At A Glance

31 December 1955 at a glance

Day of the week
31 December 1955 was a Saturday.
UK Number One
The UK Number One single was “Rock Around the Clock” by Bill Haley & His Comets.
Top Film of 1955
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1955 was Lady and the Tramp.
Star sign
The star sign for 31 December is Capricorn.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 31 December 1955 fell in the Year of the Goat.
Birthstone
The birthstone for December is Turquoise.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 31 December 1955 was Waning Gibbous.

On this day: 31 December

  • 1951 Cold War: The Marshall Plan expires after distributing more than US$13.3 billion in foreign aid to rebuild Western Europe.
  • 1955 General Motors becomes the first U.S. corporation to make over US$1 billion in a year.
  • 1956 The Romanian Television network begins its first broadcast in Bucharest.
  • 1961 RTÉ, Ireland's state broadcaster, launches its first national television service.
  • 1963 The Central African Federation officially collapses, subsequently becoming Zambia, Malawi and Rhodesia.

Famous people born on 31 December

  • Val Kilmer, American actor (1959–2025)
  • Sophia Laforteza, Filipino-American singer (born 2002)
  • Alex Ferguson, Scottish footballer and manager (born 1941)
  • Charles Edward Stuart, Scottish claimant to the throne of England (1720–1788)

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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