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October 20, 1956

October 20, 1956, was a Saturday. It was the 294th day of 1956. The decade was the fifties.

67 years, 4 months, and 30 days have passed since October 20, 1956.

The zodiac star sign for this date is Libra.

Music charts

Top song: October 20, 1956

The best-selling single on October 20, 1956 was "Hound Dog" by Elvis Presley.

Play the top songs from 1956
A Spotify playlist of songs from the year 1956. Take a trip back to the days of Elvis Presley, Dean Martin, Kay Starr and The Platters.

Facts

This date was 24,622 days ago. Approximately 821 months have passed. It was the 294th day of 1956, in week 42. The decade was the fifties. People born on this day are currently 67 years old and belong to the Baby Boomer generation. 1956 had 366 days because it was a leap year. 274 seasons of weather have come and gone since then.

Take me back to October 20, 1956

Let's take a walk down memory lane.

It is Saturday, October 20, 1956. Babies who are born today will have the star sign Libra. The work week is over and Saturday has finally come, so people are spending time with their kids, going to bars, shopping, playing video games, and watching sports.

The summer is long gone. Temperatures have become much cooler, and the evenings are beginning to get darker. There is a fresh, earthy scent in the air, and fallen leaves have carpeted driveways, lawns, pathways, and sidewalks. Halloween 1956 is quickly approaching.

In music, the song "Hound Dog" by Elvis Presley is the best-selling record at the moment. Dwight David Eisenhower is the President of the United States, and Sir Anthony Eden is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. In fashion, women are sporting chemise dresses, sheaths, sack dresses and straight-cut suits. Short boxy jackets and shift dresses are also beginning to become popular. Meanwhile, a lot of men are sporting a "Teddy Boy" style that involves leather jackets, greased-back hair, extremely narrow trousers and velvet-collared jackets. Men are also wearing formal suits as daywear.

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. It's 1956, so radio stations and jukeboxes are playing songs from singers such as Elvis Presley, Nelson Riddle, The Platters, Gogi Grant, Les Baxter, Doris Day, Dean Martin and Kay Starr. If you were to travel back to this day, notable figures such as Humphrey Bogart would be still alive.

On TV, people are watching popular shows such as "The Ed Sullivan Show", "The Lone Ranger", "What's My Line?", and "Annie Oakley". Children and teenagers are watching television shows such as "Looney Tunes", "Adventures of Superman", "The Mickey Mouse Club", and "The Gerald McBoing-Boing Show". Popular toys at the moment include Dimestore soldiers, Tonka trucks, Tiny Tears (doll), and BAS-KET Miniature Basketball.

News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on October 20, 1956.

  • Heckle and Jeckle make their debut.

    Heckle and Jeckle make their debut

    The first episode of the animated series "Heckle and Jeckle" was aired on television in October 1956.
  • The rise of Elvis Presley.

    The rise of Elvis Presley

    Between April 1955 and December 1956, Elvis Presley burst onto the rock n' roll scene with four top-selling records.
  • Movies from 1956.

    Movies from 1956

    The most popular movies in 1956 were The Ten Commandments, Around the World in 80 Days, Giant, Seven Wonders of the World, The King and I, Trapeze and War and Peace.
  • 1956 in music.

    1956 in music

    The radio stations in 1956 were dominated by artists such as Elvis Presley, Nelson Riddle, The Platters, Gogi Grant, Les Baxter, Doris Day, Dean Martin and Kay Starr.
  • The Hungarian freedom fighter.

    The Hungarian freedom fighter

    "The Hungarian freedom fighter" was named as the Time Person of the Year in 1956. This followed the Hungarian Revolution in October and November.
  • 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.
  • Rock and roll.

    Rock and roll

    In the mid-1950s, a new music genre called "Rock and Roll" began to take off.
  • Panty raids are all the rage on college campuses.

    Panty raids are all the rage on college campuses

    Panty raids were a popular college prank at the time. Large groups of male students would "raid" the living quarters of their female counterparts and then steal their underwear as proof that the raid had been successful. These raids took place during a time when colleges had curfews and men were forbidden from entering female dormitories.
  • Poodle skirts are a thing.

    Poodle skirts are a thing

    Women and young girls were wearing wide, unrestricted felt skirts called "poodle skirts." These were solid-colored skirts that had a design or a logo. In many cases, the design was an image of a poodle or a cat.
  • 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.
  • Men are getting "DA haircuts".

    Men are getting "DA haircuts"

    The "DA haircut" was extremely popular among men. The cut consisted of a combed-back hairstyle that was parted down the middle at the back. "DA" stood for "Duck's Ass," which is what many people liked to call the style.
  • Sock hops.

    Sock hops

    Sock hops were informal dance events for teenagers. The name originated from the fact that many of these dances required participants to remove their shoes. This is because sock hops were often held in high school gymnasiums, and the organizers didn't want scuff marks on the floors.
  • Capitalism vs Communism.

    Capitalism vs Communism

    The ideological clash between capitalism and communism heated up during the 1950s. It was during this period that a "Cold War" started between the United States and the Soviet Union. In the US, there were fears that Soviet spies had infiltrated all parts of society, including Hollywood.
  • The economy is booming.

    The economy is booming

    The world was recovering from World War II. Many countries witnessed an economic boom during this decade. Unemployment was low, consumerism increased, mortgages were cheap, and governments started to invest in infrastructure such as highways. For many, this was the "golden age" of the economy.
  • Rotary phones.

    Rotary phones

    Almost everyone had rotary phones in the 1950s. However, the heavier metal dial components were being phased out and replaced with plastic.
  • More and more people are buying television sets.

    More and more people are buying television sets

    More and more households were buying TV sets. In 1950, 20% of homes had a television. By the end of the decade, that figure had risen to 90%.

Personality traits

Check out our personality summary for people who were born on October 20, 1956.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

View Personality Summary

Events

What happened around this time?

Notable events that happened close to October 20, 1956.

  • October 6, 1956: Soccer: Bobby Charlton makes his debut for Manchester United.
  • October 10, 1956: Baseball: The New York Yankees defeat the Brooklyn Dodgers by 4-3 to win the 1956 World Series.
  • October 14, 1956: The first episode of the animated series "Heckle and Jeckle" is broadcast on CBS.
  • October 17, 1956: The adventure comedy film "Around the World in 80 Days" is released in movie theaters.
  • This date: October 20, 1956
  • October 23, 1956: The Hungarian Revolution of 1956 begins.
  • November 4, 1956: Hungarian Revolution: The Soviet Union sends troops into Hungary to quash the uprising.
  • November 6, 1956: 1956 United States presidential election: President Dwight D. Eisenhower is reelected after a landslide victory against Democratic challenger Adlai Stevenson.
  • November 8, 1956:
    • Cecil B. DeMille's religious drama film "The Ten Commandments" is released in movie theaters.
    • Hungarian Revolution: The United Nations General Assembly demands that the Soviet Union withdraw from Hungary.
  • November 13, 1956: The US Supreme Court rules that Alabama's segregated bus laws are illegal.
Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on October 20, 1956, will have the star sign Libra.
  • Zodiac Element: Air.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1956 was the year of the Monkey (Yang Water).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 6.
  • Native American Zodiac: October 20, 1956 falls under the Raven.
  • Birthstone: A person during the month of October will have the birthstones Tourmaline and Opal.
  • Birth flower (October): The Marigold and the Cosmos.

1950s fashion

Photographs of 1950s fashion and hairstyles.

1950s fashion

Television shows

TV series on October 20, 1956

People in October 1956 were watching the following TV series:

TV shows from October 1956.

Fury
Fury
Gunsmoke
Gunsmoke
Annie Oakley
Annie Oakley
The Danny Thomas Show
The Danny Thomas Show
The Roy Rogers Show
The Roy Rogers Show
I Love Lucy
I Love Lucy
Sky King
Sky King
The Jack Benny Program
The Jack Benny Program
The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show
The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show
You Bet Your Life
You Bet Your Life
What's My Line?
What's My Line?
The Lone Ranger
The Lone Ranger
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show

Cars in 1956

1956 saw the introduction of cars such as the 1957 Chevrolet, the Mercedes-Benz W105, the Studebaker Hawk, the Volvo Amazon, the Continental Mark II, and the Ford F-Series (third generation).

Cars in 1956.

Children TV shows

Kids TV shows on October 20, 1956

Cartoons and TV shows that children and teenagers were watching on this day in 1956:

Heckle and Jeckle
Heckle and Jeckle
The Gerald McBoing-Boing Show
The Gerald McBoing-Boing Show
The Gumby Show
The Gumby Show

Captain Kangaroo
Captain Kangaroo
The Mickey Mouse Club
The Mickey Mouse Club
Adventures of Pow Wow
Adventures of Pow Wow
Father Knows Best
Father Knows Best
Lassie
Lassie
Winky Dink and You
Winky Dink and You
Adventures of Superman
Adventures of Superman
Crusader Rabbit
Crusader Rabbit
Tom and Jerry
Tom and Jerry
Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes
Toys

Popular toys and games in 1956

Toys and games that were popular in 1956:

Wooly Willy
Wooly Willy
Play-Doh
Play-Doh
Matchbox toy cars
Matchbox toy cars
Roy Rogers Plastic Figures
Roy Rogers Plastic Figures
Mr. Potato Head
Mr. Potato Head
Feed the Elephant
Feed the Elephant
Colorforms
Colorforms
BAS-KET Miniature Basketball
BAS-KET Miniature Basketball
Tiny Tears (doll)
Tiny Tears (doll)
Spinning Tops
Spinning Tops
Toy Guns
Toy Guns
Foto-Electric Baseball
Foto-Electric Baseball
Tonka trucks
Tonka trucks
Dimestore soldiers
Dimestore soldiers

Were you born on October 20, 1956?

If you were born on this date, then it is unlikely that you will remember anything from the year 1956.

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 October 20, 1962, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on October 20.

Mickey Mantle

Mickey Mantle

Baseball player Deceased
Born on October 20, 1931
He turned 25 on this day in 1956.

Tom Petty

Tom Petty

Musician Deceased
Born on October 20, 1950
He turned 6 on this day in 1956.

Scott Hall

Scott Hall

Wrestler Deceased
Born on October 20, 1958
He was born exactly 2 years after this date.

Viggo Mortensen

Viggo Mortensen

Actor
Born on October 20, 1958
He was born exactly 2 years after this date.

Kamala Harris

Kamala Harris

US Vice President
Born on October 20, 1964
She was born exactly 8 years after this date.

Snoop Dogg

Snoop Dogg

Rapper
Born on October 20, 1971
He was born exactly 15 years after this date.

John Krasinski

John Krasinski

Actor
Born on October 20, 1979
He was born exactly 23 years after this date.

Candice Swanepoel

Candice Swanepoel

Actor
Born on October 20, 1988
She was born exactly 32 years after this date.

USA

US President

Dwight David Eisenhower was the President of the United States on October 20, 1956.

UK

UK Prime Minister

Sir Anthony Eden was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Ireland

Irish Taoiseach

John A. Costello was the Taoiseach of Ireland.

Conception

Conception dates

Conception estimates for this date.

  • A baby that was born on October 20, 1956 was most likely conceived around January 28, 1956.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on October 20, 1956 is close to July 13, 1957.

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Stats for October 20, 1956

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about October 20, 1956:

  • 24,622 days have passed since this date.
  • 3,517 weeks have passed.
  • 2,127,340,800 seconds have passed since October 20, 1956.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 2,481,897,600 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 1,097,707,852,800 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 354,556,800 times.
  • You have taken approximately 182,951,309 steps. That's roughly 81,312 miles!
  • Since this date, 25,528,090 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere!
  • How many years ago was 1956?

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