December 22, 1958 – January 18, 1959: The Chipmunks with David Seville – The Chipmunk Song January 19, 1959 – February 8, 1959: The Platters – Smoke Gets in Your Eyes February 9, 1959 – March 8, 1959: Lloyd Price – Stagger Lee March 9, 1959 – April 12, 1959: Frankie Avalon – Venus April 13, 1959 – May 10, 1959: The Fleetwoods – Come Softly to Me May 11, 1959 – May 17, 1959: Dave “Baby” Cortez – The Happy Organ May 18, 1959 – May 31, 1959: Wilbert Harrison – Kansas City June 1, 1959 – July 12, 1959: Johnny Horton – The Battle of New Orleans July 13, 1959 – August 9, 1959: Paul Anka – Lonely Boy August 10, 1959 – August 23, 1959: Elvis Presley – A Big Hunk o’ Love August 24, 1959 – September 20, 1959: The Browns – The Three Bells September 21, 1959 – October 4, 1959: Santo & Johnny – Sleep Walk October 5, 1959 – November 15, 1959: Bobby Darin – Mack the Knife November 16, 1959 – December 13, 1959: The Fleetwoods – Mr. Blue December 14, 1959 – December 27, 1959: Guy Mitchell – Heartaches by the Number December 28, 1959 – January 3, 1960: Frankie Avalon – Why
(Data is compiled from various charts including Billboard’s “Pop,” “Airplay,” “R&B” and “Singles” Charts. “Hot 100” is the primary chart used starting October, 1958)
World Changing Event: Antarctic Treaty: 12 countries, including the United States and the Soviet Union, signed a treaty that set aside Antarctica as a scientific preserve and banned military activity on the continent.
The Top Song was Mack The Knife by Bobby Darin.
Influential Songs include Sea of Love by Phil Phillips, Teen Beat by Sandy Nelson, Peter Gunn by Ray Anthony, and La Bamba by Ritchie Valens.
The Movies to Watch include On The Beach, Porgy and Bess, Rio Bravo, North by Northwest, The Beat Generation, Compulsion, Gidget, Li’l Abner, Plan 9 From Outer Space, and Ben-Hur.
The Most Famous Person in America was probably Elvis Presley.
Notable books include Hawaii by James A. Michener and Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D. H. Lawrence.
The first house with a built-in bomb shelter was shown in Pleasant Hills, Pennsylvania.
Price of Kellogg’s Variety Cereal 10 pack in 1959: 49 cents.
The Fad: Phonebooth Stuffing.
The Disneyland Monorail System opened to the public in Anaheim, California.
Berry Gordy Jr. founded Motown as Tamla Records.
Rodgers & Barer’s musical Once Upon a Mattress premiered in NYC.
The Funny Duo were Mike Nichols and Elaine May The Funny Satirist: Tom Lehrer
The Day The Music Died: On February 3, 1959, rock and roll musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. (The Big Bopper) Richardson were killed in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa, along with the pilot, Roger Peterson.
Top Ten Baby Names of 1959
Mary, Susan, Linda, Karen, Donna, Michael, David, James, John, Robert
Fashion Icons and Sex Symbols
Carroll Baker, Brigitte Bardot, Claudia Cardinale, Doris Day, Angie Dickinson, Anita Ekberg, Annette Funicello, Ava Gardner, Audrey Hepburn, Anna Karina, Gina Lollobrigida, Sophia Loren, Marilyn Monroe, Julie Newmar, Kim Novak, Leslie Parrish, Stella Stevens, Elizabeth Taylor, Mamie Van Doren
Sex Symbols and Hollywood Hunks
Warren Beatty, Harry Belafonte, Elvis Presley
Oscars: 31st Academy Awards (1959)
The 31st Academy Awards ceremony was held on April 6, 1959, at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood. Multiple hosts, including Bob Hope and David Niven, led the event. Gigi stole the show, winning nine awards, including Best Picture. David Niven won Best Actor for Separate Tables, and Susan Hayward was awarded Best Actress for her role in I Want to Live!.
Grammy Awards: 1st Annual Grammy Awards (1959)
The 1959 Grammys ceremony took place on May 4, 1959. Two ceremonies co-occurred—one at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills and another at the Park Sheraton Hotel in New York City. Perry Como and Ella Fitzgerald won the Best Vocal Performance awards for “Catch a Falling Star” and “Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Song Book,” respectively.
Emmy Awards: 11th Primetime Emmy Awards (1959)
The 11th Primetime Emmy Awards took place on May 6, 1959, at the Moulin Rouge Nightclub in Hollywood. Raymond Burr took home the Best Actor award for Perry Mason, while Jane Wyatt won Best Actress for Father Knows Best. Alcoa-Goodyear Theatre received the Best Dramatic Series accolade, and The Jack Benny Program won Best Comedy Series.
“The Quotes”
“There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man’s fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call ‘The Twilight Zone.’” – Rod Serling, narrating The Twilight Zone
“Well, nobody’s perfect.” – Joe E. Brown, in Some Like It Hot
After filming Some Like it Hot in 1959 Billy Wilder said about filming another movie with Marilyn Monroe, “I have discussed this with my doctor and my psychiatrist and they tell me I’m too old and too rich to go through this again.”
Time Magazine’s Man of the Year
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Miss America
Mary Ann Mobley (Brandon, MS)
Miss USA
Terry Huntingdon (California)
The Scandals & Tragedies
Airplane Celebrity Death: (February 3rd) Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, Big Bopper. This was the day the Music Died.
Mysterious TV Star Violent Death: George Reeves (gunshot wound – murder or suicide?)
In testimony before Congress, gameshow contestant Charles Van Doren admitted he had been coached before appearing on NBC’s 21 game show in 1956.
1928’s scandalous Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D.H. Lawrence was officially published in the United States. D.H. had been dead since 1930.
The Guggenheim Museum
The Guggenheim Museum opened in Manhattan, New York City, on October 15, 1959, ushering in a new era of architecture for museum spaces. The Guggenheim Museum in New York City has been a landmark for the arts. The museum is famous for its unique spiral design by architect Frank Lloyd Wright, which has become iconic in modern architecture around the world.
The museum was founded by Solomon R. Guggenheim and his wife, Peggy, as a place to house their art collection. The building’s construction was partly funded by the proceeds from selling paintings by Wassily Kandinsky, one of the museum’s earliest acquisitions. The building’s design was nearly complete when Frank Lloyd Wright died in 1959, but the project had already been so closely associated with Wright that it is often referred to as a “Frank Lloyd Wright creation.” His vision for this iconic building has stood the test of time and inspired many other museums worldwide.
1959 Pop Culture Facts & History
During screenings of the 1959 film The Tingler – a film about a creature that gets inside a person’s spine, causing them to feel a tingling that can only be stopped by screaming – buzzers were placed in random seats that caused the audience to feel tingling during the film.
The Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, is the historic venue where Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper performed on February 2, 1959.
A 1959 earthquake in Montana caused an 80 million ton landslide that created Quake Lake by blocking the Madison River in the Gallatin National Forest. 28 people were killed.
Kiwi fruit is named after Kiwi birds, and before 1959, were known as Chinese Gooseberries. They originated in China and came to Australia in the early 1900s.
The British Alpine Hannibal Expedition, led by John Hoyte, found the path used by Hannibal’s army to cross the Alps and invade Roman Italy successfully traversed the Alps from France to Italy with an 11-year-old former circus elephant named Jumbo.
In 1959, Westerns were the most popular television shows. There were 26 running that year.
In 1959, the FDA proposed a standard for peanut butter that was not finalized until a decision by the U.S. District Court of Appeals in 1970. The final standard required a 90% peanut content.
Bob Timm and John Wayne Cook broke the World Record for the longest manned, refueled flight in 1959 by traveling 150,000 miles over 64 days without landing.
25 South African students climbed into a telephone booth, setting a world record for the ‘event’ they had just created. For visitors born before 1990, a ‘phone booth’ contained a large ‘cellphone’ connected via wires to other telephones. They initially cost a nickel (5 cents) for a three-minute call.
Ben Hur won 11 Oscars.
The Rat Pack first appeared, including Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop.
Russia’s ‘Luna-2’ landed on the moon, the first successful landing by an unmanned craft.
The Conair hair dryer changed the way hair was styled in the American household.
Neil Sedaka’s first Top Ten Hit Oh! Carol referred to his high school girlfriend Carol Klein. She is better known as songwriter/singer Carole King.
Scientists discovered the Y chromosome was needed to create males.
The opening scene of Raiders of the Lost Ark was inspired by a comic book story from 1959 – The Prize of Pizarro, in Uncle Scrooge #26, where Donald Duck, his nephews, and Uncle Scrooge must evade a succession of booby traps.
MLB player Stan Musial demanded his paycheck be cut by $20,000 after he had a subpar year in 1959.
Ermal Fraze devised a can-opening method in 1959 (patent #3439833) that would come to dominate the canned beverage market. His invention was the “pull-tab”.
The United States built a plane, the North American X-15, capable of going 4,520 MPH.
Disneyland Monorail System, the first daily operating monorail system in The Americas, opened to the public in Anaheim, California.
In 1959, the “inch” was adjusted by two-millionths of an inch to make it equal precisely 25.4 millimeters.
The USA has been sending checks annually for $4,085 to Cuba for the lease of Guantanamo Bay. Since 1959, only one check has been cashed by accident. The 1903 Lease for Guantanamo has no fixed expiration date.
The television cartoon Futurama is named after a 1939 World’s Fair exhibit that showed what they thought the world would be like in 1959.
January 3rd: Alaska became state # 49.
August 21st: Hawaii became the 50th state.
Civil Rights
Nancy Drew books were revised in 1959 to eliminate racist stereotypes.
The Day the Music Died
The plane crash (in foggy conditions near Clear Lake, Iowa) that killed Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, Ritchie Valens, and pilot Roger Peterson wasn’t described as such until Don McLean’s 1971 song American Pie.
The Odd
At the first Grammy Awards, held in 1959, Frank Sinatra won a single award, and Alvin and The Chipmunks won three.
The Mystery
Dyatlov Pass Incident: Nine students went hiking in the Ural Mountains in 1959 and were inexplicably killed by an “unknown compelling force” that stumped investigators.
The Winner
Australian racer Sir Jack Brabham finished the 1959 Formula One race on foot when his car ran out of fuel with 500 yards to go. He pushed the car the rest of the way to clinch the title.
The Survivor
Colonel William Rankin became the only known person to survive a fall through a cumulonimbus thunderstorm cloud. He suffered from frostbite, welts, bruises, and severe decompression as a result of the 40-minute fall over North Carolina.
The Habit
Everybody watched the biblical epic Ben-Hur in their local theaters.
Nobel Prize Winners
Physics – Emilio Gino Segrè, Owen Chamberlain Chemistry – Jaroslav Heyrovský Physiology or Medicine – Severo Ochoa, Arthur Kornberg Literature – Salvatore Quasimodo Peace – Philip Noel-Baker
1959 Firsts
The BIC Crystal ballpoint pen was sold in the US in 1959 for $0.19. It is still sold for about $0.19.
Mattel’s Barbie doll and board game RISK debuted.
Volvo invented the seatbelt in 1959 and left the patent open so other car manufacturers could use its design.
In 1959, Entemanns created the see-through cake box.
Guggenheim Museum, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, 1071 Fifth Avenue, Manhattan, New York, opened.
Berry Gordy, Jr founded Motown Records (then called Tamla Records).
Bonanza premiered on NBC. It was the first regularly scheduled TV program presented in color.
The Twilight Zone premiered on CBS.
Troll Dolls were created in 1959 by Danish fisherman and woodcutter Thomas Dam.
The Boeing 707 airliner began service.
The first appearance of Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy was in a 1959 comic book called Tales to Astonish, issue #13.
Best Film Oscar Winner
Gigi (presented in 1959)
Broadway Show
The Sound of Music (Musical) Opened on November 16, 1959, and closed on June 15, 1963
Popular and Best-selling Books From 1959
A Separate Peace by John Knowles Advise and Consent by Allen Drury Dear and Glorious Physician by Taylor Caldwell Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak Exodus by Leon Uris Happy Birthday to You! by Dr. Seuss Hawaii by James A. Michener Goldfinger by Ian Fleming Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D. H. Lawrence Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov Mrs. ‘Arris Goes to Paris by Paul Gallico Poor No More by Robert Ruark The Ugly American by Eugene L. Burdick
1959 Most Popular TV Shows
1. Gunsmoke (CBS) 2. Wagon Train (NBC) 3. Have Gun Will Travel (CBS) 4. The Danny Thomas Show (CBS) 5. The Red Skelton Show (CBS) 6. Father Knows Best (CBS) 7. 77 Sunset Strip (ABC) 8. Wanted: Dead or Alive (CBS) 9. Perry Mason (CBS) 10. The Real McCoys (ABC)
1959 Billboard Number One Songs
December 27, 1958 – January 18, 1959: Chipmunk Song – David Seville & The Chipmunks
January 19 – February 8: Smoke Gets In Your Eyes – The Platters
February 9 – March 8: Stagger Lee – Lloyd Price
March 9 – April 12: Venus – Frankie Avalon
April 13 – May 10: Come Softly To Me – The Fleetwoods
May 11 – May 17: The Happy Organ Dave Baby – Cortez
November 16 – December 13: Mr. Blue – The Fleetwoods
December 14 – December 27: Heartaches – The Number Guy Mitchell
December 28, 1958 – January 3, 1960: Why – Frankie Avalon
Sports
World Series Champions: Los Angeles Dodgers NFL Champions: Baltimore Colts NBA Champions: Boston Celtics Stanley Cup Champs: Montreal Canadians U.S. Open Golf Billy Casper U.S. Tennis: (Men/Ladies) Neale Fraser/Maria Bueno Wimbledon (Men/Women): Alex Olmedo/Maria Bueno NCAA Football Champions: Syracuse NCAA Basketball Champions: California Kentucky Derby: Tommy Lee
Across the River and into the Trees by Ernest Hemingway The Adventurer by Mika Waltari The Cardinal by Henry Morton Robinson The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis The Disenchanted by Budd Schulberg The Egyptian – Mika Waltari Floodtide by Frank Yerby Joy Street by Frances Parkinson Keyes Jubilee Trail by Gwen Bristow The Parasites by Daphne du Maurier Star Money by Kathleen Winsor The Wall by John Hersey Take our 1950 Quiz!
Popular and Best-selling Books From 1951:
A Woman Called Fancy by Frank Yerby The Caine Mutiny by Herman Wouk The Cardinal by Henry Morton Robinson The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis The Cruel Sea by Nicholas Monsarrat The Foundling by Cardinal Spellman From Here to Eternity by James Jones Joy Street by Frances Parkinson Keyes Melville Goodwin, U.S.A. by John P. Marquand Moses by Sholem Asch Return to Paradise by James A. Michener The Revolt of Mamie Stover by William Bradford Huie The Wanderer by Mika Waltari Take our 1951 Quiz!
Popular and Best-selling Books From 1952:
The Caine Mutiny by Herman Wouk The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis East of Edenby John Steinbeck Giant by Edna Ferber The Gown of Glory by Agnes Sligh Turnbull The Houses in Between by Howard Spring Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison Kon-Tiki: Across the Pacific in a Raft by Thor Heyerdahl My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale The Saracen Blade by Frank Yerby The Silver Chalice by Thomas B. Costain Steamboat Gothic by Frances Parkinson Keyes Take our 1952 Quiz!
Popular and Best-selling Books From 1953:
Battle Cry by Leon M. Uris Beyond This Place by A. J. Cronin Casino Royale by Ian Fleming The Chronicles of Narnia: The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis The Crucible by Arthur Miller. Desirée by Annemarie Selinko Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, From Here to Eternity by James Jones The High and the Mighty by Ernest K. Gann Lord Vanity by Samuel Shellabarger The Robe by Lloyd C. Douglas The Silver Chalice by Thomas B. Costain Time and Time Again by James Hilton The Unconquered by Ben Ames Williams Take our 1953 Quiz!
Popular and Best-selling Books From 1954:
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis Benton’s Row by Frank Yerby The Egyptian by Mika Waltari Live and Let Die by Ian Fleming Lord of the Flies by William Golding The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien (1954) Love Is Eternal by Irving Stone Mary Anne by Daphne du Maurier Never Victorious, Never Defeated by Taylor Caldwell No Time for Sergeants by Mac Hyman Not as a Stranger by Morton Thompson The Royal Box by Frances Parkinson Keyes Seduction of the Innocent by Fredric Wertham Sweet Thursday by John Steinbeck The View from Pompey’s Head by Hamilton Basso Take our 1954 Quiz!
Popular and Best-selling Books From 1955:
Andersonville by MacKinlay Kantor Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis Bonjour Tristesse by Françoise Sagan The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis Kay Thompson’s Eloise by Kay Thompson and Hilary Knight The Ginger Man by J.P. Donleavy Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson Howl by Allen Ginsberg The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit by Sloan Wilson Marjorie Morningstar by Herman Wouk Moonraker by Ian Fleming No Time for Sergeants by Mac Hyman Not as a Stranger by Morton Thompson Ten North Frederick by John O’Hara The Tontine by Thomas B. Costain Scuffy the Tugboat by Gertrude Crampton Sincerely, Willis Wayde by John P. Marquand Something of Value by Robert Ruark The View from Pompey’s Head by Hamilton Basso Take our 1955 Quiz!
Popular and Best-selling Books From 1956:
A Certain Smile by Francoise Sagan Andersonville by MacKinlay Kantor Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis Boon Island by Kenneth Roberts The Chronicles of Narnia: The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis Diamonds Are Forever by Ian Fleming Don’t Go Near the Water by William Brinkley Eloise by Kay Thompson The Last Hurrah by Edwin O’Connor The Mandarins by Simone de Beauvoir Peyton Place by Grace Metalious The Tribe That Lost Its Head by Nicholas Monsarrat Take our 1956 Quiz!
Popular and Best-selling Books From 1957:
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand Below the Salt by Thomas B. Costain Blue Camellia by Frances Parkinson Keyes By Love Possessed by James Gould Cozzens The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss Compulsion by Meyer Levin Eloise in Paris by Kay Thompson From Russia, with Love by Ian Fleming On the Beach by Nevil Shute On the Road by Jack Kerouac Peyton Place by Grace Metalious Rally ‘Round the Flag, Boys! by Max Shulman The Scapegoat by Daphne du Maurier Syntactic Structures by Noam Chomsky Take our 1957 Quiz!
Popular and Best-selling Books From 1958:
A Bear Named Paddingtonby Michael Bond A Fly Went By by Mike McClintock and Fritz Siebel Anatomy of a Murder by Robert Traver Around the World with Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis By Love Posssed by James Gould Cozzens The Cat in the Hat Comes Back by Dr. Seuss Dr. No by Ian Fleming Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak Eloise at Christmastime by Kay Thompson The Enemy Camp by Jerome Weidman From the Terrace by John O’Hara Ice Palace by Edna Ferber Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov Night by Elie Wiesel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Victorine by Frances Parkinson Keyes The Winthrop Woman by Anya Seton Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories by Dr. Seuss Take our 1958 Quiz!
Popular and Best-selling Books From 1959:
A Separate Peace by John Knowles Advise and Consent by Allen Drury Dear and Glorious Physician by Taylor Caldwell Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak Exodus by Leon Uris Happy Birthday to You! by Dr. Seuss Hawaii by James A. Michener Goldfinger by Ian Fleming Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D. H. Lawrence Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov Mrs. ‘Arris Goes to Paris by Paul Gallico Poor No More by Robert Ruark The Ugly American by Eugene L. Burdick Take our 1959 Quiz!
Winners Announced: November 29, 1959 Held in: Los Angeles and New York Host: Meredith Wilson Eligibility Year: January 1, 1959 – August 31, 1959
Highlights and Achievements:
Bobby Darin’s Triumph: Darin’s “Mack the Knife” didn’t just win Record of the Year and Best Vocal Performance, Male; it became an iconic song that transcended the Grammy stage.
Henry Mancini’s Swag: Henry Mancini’s “Peter Gunn” was an album based on the TV show of the same name. Winning Album of the Year, it elevated Mancini to a household name in the world of music composition.
First for Bossa Nova: The Best Jazz Performance, Solo or Small Group category was claimed by “I Get a Kick Out of You” by the Coleman Hawkins Quartet. It was an early introduction of Bossa Nova elements into the American mainstream.
Trivia:
Shorter Eligibility Window: Unlike the previous year, the eligibility period for this event was truncated to just eight months, making the competition even steeper for that year’s hopefuls.
Bi-Coastal Ceremony: This was one of the years where the ceremony was held in both Los Angeles and New York, showcasing the importance of both cities in the American music scene.
Meredith Wilson as Host: Known for composing “The Music Man,” Wilson was an intriguing choice for hosting duties, especially considering he wasn’t a recording artist in the traditional sense.
1960 Grammy Winners Record of the Year: Mack the Knife, Bobby Darin Album of the Year: Come Dance With Me, Frank Sinatra (Capitol)
Song of the Year: The Battle of New Orleans, Jimmy Driftwood, songwriter
Best Artist of 1959: Bobby Darin
Best Performance By a Top 40 Artist: Midnight Flyer, Nat King Cole
Best Vocal Performance, Male: Come Dance With Me, Frank Sinatra
Best Vocal Performance, Female: But Not for Me, Ella Fitzgerald
Best Performance By a Chorus: Battle Hymn of the Republic, Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Best Rhythm and Blues Performance: What a Diff’rence a Day Makes, Dinah Washington
Best Jazz Performance, Soloist: Ella Swings Lightly, Ella Fitzgerald
Best Jazz Performance, Group: I Dig Chicks, Jonah Jones
Best Performance By a Dance Band: Anatomy of a Murder, Duke Ellington
Best Country and Western Performance: The Battle of New Orleans, Johnny Horton
Best Performance, Folk: The Kingston Trio at Large, Kingston Trio
Best Performance By an Orchestra: Like Young, David Rose and His Orchestra With André Previn
Best Arrangement: Come Dance With Me, Billy May, arranger
Best Musical Composition First Recorded and Released in 1959 (More Than Five Minutes): Anatomy of a Murder, Duke Ellington, composer
Best Broadway Show Album (tie): Gypsy, Ethel Merman (Columbia) Redhead, Gwen Verdon (RCA)
Best Soundtrack Album, Original Cast, Motion Picture or Television: Porgy and Bess, André Previn and Ken Darby (Columbia)
Best Soundtrack Album, Background Score From Motion Picture or Television: Anatomy of a Murder, Duke Ellington (Columbia)
Best Classical Performance, Orchestra: Debussy, Images for Orchestra, Charles Munch conducting Boston Symphony Orchestra
Best Classical Performance, Chamber Music (Including Chamber Orchestra): Beethoven, Sonata No. 21 in C, Op. 53; Waldstein Sonata No. 18 in E-Flat, Op. 31, No. 3, Artur Rubinstein, pianist
Best Classical Performance, Concerto or Instrumental Soloist (Full Orchestra): Rachmaninoff, Piano Concerto No. 3, Van Cliburn, pianist; Kiril Kondrashin conducting Symphony of the Air
Best Classical Performance, Instrumental Soloist (Other Than Full Orchestral Accompaniment): Beethoven, Sonata No. 21 in C, Op. 53; Waldstein Sonata No. 18 in E-Flat, Op. 31, No. 3, Artur Rubinstein, pianist
Best Classical Performance, Opera Cast or Choral: Mozart, The Marriage of Figaro, Erich Leinsdorf conducting Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Best Classical Performance, Vocal Soloist (With or Without Orchestra): Björling in Opera, Jussi Björling
Best Comedy Performance, Spoken Word: Inside Shelley Berman, Shelley Berman
Best Comedy Performance, Musical: The Battle of Kookamonga, Homer and Jethro
Best Performance, Documentary or Spoken Word (Other Than Comedy): A Lincoln Portrait, Carl Sandburg
Best Recording for Children: Peter and the Wolf, Peter Ustinov, narrating; Herbert von Karajan conducting Philharmonia Orchestra (Angel)
Best Album Cover: Shostakovich, Symphony No. 5, Robert M. Jones, art director (RCA)
“Kitchen Debate” Between Richard Nixon and Nikita Khrushchev
The “Kitchen Debate” was a series of impromptu exchanges between then-U.S. Vice President Richard Nixon and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev on July 24, 1959. The discussions occurred during the American National Exhibition at Sokolniki Park in Moscow, showcasing American consumer goods and modern conveniences. The debate was an important moment in Cold War history, highlighting the differences in ideologies and economic systems between the United States and the Soviet Union.
Dates and Details:
On July 24, 1959, Nixon and Khrushchev attended the opening of the American National Exhibition in Moscow, organized to promote cultural exchange and understanding between the two nations.
The debate took place at the exhibition in a model American home, known as the “typical American house,” featuring modern conveniences such as a dishwasher, refrigerator, and washing machine.
The debate was not a formal event but a series of impromptu discussions between Nixon and Khrushchev, touching on various topics, including economic systems, technology, and living standards in the U.S. and the Soviet Union.
Kitchen Debate Facts:
The “Kitchen Debate” was not initially planned; it occurred spontaneously as Nixon and Khrushchev toured the exhibition.
The term “Kitchen Debate” was coined by the media, who reported on the event and provided extensive coverage.
Nixon and Khrushchev communicated through interpreters, as neither spoke the other’s language.
Although no official transcript exists, the debate was captured on color videotape and audio recordings, which were later released to the public.
The “typical American house” featured in the debate was a prefabricated, ranch-style home designed by All-State Properties, Inc., and cost approximately $14,000 at the time.
The kitchen in the model home was stocked with Pepsi-Cola, as Pepsi was the first American consumer product allowed to be sold in the Soviet Union.
During the debate, Khrushchev famously said, “In Russia, all you have to do to get a house is be born in the Soviet Union,” emphasizing the difference between the Soviet housing system and American homeownership.
As part of the cultural exchange, the Soviet Union held an exhibition in New York City just a few weeks before the American National Exhibition in Moscow.
Effects on Pop Culture:
The Kitchen Debate garnered significant media attention in both the United States and the Soviet Union, highlighting the ongoing ideological battle between the two superpowers during the Cold War.
The debate humanized both Nixon and Khrushchev in the eyes of the public and led to increased interest in their respective political careers.
The event inspired a 2009 play titled “A Walk in the Woods” by Lee Blessing, which explores the relationship between American and Soviet negotiators during arms control talks.
The Kitchen Debate continues to be studied and discussed in history courses, political science classes, and popular culture as an important moment in Cold War history.
Prominent People and Countries Involved:
Richard Nixon, the then-Vice President of the United States, who later became the 37th President of the United States (1969-1974).
Nikita Khrushchev, the Soviet Premier and First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (1953-1964).
The United States and the Soviet Union, the two superpowers engaged in the Cold War, which was marked by ideological, political, and economic competition.
The Kitchen Debate between Richard Nixon and Nikita Khrushchev on July 24, 1959, was pivotal in Cold War history. As the two leaders engaged in a spirited discussion about their respective nations’ economic systems, technological advancements, and living standards, the event underscored the deep ideological differences between the United States and the Soviet Union. The Kitchen Debate captured the world’s attention and symbolized the ongoing struggle between the two superpowers during the Cold War.
The debate’s legacy can be seen in the continued exploration of the event in academic studies, popular culture, and political discussions. It serves as a reminder of the intense competition between the U.S. and the Soviet Union during that time. It offers insights into the mindsets of the two leaders who played crucial roles in shaping world history during the latter half of the 20th century. The Kitchen Debate remains an iconic moment in the annals of Cold War history and a fascinating look into ideological struggles.
Venues: Beverly Hilton Hotel, Los Angeles & New York
Host/Emcee: Mort Sahl
Eligibility Year: January 1, 1958 – December 31, 1958
Major Wins:
Henry Mancini picked up Album of the Year for “The Music from Peter Gunn.”
Domenico Modugno’s “Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)” won both Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
Ella Fitzgerald became the Best Female Pop Vocalist for her album “Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Song Book.”
Additional Info:
Count Basie won Best Jazz Performance, Group for “Basie.”
The Champs got Best Rhythm & Blues Performance for “Tequila.”
Trivia:
This was the first-ever Grammy Awards ceremony.
Mort Sahl, known primarily for his satirical comedy, was the first emcee of the Grammy Awards.
Henry Mancini’s Album of the Year win was significant because it was a television soundtrack, a unique event at the time.
1959 Grammy Award Winners Winners Announced: May 4, 1959 Held at: Beverly Hilton Hotel, Los Angeles & New York Host/Emcee: Mort Sahl Eligibility Year: January 1, 1958 – December 31, 1958
1959 Grammy Winners Record of the Year: Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu (Volare), Domenico Modugno Album of the Year: The Music From Peter Gunn, Henry Mancini (RCA)
Song of the Year: Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu, Domenico Modugno, songwriter
Best Vocal Performance, Male: Catch a Falling Star, Perry Como
Best Vocal Performance, Female: Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Song Book, Ella Fitzgerald
Best Performance By a Vocal Group or Chorus: That Old Black Magic, Louis Prima and Keely Smith
Best Rhythm and Blues Performance: Tequila, Champs
Best Jazz Performance, Individual: Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book, Ella Fitzgerald
Best Jazz Performance, Group: Basie, Count Basie
Best Performance By a Dance Band: Basie, Count Basie
Best Country and Western Performance: Tom Dooley, Kingston Trio
Best Performance By an Orchestra: Billy May’s Big Fat Brass, Billy May
Best Arrangement: The Music From Peter Gunn, Henry Mancini, arranger
Best Musical Composition First Recorded and Released in 1958 (More Than Five Minutes): Cross Country Suite, Nelson Riddle, composer
Best Original Cast Album, Broadway or Television: The Music Man, Meredith Willson (Capitol)
Best Soundtrack Album, Dramatic Picture Score or Original Cast: Gigi, André Previn (MGM)
Best Classical Performance, Orchestra: Gaîté Parisienne, Felix Slatkin conducting Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra
Best Classical Performance, Chamber Music (Including Chamber Orchestra): Beethoven, Quartet 130, Hollywood String Quartet
Best Classical Performance, Instrumental (With Concerto Scale Accompaniment): Tchaikovsky, Concerto No. 1 in B-Flat Minor, Op. 23, Van Cliburn, pianist; Kiril Kondrashin Symphony Orchestra
Best Classical Performance, Instrumental (Other Than Concerto Scale): Segovia Golden Jubilee, Andrés Segovia
Best Classical Performance, Operatic or Choral: Virtuoso, Roger Wagner Chorale
Best Classical Performance, Vocal Soloist (With or Without Orchestra): Operatic Recital, Renata Tebaldi
Best Comedy Performance: The Chipmunk Song, David Seville
Best Performance, Documentary or Spoken Word: The Best of the Stan Freberg Shows, Stan Freberg
Best Recording for Children: The Chipmunk Song, David Seville (Liberty)
Best Album Cover: Only the Lonely, Frank Sinatra (Capitol)
Hosts: Jerry Lewis, Mort Sahl, Tony Randall, Bob Hope, David Niven, Laurence Olivier
Eligibility Year: 1958
Major Wins:
Gigi swept the board with 9 Oscars, including Best Picture.
Susan Hayward took home Best Actress for I Want to Live!.
David Niven claimed Best Actor for Separate Tables.
Directing & Screenplay:
Vincente Minnelli won Best Director for Gigi.
Best Original Screenplay went to The Defiant Ones.
Additional Info:
Burl Ives won Best Supporting Actor for The Big Country.
Wendy Hiller was awarded Best Supporting Actress for Separate Tables.
Trivia:
This ceremony had a host ensemble that was as illustrious as it was diverse, from comedian Jerry Lewis to the legendary Laurence Olivier.
The film Gigi set a new record at the time, winning all 9 of its nominated categories.
Susan Hayward’s portrayal in I Want to Live! was based on the true story of Barbara Graham, a woman executed in the gas chamber.
Gigi earned nine nominations, winning all nine.
Cuts were made to make the ceremony shorter, which ended up 20 minutes too short.
Jerry Lewis ad-libbed for most of the end of the show.
1959 Oscar Nominees and Winners
Best Motion Picture: Gigi – Arthur Freed, producer (WINNER) Auntie Mame – Jack L. Warner, producer Cat on a Hot Tin Roof – Lawrence Weingarten, producer The Defiant Ones – Stanley Kramer, producer Separate Tables – Harold Hecht, producer
Best Director: Vincente Minnelli – Gigi (WINNER) Richard Brooks – Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Stanley Kramer – The Defiant Ones Robert Wise – I Want to Live! Mark Robson – The Inn of the Sixth Happiness
Best Actor: David Niven – Separate Tables as Major David Angus Pollock (WINNER) Tony Curtis – The Defiant Ones as John “Joker” Jackson Paul Newman – Cat on a Hot Tin Roof as Brick Pollitt Sidney Poitier – The Defiant Ones as Noah Cullen Spencer Tracy – The Old Man and the Sea as The Old Man
Best Actress: Susan Hayward – I Want to Live! as Barbara Graham (WINNER) Deborah Kerr – Separate Tables as Sibyl Railton-Bell Shirley MacLaine – Some Came Running as Ginny Moorehead Rosalind Russell – Auntie Mame as Mame Dennis Elizabeth Taylor – Cat on a Hot Tin Roof as Margaret “Maggie the Cat” Pollitt
Best Supporting Actor: Burl Ives – The Big Country as Rufus Hannassey (WINNER) Theodore Bikel – The Defiant Ones as Sheriff Max Muller Lee J. Cobb – The Brothers Karamazov as Fyodor Karamazov Arthur Kennedy – Some Came Running as Frank Hirsh Gig Young – Teacher’s Pet as Dr. Hugo Pine
Best Supporting Actress: Wendy Hiller – Separate Tables as Pat Cooper (WINNER) Peggy Cass – Auntie Mame as Agnes Gooch Martha Hyer – Some Came Running as Gwen French Maureen Stapleton – Lonelyhearts as Fay Doyle Cara Williams – The Defiant Ones as Billy’s mother
Best Story and Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen: The Defiant Ones – Nedrick Young and Harold Jacob Smith (WINNER) The Goddess – Paddy Chayefsky Houseboat – Melville Shavelson and Jack Rose The Sheepman – William Bowers and James Edward Grant Teacher’s Pet – Fay Kanin and Michael Kanin
Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium: Gigi – Alan Jay Lerner from Gigi by Colette (WINNER) Cat on a Hot Tin Roof – Richard Brooks and James Poe from Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams The Horse’s Mouth – Alec Guinness from The Horse’s Mouth by Joyce Cary I Want to Live! – Don Mankiewicz and Nelson Gidding from writings by Ed Montgomery and Barbara Graham Separate Tables – John Gay and Terence Rattigan from Separate Tables by Terence Rattigan
Best Foreign Language Film: My Uncle (France) (WINNER) Arms and the Man (Germany) Big Deal on Madonna Street (Italy) The Road a Year Long (Yugoslavia) La venganza (Spain)
Best Documentary Feature: White Wilderness – Ben Sharpsteen (WINNER) Antarctic Crossing The Hidden World Psychiatric Nursing
Best Documentary Short Subject: Ama Girls – Ben Sharpsteen (WINNER) Employees Only Journey into Spring The Living Stone Overture
Best Live Action Short Subject: Grand Canyon – Walt Disney (WINNER) Journey into Spring – Ian Ferguson The Kiss – John Hayes Snows of Aorangi – New Zealand Screen Board T Is for Tumbleweed – James A. Lebenthal
Best Short Subject – Cartoons: Knighty Knight Bugs – John W. Burton (WINNER) Paul Bunyan – Walt Disney Sidney’s Family Tree – William M. Weiss
Best Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture: The Old Man and the Sea – Dimitri Tiomkin (WINNER) The Big Country – Jerome Moross Separate Tables – David Raksin White Wilderness – Oliver Wallace The Young Lions – Hugo Friedhofer
Best Scoring of a Musical Picture: Gigi – André Previn (WINNER) The Bolshoi Ballet – Yuri Faier and G. Rozhdestvensky Damn Yankees! – Ray Heindorf Mardi Gras – Lionel Newman South Pacific – Alfred Newman and Ken Darby
Best Song: “Gigi” from Gigi – Music by Frederick Loewe; Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner (WINNER) “Almost In Your Arms (Love Song from Houseboat)” from Houseboat – Music and Lyrics by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans “A Certain Smile” from A Certain Smile – Music by Sammy Fain; Lyrics by Paul Francis Webster “To Love and Be Loved” from Some Came Running – Music by Jimmy Van Heusen; Lyrics by Sammy Cahn “A Very Precious Love” from Marjorie Morningstar – Music by Sammy Fain; Lyrics by Paul Francis Webster
Best Sound: South Pacific – Fred Hynes (WINNER) I Want to Live! – Gordon E. Sawyer A Time to Love and a Time to Die – Leslie I. Carey Vertigo – George Dutton The Young Lions – Carlton W. Faulkner
Best Art Direction: Gigi – Art Direction: William A. Horning (posthumous award) and E. Preston Ames; Set Decoration: Henry Grace and F. Keogh Gleason (WINNER) Auntie Mame – Art Direction: Malcolm Bert; Set Decoration: George James Hopkins Bell, Book and Candle – Art Direction: Cary Odell; Set Decoration: Louis Diage A Certain Smile – Art Direction: Lyle R. Wheeler and John DeCuir; Set Decoration: Walter M. Scott and Paul S. Fox Vertigo – Art Direction: Hal Pereira and Henry Bumstead; Set Decoration: Samuel M. Comer and Frank R. McKelvy
Best Costume Design: Gigi – Cecil Beaton (WINNER) Bell, Book and Candle – Jean Louis The Buccaneer – Ralph Jester, Edith Head and John Jensen A Certain Smile – Charles LeMaire and Mary Wills Some Came Running – Walter Plunkett
Best Cinematography, Black-and-White: The Defiant Ones – Sam Leavitt (WINNER) Desire Under the Elms – Daniel L. Fapp I Want to Live! – Lionel Lindon Separate Tables – Charles Lang The Young Lions – Joseph MacDonald
Best Cinematography, Color: Gigi – Joseph Ruttenberg (WINNER) Auntie Mame – Harry Stradling, Sr. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof – William Daniels The Old Man and the Sea – James Wong Howe South Pacific – Leon Shamroy
Best Film Editing: Gigi – Adrienne Fazan (WINNER) Auntie Mame – William Ziegler Cowboy – William Lyon and Al Clark The Defiant Ones – Frederic Knudtson I Want to Live! – William Hornbeck
Best Special Effects: tom thumb – Tom Howard (WINNER) Torpedo Run – Visual Effects: A. Arnold Gillespie; Audible Effects: Harold Humbrock
Academy Honorary Award: Maurice Chevalier “for his contributions to the world of entertainment for more than half a century.”
When I was just a little girl I asked my mother What will I be? Will I be pretty? Will I be rich? Here’s what she said to me… – Doris Day, Que Sera Sera
Advice may be given… advice may be taken. Your advice can be someone else’s experience. Advice may even be pointing a little blame.
The problem with advice is that we often don’t take it, especially if it means doing or admitting something that we’d rather not. Sometimes advice brings up an option you didn’t think of before or gives you another question without an answer.
ADVICE Definition: an opinion or recommendation offered as a guide to action, conduct. Advice, reflective thought and a pause in instinctive reactions can help people make the right decisions.
Giving and accepting advice is one part of life that helps us through the trials and tribulations we are faced with.
Many a tear has to fall but it’s all in the game -Tommy Edwards, It’s All In The Game
1950s (and Older) Advice Songs Chart
1. Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be Will Be) – Doris Day
2. Who’s Sorry Now – Connie Francis
3. Too Young – Nat ‘King’ Cole
4. Wear My Ring Around Your Neck – Elvis Presley
5. Whistle While You Work – the Seven Dwarfs
6. Makin Whoopie – Eddie Cantor
7. Blues In The Night – Dinah Shore or Frank Sinatra
8. Sixteen Tons – Ernie “Tennessee” Ford
9. Ain’t That A Shame – Fats Domino
10. Don’t Take Your Guns To Town – Johnny Cash
11. Sit Down (You’re Rocking The Boast) – Billy Murray
12. It’s Just A Matter Of Time – Brook Benton
13. Soliloquy – Billy Bigelow, a character in the musical Carousel
14. High Hopes – Frank Sinatra
15. All I Have To Do Is Dream – The Everly Brothers
16. It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing) – Duke Ellington
17. Save The Last Dance For Me – The Drifters
18. Lady Sings The Blues – Billie Holiday
19. Put Your Head On My Shoulder – Paul Anka
20. It’s Not For Me To Say – Johnny Mathis
21. Get A Job – The Silhouettes
22. It’s All In The Game – Tommy Edwards
23. I’ll Forgive You, But I Can’t Forget – Roy Acuff
24. Don’t Fence Me In – Cole Porter
25. Let’s Misbehave – Ben Bernie
26. Chances Are – Johnny Mathis
27. A Lover’s Question – Clyde Mcphatter
28. Eenie Meenie Miney Mo – Benny Goodman
29. My Heart Is A Broken Book – Carl Dobkins, Jr
30. Time Waits For Noone – Helen Forrest
31. If I Only Had A Brain – Scarecrow (Wizard of Oz)
32. I Walk The Line – Johnny Cash
33. Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear To Tread) – Glenn Miller
34. A Worried Man – The Kingston Trio
35. Cigarettes, Whiskey, And Wild, Wild Women – Red Engle
36. Learnin’ The Blues – Frank Sinatra
37. You Always Hurt The One You Love – Mills Brothers
38. It Ain’t Necessarily So – Bing Crosby or Leo Reisman
39. When You’re Smiling – Louis Armstrong or Seger Ellis
40. Little Things Mean a Lot – Kitty Kallen
41. Ramblin On My Mind – Robert Johnson
42. How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Loved You When You Know I’ve Been A Liar My Whole Life? – Fred Astaire
43. Show Me The Way To Go Home – Vincent Lopez
44. If You Were In My Place (What Would You Do?) – Duke Ellington
45. Undecided – Ella Fitzgerald with Chick Webb
46. Wake The Town and Tell The People – Les Baxter
47. Come On-A My House – Rosemary Clooney
48. After You Get What You Want, You Don’t Want It Back – Van & Schenck
49. I’m Wasting My Tears On You – Tex Ritter
50. They Can’t Take That Away From Me – Fred Astaire or Ozzie Nelson
51. Back in the Saddle Again – Gene Autry
52. Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder – George J. Gaskin
53. I Love My Wife, But Oh You Kid! – Arthur Collins or Bob Roberts or Edward M. Favor
54. They’re Either Too Young Or Too Old – Jimmy Dorsey
55. Am I Blue? – Ethel Waters
56. What Do I Have to Do (To Make You Love Me) – Vaughn Monroe
57. Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off – Fred Astaire
58. Don’t Sit Under The Apple Tree (With Anyone Else But Me) – Glenn Miller or The Andrews Sisters
59. I Ain’t Gonna Play No Second Fiddle – Bessie Smith
60. Take The ‘A’ Train – Duke Ellington
61. Don’t Telephone, Don’t Telegraph, Tell A Woman – Tex Williams
62. Best Things In Life Are Free – George Olson
63. Keep On The Sunny Side – Billy Murray or Byron G. Harlan
64. ‘Tain’t Nobody’s Business If I Do – Bessie Smith
65. Alcoholic Blues – Billy Murray
66. Faith Can Move Mountains – Nat ‘King’ Cole
67. Smile and the World Smiles With You – Lewis James & The Peerless Quartet
68. It’s The Little Things That Count – Bunny Berigan
69. Laughing On The Outside (Crying on the Inside) – Dinah Shore or Sammy Kaye (or Teddy Walters or Andy Russell)
70. Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette) – Tex Williams
71. I’m Putting All My Eggs In One Basket – Fred Astaire
72. Easy Come, Easy Go – Eddy Duchin
73. Tell Me Why – Four Aces or Eddie Fisher
74. It’s Easier Said Than Done – Guy Lombardo
75. Just Another Day Wasted Away (Waiting For You) – Fred Waring’s Pennsylvanians
76. For Every Boy Who’s Lonely, There’s a Lonely Girl – Lyric Quartet
77. If You Knew Susie (Like I Know Susie) – Eddie Cantor or Cliff Edwards
78. Can Anyone Explain? (No! No! No!) – Ames Brothers
79. Ain’t Nobody’s Business But My Own – Kay Starr
80. Count Your Blessings (Instead of Sheep) – Bing Crosby or Rosemary Clooney (or Eddie Fisher)
81. You’re Driving Mr. Crazy (What Did I Do?) – Guy Lombardo
82. Good Man Is Hard To Find – Marion Harris
83. Dreams Are A Dime a Dozen – Vaughn Monroe
84. Oh Dear! What Can The Matter Be? – Ella Logan
85. Everything’s Been Done Before – Freddy Martin or Guy Lombardo
86. Nice Work If You Can Get It – Fred Astaire
87. If We Can’t Be The Same Old Sweethearts, We’ll Just Be The Same Old Friends – Irving Kaufman
88. Forever Is A Long, Long Time – Charles Hart
89. There’s a Lot Of Things You Never Learn In School – Dan Quinn
90. Life Begins When You’re In Love – Isham Jones
91. Enjoy Yourself (It’s Later Than You Think) – Guy Lombardo or Doris Day
92. I Don’t Know Where I’m Going, But I’m On My Way – Peerless Quartet
93. Pack Up Your Troubles In Your Old Kit Bag (And Smile, Smile, Smile) – Knickerbocker Quartet
94. Blame It On My Youth – Jan Garber
95. It’s Always June When You’re In Love – Reed Miller
96. Regretful Blues – Nora Bayes
97. Fancy You Fancying Me – Lewis James
98. Ev’ry Little Bit Helps – Len Spencer & Ada Jones
99. Feather Your Nest – Henry Burr & Albert Campbell
100. Every Day’s A Holiday – Cab Calloway or Glenn Miller
The Cuban Revolution was a significant event in 20th-century history that transformed the island nation of Cuba, ultimately leading to the establishment of a socialist state under the leadership of Fidel Castro. The revolution occurred between 1953 and 1959, overthrowing the U.S.-backed dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista and replacing it with a new government led by Castro and his fellow revolutionaries.
Fidel Castro was born on August 13, 1926, in Birán, a small town in eastern Cuba. He was educated at Jesuit schools before studying law at the University of Havana. As a student, he became politically active, opposing the authoritarian government of President Ramón Grau and later Batista’s military coup in 1952.
The Cuban Revolution began on July 26, 1953, when Castro, his brother Raúl, and approximately 160 other rebels attacked the Moncada Barracks in Santiago de Cuba. The attack was a failure, and many of the revolutionaries were killed or captured. Fidel and Raúl were arrested and sentenced to 15 years in prison. However, due to public pressure, Batista released the Castro brothers in 1955 under a general amnesty.
After their release, the Castros went into exile in Mexico, where they met Argentine revolutionary Ernesto “Che” Guevara. The three men formed a close bond and began planning another attempt to overthrow the Batista regime. In December 1956, they returned to Cuba aboard a small yacht called Granma and 79 other revolutionaries.
Upon arriving in Cuba, the group faced many challenges, including losing most of their forces during initial skirmishes with Batista’s troops. However, the remaining rebels, led by Fidel, Raúl, and Che, managed to regroup in the Sierra Maestra mountains, where they gained the support of local peasants and began a guerrilla war against the Batista government.
Over the next two years, the revolutionaries gradually gained momentum, winning a series of battles and attracting new recruits. They also benefited from widespread public dissatisfaction with Batista’s corrupt and repressive regime and support from international figures such as Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev.
On January 1, 1959, Batista fled the country, and Castro’s forces took control of Havana. The revolution was complete, and a new era in Cuban history began.
Here are 10 Facts about the Cuban Revolution and Fidel Castro:
Fidel Castro survived numerous assassination attempts, reportedly more than 600, orchestrated by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
During the revolution, the rebels operated a pirate radio station called “Radio Rebelde” that broadcast news and propaganda from the Sierra Maestra mountains.
Fidel Castro and Che Guevara both had a love for literature. Castro was an avid reader, and Guevara wrote a book about his experiences during the revolution, “La Guerra de Guerrillas.”
The Cuban Revolution inspired numerous leftist movements in Latin America and beyond, including the Sandinista Revolution in Nicaragua and the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front in El Salvador.
In 1961, the U.S. government implemented a trade embargo against Cuba that remains in place today, although restrictions have been eased in recent years.
The Cuban Revolution led to significant improvements in education and healthcare, with Cuba boasting one of the highest literacy rates and life expectancies in the region.
Fidel Castro held power in Cuba for nearly five decades, making him one of the longest-serving leaders in modern history. He stepped down in 2008, and his brother Raúl Castro became president. In 2021, Raúl stepped down from his leadership role in the Communist Party, marking the end of the Castro era in Cuban politics.
The Cuban Revolution significantly impacted American popular culture, with figures such as Ernest Hemingway and Hollywood stars like Errol Flynn visiting the island. The revolution also inspired numerous films, such as the two-part biopic “Che” (2008), starring Benicio Del Toro as Che Guevara, and “The Godfather Part II” (1974), which includes scenes set in pre-revolutionary Havana.
In 1962, the Cuban Missile Crisis brought the world to the brink of nuclear war when the Soviet Union placed nuclear missiles on Cuban soil in response to the U.S. placing missiles in Turkey. The crisis was resolved after tense negotiations between U.S. President John F. Kennedy and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, resulting in the removal of missiles from both Cuba and Turkey.
Fidel Castro was known for his long speeches, which sometimes lasted for hours. His longest speech, delivered at the United Nations General Assembly in 1960, lasted for 4 hours and 29 minutes.
The Cuban Revolution, led by Fidel Castro and his fellow revolutionaries, changed the course of Cuban history and had a lasting impact on global politics and culture. The revolution’s legacy continues to shape the relations between Cuba and the United States and serves as a symbol of resistance and independence for many people around the world.
December 28, 1957 – January 10, 1958: Pat Boone – April Love January 11, 1958 – February 14, 1958: Danny & the Juniors – At The Hop February 15, 1958 – March 21, 1958: Elvis Presley – Don’t / I Beg Of You March 22, 1958 – April 25, 1958: The Champs – Tequila April 26, 1958 – May 2, 1958: The Platters – Twilight Time May 3, 1958 – May 16, 1958: David Seville – Witch Doctor May 17, 1958 – June 13, 1958: The Everly Brothers – All I Have To Do Is Dream June 14, 1958 – July 25, 1958: Sheb Wooley – The Purple People Eater July 26, 1958 – August 3, 1958: Elvis Presley – Hard Headed Woman August 4, 1958 – August 17, 1958: Ricky Nelson – Poor Little Fool August 18, 1958 – August 24, 1958: Domenico Modugno – Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu) August 25, 1958 – September 28, 1958: The Elegants – Little Star September 29, 1958 – November 9, 1958: Tommy Edwards – It’s All in the Game November 10, 1958 – November 16, 1958: Conway Twitty – It’s Only Make Believe November 17, 1958 – November 30, 1958: The Kingston Trio – Tom Dooley December 1, 1958 – December 21, 1958: The Teddy Bears – To Know Him Is to Love Him December 22, 1958 – January 18, 1959: The Chipmunks with David Seville – The Chipmunk Song
(Data is compiled from various charts including Billboard’s “Pop,” “Airplay,” “R&B” and “Singles” Charts. “Hot 100” is the primary chart used starting October, 1958)
World-Changing Event: President Dwight Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act, creating NASA.
The Top Song was At The Hop by Danny & The Juniors.
Influential Songs include Tequila by The Champs, Tom Dooley by The Kingston Trio, and Rebel Rouser by Duane Eddy.
The Movies to Watch include South Pacific, High School Confidential, St. Louis Blues, Attack of the 50-Foot Woman, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Defiant Ones, The Fly, Auntie Mame, The Blob and Vertigo.
The Most Famous Person in America was probably Elizabeth Taylor.
Notable books include Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe and Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak.
Bank of America launched the first credit card with extended credit in September 1958.
Price of a postage stamp in 1958: 4 cents Price of a used ’57 Ford Fairlane: $1,995.00
The Bald Guy was Yul Brynner
The Story Behind the Song: Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska is the story of 20-year-old Charles Starkweather and his 13-year-old girlfriend Caril Ann Fugate, who murdered 11 people over eight days in 1958.
Top Ten Baby Names of 1958
Mary, Susan, Linda, Karen, Patricia, Michael, David, James, Robert, John
Fashion Icons and Sex Symbols
Carroll Baker, Brigitte Bardot, Claudia Cardinale, Doris Day, Diana Dors, Anita Ekberg, Annette Funicello, Ava Gardner, Audrey Hepburn, Gina Lollobrigida, Sophia Loren, Jayne Mansfield, Marilyn Monroe, Julie Newmar, Kim Novak, Elizabeth Taylor, Mamie Van Doren
Sex Symbols and Hollywood Hunks
Paul Newman, Elvis Presley
Oscars: 30th Academy Awards
The Oscars unfurled their red carpet at the RKO Pantages Theatre in Hollywood on March 26, 1958. Rosalind Russell and Bob Hope hosted the ceremony. The Bridge on the River Kwai had a night to remember, scoring seven awards, including Best Picture. Alec Guinness captured Best Actor for the same film. The Best Actress honor went to Joanne Woodward for The Three Faces of Eve.
Emmy Awards: 10th Primetime Emmy Awards
Hosted by Danny Thomas, the Emmy Awards on April 15, 1958, took place at the Coconut Grove Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles. Gunsmoke received the accolade for Best Dramatic Series, while The Phil Silvers Show claimed Best Comedy Series. Robert Young snagged Best Actor for Father Knows Best, and Jane Wyatt received Best Actress for the same show, proving that father—and mother—did know best that year.
“The Quotes”
“What counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight – it’s the size of the fight in the dog. ” – President Dwight D Eisenhower
“Look, Ma, no cavities!” – Crest toothpaste ad
“Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death!” – Rosalind Russell, in ‘Auntie Mame’
Time Magazine’s Man of the Year
Charles de Gaulle
Miss America
Marilyn Van Derbur (Denver, CO)
Miss USA
Eurlyne Howell (Louisiana)
The Scandals
DJ Alan Freed, the inventor of the term ‘Rock and Roll’, was accused of being paid to promote specific songs on his popular radio and live shows. His career ended, along with his street cred, in the PAYOLA scandal.
Jerry Lee Lewis married his 13-year-old 2nd cousin.
Disney murdered scores of Lemmings for the ‘suicide scene’ in the 1958 movie White Wilderness. Producers pushed and threw them off a cliff while shooting footage of the cruelty, then framed it as a natural occurrence for the audience.
Lana Turner’s daughter, Cheryl, saw her mother being beaten by her boyfriend, Johnny Stompanato, and killed him with a kitchen knife. Some people think that Lana did the self-defensive killing.
1958 Pop Culture Facts & History
The Adventures of Superpup never passed the ‘unaired pilot’ stage.
The Modern plastic Hula Hoop was invented in 1958 by Arthur K. Melin and Richard Knerr. In the 1930s, the first marketed Hula Hoops were made of bamboo and sold as exercise equipment, but they have been used for at least a few hundred years; even in Europe, they used metal tubes. But When they started marketing them in the Summer of 1958, Wham-O sold 25 Million of them. By 1960, 200 Million of them were sold.
Two pilots, Robert Timm and John Cook, took off from McCarran Airfield in Las Vegas, Nevada. They flew a Cessna 172 for 64 days, 22 hours, 19 minutes, and 5 seconds without landing (December 4, 1958- February 4, 1959), refueling by matching speed with a fuel truck driving down a road.
The Ford Motor Company had conceived a nuclear-powered car called the “Nucleon,” with its own contained reactor.
The gesture of celebrating victory by lifting the trophy above the head came in 1958 when photographers asked Hilderaldo Bellini, captain of the Brazilian team at the time, to lift the World Cup trophy after beating Sweden so that they could get a better view of it.
Bobby Fischer (14 years old) won the United States Chess Championship.
As a test, Bank of America mailed 60,000 residents of Fresno, California, a small plastic card with a $500 credit line. The experiment was successful, and the program became Visa.
Music producer Phil Spector’s high-school band (The Teddy Bears) made their first record, To Know Him Is to Love Him. It became number one on the pop charts.
Led by the retired Boston candy manufacturer Robert H.W. Welch Jr., a group of anti-communist activists founded an organization called the John Birch Society that was dedicated to finding and destroying all traces of communism in the United States. The group got their name from John Birch, an intelligence officer killed in China during the Cold War.
The US 50 Star Flag was designed in 1958 by Robert Heft as a junior high history project and got a B-. The grade was later changed to an A after Heft’s design was accepted and adopted by the United States Congress in 1959. Robert and his teacher agreed after the initial B minus grade was given but before the US Congress accepted it.
Crayola’s Prussian Blue crayon was renamed Midnight Blue in 1958.
First Class Postage Stamps increased to 4 cents on August 1, 1958.
The only gas station ever designed by Frank Lloyd Wright was built in 1958 and still operates at 202 Cloquet Avenue, Cloquet, Minnesota.
The LEGO was patented (#3005282A) in 1958.
The world’s tallest ever recorded tsunami was in Alaska in 1958, caused by a landslide after an earthquake in the Fairweather Fault in the Alaska Panhandle. The 100-foot wave reached 1720 feet above sea level.
The Bossa Nova music genre was created in Rio de Janeiro with João Gilberto’s recording of Chega de Saudade.
Bruce Lee was the 1958 Hong Kong Cha Cha Dance Championship winner.
Elvis Presley was inducted into the US Army, Private #53310761.
Dick Dale invented Surf Guitar Music with Let’s Go Trippin’
Vanguard 1, launched in 1958, is the oldest man-made satellite in orbit. Communication with it stopped working in 1964.
Sir Edmund Hillary reached the South Pole.
The 1958 National Football League Championship Game was the 26th NFL championship game, played on December 28th at Yankee Stadium in New York City. It was the first NFL playoff game to go into sudden-death overtime, and the final score was Baltimore Colts 23, New York Giants 17. The game has since become known as “The Greatest Game Ever Played.”
Lawrence Welk was the first TV show to air in stereo before stereo TV had been invented. ABC simulcast one audio channel on its radio network and the other via TV so that listening to both would give you a stereo effect.
Nuclear Oops
The US Air Force lost a 7,600-pound (3,400 kg) Mark 15 nuclear bomb in an F-86/B-47 collision in the Atlantic Ocean off Tybee Island, near Savannah, Georgia, and it has still not been found.
A 26-kiloton Mark 6 mistakenly fell out of a B-47 jet, dropping 15,000 feet into the backyard of Walter Gregg in Mars Bluff, South Carolina. The non-nuclear part of the bomb blew up and left a crater. It’s on private property, so don’t visit without permission.
Project A119
The US Air Force made plans to detonate a nuclear bomb on the moon and wanted it to visible to the naked eye on Earth. They hoped it would boost American morale to counter the USSR’s advances in the space race. #coldwar
Civil Rights
Garth Williams, the illustrator of Stuart Little, wrote a kids’ book in 1958 called The Rabbits’ Wedding. An Alabama State Senator claimed the book was “propaganda for integration and intermarriage,” as the book featured a bunny with white fur and another with black.
Clennon Washington King Jr. applied to the (then) all-white University of Mississippi, and he was committed to Mississippi State Hospital in Whitfield for trying to attend it. In 1960, King ran for President as the candidate of the Independent Afro-American Party, with Reginald Carter as his running mate.
Tragedy
One of the worst school bus accidents in American history occurred in Prestonburg, Kentucky. 26 children and the bus driver were killed. Twenty-two children escaped.
World War I Update
Andorra declared war on Germany during WWI but didn’t send any soldiers because they didn’t have an army. At the Treaty of Versailles, Andorra was forgotten and technically remained at war with Germany until the two countries declared peace in 1958.
World War II Update
During a visit to Germany in 1958, Comedic Actor Groucho Marx climbed a pile of rubble that marked the site of Adolf Hitler’s bunker, the believed site of Hitler’s death, and performed a two-minute Charleston Dance.
Nobel Prize Winners
Physics – Pavel Alekseyevich Cherenkov, Ilya Mikhailovich Frank, and Igor Yevgenyevich Tamm Chemistry – Frederick Sanger Physiology or Medicine – George Wells Beadle, Edward Lawrie Tatum, and Joshua Lederberg Literature – Boris Leonidovich Pasternak Peace – Georges Pire
1st Appearances & 1958’s Most Popular Christmas Gifts, Toys and Presents
LEGOs, Skateboards, Beat the Clock Game, Crayola Crayons ’64 box’ with built-in sharpener*, Concentration TV Game home version, Hula Hoop (U.S.) *Crayola crayons first came out in 1903
The Habit
Reading Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak
More 1958 Firsts
The American Express card was introduced in 1958.
The term “meritocracy” was coined by Michael Young in his 1958 dystopian essay The Rise of the Meritocracy.
The modern hula hoop was invented in 1958 by Arthur K. “Spud” Melin and Richard Knerr and distributed for sale by their company, Wham-O!
An Evening with Fred Astaire, the first television show recorded on color videotape, was broadcast on NBC.
Chicken Ramen, the first instant noodles, went on sale in Japan.
Clifton Hillegass in Lincoln, Nebraska, started cliffsNotes.
Dracula was released, starring Christopher Lee. It was the first horror movie from Hammer Films.
The Jim Henson Company (Muppets Inc.) was founded.
The internationally recognized peace symbol was designed in 1958 by Gerald Holtom as the logo for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.
Pizza Hut was founded in Wichita, Kansas, by Dan and Frank Carney.
The first video game, “Tennis for Two,” invented by William Higinbotham, was introduced at the Brookhaven National Laboratory Visitors’ Day Exhibit in the United States.
Jack Kilby invented the first integrated circuit while working at Texas Instruments.
Kitchens were smelling a lot cleaner thanks to the introduction of Mr. Clean in 1958. In 1998, People Magazine called Mr. Clean “one of the sexiest men alive.”
Commercial, domestic jet airline service opened between New York and Miami.
Best Film Oscar Winner
The Bridge Over River Kwai (presented in 1958)
Popular and Best-selling Books From 1958
A Fly Went By by Mike McClintock and Fritz Siebel Anatomy of a Murder by Robert Traver Around the World with Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis By Love Possessed by James Gould Cozzens The Cat in the Hat Comes Back by Dr. Seuss Dr. No by Ian Fleming Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak Eloise at Christmastime by Kay Thompson The Enemy Camp by Jerome Weidman From the Terrace by John O’Hara Ice Palace by Edna Ferber Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov Night by Elie Wiesel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Victorine by Frances Parkinson Keyes The Winthrop Woman by Anya Seton Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories by Dr. Seuss
1958 Most Popular TV Shows
1. Gunsmoke (CBS) 2. Wagon Train (NBC) 3. Have Gun Will Travel (CBS) 4. The Rifleman (ABC) 5. The Danny Thomas Show (CBS) 6. Maverick (ABC) 7. Tales of Wells Fargo (NBC) 8. The Real McCoys (ABC) 9. I’ve Got a Secret (CBS) 10. The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (ABC)
1958 Billboard Number One Songs
December 30, 1957 – January 10, 1958: April Love – Pat Boone
January 11 – February 14: At The Hop – Danny and the Juniors
February 15 – March 21: Don’t (I Beg of You) – Elvis Presley
September 6 – October 3: Volare – Domenico Modugno
October 4 – November 14: It’s All In The Game – Tommy Edwards
November 15 – November 21: It’s Only Make Believe – Conway Twitty
November 22 – November 28: Tom Dooley – Kingston Trio
November 29 – December 5: It’s Only Make Believe – Conway Twitty
December 6 – December 26: To Know Him is To Love Him – Teddy Bears
December 27, 1958 – January 18, 1959: Chipmunk Song – David Seville & The Chipmunks
Sports
World Series Champions: New York Yankees NFL Champions: Baltimore Colts NBA Champions: St. Louis Hawks Stanley Cup Champs: Montreal Canadiens U.S. Open Golf Tommy Bolt U.S. Tennis: (Men/Ladies) Ashley J. Cooper/Althea Gibson Wimbledon (Men/Women): Ashley Cooper/Althea Gibson NCAA Football Champions: Iowa & LSU NCAA Basketball Champions: Kentucky Kentucky Derby: Tim Tam World Cup (Soccer): Brazil
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is a United States government agency responsible for the nation’s civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research. NASA has played a significant role in advancing space exploration, technology, and scientific research. Its establishment marked the beginning of a new era of space exploration. It contributed to the United States’ achievements in the space race against the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
Dates and Details:
On October 1, 1958, NASA officially began operations, taking over the responsibilities of its predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA).
NASA’s establishment directly responded to the launch of the Soviet satellite Sputnik 1 on October 4, 1957, which marked the beginning of the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union.
The National Aeronautics and Space Act, signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on July 29, 1958, created NASA and outlined its mission, which included exploring outer space for peaceful purposes and advancing aeronautical and space-related research.
NASA Facts:
NASA’s first administrator was T. Keith Glennan, who served from 1958 to 1961, overseeing the agency’s initial programs, including developing the Mercury and Gemini manned spaceflight programs.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, was originally part of the California Institute of Technology and was transferred to NASA in 1958.
The first American satellite launched by NASA was Explorer 1 on January 31, 1958, which discovered the Van Allen radiation belts surrounding Earth.
The Apollo program, which ultimately led to the first human landing on the Moon in 1969, was announced by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 as a response to Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becoming the first human in space.
NASA’s Space Shuttle program, which began in 1981 and ended in 2011, was responsible for launching numerous satellites, constructing the International Space Station (ISS), and conducting various scientific research missions.
Effects on Pop Culture:
NASA has significantly influenced popular culture, inspiring generations of people with its achievements in space exploration.
The Apollo 11 Moon landing in 1969 was a major cultural event, watched by millions worldwide on television and celebrated as a symbol of human progress and achievement.
NASA’s space missions have been the subject of countless movies, television shows, books, and other forms of popular media, such as “2001: A Space Odyssey,” “Apollo 13,” “The Right Stuff,” and “Hidden Figures.”
The iconic blue NASA “meatball” logo and the stylized red “worm” logo have become symbols of space exploration and American ingenuity, appearing on merchandise, clothing, and various forms of media.
NASA has also played a role in popularizing science and technology careers, inspiring generations of students to pursue engineering, physics, and astronomy careers.
Prominent People and Countries Involved:
President Dwight D. Eisenhower was instrumental in establishing NASA, signing the National Aeronautics and Space Act into law and appointing its first administrator, T. Keith Glennan.
John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, was a strong advocate for space exploration, famously challenging the nation to land a man on the Moon by the end of the 1960s.
Wernher von Braun, a German-American rocket scientist, played a crucial role in developing NASA’s early rocket technology, including the Saturn V rocket that powered the Apollo missions to the Moon.
James E. Webb, who served as NASA’s second administrator from 1961 to 1968, was a key figure in the development and management of the Apollo program, guiding the agency through its most ambitious and successful era.
Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson were African American mathematicians who worked at NASA during the space program’s early years. Their contributions to the Mercury and Apollo missions were highlighted in the book and film “Hidden Figures.”
Alan Shepard became the first American in space on May 5, 1961, during the Mercury-Redstone 3 mission, while John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth on February 20, 1962, during the Mercury-Atlas 6 mission.
Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins were the astronauts of the historic Apollo 11 mission, with Armstrong and Aldrin becoming the first humans to set foot on the Moon on July 20, 1969.
Countries Involved:
The United States and the Soviet Union were the primary competitors in the space race, with each nation striving to demonstrate its technological prowess and superiority in space exploration.
The international community, particularly Western European nations, closely followed the progress of the United States and the Soviet Union in space, with many countries eventually developing their own space programs or collaborating with NASA on various missions and projects.
The International Space Station (ISS), a joint project between NASA and the space agencies of Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada, represents an era of international cooperation in space exploration that followed the end of the space race and the Cold War.
The founding of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in 1958 marked a turning point in the history of space exploration and human achievement. Born out of the competitive atmosphere of the Cold War and the space race with the Soviet Union, NASA has since become a symbol of human ingenuity and progress, inspiring generations of people around the world with its feats of exploration and discovery. The agency’s accomplishments, from the first American in space to the Moon landings and beyond, have impacted popular culture and continue to shape our understanding of the universe and our place in it.
Venue: RKO Pantages Theatre, Hollywood, California
Hosts: Bob Hope, Rosalind Russell, David Niven, James Stewart, Jack Lemmon, Donald Duck (voice of Clarence Nash, via animation)
Eligibility Year: 1957
Major Wins:
Best Picture went to The Bridge on the River Kwai.
Joanne Woodward won Best Actress for The Three Faces of Eve.
Alec Guinness snagged Best Actor for The Bridge on the River Kwai.
Directing & Screenplay:
David Lean took home the Best Director award for The Bridge on the River Kwai.
Best Original Screenplay went to Designing Woman.
Additional Info:
Miyoshi Umeki became the first Asian actress to win an Oscar, for Best Supporting Actress in Sayonara.
Red Buttons also received Best Supporting Actor for the same film.
Trivia:
This year’s ceremony featured one of the most eclectic group of hosts, including animated character Donald Duck, whose voice was provided by Clarence Nash.
The ceremony was the last one to feature multiple hosts until 1976.
The Bridge on the River Kwai won seven Oscars in total, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor.
This was the first time all five Best Picture nominations were nominated for Best Director
Peyton Place tied the record for the most nominations without a win (9) set by The Little Foxes (1941), until 1977.
1958 Oscar Nominees and Winners
Best Motion Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai – Sam Spiegel, producer (WINNER) 12 Angry Men – Henry Fonda and Reginald Rose, producers Peyton Place – Jerry Wald, producer Sayonara – William Goetz, producer Witness for the Prosecution – Arthur Hornblow Jr., producer
Best Director: David Lean – The Bridge on the River Kwai (WINNER) Sidney Lumet – 12 Angry Men Mark Robson – Peyton Place Joshua Logan – Sayonara Billy Wilder – Witness for the Prosecution
Best Actor: Alec Guinness – The Bridge on the River Kwai as Lieutenant Colonel Nicholson (WINNER) Marlon Brando – Sayonara as Major Lloyd “Ace” Gruver Anthony Franciosa – A Hatful of Rain as Polo Pope Charles Laughton – Witness for the Prosecution as Sir Wilfrid Robarts Q.C. Anthony Quinn – Wild Is the Wind as Gino
Best Actress: Joanne Woodward – The Three Faces of Eve as Eve White/Eve Black/Jane (WINNER) Deborah Kerr – Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison as Sister Angela Anna Magnani – Wild Is the Wind as Gioia Elizabeth Taylor – Raintree County as Susanna Drake Lana Turner – Peyton Place as Constance MacKenzie
Best Supporting Actor: Red Buttons – Sayonara as Airman Joe Kelly (WINNER) Vittorio De Sica – A Farewell to Arms as Major Alessandro Rinaldi Sessue Hayakawa – The Bridge on the River Kwai as Colonel Saito Arthur Kennedy – Peyton Place as Lucas Cross Russ Tamblyn – Peyton Place as Norman Page
Best Supporting Actress: Miyoshi Umeki – Sayonara as Katsumi Kelly (WINNER) Carolyn Jones – The Bachelor Party as The Girl Elsa Lanchester – Witness for the Prosecution as Miss Plimsoll Hope Lange – Peyton Place as Selena Cross Diane Varsi – Peyton Place as Allison MacKenzie
Best Story and Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen: Designing Woman – George Wells (WINNER) Funny Face – Leonard Gershe I Vitelloni – Federico Fellini, Tullio Pinelli and Ennio Flaiano Man of a Thousand Faces – Ralph Wheelwright, R. Wright Campbell, Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts The Tin Star – Barney Slater, Joel Kane and Dudley Nichols
Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium: The Bridge on the River Kwai – Michael Wilson, Carl Foreman and Pierre Boulle based on the novel by Pierre Boulle (WINNER) 12 Angry Men – Reginald Rose based on his teleplay Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison – John Lee Mahin and John Huston from the novel by Charles Shaw Peyton Place – John Michael Hayes based on the novel by Grace Metalious Sayonara – Paul Osborn based on the novel by James Michener
Best Foreign Language Film: Nights of Cabiria (Italy) (WINNER) The Devil Strikes at Night (Germany) Gates of Paris (France) Mother India (India) Nine Lives (Norway)
Best Documentary Feature: Albert Schweitzer (WINNER) On the Bowery Torero!
Best Live Action Short Subject: The Wetback Hound (WINNER) A Chairy Tale City of Gold Foothold on Antarctica Portugal
Best Short Subject – Cartoons: Birds Anonymous (WINNER) One Droopy Knight Tabasco Road Trees and Jamaica Daddy The Truth About Mother Goose
Best Scoring: The Bridge on the River Kwai – Malcolm Arnold (WINNER) An Affair to Remember – Hugo Friedhofer Boy on a Dolphin – Hugo Friedhofer Perri – Paul J. Smith Raintree County – Johnny Green
Best Song: “All the Way” from The Joker Is Wild – Music by Jimmy Van Heusen; Lyrics by Sammy Cahn (WINNER) “An Affair to Remember” from An Affair to Remember – Music by Harry Warren; Lyrics by Leo McCarey and Harold Adamson “April Love” from April Love – Music by Sammy Fain; Lyrics by Paul Francis Webster “Tammy” from Tammy and the Bachelor – Music and Lyrics by Ray Evans and Johnny Livingston “Wild Is the Wind” from Wild Is the Wind – Music by Dimitri Tiomkin; Lyrics by Ned Washington
Best Sound Recording: Sayonara – George Groves (WINNER) Gunfight at the O.K. Corral – George Dutton Les Girls – Wesley C. Miller Pal Joey – John P. Livadary Witness for the Prosecution – Gordon E. Sawyer
Best Costume Design: Les Girls – Orry-Kelly (WINNER) An Affair to Remember – Charles LeMaire Funny Face – Edith Head and Hubert de Givenchy Pal Joey – Jean Louis Raintree County – Walter Plunkett
Best Art Direction: Sayonara – Art Direction: Ted Haworth; Set Decoration: Robert Priestley (WINNER) Funny Face – Art Direction: Hal Pereira and George W. Davis; Set Decoration: Samuel M. Comer and Ray Moyer Les Girls – Art Direction: William A. Horning and Gene Allen; Set Decoration: Edwin B. Willis and Richard Pefferle Pal Joey – Art Direction: Walter Holscher; Set Decoration: William Kiernan and Louis Diage Raintree County – Art Direction: William A. Horning and Urie McCleary; Set Decoration: Edwin B. Willis and Hugh Hunt
Best Cinematography: The Bridge on the River Kwai – Jack Hildyard (WINNER) An Affair to Remember – Milton Krasner Funny Face – Ray June Peyton Place – William C. Mellor Sayonara – Ellsworth Fredericks
Best Film Editing: The Bridge on the River Kwai – Peter Taylor (WINNER) Gunfight at the O.K. Corral – Warren Low Pal Joey – Viola Lawrence and Jerome Thoms Sayonara – Arthur P. Schmidt and Philip W. Anderson Witness for the Prosecution – Daniel Mandell
Best Special Effects: The Enemy Below – Walter Rossi (WINNER) The Spirit of St. Louis – Louis Lichtenfield
Academy Honorary Awards: Charles Brackett “for outstanding service to the Academy.”
B. B. Kahane “for distinguished service to the motion picture industry.”
Gilbert M. “Broncho Billy” Anderson “motion picture pioneer, for his contributions to the development of motion pictures as entertainment.” the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers “for their contributions to the advancement of the motion picture industry.”
December 8, 1956 – February 8, 1957: Guy Mitchell – Singing The Blues February 9, 1957 – March 1, 1957: Elvis Presley – Too Much March 2, 1957 – March 29, 1957: Tab Hunter – Young Love March 30, 1957 – April 5, 1957: Buddy Knox – Party Doll April 6, 1957 – April 12, 1957: Perry Como – Round And Round April 13, 1957 – June 7, 1957: Elvis Presley – All Shook Up June 8, 1957 – July 12, 1957: Pat Boone – Love Letters In The Sand July 13, 1957 – August 30, 1957: Elvis Presley – (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear August 31, 1957 – September 13, 1957: Debbie Reynolds – Tammy September 14, 1957 – September 27, 1957: Paul Anka – Diana September 28, 1957 – October 4, 1957: The Crickets – That’ll Be The Day October 5, 1957 – October 18, 1957: Jimmie Rodgers – Honeycomb October 19, 1957 – October 25, 1957: The Everly Brothers – Wake Up Little Susie October 26, 1957 – December 6, 1957: Elvis Presley – Jailhouse Rock / Treat Me Nice December 7, 1957 – December 27, 1957: Sam Cooke – You Send Me December 28, 1957 – January 10, 1958: Pat Boone – April Love
(Data is compiled from various charts including Billboard’s “Pop,” “Airplay,” “R&B” and “Singles” Charts. “Hot 100” is the primary chart used starting October, 1958)
World Changing Event: The Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the first space satellite, starting the Space Race.
The Top Song was All Shook Up by Elvis Presley.
Influential Songs include The Banana Boat Song (Day-o) by Harry Belafonte and Wake Up Little Suzie by The Everly Brothers.
The Movies to Watch include An Affair to Remember, Jailhouse Rock, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, 12 Angry Men, A Face in the Crowd, The Incredible Shrinking Man, Pal Joey, The Spirit of St. Louis, Old Yeller, and The Bridge on the River Kwai.
The Most Famous Person in America was probably Rock Hudson.
Notable books include Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand and The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss.
Price of 45 RPM single record in 1957: 79 cents Burger King Whopper: 37 cents
US Life Expectancy: Males: 66.4 years, Females: 72.7 years.
Wham-O Company produced the 1st Frisbee, the “Pluto Platter,” 1958.
Volvo’s Nils Bohlin invented the Three-Point Seatbelt. Volvo lets other car companies use the patent at no charge.
The Funny TV Lady: Lucille Ball The Funny Late Show Host: Steve Allen
The Baseball Hit(s): Richie Ashburn hit Alice Roth with a foul ball, breaking her nose, then hit her again while she was on the stretcher.
Top Ten Baby Names of 1957
Mary, Susan, Linda, Debra, Karen, Michael, James, David, Robert, John
Fashion Icons and Sex Symbols
Carroll Baker, Brigitte Bardot, Claudia Cardinale, Doris Day, Diana Dors, Anita Ekberg, Annette Funicello, Ava Gardner, Audrey Hepburn, Gina Lollobrigida, Sophia Loren, Jayne Mansfield, Marilyn Monroe, Julie Newmar, Kim Novak, Bettie Page, Elizabeth Taylor, Mamie Van Doren
Leading Men and Sex Symbols
Elvis Presley, Harry Belafonte
Oscars: 29th Academy Awards
On March 27, 1957, the Oscars ceremony was held at the RKO Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, with Jerry Lewis and Celeste Holm sharing the hosting duties. The film Around the World in 80 Days was the big winner of the night, bagging five awards, including Best Picture. Yul Brynner won Best Actor for his role in The King and I, while Ingrid Bergman was awarded Best Actress for Anastasia.
Emmy Awards: 9th Primetime Emmy Awards
The Emmy Awards took place on March 16, 1957, at the NBC Studios in Burbank, California. Art Linkletter reprised his hosting role. The Best Drama Series award went to Playhouse 90, and The Phil Silvers Show won Best Comedy Series. Robert Young snagged the Best Actor for Father Knows Best, and Loretta Young took home the Best Actress for Letter to Loretta for the second time.
In film and television, the Oscars and Emmys continued to be the pinnacles of achievement. The Oscars focused on recognizing the cinematic achievements of 1956, while the Emmys followed suit with productions aired in 1956. These award shows often provided a glimpse into the social and cultural trends of the era, and 1957 was no exception.
Time Magazine’s Man of the Year
Nikita Khrushchev
Miss America
Marian McKnight (Manning, SC)
Miss USA
Mary Leona Gage (Maryland)/ Charlotte Sheffield (Utah)
The Scandals
On March 25, 1957, US Customs agents seized over 500 copies of the Allen Ginsberg book Howl and Other Poems on obscenity charges. It was later decided in the US court that the material was not obscene.
James Vicary announced that he invented subliminal advertising at a Fort Lee, New Jersey, movie theater. He flashed the words: “Hungry? Eat Popcorn” and “Thirsty? Drink Coke” very fast between film frames. Food and beverage sales increased significantly, he claimed. In 1962, he said he made the whole thing up.
US Politics
January 21, 1957 (Monday): Second inauguration of Dwight D. Eisenhower
1957 Pop Culture Facts & History
When US President Harry S. Truman visited Disneyland in 1957, he refused to come aboard the popular Dumbo attraction. Truman, a Democrat, didn’t want to be seen riding in the symbol of the Republican
The comedy film Airplane (1980) is a parody of Zero Hour (1957)
The price of Coca-Cola was 5 cents (a nickel) from 1886 to m1959. Coca-Cola contacted the US Treasury Department, asking them to mint a 7.5 cent coin in 1953, to minimize a needed price increase for soda vending machines.
On April 10, 12 Angry Men, directed by Sidney Lumet, starring Martin Balsam as Juror 1, John Fiedler as Juror 2, Lee J. Cobb as Juror 3, E. G. Marshall as Juror 4, Jack Klugman as Juror 5, Edward Binns as Juror 6, Jack Warden as Juror 7, Henry Fonda as Davis, Juror 8, Joseph Sweeney as McCardle, Juror 9, Ed Begley as Juror 10, George Voskovec as Juror 11 and Robert Webber as Juror 12, was released.
Philadelphia’s American Bandstand, with Dick Clark, became a national television show.
Elvis asked his audience at a Seattle concert to please rise for the national anthem. He picked up his guitar and sang Hound Dog. A 15-year-old Jimmy Hendrix was there, a part of the enthusiastic audience.
Elvis Presley bought Graceland on 3734 Bellevue Boulevard in Memphis, Tennessee, for $100,000.
In 1957, 1 out of 7 US workers’ income was earned in the textile or apparel industries.
On Saturday, April 13, 1957, there was no mail delivery due to a budget crunch at the US Post Office. Additional funds insured Saturday mail continued by the following week.
Stan Laurel (of the legendary comedy duo Laurel and Hardy) refused to ever perform publicly again after the death of his friend and partner Oliver Hardy in 1957.
Fortran, an early computer language, was created.
1948 Swiss engineer George de Mestral took his dog on a hike. When he got home, he noticed many burrs on the dog. He examined one under the microscope. He noticed the burrs had small hooks that enabled them to cling to the soft fur. De Mestral got the US patent (#3,009,235) for Velcro in 1955, an upgrade from his earlier 1955 patent (#2,717,437)
Laika, a Russian dog, was the first living creature to be sent into space in Sputnik 2. Sadly, she did not make it back alive.
January 16 – January 1- Three B-52 Bombers set a record for around-the-world flight, 45 hours and 19 minutes.
The Mayflower II from Plymouth, England, sailed to Plymouth, Massachusetts.
The longest-ever speech delivered by the United Nations was eight hours long. Vengalil Krishnan Krishna Menon delivered it from India on January 23, 1957.
The US Supreme Court decided, in a 6-3 vote, that Major League Baseball is the only antitrust-exempt professional US sport.
Unlikely Heroes
Northeast Airlines Flight 823 crashed onto Rikers Island shortly after take-off from LaGuardia Airport, killing 20 and injuring 78 out of a total of 95 passengers and six crew. Fifty-seven inmates ran to help the survivors. Most prisoners who helped were either set free or received reduced sentences.
1957 Mysteries:
The Boy in the Box is a still-unsolved murder of a ~5-year-old boy whose naked and battered body was found in a cardboard box in a wooded area of Philadelphia in 1957. Found to be Joseph Augustus Zarelli in 2022.
William Laing, Michael Crowley, and Ray Baker described a ‘Timeslip‘ journey into the medieval version of the Suffolk village of Kersey.
An explosion occurred at a plutonium plant in the USSR, resulting in the world’s third-worst nuclear accident. The government kept it secret for 19 years. An estimated 6,000-8,000 people died in the event.
Oops!
Killer ‘Africanized’ bees are a hybrid species (with European Bees) that exist because they accidentally escaped quarantine in 1957.
During a 1957 Phillies game, Richie Ashburn hit a fan, Alice Roth, with a foul ball, breaking her nose. When play resumed, he hit her again with another foul ball as she was being taken out on a stretcher. They later became friends.
The United States Air Force accidentally dropped a 10 Megaton hydrogen bomb on uninhabited land owned by the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. It did not go off, but a cow was reputedly killed.
Fake News
The BBC aired a segment about a Swiss family harvesting their “spaghetti tree” as an April Fool’s Day Prank on Panorama.
Civil Rights
The Little Rock Nine were a group of nine African American students who were escorted by 101st Airborne Division soldiers into Little Rock Central High School in 1957 after initially being blocked by the Arkansas National Guard and racial segregationists.
A 24-hour and 18-minute speech by Sen. Storm Thurmond to stall the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1957 was the longest Filibuster in US history. He read the Declaration of Independence, talked about Jury Trials, and answered questions from other Senators. He successfully spoke from 8:54 p.m. to 9:12 p.m. the next day, but the bill was passed anyway.
World War II Aftermath
Anne Frank Foundation was formed in Amsterdam.
Unorthodox Medicine
Actor Cary Grant was diagnosed with “prolonged emotional detachment” and began medical LSD therapy. He had more than 100 acid trips over 2 years and believed it helped him cope with the pain from his childhood.
The Habits
Everybody was flying those discs invented by Frederick Morrison, called ‘Pluto Platters,’ later renamed the ‘Frisbee.’ ‘Frisbee’ was a pie company in Connecticut. The locals used to toss the empty pie plates, hence the name. Wham-O bought the rights to the product from Frederick.
The cool kids were watching Dick Clark’s American Bandstand.
1st Appearances & 1957’s Most Popular Christmas Gifts, Toys and Presents
Dream Pets, Careers Game, Sea-Monkeys
More Firsts
Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes accidentally invented bubble wrap while trying to create plastic wallpaper.
Standard & Poor’s S&P 500 opened on March 4, 1957, replacing the S&P 90.
The phrase “In God We Trust” first appeared on US coins in 1864 but did not appear on U.S. paper currency until 1957.
Nobel Prize Winners
Physics – Chen-Ning Yang, Tsung-Dao Lee Chemistry – Lord Alexander R. Todd Physiology or Medicine – Daniel Bovet Literature – Albert Camus Peace – Lester Bowles Pearson
Best Film Oscar Winner
Around the World in 80 Days (presented in 1957)
Broadway Show
The Music Man (Musical) Opened on December 19, 1957, and Closed April 15, 1961
Popular and Best-selling Books From 1957
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand Below the Salt by Thomas B. Costain Blue Camellia by Frances Parkinson Keyes By Love Possessed by James Gould Cozzens The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss Compulsion by Meyer Levin Eloise in Paris by Kay Thompson From Russia, with Love by Ian Fleming On the Beach by Nevil Shute On the Road by Jack Kerouac Peyton Place by Grace Metalious Rally ‘Round the Flag, Boys! by Max Shulman The Scapegoat by Daphne du Maurier Syntactic Structures by Noam Chomsky
1957 Most Popular TV Shows
1. Gunsmoke (CBS) 2. The Danny Thomas Show (CBS) 3. Tales of Wells Fargo (NBC) 4. Have Gun Will Travel (CBS) 5. I’ve Got A Secret (CBS) 6. The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (ABC) 7. General Electric Theatre (CBS) 8. The Restless Gun (NBC) 9. December Bride (CBS) 10. You Bet Your Life (NBC)
1957 Billboard Number One Songs
December 29, 1956 – February 8, 1957: Singing The Blues – Guy Mitchell
February 9 – February 15: Don’t Forbid Me – Pat Boone
December 30, 1957 – January 3, 1958: April Love – Pat Boone
Sports
World Series Champions: Milwaukee Braves NFL Champions: Detroit Lions NBA Champions: Boston Celtics Stanley Cup Champs: Montreal Canadians U.S. Open Golf: Dick Mayer U.S. Tennis (Men/Ladies): Malcolm Anderson/Althea Gibson Wimbledon (Men/Women): Lew Hoad/Althea Gibson NCAA Football Champions: Auburn & Ohio State NCAA Basketball Champions: North Carolina Kentucky Derby: Iron Liege
Venues: RKO Pantages Theatre, Hollywood, California & NBC Century Theatre, New York City, New York
Hosts: Jerry Lewis and Celeste Holm
Eligibility Year: 1956
Major Wins:
Around the World in 80 Days scored the Best Picture win.
Ingrid Bergman won Best Actress for her role in Anastasia.
Yul Brynner took home Best Actor for The King and I.
Directing & Screenplay:
George Stevens received the Best Director award for Giant.
Albert Lamorisse’s The Red Balloon won for Best Original Screenplay.
Additional Info:
Dorothy Malone clinched Best Supporting Actress for Written on the Wind.
Anthony Quinn was Best Supporting Actor for Lust for Life.
Trivia:
This was the first year all five Best Picture nominees were nominated for Best Director.
Director John Ford’s classic western The Searchers failed to receive a single nomination.
This was the first year all five Best Picture nominees were in color.
The “Academy Award of Merit” is what the Oscar statue is officially called.
Giant had ten nominations and won a single Oscar.
The Red Balloon is the only short film to win a screenplay award.
Around the World in 80 Days also bagged Best Cinematography and Best Art Direction, among others.
1957 Oscar Nominees and Winners
Best Motion Picture: Around the World in 80 Days – Mike Todd, producer (WINNER) Friendly Persuasion – Robert Wyler and William Wyler, producers Giant – George Stevens and Henry Ginsberg, producers The King and I – Charles Brackett, producer The Ten Commandments – Cecil B. DeMille, producer
Best Director: George Stevens – Giant (WINNER) Michael Anderson – Around the World in 80 Days William Wyler – Friendly Persuasion Walter Lang – The King and I King Vidor – War and Peace
Best Actor: Yul Brynner – The King and I as King Mongkut of Siam (WINNER) James Dean (posthumous nomination) – Giant as Jett Rink Kirk Douglas – Lust for Life as Vincent van Gogh Rock Hudson – Giant as Jordan “Bick” Benedict Jr. Laurence Olivier – Richard III as Richard
Best Actress: Ingrid Bergman – Anastasia as Anna Koreff (WINNER) Carroll Baker – Baby Doll as Baby Doll Meighan Katharine Hepburn – The Rainmaker as Lizzie Curry Nancy Kelly – The Bad Seed as Christine Penmark Deborah Kerr – The King and I as Anna Leonowens
Best Supporting Actor: Anthony Quinn – Lust for Life as Paul Gauguin (WINNER) Don Murray – Bus Stop as Beauregard Decker Anthony Perkins – Friendly Persuasion as Josh Birdwell Mickey Rooney – The Bold and the Brave as Dooley Robert Stack – Written on the Wind as Kyle Hadley
Best Supporting Actress: Dorothy Malone – Written on the Wind as Marylee Hadley (WINNER) Mildred Dunnock – Baby Doll as Aunt Rose Comfort Eileen Heckart – The Bad Seed as Hortense Daigle Mercedes McCambridge – Giant as Luz Benedict Patty McCormack – The Bad Seed as Rhoda Penmark
Best Screenplay – Original: The Red Balloon – Albert Lamorisse (WINNER) The Bold and the Brave – Robert Lewin Julie – Andrew L. Stone La Strada – Federico Fellini and Tullio Pinelli The Ladykillers – William Rose
Best Screenplay – Adapted: Around the World in 80 Days – James Poe, John Farrow and S. J. Perelman based on the novel by Jules Verne (WINNER) Baby Doll – Tennessee Williams based on his short plays Twenty-seven Wagons Full of Cotton and The Unsatisfactory Supper Friendly Persuasion – Michael Wilson based on the novel by Jessamyn West Giant – Ivan Moffat and Fred Guiol based on the novel by Edna Ferber Lust for Life – Norman Corwin based on the novel by Irving Stone
Best Story: The Brave One – Dalton Trumbo (WINNER) The Eddy Duchin Story – Leo Katcher High Society – Edward Bernds and Elwood Ullman The Proud and the Beautiful – Jean-Paul Sartre Umberto D. – Cesare Zavattini
Best Foreign Language Film: La Strada (Italy) (WINNER) The Burmese Harp (Japan) The Captain from Köpenick (Germany) Gervaise (France) Qivitoq (Denmark)
Best Documentary Feature: The Silent World (WINNER) The Naked Eye Where Mountains Float
Best Documentary Short Subject: The True Story of the Civil War (WINNER) A City Decides The Dark Wave The House Without a Name Man in Space
Best Live Action Short Subject, One-Reel: Crashing the Water Barrier (WINNER) I Never Forget a Face Time Stood Still
Best Live Action Short Subject, Two-Reel: The Bespoke Overcoat (WINNER) Cow Dog The Dark Wave Samoa
Best Short Subject – Cartoons: ‘Magoo’s Puddle Jumper (WINNER) Gerald McBoing-Boing on Planet Moo The Jay Walker
Best Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture: Around the World in 80 Days – Victor Young (posthumous award) (WINNER) Anastasia – Alfred Newman Between Heaven and Hell – Hugo Friedhofer Giant – Dimitri Tiomkin The Rainmaker – Alex North
Best Scoring of a Musical Picture: The King and I – Alfred Newman and Ken Darby (WINNER) The Best Things in Life Are Free – Lionel Newman The Eddy Duchin Story – Morris Stoloff and George Duning High Society – Johnny Green and Saul Chaplin Meet Me in Las Vegas – Georgie Stoll and Johnny Green
Best Song: “Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)” from The Man Who Knew Too Much – Music and Lyrics by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans (WINNER) “Friendly Persuasion (Thee I Love)” from Friendly Persuasion – Music by Dimitri Tiomkin; Lyrics by Paul Francis Webster “Julie” from Julie – Music by Leith Stevens; Lyrics by Tom Adair “True Love” from High Society – Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter “Written on the Wind” from Written on the Wind – Music by Victor Young (posthumous nomination); Lyrics by Sammy Cahn
Best Sound Recording: The King and I – Carlton W. Faulkner (WINNER) The Brave One – Buddy Myers The Eddy Duchin Story – John P. Livadary Friendly Persuasion – Gordon R. Glennan and Gordon E. Sawyer The Ten Commandments – Loren L. Ryder
Best Art Direction, Black-and-White: Somebody Up There Likes Me – Art Direction: Cedric Gibbons and Malcolm Brown; Set Decoration: Edwin B. Willis and F. Keogh Gleason (WINNER) The Proud and Profane – Art Direction: Hal Pereira and A. Earl Hedrick; Set Decoration: Samuel M. Comer and Frank R. McKelvy Seven Samurai – Art Direction and Set Decoration: So Matsuyama The Solid Gold Cadillac – Art Direction: Ross Bellah; Set Decoration: William Kiernan and Louis Diage Teenage Rebel – Art Direction: Lyle R. Wheeler and Jack Martin Smith; Set Decoration: Walter M. Scott and Stuart A. Reiss
Best Art Direction, Color: The King and I – Art Direction: Lyle R. Wheeler and John DeCuir; Set Decoration: Walter M. Scott and Paul S. Fox (WINNER) Around the World in 80 Days – Art Direction: James W. Sullivan and Ken Adam; Set Decoration: Ross Dowd Giant – Art Direction: Boris Leven; Set Decoration: Ralph S. Hurst Lust for Life – Art Direction: Cedric Gibbons, Hans Peters and E. Preston Ames; Set Decoration: Edwin B. Willis and F. Keogh Gleason The Ten Commandments – Art Direction: Hal Pereira, Walter H. Tyler and Albert Nozaki; Set Decoration: Samuel M. Comer and Ray Moyer
Best Cinematography, Black-and-White: Somebody Up There Likes Me – Joseph Ruttenberg (WINNER) Baby Doll – Boris Kaufman The Bad Seed – Harold Rosson The Harder They Fall – Burnett Guffey Stagecoach to Fury – Walter Strenge
Best Cinematography, Color: Around the World in 80 Days – Lionel Lindon (WINNER) The Eddy Duchin Story – Harry Stradling The King and I – Leon Shamroy The Ten Commandments – Loyal Griggs War and Peace – Jack Cardiff
Best Costume Design, Black-and-White: The Solid Gold Cadillac – Jean Louis (WINNER) The Power and the Prize – Helen Rose The Proud and Profane – Edith Head Seven Samurai – Kohei Ezaki Teenage Rebel – Charles LeMaire and Mary Wills
Best Costume Design, Color: The King and I – Irene Sharaff (WINNER) Around the World in 80 Days – Miles White Giant – Moss Mabry and Marjorie Best The Ten Commandments – Edith Head, Ralph Jester, John Jensen, Dorothy Jeakins and Arnold Friberg War and Peace – Maria De Matteis
Best Film Editing: Around the World in 80 Days – Gene Ruggiero and Paul Weatherwax (WINNER) The Brave One – Merrill G. White Giant – William Hornbeck, Philip W. Anderson and Fred Bohanan Somebody Up There Likes Me – Albert Akst The Ten Commandments – Anne Bauchens
Best Special Effects: The Ten Commandments – John P. Fulton (WINNER) Forbidden Planet – A. Arnold Gillespie, Irving G. Ries and Wesley C. Miller
Academy Honorary Award: Eddie Cantor “for distinguished service to the film industry.”
Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award: Buddy Adler
Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award: Y. Frank Freeman
The formation of the European Economic Community (EEC) was a significant step towards European integration, aiming to promote economic cooperation and free trade among its member countries, which the Treaty of Rome established on March 25, 1957.
The EEC, also known as the Common Market, was founded by six European countries: Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and West Germany. The idea of creating a unified European market stemmed from the desire to foster economic growth, rebuild after the devastation of World War II, and prevent future conflicts among European nations.
The Treaty of Rome, which laid the foundation for the EEC, was signed by the six founding members on March 25, 1957, and came into force on January 1, 1958. The treaty created a customs union, eliminating tariffs and trade barriers among member states, and established common policies in areas such as agriculture, transport, and competition. The EEC also aimed to harmonize economic and social policies, promote the free movement of goods, services, capital, and labor, and create a single market.
Over the years, the EEC expanded both in terms of membership and the scope of its policies. The United Kingdom, Denmark, and Ireland joined in 1973, followed by Greece in 1981, and Spain and Portugal in 1986. The EEC played a crucial role in fostering economic growth, development, and interdependence among its member countries, while also serving as a model for other regional integration efforts worldwide.
The EEC evolved into the European Union (EU) with the signing of the Maastricht Treaty in 1992, which came into force on November 1, 1993. The EU expanded the scope of cooperation among its members, adding political integration, foreign and security policy, and the creation of a single currency, the euro. Today, the European Union remains one of the most significant examples of regional integration, encompassing 27 member states and playing a vital role in shaping economic, political, and social policies across the continent.
November 26, 1955 – January 13, 1956: Tennessee Ernie – Sixteen Tons January 14, 1956 – February 17, 1956: Dean Martin – Memories Are Made Of This February 18, 1956 – February 24, 1956: Kay Starr – Rock And Roll Waltz February 25, 1956 – March 23, 1956: Nelson Riddle – Lisbon Antigua March 24, 1956 – April 20, 1956: Les Baxter – Poor People Of Paris April 21, 1956 – June 15, 1956: Elvis Presley – Heartbreak Hotel June 16, 1956 – July 27, 1956: Gogi Grant – The Wayward Wind July 28, 1956 – August 3, 1956: Elvis Presley – I Want You, I Need You, I Love You August 4, 1956 – August 17, 1956: The Platters – My Prayer August 18, 1956 – November 2, 1956: Elvis Presley – Don’t Be Cruel / Hound Dog November 3, 1956 – December 7, 1956: Elvis Presley – Love Me Tender December 8, 1956 – February 8, 1957: Guy Mitchell – Singing The Blues
(Data is compiled from various charts including Billboard’s “Pop,” “Airplay,” “R&B” and “Singles” Charts. “Hot 100” is the primary chart used starting October, 1958)
World-Changing Event: Elvis Presley appeared on The Ed Sullivan Sullivan Show on September 9. 82.6% of American households watched.
The Top Song was Don’t Be Cruel/ Hound Dog by Elvis Presley.
Influential Songs include Tutti Frutti by Little Richard and Don’t Be Cruel/ Hound Dog by Elvis Presley.
The Happy Earworm: The Happy Whistler by Don Robertson.
The Movies to Watch include The Ten Commandments, Giant, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Love Me Tender, Carousel, Bus Stop, Forbidden Planet, High Society, Seven Wonders of the World, and The King and I.
The Most Famous Person in America was probably William Holden.
Soap Operas As the World Turns and Edge of Night premiered on TV.
Notable books include Peyton Place by Grace Metalious and Eloise by Kay Thompson.
Price of 6 oz Nestles Chocolate Chip Morsels in 1956: 19 cents. Basketball, official size: $2.89 Hockey Stick: 79 cents Hockey Puck: 25 cents
The Funny TV Guy was: Ernie Kovacs The Funny Late Show Host: Steve Allen The Funny TV Lady: Lucille Ball
The Bald Guy was Yul Brynner
Tween and Teen Dancing: ‘Sock Hops’- 50s school dances, were named after you had to remove your shoes to protect the varnished cafeteria and gymnasium floors.
The Conversation: Was Elvis Presley dancing with too much sex appeal on TV?
Top Ten Baby Names of 1956
Mary, Debra, Linda, Deborah, Susan, Michael, James, Robert, David, John
Fashion Icons and Sex Symbols
Carroll Baker, Doris Day, Diana Dors, Anita Ekberg, Annette Funicello, Ava Gardner, Audrey Hepburn, Gina Lollobrigida, Sophia Loren, Jayne Mansfield, Marilyn Monroe, Julie Newmar, Kim Novak, Bettie Page, Elizabeth Taylor, Mamie Van Doren
Sex Symbols and Hollywood Hunks
James Dean, Harry Belafonte, Elvis Presley, Gregory Peck
Oscars: 28th Academy Awards
The 28th Academy Awards took place on March 21, 1956, at the RKO Pantages Theatre in Hollywood. Comedy legend Jerry Lewis hosted the ceremony. This year, Marty was the standout film, claiming Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor for Ernest Borgnine. Anna Magnani won Best Actress for her role in The Rose Tattoo.
Emmy Awards: 8th Primetime Emmy Awards
The Emmy Awards for this year were held on March 17, 1956, at the Pan Pacific Auditorium in Los Angeles. Art Linkletter served as the host. The Phil Silvers Show grabbed the Best Comedy Series award, while Producers’ Showcase bagged Best Dramatic Series. The Best Actor and Actress honors went to Phil Silvers for The Phil Silvers Show and Loretta Young for Letter to Loretta, respectively.
For the Oscars, the eligibility spanned the entire calendar year of 1955. The Emmy Awards also adhered to a 1955 production year for eligibility but had less formal rules than the Oscars.
“The Quotes of 1956”
“That’ll be the day.” – John Wayne, in The Searchers
“You’re in good hands with Allstate.” -Allstate
“We will bury you.” – Nikita Khrushchev
“Live fast, die young, leave a good-looking corpse.” – James Dean
“Takes a licking and keeps on ticking.” -Times (watches)
“Away go troubles down the drain.” – Roto-Rooter
Time Magazine’s Men of the Year
Hungarian Freedom Fighter
Miss America
Sharon Ritchie (Denver, CO)
Miss USA
Carol Morris (Iowa)
The Scandals
Charles Van Doren and Herb Stempel, the leading competitors on TV’s quiz show Twenty-One, admitted to being coached by the show’s producers.
At the 1956 Olympics, Barry Larkin, a veterinary science student at Sydney University’s St. Johns College, successfully impersonated an Olympic torchbearer, handing the mayor of Sydney a painted chair leg topped with a pair of burning underwear in front of a crowd of thousands.
Dick Clark took over hosting duties on Bob Horn’s Bandstand after Bob allegedly twiddled with female teenage dancers who appeared on his show. They changed the name to American Bandstand.
Fallout
Nearly half the cast and crew (91 of ~220 people) of the 1956 film The Conqueror developed cancer after filming the movie downwind of a nuclear weapons testing site and later shipping dirt from the filming location to the studio for reshoots.
1956 Firsts
Dodge produced the first car marketed explicitly to women. The La Femme had a pink exterior with a pink umbrella and a lipstick holder.
On July 9, 1956, Dick Clark began hosting American Bandstand.
The first backup camera in a car was in the 1956 Buick Centurion concept car.
The first shipping container was invented and patented (Patent #2853968A) in 1956 by Malcolm Mc Lean, which reduced his shipping cost from $5.86 to .16 cents, paving the way for globalization and mass intercontinental shipping.
As the World Turns was first broadcast on CBS.
NBC introduced its multicolored peacock logo in 1956 to entice people to buy color TVs manufactured by RCA, which owned the network.
Neutrinos were discovered. #science
Abigail Van Buren’s (aka Pauline Phillips) “Dear Abby” advice column first appeared in newspapers.
Jimmy Woo, Federal Agent in Antman and The Wasp and S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent in comics books first appeared in 1956’s Yellow Claw #1 from Atlas Comics (later Marvel Comics).
Batwoman (aka Kathy Kane) first appeared in Detective Comics #233 (July 1956).
“In God We Trust” wasn’t the official U.S. motto until 1956.
Tater Tots went on sale.
1st Appearances & 1956’s Most Popular Christmas Gifts, Toys and Presents
Yahtzee, Ticklebee Game, Play-Doh (color, actual white came out in 1958), Ant Farm
1956 Pop Culture Facts & History
Monkee Mike Nesmith’s mother, Bette Nesmith Graham invented “Mistake Out,” later renamed Liquid Paper.
On October 8, Game 5 of the World Series, NY Yankee right-hander Don Larson pitched a ‘perfect game.’
Soviet gymnast Larissa Latynina holds the record for the most Olympic medals ever won by a female. Competing in three Olympics between 1956 and 1964, she won 18 medals.
Christopher Cockerell invented the hovercraft.
Completed in 1954, the Capitol Records Building in Los Angeles has a light on top that spells out the word ‘Hollywood’ in Morse code. It started blinking Hollywood in 1956 and has only stopped to celebrate Capitol Records’ 50th Anniversary, where it flashed “Capitol 50”.
On CBS, The Wizard of Oz became the first major Hollywood film running over ninety minutes to be televised uncut in one evening.
In 1956, the US passed the Refrigerator Safety Act, which required all fridges to be magnetically sealed.
The world record for “Greatest One-Minute Rainfall” is 31.2 mm (1.23 inches) in Unionville, Maryland on July 4, 1956
Twenty-five people were hospitalized after a melee at a Bill Haley concert in Asbury Park, New Jersey.
Killer bees (Africanized bees) were created in Brazil in 1956 by crossbreeding African and Brazilian honeybees to increase honey production.
In 1956, the IBM 350 hard disk drive had 3.75 MB of storage and weighed over 2000 lbs.
The phrase “I cried all the way to the bank” reputedly came from Liberace in 1956 after a newspaper crudely accused him of homosexuality, and he sued and won. A. The phrase was used before he said it. B. He was a (closeted) homosexual.
Alfred Hitchcock remade his movie 1934’s The Man Who Knew Too Much as The Man Who Knew Too Much in 1956.
Thomas W. Attridge Jr, a test pilot, shot the Grumman F-11 Tiger plane he was flying by catching up to the fired 20 mm bullets that caused his crash landing.
RIP
Alcohol-Related Artist Death: Jackson Pollock died in a car accident. His 1948 work, No. 5, was sold to David Geffen for $140,000,000.
Albert Woolson (February 11, 1850 – August 2, 1956), the last Civil War veteran and Union Soldier, died in 1956.
The DuMont Television Network was a fourth network on American broadcast television in the 1940s and 1950s. The network folded in 1956, and today it has been all but forgotten because most of its archives were destroyed.
Not RIP: Indian illusionist P.C. Sorcar, a magician, was performing the “cut a person in half” trick using his assistant for a performance on BBC’s Panorama. Immediately after she was divided, the show ended. There is some controversy as to whether it was a coincidence or Sorcar planned it for publicity. The assistant was fine.
Nobel Prize Winners
Physics – William Shockley, John Bardeen, Walter Houser Brattain Chemistry – Sir Cyril Norman Hinshelwood, Nikolay Semyonov Physiology or Medicine – André Frédéric Cournand, Werner Forssmann, Dickinson W. Richards Literature – Juan Ramón Jiménez Peace – Not Awarded
The Habit
Reading Profiles in Courage by John F. Kennedy
Best Film Oscar Winner
Marty (presented in 1956)
Popular and Best-selling Books From 1956
A Certain Smile by Francoise Sagan Andersonville by MacKinlay Kantor Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis Boon Island by Kenneth Roberts The Chronicles of Narnia: The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis Diamonds Are Forever by Ian Fleming Don’t Go Near the Water by William Brinkley Eloise by Kay Thompson The Last Hurrah by Edwin O’Connor The Mandarins by Simone de Beauvoir Peyton Place by Grace Metalious The Tribe That Lost Its Head by Nicholas Monsarrat
Broadway Show
My Fair Lady (Musical) Opened on March 15, 1956, and closed on September 29, 1962
1956 Most Popular TV Shows
1. I Love Lucy (CBS) 2. The Ed Sullivan Show (CBS) 3. General Electric Theatre (CBS) 4. The $64,000 Question (CBS) 5. December Bride (CBS) 6. Alfred Hitchcock Presents (CBS) 7. I’ve Got A Secret (CBS) 8. Gunsmoke (CBS) 9. The Perry Como Show (NBC) 10. The Jack Benny Show (CBS)
1956 Billboard Number One Songs
November 26, 1955 – January 13, 1956: Sixteen Tons – Tennessee Ernie Ford
January 14 – February 17: Memories Are Made Of This – Dean Martin
February 18 – March 2: Great Pretender – The Platters
March 3 – March 23: Rock And Roll Waltz – Kay Starr
March 24 – May 2: Poor People Of Paris – Les Baxter
November 17 – December 7: Love Me Tender – Elvis Presley
December 8 – December 21: Singing The Blues – Guy Mitchell
December 22 – December 28: Love Me Tender – Elvis Presley
December 29, 1956 – February 8, 1957: Singing The Blues – Guy Mitchell
Sports
World Series Champions: New York Yankees NFL Champions: New York Giants NBA Champions: Philadelphia Warriors Stanley Cup Champs: Montreal Canadians U.S. Open Golf Cary Middlecoff U.S. Tennis: (Men/Ladies) Ken Rosewall/Shirley J. Fry Wimbledon (Men/Women): Lew Hoad/Shirley Fry NCAA Football Champions: Oklahoma NCAA Basketball Champions: San Francisco Kentucky Derby: Needles
There wasn’t a graduation ceremony, but by the time I had grown old enough to start junior high school, my mom had moved us from the projects to a nicer second floor apartment in a two family home on Lemay street. This was a big change both in the level of education and also meant making new friends.
Foch Junior High, now it’s Foch Intermediate, was an excellent school with a great mixture of several ethnic groups, but mostly Blacks and Poles. Many of the kids were still from poor neighborhoods. It was here that I met a White kid named Bob McGreevy. Bob was a great cartoonist and since I had started drawing, we made a great pair. We’d draw entire comic strips in English class and even more when we were sent to study hall. Bob would eventually end up to become a comic book artist for the Sgt. Rock comic books. I had two other good friends, Hardy Shaw and Phillip Smith, but they lived in a nicer neighborhood and their parents were definitely upper middle class.
I remember our phys ed instructor, Mr. Lee. The name sticks because a group called the “Bobettes” had just released a song called “Mr. Lee”. It was about a teacher, but not our Mr. Lee. The song, however, became Mr. Lee’s theme song and we’d sing it as we entered the gym.
Aside from phys ed, Mr. Lee was also the main disciplinary applicator in the school. When someone became too much for their regular teacher, they’d send them down to the gym to talk to Mr. Lee, who had two forms of punishment. Either you got the “board of education” or you did twenty laps around the gym. Most guys opted for the twenty lapse. We all respected Mr. Lee. He did, in fact, break up many fights, both in school and out on the campus.
Foch had an excellent library and I found several great reference books on zooplankton and other aquatic pond life. In fact, this spurred me on to get a better microscope than the one I had.
The only problem with Foch was tat it was right next door to Southeastern High School. Now because Southeastern served a larger area, it was filled with mostly Black kids from several low income neighborhoods and as they say, the inmates ran the asylum. There were fights almost every day. Fights that spilled out from the school campus onto the street. There were fights between guys, fights between girls, and once in a while someone would attack a teacher. And if there was a fight, it would attract a crowd, which created sub fights.
But the city had an answer for that. Aside from the regular police patrol cars, there were two special response units. One was the “Grey Ghost” and the other was the “Big Four”. The Grey Ghost was an all grey, unmarked cruiser and usually had two officers skilled in the use of night sticks. Heck, some of the high school kids were big enough to take on most adults. But, we’d come out from the relative safety of our school to walk by some thug sitting in the back of the cruiser.
The Big Four was another matter. They were the ones who responded if the Grey Ghost came under siege. The Big Four was an all black, unmarked police car that contained four of the biggest guys brutish White guys in the police department. Most of the White cops were Polish. They only knew one way to make an arrest and that was with brute force, especially when it came to dealing with minorities. This was in the 1950s, civil rights and the Miranda Rights were still several years away. Plus they carried full riot gear in the trunk. No matter what fight or how big a crowd it had drawn, every one scrambled when the Big Four rolled up. If you suffered a few bruises between being picked up and being booked, no one cared or saw anything.
The regular street cops and even the black and whites that occasionally cruised through our neighborhood were an entirely different story. Most of them were really nice guys and the first ones to go to if you were lost or needed help. But the very last thing you wanted to see were the Big Four or the Grey Ghost. That was the state of policing in the Black neighborhoods in 1950s Detroit.
Fredric Durrette served one tour in Viet Nam, retired as E8 in the navy submarine service after 23 years. Major hobbies are collecting old stuff from the 20s and restoring old racing bicycles. Worked as a commercial photographer at JL Hudsons in Detroit and continue photography as a hobby. Love Sade, sixties soul, seventies rock, and all jazz. Attended Woodstock in 69! http://snakesafe.jalbum.net/
Venues: RKO Pantages Theatre, Hollywood, California & NBC Century Theatre, New York City, New York
Hosts: Jerry Lewis (Los Angeles), Claudette Colbert & Joseph L. Mankiewicz (New York)
Eligibility Year: 1955
Major Wins:
Marty swept the major awards, clinching Best Picture.
Ernest Borgnine claimed Best Actor for Marty.
Anna Magnani won Best Actress for The Rose Tattoo.
Directing & Screenplay:
Delbert Mann earned the Best Director accolade for Marty.
Marty also won Best Adapted Screenplay.
Additional Info:
Jack Lemmon was honored as Best Supporting Actor for Mister Roberts.
Jo Van Fleet secured Best Supporting Actress for East of Eden.
Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing, Marty, and The Rose Tattoo each earned eight nominations. Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing, and The Rose Tattoo each won 3 Oscars. Marty won 4.
Marty was 90 minutes long, the shortest to win for Best Picture.
Trivia:
Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing won Best Costume Design, Color, a category that only existed from 1957 to 1966.
Oklahoma! was the first film to be shot in the Todd-AO 70mm widescreen process and won two Oscars.
The Best Animated Short Subject went to Speedy Gonzales, featuring the titular Mexican mouse from Looney Tunes.
1956 Oscar Nominees and Winners
Best Motion Picture: Marty – Harold Hecht for United Artists (WINNER) Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing – Buddy Adler for 20th Century Fox Mister Roberts – Leland Hayward for Warner Bros. Picnic – Fred Kohlmar for Columbia Pictures The Rose Tattoo – Hal B. Wallis for Paramount Pictures
Best Director: Delbert Mann – Marty (WINNER) John Sturges – Bad Day at Black Rock Elia Kazan – East of Eden Joshua Logan – Picnic David Lean – Summertime
Best Actor: Ernest Borgnine – Marty as Marty Piletti (WINNER) James Cagney – Love Me or Leave Me as Martin Snyder James Dean (posthumous nomination) – East of Eden as Caleb Trask Frank Sinatra – The Man with the Golden Arm as Frankie “Dealer” Machine Spencer Tracy – Bad Day at Black Rock as John J. Macreedy
Best Actress: Anna Magnani – The Rose Tattoo as Serafina Delle Rose (WINNER) Susan Hayward – I’ll Cry Tomorrow as Lillian Roth Katharine Hepburn – Summertime as Jane Hudson Jennifer Jones – Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing as Dr. Han Suyin Eleanor Parker – Interrupted Melody as Marjorie Lawrence
Best Supporting Actor: Jack Lemmon – Mister Roberts as Ensign Frank Thurlowe Pulver (WINNER) Arthur Kennedy – Trial as Bernard Castle Joe Mantell – Marty as Angie Sal Mineo – Rebel Without a Cause as John “Plato” Crawford Arthur O’Connell – Picnic as Howard Bevans
Best Supporting Actress: Jo Van Fleet – East of Eden as Cathy Ames/Kate Trask (WINNER) Betsy Blair – Marty as Clara Peggy Lee – Pete Kelly’s Blues as Rose Hopkins Marisa Pavan – The Rose Tattoo as Rosa Delle Rose Natalie Wood – Rebel Without a Cause as Judy
Best Screenplay: Marty – Paddy Chayefsky from Marty by Paddy Chayefsky (WINNER) Bad Day at Black Rock – Millard Kaufman from “Bad Time at Honda” by Howard Breslin Blackboard Jungle – Richard Brooks from Blackboard Jungle by Evan Hunter East of Eden – Paul Osborn from East of Eden by John Steinbeck Love Me or Leave Me – Daniel Fuchs and Isobel Lennart
Best Story and Screenplay: Interrupted Melody – William Ludwig and Sonya Levien (WINNER) The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell – Milton Sperling and Emmet Lavery It’s Always Fair Weather – Betty Comden and Adolph Green Mr. Hulot’s Holiday – Jacques Tati and Henri Marquet The Seven Little Foys – Melville Shavelson and Jack Rose
Best Motion Picture Story: Love Me or Leave Me – Daniel Fuchs (WINNER) The Private War of Major Benson – Joe Connelly and Bob Mosher Rebel Without a Cause – Nicholas Ray The Sheep Has Five Legs – Jean Marsan, Henri Troyat, Jacques Perret, Henri Verneuil, and Raoul Ploquin Strategic Air Command – Beirne Lay Jr.
Best Short Subject – Cartoons: Speedy Gonzales (WINNER) Good Will to Men The Legend of Rockabye Point No Hunting
Best Documentary Feature: Helen Keller in Her Story (WINNER) Heartbreak Ridge
Best Documentary Short Subject: Men Against the Arctic – Walt Disney (WINNER) The Battle of Gettysburg The Face of Lincoln
Best Live Action Short Subject, One-Reel: Survival City – Edmund Reek (WINNER) 3rd Ave. El – Carson Davidson Gadgets Galore – Robert Youngson Three Kisses – Justin Herman
Best Live Action Short Subject, Two-Reel: The Face of Lincoln (WINNER) 24-Hour Alert The Battle of Gettysburg On The Twelfth Day Switzerland
Best Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture: Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing – Alfred Newman (WINNER) Battle Cry – Max Steiner The Man with the Golden Arm – Elmer Bernstein Picnic – George Duning The Rose Tattoo – Alex North
Best Scoring of a Musical Picture: Oklahoma! – Robert Russell Bennett, Jay Blackton and Adolph Deutsch (WINNER) Daddy Long Legs – Alfred Newman Guys and Dolls – Jay Blackton and Cyril J. Mockridge It’s Always Fair Weather – André Previn Love Me or Leave Me – Percy Faith and Georgie Stoll
Best Song: “Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing” from Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing – Music by Sammy Fain; Lyrics by Paul Francis Webster (WINNER) “I’ll Never Stop Loving You” from Love Me or Leave Me – Music by Nicholas Brodszky; Lyrics by Sammy Cahn “Something’s Gotta Give” from Daddy Long Legs – Music and Lyrics by Johnny Mercer “The Tender Trap” from The Tender Trap – Music by Jimmy Van Heusen; Lyrics by Sammy Cahn “Unchained Melody” from Unchained – Music by Alex North; Lyrics by Hy Zaret
Best Sound Recording: Oklahoma! – Fred Hynes (WINNER) Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing – Carlton W. Faulkner Love Me or Leave Me – Wesley C. Miller Mister Roberts – William A. Mueller Not as a Stranger – Watson Jones
Best Art Direction, Black-and-White: The Rose Tattoo – Art Direction: Hal Pereira and Tambi Larsen; Set Decoration: Samuel M. Comer and Arthur Krams (WINNER) Blackboard Jungle – Art Direction: Cedric Gibbons and Randall Duell; Set Decoration: Edwin B. Willis and Henry Grace I’ll Cry Tomorrow – Art Direction: Cedric Gibbons and Malcolm Brown; Set Decoration: Edwin B. Willis and Hugh Hunt The Man with the Golden Arm – Art Direction: Joseph C. Wright; Set Decoration: Darrell Silvera Marty – Art Direction: Ted Haworth and Walter M. Simonds; Set Decoration: Robert Priestley
Best Art Direction, Color: Picnic – Art Direction: William Flannery and Jo Mielziner; Set Decoration: Robert Priestley (WINNER) Daddy Long Legs – Art Direction: Lyle R. Wheeler and John DeCuir; Set Decoration: Walter M. Scott and Paul S. Fox Guys and Dolls – Art Direction: Oliver Smith and Joseph C. Wright; Set Decoration: Howard Bristol Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing – Art Direction: Lyle R. Wheeler and George Davis; Set Decoration: Walter M. Scott and Jack Stubbs To Catch a Thief – Art Direction: Hal Pereira and Joseph McMillan Johnson; Set Decoration: Samuel M. Comer and Arthur Krams
Best Cinematography, Black-and-White: The Rose Tattoo – James Wong Howe (WINNER) Blackboard Jungle – Russell Harlan I’ll Cry Tomorrow – Arthur Arling Marty – Joseph LaShelle Queen Bee – Charles Lang
Best Cinematography, Color: To Catch a Thief – Robert Burks (WINNER) Guys and Dolls – Harry Stradling Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing – Leon Shamroy A Man Called Peter – Harold Lipstein Oklahoma! – Robert Surtees
Best Costume Design, Black-and-White: I’ll Cry Tomorrow – Helen Rose (WINNER) The Pickwick Papers – Beatrice Dawson Queen Bee – Jean Louis The Rose Tattoo – Edith Head Ugetsu – Tadaoto Kainosho
Best Costume Design, Color: Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing – Charles LeMaire (WINNER) Guys and Dolls – Irene Sharaff Interrupted Melody – Helen Rose To Catch a Thief – Edith Head The Virgin Queen – Charles LeMaire and Mary Wills
Best Film Editing: Picnic – Charles Nelson and William Lyon (WINNER) Blackboard Jungle – Ferris Webster The Bridges at Toko-Ri – Alma Macrorie Oklahoma! – Gene Ruggiero and George Boemler The Rose Tattoo – Warren Low
Best Special Effects: The Bridges at Toko-Ri (WINNER) The Dam Busters The Rains of Ranchipur
Best Foreign Language Film: Samurai, The Legend of Musashi (Japan)
December 4, 1954 – January 21, 1955: The Chordettes – Mr. Sandman January 22, 1955 – February 4, 1955: Joan Weber – Let Me Go, Lover! February 5, 1955 – February 11, 1955: The Fontane Sisters – Hearts Of Stone February 12, 1955 – March 25, 1955: The McGuire Sisters – Sincerely March 26, 1955 – April 29, 1955: Bill Hayes – The Ballad Of Davy Crockett April 30, 1955 – July 8, 1955: Pérez Prado – Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White July 9, 1955 – September 2, 1955: Bill Haley & His Comets – (We’re Gonna) Rock Around The Clock September 3, 1955 – October 14, 1955: Mitch Miller – The Yellow Rose of Texas October 15, 1955 – October 28, 1955: The Four Aces – Love Is A Many Splendored Thing October 29, 1955 – November 25, 1955: Roger Williams – Autumn Leaves November 26, 1955 – January 13, 1956: Tennessee Ernie – Sixteen Tons
(Data is compiled from various charts including Billboard’s “Pop,” “Airplay,” “R&B” and “Singles” Charts. “Hot 100” is the primary chart used starting October, 1958)
The World-Changing Event: Dr. Jonas Salk started inoculating children against polio.
The Other World-Changing Event: In Montgomery, Alabama, a bus boycott began after Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white person.
The Top Song was Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White by Perez Prado.
Influential Song: Autumn Leaves by… #1 Roger Williams, #35. Steve Allen, #41 Mitch Miller, #50 Jackie Gleason, #52. Victor Young, #55. Ray Charles Singers.
Tennessee Williams’s Cat on a Hot Tin Roof won the Pulitzer Prize.
Disneyland opened on July 17, 1955.
The Movies to Watch include To Catch A Thief, Mister Roberts, East of Eden, Galapagos, Lady and the Tramp, Rebel without a Cause, Marty, Oklahoma! and Blackboard Jungle.
The Most Famous Person in America was probably James Dean.
Notable books include Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov and The Ginger Man by J. P. Donleavy.
AFL and CIO become one organization, the AFL-CIO.
The price of a German Shepard puppy, AKC registered in 1955: $50.00.
1 ounce of gold value: $35.15.
The Funny Comedy Duo was Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. The Funny Late Show Host: Steve Allen The Funny Guy was Milton Berle The Funny TV Lady: Lucille Ball
The Hot New Game: Scrabble
Top Ten Baby Names of 1955
Mary, Deborah, Linda, Debra, Susan, Michael, David, James, Robert, John
Fashion Icons and Sex Symbols
Martine Carol, Dorothy Dandridge, Doris Day, Diana Dors, Anita Ekberg, Ava Gardner, Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Gina Lollobrigida, Sophia Loren, Jayne Mansfield, Marilyn Monroe, Julie Newmar, Kim Novak, Bettie Page, Elizabeth Taylor, Mamie Van Doren
Sex Symbols and Hollywood Hunks
James Dean, Montgomery Clift
Oscars: 27th Academy Awards
The 27th Academy Awards occurred on March 30, 1955, hosted at the RKO Pantages Theatre in Hollywood. Bob Hope served as the master of ceremonies for the event. On the Waterfront stole the spotlight, winning eight awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Marlon Brando. Grace Kelly received Best Actress for The Country Girl, making headlines and further cementing her status as a Hollywood icon.
Emmy Awards: 7th Primetime Emmy Awards
As for the small screen, the 7th Primetime Emmy Awards took place on March 7, 1955, at the “Moulin Rouge Nightclub” in Hollywood. Steve Allen was the host. The ceremony marked a pivotal year for the TV industry, with Disneyland winning Best Variety Series. At the same time, Danny Thomas and Loretta Young took home the Best Actor and Best Actress awards for Make Room for Daddy and Letter to Loretta, respectively.
The Oscars had an eligibility period spanning from January 1, 1954, to December 31, 1954. The Emmy Awards, on the other hand, targeted shows produced within the United States, though the specific eligibility window was less strictly defined at this point.
“The Quote:
“Now it’s time to say goodbye to all our company, / M-I-C… Jimmie: See you real soon. Mouseketeers: K-E-Y… Jimmie: Why? Because we like you! Mouseketeers: M-O-U-S-E!” – Mickey Mouse Club
Time Magazine’s Man of the Year
Harlow Curtice
Miss America
Lee Meriwether (San Francisco, CA)
Miss USA
Carlene King Johnson (Vermont)
The Scandals
Rosa Parks refused to give her bus seat to a white man in Montgomery, Alabama on December 1, 1955. This event of peaceful protest was a catalyst for the civil rights movement in the United States.
The producers of The 64,000 Question disliked Dr. Joyce Brothers, and her opponent was coached. They purposely asked her a boxing question, figuring a girl wouldn’t get the answer. She did.
John Wayne, Susan Hayward, Lee Van Cleef, Agnes Moorehead, and Dick Powell all died of cancer, probably from filming The Conquerer near a Nevada nuclear testing site in 1955.
The Horrible
Switzerland banned nearly all forms of motor racing after the tragic 1955 Le Mans disaster, which took place in France, where fragments of a crashed car flew in the stands, injuring 180 and killing 84 spectators, the most deadly accident in motorsports history. The ban is still in place to this day.
Emmett Till, a 14-year-old black teenager, was killed for allegedly flirting with a white female. The murderers were acquitted in a trial by an all-white jury.
1955 Pop Culture Facts & History
TV remote ‘clicker’ control became public.
Maurice K. Goddard, director of the Department of Parks and Forests in Pennsylvania, set the goal of having a state park within 25 miles of every citizen.
The Microwave Oven was invented.
The first Moonwalk ever recorded was performed by tap dancer Bill Bailey in 1955…
Retail giant Sears published a phone number that kids could use to “call Santa”. However, due to a misprint, the number Sears printed redirected to CORAD (now NORAD)’s top-secret emergency line. Rather than having the ad pulled, NORAD decided to “track” Santa’s progress, which they continue to do to this day.
The Guinness Brewing Company published the first edition of the Guinness Book of Records following a debate in a pub (tavern) over the fastest species of European game bird. In case you need to know, it is the Wood Pigeon. The fastest bird of prey would be the Peregrine Falcon.
Journalist Edward R. Murrow asked Jonas Salk who ‘owned’ the patent to the polio vaccine, and his response was, “Well, the people, I would say… There is no patent. Could you patent the sun?” Jonas made it available for no charge.
Hollywood bombshell Jayne Mansfield was ‘discovered’ during a press junket for the 1955 film Underwater that starred another buxom actress, Jane Russell. Mansfield dived into a pool given the assembled journalists and “had the genius to permit her bathing suit to split open.”
The phrase ‘In God We Trust’ wasn’t put on all US currency until 1955.
When Tomorrowland originally opened in Disneyland, it represented an anticipated city of 1986.
You’ve been there. Everybody has visited a McDonald’s since it first opened in 1955.
When Albert Einstein died on April 18, 1955, in Princeton Hospital, the nurse assigned to him did not speak German, and his last words were not understood.
Quaker Oats promoted their cereal by giving away 1 square inch of land in Canada in each box sold. In the end, it totaled up to 19 acres.
The musical film Oklahoma! was predominately filmed in Arizona.
Onions are no longer classified as a commodity due to the cornering of the onion market in 1955 (Onion Futures Act).
Boeing’s development of the B-52 began in 1946. They have been in active service with the USAF since 1955, and the last operational ones will not be replaced until 2045.
In 1955/56, Chrysler sold the Dodge La Femme, a car marketed exclusively to women. It included a designer purse with accessories, an umbrella, and an upholstery pattern of pink rosebuds for the interior.
Two labor unions, the AFL and the CIO, united to become the AFL-CIO.
Marlboro used to market its cigarettes as “premium ladies’ cigarettes.” Their slogan was “Mild as May”. In 1955, they changed their ads to Cowboys and “Marlboro Country” images. Their sales reputedly increased over 3,000 percent in 1 year.
Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita was published. US publishers were initially reluctant to associate themselves with such a controversial work.
1st Appearances & 1955’s Most Popular Christmas Gifts, Toys and Presents
Tonka Trucks, Play-Doh (off-white), Bild Lilli dolls (predecessor to Barbie), Pluto Platter Flying Saucer (a frisbee type item)
Best Film Oscar Winner
On The Waterfront (presented in 1955)
Nobel Prize Winners
Physics – Willis Eugene Lamb and Polykarp Kusch Chemistry – Vincent du Vigneaud Physiology or Medicine – Axel Hugo Theodor Theorell Literature – Halldór Kiljan Laxness Peace – not awarded
Popular and Best-selling Books From 1955
Andersonville by MacKinlay Kantor Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis Bonjour Tristesse by Françoise Sagan The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis Kay Thompson’s Eloise by Kay Thompson and Hilary Knight The Ginger Man by J.P. Donleavy Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson Howl by Allen Ginsberg The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit by Sloan Wilson Marjorie Morningstar by Herman Wouk Moonraker by Ian Fleming No Time for Sergeants by Mac Hyman Not as a Stranger by Morton Thompson Ten North Frederick by John O’Hara The Tontine by Thomas B. Costain Scuffy the Tugboat by Gertrude Crampton Sincerely, Willis Wayde by John P. Marquand Something of Value by Robert Ruark The View from Pompey’s Head by Hamilton Basso
1955 Most Popular TV Shows
1. The $64,000 Question (CBS) 2. I Love Lucy (CBS) 3. The Ed Sullivan Show (CBS) 4. Disneyland (ABC) 5. The Jack Benny Show (CBS) 6. December Bride (CBS) 7. You Bet Your Life (NBC) 8. Dragnet (NBC) 9. The Millionaire (CBS) 10. I’ve Got A Secret (CBS)
1955 Billboard Number One Songs
December 4, 1954 – January 21, 1955: Mr. Sandman – The Chordettes
January 22 – February 4: Let Me Go, Lover – Joan Weber
February 5 – February 11: Hearts of Stone – Fontane Sisters
February 12 – March 25: Sincerely – McGuire Sisters
March 26 – April 29: The Ballad Of Davy Crockett – Bill Hayes
April 30 – July 8: Unchained Melody – Les Baxter
July 9 – September 2: Rock Around The Clock – Bill Haley & his Comets
September 3 – October 7: Yellow Rose Of Texas – Mitch Miller
October 8 – October 14: Love Is a Many – Splendored Thing – The Four Aces
October 15 – October 21: Yellow Rose Of Texas – Mitch Miller
October 22 – October 28: Love Is a Many – Splendored Thing – The Four Aces
October 29 – November 4: Autumn Leaves – Roger Williams
November 5 – November 25: Love Is a Many – Splendored Thing – The Four Aces
November 26, 1955 – January 13, 1956: Sixteen Tons – Tennessee Ernie Ford
Sports
World Series Champions: Brooklyn Dodgers NFL Champions: Cleveland Browns NBA Champions: Syracuse Nationals Stanley Cup Champs: Detroit Red Wings U.S. Open Golf Jack Fleck U.S. Tennis: (Men/Ladies) Tony Trabert/Doris Hart Wimbledon (Men/Women): Tony Trabert/Louis Brough NCAA Football Champions: Oklahoma NCAA Basketball Champions: San Francisco Kentucky Derby: Swaps
The United States’ involvement in Vietnam spanned several decades, beginning with the aftermath of World War II and culminating in the fall of Saigon in 1975. A complex and controversial conflict, the Vietnam War saw the United States attempt to prevent the spread of communism in Southeast Asia. The war profoundly affected American society and pop culture, fueling anti-war protests, social movements, and a shift in the nation’s perception of its role in global affairs.
In the years following World War II, the United States, concerned about the spread of communism, began providing military and economic aid to the French colonial government in Vietnam, which was fighting against the communist-led Viet Minh forces led by Ho Chi Minh. The French ultimately withdrew from Vietnam following their defeat at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954, leading to the signing of the Geneva Accords, which divided Vietnam into North and South along the 17th parallel.
The United States continued its involvement in Vietnam, supporting the anti-communist government in the South, led by President Ngo Dinh Diem. In August 1964, after the Gulf of Tonkin incident, President Lyndon B. Johnson secured congressional approval for the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which authorized the use of military force in Southeast Asia without a formal declaration of war. This marked a significant escalation of US involvement in Vietnam, dramatically increasing American troop numbers.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, under the leadership of President Richard Nixon, the United States pursued a “Vietnamization” policy, transferring responsibility for the war to South Vietnamese forces while gradually withdrawing US troops. This period also saw the controversial secret bombing campaign in neighboring Cambodia. However, despite these efforts, the conflict continued, and the United States ultimately withdrew its remaining forces in 1973, following the signing of the Paris Peace Accords. South Vietnam fell to the communist North in 1975, marking the war’s end.
The United States faced mounting opposition at home throughout the conflict, with anti-war protests becoming increasingly prevalent. The war also significantly impacted American popular culture, inspiring a range of films, music, literature, and art that reflected the nation’s changing attitudes toward the conflict.
Vietnam War Details:
More than 2.7 million American men and women served in Vietnam.
The Vietnam War is the longest in US history, lasting over 19 years.
The average age of US soldiers in Vietnam was 22 years old, making it the youngest fighting force in American history.
Over 58,000 Americans were killed during the conflict, with more than 300,000 wounded.
The war cost the United States an estimated $168 billion, or approximately $1 trillion in today’s dollars, when adjusted for inflation.
Most historians believe the duration of the war was November 1, 1955, through April 30, 1975.
Effects on Pop Culture:
Numerous films, such as “Apocalypse Now,” “Platoon,” “Full Metal Jacket,” and “The Deer Hunter,” were inspired by the Vietnam War and portrayed its brutal realities.
Music artists like Creedence Clearwater Revival, Buffalo Springfield, and Bob Dylan created songs that reflected the anti-war sentiment and the counterculture movement of the time.
The war inspired famous works of literature, such as Tim O’Brien’s “The Things They Carried” and Michael Herr’s “Dispatches.”
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., designed by Maya Lin, was established in 1982 to honor those who served and died in the war.
Prominent People and Countries Involved:
Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Richard Nixon all played significant roles in shaping US policy in Vietnam.
Key military figures, such as General William Westmoreland and General Creighton Abrams, led US forces in Vietnam.
3. Prominent anti-war activists, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Jane Fonda, and Tom Hayden, raised public awareness and opposition to the conflict.
Vietnam War correspondents, such as Walter Cronkite and Morley Safer, played a critical role in shaping public opinion by reporting on the war’s realities.
North Vietnamese leaders, including Ho Chi Minh and General Vo Nguyen Giap, were instrumental in the communist forces’ struggle against the United States and its South Vietnamese allies.
The US involvement in Vietnam had far-reaching consequences for American society and politics. The war’s unpopularity and the perceived failure of US policy led to a decline in trust in government institutions and a reevaluation of the country’s role in international affairs. Furthermore, the Vietnam War contributed to significant social and cultural changes in the United States, as the anti-war and counterculture movements challenged traditional norms and values.
In the years since the war, Vietnam has become a powerful symbol of the complexities and controversies of modern warfare. The conflict’s legacy continues to shape American foreign policy, military strategy, and popular culture, serving as a cautionary tale about the costs and consequences of military intervention in distant lands.
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