UK, 
US, 
Australia & 
IrelandAt A Glance
21 August 1962 at a glance
- Day of the week
- 21 August 1962 was a Tuesday.
- 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 21 August is Leo.
- Chinese zodiac
- In the Chinese zodiac, 21 August 1962 fell in the Year of the Tiger.
- Birthstone
- The birthstone for August is Peridot.
- Moon phase
- The moon phase on 21 August 1962 was Waning Gibbous.
On this day: 21 August
- 1957 The Soviet Union successfully conducts a long-range test flight of the R-7 Semyorka, the first intercontinental ballistic missile.
- 1959 United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs an executive order proclaiming Hawaii the 50th state of the union. Hawaii's admission is currently commemorated by Hawaii Admission Day.
- 1965 The Socialist Republic of Romania is proclaimed, following the adoption of a new constitution.
- 1968 Cold War: Nicolae Ceaușescu, leader of the Socialist Republic of Romania, publicly condemns the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia, encouraging the Romanian population to arm itself against possible Soviet reprisals.
- 1968 James Anderson Jr. posthumously receives the first Medal of Honor to be awarded to an African American U.S. Marine.
Famous people born on August 21
- Hayden Panettiere, American actress (1989–2026)
- Kenny Rogers, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, and actor (1938–2020)
- Robert Lewandowski, Polish footballer (born 1988)
- Zion Suzuki, Japanese footballer (born 2002)
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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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
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Famous Faces Born in the 1960s
Well-known people born in the same decade as you, not on your birthday.
Jeff Bezos12 January 1964Business magnateView their day →Sandra Bullock26 July 1964Actress & film producerView their day →Matthew McConaughey4 November 1969ActorView their day →Cindy Crawford20 February 1966ModelView their day →Tom Cruise3 July 1962Actor & film producerView their day →Nicole Kidman20 June 1967Actress & producerView their day →Woody Harrelson23 July 1961ActorView their day →Kyle Chandler17 September 1965ActorView their day →Sources: Wikidata and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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