" 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 – 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

Mervyn Kitchen was born in Nailsea in 1940, He became an English first-class cricketer.

The December 2, 1940 issue of Life magazine included a photo essay by Bernard Hoffman entitled, " A Small Town's Saturday Night ," depicting farmer Glen Dunn and family on a typical Saturday night in Franklin: Dad getting a hair cut, and the kids seeing a movie at the Artcraft, people at the drugstore, as well as photos of other social spots, such as Nick's Candy Kitchen and the town's " lovers ' lane.

* 1940 – John Craven, English journalist

* Students often use the poor English translation of J. C. Rolfe in the Loeb Classical Library, 1935 – 1940 with many reprintings.

* 1940 – Penelope Keith, English actress

* 1863 – Augustus Edward Hough Love, English mathematician ( d. 1940 )

* 1940 – John McCririck, English horse racing pundit

* 1940 – Sid Waddell, English sportscaster ( d. 2012 )

* 2006 – Brian Labone, English footballer ( b. 1940 )

* 1940 – Pat Chapman, English Author, Founder The Curry Club

* Ronald de Sousa ( born 1940 ) – English – Canadian philosopher who specializes in the philosophy of emotions, philosophy of mind and philosophy of biology.

* 1940 – Edward Frederic Benson, English writer ( b. 1867 )

* 1940 – Judy Cornwell, English actress

* 1940 – David Jason, English actor

* 1851 – Oliver Lodge, English physicist and writer ( d. 1940 )

* 1940 – World War II: Battle of Britain – The German Luftwaffe begins attacking British convoys in the English Channel thus starting the battle ( this start date is contested, though ).

* 1940 – Meghnad Desai, Baron Desai, English economist and politician

* 1940 – Brian Priestley, English pianist and arranger

* 1940 – Michael Sheard, English actor ( d. 2005 )

* 2012 – Caroline John, English actress ( b. 1940 )

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 – Esther Rantzen, English journalist

* 1940 – Ringo Starr, English singer-songwriter, musician, and actor ( The Beatles and Plastic Ono Band )

* 1940 – Ben Chapman, English politician and civil servant

* 1867 – E. F. Benson, English writer ( d. 1940 )