Category Archives: 1950s

‘I Need You Now’ by Eddie Fisher peaks at #1 in USA 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 13 1954)

(Saturday, November 13, 1954) — “I Need You Now” by Eddie Fisher with Hugo Winterhalter and his Orchestra peaked at #1 on today’s Billboard Best Sellers in Stores chart for three consecutive weeks (Nov. 13/20/27, 1954). Continue reading ‘I Need You Now’ by Eddie Fisher peaks at #1 in USA 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 13 1954)

‘This Ole House’ by Rosemary Clooney peaks at #1 in USA 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 6 1954)

(Saturday, November 6, 1954) — “This Ole House” by Rosemary Clooney with Buddy Cole & His Orchestra (bass vocals by Thurl Ravenscroft) peaked at #1 on today’s Billboard Best Sellers in Stores chart for one week, the singer’s second consecutive number one hit on the chart (following “Hey There”). Continue reading ‘This Ole House’ by Rosemary Clooney peaks at #1 in USA 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 6 1954)

World’s first nuclear-powered submarine commissioned by U.S. Navy at Groton, Connecticut 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 30 1954)


Video: 'Officers aboard the USS Nautilus SSN-571 submarine for her commissioning ceremony...HD Stock Footage'

(Thursday, September 30, 1954, 3:11 p.m. EST; during the Cold War) — The world’s first atomic-powered submarine, USS Nautilus, officially joined the United States Navy today, marking a significant milestone in naval technology and a strategic answer to the growing naval power of the Soviet Union. Continue reading World’s first nuclear-powered submarine commissioned by U.S. Navy at Groton, Connecticut 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 30 1954)

‘The Tonight Show’ debuts on NBC with host Steve Allen, pioneering late-night television 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 27 1954)


Video: 'First Tonight Show 9/27/54'

(Monday, September 27, 1954, 11:30 p.m. EDT)The Tonight Show, the world’s longest-running talk show and the longest-running regularly scheduled entertainment program in the United States, made its debut tonight on NBC under the original title Tonight. Continue reading ‘The Tonight Show’ debuts on NBC with host Steve Allen, pioneering late-night television 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 27 1954)

‘Hey There’ by Rosemary Clooney peaks at #1 in USA 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 25 1954)

(Saturday, September 25, 1954) — “Hey There” by Rosemary Clooney peaked at #1 on today’s Billboard Best Sellers in Stores chart for the first of six consecutive weeks (Sep. 25, Oct. 2/9/16/23/30, 1954). Continue reading ‘Hey There’ by Rosemary Clooney peaks at #1 in USA 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 25 1954)

‘Sh-Boom’ by The Crew-Cuts peaks at #1 in USA 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 7 1954)

(Saturday, August 7, 1954) — “Sh-Boom” by The Crew-Cuts peaked at #1 on today’s Billboard Best Sellers in Stores chart for the first of seven consecutive weeks (Aug. 7/14/21/28, Sep. 4/11/18, 1954). Continue reading ‘Sh-Boom’ by The Crew-Cuts peaks at #1 in USA 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 7 1954)

19-year-old truck driver Elvis Presley makes music history at Sun Records with first commercial recording session 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jul 5 1954)


Video: 'That's All Right (Remastered)'

(Monday, July 5, 1954, 7:00 p.m. CDT) — Elvis Presley’s first commercial recording session took place tonight at Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee, as the 19-year-old trucker driver tracked “That’s All Right.” Continue reading 19-year-old truck driver Elvis Presley makes music history at Sun Records with first commercial recording session 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jul 5 1954)

Senator Joseph McCarthy’s ‘cruelty’ and ‘recklessness’ assailed during hearing: ‘Have you no sense of decency, sir?’ 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 9 1954)


Video: '"Have You No Decency?" | McCarthy | American Experience | PBS'

(Wednesday, June 9, 1954; during the Second Red Scare) — During the Senate-Army Hearings, Army special counsel Joseph N. Welch berated U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy today for verbally attacking a member of Welch’s law firm, Fred Fisher, asking McCarthy: “Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?” Continue reading Senator Joseph McCarthy’s ‘cruelty’ and ‘recklessness’ assailed during hearing: ‘Have you no sense of decency, sir?’ 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 9 1954)

‘Little Things Mean a Lot’ by Kitty Kallen peaks at #1 in USA 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (June 5 1954)

(Saturday, June 5, 1954) — “Little Things Mean a Lot” by Kitty Kallen peaked at #1 on today’s Billboard Best Sellers in Stores chart for the first of nine consecutive weeks (June 5/12/19/26, July 3/10/17/24/31, 1954). Continue reading ‘Little Things Mean a Lot’ by Kitty Kallen peaks at #1 in USA 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (June 5 1954)

Racial segregation in public schools unanimously outlawed by U.S. Supreme Court 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 17 1954)


Video: 'Brown v. Board of Education in PBS' The Supreme Court'

(Monday, May 17, 1954, 12:52 p.m. EDT; marking the end of Jim Crow era (1896–1954) and beginning of civil rights movement (1954–1968)) — In a landmark decision, the U.S. Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka unanimously ruled this afternoon that U.S. state laws establishing racial segregation in public schools are unconstitutional, even if the segregated schools are otherwise equal in quality. Continue reading Racial segregation in public schools unanimously outlawed by U.S. Supreme Court 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 17 1954)