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September 17, 1961

September 17, 1961, was a Sunday. It was the 260th day of 1961. The decade was the swinging sixties.

62 years, 6 months, and 11 days have passed since September 17, 1961.

The zodiac star sign for this date is Virgo.

Song charts

Top songs

These songs were on top of the music charts in the United States and the United Kingdom on September 17, 1961:

  • United States: "Michael" by The Highwaymen
  • United Kingdom: "Johnny Remember Me" by John Leyton

The Billboard Hot 100 on September 17, 1961

These songs were dominating the music charts:

  • Take Good Care Of My Baby - Bobby Vee
  • Michael - The Highwaymen
  • My True Story - The Jive Five With Joe Rene And Orchestra
  • (Marie's The Name) His Latest Flame - Elvis Presley
  • Crying - Roy Orbison
Play the top singles from 1961
A Spotify playlist of songs from the year 1961. Take a trip back to the days of Elvis Presley, Cliff Richard & The Shadows, The Shirelles, Chubby Checker, Ray Charles and Helen Shapiro.
Come September

Top movie

The movie "Come September" was at the top of the box office on this day.

Facts

This date occurred 22,838 days ago. Approximately 761 months have passed. It was the 260th day of 1961, in week 37. The decade was the swinging sixties. People who were born on September 17, 1961, are now 62 years old and belong to the Baby Boomer generation. We have gone through approximately 254 seasons of weather since this date.

Take me back to September 17, 1961

Let's take a walk down memory lane.

The date is September 17, 1961, and it's a Sunday. Babies who are born today will have the star sign Virgo. People are currently enjoying their weekend. However, because it's a Sunday, some are dreading the week ahead.

Schools and colleges are starting again, and fall has officially arrived. As a result, temperatures are beginning to cool, and trees are starting to shed their leaves. The earthy smells of autumn have started to fill the air. In America, the song "Michael" by The Highwaymen is at the top of the singles charts, while "Johnny Remember Me" by John Leyton is the number-one song in the UK.

John Fitzgerald Kennedy is the President of the United States, and the movie Come September is at the top of the box office. Harold Macmillan is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. On television, people are watching popular shows such as "Gunsmoke", "Have Gun - Will Travel", "Perry Mason", and "Route 66".

Tailfins on cars are extremely popular at the moment. The design looks futuristic, almost like a rocket or the twin rudders on the back of an airplane. In fashion, many of the trends from the late 1950s are still popular. Women are wearing tailored skirts, short boxy jackets and shift dresses. Trousers are also becoming popular amongst women. Meanwhile, men are wearing polo shirts, argyle socks, sweater vests, loafers and harrington jackets. Because it's 1961, radio stations are playing hit songs from artists such as Bert Kaempfert, Chubby Checker, Elvis Presley, Del Shannon, Bobby Lewis and Jimmy Dean.

If you were to travel back to this day, notable figures such as Ernie Kovacs and Marilyn Monroe would be still alive. Kids and teenagers are watching TV shows such as "Looney Tunes", "The Adventures of Spunky and Tadpole", "Snooper and Blabber", and "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis". Children are playing with toys such as Fisher Price Little People, Playpal dolls, Troll doll, and Etch A Sketch.

News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on September 17, 1961.

  • The USA is escalating its involvement in the Vietnam War.

    The USA is escalating its involvement in the Vietnam War

    The United States was slowly escalating its involvement in the Vietnam War. In May 1961, President John F. Kennedy ordered helicopters and 400 Green Berets into South Vietnam. Covert operations against the communist forces in the north were also authorized. By 1963, the number of US military personnel in the country had grown to 10,000.
  • Who were the best NBA players in 1961?

    Who were the best NBA players in 1961?

    In 1961, the best NBA players were Bill Russell, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, Bob Pettit, Bob Cousy and Oscar Robertson.
  • Who were the best football players?

    Who were the best football players?

    In 1961, the best soccer players were Pelé, Omar Sívori, Luis Suárez, Johnny Haynes, Lev Yashin, Ferenc Puskás, Alfredo Di Stéfano, Uwe Seeler and John Charles.
  • West Side Story.

    West Side Story

    The film "West Side Story" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1961.
  • Henry Mancini - "Moon River"

    Henry Mancini - "Moon River"

    The song "Moon River" by Henry Mancini won a Grammy for 1961's Song of the Year.
  • 1961 in music.

    1961 in music

    The Billboard Charts in 1961 were dominated by the likes of Elvis Presley, Bobby Lewis, Jimmy Dean, Ricky Nelson, The Marcels, Del Shannon, Bobby Vee, Ray Charles and Bert Kaempfert.
  • 1961 in movies.

    1961 in movies

    Movies released in 1961 included West Side Story, The Guns of Navarone, El Cid, The Absent-Minded Professor, The Parent Trap, La Dolce Vita, Lover Come Back, King of Kings, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, Splendor in the Grass, Breakfast at Tiffany's and The Hustler.
  • John F. Kennedy.

    John F. Kennedy

    US President John F. Kennedy was named Time Person of the Year in 1961.
  • Rotary phones.

    Rotary phones

    Rotary phones were still the most common type of landline phone. Although push-button telephones did begin to appear at the end of 1963, they were relatively uncommon.
  • Tailfins on cars.

    Tailfins on cars

    Tailfins on cars were a popular style around this time. The design looked futuristic, almost like the twin rudders on the back of an airplane.
  • Greasers.

    Greasers

    A youth subculture called "greasers" emerged during the 1950s and early 1960s. The style included greased-back hairstyles, work pants, and denim or leather jackets.
  • The Jukebox.

    The Jukebox

    The jukebox was at the height of its popularity. Teenagers and young adults would often hang out at local restaurants and diners and listen to the latest songs.

Personality traits

Check out our personality summary for people who were born on September 17, 1961.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

View Personality Summary

Events

What happened around this time?

News stories, pop culture trends, and other events that happened around September 17, 1961.

  • August 21, 1961:
    • The song "Please Mr. Postman" is released by The Marvelettes.
    • Western musician and TV personality Spade Cooley is found guilty of the murder of his wife Ella Mae.
  • August 22, 1961: German nurse Ida Siekmann becomes the first person to die at the Berlin Wall after she attempts to jump from her apartment building and flee to West Berlin.
  • August 31, 1961: Ann Marie Burr (8) goes missing from her home in Tacoma, Washington.
  • September 10, 1961: 15 people are killed when German F1 driver Wolfgang von Trips crashes into a stand in Monza, Italy.
  • This date: September 17, 1961
  • September 18, 1961: UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjöld is killed in an air crash in Northern Rhodesia.
  • September 25, 1961: The film "The Hustler" is released.
  • September 28, 1961:
    • The first episode of the sitcom "Hazel", starring Shirley Booth, is aired on TV.
    • The United Arab Republic breaks up after disgruntled Syrian Army officers stage a coup.
  • October 1, 1961: Elvis Presley releases his song "Can't Help Falling in Love".
  • October 9, 1961: Baseball: The New York Yankees defeat the Cincinnati Reds by 4-1 to win the 1961 World Series.
  • October 11, 1961: The Biblical film "King of Kings" is released in movie theaters.
  • October 12, 1961: New Zealand abolishes the death penalty.
  • October 14, 1961: Golf: The United States wins the 1961 Ryder Cup at the Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club in Lytham St Annes, England.
Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on September 17, 1961, will have the star sign Virgo.
  • Zodiac Element: Earth.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1961 was the year of the Ox (Yin Wood).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 7.
  • Native American Zodiac: September 17, 1961 falls under the Bear.
  • Birthstone: A person during the month of September will have the birthstone Sapphire.
  • Birth flower (September): The Aster and the Morning Glory.

1960s fashion

Photographs of 1960s fashion and hairstyles.

1960s fashion

Television shows

TV series on September 17, 1961

People in September 1961 were watching the following TV series:

TV shows from September 1961.

Route 66
Route 66
The Andy Griffith Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Danger Man
Danger Man
The Untouchables
The Untouchables
The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
Bonanza
Bonanza
Rawhide
Rawhide
77 Sunset Strip
77 Sunset Strip
Maverick
Maverick
Perry Mason
Perry Mason
Wagon Train
Wagon Train
Have Gun - Will Travel
Have Gun - Will Travel
Tonight Starring Jack Paar
Tonight Starring Jack Paar
Gunsmoke
Gunsmoke
The Danny Thomas Show
The Danny Thomas Show
The Jack Benny Program
The Jack Benny Program
What's My Line?
What's My Line?
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show

Cars in 1961

1961 saw the introduction of cars such as the BMW New Class, the Dodge Lancer, the Toyota Publica, the Ford Thunderbird (third generation), the MG Midget, and the Volvo P1800.

Cars in 1961.

Children TV shows

Cartoons and children's TV shows in September 1961

Children and teenagers were watching the following cartoons and TV series:

Davey and Goliath
Davey and Goliath
The Yogi Bear Show
The Yogi Bear Show
Mister Ed
Mister Ed

King Leonardo and His Short Subjects
King Leonardo and His Short Subjects
The Bugs Bunny Show
The Bugs Bunny Show
The Flintstones
The Flintstones
My Three Sons
My Three Sons
Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse
Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse
The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends
The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends
Dennis the Menace
Dennis the Menace
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy
Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy
Snooper and Blabber
Snooper and Blabber
Noggin the Nog
Noggin the Nog
Pixie and Dixie and Mr. Jinks
Pixie and Dixie and Mr. Jinks
Bozo: The World's Most Famous Clown
Bozo: The World's Most Famous Clown
The Rifleman
The Rifleman
The Huckleberry Hound Show
The Huckleberry Hound Show
The Adventures of Spunky and Tadpole
The Adventures of Spunky and Tadpole
Leave It to Beaver
Leave It to Beaver
Captain Pugwash
Captain Pugwash
Heckle and Jeckle
Heckle and Jeckle
The Gumby Show
The Gumby Show
Mighty Mouse Playhouse
Mighty Mouse Playhouse
Captain Kangaroo
Captain Kangaroo
Lassie
Lassie
Tom and Jerry
Tom and Jerry
Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes
Toys

Toys in 1961

Children were playing with the following toys and games:

Ken (doll)
Ken (doll)
Etch A Sketch
Etch A Sketch
Astrobase
Astrobase
Troll doll
Troll doll
Tonka trucks
Tonka trucks
Matchbox toy cars
Matchbox toy cars
Barbie
Barbie
Playpal dolls
Playpal dolls
Crater Critters
Crater Critters
Fisher Price Little People
Fisher Price Little People
The Hula Hoop
The Hula Hoop
Metal House robots
Metal House robots
The Frisbee
The Frisbee
Wooly Willy
Wooly Willy
BAS-KET Miniature Basketball
BAS-KET Miniature Basketball

Were you born on September 17, 1961?

If you were born on this date, then it is unlikely that you will remember anything from the year 1961.

This is because humans find it difficult to retrieve memories of their early childhood.

If you are looking for some childhood nostalgia, then you should check out September 17, 1967, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on September 17.

Hank Williams

Hank Williams

Singer Deceased
Born on September 17, 1923
He was not alive on this date.

John Ritter

John Ritter

Actor Deceased
Born on September 17, 1948
He turned 13 on this day in 1961.

Keith Flint

Keith Flint

The Prodigy member Deceased
Born on September 17, 1969
He was born exactly 8 years after this date.

Patrick Mahomes II

Patrick Mahomes II

NFL player
Born on September 17, 1995
He was born exactly 34 years after this date.

USA

US President

John Fitzgerald Kennedy was the President of the United States on September 17, 1961.

UK

UK Prime Minister

Harold Macmillan was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Ireland

Irish Taoiseach

Seán Lemass was the Taoiseach of Ireland.

Conception

Conception dates

Conception estimates for this date.

  • A baby that was born on September 17, 1961 was most likely conceived around December 25, 1960.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on September 17, 1961 is close to June 10, 1962.

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Stats for September 17, 1961

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about September 17, 1961:

  • 22,838 days have passed since this date.
  • 3,262 weeks have passed.
  • 1,973,206,800 seconds have passed since September 17, 1961.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 2,302,074,600 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 1,018,174,708,800 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 328,867,800 times.
  • You have taken approximately 169,695,785 steps. That's roughly 75,420 miles!
  • Since this date, 23,678,482 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere!
  • How many years ago was 1961?

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