At A Glance

31 December 1958 at a glance

Day of the week
31 December 1958 was a Wednesday.
UK Number One
The UK Number One single was “It's Only Make Believe” by Conway Twitty.
Top Film of 1958
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1958 was South Pacific.
Star sign
The star sign for 31 December is Capricorn.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 31 December 1958 fell in the Year of the Dog.
Birthstone
The birthstone for December is Turquoise.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 31 December 1958 was Waning Gibbous.

On this day: 31 December

  • 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.
  • 1965 Jean-Bédel Bokassa, leader of the Central African Republic army, and his military officers begin a coup d'état against the government of President David Dacko.

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 1958 in the United Kingdom

A selection from Wikipedia's '1958 in the United Kingdom'. Not a complete list.

  • 1 April – The BBC Radiophonic Workshop is created.
  • 27 May – 19-year-old Shelagh Delaney's "kitchen sink drama" A Taste of Honey is staged by Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop at the Theatre Royal Stratford East.
  • 9 June – The Queen officially reopens Gatwick Airport which has been expanded at a cost of more than £7,000,000.

Life in 1958

Prime Minister

Harold Macmillan

Monarch

Elizabeth II

Pint of Beer

10p

Loaf of Bread

6p

Average House

£2,390

Weekly Wage

£12.15

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 →