At A Glance

31 December 1962 at a glance

Day of the week
31 December 1962 was a Monday.
UK Number One
The UK Number One single was “The Next Time / Bachelor Boy” by Cliff Richard and the Shadows.
Top Film of 1962
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1962 was Lawrence of Arabia.
Star sign
The star sign for 31 December is Capricorn.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 31 December 1962 fell in the Year of the Tiger.
Birthstone
The birthstone for December is Turquoise.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 31 December 1962 was Waxing Crescent.

On this day: 31 December

  • 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.
  • 1968 The first flight of the Tupolev Tu-144, the first civilian supersonic transport in the world.

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 1962 in the United Kingdom

A selection from Wikipedia's '1962 in the United Kingdom'. Not a complete list.

  • 2 January – BBC Television broadcasts the first episode of Z-Cars, noted as a realistic portrayal of the police force.
  • 14 June – BBC Television broadcasts the first episode of the sitcom Steptoe and Son, written by Galton and Simpson.
  • 12 July – The Rolling Stones make their debut at London's Marquee Club, Number 165 Oxford Street, opening for Long John Baldry.
More events of 1962 →Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Life in 1962

Prime Minister

Harold Macmillan

Monarch

Elizabeth II

Pint of Beer

12p

Loaf of Bread

7p

Average House

£2,670

Weekly Wage

£15.60

Or

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Famous Faces Born in the 1960s

Well-known people born in the same decade as you, not on your birthday.

Guy Ritchie10 September 1968FilmmakerView their day →Diana, Princess of Wales1 July 1961Member of the British royal familyView their day →Nigella Lawson6 January 1960Food writer & television cookView their day →Jason Statham26 July 1967ActorView their day →Catherine Zeta-Jones25 September 1969ActressView their day →Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer20 May 1964Peer & authorView their day →Kenneth Branagh10 December 1960Actor & filmmakerView their day →George Michael25 June 1963SingerView their day →

Sources: Wikidata and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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