At A Glance

20 July 1940 at a glance

Day of the week
20 July 1940 was a Saturday.
Top Film of 1940
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1940 was Pinocchio.
Star sign
The star sign for 20 July is Cancer.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 20 July 1940 fell in the Year of the Dragon.
Birthstone
The birthstone for July is Ruby.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 20 July 1940 was Waning Gibbous.

On this day: 20 July

  • 1936 The Montreux Convention is signed in Switzerland, authorizing Turkey to fortify the Dardanelles and Bosphorus but guaranteeing free passage to ships of all nations in peacetime.
  • 1938 The United States Department of Justice files suit in New York City against the motion picture industry charging violations of the Sherman Antitrust Act in regards to the studio system. The case would eventually result in a break-up of the industry in 1948.
  • 1940 Denmark leaves the League of Nations.
  • 1940 California opens its first freeway, the Arroyo Seco Parkway.
  • 1941 Soviet leader Joseph Stalin consolidates the Commissariats of Home Affairs and National Security to form the NKVD and names Lavrentiy Beria its chief.

Famous people born on 20 July

  • Haakon VIII (born 1973)
  • Chris Cornell, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (1964–2017)
  • Julianne Hough, American singer-songwriter, actress, and dancer (born 1988)
  • Natalie Wood, American actress (1938–1981)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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

Events of 1940 in Australia

A selection from Wikipedia's '1940 in Australia'. Not a complete list.

  • 28 February – The Australian 7th Division is formed.
  • 16 March – A state election is held in Victoria. The Country Party led by Albert Dunstan is returned to government.
  • 14 June – The Volunteer Defence Corps is formed, a militia force based on the British Home Guard.

Life in Australia in 1940

Prime Minister

Robert Menzies

Monarch

King George VI

Petrol (per litre)

$0.01

Loaf of Bread

$0.05

Average House

$1,200

Weekly Wage

$3.00

Or

Browse by Year

Famous Faces Born in the 1940s

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

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 →