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In the year 1940

1,375 Notable birthdays

Chuck Close

American artist (1940–2021).

Born July 5th, 1940 in Monroe.

Died August 19th, 2021 at 81 years old in Oceanside (heart failure). [ref]

Michael Sarrazin

Canadian actor (1940-2011).

Born May 22nd, 1940 in Quebec City.

Died April 17th, 2011 at 70 years old in Montreal (cancer). [ref]

Haing S. Ngor

Cambodian-american physician and actor (1940–1996).

Born March 22nd, 1940 in French Indochina.

Died February 25th, 1996 at 55 years old in Los Angeles.

Stuart Margolin

American actor and director (1940–2022).

Born January 31st, 1940 in Davenport. [ref]

Died December 12th, 2022 at 82 years old in Staunton. [ref]

Qaboos bin Said Al Said

Sultan of oman from 1970 to 2020 (1940–2020).

Born November 18th, 1940 in Salalah.

Died January 10th, 2020 at 79 years old in Seeb (colorectal cancer). [ref]

Peter Benchley

American author (1940–2006).

Born May 8th, 1940 in New York City.

Died February 12th, 2006 at 65 years old in Princeton (lung disease).

Muhammad Saeed al-Sahhaf

Iraqi diplomatic politician and information minister.

Born July 30th, 1940 in Hillah.

Died March 5th, 2021 at 80 years old

Screaming Lord Sutch

British singer, radio personality, politician (1940–1999).

Born November 10th, 1940 in Hampstead.

Died June 16th, 1999 at 58 years old in South Harrow.

Roberto Cavalli

Italian fashion designer (1940–2024).

Born November 15th, 1940 in Florence.

Died April 12th, 2024 at 83 years old in Florence. [ref]

Tony Tan Keng Yam

7th president of singapore.

Born February 7th, 1940 (age 86 years) in Singapore in the Straits Settlements.

Hannelore Schmatz

West german mountain climber (1940–1979).

Born February 16th, 1940 in Regensburg.

Died October 2nd, 1979 at 39 years old in Mount Everest (hypothermia).

Michael Cole

American actor (1940–2024).

Born July 3rd, 1940 in Madison. [ref]

Died December 10th, 2024 at 84 years old in Tarzana. [ref]

Annie Ernaux

French writer (born 1940).

Born September 1st, 1940 (age 85 years) in Lillebonne.

Julian Bond

American social activist (1940–2015).

Born January 14th, 1940 in Nashville. [ref]

Died August 15th, 2015 at 75 years old in Fort Walton Beach. [ref]

Jack Thompson

Australian actor (born 1940).

Born August 31st, 1940 (age 85 years) in Sydney.

Daniel J. Travanti

American actor (born 1940).

Born March 7th, 1940 (age 86 years) in Kenosha.

Burhanuddin Rabbani

Afghanistan politician, former president of afghanistan (1992-2001).

Born September 20th, 1940 in Fayzabad.

Died September 20th, 2011 at 71 years old in Kabul. [ref]

Don LaFontaine

American voice actor (1940-2008).

Born August 26th, 1940 in Duluth.

Died September 1st, 2008 at 68 years old in Los Angeles (respiratory disease). [ref]

Luke Kelly

Irish singer and musician (1940–1984).

Born November 17th, 1940 in Dublin.

Died January 30th, 1984 at 43 years old in Dublin (brain cancer).

Susan Harris

American television comedy writer and producer (born 1940).

Born October 28th, 1940 (age 85 years) in Mount Vernon.

Roy Ayers

American funk, soul, and jazz composer, vibraphone player, and music producer (1940–2025).

Born September 10th, 1940 in Los Angeles.

Died March 4th, 2025 at 84 years old in New York City. [ref]

Manfred Mann

South african-born musician (born 1940).

Born October 21st, 1940 (age 85 years) in Johannesburg.

Andrzej Żuławski

Polish film director (1940-2016).

Born November 22nd, 1940 in Lviv.

Died February 17th, 2016 at 75 years old in Warsaw (cancer). [ref]

I. Bartholomeos

Ecumenist ecumenical patriarch of constantinople since 1991.

Born February 29th, 1940 (age 86 years) in Zeytinliköy. [ref]

Solomon Burke

American singer (1940–2010).

Born March 21st, 1940 in Philadelphia. [ref]

Died October 10th, 2010 at 70 years old in Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, Haarlemmermeer. [ref]

Birthdays 151 to 175 of 1375

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The greatest gift of life is friendship, and I have received it. Hubert H. Humphrey