1940

Feature films

 * February 7 - Pinocchio
 * November 13 - Fantasia is released to universal critical acclaim, but is a box-office failure on initial release.

Shorts

 * March 15 - The Riveter
 * April 5 - Donald's Dog Laundry
 * April 26 - Tugboat Mickey
 * May 17 - Billposters
 * June 7 - Mr. Duck Steps Out
 * June 28 - Bone Trouble
 * July 19 - Put-Put Troubles
 * August 9 - Donald's Vacation
 * August 30 - Pluto's Dream House
 * September 1 - The Volunteer Worker
 * September 20 - Window Cleaners
 * November 1 - Mr. Mouse Takes a Trip
 * November 22 - Goofy's Glider
 * December 13 - The Fire Chief
 * December 27 - Pantry Pirate

Artists joined

 * Jack Boyd - Effects Animator for Sleeping Beauty and Mary Poppins''.
 * Don Griffith (art director)

Comics

 * October - The first issue of Walt Disney's Comics and Stories is published.

Character debuts

 * February 7 - Pinocchio, Gepetto, Stromboli, Monstro, J. Worthington Foulfellow and Gideon, Cleo, The Coachman, Jiminy Cricket, Figaro, Blue Fairy, Lampwick
 * June 7 - Daisy Duck
 * October - Grandma Duck
 * November 13 - Chernabog, Yen Sid, Hyacinth Hippo, Ben Ali Gator, Madame Upanova, Elephanchine, Sugar Plum Fairies

Births

 * Monica Evans
 * January 22 - John Hurt (actor)
 * January 27 - James Cromwell (actor)
 * February 2 - Thomas M. Disch (author and poet)
 * February 4 - George A. Romero (director, producer, editor and screenwriter)
 * February 11 - Lord Tim Hudson (DJ and voice actor)
 * March 25 - Anita Bryant (singer)
 * March 26 - James Caan (actor)
 * March 27 - Austin Pendleton (actor)
 * April 25 - Al Pacino (actor and director)
 * May 5 - Lance Henriksen (actor)
 * May 22 - Bernard Shaw (journalist and former news anchor)
 * June 1 - Rene Auberjonois (actor)
 * June 20 - John Mahoney (voice artist)
 * July 7 - Ringo Starr (drummer, singer, songwriter, actor)
 * July 13 - Patrick Stewart (actor)
 * July 22 - Alex Trebek (Television personality, game show host)
 * August 3 - Martin Sheen (actor)
 * August 26 - Don LaFontaine (American voice actor)
 * August 31 - Jack Thompson (actor)
 * September 5 - Raquel Welch (actress)
 * September 19 - Paul Williams (actor and songwriter)
 * October 4 - Kei Yoshimizu (Japanese actor and voice actor)
 * October 13 - Dave Smith (founder and former chief archivist at the Walt Disney Archives)
 * October 18 - Cynthia Weil (songwriter)
 * November 5 - Elke Sommer (actress)
 * November 21 - Dr. John (singer, pianist and guitarist)
 * December 1 - Richard Pryor (stand-up comedian, actor, social critic, writer and Master of Ceremonies)

Deaths

 * January 4 - Charles Mintz (film producer and distributor)
 * January 21 - Otis Harlan (voice artist)
 * July 1 - Ben Turpin (comedian and actor)
 * August 21 - Ernest Thayer (writer and poet)
 * September 28 - Earl Hurd (animator and film director)
 * Eddie Collins (vaudeville stage performer and performance model)