UK, 
US, 
Australia & 
IrelandAt A Glance
19 August 1968 at a glance
- Day of the week
- 19 August 1968 was a Monday.
- Australian No. 1 (Kent retrospective)
- “The Orange and the Green / Whiskey on a Sunday” by The Irish Rovers 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 1968
- The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1968 was 2001: A Space Odyssey.
- Star sign
- The star sign for 19 August is Leo.
- Chinese zodiac
- In the Chinese zodiac, 19 August 1968 fell in the Year of the Monkey.
- Birthstone
- The birthstone for August is Peridot.
- Moon phase
- The moon phase on 19 August 1968 was Waning Crescent.
On this day: 19 August
- 1960 Cold War: In Moscow, Russia, Soviet Union, downed American U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers is sentenced to ten years imprisonment by the Soviet Union for espionage.
- 1960 Sputnik program: Korabl-Sputnik 2: The Soviet Union launches the satellite with the dogs Belka and Strelka, 40 mice, two rats and a variety of plants.
- 1964 Syncom 3, the first geostationary communication satellite, is launched. Two months later, it would enable live coverage of the 1964 Summer Olympics.
- 1965 Japanese prime minister Eisaku Satō becomes the first post-World War II sitting prime minister to visit Okinawa Prefecture.
- 1981 Gulf of Sidra Incident: United States F-14A Tomcat fighters intercept and shoot down two Libyan Sukhoi Su-22 fighter jets over the Gulf of Sidra.
Famous people born on 19 August
- Bill Clinton, American lawyer and politician, 40th and 42nd Governor of Arkansas, 42nd President of the United States (born 1946)
- Kirk Cousins, American football player (born 1988)
- Matthew Perry, American actor, producer, and screenwriter (1969–2023)
- Kyra Sedgwick, American actress and producer (born 1965)
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Choose your country: the charts, news and leaders change to match.
Events of 1968 in Australia
A selection from Wikipedia's '1968 in Australia'. Not a complete list.
- 31 January – The Australian-administered United Nations trust territory of Nauru became independent, in accordance with the provisions of the Nauru Independence Act 1967.
- 17 April – A state election is held in South Australia. Steele Hall (Liberal and Country League) defeats Don Dunstan (ALP), and becomes Premier of South Australia.
- 1 May – The Duke of Edinburgh arrives in Australia for a ten-day visit.
Life in Australia in 1968
Prime Minister
John Gorton
Monarch
Queen Elizabeth II
Petrol (per litre)
$0.06
Loaf of Bread
$0.17
Average House
$9,000
Weekly Wage
$40.00
Or
Browse by Year
Famous Faces Born in the 1960s
Well-known people born in the same decade as you, not on your birthday.
Nicole Kidman20 June 1967Actress & producerView their day →Hugh Jackman12 October 1968Actor & singerView their day →Simon Baker30 July 1969Actor & directorView their day →Steve Irwin22 February 1962Zookeeper & conservationistView their day →Kylie Minogue28 May 1968Singer & actressView their day →Cate Blanchett14 May 1969Actor & producerView their day →Guy Pearce5 October 1967ActorView their day →Eric Bana9 August 1968ActorView their day →Sources: Wikidata and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
About The Day You Were Born
Ever wondered what was happening in the world when you took your first breath? Our birthday lookup tool reveals the fascinating history of your special day.
About The Birthday Chronicle and where our data comes from →