May 5th, 1961

May 5th, 1961, fell on a Friday. It was day 125 of 1961. The decade was the 1960s.

59 years, 11 months and 13 days have passed since May 5th, 1961.

On This Date

Events that occurred on May 5th, 1961:

Alan Shepard becomes the first American to travel into space.

Music Singles

Songs that were on top of the music singles charts in the USA and the United Kingdom on May 5th, 1961:

United States: Runaway - Del Shannon
United Kingdom: Wooden Heart - Elvis Presley

Take Me Back!

The date is May 5th, 1961 and it's a Friday. Anyone born today will have the star sign Taurus. Currently, people have "that Friday feeling" and are looking forward to the weekend.

The summer of 1961 has finally arrived. The weather has warmed up and the evenings are brighter than usual. In America, the song Runaway by Del Shannon is on top of the singles charts. Over in the UK, Wooden Heart by Elvis Presley is the number one hit song.

John Fitzgerald Kennedy is currently the President of the United States and 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. On TV, people are watching popular shows such as "Have Gun - Will Travel", "Maverick", "The Twilight Zone" and "The Untouchables". Kids and teenagers are watching TV shows such as "Mighty Mouse Playhouse", "The Flintstones", "The Bugs Bunny Show" and "Mister Ed".

If you're a kid or a teenager, then you're probably playing with toys such as "Crater Critters", "Astrobase", "Etch A Sketch" and "Ken (doll)".

News Topics, Fads & Culture

Trending news stories and fads that were prevalent throughout this time period. These are news stories and events that would have been in the media on May 5th, 1961.

John F. Kennedy.
U.S. President John F. Kennedy was named as the Time Person of the Year in 1961.
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.
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.
Henry Mancini - "Moon River"
"Moon River" by Henry Mancini would go on to win a Grammy for 1961's Song of the Year.
West Side Story
"West Side Story" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1961.
Who were the best football players in 1961?
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.
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.

Basic Facts

Basic facts and information about this date:

59 years, 11 months and 13 days have passed since May 5th, 1961.
Week Number: This date occurred during Week 18 of 1961.
Leap Year: 1961 was NOT a leap year.
Age: Anyone born on May 5th, 1961, will be 59 years of age.
People born in 1961 belong to the Baby Boomer generation.

Around This Time...

Notable events that occurred around May 5th, 1961:

April 8th, 1961: 238 people are killed when British passenger ship Dara sinks off the coast of Dubai.
April 11th, 1961: The trial of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann begins in Israel.
April 12th, 1961: Russia's Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human to journey into outer space.
April 16th, 1961: Cuban leader Fidel Castro announces that the country will be adopting Communism.
April 17th, 1961: The Bay of Pigs Invasion occurs when a CIA-sponsored paramilitary group attempts to invade Cuba.
April 18th, 1961: Newspapers report that American actor Gary Cooper is dying from cancer.
April 24th, 1961: Ben E. King releases his song "Stand by Me".
April 30th, 1961: The song "Tossin' and Turnin'" is released by Bobby Lewis.
May 1st, 1961: Fidel Castro proclaims Cuba as a socialist state and bans all elections.
This date: May 5th, 1961
May 6th, 1961: FA Cup Final 1961: Tottenham Hotspur defeat Leicester City 2-0.
May 13th, 1961: American actor Gary Cooper dies from cancer at the age of 60.
May 21st, 1961: Martial law is imposed in Montgomery, Alabama, following racial violence between whites and blacks.
May 25th, 1961: US President John F. Kennedy announces that the United States plans to put a man on the moon before the end of the decade.
May 31st, 1961: Football: Portuguese side Benfica win the European Cup after they defeat Barcelona 3-2 at the Wankdorf Stadium in Bern, Germany.

Horoscopes & Birthstone Information

Zodiac & Birthstone information:

Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on May 5th, 1961, will have the star sign Taurus.
However, if you are going by the new star sign system (2020), then the sign for this date is actually Aries.
Zodiac Element: Earth.
Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1961 was the year of the Ox (Yin Wood).
Native American Zodiac: May 5th, 1961 falls under the Beaver.
Birthstone: Anyone born during the month of May will have the birthstone Emerald.

Television Shows

TV shows that people would have been watching around this time.

Route 66 - Adventure crime drama.
The Andy Griffith Show - Comedy TV series about a sheriff in Mayberry, North Carolina.
Danger Man - British television series about a secret agent working for NATO.
The Untouchables - American crime drama.
The Twilight Zone - TV series about disturbing or unusual events.
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis - American sitcom about a teenager who strives for beautiful women, fancy cars and money.
Bonanza - American Western series.
Rawhide - American western series starring Eric Fleming and Clint Eastwood.
77 Sunset Strip - Private detective drama series.
Maverick - American Western series about two brothers called Bret and Bart Maverick.
Perry Mason - Legal drama series.
Wagon Train - American western series.

1961 - Kid's TV

Children's and Teen TV shows that would have been airing on this date in 1961.

Davey and Goliath
The Yogi Bear Show
Mister Ed
The Dick Tracy Show
King Leonardo and His Short Subjects
The Bugs Bunny Show
The Flintstones
My Three Sons
Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse
The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends
Dennis the Menace
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
The Rifleman
The Huckleberry Hound Show
Leave It to Beaver
Heckle and Jeckle
The Gumby Show
Mighty Mouse Playhouse
Captain Kangaroo
Lassie
Tom and Jerry
Looney Tunes

1961 - Toys & Games

Toys and games that would have been popular on this date in 1961:

Ken (doll)
Etch A Sketch
Astrobase
Troll doll
Crater Critters

Celebrity Birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures and noteable people who were born on the 5th of May:

May 5th, 1818: Karl Marx: Philosopher.
May 5th, 1988: Adele: Singer.
May 5th, 1989: Chris Brown: Singer.

Holidays

National holidays and famous events that fall on the 5th of May:

Liberation Day (Denmark)
Children's Day (Japan)

US President

Who was the US President on May 5th, 1961?

John Fitzgerald Kennedy was the President of the United States.

UK Prime Minister

Who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on May 5th, 1961?

Harold Macmillan was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Irish Taoiseach

Who was the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Ireland on this date?

Seán Lemass was the Taoiseach of Ireland.

Conception Dates

Interesting facts about conception dates.

A baby that was born on May 5th, 1961 was probably conceived around the 26th of July, 1960. (Rough Estimate).
The due date for a baby that was conceived on May 5th, 1961 is the 12th of February, 1962. (Rough Estimate).

How old was I?

Enter your date of birth below to find out how old you were on May 5th, 1961.

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Videos

Looking for some nostalgia? Here are some Youtube videos relating to May 5th, 1961. Please note that videos are automatically selected by Youtube and that results may vary! Click on the "Load Next Video" button to view the next video in the search playlist. In many cases, you'll find episodes of old TV shows, documentaries, music videos and soap dramas.

Time Difference & Statistics

Here are some fun statistics about May 5th, 1961.

21,898 days have passed since this date.
1,891,987,200 seconds have passed since the May 5th, 1961.
If you were born on this day, your heart has beated approximately 2,207,318,400 times.
Since May 5th, 1961, earth has travelled approximately 976,265,395,200 miles through space.
If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 315,331,200 times.
If you were born on this day, you have taken approximately 162,710,899 steps. That's about 72,316 miles!
Since this date, 22,703,846 meteors have entered the earth's atmosphere!

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