(Sunday, May 6, 1962, 6:45 p.m. EDT) — The first nuclear explosion to be caused by an American ballistic missile, rather than by a bomb dropped from an aircraft or at a fixed site, was accomplished today at Christmas Island, 1,200 miles from its launch site as the USS Ethan Allen fired the armed Polaris missile from underwater to its target.
Category Archives: 1960s
‘The Dummy’ episode airs on ‘The Twilight Zone’ 50 years ago this hour (1962)
Video: 'The Dummy' clip
(Friday, May 4, 1962, 10 p.m. ET) — A ventriloquist is convinced that his dummy, Willie, is alive and evil on tonight’s episode of the CBS-TV anthology series The Twilight Zone.
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First satellite relay of a TV signal 50 years ago today (1962)
Video: 'Echo 1 Launched Communications Revolution'
(Tuesday, April 24, 1962) — The Massachusetts Institute of Technology achieved the first satellite relay of a television signal today, using NASA’s Echo 1 balloon satellite to bounce a video image of the letters “M.I.T.” transmitted from Camp Parks, California, to Westford, Massachusetts.
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‘Cape Fear’ premieres in U.S. 50 years ago today (1962)
Video: 'Cape Fear' trailer
(Thursday, April 12, 1962) — Cape Fear, a film about an attorney whose family is stalked by a criminal he helped to send to jail, premiered today in the U.S.
Directed by J. Lee Thompson, the film stars Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum, Polly Bergen and Lori Martin.
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Angry JFK rips steel leaders for price boost 50 years ago this hour (1962)
(Wednesday, Apr. 11, 1962, 3:30 p.m. EST) — U.S. President John F. Kennedy bluntly denounced the major steel companies today for “a wholly unjustifiable and irresponsible defiance of the public interest” in raising their prices by $6 a ton. Continue reading Angry JFK rips steel leaders for price boost 50 years ago this hour (1962)
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Schell, Loren and ‘West Side Story’ top Oscar winners 50 years ago this hour (1962)
(Monday, April 9, 1962, 7:30 p.m. PST) — West Side Story was named Best Picture of 1961 tonight at the 34th Academy Awards, hosted by Bob Hope at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, California. The film’s directors, Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise, were named Best Director.
Maximilian Schell, the flinty defender of Nazi war criminals in Judgment at Nuremberg, and Sophia Loren, the earth war refugee of Two Women, were picked as the Best Actor and Actress.
George Chakiris and Rita Moreno each won the supporting actor awards for West Side Story.
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Jagger, Richards meet Brian Jones 50 years ago today (1962)
Video: Ode to Brian Jones
(Saturday, April 7, 1962) — The core group of what would make the early Rolling Stones first came together today when Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were introduced to future Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones at the Ealing Jazz Club in London.
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Jack Paar ends run as host of NBC’s ‘The Tonight Show’ 50 years ago today (1962)
Video: Paar interviews JFK (June 16, 1960)
(Thursday, March 29, 1962) — Jack Paar hosted NBC’s Tonight show for the final time today, although the network aired a repeat the following night. Continue reading Jack Paar ends run as host of NBC’s ‘The Tonight Show’ 50 years ago today (1962)
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First Taco Bell opens 50 years ago today (1962)
Video: Bell opens first Taco Bell (at 1:00)
(Wednesday, March 21, 1962) — The first Taco Bell restaurant was opened today by Glen Bell in Downey, California.
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Ted Kennedy announces he’ll seek brother’s old Senate seat 50 years ago today (1962)
Video: 2008 Ted Kennedy tribute
(Wednesday, March 14, 1962) — Democrat Edward M. “Ted” Kennedy officially launched in Boston today his successful candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat from Massachusetts held by his brother, President John F. Kennedy, from 1953 to 1960.
