At A Glance

23 April 1959 at a glance

Day of the week
23 April 1959 was a Thursday.
Australian No. 1 (Kent retrospective)
“Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” by The Platters 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 1959
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1959 was Ben-Hur.
Star sign
The star sign for 23 April is Taurus.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 23 April 1959 fell in the Year of the Pig.
Birthstone
The birthstone for April is Diamond.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 23 April 1959 was Full Moon.

On this day: 23 April

  • 1949 Chinese Civil War: Establishment of the People's Liberation Army Navy.
  • 1951 Cold War: American journalist William N. Oatis is arrested for espionage by the Communist government of Czechoslovakia.
  • 1961 During the Algiers putsch by French generals, President Charles de Gaulle announces he has assumed emergency powers, and calls on troops and civilians to support him.
  • 1967 Soviet space program: Soyuz 1 (Russian: Союз 1, Union 1), a crewed spaceflight carrying cosmonaut Colonel Vladimir Komarov, is launched into orbit.
  • 1968 Vietnam War: Student protesters at Columbia University in New York City take over administration buildings and shut down the university.

Famous people born on 23 April

  • William Shakespeare, English playwright and poet (1564–1616)
  • John Cena, American professional wrestler and actor (born 1977)
  • Gigi Hadid, American fashion model and television personality (born 1995)
  • Shirley Temple, American actress, singer, dancer, and diplomat (1928–2014)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Choose your country: the charts, news and leaders change to match.

Events of 1959 in Australia

A selection from Wikipedia's '1959 in Australia'. Not a complete list.

  • 26 January – (Australia Day) – Darwin was granted city status
  • 12 February – The Melbourne outdoor performance venue the Sidney Myer Music Bowl is officially opened by Prime Minister Robert Menzies.
  • 15 February – American evangelist Billy Graham begins a tour of Australia.

Life in Australia in 1959

Prime Minister

Robert Menzies

Monarch

Queen Elizabeth II

Petrol (per litre)

$0.04

Loaf of Bread

$0.12

Average House

$5,300

Weekly Wage

$13.00

Or

Browse by Year

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)

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 →