1940 in film

• January 26 – RKO emerges from bankruptcy with assets transferred to a new company.
• February 7 – Walt Disney's second animated feature film Pinocchio premieres at the Center Theatre in New York City. Although not a box office success upon its initial release (due to being cut off from international markets due to World War II), the film receives critical acclaim and wins two Academy Awards, including one for Best Original Song for "When You Wish Upon a Star". Through a reissue after the war, Pinocchio becomes profitable and gains a cult following; eventually, it is considered one of the greatest films of all time.
• February 10 – Tom and Jerry make their debut in the animated cartoon Puss Gets the Boot. The characters are initially known as "Jasper and Jinx" for this cartoon only.
• April 12 – Alfred Hitchcock's first American film Rebecca is released, under the production of David O. Selznick. It would go on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.
• May – A reproduction of "America's First Movie Studio", Thomas Edison's Black Maria, is constructed.
• July 27 – Bugs Bunny makes his official debut in the animated cartoon A Wild Hare.
• October 15 – Charlie Chaplin's The Great Dictator, a satirical comedy starring him, premieres in New York City. It is a critical and commercial success and goes on to become Chaplin's most financially successful film.
• November 13 – World premiere of Walt Disney's animated film Fantasia at the Broadway Theatre in New York City, the first film to be released in a multi-channel sound format (see Fantasound). The film also marks the first use of the click track while recording the soundtrack, overdubbing of orchestral parts, simultaneous multitrack recording and is cited as a key chapter in the conception and development of the multi-channel surround system. The film is a bigger box office failure for Disney than Pinocchio was, though it recoups its cost years later and becomes one of the most highly regarded of Disney's films.
• November 20 – Consent Decree approved by Judge Henry W. Goddard to end block booking by the Big Five studios
• November 25 – Woody Woodpecker makes his debut in the Andy Panda cartoon Knock Knock.
• December 5 – Release of one of Alexander Korda's most successful films, The Thief of Bagdad, pioneering the use of chroma key effects.^[1]
• In the United Kingdom, the Crown Film Unit supersedes the GPO Film Unit in the production of documentary films.

• Best Picture: Rebecca – David O. Selznick, United Artists
• Best Director: John Ford – The Grapes of Wrath
• Best Actor: James Stewart – The Philadelphia Story
• Best Actress: Ginger Rogers – Kitty Foyle
• Best Supporting Actor: Walter Brennan – The Westerner
• Best Supporting Actress: Jane Darwell – The Grapes of Wrath

The top ten 1940 released films by box office gross in North America are as follows:

Films produced in the United States unless stated otherwise

United States unless stated

• Adventures of Red Ryder, directed by William Witney and John English
• Deadwood Dick, directed by James W. Horne
• Drums of Fu Manchu, starring Henry Brandon and Robert Kellard, directed by William Witney and John English
• Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe, starring Buster Crabbe
• The Green Archer, starring Victor Jory, directed by James W. Horne
• The Green Hornet, starring Warren Hull
• Junior G-Men, starring the Dead End Kids
• King of the Royal Mounted starring Allan Lane, directed by William Witney and John English
• Mysterious Doctor Satan, starring Eduardo Ciannelli, directed by William Witney and John English
• The Shadow, starring Victor Jory, directed by James W. Horne
• Terry and the Pirates, starring William Tracy, directed by James W. Horne
• Winners of the West, starring Dick Foran and Anne Nagel

• Buster Keaton (1917–1941)
• Laurel and Hardy (1921–1943)
• Our Gang (1922–1944)
• Charley Chase (1924–1940)
• The Three Stooges (1934–1959)

• Krazy Kat (1925–1940)
• Mickey Mouse (1928–1953)
• Looney Tunes (1930–1969)
• Terrytoons (1930–1964)
• Merrie Melodies (1931–1969)
• Scrappy (1931–1941)
• Popeye (1933–1957)
• Color Rhapsodies (1934–1949)
• Donald Duck (1937–1956)
• Pluto (1937–1951)
• Walter Lantz Cartunes (also known as New Universal Cartoons or Cartune Comedies) (1938–1942)
• Goofy (1939–1955)
• Andy Panda (1939–1949)
  • Knock Knock! (first appearance of Woody Woodpecker)
• Tom and Jerry (1940–1958)
  • Puss Gets the Boot

• January 1 - Albert Nelson (actor), American actor
• January 3 – Thelma Schoonmaker, American editor
• January 19 - Mike Reid, English comedian and actor (died 2007)
• January 20 – Krishnam Raju, Indian actor (died 2022)
• January 22 – John Hurt, English actor (died 2017)^[10]
• January 25 – Paolo Graziosi, Italian actor (died 2022)
• January 27
  • James Cromwell, American actor
  • Reynaldo Rey, American actor, comedian and television personality (died 2015)
• January 29 – Katharine Ross, American actress
• January 31 – Stuart Margolin, American actor and director (died 2022)
• February 2 - David Jason, British actor
• February 4
  • George A. Romero, American director, producer and screenwriter (died 2017)^[11]
  • John Schuck, American actor
• February 5 – Dick Warlock, American actor and stuntman
• February 6 - Jim Haynie, American actor (died 2021)
• February 11 – John Fink, American actor
• February 12 – Ralph Bates, English actor (died 1991)
• February 17
  • Matija Barl, Slovenian actor, producer and translator (died 2018)
  • Jo Kendall, British actress (died 2022)
• February 19 – Carlin Glynn, American singer and actress (died 2023)
• February 23 – Peter Fonda, American actor (died 2019)
• February 27
  • Howard Hesseman, American actor (died 2022)
  • Bill Hunter, Australian actor (died 2011)
• February 29 – Harvey Jason, English actor
• March 3 – Patricia Gage, Scottish actress (died 2010)
• March 7 – Daniel J. Travanti, American actor
• March 9 – Raul Julia, Puerto Rican actor (died 1994)
• March 10 – Chuck Norris, American actor and martial artist (died 2026)
• March 11 – William Callaway, American retired voice actor
• March 22 - Haing S. Ngor, Cambodian-American actor (died 1996)
• March 26 – James Caan, American actor (died 2022)
• March 27 – Austin Pendleton, American actor, playwright, theatre director and instructor
• April 1 – Aliza Gur, Israeli actress
• April 3 – Wolf Kahler, German actor
• April 5 - Gianfranco Barra, Italian actor (died 2025)
• April 6 – Pedro Armendáriz Jr., Mexican actor (died 2011)
• April 14 – Julie Christie, British actress
• April 15 – Julie Sommars, American actress
• April 17 – Billy Fury, English singer and actor (died 1983)
• April 20 – James Gammon, American actor (died 2010)
• April 21 – George DiCenzo, American character actor (died 2010)
• April 24 – Michael Parks, American actor and singer (died 2017)
• April 25 – Al Pacino, American actor
• April 29 – Max Cullen, Australian actor
• April 30 – Burt Young, American actor (died 2023)
• May 2 – Jo Ann Pflug, American actress
• May 5 – Lance Henriksen, American actor
• May 7 – John Irvin, English director (died 2026)
• May 8 – Emilio Delgado, Mexican-American actor, voice artist and singer (died 2022)^[12]
• May 9 - James L. Brooks, American director, producer and screenwriter
• May 15 – Lainie Kazan, American actress and singer
• May 17
  • Valie Export, Austrian director
  • Peter Gerety, American actor
• May 25 - Deanna Dunagan, American actress
• May 26 - Levon Helm, American musician and actor (died 2012)
• May 28 – Josie Lloyd, American actress and director (died 2020)
• June 1 – René Auberjonois, American actor (died 2019)
• June 2 – Maree Cheatham, American actress
• June 7
  • Tom Jones, Welsh singer and actor
  • Ronald Pickup, English actor (died 2021)
• June 8 – Nancy Sinatra, American singer and actress
• June 20 – John Mahoney, English-born American actor (died 2018)^[13]
• June 21 – Mariette Hartley, American actress
• June 22 – Abbas Kiarostami, Iranian director (died 2016)
• June 23 – Adam Faith, English actor and singer (died 2003)
• June 26 – Luis Valdez, American playwright, screenwriter, director and actor
• July 4 – Karolyn Grimes, American actress
• July 7 – Ringo Starr, English drummer (The Beatles)
• July 13 – Patrick Stewart, English actor
• July 18 – James Brolin, American actor
• July 22 – Alex Trebek, Canadian-American game show host and television personality (died 2020)
• July 24 – Dan Hedaya, American actor
• July 28 – Phil Proctor, American actor, voice actor and member of The Firesign Theatre
• July 30 – Nicolau Breyner, Portuguese actor (died 2016)
• July 31 - Stanley R. Jaffe, American producer (died 2025)
• August 3 – Martin Sheen, American actor
• August 6 - Louise Sorel, American actress
• August 15
  • Maria Grazia Buccella, Italian actress
  • Ze'ev Revach, Israeli comedian, actor and director
• August 16 - Bruce Beresford, Australian director, screenwriter and producer
• August 19
  • Jill St. John, American actress
  • Lou Wagner, American actor^{[citation needed]}
• August 23 – Tony Bill, American actor, producer and director
• August 25 – Wilhelm von Homburg, German boxer, actor and professional wrestler (died 2004)
• August 26 – Don LaFontaine, American voice actor (died 2008)
• August 27 – Sonny Sharrock, American jazz guitarist (died 1994)
• August 31
  • Larry Hankin, American character actor, performer, director, comedian and producer.
  • Jack Thompson, Australian actor
• September 2 – Harry Northup, American actor
• September 3 – Pauline Collins, British actress (died 2025)
• September 5 – Raquel Welch, American actress (died 2023)
• September 7 – Dario Argento, Italian director, producer and screenwriter
• September 11 – Brian De Palma, American director, producer and screenwriter
• September 12 – Linda Gray, American actress, director and producer
• September 18 – Frankie Avalon, American actor and singer
• September 19
  • Karin Baal, German actress (died 2024)
  • Caroline John, English actress (died 2012)
  • Paul Williams, American actor and singer
• September 20 – Jonathan Hardy, New Zealand-Australian actor, writer and director (died 2012)
• September 21 – Bill Kurtis, American producer and narrator
• September 22 – Anna Karina, Danish-born French actress, director and singer (died 2019)
• September 25 – Roberto Del Giudice, Italian voice actor (died 2007)
• October 9 – John Lennon, English singer-songwriter and musician (The Beatles) (shot to death 1980)
• October 14 – Cliff Richard, English singer and actor
• October 16 – Barry Corbin, American actor
• October 19 – Michael Gambon, Irish-English actor (died 2023)
• October 25 – Jimmy Herman, Indigenous-Canadian actor (died 2013)
• October 26 – Tilo Prückner, German actor (died 2020)
• October 28 – Nic de Jager, South African actor
• October 29 – Jack Shepherd, English actor (died 2025)
• November 2 – Gigi Proietti, Italian actor (died 2020)
• November 4 – Manuel Ojeda, Mexican actor (died 2022)
• November 5 – Elke Sommer, German actress
• November 7 – Dakin Matthews, American actor
• November 13 – Rudolf Schwarzkogler, Austrian experimental filmmaker (died 1969)
• November 14 – Bill Bolender, American character actor
• November 15 – Sam Waterston, American actor
• November 20 – Helma Sanders-Brahms, German director (died 2014)
• November 22 – Terry Gilliam, American-born British screenwriter, director and animator (Monty Python's Flying Circus)
• November 27 – Bruce Lee, Chinese-American martial artist and actor (died 1973)
• December 1 – Richard Pryor, American comedian and actor (died 2005)
• December 11 – Donna Mills, American actress
• December 13
  • Volli Käro, Estonian actor
  • Carol Locatell, American actress (died 2023)
• December 24
  • Janet Carroll, American character actress (died 2012)
  • Sharon Farrell, American actress (died 2023)
• December 28 – Don Francisco, Chilean television host
• December 31 – Tim Considine, American actor and writer (died 2022)

• January 4 – Flora Finch, 72, American actress, A Cure for Pokeritis, The Cat and the Canary, Quality Street^[14]
• January 22 – E. Alyn Warren, 65, American actor, The Mysterious Mr. Wong, Get That Man, Revolt of the Zombies, Port of Seven Seas
• February 20 – George Periolat, 66, American actor, The Mark of Zorro, One Rainy Afternoon, Morning Glory, What Price Hollywood?
• March 5 – Maxine Elliott, 66, American actress, Fighting Odds
• April 9 – Mrs. Patrick Campbell, 75, English actress, Riptide, One More River
• April 11 – Hemmo Kallio, 77, Finnish actor, Anna Liisa
• May 25 – Joe De Grasse, 67, Canadian-born American film director, Heart o' the Hills, The Scarlet Car, The Girl of the Night
• May 28 - Walter Connolly, 53, American actor, It Happened One Night
• July 1 – Ben Turpin, 70, American actor, Saps at Sea, Mr. Flip, A Clever Dummy
• July 15 – Donald Calthrop, 52, English actor, Scrooge, Blackmail, Murder!, Major Barbara
• September 25 – Marguerite Clark, 57, American actress, Scrambled Wives, Easy to Get, All of a Sudden Peggy, A Girl Named Mary
• October 10 – Berton Churchill, 63, Canadian actor, Stagecoach, I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang, In Old Chicago, Heroes for Sale
• October 12 – Tom Mix, 60, American actor, The Miracle Rider, Riders of the Purple Sage, Sky High
• December 13 – Wilfred Lucas, 69, Canadian-born American actor, screenwriter, director, Modern Times, A Chump at Oxford, The Girl and Her Trust

• Vera Altayskaya – Tanya
• Herbert Anderson – The Fighting 69th
• Dana Andrews – Lucky Cisco Kid
• John Banner – Spring Parade
• Anne Baxter – 20 Mule Team
• William Bendix – They Drive by Night
• Joe Besser – Hot Steel
• Whit Bissell – The Sea Hawk
• David Bruce – The Sea Hawk
• Vera Carmi – Goodbye Youth
• Anthony Caruso – Johnny Apollo
• Ken Christy – Foreign Correspondent
• Abbott and Costello – One Night in the Tropics
• Peggy Cummins – Dr. O'Dowd
• Donald Curtis – Emergency Squad
• Helmut Dantine – Escape
• Carla Del Poggio – Maddalena, Zero for Conduct
• Brad Dexter – The Mortal Storm
• Irasema Dilián – La Comédie du bonheur
• Tom Drake – The Mortal Storm
• Vlasta Fabianová – May Fairy Tale
• Connie Gilchrist – Hullabaloo
• Hugh Griffith – Night Train to Munich
• Margaret Hayes – The Man Who Talked Too Much
• Eva Henning – Gentleman att hyra
• Van Johnson – Too Many Girls
• John Justin – The Thief of Bagdad
• Arthur Kennedy – City for Conquest
• Deborah Kerr – Contraband
• Andrea King – The Ramparts We Watch
• Karl Malden – They Knew What They Wanted
• Lynn Merrick – 'Til We Meet Again
• Terry Moore – Maryland
• Milo O'Shea – Contraband
• Rebel Randall – Turnabout
• Donna Reed – Convicted Woman
• Herbert Rudley – Abe Lincoln in Illinois
• Robert Ryan – The Ghost Breakers
• Phil Silvers – Hit Parade of 1941
• Gale Storm – Tom Brown's School Days
• Gene Tierney – The Return of Frank James
• David Tomlinson – Garrison Follies
• Forrest Tucker – The Westerner
• James Westerfield – The Howards of Virginia
• Gig Young – Misbehaving Husbands