Fun Facts From 1940

FUN FACTS FROM 1940--

• The federal debt: 50.7 billion
  
  
• United States Population: 132,122,446
  
  
• Unemployment: 14.6%
  
  
• Franklin D Roosevelt was President and John N. Garner was Vice President in 1940
  
  
• Cost of a first class postage stamp: 3 cents
  
  
• January 30: The first Social Security benefit checks are paid out
  
  
• The first multilane U.S. superhighway, the Pennsylvania Turnpike, opens
  
  
• The first McDonald's hamburger stand opens in Pasadena, California
  
  
• Churchill becomes Britain's prime minister

• CBS demonstrates color television in New York
  
  
• WNBT, the first regularly operating television station, debuts in New York with an estimated 10,000 viewers
  
  
• January 28: Beat the Band debuts on NBC Radio
  
  
• February 25: The first ice hockey game is televised, the New York Rangers vs Montreal Canadiens, from Madison Square Garden on W2XBS-TV
  
  
• February 28: The first basketball game is televised, from Madison Square Garden; Fordham vs the University of Pittsburgh
  
  
• March 23: Truth or Consequences debuts on CBS Radio
  
  
• August 29: Peter Carl Goldmark of CBS announces his invention of a color television system
  
  

• 1940 World Series: Cincinnati Reds vs Detroit Tigers (4-3)
  
  
• NFL Championship: Chicago Bears vs Washington Redskins (73–0)
  
  
• Masters Tournament: Jimmy Demaret
  
  
• March 2: Seabiscuit has his final horse race and wins the $121,000 Santa Anita Handicap
  
  
• Stanley Cup: NY Rangers vs. Toronto (4-2)
  
  
• Kentucky Derby Champion: Gallahadion
  
  
• NCAA Basketball Championship: Indiana vs. Kansas (60-42)
  
  
• NCAA Football Champions: Minnesota
  
  

• Awards for best in films of 1940 were presented on Feb. 27, 1941 at the Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles
  
  
• Best Motion Picture: "Rebecca "
  
  
• Best Director: John Ford for "The Grapes of Wrath"
  
  
• Best Actor: James Stewart in "The Philadelphia Story"
  
  
• Best Actress: Ginger Rogers in "Kitty Foyle"

• January: Frank Sinatra joins the Tommy Dorsey orchestra
  
  
• July 20: Billboard magazine publishes its first "Music Popularity Chart"
  
  
• Woody Guthrie's musical career begins
  
  
• Gene Autry has the hit record "Blueberry Hill"
  
  
• Glenn Miller has the hit record "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square"
  
  
• Bing Crosby has the hit record "Only Forever"

• February 6: Tom Brokaw
  
  
• February 8: Ted Koppel
  
  
• April 25: Al Pacino
  
  
• July 7: Ringo Starr
  
  
• July 22: Alex Trebek
  
  
• December 1: Richard Pryor