At A Glance

17 October 1942 at a glance

Day of the week
17 October 1942 was a Saturday.
Top Film of 1942
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1942 was Bambi.
Star sign
The star sign for 17 October is Libra.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 17 October 1942 fell in the Year of the Horse.
Birthstone
The birthstone for October is Opal.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 17 October 1942 was First Quarter.

On this day: 17 October

  • 1933 Albert Einstein flees Nazi Germany and moves to the United States.
  • 1941 World War II: The USS Kearny becomes the first U.S. Navy vessel to be torpedoed by a U-boat.
  • 1943 The Burma Railway (Burma–Thailand Railway) is completed.
  • 1943 Nazi Holocaust in Poland: Sobibór extermination camp is closed.
  • 1945 A large demonstration in Buenos Aires, Argentina, demands Juan Perón's release.

Famous people born on 17 October

  • Eminem, American rapper, producer, and actor (born 1972)
  • Norm Macdonald, Canadian actor, comedian, producer, and screenwriter (1959–2021)
  • Rita Hayworth, American actress, singer and dancer (1918–1987)
  • Matthew Macfadyen, English actor (born 1974)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Choose your country: the charts, news and leaders change to match.

Events of 1942 in Australia

A selection from Wikipedia's '1942 in Australia'. Not a complete list.

  • 15 February – Singapore falls to the Japanese, with approximately 15,000 Australian troops taken prisoner.
  • 1 March – The cruiser HMAS Perth is torpedoed by Japanese destroyers in the Battle of Sunda Strait, sinking with the loss of 350 crew and three civilians.
  • 4 May – The Battle of the Coral Sea begins.
More events of 1942 →Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Life in Australia in 1942

Prime Minister

John Curtin

Monarch

King George VI

Petrol (per litre)

$0.01

Loaf of Bread

$0.06

Average House

$1,300

Weekly Wage

$3.40

Or

Browse by Year

The 1940s
1940194119421943194419451946194719481949
The 1950s
1950195119521953195419551956195719581959
The 1960s
1960196119621963196419651966196719681969
The 1970s
1970197119721973197419751976197719781979
The 1980s
1980198119821983198419851986198719881989
The 1990s
1990199119921993199419951996199719981999
The 2000s
2000200120022003200420052006200720082009
The 2010s
2010201120122013201420152016201720182019
The 2020s
20202021202220232024

Famous Faces Born in the 1940s

Well-known people born in the same decade as you, not on your birthday.

Olivia Newton-John26 September 1948SingerView their day →Angry Anderson5 August 1947Rock singerView their day →Rick Springfield23 August 1949Musician & singer-songwriterView their day →Bon Scott9 July 1946SingerView their day →Miriam Margolyes18 May 1941ActressView their day →John Farnham1 July 1949SingerView their day →Cassandra Harris15 December 1948ActressView their day →Helen Reddy25 October 1941Singer & actressView their day →

Sources: Wikidata and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

About The Day You Were Born

Ever wondered what was happening in the world when you took your first breath? Our birthday lookup tool reveals the fascinating history of your special day.

About The Birthday Chronicle and where our data comes from →