Video: 'The Searchers' trailer
(Wednesday, May 30, 1956, doors opened at 9:30 a.m. EDT) — The Searchers, a Western film about a middle-aged Civil War veteran who spends years looking for his abducted niece, opened today at the Criterion in New York City.
Directed by John Ford, the film starred John Wayne, Jeffrey Hunter, Vera Miles, Ward Bond and Natalie Wood.
Video: 'The Killing' trailer
(Saturday, May 19, 1956) — The Killing, a film noir about a team of specialists that plots a daring racetrack robbery but doesn’t reckon with human frailty, opened today at the Mayfair theater in New York City.
Directed by Stanley Kubrick, the film starred Sterling Hayden, Coleen Gray, Vince Edwards, Jay C. Flippen, Marie Windsor and Ted de Corsia.
(Saturday, May 19, 1956) — “Blue Suede Shoes” by Carl Perkins peaked at #2 on today’s Billboard Most Played in Jukeboxes chart for four weeks. In 2004, this track was ranked No. 95 on Rolling Stone‘s list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.”
Video: 'The Man Who Knew Too Much' trailer
(Wednesday, May 16, 1956, doors opened at 9:30 a.m. EDT) — The Man Who Knew Too Much, a suspense thriller film about international spies who kidnap a doctor’s son when he stumbles on their assassination plot, opened today at Paramount Theatre in New York City.
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, the film starred James Stewart and Doris Day.
(Saturday, May 12, 1956) — “Long Tall Sally” by Little Richard peaked at #6 on today’s Billboard Best Sellers in Stores chart for one week. The song is ranked #55 on Rolling Stone‘s list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.”
(Saturday, May 12, 1956) — “R-O-C-K” by Bill Haley and His Comets peaked at #16 on today’s Billboard Most Played by Jockeys chart for one week.
(Saturday, May 5, 1956) — “Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom)” by Perry Como peaked at #1 on today’s Billboard Most Played by Jockeys chart for one week.
Video: 'Vice President Alben W. Barkley's Last Words'
(Monday, April 30, 1956, 5:15 p.m. EST) — Alben W. Barkley, the 35th Vice President of the United States (1949-1953, under President Harry S. Truman), died today of a heart attack today while addressing a student political convention at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. He was 78 (click here to watch Barkley’s final speech and the ambulance that took him away for treatment).
(Saturday, April 28, 1956) — “Blue Suede Shoes” by Elvis Presley (written and originally recorded by Carl Perkins) peaked at #20 on today’s Billboard Best Sellers in Stores chart for one week.
