BestOfDate

August 17, 1959

August 17, 1959, was a Monday. It was 65 years, 3 months, and 4 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Leo.

Birthdays

Born on August 17, 1959

People who were born on this exact date:

Music charts

Top song: August 17, 1959

The best-selling single on August 17, 1959 was "A Big Hunk o' Love" by Elvis Presley.

The Billboard Hot 100 on August 17, 1959

The top five songs from the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

  • A Big Hunk O' Love - Elvis Presley With The Jordanaires
  • There Goes My Baby - The Drifters
  • My Heart Is An Open Book - Carl Dobkins, Jr.
  • Lavender-Blue - Sammy Turner
  • Lonely Boy - Paul Anka
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.
North by Northwest

Top movie

The movie "North by Northwest" was at the top of the box office on this day.

Facts

This date occurred 23,838 days ago. Approximately 795 months have passed. It was the 229th day of 1959, in week 34. The decade was the fifties. People who were born on August 17, 1959, are now 65 years old and belong to the Baby Boomer generation. We have gone through approximately 265 seasons of weather since this date.

Take me back to August 17, 1959

Let's take a walk down memory lane.

The date is August 17, 1959, and it's a Monday. Babies who are born today will have the star sign Leo. The weekend has just passed, so some people are feeling a bit down. Others are tired after partying too much.

The summer of 1959 is in full swing. The weather is warm, and the evenings are brighter than usual. Most schools and colleges are now finished until August or September. In music, the song "A Big Hunk o' Love" by Elvis Presley is the best-selling record at the moment. Dwight David Eisenhower is the President of the United States, and the movie North by Northwest 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 "You Bet Your Life", "Have Gun - Will Travel", "Perry Mason", 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", "The Gumby Show", "Captain Pugwash", and "The Adventures of Spunky and Tadpole". Children are playing with toys such as Dimestore soldiers, Toy Guns, Spinning Tops, and Colorforms.

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on August 17, 1959, will have the star sign Leo.
  • Zodiac Element: Fire.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1959 was the year of the Pig (Yin Wood).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 22.
  • Native American Zodiac: August 17, 1959 falls under the Salmon.
  • Birthstone: A person during the month of August will have the birthstone Peridot.
  • Birth flower (August): The Gladiolus and the Poppy.
News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on August 17, 1959.

  • Steel strike of 1959.

    Steel strike of 1959

    Between July and November of 1959, members of the United Steelworkers of America went on strike.
  • 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.
  • 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 August 17, 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 August 17, 1959.

  • August 3, 1959: Pidjiguiti massacre: Over 50 people are killed in Bissau, Portuguese Guinea after Portugal's state police force opens fire on a crowd of striking workers.
  • August 14, 1959: The American Football League (AFL) is founded.
  • This date: August 17, 1959
  • August 21, 1959: Hawaii becomes the 50th US state.
  • August 26, 1959: The Mini (vehicle) is launched.
  • September 12, 1959: The first episode of the American Western television series "Bonanza" is aired on NBC.
  • September 14, 1959: Soviet probe Luna 2 becomes the first man-made object to reach the moon.
  • September 15, 1959: General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Nikita Khrushchev, visits the United States.
  • September 16, 1959: The first successful photocopier is introduced to the world.

1950s fashion

Photographs of 1950s fashion and hairstyles.

1950s fashion

Television shows

TV series on August 17, 1959

People in August 1959 were watching the following TV series:

TV shows from August 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 August 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

Children were playing with the following toys and games:

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 August 17, 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 August 17, 1965, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

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

Robert De Niro

Robert De Niro

Actor
Born on August 17, 1943
He turned 16 on this day in 1959.

Sean Penn

Sean Penn

Actor
Born on August 17, 1960
He was born exactly one year after this date.

Scott Halberstadt

Scott Halberstadt

Actor
Born on August 17, 1976
He was born exactly 17 years after this date.

Thierry Henry

Thierry Henry

French soccer player
Born on August 17, 1977
He was born exactly 18 years after this date.

James Tindale

James Tindale

Geordie Shore
Born on August 17, 1990
He was born exactly 31 years after this date.

Austin Butler

Austin Butler

Actor
Born on August 17, 1991
He was born exactly 32 years after this date.

Paige

Paige

Wrestler
Born on August 17, 1992
She was born exactly 33 years after this date.

Lil Pump

Lil Pump

Rapper
Born on August 17, 2000
He was born exactly 41 years after this date.

The Kid Laroi

The Kid Laroi

Australian singer
Born on August 17, 2003
He was born exactly 44 years after this date.

USA

US President

Dwight David Eisenhower was the President of the United States on August 17, 1959.

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 August 17, 1959 was most likely conceived around November 24, 1958.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on August 17, 1959 is close to May 9, 1960.

Submit a comment

Have something to say about this date? Was it your birthday? Or perhaps you have a memory of it?

All comments are moderated. Our system may automatically edit comments to correct misspellings and grammar. We may also remove or redact personal information.

How old was I?

Find out what your age was on August 17, 1959, by entering your date of birth below.
This information is not sent to our server.

Stats for August 17, 1959

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about August 17, 1959:

  • 23,838 days have passed since this date.
  • 3,405 weeks have passed.
  • 2,059,606,800 seconds have passed since August 17, 1959.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 2,402,874,600 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 1,062,757,108,800 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 343,267,800 times.
  • You have taken approximately 177,126,185 steps. That's roughly 78,723 miles.
  • 24,715,282 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1959?

Search

It looks like you have reached the end. Try searching for another date.

Random

Random dates

Check out some of these random dates.