At A Glance

17 May 1955 at a glance

Day of the week
17 May 1955 was a Tuesday.
UK Number One
The UK Number One single was “Stranger in Paradise” by Tony Bennett.
Top Film of 1955
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1955 was Lady and the Tramp.
Star sign
The star sign for 17 May is Taurus.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 17 May 1955 fell in the Year of the Goat.
Birthstone
The birthstone for May is Emerald.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 17 May 1955 was Waning Crescent.

On this day: 17 May

  • 1943 World War II: Dambuster Raids commence by No. 617 Squadron RAF.
  • 1954 The United States Supreme Court hands down a unanimous decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, outlawing racial segregation in public schools.
  • 1959 In Cuba, the First Agrarian Reform Law – a cornerstone of the Cuban Revolution – is signed by Fidel Castro, aiming to eliminate large foreign-owned estates and redistribute land to over 100,000 peasants.
  • 1967 Six-Day War: President Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt demands dismantling of the peace-keeping UN Emergency Force in Egypt.
  • 1969 Venera program: Soviet Venera 6 begins its descent into the atmosphere of Venus, sending back atmospheric data before being crushed by pressure.

Famous people born on 17 May

  • Josh Homme, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (born 1973)
  • Bill Paxton, American actor and director (1955–2017)
  • Dennis Hopper, American actor and director (1936–2010)
  • Bob Saget, American comedian, actor, and television host (1956–2022)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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

Events of 1955 in the United Kingdom

A selection from Wikipedia's '1955 in the United Kingdom'. Not a complete list.

  • 1 January – The UK's first atomic bomber unit, No. 138 Squadron RAF, is formed, flying Vickers Valiant jets from RAF Gaydon in Warwickshire.
  • 25 February – Aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal (launched 1950) commissioned, the first constructed with an angled flight deck and steam catapults from new.
  • 24 May – Wartime film The Dam Busters is released.
More events of 1955 →Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Life in 1955

Prime Minister

Anthony Eden

Monarch

Elizabeth II

Pint of Beer

8p

Loaf of Bread

5p

Average House

£2,087

Weekly Wage

£10.25

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.

Richard E. Grant5 May 1957ActorView their day →Gary Oldman21 March 1958Actor & filmmakerView their day →Anthony Head20 February 1954ActorView their day →Phil Collins30 January 1951Drummer & singerView their day →Bonnie Tyler8 June 1951SingerView their day →Liam Neeson7 June 1952ActorView their day →Emma Thompson15 April 1959Actress & screenwriterView their day →Rowan Atkinson6 January 1955Actor & comedianView their day →

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

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