Explore 5072 historical events from 1940–1949.
Fernest Arceneaux was a French-speaking Creole Zydeco accordionist and singer from Louisiana. He was known as "The New Prince of Accordion" for his virtuosity.
Fernest Arceneaux, American singer and accordion player (died 2008)
Warren Harding "Sonny" Sharrock was an American jazz guitarist. His first wife was singer Linda Sharrock, with whom he recorded and performed.
Sonny Sharrock, American guitarist (died 1994)
William Sebastian Cohen is an American attorney, author, and politician. A member of the Republican Party, Cohen also served as a member of the United States House of Representativ…
William Cohen, American lawyer and politician, 20th United States Secretary of Defense
Roger Pingeon was a French professional road bicycle racer.
Roger Pingeon, French cyclist (died 2017)
James Scott Brady was an American journalist, politician, activist and American public official who served as assistant to the U.S. president and the 17th White House press secreta…
James Brady, American politician and activist, 15th White House Press Secretary (died 2014)
Gary Michael Gabelich was an American motorsport driver who set the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) Land Speed Record (LSR) on October 23, 1970, driving the rocket …
Gary Gabelich, American race car driver (died 1984)
Jack Joseph Biondolillo was an American professional bowler and member of the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA).
Jack Biondolillo, American bowler (died 2021)
Robbie Basho was an American acoustic guitarist, pianist and singer.
Robbie Basho, American guitarist, pianist, and composer (died 1986)
Wilton Lewis Felder was an American saxophone and bass player, and is best known as a founding member of the Jazz Crusaders, later known as the Crusaders. Felder played bass on the…
Wilton Felder, American saxophonist and bass player (died 2015)
Lawrence Alan Hankin is an American character actor. He has had major film roles as Charley Butts in Escape from Alcatraz (1979), Ace in Running Scared (1986), and Carl Alphonse in…
Larry Hankin, American actor, director, and producer
Roger Newman was a British born-American soap opera actor and writer. He was born in London, and died in New York City.
Roger Newman, English-American actor and screenwriter (died 2010)
John Hadley Thompson, AM is an Australian actor and a major figure of Australian cinema, particularly Australian New Wave. He is best known for his role as a lead actor in several …
Jack Thompson, Australian actor
General Mehmet Yaşar Büyükanıt was the 25th Chief of the Turkish General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces, from 28 August 2006 to 28 August 2008.
Yaşar Büyükanıt, Turkish general (died 2019)
Annie Thérèse Blanche Ernaux is a French writer who was awarded the 2022 Nobel Prize in Literature "for the courage and clinical acuity with which she uncovers the roots, estrangem…
Annie Ernaux, French author, Nobel Prize laureate
Francis Cuthbert Duffy was a British architect, a founder of DEGW, the international architectural and design practice best known for office design and workplace strategy and, late…
Frank Duffy, English architect
Pauline Angela Collins was a British actress who first rose to fame portraying Sarah Moffat in Upstairs, Downstairs (1971–1973) and its spin-off Thomas & Sarah (1979). In 1992, she…
Pauline Collins, English actress (died 2025)
Eduardo Germán María Hughes Galeano was a Uruguayan journalist, writer and novelist considered, among other things, "a literary giant of the Latin American left" and "global soccer…
Eduardo Galeano, Uruguayan journalist and author (died 2015)
Sir Brian James Lochore was a New Zealand rugby union player and coach who represented and captained the New Zealand national team, the All Blacks. He played at number 8 and lock, …
Brian Lochore, New Zealand rugby player and coach (died 2019)
Valerie Georgina Howarth, Baroness Howarth of Breckland, was a British social worker, first chief executive of Childline, child and adult welfare advocate and a crossbench member o…
Valerie Howarth, Baroness Howarth of Breckland, English politician
Jo Raquel Welch was an American actress. Welch first gained attention for her role in Fantastic Voyage (1966), after which she signed a long-term contract with 20th Century Fox. Th…
Raquel Welch, American actress and singer (died 2023)
John Michael Hayes was an American oceanographer. He worked at Indiana University Bloomington, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.
John M. Hayes, American scientist (died 2017)
Elizabeth Murray was an American painter, printmaker and draughtsman. Her works are in many major public collections, including those of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Hirsh…
Elizabeth Murray, American painter and illustrator (died 2007)
Yvonne Ann Gregory, known professionally as Jackie Trent, was an English singer-songwriter and actress. Her 1965 song "Where Are You Now" reached number one in the UK singles chart…
Jackie Trent, English-Spanish singer-songwriter and actress (died 2015)
Dario Argento is an Italian filmmaker. His influential work in the horror and giallo genres during the 1970s and 1980s has led him to being referred to as the "Master of the Thrill…
Dario Argento, Italian director, producer, and screenwriter