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May 23, 1959

May 23, 1959, was a Saturday. It was 65 years, 5 months, and 13 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Gemini.

Music charts

Top song: May 23, 1959

The best-selling single on May 23, 1959 was "Kansas City" by Wilbert Harrison.

The Billboard Hot 100 on May 23, 1959

The top five songs from the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

  • Kansas City - Wilbert Harrison
  • The Battle Of New Orleans - Johnny Horton
  • Dream Lover - Bobby Darin
  • Sorry (I Ran All The Way Home) - The Impalas
  • Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb) - Edward Byrnes & Connie Stevens
Play the top singles from 1959
A Spotify playlist of songs from the year 1959. Take a trip back to the days of The Platters, Frankie Avalon, The Fleetwoods and Johnny Horton.
Some Like It Hot

Top movie

The top movie on this day was "Some Like It Hot".

Facts

This date occurred 23,908 days ago. Approximately 797 months have passed. It was the 143rd day of 1959, in week 21. The decade was the fifties. People who were born on May 23, 1959, are now 65 years old and belong to the Baby Boomer generation. 266 seasons of weather have come and gone since then.

Take me back to May 23, 1959

Let's take a walk down memory lane.

The date is May 23, 1959, and it's a Saturday. Babies who are born today will have the star sign Gemini. The work week is over and Saturday has finally come, so people are spending time with their kids, going to bars, attending dances, shopping, and watching sports.

The summer of 1959 has finally arrived. The weather has warmed up, and the evenings are brighter than usual. The school year is nearly finished. In music, the song "Kansas City" by Wilbert Harrison is the best-selling record at the moment. Dwight David Eisenhower is the President of the United States, and the movie Some Like It Hot 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", "Perry Mason", "Casey Jones", and "Rawhide". 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 1959, so radio stations and jukeboxes are playing hit songs from artists such as Johnny Horton, Bobby Darin, Lloyd Price, Frankie Avalon, Paul Anka, The Browns, The Fleetwoods and Wilbert Harrison. If you were to travel back to this day, notable figures such as Clark Gable would be still alive.

Kids and teenagers are watching TV shows such as "Looney Tunes", "Colonel Bleep", "Felix the Cat", and "Pixie and Dixie and Mr. Jinks". Children are playing with toys such as Dimestore soldiers, Spinning Tops, Wooly Willy, and Crater Critters.

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on May 23, 1959, will have the star sign Gemini.
  • Zodiac Element: Air.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1959 was the year of the Pig (Yin Wood).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 7.
  • Native American Zodiac: May 23, 1959 falls under the Deer.
  • Birthstone: A person during the month of May will have the birthstone Emerald.
  • Birth flower (May): The Lily of the Valley and the Hawthorn.
News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on May 23, 1959.

  • 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.
  • Barbie is introduced.

    Barbie is introduced

    The first Barbie toy doll was introduced in March 1959. The doll came in both blonde and brunette colors. It also had a modest sideways glance.
  • Phonebooth stuffing has become a fad.

    Phonebooth stuffing has become a fad

    In 1959, a new fad swept across South Africa, the United States, Canada, and Britain. This fad was called "phonebooth stuffing". As the name suggests, it involved trying to fit as many people into a telephone booth as possible.
  • Movies from 1959.

    Movies from 1959

    The most popular movies in 1959 were Ben-Hur, The Shaggy Dog, Operation Petticoat, Some Like It Hot, Pillow Talk, Imitation of Life, "Suddenly, Last Summer", Rio Bravo and The Nun's Story.
  • 1959 in music.

    1959 in music

    The radio stations in 1959 were dominated by artists such as Johnny Horton, Bobby Darin, Lloyd Price, Frankie Avalon, Paul Anka, The Browns, The Fleetwoods and Wilbert Harrison.
  • Dwight D. Eisenhower.

    Dwight D. Eisenhower

    US President Dwight D. Eisenhower was named Time Person of the Year in 1959.
  • 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.
  • 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 May 23, 1959.

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 May 23, 1959.

  • May 2, 1959: Soccer: Nottingham Forest beat Luton Town 2-1 to win the 1959 FA Cup Final.
  • May 12, 1959: Elizabeth Taylor and Eddie Fisher are married a year after they started an extramarital affair.
  • May 19, 1959: The Ho Chi Minh Trail begins as communist forces in North Vietnam start their plans to invade South Vietnam.
  • This date: May 23, 1959
  • June 3, 1959: Spanish club Real Madrid defeat French side Reims 2-0 in the 1959 European Cup Final.
  • June 8, 1959: Ray Charles releases his single "What'd I Say".
  • June 16, 1959: Actor George Reeves commits suicide at his home in Benedict Canyon, Los Angeles.
  • June 20, 1959: 35 people lose their lives after a hurricane strikes the Gulf of Saint Lawrence in Canada.

1950s fashion

Photographs of 1950s fashion and hairstyles.

1950s fashion

Television shows

Television shows in May 1959

In May 1959, TV audiences were watching the following series:

TV shows from May 1959.

Rawhide
Rawhide
77 Sunset Strip
77 Sunset Strip
Casey Jones
Casey Jones
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
Fury
Fury
Gunsmoke
Gunsmoke
The Danny Thomas Show
The Danny Thomas Show
The Jack Benny Program
The Jack Benny Program

Cars in 1959

1959 saw the introduction of cars such as the Ford Falcon, the Chevrolet El Camino, the BMW 700, the Mini, the Buick Electra, and the Studebaker Lark.

Cars in 1959.

Children TV shows

Cartoons and children's TV shows in May 1959

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

Clutch Cargo
Clutch Cargo
Pixie and Dixie and Mr. Jinks
Pixie and Dixie and Mr. Jinks
Felix the Cat
Felix the Cat

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
The Ruff and Reddy Show
The Ruff and Reddy Show
Leave It to Beaver
Leave It to Beaver
Captain Pugwash
Captain Pugwash
Colonel Bleep
Colonel Bleep
Toys

Toys in 1959

If you were a child on this date, then you may have had some of the following toys:

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
Play-Doh
Play-Doh
Matchbox toy cars
Matchbox toy cars
Colorforms
Colorforms
BAS-KET Miniature Basketball
BAS-KET Miniature Basketball
Tiny Tears (doll)
Tiny Tears (doll)
Spinning Tops
Spinning Tops

Were you born on May 23, 1959?

If you were born on this date, then it is unlikely that you will remember anything from the year 1959.

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 May 23, 1965, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on May 23.

John Bardeen

John Bardeen

American physicist Deceased
Born on May 23, 1908
He turned 51 on this day in 1959.

Bill Barr

Bill Barr

US Attorney General
Born on May 23, 1950
He turned 9 on this day in 1959.

Drew Carey

Drew Carey

Actor
Born on May 23, 1958
He turned 1 on this day in 1959.

Melissa McBride

Melissa McBride

Actress
Born on May 23, 1965
She was born exactly 6 years after this date.

Bray Wyatt

Bray Wyatt

Wrestler Deceased
Born on May 23, 1987
He was born exactly 28 years after this date.

Aaron Donald

Aaron Donald

NFL player
Born on May 23, 1991
He was born exactly 32 years after this date.

James Charles

James Charles

Internet personality
Born on May 23, 1999
He was born exactly 40 years after this date.

USA

US President

Dwight David Eisenhower was the President of the United States on May 23, 1959.

UK

UK Prime Minister

Harold Macmillan was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Ireland

Irish Taoiseach

Éamon de Valera was the Taoiseach of Ireland.

Conception

Conception dates

Conception estimates for this date.

  • A baby that was born on May 23, 1959 was most likely conceived around August 30, 1958.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on May 23, 1959 is close to February 13, 1960.

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Stats for May 23, 1959

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about May 23, 1959:

  • 23,908 days have passed since this date.
  • 3,415 weeks have passed.
  • 2,065,654,800 seconds have passed since May 23, 1959.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 2,409,930,600 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 1,065,877,876,800 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 344,275,800 times.
  • You have taken approximately 177,646,313 steps. That's roughly 78,954 miles.
  • 24,787,858 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1959?

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