It Happened in 1959

Movie Favorites

  • "Some Like it Hot"
  • "Ben Hur"
  • "North by Northwest

Music Favorites

  • "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes", The Platters
  • "My Happiness", Connie Francis
  • "The All American Boy", Bill Parsons (Bobby Bare)
  • "Stagger Lee", Lloyd Price
  • "16 Candles", Crests
  • "Donna", Ritchie Valens

Television Favorites

  • "Rawhide"
  • "Bonanza"
  • "The Twilight Zone"

In The News

  • Fidel Castro becomes prime minister of Cuba.
  • Xerox manufactures the Xerox 914, the first plain paper copier.
  • Soviet Union’s Luna 2 is the first spacecraft to impact the moon.
  • Soviet Union’s Luna 3 takes first pictures of the far side of the moon.
  • Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper are killed in a plane crash.
  • First Barbie Doll produced.
  • Alaska and Hawaii admitted to the Union as U.S. states.

Cost of Living

  • New House – $12,400
  • Average Income – $5,010 per year
  • New Car – $2,200
  • Movie Ticket – $1
  • Gasoline – 25 cents a gallon
It Happened In

Sports

  • Pro Football Champion – Baltimore Colts
  • World Series Champion – Los Angeles Dodgers
  • NCAA Basketball Champion – California
  • College Football Champion – Syracuse
  • Heisman Trophy Winner – William Abb "Billy" Cannon from LSU

Arts and Entertainment

  • The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences sponsors the first Grammy Award ceremony for music recorded in 1958.
  • Frank Sinatra wins his first Grammy Award — Best Album for "Come Dance with Me."
  • The last musical from Rodgers and Hammerstein "The Sound of Music" opens on Broadway.
  • Rumors of cheating on quiz shows erupt into a national scandal.
  • "A Raisin in the Sun" by Lorraine Hansberry opens on Broadway in New York.