May 17th, 1961

Born on May 17th, 1961.

People who were born on this exact date.

• Enya: Irish singer.

Top songs.

These songs were on top of the music charts in the United States and the United Kingdom on May 17th, 1961.

• United States: Runaway - Del Shannon
• United Kingdom: On The Rebound - Floyd Cramer

Take me back to May 17th, 1961!

Let's take a walk down memory lane.

The date is May 17th, 1961, and it's a Wednesday. Anyone born today will have the star sign Taurus. 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 at the top of the singles charts. Over in the UK, On The Rebound by Floyd Cramer is the number-one hit song. John Fitzgerald Kennedy is the President of the United States, and the movie The Absent-Minded Professor 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 "What's My Line?", "Have Gun - Will Travel", "77 Sunset Strip", and "The Untouchables". 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 and Marilyn Monroe would be still alive.

Children and teenagers are watching television shows such as "Bozo: The World's Most Famous Clown", "Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy", "Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse", and "King Leonardo and His Short Subjects". Children are playing with toys such as Wooly Willy, Crater Critters, Barbie, and Etch A Sketch.

News topics, nostalgic fads, and pop culture events.

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on May 17th, 1961.

• 

  The USA is escalating its involvement in the Vietnam War.

  The United States was slowly escalating its involvement in the Vietnam War. In May 1961, President John F. Kennedy ordered helicopters and 400 Green Berets into South Vietnam. Covert operations against the communist forces in the north were also authorized. By 1963, the number of US military personnel in the country had grown to 10,000.

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  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?

  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.

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  West Side Story.

  The film "West Side Story" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1961.

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  Henry Mancini - "Moon River"

  The song "Moon River" by Henry Mancini won a Grammy for 1961's Song of the Year.

• 

  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.

  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.

  US President John F. Kennedy was named Time Person of the Year in 1961.

• 

  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.

• 

  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.

  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 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.

Facts.

Basic facts and information about this date:

• 62 years and 21 days have passed since May 17th, 1961.
• Week Number: This date occurred during Week 20 of 1961.
• Leap Year: 1961 was not a leap year.
• Age: People born on May 17th, 1961, are now 62 years old.
• Generation: People born in 1961 belong to the Baby Boomer generation.

Personality traits.

Check out our personality summary for people who were born on May 17th, 1961.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

View Personality Summary

Around this time.

News stories, pop culture trends, and other events that happened around May 17th, 1961.

• 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 19th, 1961: The comedy-drama film "La Dolce Vita" hits the big screen.
• April 20th, 1961: The Bay of Pigs Invasion of Cuba fails.
• April 23rd, 1961: American actress and singer Judy Garland performs at a comeback concert in Carnegie Hall.
• April 24th, 1961: Ben E. King releases his song "Stand by Me".
• April 26th, 1961: Western musician and TV personality Spade Cooley is indicted for the murder of his wife Ella Mae Evans.
• 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.
• May 5th, 1961: Alan Shepard becomes the first American to travel into space.
• May 6th, 1961: FA Cup Final 1961: Tottenham Hotspur defeat Leicester City 2-0.
• May 10th, 1961: 78 people die after a bomb explodes on Air France Flight 406.
• May 11th, 1961: US President John F. Kennedy orders helicopters and 400 Green Berets into South Vietnam.
• May 13th, 1961: American actor Gary Cooper dies from cancer at the age of 60.
• This date: May 17th, 1961
• 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 30th, 1961: Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo is assassinated during an ambush outside of Santo Domingo.
• May 30th, 1961: 61 people lose their lives after Viasa Flight 897 crashes off the coast of Portugal.
• May 31st, 1961: Football: Portuguese side Benfica win the European Cup after they defeat Barcelona 3-2 at the Wankdorf Stadium in Bern, Germany.
• June 8th, 1961: Marvin Gaye releases his debut studio album.
• June 16th, 1961: Russian ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev requests asylum in France.

Horoscope, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Zodiac and birthstone information.

NEW! Check out our personality summary image for this birth date.

• Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on May 17th, 1961, will have the star sign Taurus.
• 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: May 17th, 1961 falls under the Beaver.
• Birthstone: A person during the month of May will have the birthstone Emerald.
• Birth flower (May): The Lily of the Valley and the Hawthorn.

Photos of 1960s fashion.

Photographs of 1960s fashion and hairstyles.

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.

Were you born on this date?

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 May 17th, 1967, instead.

Holidays.

National holidays and famous events that fall on the 17th of May.

• Constitution Day (Norway)

Conception dates.

Conception estimates for this date.

Warning! These conception dates are based on broad estimates.

• A baby that was born on May 17th, 1961 was most likely conceived around August 24th, 1960.
• The due date for a baby that was conceived on May 17th, 1961 is close to February 7th, 1962.

How old was I?

Find out what your age was on May 17th, 1961, by entering your DOB below.
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Time difference & statistics.

Here are some fun statistics about May 17th, 1961.

• A total of 22,666 days have passed since this date.
• 3,238 weeks have passed.
• 1,958,342,400 seconds have passed since the May 17th, 1961.
• If you were born on this day, your heart has beated approximately 2,284,732,800 times.
• Since May 17th, 1961, the Earth has travelled approximately 1,010,504,678,400 miles through space.
• If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 326,390,400 times.
• If you were born on this day, you have taken approximately 168,417,446 steps. That's about 74,852 miles!
• Since this date, 23,500,109 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere!
• How many years ago was 1961?

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