1940 in film

Events

• February 23 - The animated movie Pinocchio is released.
• Disney's Fantasia was the first film to be released in a multichannel format called Fantasound[?]. The film also marked the first use of the click track while recording the soundtrack, overdubbing of orchestral parts, simultaneous multitrack recording and lead to the development of a multichannel surround system.

Top Grossing Films of the Year

1. Pinocchio (Disney)
2. Fantasia (Disney)

Births

• July 7 - Ringo Starr, English drummer (Beatles)
• August 3 - Martin Sheen, American actor
• November 27 - Bruce Lee
• October 9 - John Lennon, English musician, songwriter and singer (Beatles)
• December 21 - Frank Zappa, English musician, songwriter and singer

Deaths

• May 25 - Joe De Grasse, pioneer Hollywood film director
• October 10 - Berton Churchill, pioneer Hollywood actor

Other Movies Released

• Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca
• All This and Heaven Too
• The Grapes of Wrath
• The Great Dictator, starring Charlie Chaplin