" The term made an impact into English pulp science fiction starting from Jack Williamson's The Cometeers ( 1936 ) and the distinction between mechanical robots and fleshy androids was popularized by Edmond Hamilton's Captain Future ( 1940 – 1944 ).

* 1940 – Homero Aridjis, Mexican writer and diplomat

* 1940 – Pedro Armendáriz Jr., Mexican actor

* 1874 – William B. Bankhead, American politician ( d. 1940 )

* 1892 – Johnny Dodds, American jazz clarinetist and saxophonist ( d. 1940 )

* 1940 – John Hagee, American pastor and televangelist

* 1940 – Herbie Hancock, American jazz musician, bandleader, and composer

* 1857 – Eugen Bleuler, Swiss psychiatrist ( d. 1940 )

* 1940 – Burt Young, American actor

* 1874 – Carl Bosch, German chemist and engineer, Nobel Prize laureate ( d. 1940 )

* 1940 – Sonny Sharrock, American guitarist ( Last Exit ) ( d. 1994 )

* 1940 – Estonia was illegally annexed by the Soviet Union.

* 1940 – Mukhu Aliyev, Russian politician

* 1940 – Louise Sorel, American actress

* 1857 – Manuel de Escandón, Mexican polo player ( d. 1940 )

* 1940 – Bill Musselman, American basketball coach ( d. 2000 )

* 1940 – Beko Ransome-Kuti, Nigerian doctor and activist ( d. 2006 )

* 1940 – Will Tura, Belgian singer-songwriter, musician, and composer

2 # 1 ( Jan., 1940 ), pp. 87 – 104 in JSTOR

* 1881 – Otto Toeplitz, German mathematician ( d. 1940 )

* 1940 – Mervyn Kitchen, English cricketer and umpire

* 1940 – Ram Loevy, Israeli screenwriter and director

* 1940 – World War II: Italian forces begin the invasion of British Somaliland.

* 1940 – Lance Alworth, American football player

* 1940 – Martin Sheen, American actor

Genya Ravan, aka Goldie Zelkowitz ( born Genyusha Zelkowitz, April 19, 1940, in Łódź, Poland ) is an American rock singer and producer.

* 1940 – James Tyler, American guitarist, composer, and author ( d. 2010 )

* 1940 – Dennis Tito, American engineer and businessman, founded Wilshire Associates

* 1863 – Ernest Thayer, American poet ( d. 1940 )

* 1940 – Galen Hall, American football player and coach

* 1940 – Johnny Nash, American singer-songwriter and actor

* 1940 – Jill St. John, American actress

* 1875 – Walter Chrysler, American automobile pioneer ( d. 1940 )

* 1940 – William Cohen, American politician and author, 20th United States Secretary of Defense

* 1940 – Ken Jenkins, American actor

* 1940 – James Brady, American activist, 15th White House Press Secretary

* 1940 – Gary Gabelich, American race car driver ( d. 1984 )

* 1940 – Joseph L. Goldstein, American scientist, Nobel laureate

* 1940 – Lennie Pond, American race car driver

* 1940 – Bobby Hatfield, American singer-songwriter ( The Righteous Brothers ) ( d. 2003 )

* 1940 – José van Dam, Belgian opera singer

* 1940 – Billy Fury, British singer ( d. 1983 )

* 1940 – Janet Carroll, American actress and singer ( d. 2012 )

* 1940 – Smokey Robinson, American singer

* 1940 – Joe South, American singer ( d. 2012 )

John Ono Lennon, MBE, born John Winston Lennon ( 9 October 1940 – 8 December 1980 ) was an English musician, singer and songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as a founder member

* 1940 – Nancy Sinatra, American singer and actress

* 1940 – Tolis Voskopoulos, Greek singer, actor, and composer

* 1940 – Yesudas, Indian playback singer and classical musician

In order to enter at a talent competition at University High School, Berry and Torrence helped form a doo-wop group known as " The Barons " ( named after their high school's Hi-Y club, where they were members ), which comprised fellow University High students William " Chuck " Steele ( lead singer ), Arnold P. " Arnie " Ginsburg ( born November 19, 1939 ) ( 1st tenor ), Wallace S. " Wally " Yagi ( born 20 July 1940 ) ( 2nd tenor ), John ' Sagi " Seligman ( 2nd tenor ), with Berry singing bass, and Torrence providing falsetto.

* 1940 – Toni Tennille, American singer ( Captain & Tennille )

* 1940 – Alberto Cortez, Argentinian singer

* 2012 – Roy Wilson, Jamaican singer ( Higgs and Wilson ) ( b. 1940 )

* 1940 – Anita Bryant, American singer

* 1940 – Solomon Burke, American singer ( d. 2010 )

* 1940 – Barry Sadler, American singer ( d. 1989 )

* 2003 – Bobby Hatfield, American singer ( Righteous Brothers ) ( b. 1940 )

* 1940 – Bruce Channel, American singer

Nancy Sandra Sinatra ( born June 8, 1940 ) is an American singer and actress.

* 1940 – Luke Kelly, Irish singer and banjo player ( d. 1984 )

* 1940 – Frida Boccara, French singer ( d. 1996 )

* 1940 – Cliff Richard, English singer

* 1940 – Fred Cash, American singer ( The Impressions )

* 1940 – Ellie Greenwich, American singer ( d. 2009 )