At A Glance

22 April 1959 at a glance

Day of the week
22 April 1959 was a Wednesday.
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 22 April is Taurus.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 22 April 1959 fell in the Year of the Pig.
Birthstone
The birthstone for April is Diamond.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 22 April 1959 was Full Moon.

On this day: 22 April

  • 1954 Red Scare: Witnesses begin testifying and live television coverage of the Army–McCarthy hearings begins.
  • 1969 British yachtsman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston wins the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race and completes the first solo non-stop circumnavigation of the world.
  • 1969 The formation of the Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) is announced at a mass rally in Calcutta.
  • 1970 The first Earth Day is celebrated.
  • 1970 Chicano residents in San Diego, California occupy a site under the Coronado Bridge, leading to the creation of Chicano Park.

Famous people born on 22 April

  • J. Robert Oppenheimer, American physicist and academic (1904–1967)
  • Jack Nicholson, American actor and producer (born 1937)
  • Jeffrey Dean Morgan, American actor (born 1966)
  • Vladimir Lenin, Russian revolutionary and founder of Soviet Russia (1870–1924)

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.

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

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 →