(Saturday, April 30, 1955) — “Birth of the Boogie” by Bill Haley and His Comets was the #17 song on today’s Billboard Most Played in Juke Boxes chart for one week.
Category Archives: 1950s
Battle of Saigon begins 60 years ago today (Apr 28 1955)
Video: 'Vietnam a Television History Episode 2' (Apr. 28, 1955, at 12:20)
(Thursday, April 28, 1955; during the Cold War) — The Battle of Saigon, a month-long battle between the Vietnamese National Army of the State of Vietnam (later to become the Army of the Republic of Vietnam) and the private army of the Bình Xuyên organised crime syndicate, began today. Continue reading Battle of Saigon begins 60 years ago today (Apr 28 1955)
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Eisenhower: U. S. policy in Vietnam still in balance 60 years ago this hour (Apr 27 1955)
Video: 'Vietnam a Television History Episode 2' (Apr. 27, 1955, at 13:07)
(Wednesday, April 27, 1955, 10:31-11:06 a.m. EDT; during the Cold War) — United States policy in South Vietnam’s political crisis is still in the balance, U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower indicated today.
He said he could not give “any final answer” to questions about South Vietnam, saying the subject was “still under discussion” with Gen. J. Lawton Collins, U.S. special representative to Saigon.
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‘On the Waterfront’ wins Best Motion Picture at 27th Academy Awards 60 years ago this hour (Mar 30 1955)
Video: '1955 Oscars' (17 videos)
(Wednesday, March 30, 1955, 7:30-9:18 p.m. PST) — On the Waterfront, a crime drama film about union violence and corruption amongst longshoremen, won eight Oscars tonight at the 27th Academy Awards, including Best Motion Picture, Elia Kazan for Best Director and Marlon Brando for Best Actor. Continue reading ‘On the Waterfront’ wins Best Motion Picture at 27th Academy Awards 60 years ago this hour (Mar 30 1955)
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John Marshall Harlan II assumes post on U.S. Supreme Court 60 years ago today (Mar 28 1955)
Video: 'Dissent in the Supreme Court: John Marshall Harlan II - Biography, Education, Civil Rights (1992)'
(Monday, March 28, 1955) — John Marshall Harlan was sworn in today as an associate justice of the Supreme Court. The New Yorker became the eighty-ninth man to sit on the high bench since the Federal judiciary was established in 1789.
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Inner-city school drama ‘Blackboard Jungle’ opens in New York City 60 years ago today (Mar 19 1955)
Video: 'Blackboard Jungle' trailer
(Saturday, March 19, 1955) — Blackboard Jungle, a social commentary film about teachers in an inner-city school, opened today at Loew’s State Theatre in New York City. The film marked the rock and roll revolution by featuring Bill Haley & His Comets’ “Rock Around the Clock.”
Directed by Richard Brooks, the film starred Glenn Ford, Anne Francis, Louis Calhern and Sidney Poitier.
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Charlie Parker, jazz master, dies 60 years ago this hour (Mar 12 1955)
Image: 'Charlie Parker - Charlie Parker Story'
(Saturday, March 12, 1955, 8:15 p.m. EST) — Legendary jazz musician Charlie “Bird” Parker died tonight in New York City of heart failure. Known as the inventor of bebop, Parker was 34.
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‘Make Room for Daddy,’ ‘The United States Steel Hour’ big winners at Emmy Awards 60 years ago this hour (Mar 7 1955)
Video: 'Make Room for Daddy: The Children's Governess' (Feb. 1, 1955)
(Monday, March 7, 1955, 8:30 p.m. PST) — Make Room for Daddy dominated the 7th Emmy Awards tonight, winning two awards, including Best Situation Comedy. Continue reading ‘Make Room for Daddy,’ ‘The United States Steel Hour’ big winners at Emmy Awards 60 years ago this hour (Mar 7 1955)
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‘Peter Pan’ Broadway production airs live on NBC-TV in color 60 years ago this hour (Mar 7 1955)
Video: '"Producers' Showcase" Peter Pan (7 March 1955)' (4 videos)
(Monday, March 7, 1955, 7:30-9:00 p.m. EST) — NBC-TV presented the full-length Broadway production of Peter Pan live tonight in color (only a black-and-white kinescope recording survived) as part of Producers’ Showcase, with nearly all of the show’s original cast.
The show attracted a then-record audience of 65-million viewers, the highest ever up to that time for a single television program.
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First successful human kidney transplant took place 60 years ago this hour (Dec 23 1954)
Video: 'Remembering Marvin Miller,Joseph Murray, Earl Carroll'
(Thursday, December 23, 1954, 11:15 a.m. EST) — The first successful human kidney transplant took place today at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston as a surgical team led by Dr. Joseph Murray removed a kidney from 23-year-old Ronald Herrick and implanted it in Herrick’s twin brother, Richard, who was dying of chronic nephritis.
Because the donor and recipient were identical twins, tissue rejection was not an issue. Richard Herrick lived until 1962; Ronald Herrick died in 2010.
