Explore 4729 historical events from 1940–1949.
Mary Esther Wells was an American singer, who helped to define the emerging sound of Motown in the early 1960s.
Mary Wells, American singer-songwriter (died 1992)
John Symon Asher Bruce was a Scottish musician. He gained popularity as the primary lead vocalist and bassist of rock band Cream. After the group disbanded in 1968, he pursued a …
Jack Bruce, Scottish-English singer-songwriter and bass player (died 2014)
Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson is an Icelandic politician who was the fifth president of Iceland, serving from 1996 to 2016. He was previously a member of the Icelandic Parliament for the …
Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, Icelandic academic and politician, 5th President of Iceland
Frederick Jacob Titus Chiluba was a Zambian politician who was the second president of Zambia from 1991 to 2002. Chiluba, a trade union leader, won the country's multi-party presid…
Frederick Chiluba, Zambian politician, 2nd President of Zambia (died 2011)
Mustafa Nadarević was a Bosnian and Croatian actor. Widely considered one of the greatest actors from the former Yugoslavia, he starred in over 70 films, including The Smell of Qui…
Mustafa Nadarević, Bosnian actor and film director (died 2020)
Vicente Samuel Saldívar García was a Mexican professional boxer who competed between 1961 and 1973. He was a two-time featherweight champion, having held the WBA, WBC, and The Ring…
Vicente Saldivar, Mexican boxer (died 1985)
Milton William "Bill" Cooper was an American conspiracy theorist, radio broadcaster, and author known for his 1991 book Behold a Pale Horse, in which he warned of multiple global c…
Milton William Cooper, American conspiracy theorist and author (died 2001)
Gamini Kulawansa Lokuge was a Sri Lankan politician. He was a member of the Parliament of Sri Lanka for the Colombo Electoral District between 1989 and 2024, and had previously rep…
Gamini Lokuge, Sri Lankan politician (died 2025)
Edward Robert Low was a New Zealand country singer and musician, with a career spanning over 60 years. Low released a number of successful country albums and singles throughout the…
Eddie Low, New Zealand country singer and musician (died 2024)
Paul Bégin is a former Quebec politician and Cabinet Minister. Member of the Parti Québecois, he served as the province's Justice Minister from 1994 to 1997 and from 2001 to 2002.
Paul Bégin, Canadian lawyer and politician
Frederick James Perren was an American songwriter, musician, record producer, arranger, and orchestra conductor. He co-wrote and co-produced songs including "Boogie Fever" by the S…
Freddie Perren, American songwriter, producer, and conductor (died 2004)
Sirajuddin ibni Almarhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail is the current Raja of Perlis, reigning since 2000. He reigned as the twelfth Yang di-Pertuan Agong from 2001 to 2006.
Sirajuddin of Perlis, Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia
John Norman Warren was an Australian soccer player, coach, administrator, writer and broadcaster. He was known as Captain Socceroo for his passionate work to promote the game in Au…
Johnny Warren, Australian footballer, coach, and sportscaster (died 2004)
James Reiher Snuka was a Fijian and American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka.
Jimmy Snuka, Fijian wrestler (died 2017)
Elizabeth Kay Andrews, Baroness Andrews is a British Labour politician and life peer. She was Chair of English Heritage from July 2009 to July 2013.
Kay Andrews, Baroness Andrews, English politician
Daniel Ray Coats is an American politician, attorney, and diplomat from the state of Indiana. A Republican, Coats has served in the United States House of Representatives, in the U…
Dan Coats, American politician and diplomat, 29th United States Ambassador to Germany
Louisa Johanna Theodora "Wieteke" van Dort was a Surabaya-born Javindo actress, comedian, singer, writer and artist. On 29 April 1999, Queen Beatrix appointed her Knight of the Ord…
Wieteke van Dort, Dutch actress, comedian, singer, writer and artist (died 2024)
Edwin Charles May was an English football player and manager. May was born in Epping, and played for Dagenham, Southend United, Wrexham and Swansea City.
Eddie May, English footballer and manager (died 2012)
Shirrel Rhoades is an American writer, publisher, professor, filmmaker, and the former executive vice president of Marvel Entertainment.
Shirrel Rhoades, American author, publisher, and academic
Albano Antonio Carrisi, better known as Al Bano, is an Italian singer and actor. Having sold over 25 million records globally and career spanning seven decades, he is one of the mo…
Albano Carrisi, Italian singer, actor, and winemaker
Deryck Lance Murray is a former West Indies cricketer. A wicketkeeper and right-handed batsman, Murray kept wicket to the West Indian fast bowling attacks of the 1970s ; his glovew…
Deryck Murray, Trinidadian cricketer
Vincent Rodney Cheesman, known professionally as Vincent Crane, was an English keyboardist, best known as the organist for the Crazy World of Arthur Brown and subsequently for Atom…
Vincent Crane, English pianist and composer (died 1989)
John Dalton is a British bass guitar player, most notable as a member of the Kinks in 1966 and between 1969 and 1976, replacing original member Pete Quaife.
John Dalton, English bass player
Hilton Stewart Paterson Valentine was an English skiffle and rock and roll musician who was the original guitarist in the Animals. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fa…
Hilton Valentine, English guitarist and songwriter (died 2021)