Historical Events
- Apr 1 Japanese troops conquer Jessami, Eastern India
Shostakovich's 8th Symphony
Apr 2 Dmitri Shostakovich's 8th Symphony premieres in NY
Communist Leader Returns
Apr 2 Palmiro Togliatti, leader of the Italian Communist Party returns to Italy from the Soviet Union
- Apr 2 Soviet Army marches into pro-German Romania
- Apr 3 British dive bombers attack German battleship Tirpitz at Kåfjorden, Norway
- Apr 3 US Supreme Court (Smith v Allwright) "white primaries" unconstitutional
- Apr 4 Allied Bucharest bombings targeting railroads kills 5,000
- Apr 4 British troops capture Addis Ababa Ethiopia
Free France
Apr 4 French General Charles de Gaulle forms new regime in exile, with communists
Searching Wind
Apr 12 Lillian Hellman's "Searching Wind" premieres in NYC
- Apr 13 New Zealand and the Soviet Union establish diplomatic relations
- Apr 13 South Carolina rejects black suffrage
- Apr 13 Stanley Cup Final, Montreal Forum, Montreal, Quebec: Montreal Canadiens beat Chicago Blackhawks, 5-4 in overtime for a 4-0 series sweep; Canadiens' first SC triumph since 1931
Eisenhower Supreme Allied Commander
Apr 14 General Eisenhower becomes the Supreme Allied Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force
- Apr 14 Greek Colonel Venizelos forms government
Izieu Children's Home Raid
Apr 16 Nazis led by Klaus Barbie raid Izieu Jewish children's home, near Lyon, taking 44 children and seven adults to exterminations camps [1]
- Apr 17 48th Boston Marathon won by Gerard Cote of Canada in 2:31:50.4; second straight victory; 3rd of 4 titles
Fancy Free
Apr 18 Leonard Bernstein and Jerome Robbins' ballet "Fancy Free" premieres at the Metropolitan Opera House, NYC
- Apr 19 1944 NFL Draft: Angelo Bertelli from University of Notre Dame first pick by Boston Yanks
- Apr 19 Allied fleet attack Sabang Sumatra
- Apr 20 Dutch Communist Party resistance fighter John Postma sentence to death
- Apr 20 NFL legalizes coaching from bench
- Apr 21 NFL Chic Cardinals & Pittsburgh Steelers merge (dissolves on Dec 3)
- Apr 22 Allies land near Hollandia, New Guinea
Fascist Leaders' Salzburg Conference
Apr 22 Fascist leaders Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini meet at their Salzburg conference
- Apr 24 1st Boeing B-29 arrives in China "over the Hump"
- Apr 25 United Negro College Fund incorporates
- Apr 26 1st B-29 attacked by Japanese fighters, one fighter shot down
- Apr 26 Papandreou government in Greece forms
- Apr 27 Boston Brave Jim Tobin no-hits Bkln Dodgers, 2-0
- Apr 28 Exercise "Tiger" ends with 750 US soldiers dead in D-Day rehearsal after their convoy ships were attacked by German torpedo boats off Slapton Sands, Devon.
Stalin Meets Orlemanski
Apr 28 Soviet leader Joseph Stalin meets Polish-American priest Stanislaus Orlemanski in Moscow to discuss religion and the future of post-war Poland
Famous Birthdays
- Apr 1 Carol White, England, actress (Daddy's Gone a Hunting)
- Apr 1 Rusty Staub, American baseball utility (6 x MLB All Star; Houston Colt .45s / Astros; Montreal Expos; NY Mets; Detroit Tigers) and broadcaster (Mets games 1986-95), born in New Orleans, Louisiana (d. 2018)
- Apr 2 Bob Sheridan, American boxing and MMA broadcaster (WGBS "Rumble in the Jungle", "Thrilla in Manila"; bodogFIGHT), born in Boston, Massachusetts (d. 2023)
- Apr 2 František Pospíšil, Czech ice hockey defenseman (IIHF World C'ships gold 1972, 76, 77; best defenseman 1972, 76; Olympic bronze 1972, silver 1976), born in Unhošť, Bohemia and Moravia
- Apr 2 Rodolfo Fischer, Argentine soccer striker (35 caps; San Lorenzo 271 games), born in Oberá, Argentina (d. 2020)
- Apr 3 Barry Pritchard, British rock guitarist (Fortunes - "You've Got Your Troubles"; "Here It Comes Again"; "This Golden Ring"), born in Birmingham, England (d. 1999)
- Apr 3 Ramazan Rragami, Albanian soccer midfielder (20 caps; KF Vllaznia) and manager (KF Vllaznia), born in Shkodër, Albania (d. 2022)
- Apr 3 Tony Orlando [Cassavitis], American pop singer (& Dawn - "Tie A Yellow Ribbon"; "Knock Three Times"), and television personality, born in New York City
- Apr 4 Craig T. Nelson, American actor (Poltergeist, Hayden Fox-Coach), born in Spokane, Washington
- Apr 4 David Melville, British physicist and academic (Middlesex Polytechnic), born in Gateshead, Durham, England
- Apr 4 Lawrence A. Hough, American rower (Pairs w/o cox-1968 olympic silver), born in Janesville, Wisconsin
- Apr 4 Magda Aelvoet, Belgian politician (Greens), born in Steenokkerzeel, Belgium
- Apr 4 Ronnie Rees, Welsh soccer winger (39 caps; Coventry City, WBA, Nottingham Forest), born in Ystradgynlais, Wales (d. 2023)
- Apr 5 Ann Maxwell, American sci-fi author (Jaws of Menx), born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Apr 5 James Buckley, British CEO and politician (Secretary of the Baltic Exchange, 1996-2000), born in UK
- Apr 5 Nicholas Caldwell, American R&B singer (Whispers - "And The Beat Goes On"), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2016)
- Apr 5 Pedro Rosselló, Puerto Rican politician (U.S. House of Representatives from Puerto Rico, 2017-19; Governor of Puerto Rico, 1993-2001), born in San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Apr 5 Peter T. King, American politician, U.S. House of Representatives from New York, born in Manhattan, New York
- Apr 5 Willeke van Ammelrooy, Dutch actress (Ciske de Rat; Antonia's Line), born in Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Apr 6 Felicity Palmer, British mezzo-soprano (English National Opera; Welsh National Opera), and music professor (Royal College of Music), born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England
- Apr 6 John Huarte, American College Football Hall of Fame quarterback (Heisman Trophy 1964, Notre Dame; Super Bowl 1970, KC Chiefs), born in Anaheim, California
- Apr 6 John Stax [Fullagar], British rock bassist, and harmonica player (Pretty Things, 1963-67 - "Don't Bring Me Down"; "Cry To Me"), born in Crayford, Kent, England
- Apr 7 Bill Stoneman, American MLB baseball pitcher, 1967-74, All-Star (Montreal Expos and 2 other teams), and team executive (Expos, California Angels), born in Oak Park, Illinois
- Apr 7 Carol Grimes, British singer (Delivery; Eyes Wide Open; The Shout), born in London, England
Gerhard Schröder (80 years old)
Apr 7 German politician (Chancellor of Germany, 1998-2005), and lobbyist for Russian state-owned energy producers, born in Blomberg, Germany
- Apr 8 Christoph Hein, German writer and translator, born in Heinzendorf, Germany
- Apr 8 Hywel Bennett, Welsh, actor (Family Way, Shelley), born in Garnant, Wales (d. 2017)
- Apr 8 Odd Nerdrum, Norwegian painter
- Apr 8 Santiago Jiménez Jr, American folk and Tejano accordionist (El Mero Mero, Viva Seguin), born in Texas
- Apr 10 Danny Woods, American soul singer (Chairmen of the Board - "Give Me Just a Little More Time"), born in Atlanta, Georgia (d. 2018)
- Apr 11 John Milius, American screenwriter (Red Dawn, 1941, Big Wednesday), born in St. Louis, Missouri
- Apr 11 R. J. B Knight, British deputy director (National Maritime Museum)
- Apr 12 John Kay [Joachim Krauledat], German-born Canadian rock singer (Steppenwolf), born in Tilsit, East Prussia, Germany
- Apr 12 Karel Kryl, Czechoslovak folk singer, born in Kroměříž, Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia (d. 1994)
- Apr 12 Lisa Jardine, British historian and writer, born in Oxford, England (d. 2015)
- Apr 12 Mike Garrett, American College Football Hall of Fame running back (Heisman Trophy 1965, USC; AFL All-Star 1966-67, KC Chiefs) and executive (athletic director USC 1993-2010), born in Los Angeles, CA
- Apr 12 Siegfried Stritzl, American soccer midfielder (11 caps; NY Cosmos; NASL Rookie of the Year 1969), born in Yugoslavia (d. 2022)
- Apr 13 Brian Pendleton, English musician (The Pretty Things, 1963-66 - "Don't Bring Me Down"), born in Durham, England (d. 2001)
- Apr 13 Charles Burnett, American film director (When It Rains; Glass Shield), born in Vicksburg, Mississippi
- Apr 13 Jack Casady, American rock bassist (Hot Tuna - "Hesitation Blues"; Jefferson Airplane - "Volunteers"; "White Rabbit"), born in Washington, D.C.
- Apr 13 Susan Davis, American politician (U.S. House of Representatives from California (D), 2001-21), born in Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Apr 14 Arogyaswami Paulraj, Indian engineer and inventor (MIMO Wireless Technology), born in Pollachi, Tamil Nadu, British India [1]
- Apr 14 John Sergeant, British political journalist, radio and television broadcaster, born in Oxford, England
- Apr 15 Dave Edmunds, Welsh rock singer-songwriter and guitarist (Rockpile - "Girls Talk"; "I Knew The Bride"), born in Cardiff, Wales
- Apr 15 Dzhokhar Dudayev, separatist leader and President of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria (1991), born in Yalkhori, Chechen-Ingush (d. 1996)
- Apr 15 John Wilbraham, British classical, baroque, and session trumpeter (Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields; English Chamber Orchestra; The Beatles - Magical Mystery Tour), and educator, born in Bournemouth, England (d. 1998)
- Apr 16 Bob Montgomery, last Major League Baseball player to bat without a helmet (1979), born in Nashville, Tennessee
- Apr 16 Dennis Russell Davies, American conductor and composer, born in Toledo, Ohio
- Apr 16 Mike Mitchell, American rock guitarist (The Kingsmen -"Louie, Louie"), born in Portland, Oregon (d. 2021)
- Apr 17 John Lill, British classical pianist, born in London
- Apr 18 Irvine Shillingford, West Indian cricket batsman (4 Tests, 1 x 100, HS 120; Combined Islands, Windward Islands), born in Dublanc, Dominica (d. 2023)
Robert Hanssen (1944-2023)
Apr 18 American FBI agent and Soviet spy, born in Chicago, Illinois
- Apr 18 Rudy Shackelford, American organist, composer, and musicologist, born in Newport News, Virginia
- Apr 19 Bernie Worrell, American R&B and funk keyboardist (Funkadelic - "Cosmic Slop"), born in Long Branch, New Jersey (d. 2016)
- Apr 19 James Heckman, American economist (Nobel Prize 2000), born in Chicago, Illinois
- Apr 19 Margo MacDonald, Scottish national broadcaster and politician (MP for Glasgow Govan 1973-74), born in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, Scotland (d. 2014)
- Apr 21 Adrian Hurley, Australian basketball coach
- Apr 22 Howie Wyeth, American drummer and pianist (Bob Dylan; Robert Gordon; Christine Lavin), born in Jersey City, New Jersey (d. 1996)
- Apr 22 Joshua Rifkin, American conductor, pianist, and musicologist who played a key role in the ragtime revival of the 1970s, born in New York City
- Apr 22 Steve Fossett, American adventurer (1st person to fly solo nonstop around the world in a balloon), born in Jackson, Tennessee (disappeared 2007)
- Apr 23 Niklaus Schilling, Swiss film director (Dormire, Atem, Rheingold), born in Basel, Switzerland (d. 2016)
- Apr 24 (Bernard) St. Clair Lee, American pop singer (The Hues Corporation - "Rock The Boat"), born in San Francisco, California (d. 2011)
- Apr 24 John McDonald, Australian rugby league centre (13 Tests; Queensland; Manly-Warringah RLFC), born in Toowoomba, Australia (d. 2023)
- Apr 24 Tony Visconti, American music producer (David Bowie's Blackstar; Low; "Heroes"), born in Brooklyn, New York
- Apr 25 Einar Steen-Nøkleberg, Norwegian classical pianist and musical pedagogue, born in Østre Toten, Norway
- Apr 25 Len Goodman, British ballroom dancing champion and television personality (Strictly Come Dancing, 2004-16; Dancing with the Stars, 2005-22), born in London, England (d. 2023)
- Apr 26 Amien Rais, Indonesian politician (leader of Muhammadiyah 1995-2000), born in Surakarta, Dutch East Indies
- Apr 26 David O'Brien Martin, American politician (Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York), born in St. Lawrence Co., New York
- Apr 26 Martha Rockwell, American cross-country skier (Mount Washington), born in Providence, Rhode Island
- Apr 27 Cuba Gooding Sr., American pop and soul singer (The Main Ingredient - "Everybody Plays the Fool"), born in New York City (d. 2017)
- Apr 27 Herb Pedersen, American bluegrass and country-rock singer, guitarist, and banjo player (Desert Rose Band - "Love Reunited"), born in Berkeley, California
- Apr 27 Michael Fish, British TV weatherman, born in Eastbourne, Sussex, England
- Apr 27 Thomas Koppel, Danish pianist and classical and avant-garde composer (Savage Rose), born in a refugee camp in Örebro, Sweden (d. 2006)
- Apr 28 Alice Waters, American chef (Chez Panisse, farm-to-table movement), born in Chatham Borough, New Jersey
- Apr 28 Elizabeth LeCompte, American theater director (founding member of The Wooster Group), born in New Jersey
- Apr 28 Jean-Claude Van Cauwenberghe, Belgian politician
- Apr 28 Martyn Ford, English horn player, orchestral arranger, and conductor for rock and pop music, born in Rugby, England
- Apr 29 Benedikte, Danish princess and second daughter of Frederick IX, born in Amalienborg Palace, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Apr 29 Francis Lee, English soccer striker (27 caps; Bolton Wanderers, Manchester City 249 games, Derby County), born in Westhoughton, England (d. 2023)
- Apr 29 Jim Hart, American NFL quarterback (St Louis Cardinals), born in Evanston, Illinois
- Apr 29 Richard Kline, American actor and director, born in New York City
- Apr 29 [Nicolas] Michael Angelis, English actor (Thomas & Friends, Boys from the Black Stuff), born in London, England (d. 2020)
- Apr 30 Jill Clayburgh, American actress (Unmarried Woman, Semi-Tough), born in New York City (d. 2010)
- Apr 30 Peter Dixon, English rugby union flanker (22 Tests England, 3 British & Irish Lions; Oxford University RFC, Harlequins RFC), born in Keighley, England (d. 2023)
- Apr 30 Richard Shoff, American rocker (Sandpipers), born in Seattle
Famous Deaths
- Apr 2 Mikulas Moyzes, Slovak composer, dies at 71
- Apr 4 John Peale Bishop, American poet (Undertaker's Garland), dies at 51
- Apr 4 Karel Weis, Czech composer and folk song collector, dies at 82
- Apr 5 Isolde Kurz, German writer and poetess (Meine Mutter), dies at 90
- Apr 5 Willy Derby [Willem Dieben], Dutch popular song singer (Hello Bandoeng; White Roses), dies of a heart attack at 58
- Apr 9 Boleslaw Wallek-Walewski, Polish composer and conductor, dies at 59
- Apr 9 Evgeniya Rudneva, Russian World War II heroine (b. 1920)
- Apr 13 Cécile Chaminade, French pianist and 1st female composer awarded with Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur (1913), dies at 86
- Apr 13 Paul Hazard, French critic and literature historian, dies at 65
- Apr 15 Giovanni Gentile, Italian philosopher (The Doctrine of Fascism), dies at 68
- Apr 17 Jack Hearne, English cricket spin bowler (12 Tests, 49 wickets; England's first hat-trick vs Australia 1899), dies at 76
- Apr 18 Thomas Hitchcock Jr., American polo player (Westchester Cup 1924,27,30,39), dies testing a new fighter plane during WWII at 44
- Apr 19 Tommy Hitchcock, polo player (Westchester Cup 1924, 27), dies at 44
- Apr 22 Mezio Agostini, Italian composer, dies at 68
- Apr 24 William Stephens, U.S. political figure (b. 1859)
- Apr 25 Tony Mullane, Irish-American baseball player, dies at 85
- Apr 26 Violette Morris, French athlete & spy for Nazi Germany, dies at 51
- Apr 28 Frank Knox, American politician (Republican VP candidate 1936), newspaper editor and Secretary of the Navy during World War II, dies at 70
- Apr 29 Bernardino Machado, President of Portugal (1915–17, 1925–26), dies at 93
- Apr 29 Billy Bitzer, American cinematography pioneer, dies at 72
Paul Poiret (1879-1944)
Apr 30 French fashion designer and couturier who was the most fashionable dress designer before World War I, dies at 65
