At A Glance

16 July 1956 at a glance

Day of the week
16 July 1956 was a Monday.
UK Number One
The UK Number One single was “Why Do Fools Fall in Love” by The Teenagers featuring Frankie Lymon.
Top Film of 1956
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1956 was The Ten Commandments.
Star sign
The star sign for 16 July is Cancer.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 16 July 1956 fell in the Year of the Monkey.
Birthstone
The birthstone for July is Ruby.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 16 July 1956 was Waxing Gibbous.

On this day: 16 July

  • 1948 Following token resistance, the city of Nazareth, revered by Christians as the hometown of Jesus, capitulates to Israeli troops during Operation Dekel in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.
  • 1950 Uruguay beats hosts Brazil 2–1 to win the World Cup in a match dubbed as the Maracanazo.
  • 1951 King Leopold III of Belgium abdicates in favor of his son, Baudouin of Belgium.
  • 1951 J. D. Salinger publishes his popular yet controversial novel, The Catcher in the Rye.
  • 1965 The Mont Blanc Tunnel linking France and Italy opens.

Famous people born on 16 July

  • Katrina Kaif, British Indian actress and model (born 1983)
  • Will Ferrell, American actor, comedian, and producer (born 1967)
  • Corey Feldman, American actor (born 1971)
  • Gareth Bale, Welsh footballer (born 1989)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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

Events of 1956 in the United Kingdom

A selection from Wikipedia's '1956 in the United Kingdom'. Not a complete list.

  • 17 February – The Midlands becomes the first region outside of London to receive ITV when ATV Midlands begins broadcasting; ABC, the weekend station, launches the following day.
  • 3 May – Granada Television begins broadcasting with a base in Manchester, extending ITV's coverage to Northern England and later Yorkshire.
  • 8 May – First performance of John Osborne's play Look Back in Anger by the newly formed English Stage Company at the Royal Court Theatre. Alan Bates has his first major role as Cliff.

Life in 1956

Prime Minister

Anthony Eden

Monarch

Elizabeth II

Pint of Beer

9p

Loaf of Bread

6p

Average House

£2,140

Weekly Wage

£11.05

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 →