At A Glance

17 August 1955 at a glance

Day of the week
17 August 1955 was a Wednesday.
Australian No. 1 (Kent retrospective)
“Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White” recorded by Les Baxter and Perez Prado was No. 1 on David Kent's retrospective Australian chart. This chart was compiled later by David Kent from radio station charts.
Top Film of 1955
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1955 was Lady and the Tramp.
Star sign
The star sign for 17 August is Leo.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 17 August 1955 fell in the Year of the Goat.
Birthstone
The birthstone for August is Peridot.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 17 August 1955 was New Moon.

On this day: 17 August

  • 1945 Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta proclaim the independence of Indonesia, igniting the Indonesian National Revolution against the Dutch Empire.
  • 1947 The Radcliffe Line, the border between the Dominions of India and Pakistan, is revealed.
  • 1953 First meeting of Narcotics Anonymous takes place, in Southern California.
  • 1958 Pioneer 0, America's first attempt at lunar orbit, is launched using the first Thor-Able rocket and fails. Notable as one of the first attempted launches beyond Earth orbit by any country.
  • 1959 Quake Lake is formed by the magnitude 7.2 1959 Hebgen Lake earthquake near Hebgen Lake in Montana.

Famous people born on 17 August

  • Robert De Niro, American actor, entrepreneur, director, and producer (born 1943)
  • Phoebe Bridgers, American singer/songwriter (born 1994)
  • Sean Penn, American actor, director, and political activist (born 1960)
  • Larry Ellison, American businessman, co-founded the Oracle Corporation (born 1944)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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Events of 1955 in Australia

A selection from Wikipedia's '1955 in Australia'. Not a complete list.

  • 1 January – A cyclone hits Roebourne, Western Australia causing extensive damage.
  • 1 February – For the first time since 1916, hotel bars in New South Wales are permitted to stay open until 10pm marking the end of early closing hours in the state.
  • 19 April – Australian Labor Party split of 1955. Expelled members form the Australian Labor Party (Anti-Communist), predecessor of the Democratic Labor Party (DLP).

Life in Australia in 1955

Prime Minister

Robert Menzies

Monarch

Queen Elizabeth II

Petrol (per litre)

$0.03

Loaf of Bread

$0.11

Average House

$4,200

Weekly Wage

$11.00

Or

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Famous Faces Born in the 1950s

Well-known people born in the same decade as you, not on your birthday.

Sources: Wikidata and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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