In the year 1940, Hermann Göring assumes control of most war industries in Germany (Jan 4), food rationing begins in Great Britain (Jan 8), Pinocchio is released in theaters everywhere (Feb 7), peace treaty between Finland and the Soviet Union ends the Winter War (Mar 12), Germany invades Denmark and Norway (Apr 9), Battle of France begins, and Winston Churchill becomes Prime Minister in the U.K. (May 10), the first McDonald’s opens in San Bernardino, California (May 15), Auschwitz-Birkenau opens in occupied Poland (May 20), Battle of Britain begins (Jul 7), the first bombing of Berlin by the RAF takes place (Aug 25), the retaliating 57-day long Blitz by the Nazis starts in London (Sep 7), the WW2 rages on - and all these fine people were born:

1940-0101 1940-0104 Brian Josephson* physicist/N - Cardiff, Wales 1940-0104 Gao Xingjian* novelist/playwright/critic/N - Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China 1940-0105 Veikko Kankkonen* ski jumper/OG - Sotkamo, Finland 1940-0110 1940-0119 Paolo Borsellino* judge/worked to overthrow the power of the Sicilian Mafia - Palermo, Italy (1992/52) 1940-0120 1940-0121 Jack Nicklaus* golfer - Columbus, OH USA 1940-0122 John Hurt* actor - Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England 1940-0127 James Cromwell* actor - Los Angeles, CA USA 1940-0127 Brian O’Leary* astronaut/ scientist/ufologist - Boston, MA USA (2011/71) 1940-0128 1940-0129 Paul Harvey* pianist/ composer - Stoke-on-Trent, England 1940-0129 Adriana Hoffmann* botanist/ environmentalist/author - Santiago, Chile (2022/82) 1940-0129 Katharine Ross* actress - Los Angeles, CA USA 1940-0130 1940-0131 Kalevi Numminen* hockey player - Tampere, Finland 1940-0201 1940-0204 George A. Romero* film director/writer/editor - The Bronx, NY USA (2017/77) 1940-0204 Antero Siirilä* Finnair pilot - Tikkakoski, Finland (2020/80) IS 1940-0209 J. M. Coetzee* novelist/linguist/translator/N - Cape Town, South Africa 1940-0210 Ernst Köpf* hockey player - Füssen, Nazi Germany 1940-0217 Vicente Fernández* singer/ actor/film producer - Guadalajara, Mexico (2021/81) 1940-0220 Jimmy Greaves* football player - Manor Park, Essex, England 1940-0220 Vladimir Jursinov* hockey coach - Moscow, Russia, Soviet Union 1940-0221 John Lewis* civil rights leader/politician - Troy, AL USA (2020/80) 1940-0223 Peter Fonda* actor - New York, NY USA (2019/79) 1940-0224 Antti Aarnio-Wihuri* race driver/billionaire businessman - Turku, Finland 1940-0224 Pete Duel* actor - Rochester, NY USA (1971/31) 1940-0225 1940-0228 Aldo Andretti* Italian-American racing driver/entrepreneur - Montona, Istria, Kingdom of Italy (2020/80) 1940-0228 Mario Andretti* Italian-American racing driver/WG - Montona, Istria, Kingdom of Italy 1940-0229 Margit Carstensen* actress - Kiel, Nazi Germany (2023/83) 1940-0301 1940-0307 Daniel Travanti* actor - Kenosha, WI USA 1940-0307 Hannah Wilke* painter/ sculptor/perormance artist - New York City, NY USA (1993/52) 1940-0308 1940-0309 Raul Julia* actor - San Juan, Puerto Rico (1994/54) 1940-0309 Reijo Taipale* singer - Miehikkälä, Finland (2019/79) 1940-0310 Chuck Norris* martial artist/actor - Ryan, OK USA 1940-0311 Jon Gibson* musician/ composer/visual artist - Los Angeles, CA USA (2020/80) 1940-0312 M. A. Numminen* singer - Somero, Finland 1940-0316 Bernardo Bertolucci* film director - Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Kingdom of Italy 1940-0320 1940-0322 Dave Keon* hockey player (NHL 100)/real estate agent - Noranda, QC Canada 1940-0323 Ted Green* hockey player/coach - Eriksdale, MB Canada (2019/79) 1940-0325 Anita Bryant* singer/activist - Barnsdall, OK USA 1940-0326 James Caan* actor - Bronx, NY USA (2022/82) 1940-0326 Nancy Pelosi* politician/House Speaker - Baltimore, MD USA 1949-0331 1940-0401 1940-0405 Tommy Cash*  musician/singer-songwriter/brother of Johnny Cash - Dyess, AR USA 1940-0406 Pedro Armendáriz Jr.* actor - Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico (2011/71) 1940-0408 John Havlicek* basketball player - Martins Ferry, OH USA (2019/79) 1940-0410 1940-0412 Rainer Erlund* journalist/politician - Bromarv, Finland (2000/60) 1940-0412 Herbie Hancock* musician/composer - Chicago, IL USA 1940-0413 J. M. G. Le Clézio* writer/N - Nice, France 1940-0413 Max Mosley* racing driver/lawyer/FIA president - London, England (2021/81) 1940-0414 1940-0415 Penelope Coelen* Miss World 1958/entrepreneur - Durban, South Africa 1940-0415 Robert Walker Jr.* actor - Queens, NY USA (2019/79) 1940-0416 Queen Margrethe II* of Denmark - Copenhagen, Denmark 1940-0420 Kenneth Powell* sprinter - Kolar, Mysore, British India (2022/82) 1940-0425 Al Pacino* actor - New York, NY USA 1940-0430 Marutei Tsurunen* (b Martti Turunen) Japanese-Finnish politician - Lieksa, Finland 1940-0430 Burt Young* (b DeLouise) actor - Queens, NY USA (2023/83) 1940-0501 Elsa Peretti* fashion model/jewelry designer/philanthropist - Florence, Kingdom of Italy (2021/80) 1940-0503 David Koch* chemical engineer/businessman/ philanthropist - Wichita, KS USA (2019/79) 1940-0505 Eric Anthony Abrahams* public servant/the first black TV reporter at the BBC - Jamaica (2011/71) 1940-0505 Lance Henriksen* actor - Manhattan, NY USA 1940-0505 Lasse Åberg* actor/ musician/director - Hofors, Sweden 1940-0508 Peter Benchley* author/ screenwriter - New York, NY USA (2006/65) 1940-0508 Emilio Delgado* actor (Sesame Street)/singer - Calexico, CA USA (2022/81) 1940-0508 Ricky Nelson* musician/singer-songwriter - Teaneck, NJ USA (1985/45) 1940-0509 Colin Dobson* football player/coach - Eston, Cleveland, England  (2023/82) 1940-0510 Isto Jakola* artist - Oulu, Finland 1940-0512 Lillemor ”Lill” Lindfors* Swedish singer - Helsinki, Finland 1940-0515 Terho Ovaska* caricaturist - Suoniemi, Finland (2015/75) 1940-0518 Leonard “Lenny” Lipton* author/ filmmaker/inventor - Brooklyn, NY USA (2022/82) 1940-0519 Don Johnson* bowler - Kokomo, IN USA (2003/62) 1940-0520 Stan Mikita* (b Guoth) Canadian hockey player (NHL 100)/to Canada at age 8 - Sokolce, Slovak Republic (2018/78) 1940-0522 Kari Franck* actor/director - HView Postelsinki, Finland 1940-0522 Bernard Shaw* journalist/news anchor - Chicago, IL USA (2022/82) 1940-0524 Joseph Brodsky* poet/essayist/N - Leningrad, Russia, Soviet Union (1996/55) 1940-0531 Eeva-Riitta Siitonen* (b Hautamäki) politician/m to Matti Siitonen/daughter of Olavi Matias Hautamäki - Helsinki, Finland 1940-0601 René Auberjonois* actor/singer - New York, NY USA (2019/79) 1940-0602 Constantine II of Greece* the last King of Greece - Psychiko, Athens, Kingdom of Greece (2023/82) 1940-0607 Tom Jones* singer - Pontypridd, Wales 1940-0607 Samuel Little* serial killer - Reynolds, GA USA 1940-0607 Ronald Pickup* actor - Chester, Cheshire, England (2021/80) 1940-0608 Nancy Sinatra* singer/actress - Jersey City, NJ USA 1940-0608 Tapani Perttu* actor/voice artist/singer - Hämeenkyrö, Finland (2018/78) 1940-0610 1940-0618 Judith Pipher* (b Bancroft) Canadian-American astrophysicist/observational astronomer - Toronto, ON Canada (2022/81) 1940-0620 John Mahoney* British-American actor (Frasier)/voice artist/to U.S. at age 18 - Blackpool, Lancashire, England ( (2018/77) 1940-0621 Mariette Hartley* actress - New York City, NY USA 1940-0622 Egon Henninger* swimmer - Kühlungsborn, Nazi Germany 1940-0623 Adam Faith* singer/ actor/financial journalist - Acton, Middlesex, England (2003/62) 1940-0623 Wilma Rudolph* athlete (sprinter)/OG - Saint Bethlehem, TN USA (1994/54) 1940-0623 Stuart Sutcliffe* painter/ musician/the original bass guitarist of the Beatles - Edinburgh, Scotland (1962/21) 1940-0624 Murali Mohan* actor/ politician/business executive - Chataparru, Madras Presidency, British India 1940-0625 Thomas Köhler* luger/OG - Oberwiesenthal, Saxony, Nazi Germany 1940-0625 Mary Beth Peil* opera singer/actress - Davenport, IA USA 1940-0625 A. J. Quinnell* thriller novelist - Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England (2005/65) 1940-0626 Lucinda Childs* dancer/ choreographer/actress - New York City, NY USA 1940-0627 Anil Karanjai* artist - East Bengal, British India (2001/60) 1940-0627 Eric Richard* actor /presenter - Margate, Kent, England 1940-0628 Muhammad Yunus* Bangladeshi social entrepreneur/ economist/founder of the Grameen Bank/N - Chittagong, Bengal Presidency, British India 1940-0629 Vyacheslav Artyomov* composer - Moscow, Russia 1940-0630 1940-0701 1940-0702 Robert Broberg* singer/ composer/artist - Solna, Sweden (2015/75) 1940-0702 Alan Cuckston* harpsichordist/ conductor/lecturer - Horsforth, England (2025/84) 1940-0703 1940-0704 Hank Goldberg* sports radio and television personality/radio color commentator for the Miami Dolphins - Newark, NJ USA (2022/82) 1940-0704 Karolyn Grimes* actress/ medical technologist - Hollywood, CA USA 1940-0707 Madeline Davis* historian/LGBT activist - Buffalo, NY USA (2021/80) 1940-0707 Ringo Starr* drummer/singer (The Beatles)/actor - Liverpool, Lancashire, England 1940-0708 Waka Nathan* rugby player/manager of the New Zealand Māori - Auckland, New Zealand (2021/81) 1940-0713 Patrick Stewart* actor - Mirfield, Yorkshire England 1940-0714 Esko Ollila* bank manager/politician - Rovaniemi, Finland (2018/78) 1940-0717 Francisco Toledo* painter/ sculptor/graphic artist - Juchitán de Zaragoza, Mexico (2019/79) 1940-0718 James Brolin* actor - Los Angeles, CA USA 1940-0722 Alex Trebek* game show host (Jeopardy) - Sudbury, ON Canada (2020/80) 1940-0724 Dan Hedaya* actor - Brooklyn, NY USA 1940-0728 Anil R. Joshi* Gujarati-language poet/essayist - Gondal, Gondal State, British India (2025/84) 1940-0729 1940-0730 Raimo Häyrinen* sports commentator - Savonlinna, Finland (2020/79) 1940-0730 Clive Sinclair* entrepreneur/inventor of consumer electronics  - Richmond, Surrey, England (2021/81) 1940-0731 Stanley R. Jaffe* film producer - New Rochelle, NY USA (2025/84) 1940-0803 Martin Sheen* actor - Dayton, OH USA 1940-0808 Dennis Tito* engineer/ first space tourist - Queens, NY USA 1940-0810 1940-0818 Sigrid Metz-Göckel* (b Schneider) sociologist/ political scientist/social psychologist - Klein Peterwitz, Nazi Germany (2025/84) 1940-0819 Johnny Nash* singer/songwriter - Houston, TX USA (2020/80) 1940-0819 Jill St. John* actress - Los Angeles, CA USA 1940-0824 Paul Bateson* radiographer/ convicted murderer - Lansdale, PA USA 1940-0824 Stanley Meyer* water fuel engineer - Columbus, OH USA (1998/57) 1940-0828 Uma Aaltonen* journalist/ author - Vihti, Finland (2009/68) 1940-0831 1940-0901 Annie Ernaux* (b Duchesne) writer/N - Lillebonne, German occupied France 1940-0903 1940-0905 Raquel Welch* (b Tejada) model/ actress - Chicago, IL USA (2023/82) 1940-0907 Dario Argento* film director/ screenwriter/producer - Rome, Italy 1940-0911 Brian De Palma* film director - Newark, NJ USA 1940-0912 Linda Gray* actress - Santa Monica, CA USA 1940-0912 Patrick Mower* actor - Oxford, England 1940-0915 Merlin Olsen* Am. football player/announcer/actor - Logan, UT USA (2010/69) 1940-0922 Anna Karina* (b Hanne Bayer) Danish-French actress - Solbjerg, Denmark (2019/79) 1940-0923 Johnny Weissmuller Jr.* actor/longshoreman - San Francisco, CA USA (2006/65) 1940-0925 Ronald Grigor Suny* historian/politicial scientist - Philadelphia, PA USA 1940-1001 1940-1003 Jean Ratelle* hockey player (NHL 100)/coach/player scout - Lac Saint-Jean, QC Canada 1940-1004 Stephen Gyllenhaal* film director/poet/father of Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal - Cleveland, OH USA 1940-1006 John Warnock* computer scientist/technology businessman/co-founder of Adobe Systems Inc. - Salt Lake City, UT USA (2023/82) 1940-1009 John Lennon* singer/musician (The Beatles) - Liverpool, England (1980/40) 1940-1010 1940-1012 Larry Jeffrey* hockey player/horse breeder - Goderich, ON Canada (2022/81) 1940-1012 Esko Salminen* actor/ biol. son of Tauno Palo and Kyllikki Väre - Helsinki, Finland 1940-1013 1940-1014 Cliff Richard* singer - Lucknow, British India 1940-1014 Christopher Timothy* actor - Bala, Merionethshire, Wales 1940-1016 Barry Corbin* actor - Lamesa, TX USA 1940-1019 Rubina Qureshi* (b Aisha Shaikh) Sindhi language singer - Hyderabad, British India (2022/81) 1940-1020 1940-1027 John Gotti* gangster - The Bronx, NY USA (2002/61) 1940-1027 Pamela McCorduck* British-American writer/historian of artificial intelligence/to U.S. at age 6 - Liverpool, England (2021/80) 1940-1028 Susan Harris* television comedy writer/producer - Mount Vernon, NY USA 1940-1029 Frida Boccara* French singer of Italian descent  - Casablanca, Morocco (1996/55) 1940-1030 1940-1101 Jon Skolmen* actor/ comedian - Oslo, Norway (2019/78) 1940-1105 1940-1109 Simo Ojanen* writer/ screenwriter (Pelle Hermanni) - Urjala, Finland (2021/80) 1940-1110 1940-1111 Barbara Boxer* politician - Brooklyn, NY USA 1940-1112 1940-1114 Hugo F. Sonnenschein* economist/ educational administrator - New York City, NY USA (2021/80) 1940-1115 Sam Waterston* actor - Cambridge, MA USA 1940-1117 William Simons* actor (Heartbeat) - Swansea, Glamorgan, Wales (2019/78) 1940-1122 Terry Gilliam* American-born British actor/comedian (Monty Python) /film director- Minneapolis, MN USA 1940-1122 Roy Thomas* comic book writer/editor (Marvel Comics)  - Jackson, MO USA 1940-1123 Frazier Glenn Miller Jr.* domestic terrorist - North Carolina USA (2021/80) 1940-1126 Curt Lindström* hockey coach/led Finland to its first gold medal in World Championship hockey  - Uppsala, Sweden 1940-1127 Bruce Lee* martial artist/ actor - San Francisco, CA USA (1973/32) 1940-1130 Pauli Nevala* athlete/javelin/OG - Pohja, Finland 1940-1201 Richard Pryor* stand-up comedian/actor - Peoria, IL USA (2005/65) 1940-1212 Dionne Warwick* singer/ actress - East Orange, NJ USA 1940-1221 Arvi Lind* TV-anchorman - Lauritsila, Finland 1940-1221 Frank Zappa* musician/ activist/filmmaker - Baltimore, MD USA (1993/52) 1940-1224 Janet Carroll* (b Thiese) actress - Chicago, IL  USA (2012/71) 1940-1224 Anthony Fauci* physician-scientist/immunologist - New York City, NY USA 1940-1228 Barbara Dana* actress/m to Alan Arkin - New York City, NY USA - IMDb 1940-1229 Brigitte Kronauer* writer - Essen, Germany (2019/78) 1940-1230 Jerry Granelli* American-Canadian jazz drummer - San Francisco, CA USA (2021/80) 1940-1231 Tim Considine* actor/ photographer/automotive historian - Los Angeles, CA USA (2022/81) 1940-0 1940-0 1940-0 Updated 2025-0330 Helsinki-Stockholm-Tampa Search for another year here