At A Glance

21 April 1959 at a glance

Day of the week
21 April 1959 was a Tuesday.
UK Number One
The UK Number One single was “It Doesn't Matter Anymore” by Buddy Holly.
Top Film of 1959
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1959 was Ben-Hur.
Star sign
The star sign for 21 April is Taurus.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 21 April 1959 fell in the Year of the Pig.
Birthstone
The birthstone for April is Diamond.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 21 April 1959 was Waxing Gibbous.

On this day: 21 April

  • 1960 Brasília, Brazil's capital, is officially inaugurated. At 09:30, the Three Powers of the Republic are simultaneously transferred from the old capital, Rio de Janeiro.
  • 1962 The Seattle World's Fair (Century 21 Exposition) opens. It is the first World's Fair in the United States since World War II.
  • 1963 The first election of the Universal House of Justice is held, marking its establishment as the supreme governing institution of the Baháʼí Faith.
  • 1964 A Transit-5bn satellite fails to reach orbit after launch; as it re-enters the atmosphere, 2.1 pounds (0.95 kg) of radioactive plutonium in its SNAP RTG power source is widely dispersed.
  • 1965 The 1964–1965 New York World's Fair opens for its second and final season.

Famous people born on 21 April

  • Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom and her other realms (1926–2022)
  • Andie MacDowell, American model, actress, and producer (born 1958)
  • James McAvoy, Scottish actor (born 1979)
  • Glen Hansard, Irish singer-songwriter (1970–2026)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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

Events of 1959 in the United Kingdom

A selection from Wikipedia's '1959 in the United Kingdom'. Not a complete list.

  • 7 May – Scientist and novelist C. P. Snow delivers an influential Rede Lecture on The Two Cultures, concerning a perceived breakdown of communication between the sciences and humanities, in the Senate House, University of Cambridge.
  • 28 May – The Mermaid Theatre opens in the City of London.
  • 1 June – The first episode of Juke Box Jury airs on BBC Television, chaired by David Jacobs.
More events of 1959 →Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Life in 1959

Prime Minister

Harold Macmillan

Monarch

Elizabeth II

Pint of Beer

10p

Loaf of Bread

7p

Average House

£2,530

Weekly Wage

£13.05

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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