IMDb: Most Popular People Born In 1940

1-50 of 2,979 names.

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1.		Katharine Ross Actress, The Graduate Katharine Juliet Ross was born on January 29, 1940 in Hollywood, California, to Katharine W. (Hall) and Dudley T. Ross. Her father, who also worked for the Associated Press, was away in the US Navy when she was born. His navy career shuttled the family around to Virginia, then Palo Alto, and finally to Walnut Creek...
2.		Al Pacino Actor, The Godfather One of the greatest actors in all of film history, Al Pacino established himself during one of film's greatest decades, the 1970s, and has become an enduring and iconic figure in the world of American movies. Pacino was born on April 25, 1940, in the Bronx, New York, to an Italian-American family. His parents...
3.		James Cromwell Actor, The Green Mile Born in Los Angeles but raised in Manhattan and educated at Middlebury College and Carnegie-Mellon University, James Cromwell, the son of famous film director John Cromwell, studied acting at Carnegie-Mellon. He went into the theater (like both his parents) doing everything from Shakespeare to experimental plays...
4.		Raquel Welch Actress, The Three Musketeers A new reigning 1960s international sex symbol took to the cinematic throne as soon as Raquel Welch emerged from the sea in her purposely depleted, furry prehistoric bikini. Tantalizingly wet with her garb clinging to all the right amazonian places, One Million Years B.C., if nothing else, captured the hearts...
5.		James Caan Actor, The Godfather A masculine and enigmatic actor whose life and movie career have had more ups and downs than the average rollercoaster and whose selection of roles has arguably derailed him from achieving true superstar status, James Caan is New York-born and bred. He was born in the Bronx, to Sophie (Falkenstein) and Arthur Caan...
6.		James Brolin Actor, Catch Me If You Can
7.		Michael Gambon Actor, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 Sir Michael Gambon was born in Cabra, Dublin, Ireland, to Mary (Hoare), a seamstress, and Edward Gambon, an engineer. After joining the National Theatre, under the Artistic Directorship of Sir Laurence Olivier, Gambon went on to appear in a number of leading roles in plays written by Alan Ayckbourn...
8.		John Hurt Actor, V for Vendetta This transatlantic talent was born John Vincent Hurt on January 22, 1940 in Shirebrook, a coal mining village near the busy market town of Chesterfield, in Derbyshire, England. He is the son of Phyllis (Massey), an engineer and one-time actress, and Arnould Herbert Hurt, an Anglican clergyman and mathematician...
9.		Patrick Stewart Actor, X2 Sir Patrick Stewart was born in Mirfield, Yorkshire, England, to Gladys (Barrowclough), a textile worker and weaver, and Alfred Stewart, who was in the army. He was a member of various local drama groups from about age 12. He left school at age 15 to work as a junior reporter on a local paper; he quit when his editor told him he was spending too much time at the theatre and not enough working...
10.		Martin Sheen Actor, Apocalypse Now Multiple Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner Martin Sheen is one of America's most celebrated, colorful, and accomplished actors. Moving flawlessly between artistic mediums, Sheen's acting range is breathtaking. He was born in Dayton, Ohio, to Mary-Ann (Phelan), an Irish immigrant (from Borrisokane...
11.		Burt Young Actor, Rocky Burly, talented character actor who has remained consistently busy playing "rough at the edge" type characters, often on the wrong side of the law. Young was born on April 30 1940 in New York City, the son of a high school shop teacher. He is of Italian descent. Young received his dramatic arts training under legendary acting coach Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio...
12.		Bruce Lee Actor, Enter the Dragon Bruce Lee remains the greatest icon of martial arts cinema and a key figure of modern popular media. Had it not been for Bruce Lee and his movies in the early 1970s, it's arguable whether or not the martial arts film genre would have ever penetrated and influenced mainstream North American and European cinema and audiences the way it has over the past four decades...
13.		Chuck Norris Actor, The Expendables 2 Chuck Norris is familiar to fans worldwide as the star of action films such as The Hitman, The Delta Force and Delta Force 2: The Colombian Connection. He also starred in Missing in Action and its sequels, Firewalker and Sidekicks. He was an executive producer of Walker, Texas Ranger as well as the star. Chuck Norris was born in Ryan...
14.		Terry Gilliam Writer, Monty Python and the Holy Grail Terry Gilliam was born in Minnesota near Medicine Lake. When he was 12 his family moved to Los Angeles where he became a fan of Mad magazine. In his early 20's he was often stopped by the police who often suspected him of being a drug addict and Gilliam had to explain that he worked in advertisement...
15.		Lance Henriksen Actor, The Terminator An intense, versatile actor as adept at playing clean-cut FBI agents as he is psychotic motorcycle-gang leaders, who can go from portraying soulless, murderous vampires to burned-out, world-weary homicide detectives, Lance Henriksen has starred in a variety of films that have allowed him to stretch his talents just about as far as an actor could possibly hope...
16.		Deanna Dunagan Actress, The Visit Deanna Dunagan is a Tony Award-winning actress who has had a prolific career acting on the Chicago stage. Originally from Monahans, Texas, Dunagan made her Broadway debut in the 1979 production of George Bernard Shaw's "Man and Superman" at Circle in the Square. In 1981, she performed in the first national tour of "Children of a Lesser God"...
17.		Brian De Palma Director, Scarface Brian De Palma is the son of a surgeon. He studied physics but at the same time felt his dedication for the movies and made some short films. After seven independent productions he had his first success with Sisters and his voyeuristic style. Restlessly he worked on big projects with the script writers Paul Schrader...
18.		Michael Parks Actor, Kill Bill: Vol. 2
19.		Richard Pryor Self, Richard Pryor: Live in Concert Highly influential, and always controversial, African-American actor/comedian who was equally well known for his colorful language during his live comedy shows, as for his fast paced life, multiple marriages and battles with drug addiction. He has been acknowledged by many modern comic artist's as a key influence on their careers...
20.		Peter Fonda Actor, Easy Rider Peter Henry Fonda was born in New York City, to legendary screen star Henry Fonda and New York socialite Frances Seymour Brokaw. He is the brother of actress Jane Fonda and the father of actress Bridget Fonda. His ancestry includes Dutch, English, Scottish, and distant French and Italian...
21.		James Burrows Writer, Cheers
22.		Sam Waterston Actor, The Killing Fields
23.		Raul Julia Actor, The Addams Family Raul Julia was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Olga Arcelay, a mezzo-soprano singer, and Raúl Juliá, an electrical engineer. He graduated from Colegio San Ignacio de Loyola High School in San Juan. Here he studied the rigorous classical curriculum of the Jesuits and was always active in student dramatics...
24.		Dan Hedaya Actor, The Usual Suspects Dan Hedaya is a familiar face from his work in films and on TV, where he often plays a villain (although he had a good comic turn as the charmingly sleazy Nick Tortelli, Carla's ex-husband, in Cheers and its short-lived spin-off The Tortellis). He has also done much stage work, appearing...
25.		Lainie Kazan Actress, My Big Fat Greek Wedding Lainie Kazan was born Lainie Levine in Brooklyn, New York, to Carole (Kazan) and Ben Levine. She graduated from Hofstra University, in Hempstead, New York. Her film career began in Dayton's Devils, starring alongside Leslie Nielsen. Later, Lainie was nominated a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Motion Picture for her performance in My Favorite Year...
26.		Barry Corbin Actor, No Country for Old Men Barry's full given name is Leonard Barrie Corbin, and he was born on October 16, 1940, to Kilmer Blain Corbin, an attorney, and Alma Corbin, an elementary school teacher in Lamesa, Texas. Barry has a daughter named Shannon Ross, with whom he shares his 15-acre ranch in Fort Worth, Texas, when he isn't working. He says that he rides horses there every chance he gets.
27.		Rene Auberjonois Actor, The Little Mermaid René Murat Auberjonois was born on June 1, 1940 in New York City. René was born into an already artistic family, which included his grandfather, a well-known Swiss painter, and his father Fernand, a writer. The Auberjonois family moved to Paris shortly after World War II, and it was there that René made an important career decision at the age of six...
28.		John Mahoney Actor, Primal Fear John Mahoney is an award-winning American actor who was born in Blackpool, Lancashire, England. The seventh of eight children, Mahoney's family had been evacuated to the sea-side resort to avoid the Nazi bombing of their native Manchester. The Mancunian Mahoneys eventually returned to Manchester during the war...
29.		Elke Sommer Actress, A Shot in the Dark This gorgeous Teutonic temptress was one of Hollywood's most captivating imports of the 1960s. Blonde and beautiful, Berlin-born Elke Sommer, with her trademark pouty lips, high cheekbones and sky-high bouffant hairdos, proved irresistible to American audiences, whether adorned in lace or leather, or donning lingerie or lederhosen...
30.		Peter Gerety Actor, Inside Man
31.		Jill St. John Actress, Diamonds Are Forever An incredible piece of 1960s eye candy, Jill St. John absolutely smoldered on the big screen, a trendy, cosmopolitan presence in lightweight comedy, spirited adventure and spy intrigue who appeared alongside some of Hollywood's most handsome male specimens. Although she was seldom called upon to do much more than frolic in the sun and/or playfully taunt and tempt her leading man as needed...
32.		Tim Considine Actor, Patton
33.		David Jason Actor, Hogfather David Jason was born in Edmonton, London, in 1940. He has become one of Britain's most famous and respected actors. He is a versatile actor who is most famously known for his role in Only Fools and Horses.... as Del Boy. He made his debut as DelBoy back in 1981 and was still playing the same role up to the Christmas special in 2002...
34.		Mariette Hartley Actress, One Life to Live Mariette Hartley was born Mary Loretta, a name she dislikes, in Weston, Connecticut. She was raised in accordance with the principles espoused by her behavioral psychologist grandfather, John B. Watson, who believed that children should never be held or cuddled. She says that the lack of warmth at home is what drove her to the theatre...
35.		Ellen Travolta Actress, General Hospital
36.		Anna Karina Actress, Vivre Sa Vie Born in Denmark, she came to Paris at 18. She met Coco Chanel and Pierre Cardin and started as a top model. She met Jean-Luc Godard about a cameo in Breathless, but she had to be naked and she refused to play in the movie. One year later, they got married and she became famous with the "Nouvelle vague" movies directed by him, Jacques Rivette or Agnès Varda...
37.		Donna Mills Actress, Play Misty for Me Donna Mills was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. Her father was an oil executive and her mother was a dance instructor. Donna studied ballet throughout her teens. After spending a year studying drama at the University of Illinois, she made her way to New York, where she landed an understudy role in Woody Allen's play...
38.		Pauline Collins Actress, You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger Pauline Collins, OBE, came to prominence with portraying Sarah Moffat in BBC's Upstairs, Downstairs and its spin-off Thomas and Sarah during the 1970s. After having played the title-role in the play "Shirley Valentine" for which she earned Laurence Olivier, Tony, and Drama Desk awards, she reprised the role in its film adaptation Shirley Valentine...
39.		Linda Gray Actress, Reflections of a Life
40.		George A. Romero Writer, Night of the Living Dead George A. Romero never set out to become a Hollywood figure; however, by all indications, he was very successful. The helmer of the groundbreaking "Living Dead" films was born February 4, 1940 in New York City, New York, to a Cuban father and a Lithuanian-American mother. He grew up in NY, until attending the renowned Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
41.		Larry Hankin Actor, Home Alone
42.		Howard Hesseman Actor, Turkeys Away Howard Hesseman has been a leading counter-culture figure since the late 1960s. He was a member of the improv group, "the Committee", for ten years in the sixties and seventies. He has been a character actor for many years on different television shows since the 1960s, and took small parts in The Andy Griffith Show...
43.		Susan Clark Actress, Coogan's Bluff Award-winning Canadian actress Susan Clark, born on March 8, 1940, took up acting at an early age (12) in her hometown of Sarnia, Ontario. Her family moved to Toronto around that period of time and she joined the Toronto Children's Players Theatre. Her first professional curtain call took place on the...
44.		Stuart Margolin Actor, Days of Heaven Stuart Margolin, the Emmy Award-winning actor and director, was born in Davenport, Iowa. He won two Best Supporting Actor Emmies playing James Garner's former cell-mate "Angel" Martin in The Rockford Files. Margolin made his debut in The Gertrude Berg Show before becoming a series regular on Ensign O'Toole the following year. His acting career has now spanned more than 50 years...
45.		Dario Argento Writer, Once Upon a Time in the West Dario Argento was born in Rome, Italy on September 7 1940. He is the son of producer Salvatore Argento. He began his career as a movie critic for the Rome daily newspaper "Paese Sera". A professional screenwriter by the tender age of 20, he joined Bernardo Bertolucci to write the screenplay for Sergio Leone's epic western "Once Upon A Time In The West" in 1967...
46.		Ronald Pickup Actor, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
47.		Nancy Sinatra Soundtrack, Kill Bill: Vol. 1 Nancy Sandra Sinatra was born the first child of Frank Sinatra and Nancy Sinatra on June 8, 1940 in Jersey City, New Jersey. Her first television appearance was with her father and Elvis Presley in 1959. She first appeared as a film actress in For Those Who Think Young and Get Yourself a College Girl. Nancy appeared alongside Elvis in the musical comedy Speedway...
48.		Sharon Farrell Actress, Can't Buy Me Love
49.		Ken Jenkins Actor, The Sum of All Fears A versatile veteran of film, television and theater, Ken Jenkins began his acting career performing in high school theater productions in his hometown of Dayton, Ohio. "I was fortunate to discover the world through the words of William Shakespeare, George Bernard Shaw, Arthur Miller and Tennessee Williams, and to discover in myself a love for the theater that has shaped my life"...
50.		Daniel J. Travanti Actor, General Hospital The highly regarded actor Daniel J. Travanti was born Danielo Giovanni Travanty in the southeastern part of Wisconsin on March 7, 1940, but raised for a time in Iowa before returning to his native state. The youngest son of an American Motors auto worker, he showed both athletic and academic prowess in high school on both the football and debate teams...