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January 12, 1961

January 12, 1961, was a Thursday. It was 63 years, 11 months, and 10 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Capricorn.

Song charts

Top songs

These songs were on top of the music charts in the United States and the United Kingdom on January 12, 1961:

  • United States: "Wonderland By Night" by Bert Kaempfert
  • United Kingdom: "Poetry In Motion" by Johnny Tillotson

The Billboard Hot 100 on January 12, 1961

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

  • Wonderland By Night - Bert Kaempfert And His Orchestra
  • Are You Lonesome To-night? - Elvis Presley With The Jordanaires
  • Exodus - Ferrante & Teicher
  • Last Date - Floyd Cramer
  • Will You Love Me Tomorrow - The Shirelles
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.
Spartacus

Top movie at the box office

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

Facts

This date was 23,355 days ago. Approximately 779 months have passed. It was the 12th day of 1961, in week 02. The decade was the swinging sixties. People born on this day are currently 63 years old and belong to the Baby Boomer generation. We have gone through approximately 260 seasons of weather since this date.

Take me back to January 12, 1961

Ready for a walk down memory lane?

It is Thursday, January 12, 1961. Anyone born today will have the star sign Capricorn. The Christmas holiday season is long over, the decorations have been taken down, and a sense of normality has returned.

In America, the song "Wonderland By Night" by Bert Kaempfert is at the top of the singles charts, while "Poetry In Motion" by Johnny Tillotson is the number-one song in the UK. Dwight David Eisenhower is the President of the United States, and the movie Spartacus 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 "The Ed Sullivan Show", "You Bet Your Life", "Wagon Train", and "Danger Man". Children and teenagers are watching television shows such as "Looney Tunes", "Lassie", "Dennis the Menace", and "The Dick Tracy Show".

Popular toys at the moment include Wooly Willy, Fisher Price Little People, Barbie, and Matchbox toy cars.

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on January 12, 1961, will have the star sign Capricorn.
  • 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 3.
  • Native American Zodiac: January 12, 1961 falls under the Goose.
  • Birthstone: A person during the month of January will have the birthstone Garnet.
  • Birth flower (January): The Carnation and the Snowdrop.
News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on January 12, 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 January 12, 1961.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

View Personality Summary

Events

What happened around this time?

Notable events that happened close to January 12, 1961.

  • December 16, 1960: 128 people are killed when two airliners collide over Staten Island, New York.
  • December 21, 1960: The film "Swiss Family Robinson" is released by Disney.
  • December 26, 1960: NFL: The Philadelphia Eagles defeat the Green Bay Packers by 17-13 to win the 1960 NFL Championship Game.
  • January 9, 1961: The Portland Spy Ring: A Soviet spy ring is uncovered in London.
  • January 11, 1961: The Throgs Neck Bridge connecting The Bronx and Queens is opened in New York City.
  • This date: January 12, 1961
  • January 16, 1961: Mickey Mantle becomes the highest paid player in baseball after he signs a $75,000 contract with the New York Yankees.
  • January 20, 1961: John F. Kennedy takes office as the 35th President of the United States.
  • January 24, 1961: Actress Marilyn Monroe divorces her husband Arthur Miller after less than five years of marriage.
  • January 25, 1961: Disney releases the movie "One Hundred and One Dalmatians".
  • January 30, 1961: Patsy Cline releases her single "I Fall to Pieces".
  • February 9, 1961: The Beatles perform for the very first time at a nightclub called The Cavern Club.

1960s fashion

Photographs of 1960s fashion and hairstyles.

1960s fashion

Television shows

TV series on January 12, 1961

TV audiences were watching the following shows on January 12, 1961:

TV shows from January 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 January 12, 1961

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

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
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy
Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy
Toys

Popular toys and games in 1961

Toys and games that were popular in 1961:

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

Were you born on January 12, 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 January 12, 1967, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on January 12.

Joe Frazier

Joe Frazier

Boxer Deceased
Born on January 12, 1944
He turned 17 on this day in 1961.

Rush Limbaugh

Rush Limbaugh

Talk-show host Deceased
Born on January 12, 1951
He turned 10 on this day in 1961.

Kirstie Alley

Kirstie Alley

Actress Deceased
Born on January 12, 1951
She turned 10 on this day in 1961.

Howard Stern

Howard Stern

Radio personality
Born on January 12, 1954
He turned 7 on this day in 1961.

Jeff Bezos

Jeff Bezos

Amazon founder
Born on January 12, 1964
He was born exactly 3 years after this date.

Big Dick Dudley

Big Dick Dudley

Wrestler Deceased
Born on January 12, 1968
He was born exactly 7 years after this date.

Melanie C

Melanie C

Spice Girls
Born on January 12, 1974
She was born exactly 13 years after this date.

Naya Rivera

Naya Rivera

Actress Deceased
Born on January 12, 1987
She was born exactly 26 years after this date.

Pixie Lott

Pixie Lott

Singer
Born on January 12, 1991
She was born exactly 30 years after this date.

Zayn Malik

Zayn Malik

Singer
Born on January 12, 1993
He was born exactly 32 years after this date.

USA

US President

Dwight David Eisenhower was the President of the United States on January 12, 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 January 12, 1961 was most likely conceived around April 21, 1960.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on January 12, 1961 is close to October 5, 1961.

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Stats for January 12, 1961

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about January 12, 1961:

  • 23,355 days have passed since this date.
  • 3,336 weeks have passed.
  • 2,017,872,000 seconds have passed since January 12, 1961.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 2,354,184,000 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 1,041,221,952,000 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 336,312,000 times.
  • You have taken approximately 173,536,992 steps. That's roughly 77,128 miles.
  • 24,214,464 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1961?

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