BBC Television Service broadcasts the Mickey Mouse cartoon Mickey's Gala Premier, produced by the Walt Disney Animation Studios. Afterwards it ceases all broadcasting because of the outbreak of World War II.[16] An urban legend about this final broadcast claims that due to the sudden outbreak of the war the BBC cut the cartoon short and when BBC-TV resumed after the conflict, it was picked up at the very point it had been interrupted. Despite this widespread belief, the cartoon was shown in its entirety and then followed by tuning signals. On 7 June 1946, the day BBC television broadcasts resumed after the war, Mickey's Gala Premier was shown again.[17]
In AntwerpRay Goossens, Henri Winkeler, Jules Luyckx and Edmond Roex establish their own animation studio, AFIM (Antwerpse Filmmaatschappij). It will exist until 1944.[24]
February 27: David Mitton, English television and film director and producer, model maker and special effects technician (Thomas & Friends), (d. 2008).[29]
March
March 5:
Camillo Teti, Italian production manager, film producer and director (Titanic: The Legend Goes On, Yo-Rhad, un amico dallo spazio).
April 13: Paul Sorvino, American actor (voice of Alphonse Perrier du von Scheck in Hey Arnold!: The Movie, Variecom CEO in the Duckman episode "How to Suck in Business Without Really Trying"), (d. 2022).[31]
August 30: John Peel, English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist (voice of Announcer in the Space Ghost Coast to Coast episode "Explode"), (d. 2004).[43]
January 20: Victor Bergdahl, Swedish animator and comics artist (Kapten Grogg), dies at age 60.[67][68]
October
October 10: Benjamin Rabier, French comics artist, illustrator, animator and advertising artist (Gédéon, Tintin-Lutin, designed La Vache Qui Rit), dies at age 74.[69]