1940 in film

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The year 1940 in film involved some significant events, including the premieres of the Walt Disney classics Pinocchio and Fantasia.

## Events

February 7 - Walt Disney's animated film Pinocchio is released.
February 10 - Tom and Jerry make their debut in the animated cartoon Puss Gets the Boot.
May 17 - My Favorite Wife is released.
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, is released.
November 13 - World premiere of Walt Disney's Fantasia, the first film to be released in a multi-channel sound format (see Fantasound). The film also marked 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.
December 5 - Release of The Thief of Bagdad, pioneering the use of chroma key effects.
In the United Kingdom, the Crown Film Unit supersedes the GPO Film Unit in the production of documentary films.

## Top-grossing films (U.S.)

At the time, box office numbers were reported as a percentage of business for each theater in comparison to 'normal' business. For example, Boom Town performed at 232% and Pinocchio at 130%. This is why exact dollar grosses for films are unreliable at best.

\* After theatrical reissues

## Academy Awards

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

## Serials

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 Strikes Again!, 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

## Short film series

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

## Animated short film series

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

## Debuts

Dana Andrews - Lucky Cisco Kid
Robert Ryan - The Ghost Breakers
Gene Tierney - The Return of Frank James
Forrest Tucker - The Westerner

## References

1.Jump up ^ Box Office Digest, April 1941, p. 18
2.Jump up ^ Pinocchio (1940 film)

1. ↑ Box Office Digest, April 1941, p. 18
2. ↑ Pinocchio (1940 film)