At A Glance

16 August 1962 at a glance

Day of the week
16 August 1962 was a Thursday.
Billboard Hot 100 No. 1
The Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 was “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” by Neil Sedaka.
Top Film of 1962
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1962 was Lawrence of Arabia.
Bestselling Novel of 1962
“Ship of Fools” by Katherine Anne Porter was No. 1 on Publishers Weekly's US fiction list for 1962.
Top-Rated TV Show
“The Beverly Hillbillies” (CBS) was No. 1 in the Nielsen ratings for the 1962–63 season.
Star sign
The star sign for 16 August is Leo.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 16 August 1962 fell in the Year of the Tiger.
Birthstone
The birthstone for August is Peridot.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 16 August 1962 was Full Moon.

On this day: 16 August

  • 1954 The first issue of Sports Illustrated is published.
  • 1960 Cyprus gains its independence from the United Kingdom.
  • 1960 Joseph Kittinger parachutes from a balloon over New Mexico, United States, at 102,800 feet (31,300 m), setting three records that held until 2012: High-altitude jump, free fall, and highest speed by a human without an aircraft.
  • 1964 Vietnam War: A coup d'état replaces Dương Văn Minh with General Nguyễn Khánh as President of South Vietnam. A new constitution is established with aid from the U.S. Embassy.
  • 1966 Vietnam War: The House Un-American Activities Committee begins investigations of Americans who have aided the Viet Cong. The committee intends to introduce legislation making these activities illegal. Anti-war demonstrators disrupt the meeting and 50 people are arrested.

Famous people born on August 16

  • Madonna, American singer-songwriter, producer, actress, and director (born 1958)
  • Sophie Cunningham, American basketball player (born 1996)
  • Jannik Sinner, Italian tennis player (born 2001)
  • James Cameron, Canadian director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1954)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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

Events of 1962 in the United States

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

  • January 1 – The United States Navy SEALs are activated. SEAL Team One is commissioned in the Pacific Fleet and SEAL Team Two in the Atlantic Fleet.
  • March 21 – The Taco Bell fast food restaurant chain is founded by Glen Bell, in Downey, California.
  • April 9 – The 34th Academy Awards ceremony, hosted by Bob Hope, is held at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins' West Side Story wins ten awards, including Best Motion Picture and a joint Best Director win for Wise and Robbins.

Life in the US in 1962

President

John F. Kennedy

Gas (per gallon)

$0.31

Loaf of Bread

$0.21

Average House

$12,900

Weekly Wage

$92

Or

Browse by Year

Famous Faces Born in the 1960s

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 →