At A Glance

18 August 1958 at a glance

Day of the week
18 August 1958 was a Monday.
Top Film of 1958
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1958 was South Pacific.
Star sign
The star sign for 18 August is Leo.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 18 August 1958 fell in the Year of the Dog.
Birthstone
The birthstone for August is Peridot.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 18 August 1958 was Waxing Crescent.

On this day: 18 August

  • 1958 Vladimir Nabokov's controversial novel Lolita is published in the United States.
  • 1958 Brojen Das from Bangladesh swims across the English Channel in a competition as the first Bengali and the first Asian to do so, placing first among the 39 competitors.
  • 1963 Civil rights movement: James Meredith becomes the first African American to graduate from the University of Mississippi.
  • 1965 Vietnam War: Operation Starlite begins: United States Marines destroy a Viet Cong stronghold on the Van Tuong peninsula in the first major American ground battle of the war.
  • 1966 Vietnam War: The Battle of Long Tan ensues after a patrol from the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment clashes with a Viet Cong force in Phước Tuy Province.

Famous people born on 18 August

  • Robert Redford, American actor, director, and producer (1936–2025)
  • Patrick Swayze, American actor and dancer (1952–2009)
  • Edward Norton, American actor (born 1969)
  • Kaitlin Olson, American actress and comedian (born 1975)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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

Events of 1958 in Ireland

A selection from Wikipedia's '1958 in Ireland'. Not a complete list.

  • 18 March – Taoiseach Éamon de Valera said he would be willing to have talks with the government of Northern Ireland on wider economic co-operation.
  • 23 May – The Agricultural Institute (An Foras Talúntais) was established. Its functions would later be taken over by Teagasc in 1988
  • 25 July – £100 damages were awarded to a nine-year-old boy who was beaten by his teacher in a national school.

Life in Ireland in 1958

Taoiseach

Éamon de Valera

Petrol (per litre)

2s 3d/gal

Loaf of Bread

7d

Average House

£2,000

Weekly Wage

£5

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 →