List of Famous people who born in 1940

David Webb Peoples is an American screenwriter who wrote Blade Runner (1982), Unforgiven (1992), and 12 Monkeys (1995). He was nominated for Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA awards. He won the best screenplay awards from the L.A. Film Critics (1991) and National Society of Film Critics (1992) for Unforgiven.

Sir Thomas Minshull Stockdale, 2nd Baronet was an English barrister and landowner.

Wenche Elena Riosianu Medbøe is a Norwegian actress.

Antti Ilmari Aarnio-Wihuri is a Finnish billionaire businessman. He heads the Wihuri Group, a Finnish diversified conglomerate that has been in existence for over 100 years. It employs over 5,000, and is involved in the industries of packaging, food distribution, aviation and construction equipment retail, private jet charter, and ambulance services. He himself is the largest single shareholder in the Canadian packaging company Winpak.

Barbara Hackman Franklin is an American government official, corporate director, and business executive. She served as the 29th U.S. Secretary of Commerce from 1992–1993 to President George H.W. Bush, during which she led a Presidential mission to China.

In late August 2001, the Howard Government of Australia refused permission for the Norwegian freighter MV Tampa, carrying 433 rescued refugees and 5 crew, to enter Australian waters. This triggered an Australian political controversy in the lead up to the 2001 federal election, and a diplomatic dispute between Australia and Norway.