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April 8, 1961

April 8, 1961, was a Saturday. It was 63 years, 6 months, and 23 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Aries.

On This Day

What happened?

What happened on April 8, 1961?

  • 238 people are killed when British passenger ship Dara sinks off the coast of Dubai.
Song charts

Music charts

These songs were on top of the music charts in the United States and the United Kingdom on April 8, 1961:

  • United States: "Blue Moon" by The Marcels
  • United Kingdom: "Wooden Heart" by Elvis Presley

The Billboard Hot 100 on April 8, 1961

These were the top five songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart:

  • Blue Moon - The Marcels
  • Apache - Jorgen Ingmann & His Guitar
  • Dedicated To The One I Love - The Shirelles
  • Runaway - Del Shannon
  • On The Rebound - Floyd Cramer
Play the top songs 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.
Exodus

Top movie at the box office

The movie "Exodus" was at the top of the box office on April 8, 1961.

Facts

This date was 23,217 days ago. Approximately 774 months have passed. It was the 98th day of 1961, in week 14. The decade was the swinging sixties. People born on this day are currently 63 years old and belong to the Baby Boomer generation. The Earth has experienced 258 seasons of weather since then.

Take me back to April 8, 1961

Let's take a stroll down memory lane.

It is Saturday, April 8, 1961. Anyone born today will have the star sign Aries. People are currently enjoying their weekend.

The summer of 1961 is drawing closer, and temperatures have started to rise. In America, the song "Blue Moon" by The Marcels is at the top of the singles charts, while "Wooden Heart" by Elvis Presley is the number-one song in the UK. John Fitzgerald Kennedy is the President of the United States, and the movie Exodus is at the top of the box office.

Harold Macmillan is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. 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 Ernest Hemingway, Ernie Kovacs, and Marilyn Monroe would all still be alive. On TV, people are watching popular shows such as "What's My Line?", "Rawhide", "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis", and "Route 66".

Kids and teenagers are watching TV shows such as "Captain Kangaroo", "Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy", "Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse", and "The Flintstones". Popular toys at the moment include BAS-KET Miniature Basketball, the Frisbee, Crater Critters, and Troll doll.

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on April 8, 1961, will have the star sign Aries.
  • Zodiac Element: Fire.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1961 was the year of the Ox (Yin Wood).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 2.
  • Native American Zodiac: April 8, 1961 falls under the Falcon.
  • Birthstone: A person during the month of April will have the birthstone Diamond.
  • Birth flower (April): The Daisy and the Sweet Pea.
News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on April 8, 1961.

  • 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.
  • Trouble is brewing in Vietnam.

    Trouble is brewing in Vietnam

    By this time, communist forces in North Vietnam had committed themselves to invading South Vietnam. The Ho Chi Minh trail was established and expanded and guerrilla warfare attacks were being carried out against the US-backed Diệm government in the south. It was during this time that the United States started to slowly escalate its involvement in the conflict.
  • 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 April 8, 1961.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

View Personality Summary

Events

What happened around this time?

Notable events that happened close to April 8, 1961.

  • March 9, 1961: The Soviet spacecraft Korabl-Sputnik 4 is successfully launched, carrying a dog named Chernushka.
  • March 11, 1961: The Ken doll is introduced as Barbie's boyfriend.
  • March 13, 1961: The 1961 Kurenivka mudslide kills 145 people in Kiev, Ukraine.
  • March 16, 1961: The comedy film "The Absent-Minded Professor" is released.
  • March 17, 1961: Soccer: Don Revie is named as the new manager of Leeds United.
  • April 3, 1961: Western musician and TV personality Spade Cooley murders his wife Ella Mae.
  • This date: April 8, 1961
  • April 11, 1961: The trial of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann begins in Israel.
  • April 12, 1961: Russia's Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human to journey into outer space.
  • April 13, 1961: A coup d'état against Portuguese prime minister António de Oliveira Salazar fails.
  • April 16, 1961: Cuban leader Fidel Castro announces that the country will be adopting Communism.
  • April 17, 1961: The Bay of Pigs Invasion occurs when a CIA-sponsored paramilitary group attempts to invade Cuba.
  • April 18, 1961: Newspapers report that American actor Gary Cooper is dying from cancer.
  • April 19, 1961: The comedy-drama film "La Dolce Vita" hits the big screen.
  • April 20, 1961: The Bay of Pigs Invasion of Cuba fails.
  • April 23, 1961: American actress and singer Judy Garland performs at a comeback concert in Carnegie Hall.
  • April 24, 1961: Ben E. King releases his song "Stand by Me".
  • April 26, 1961: Western musician and TV personality Spade Cooley is indicted for the murder of his wife Ella Mae Evans.
  • April 30, 1961: The song "Tossin' and Turnin'" is released by Bobby Lewis.
  • May 1, 1961: Fidel Castro proclaims Cuba as a socialist state and bans all elections.
  • May 5, 1961: Alan Shepard becomes the first American to travel into space.
  • May 6, 1961: FA Cup Final 1961: Tottenham Hotspur defeat Leicester City 2-0.

1960s fashion

Photographs of 1960s fashion and hairstyles.

1960s fashion

Television shows

TV shows in 1961

The following TV shows were popular in April 1961:

TV shows from April 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

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

Kids TV shows on April 8, 1961

Cartoons and TV shows that children and teenagers were watching on this day in 1961:

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

The Dick Tracy Show
The Dick Tracy Show
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
Toys

Popular toys and games in 1961

Toys and games that were popular in 1961:

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

Were you born on April 8, 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 April 8, 1967, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on April 8.

Betty Ford

Betty Ford

First Lady of the United States Deceased
Born on April 8, 1918
She turned 43 on this day in 1961.

Kofi Annan

Kofi Annan

UN Secretary Deceased
Born on April 8, 1938
He turned 23 on this day in 1961.

Paul Gray

Paul Gray

American musician Deceased
Born on April 8, 1972
He was born exactly 11 years after this date.

Chris Kyle

Chris Kyle

Navy Seal sniper Deceased
Born on April 8, 1974
He was born exactly 13 years after this date.

Matty Healy

Matty Healy

Singer
Born on April 8, 1989
He was born exactly 28 years after this date.

Jonghyun

Jonghyun

South Korean singer Deceased
Born on April 8, 1990
He was born exactly 29 years after this date.

USA

US President

John Fitzgerald Kennedy was the President of the United States on April 8, 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 April 8, 1961 was most likely conceived around July 16, 1960.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on April 8, 1961 is close to December 30, 1961.

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Stats for April 8, 1961

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about April 8, 1961:

  • 23,217 days have passed since this date.
  • 3,316 weeks have passed.
  • 2,005,952,400 seconds have passed since April 8, 1961.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 2,340,277,800 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 1,035,071,438,400 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 334,325,400 times.
  • You have taken approximately 172,511,906 steps. That's roughly 76,672 miles.
  • 24,071,429 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1961?

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