UK, 
US, 
Australia & 
IrelandAt A Glance
17 September 1961 at a glance
- Day of the week
- 17 September 1961 was a Sunday.
- UK Number One
- The UK Number One single was “Reach for the Stars / Climb Ev'ry Mountain” by Shirley Bassey.
- Top Film of 1961
- The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1961 was One Hundred and One Dalmatians.
- Star sign
- The star sign for 17 September is Virgo.
- Chinese zodiac
- In the Chinese zodiac, 17 September 1961 fell in the Year of the Ox.
- Birthstone
- The birthstone for September is Sapphire.
- Moon phase
- The moon phase on 17 September 1961 was First Quarter.
On this day: 17 September
- 1949 The Canadian steamship SS Noronic burns in Toronto Harbour with the loss of over 118 lives.
- 1950 The People's Liberation Army Air Force Airborne Corps (Then known as the PLAAF 1st Ground Forces Brigade) is founded.
- 1950 The Republic of India formally recognised the State of Israel.
- 1961 The world's first retractable roof stadium, the Civic Arena, opens in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
- 1965 The Battle of Chawinda is fought between Pakistan and India.
Famous people born on 17 September
- Kyle Chandler, American actor (born 1965)
- Narendra Modi, Indian politician; Chief Minister of Gujarat and 14th Prime Minister of India (born 1950)
- Patrick Mahomes, American football player (born 1995)
- John Ritter, American actor and producer (1948–2003)
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Events of 1961 in the United Kingdom
A selection from Wikipedia's '1961 in the United Kingdom'. Not a complete list.
- 7 January – The Avengers television series first screened on ITV.
- 15 March – The Jaguar E-Type, a sports car capable of reaching speeds of 150 mph, is launched as a two-seater roadster or 2+2 coupé (at the Geneva Motor Show). On 3 April it makes its racing debut by winning at Oulton Park.
- 20 March – Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, becomes the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and its company the Royal Shakespeare Company (Peter Hall (director)).
Life in 1961
Prime Minister
Harold Macmillan
Monarch
Elizabeth II
Pint of Beer
11p
Loaf of Bread
7p
Average House
£2,670
Weekly Wage
£14.90
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Famous Faces Born in the 1960s
Well-known people born in the same decade as you, not on your birthday.
Guy Ritchie10 September 1968FilmmakerView their day →Diana, Princess of Wales1 July 1961Member of the British royal familyView their day →Nigella Lawson6 January 1960Food writer & television cookView their day →Jason Statham26 July 1967ActorView their day →Catherine Zeta-Jones25 September 1969ActressView their day →Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer20 May 1964Peer & authorView their day →Kenneth Branagh10 December 1960Actor & filmmakerView their day →George Michael25 June 1963SingerView their day →Sources: Wikidata and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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