Explore 1393 historical events from 1940–1949.
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)
Berndt Andreas Baader was a West German communist and leader of the far-left terrorist organization Red Army Faction (RAF), also commonly known as the Baader-Meinhof Group.
Andreas Baader, German terrorist, co-founded the Red Army Faction (died 1977)
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)
James Turrell is an American artist known for his work within the Light and Space movement. He is considered the "master of light" often creating art installations that mix natural…
James Turrell, American sculptor and illustrator
Terry Allen is an American singer-songwriter and visual artist from Lubbock, Texas. Allen's musical career spans several albums in the Texas country and outlaw country genres, and …
Terry Allen, American singer and painter
John Charles Bannon was an Australian politician and academic. He was the 39th Premier of South Australia, leading the South Australian Branch of the Australian Labor Party from a …
John Bannon, Australian academic and politician, 39th Premier of South Australia (died 2015)
Peter Philip Carey is an Australian novelist who has lived in New York City for more than three decades.
Peter Carey, Australian novelist and short story writer
Dame Patricia Mary W. Barker, is an English writer and novelist. She has won many awards for her fiction, which centres on themes of memory, trauma, survival and recovery. She is k…
Pat Barker, English author
Sir John Vincent Cable is a British politician who was Leader of the Liberal Democrats from 2017 to 2019. He was Member of Parliament (MP) for Twickenham from 1997 to 2015 and from…
Vince Cable, English economist and politician, former Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills
Colin Trevor Pillinger, was an English planetary scientist. He was a founding member of the Planetary and Space Sciences Research Institute at The Open University in Milton Keynes;…
Colin Pillinger, English astronomer, chemist, and academic (died 2014)
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)
Nancy Catherine Greene Raine is a former Canadian Senator for British Columbia and an Olympic alpine champion voted as Canada's Female Athlete of the 20th Century. She was born in …
Nancy Greene, Canadian skier and politician
Haydee Raquel Blandón Sandoval was a Guatemalan lawyer, activist, and political leader who served as the first lady of Guatemala from 1986 to 1991, as the wife of President Vinicio…
Raquel Blandón, Guatemalan lawyer and activist, First Lady of Guatemala (died 2024)
Judith Ann Jamison was an American dancer and choreographer. She danced with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater from 1965 to 1980 and was Ailey's muse. She later returned to be…
Judith Jamison, American dancer and choreographer (died 2024)
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
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)