At A Glance

23 September 1961 at a glance

Day of the week
23 September 1961 was a Saturday.
UK Number One
The UK Number One single was “Johnny Remember Me” by John Leyton.
Top Film of 1961
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1961 was One Hundred and One Dalmatians.
Star sign
The star sign for 23 September is Libra.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 23 September 1961 fell in the Year of the Ox.
Birthstone
The birthstone for September is Sapphire.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 23 September 1961 was Waxing Gibbous.

On this day: 23 September

  • 1950 Korean War: The Battle of Hill 282 is the first US friendly-fire incident on British military personnel since World War II.
  • 1951 George VI, king of the United Kingdom, has his left lung removed in an operation after a malignant tumour was found.
  • 1952 After being accused of financial improprieties, Senator Richard Nixon delivers his "Checkers speech" nationwide on television and radio, defending his actions and successfully salvaging his nomination as the Republican candidate for Vice President.
  • 1957 Little Rock schools integration crisis: President Dwight D. Eisenhower sends the 101st Airborne Division to Little Rock, Arkansas, and federalizes the Arkansas National Guard, ordering both to support the integration of Little Rock Central High School.
  • 1961 U.S. President John F. Kennedy nominates African American civil rights lawyer Thurgood Marshall to the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, although pro-segregation Southern senators manage to delay his confirmation until September 11, 1962.

Famous people born on 23 September

  • Augustus, Roman emperor (born -63)
  • Bruce Springsteen, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1949)
  • Chris Johnson, American football player (born 1985)
  • Ray Charles, American singer-songwriter, pianist, and actor (1930–2004)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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

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

Or

Browse by Year

Famous Faces Born in the 1960s

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 →