December 16th, 1961.

What happened on this date?

Notable events that occurred on December 16th, 1961.

• US President John F. Kennedy visits Venezuela despite threats of violence from left-wing groups.
• UN troops capture the main Katangan base in Elisabethville in the Congo.

Born on December 16th, 1961.

People who were born on this exact date.

• Bill Hicks: Stand-up comedian.

Top songs.

These songs were on top of the music charts in the United States and the United Kingdom on December 16th, 1961.

• United States: Please Mr. Postman - The Marvelettes
• United Kingdom: Tower Of Strength - Frankie Vaughan

Take me back to December 16th, 1961!

Let's take a walk down memory lane.

The date is December 16th, 1961, and it's a Saturday. Anyone born today will have the star sign Sagittarius. Currently, people are enjoying their weekend.

The Christmas season of 1961 is in full swing. People are putting up their decorations and festive songs are playing on the radio. In America, the song Please Mr. Postman by The Marvelettes is on top of the singles charts. Over in the UK, Tower Of Strength by Frankie Vaughan is the number one hit song.

John Fitzgerald Kennedy is currently the President of the United States, and the movie King of Kings is at the top of the Box Office. In the United Kingdom, Harold Macmillan is the current Prime Minister. 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 Marilyn Monroe would be still alive.

On TV, people are watching popular shows such as "The Ed Sullivan Show", "Gunsmoke", "The Untouchables" and "The Andy Griffith Show". Kids and teenagers are watching TV shows such as "The Gumby Show", "The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends", "Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse" and "Top Cat". If you're a kid or a teenager, then you're probably playing with toys such as BAS-KET Miniature Basketball, the Hula Hoop, Crater Critters and Matchbox toy cars.

News topics, nostalgic fads, and pop culture events.

These are trending news stories and fads that were prevalent at this time. These are topics that would have been in the media on December 16th, 1961.

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  The USA is escalating its involvement in the Vietnam War.

  During this time, the United States was slowly escalating its involvement in the Vietnam War. In May of 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?

  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.

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  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.

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  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 as the Time Person of the Year in 1961.

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  Rotary phones.

  During the first half of the 1960s, 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.

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  Tailfins on cars.

  Tailfins on cars was a popular style around this time. The design looked futuristic, almost like the twin rudders on the back of an airplane.

• 

  Greasers.

  During the 1950s and early 1960s, a popular youth subculture called "greasers" emerged. The style included greased-back hairstyles, work pants, and denim or leather jackets.

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  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:

• This date fell on a weekend.
• 61 years, 3 months and 16 days have passed since December 16th, 1961.
• Week Number: This date occurred during Week 50 of 1961.
• Leap Year: 1961 was not a leap year.
• Age: A person born on December 16th, 1961 will be 61 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 December 16th, 1961.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

View Personality Summary

Around this time.

Notable events that happened close to December 16th, 1961.

• November 17th, 1961: The song "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" is released by doo-wop group the Tokens.
• November 22nd, 1961: The film "Blue Hawaii", starring Elvis Presley and Joan Blackman, is released in movie theaters.
• December 2nd, 1961: Fidel Castro announces that Cuba will be adopting Communism.
• December 4th, 1961: Boxing: Floyd Patterson retains the heavyweight championship after he knocks out Tom McNeeley in the 4th round.
• December 6th, 1961: The historical film "El Cid" is released.
• December 9th, 1961: Domino's Pizza is founded in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
• December 14th, 1961: 20 children are killed after a school bus collides with a train in Greeley, Colorado.
• December 15th, 1961: Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann is sentenced to death.
• December 15th, 1961: US President John F. Kennedy leaves for a tour of South America "despite reports of anti-US feelings".
• This date: December 16th, 1961
• December 17th, 1961: 503 people are killed after a fire breaks out in a crowded circus tent in Niterói, Brazil.
• December 20th, 1961: The romantic comedy film "Lover Come Back" is released.
• December 31st, 1961: NFL: The Green Bay Packers defeat the New York Giants by 37-0 to win the 1961 NFL Championship Game.
• January 1st, 1962: The United States Navy SEALs are founded.
• January 3rd, 1962: Cuban prime minister Fidel Castro is excommunicated by the Catholic Church for preaching Communism.
• January 8th, 1962: 93 people die after two trains collide at a railway junction in Harmelen in the Netherlands.
• January 10th, 1962: 4000 people die after an avalanche occurs at the Huascarán mountain in Peru.

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 December 16th, 1961, will have the star sign Sagittarius.
• Zodiac Element: Fire.
• Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1961 was the year of the Ox (Yin Wood).
• The Life Path Number for this date is 9.
• Native American Zodiac: December 16th, 1961 falls under the Owl.
• Birthstone: A person during the month of December will have the birthstones Tanzanite, Zircon and Turquoise.
• Birth flower (December): The Narcissus and the Holly.

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 December 16th, 1967, instead.

Conception dates.

Conception estimates for this date.

Warning! These conception dates are based on broad estimates.

• A baby that was born on December 16th, 1961 was most likely conceived around March 25th, 1961.
• The due date for a baby that was conceived on December 16th, 1961 is close to September 8th, 1962.

How old was I?

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Time difference & statistics.

Here are some fun statistics about December 16th, 1961.

• A total of 22,387 days have passed since this date.
• 3,198 weeks have passed.
• 1,934,233,200 seconds have passed since the December 16th, 1961.
• If you were born on this day, your heart has beated approximately 2,256,605,400 times.
• Since December 16th, 1961, the Earth has travelled approximately 998,064,331,200 miles through space.
• If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 322,372,200 times.
• If you were born on this day, you have taken approximately 166,344,055 steps. That's about 73,931 miles!
• Since this date, 23,210,798 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere!
• How many years ago was 1961?

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