Historical Events
USS Hornet
Apr 2 USS Hornet with Jimmy Doolittles B-25 departs from San Francisco
Pillar of Fire
Apr 8 Arnold Schoenberg & Tudor's ballet "Pillar of Fire" premieres in NYC
Gretchaninov's 4th Symphony
Apr 9 Alexander Gretchaninov's 4th Symphony premieres at Carnegie Hall, NYC, with John Barbirolli conducting the New York Philharmonic
9th US Masters
Apr 13 9th US Masters Tournament, Augusta National GC: Byron Nelson wins an 18-hole playoff by 1 stroke over runner-up Ben Hogan
- Apr 14 Destroyer Roper sinks German U-85 of US east coast
- Apr 16 Japanese occupying army on Java installs film censorship
- Apr 17 12 Lancasters bomb MAN factory in Augsburg
- Apr 17 Operations begin to destroy Sobibor Concentration Camp
- Apr 17 POW French General Henri Giraud escapes from his castle prison in Festung Königstein
- Apr 18 "Stars & Stripes" paper for US armed forces starts
- Apr 18 Stanley Cup Final, Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, ON: Toronto Maple Leafs beat Detroit Red Wings, 3-1 for a 4-3 series win; Toronto recovers after losing first 3 games
- Apr 18 The Doolittle Raid: James Doolittle leads the first air raid on mainland Japan, bombing Tokyo & other Japanese cities
- Apr 20 46th Boston Marathon won by Joe Smith in 2:26:51.2
- Apr 20 Nazi German occupiers forbid Dutch access to their beach
- Apr 23 1st night Exeter bombed by German Luftwaffe
- Apr 23 4-day allied bombing on Rostock begins
- Apr 24 2nd night Exeter bombed by German Luftwaffe
- Apr 25 Beginning of a 3 night bombing blitz on Bath by German Luftwaffe - 417 killed
- Apr 26 Coal mine explosion kills 1,549 at Honkeiko, Manchuria
- Apr 27 Belgian Jews are forced to wear stars
- Apr 27 Tornado destroys Pryor, Oklahoma, killing 100, injuring 300
- Apr 28 "WW II" titled so, as result of Gallup Poll
- Apr 28 German Luftwaffe estimated to have flown over 11 thousand sorties against Malta since 20th March
- Apr 28 Nightly "dim-out" begins along US East Coast
- Apr 29 Japanese troop march into Lashio, cutting off Burma Road
- Apr 29 Jews forced to wear a Jewish Star in Netherlands & Vichy-France
- Apr 30 1st submarine built on Great Lakes launched, (Peto), Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Famous Birthdays
- Apr 1 Alan Blakley, British guitarist and record producer (The Tremeloes - "Here Comes My Baby"; "Silence Is Golden"), born in Bromley, Kent, England (d. 1996)
- Apr 1 Danny Brooks [Jim Mealey], American pop bass vocalist (The Dovells - "Bristol Stomp"), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 197?)
- Apr 1 Phil Margo, American rock vocalist (Tokens - "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 2021)
- Apr 1 Samuel R. Delany Jr, American sci-fi author (Towers of Toron; Neveryona), born in Harlem, New York
- Apr 2 Graham Bright, British politician private secretary to British PM John Major, born in Horndon-on-the-Hill, Essex, England
- Apr 2 Hiroyuki Sakai, Japanese chef who specializes in French cuisine (Iron Chef), born in Izumi, Kagoshima, Japan
- Apr 2 Leon Russell [Claude Russell Bridges], American musician and singer-songwriter ("Tight Rope"; "Delta Lady"; "Carney"), born in Lawton, Oklahoma (d. 2016)
- Apr 2 Roshan Seth, Indian-born British actor (Mississippi Masala), born in Patna, Bihar, India
- Apr 2 Terry Holland, American college basketball coach (Davidson, Virginia) and athletics administrator (Davidson, Virginia, East Carolina), born in Clinton, North Carolina (d. 2023)
- Apr 3 Billy Joe Royal, American country and pop singer ("Down in the Boondocks"), born in Valdosta, Georgia (d. 2015)
- Apr 3 Herbie Greene, American photographer best known for his portraits for rock and roll luminaries (The Grateful Dead), born in Indio, California
- Apr 3 Marek Perepeczko, Polish actor (Janosik), born in Warsaw, Poland (d. 2005)
- Apr 3 Marsha Mason, American actress (Blume in Love, Cinderella Liberty), born in St Louis, Missouri
- Apr 3 Michael Elliott, American skier (Olympics 1968), born in Durango, Colorado
- Apr 3 Rick Sylvester, Hollywood stuntman, parachute ski jumper (world record 3,300')
- Apr 3 Wayne Newton, American singer and entertainer (Daddy, Don't You Walk So Fast; Danke Schon), born in Norfolk, Virginia
- Apr 4 Kitty Kelley, American journalist and author (Unauthorized Biography of Frank Sinatra), born in Spokane, Washington
- Apr 4 Kris Jensen, American musician (Torture), born in New Haven, Connecticut
- Apr 5 Allan Clarke, British rock vocalist (Hollies - "Air That I Breathe"), born in Salford, Lancashire, England
- Apr 5 Antonio Fernández, Spanish soccer manager (CD Málaga), born in Alicante, Spain (d. 2022)
- Apr 5 Arthur Barrett, West Indian cricketer (WI leggie early 70's), born in Kingston, Jamaica
- Apr 5 Peter Greenaway, Welsh film director, born in Newport, Wales
- Apr 5 Peter Magowan, American businessman (CEO Safeway 1979-93) and sports executive (owner SF Giants 1993-2008), born in New York City (d. 2019)
- Apr 6 Anita Pallenberg, Italian model and actress credited as the muse of the Rolling Stones, born in Rome, Italy (d. 2017)
Barry Levinson (82 years old)
Apr 6 American Academy Award-winning film director, and screenwriter (Diner; Rain Man; Good Morning, Vietnam), born in Baltimore, Maryland
- Apr 6 Phil Austin, American comedian (Firesign Theater)
- Apr 7 Edda Barends, actress (Arthur & Eva)
- Apr 7 Jeetendra, Indian actor
- Apr 7 Nick Drake-Lee, English rugby union prop (8 caps; Leicester Tigers), born in Kettering, England (d. 2021)
- Apr 8 Douglas Trumbull, American film director (Silent Running, Brainstorm), born in Los Angeles, California
- Apr 8 Eduard Visser, Dutch writer (Fyffes are now called Chiquita)
- Apr 8 Leon Huff, American pianist, songwriter, and "Philadelphia Soul" producer, with Kenny Gamble (Billy Paul - "Me & Mrs Jones"; The O'Jays; Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes), born in Camden, New Jersey
- Apr 8 Roger Chapman, British progressive rock vocalist (Family - "In My Own Time"), born in Leicester, England
- Apr 9 (Andre) Brandon De Wilde, American stage and screen actor (The Member of the Wedding; Shane; Jamie; Hud), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 1972)
- Apr 9 Earl Hilliard, American politician (Rep-D-Alabama), born in Birmingham, Alabama
- Apr 9 Petar Nadoveza, Croatian soccer striker (1 cap; Yugoslavia; Hajduk Split 217 games) and manager (Hajduk Split 1982-84, 1988-89, 2000, 2004), born in Šibenik, Croatia (d. 2023)
- Apr 10 Hayedeh [Ma'soumeh Dadehbala], Persian classical, pop, and folk singer, born in Tehran, Iran (d. 1990)
- Apr 10 Ian Callaghan, English footballer, born in Toxteth, Liverpool, England
- Apr 10 Nick Auf der Maur, Canadian journalist and politician, born in Montreal, Quebec (d. 1998)
- Apr 11 Anatoly Nikolayevich Berezovoi, Soviet cosmonaut (Soyuz T-5), born in Enem, Russia (d. 2014)
- Apr 12 Bill Bryden, Scottish stage director (National Theatre), film director, and screenwriter, born in Greenock, Scotland (d. 2022)
- Apr 12 Carlos Reutemann, Argentine auto racer (World F1 Drivers C'ship 1981 runner-up; 3 x third) and politician (governor of Santa Fe 2003-21), born in Santa Fe, Argentina (d. 2021)
- Apr 12 Daniel Schmidt, American composer and builder of American gamelan, born in California
- Apr 12 Frank Bank, American actor (Lumpy-Leave it to Beaver), born in Hollywood, California (d. 2013)
Jacob Zuma (82 years old)
Apr 12 South African politician, President of South Africa (2009-18), born in Nkandla, South Africa
- Apr 13 Ataol Behramoğlu, Turkish poet and writer, born in Çatalca, Istanbul Province, Turkey
- Apr 13 Bill Conti, American Emmy and Academy Award-winning film score composer (Rocky; The Right Stuff), born in Providence, Rhode Island
- Apr 14 Tony Burrows, British pop singer (The Flower Pot Men - "Let's Go To San Francisco"; Edison Lighthouse -"Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)"), born in Exeter, Devon, England
- Apr 14 Valentin Lebedev, Soviet cosmonaut (Soyuz 13, 35, T-5), born in Moscow, Russia
- Apr 15 Francis X. DiLorenzo, American Catholic prelate, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 2017)
- Apr 15 Kenneth Lay, American businessman (CEO and Chairman of Enron, 1985-2001), born in Tyrone, Missouri (d. 2006)
- Apr 15 Walt Hazzard, American basketball player (Olympic gold 1964), born in Wilmington, Delaware (d. 2011)
- Apr 16 Frank Williams, British businessman, racing team owner (Principal Williams Formula 1 team 1977-2020; 9 x F1 Constructors' C'ships, 7 x Drivers' C'ships), born in South Shields, England (d. 2021)
- Apr 16 Jim Lonborg, American MLB pitcher (AL Cy Young 1967), born in Santa Maria, California
- Apr 16 Nikos Gioutsos, Greek soccer striker (15 caps; Olympiacos 276 games, 100 goals), born in Makrochori, Greece (d. 2023)
- Apr 17 David Bradley, British actor (Walder Frey-Game of Thrones), born in York, Yorkshire
- Apr 17 Katia Krafft (née Conrad), French volcanologist who pioneered filming volcanic eruptions, born in Guebwiller, France (d. 1991)
- Apr 17 Mario Brenta, Italian writer and director (Maicol, Barnabo of the Mountains), born in Venice, Italy
- Apr 18 Jochen Rindt, Austrian auto racer (posthumous World F1 title 1970), born in Mainz, Germany (d. 1970)
- Apr 18 Richard Angas, British operatic bass singer (English National Opera, 1980-2000), born in Esher, England (d. 2013)
- Apr 18 Seymour Stein [Steinbigle], American music label executive (Sire Records- signed Madonna, Ramones, Talking Heads), and co-founder of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 2023) [1]
- Apr 18 Steve Blass, American professional baseball player, born in Canaan, Connecticut
- Apr 19 Alan Price, English rock keyboardist (The Animals - "House of the Rising Sun"), born in Fatfield, Washington, England
- Apr 19 Bas Jan Ader, Dutch artist and photographer, born in Winschoten, Netherlands (disappeared in 1975).
- Apr 19 David Fanshawe, British composer and ethnomusicologist (African Sanctus; Pacific Odyssey; Dona Nobis Pacem – A Hymn for World Peace), born in Paignton, England (d. 2010)
- Apr 19 Edwin "Eddie" Kramer, South African-British recording engineer, producer and photographer (Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Kiss, Rolling Stones, David Bowie, The Beatles), born in Cape Town, South Africa
- Apr 19 Jack Roush, American racing entrepreneur (founder, CEO, and co-owner of Roush Fenway Racing), born in Covington, Kentucky
- Apr 21 Bobby McClure, American gospel (The Soul Stirrers) and soul singer ("Don't Mess Up A Good Thing"), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1992)
- Apr 21 Brendan Malone, American basketball coach (RI Uni; Toronto Raptors, Cleveland Cavaliers), born in New York City (d. 2023)
- Apr 22 Denis Lill, New Zealand-born British actor (Only Fools and Horses), born in Hamilton, New Zealand
- Apr 23 Sandra Dee [Alexandra Zuck], American actress (Gidget, Imitation of Life), born in Bayonne, New Jersey (d. 2005)
Barbra Streisand (82 years old)
Apr 24 American pop singer ("People"; "The Way We Were"; "Evergreen"), stage and screen actress (Funny Girl; What's Up, Doc?), film director (Yentl) and EGOT (Emmy; Grammy; Oscar; and Tony awards winner), born in Brooklyn, New York
- Apr 24 George Vella, Maltese politician, President of Malta (2019-), born in Żejtun, Malta
Richard M. Daley (82 years old)
Apr 24 American politician, 43rd Mayor of Chicago (1989-2011), born in Chicago, Illinois
- Apr 24 Valeri Abramovich Voloshin, Russian pilot cosmonaut, born in Yangiyul, Tashkent
- Apr 25 John Martin Dalby, Scottish composer, born in Aberdeen, Scotland
- Apr 25 Jon Kyl, American politician, U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona (1987-95), born in Oakland, Nebraska
- Apr 26 Bobby Rydell [Ridarelli], American pop singer ("Wild One"; "Wildwood Days"), and actor (Bye Bye Birdie), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 2022) [1]
- Apr 26 Claudine Auger, French actress (Thunderball) and Miss France (1958), born in Paris, France
- Apr 26 Jim Lambright, American college football coach (University of Washington 1993-98; 44–25–1 record), born in Everett, Washington (d. 2020)
- Apr 26 Vitali Andreyevich Grishchenko, Russian cosmonaut, born in Naifeld, Sumy (d. 1992)
- Apr 27 Jim Keltner, American session drummer (Bob Dylan; George Harrison; John Lennon; Ringo Starr; Harry Nilsson; Richard Thompson; Traveling Wilburys; Elvis Costello; Joe Cocker; Ry Cooder; Eric Clapton; Carly Simon; Jackson Browne; Randy Newman; and others...), born in Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Apr 27 John Shrapnel, English actor, born in Birmingham, Warwickshire
- Apr 27 Valeri Vladimirovich Polyakov, Russian cosmonaut (Soyuz TM-6, TM-18), born in Tula, Russia (d. 2022)
- Apr 28 Dave Davis, American ten-pin bowler (PBA Tournament of Champions 1968, 75; PBA National C'ship 1965, 67), born in Hackensack, New Jersey (d. 2022)
- Apr 28 Mike Brearley, English cricketer (outstanding England captain 1977-81), born in Harrow, Middlesex, England
- Apr 29 Galina Kulakova, Soviet nordic skier (Olympic-3 golds-1972), born in Logachi, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
- Apr 29 Vini Poncia, American pop songwriter, musician, and record producer (Ringo Starr; Melissa Manchester; KISS), born in Providence, Rhode Island
Famous Deaths
- Apr 3 Albert Siklós, Hungarian composer, dies at 63
- Apr 3 Paul Gilson, Belgian composer, dies at 76
- Apr 8 Alfred Mombert, German poet, dies at 70
- Apr 8 Kostas Skarvelis, Greek songwriter (b. 1880)
- Apr 12 Johannes E Akkeringa, Dutch painter/etcher, dies at 80
- Apr 13 Henk Sneevliet, Dutch Communist and resistance leader during WWII, executed by the Nazis at 58
Hugh S. Johnson (1881-1942)
Apr 15 American head of the National Recovery Administration & member of FDR's Brain Trust, dies of pneumonia at 60
- Apr 15 Joshua Pim, Irish tennis player (Wimbledon 1893-94), dies at 72
Robert Musil (1880-1942)
Apr 15 Austrian writer (Mann ohne Eigenschaften), dies at 61
- Apr 17 Jean Baptiste Perrin, French physicist, (1926 Nobel Prize in Physics for discovery of sedimentation equilibrium), dies at 71
- Apr 18 Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, American sculptor and art patron (founder of the Whitney Museum of American Art NYC), dies at 67
- Apr 24 Leonid Kulik, Russian mineralogist who led the first research expedition to study the Tunguska meteor site, the largest impact event in recorded history, dies of typhus in a Nazi prison camp at 58
- Apr 25 Paul Kornfeld, writer, dies at 52
- Apr 30 Catherine Murphy Urner, American composer, dies at 51
- Apr 30 J. C. Arthur, American botanist (studied parasitic fungi rusts), dies at 92
- Apr 30 Jakob van Hoddis [Hans Davidsohn], German Jewish poet, transported to German concentration camp at 54 [actual date of death unknown]
