The 1940s

1941 85 years ago

World War II: Battle of Grand Harbour, British forces on Malta destroy an attack by the Italian Decima Flottiglia MAS.…

World War II, or the Second World War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated. World War II …

World War II: Battle of Grand Harbour, British forces on Malta destroy an attack by the Italian Decima Flottiglia MAS.…

1941 85 years ago

World War II: In response to the Japanese occupation of French Indochina, the United States, Britain and the…

French Indochina, officially known as the Indochinese Union and after 1941 as the Indochinese Federation, was a group of French dependent territories in Southeast Asia from 1887 to…

World War II: In response to the Japanese occupation of French Indochina, the United States, Britain and the…

1941 85 years ago

David Boren, American lawyer and politician, 21st Governor of Oklahoma (died 2025)

David Lyle Boren was an American lawyer and politician from Oklahoma. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 21st governor of Oklahoma from 1975 to 1979 and three terms…

David Boren, American lawyer and politician, 21st Governor of Oklahoma (died 2025)

1941 85 years ago

Paavo Lipponen, Finnish journalist and politician, 38th Prime Minister of Finland

Paavo Tapio Lipponen is a Finnish politician and former reporter. He was prime minister of Finland from 1995 to 2003, and chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Finland from 19…

Paavo Lipponen, Finnish journalist and politician, 38th Prime Minister of Finland

1941 85 years ago

Goh Chok Tong, Singaporean politician, 2nd Prime Minister of Singapore

Goh Chok Tong, also known by his initials GCT, is a Singaporean retired politician who served as the second prime minister of Singapore from 1990 to 2004 and as a senior minister o…

Goh Chok Tong, Singaporean politician, 2nd Prime Minister of Singapore

1941 85 years ago

John Strasberg, American actor and teacher

John Strasberg is the son of Lee and Paula Strasberg of the Actors Studio, and brother of actress Susan Strasberg.

John Strasberg, American actor and teacher

1941 85 years ago

Martin Carthy, English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer

Martin Dominic Forbes Carthy MBE is an English singer and guitarist who has remained one of the most influential figures in English folk music, inspiring contemporaries such as Bob…

Martin Carthy, English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer

1941 85 years ago

Bobby Cox, American baseball player and manager

Robert Joe Cox was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played as a third baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees and managed for the At…

Bobby Cox, American baseball player and manager

1941 85 years ago

Richard Holbrooke, American journalist, banker, and diplomat, 22nd United States Ambassador to the United Nations (died

Richard Charles Albert Holbrooke was an American diplomat and author. He was the only person to have held the position of Assistant Secretary of State for two different regions of …

Richard Holbrooke, American journalist, banker, and diplomat, 22nd United States Ambassador to the United Nations (died

1941 85 years ago

Fethullah Gülen, Turkish preacher and theologian (died 2024)

Muhammed Fethullah Gülen was a Turkish Muslim scholar, preacher, and leader of the Gülen movement, which as of 2010 had 8-10 million of followers globally and had established a net…

Fethullah Gülen, Turkish preacher and theologian (died 2024)

1941 85 years ago

Ann-Margret, Swedish-American actress, singer, and dancer

Ann-Margret Olsson, credited as Ann-Margret, is an American actress, dancer, and singer with a career spanning seven decades. Her many screen roles include Pocketful of Miracles (1…

Ann-Margret, Swedish-American actress, singer, and dancer

1941 85 years ago

Max Merritt, New Zealand-Australian singer-songwriter (died 2020)

Maxwell James Merritt was an Australian-New Zealand singer-songwriter and guitarist who was renowned as an interpreter of soul music and R&B. As leader of Max Merritt & The Meteors…

Max Merritt, New Zealand-Australian singer-songwriter (died 2020)

1941 85 years ago

Jody Conradt, American basketball player and coach

Addie Jo "Jody" Conradt is an American retired women's basketball coach. She was the head coach for the women's team at University of Texas at Austin (UT). Her coaching career span…

Jody Conradt, American basketball player and coach

1941 85 years ago

David Cope, American composer and author

David Howell Cope was an American author, composer, scientist and Dickerson Professor of Music at UC Santa Cruz. His primary area of research involved artificial intelligence and m…

David Cope, American composer and author

1941 85 years ago

Ambrose Greenway, 4th Baron Greenway, English photographer and politician

Ambrose Charles Drexel Greenway, 4th Baron Greenway, is a British marine photographer and shipping consultant. He was one of the ninety hereditary peers elected to remain in the Ho…

Ambrose Greenway, 4th Baron Greenway, English photographer and politician

1941 85 years ago

Ronald Isley, American singer-songwriter and producer

Ronald Isley is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Isley is the lead singer, a founding member, and last surviving original member of the family music group The I…

Ronald Isley, American singer-songwriter and producer

1941 85 years ago

Menzies Campbell, Scottish sprinter and politician (died 2025)

Walter Menzies "Ming" Campbell, Baron Campbell of Pittenweem, was a Scottish politician, advocate and athlete. A senior figure in the Liberal Democrats, he served as the Member of …

Menzies Campbell, Scottish sprinter and politician (died 2025)

1941 85 years ago

Miriam Margolyes, English-Australian actress and singer

Miriam Margolyes is a British-Australian comedian, writer and actress. Known for her work as a character actor across film, television, and stage, she received the BAFTA for Best S…

Miriam Margolyes, English-Australian actress and singer

1941 85 years ago

Zalman King, American director, producer, and screenwriter (died 2012)

Zalman King was an American film director, writer, actor and producer. His films are known for incorporating sexuality, and are often categorized as erotica.

Zalman King, American director, producer, and screenwriter (died 2012)

1941 85 years ago

Rod Thorn, American basketball player, coach, and executive

Rodney King Thorn is an American basketball executive and a former professional player, coach and Olympic Committee Chairman with a career spanning over 50 years. In 2018, Thorn wa…

Rod Thorn, American basketball player, coach, and executive

1941 85 years ago

Bob Dylan, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, artist, writer, and producer; Nobel Prize laureate

Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his 69-year career. With…

Bob Dylan, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, artist, writer, and producer; Nobel Prize laureate

1941 85 years ago

Patricia Hollis, Baroness Hollis of Heigham, English academic and politician (died 2018)

Patricia Lesley Hollis, Baroness Hollis of Heigham, PC, DL was a historian and a Labour member of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom.

Patricia Hollis, Baroness Hollis of Heigham, English academic and politician (died 2018)

1941 85 years ago

Rudolf Adler, Czech filmmaker: 88

Rudolf Adler was a Czech film director, screenwriter and film educator.

Rudolf Adler, Czech filmmaker: 88

1941 85 years ago

Uta Frith, German developmental psychologist

Dame Uta Frith is a German-British developmental psychologist and emeritus professor in cognitive development at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College Londo…

Uta Frith, German developmental psychologist