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October 1, 1961

October 1, 1961, was a Sunday. It was 63 years and 13 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Libra.

On This Day

On this day

What happened on October 1, 1961?

  • Elvis Presley releases his song "Can't Help Falling in Love".
Song charts

Music charts

Songs that were on top of the charts in the USA and the United Kingdom on October 1, 1961:

  • United States: "Take Good Care Of My Baby" by Bobby Vee
  • United Kingdom: "Johnny Remember Me" by John Leyton

The Billboard Hot 100 on October 1, 1961

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

  • Take Good Care Of My Baby - Bobby Vee
  • The Mountain's High - Dick and DeeDee
  • Crying - Roy Orbison
  • Hit The Road Jack - Ray Charles and his Orchestra
  • Little Sister - Elvis Presley
Play the top singles 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.
Come September

Top movie at the box office

The movie "Come September" was at the top of the box office on October 1, 1961.

Facts

This date occurred 23,024 days ago. Approximately 767 months have passed. It was the 274th day of 1961, in week 39. The decade was the swinging sixties. Daylight saving time (DST) started in Australia on October 1, 1961, as the clocks went forward by one hour. People who were born on October 1, 1961, are now 63 years old and belong to the Baby Boomer generation. The Earth has experienced 256 seasons of weather since then.

Take me back to October 1, 1961

Let's take a stroll down memory lane.

The date is October 1, 1961, and it's a Sunday. Anyone born today will have the star sign Libra. People are currently enjoying their weekend. However, because it's a Sunday, some are dreading the week ahead.

The summer is long gone. Temperatures have become much cooler, and the evenings are beginning to get darker. There is a fresh, earthy scent in the air, and fallen leaves have carpeted driveways, lawns, pathways, and sidewalks. In America, the song "Take Good Care Of My Baby" by Bobby Vee is at the top of the singles charts, while "Johnny Remember Me" by John Leyton is the number-one song in the UK.

John Fitzgerald Kennedy is the President of the United States, and the movie Come September 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", "Wagon Train", "Perry Mason", and "The Twilight Zone".

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 Ernie Kovacs and Marilyn Monroe would be still alive. Children and teenagers are watching television shows such as "The Gumby Show", "The Adventures of Spunky and Tadpole", "The Rifleman", and "The Yogi Bear Show". Children are playing with toys such as Crater Critters, Playpal dolls, Matchbox toy cars, and Astrobase.

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on October 1, 1961, will have the star sign Libra.
  • Zodiac Element: Air.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1961 was the year of the Ox (Yin Wood).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 1.
  • Native American Zodiac: October 1, 1961 falls under the Raven.
  • Birthstone: A person during the month of October will have the birthstones Tourmaline and Opal.
  • Birth flower (October): The Marigold and the Cosmos.
News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on October 1, 1961.

  • The USA is escalating its involvement in the Vietnam War.

    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.
  • 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.
  • 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 October 1, 1961.

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 October 1, 1961.

  • September 10, 1961: 15 people are killed when German F1 driver Wolfgang von Trips crashes into a stand in Monza, Italy.
  • September 18, 1961: UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjöld is killed in an air crash in Northern Rhodesia.
  • September 25, 1961: The film "The Hustler" is released.
  • September 28, 1961:
    • The first episode of the sitcom "Hazel", starring Shirley Booth, is aired on TV.
    • The United Arab Republic breaks up after disgruntled Syrian Army officers stage a coup.
  • This date: October 1, 1961
  • October 9, 1961: Baseball: The New York Yankees defeat the Cincinnati Reds by 4-1 to win the 1961 World Series.
  • October 11, 1961: The Biblical film "King of Kings" is released in movie theaters.
  • October 12, 1961: New Zealand abolishes the death penalty.
  • October 14, 1961: Golf: The United States wins the 1961 Ryder Cup at the Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club in Lytham St Annes, England.
  • October 18, 1961: The musical film "West Side Story" is released.
  • October 30, 1961: Tsar Bomba: The Soviet Union detonates a 58-megaton hydrogen bomb over Novaya Zemlya.

1960s fashion

Photographs of 1960s fashion and hairstyles.

1960s fashion

Television shows

Television shows in October 1961

Television shows that people were watching in October 1961:

TV shows from October 1961.

Hazel
Hazel
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

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

Cartoons and children's TV shows in October 1961

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

Top Cat
Top Cat
Davey and Goliath
Davey and Goliath
The Yogi Bear Show
The Yogi Bear Show

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
Toys

Toys in 1961

Children were playing with the following toys and games:

Ken (doll)
Ken (doll)
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

Were you born on October 1, 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 October 1, 1967, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on October 1.

Walter Matthau

Walter Matthau

Actor Deceased
Born on October 1, 1920
He turned 41 on this day in 1961.

Jimmy Carter

Jimmy Carter

US President
Born on October 1, 1924
He turned 37 on this day in 1961.

Zach Galifianakis

Zach Galifianakis

Actor
Born on October 1, 1969
He was born exactly 8 years after this date.

Keith Duffy

Keith Duffy

Boyzone
Born on October 1, 1974
He was born exactly 13 years after this date.

Olivia Dunne

Olivia Dunne

American gymnast
Born on October 1, 2002
She was born exactly 41 years after this date.

USA

US President

John Fitzgerald Kennedy was the President of the United States on October 1, 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 October 1, 1961 was most likely conceived around January 8, 1961.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on October 1, 1961 is close to June 24, 1962.

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Stats for October 1, 1961

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about October 1, 1961:

  • 23,024 days have passed since this date.
  • 3,289 weeks have passed.
  • 1,989,273,600 seconds have passed since October 1, 1961.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 2,320,819,200 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 1,026,465,177,600 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 331,545,600 times.
  • You have taken approximately 171,077,530 steps. That's roughly 76,034 miles.
  • 23,871,283 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1961?

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