in Love, Bedazzled)
14th - Rita Tushingham, Liverpool England, actress (Green Eyes, Dr Zhivago)
15th - Phil Lesh, [Chapman], Calif, rock bassist (Grass Roots, Grateful Dead)
15th - Frank Dobson, British politician
15th - Margo Coleman, American advice columnist
16th - Bernardo Bertolucci, Parma Italy, director (Last Tango in Paris)
16th - Chuck Woolery, Ky, TV game show host (Love Connection)
16th - Jan P Pronk, Dutch politician (PvdA)
16th - Jan Schaefer, Dutch asst secretary of state (PvdA)
16th - Keith Rowe, English guitarist (AMM) and painter
17th - Vito Picone, rocker (Elegants)
17th - Mark White, American politician
18th - Kathy Hutchinson, race horse trainer
20th - Mickey Preger, horse trainer
21st - Solomon Burke, American singer
22nd - William Ritchie, vice-chancellor (Lancaster U)
22nd - Haing S. Ngor, Cambodian/American actor (d. 1996)
22nd - Jorge Ben Jor, Brazilian musician
23rd - Brian Hastings, cricketer (NZ batsman in 70's)
23rd - Luis Gasca, rocker
23rd - Tariq Yunus, actor (Bollywood, Ashanti, Deceivers)
24th - Bob Mackie, Monterey Parks Calif, designer (Streisand, Cher)
24th - Don Jardine, Canadian professional wrestler (d. 2006)
25th - Anita Bryant, Barnsdall Okla, homophobe/singer (George Gobel Show)
26th - Bill Ind, Bishop-designate (Truro)
26th - Braulio Baeza, jockey (National Horse Racing Hall of Famer)
26th - Nancy Pelosi, (Rep-D-California)
26th - Rod Lauren, rocker (If I Had a Girl)
26th - Servaes [J S] Huys, Dutch MP (PvdA)
27th - Austin Pendleton, Warren OH, actor (Short Circuit, Simon, Hello Again)
27th - June Wilkinson, Eastbourne England, actress (Absolutely Glamarous)
27th - Janis Martin, American singer (d. 2007)
28th - J Michael Plumb, Islip NY, equestrian (Oly-2 gold/4 silver-1976,84)
28th - Kevin Loughery, NBA star/coach (Balt, Phila)
28th - Tony Barber, Australian television personality
29th - Raymond Davis, US rock vocalist (Funkadelic-Knee Deep)
30th - Astrud Gilberto, Brazil, singer (Girl From Ipanema)
30th - Jerry Lucas, Middletown OH, NBA center (Oly-gold-60, NY Knicks)
30th - Norman Gifford, cricketer (respected England slow left-armer 1964-73)
31st - Barney Frank, (Rep-D-MA, 1981- )
31st - Jim Criner, WLAF head coach (Scottish Claymores)
31st - Patrick J Leahy, (Sen-D-VT, 1975- )

Famous Deaths

Results 1 - 14 of 14

1st - Josef Swickard, actor (Lost City, Tale of 2 Cities), dies at 73
1st - Anton Hansen Tammsaare, Estonian author (b. 1878)
4th - Hamlin Garland, American novelist (b. 1860)
5th - Cai Yuanpei, Chinese educator (b. 1868)
10th - Louis de Vries, Dutch actor (Merchant of Venice), dies at 68
10th - Mikhaïl Boulgakov, Russian writer (b. 1891)
15th - Alfred Marr, cricketer (Test for Australia 1885, scored 0 & 5), dies
16th - Selma Lagerlöf, Swedish writer, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1858)
19th - Gustaaf Sap, Belgian minister of Economic Affairs, dies at 54
20th - Alfred Ploetz, German physician, biologist, and eugenicist (b. 1860)
25th - Ion Nonna Otescu, composer, dies at 51
26th - Spiridon Louis, Greek runner, winner of the first modern Olympics marathon (b. 1873)
27th - Michael Joseph Savage, Prime Minister of New Zealand (b. 1872)
29th - Alexander Obolensky, Russian prince and famed Rugby Union footballer who played for England.(b. 1916)