At A Glance

1 April 1959 at a glance

Day of the week
1 April 1959 was a Wednesday.
Billboard Hot 100 No. 1
The Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 was “Venus” by Frankie Avalon.
Top Film of 1959
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1959 was Ben-Hur.
Bestselling Novel of 1959
“Exodus” by Leon Uris was No. 1 on Publishers Weekly's US fiction list for 1959.
Top-Rated TV Show
“Gunsmoke” (CBS) was No. 1 in the Nielsen ratings for the 1959–60 season.
Star sign
The star sign for 1 April is Aries.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 1 April 1959 fell in the Year of the Pig.
Birthstone
The birthstone for April is Diamond.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 1 April 1959 was Waning Crescent.

On this day: 1 April

  • 1954 United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower authorizes the creation of the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
  • 1955 The EOKA rebellion against the British Empire begins in Cyprus, with the goal of unifying with Greece.
  • 1960 The TIROS-1 satellite transmits the first television picture from space.
  • 1964 The British Admiralty, War Office and Air Ministry are replaced by a unified Defence Council of the United Kingdom.
  • 1969 The Hawker Siddeley Harrier, the first operational fighter aircraft with Vertical/Short Takeoff and Landing capabilities, enters service with the Royal Air Force.

Famous people born on April 1

  • Debbie Reynolds, American actress, singer, and dancer (1932–2016)
  • Bijou Phillips, American actress and model (born 1980)
  • Susan Boyle, Scottish singer (born 1961)
  • Otto von Bismarck, German lawyer and politician, 1st Chancellor of the German Empire (1815–1898)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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Events of 1959 in the United States

A selection from Wikipedia's '1959 in the United States'. Not a complete list.

  • January 3 – Alaska is admitted as the 49th U.S. state (see History of Alaska).
  • January 12 – The Motown record label is founded as Tamla by Berry Gordy in Detroit.
  • May 8 – The first Little Caesars pizza restaurant is opened by Mike Ilitch and his wife Marian in Garden City, Michigan.

Life in the US in 1959

President

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Gas (per gallon)

$0.31

Loaf of Bread

$0.20

Average House

$11,500

Weekly Wage

$83

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.

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

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