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May 2, 1961

May 2, 1961, was a Tuesday. It was 63 years, 5 months, and 29 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Taurus.

Song charts

Music charts

Songs that were on top of the charts in the USA and the United Kingdom on May 2, 1961:

  • United States: "Runaway" by Del Shannon
  • United Kingdom: "Wooden Heart" by Elvis Presley

The Billboard Hot 100 on May 2, 1961

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

  • Runaway - Del Shannon
  • Mother-In-Law - Ernie K-Doe
  • I've Told Every Little Star - Linda Scott
  • A Hundred Pounds Of Clay - Gene McDaniels
  • Blue Moon - The Marcels
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.
The Absent-Minded Professor

Top movie at the box office

The movie "The Absent-Minded Professor" was at the top of the box office on May 2, 1961.

Facts

This date was 23,193 days ago. Approximately 773 months have passed. It was the 122nd day of 1961, in week 18. The decade was the swinging sixties. People born on this day are currently 63 years old and belong to the Baby Boomer generation. The Earth has experienced 258 seasons of weather since then.

Take me back to May 2, 1961

Let's take a stroll down memory lane.

It is Tuesday, May 2, 1961. 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. The school year is nearly finished.

In America, the song "Runaway" by Del Shannon is at the top of the singles charts, while "Wooden Heart" by Elvis Presley is the number-one song in the UK. 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.

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 Danny Thomas Show", "Have Gun - Will Travel", "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis", and "The Untouchables". Children and teenagers are watching television shows such as "Mighty Mouse Playhouse", "Leave It to Beaver", "Noggin the Nog", and "The Yogi Bear Show".

Popular toys at the moment include the Frisbee, the Hula Hoop, Astrobase, and Ken (doll).

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on May 2, 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 6.
  • Native American Zodiac: May 2, 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.
News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on May 2, 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 May 2, 1961.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

View Personality Summary

Events

What happened around this time?

Notable events that happened close to May 2, 1961.

  • April 3, 1961: Western musician and TV personality Spade Cooley murders his wife Ella Mae.
  • April 8, 1961: 238 people are killed when British passenger ship Dara sinks off the coast of Dubai.
  • April 11, 1961: The trial of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann begins in Israel.
  • April 12, 1961: Russia's Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human to journey into outer space.
  • April 13, 1961: A coup d'état against Portuguese prime minister António de Oliveira Salazar fails.
  • April 16, 1961: Cuban leader Fidel Castro announces that the country will be adopting Communism.
  • April 17, 1961: The Bay of Pigs Invasion occurs when a CIA-sponsored paramilitary group attempts to invade Cuba.
  • April 18, 1961: Newspapers report that American actor Gary Cooper is dying from cancer.
  • April 19, 1961: The comedy-drama film "La Dolce Vita" hits the big screen.
  • April 20, 1961: The Bay of Pigs Invasion of Cuba fails.
  • April 23, 1961: American actress and singer Judy Garland performs at a comeback concert in Carnegie Hall.
  • April 24, 1961: Ben E. King releases his song "Stand by Me".
  • April 26, 1961: Western musician and TV personality Spade Cooley is indicted for the murder of his wife Ella Mae Evans.
  • April 30, 1961: The song "Tossin' and Turnin'" is released by Bobby Lewis.
  • May 1, 1961: Fidel Castro proclaims Cuba as a socialist state and bans all elections.
  • This date: May 2, 1961
  • May 5, 1961: Alan Shepard becomes the first American to travel into space.
  • May 6, 1961: FA Cup Final 1961: Tottenham Hotspur defeat Leicester City 2-0.
  • May 10, 1961: 78 people die after a bomb explodes on Air France Flight 406.
  • May 11, 1961: US President John F. Kennedy orders helicopters and 400 Green Berets into South Vietnam.
  • May 13, 1961: American actor Gary Cooper dies from cancer at the age of 60.
  • May 21, 1961: Martial law is imposed in Montgomery, Alabama, following racial violence between whites and blacks.
  • May 25, 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 30, 1961:
    • Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo is assassinated during an ambush outside of Santo Domingo.
    • 61 people lose their lives after Viasa Flight 897 crashes off the coast of Portugal.
  • May 31, 1961: Football: Portuguese side Benfica win the European Cup after they defeat Barcelona 3-2 at the Wankdorf Stadium in Bern, Germany.

1960s fashion

Photographs of 1960s fashion and hairstyles.

1960s fashion

Television shows

TV shows in 1961

Television shows that people were watching in May 1961:

TV shows from May 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 May 2, 1961

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

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
Dennis the Menace
Dennis the Menace
Toys

Popular toys and games in 1961

Toys and games that were popular in 1961:

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 May 2, 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 May 2, 1967, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on May 2.

Manfred von Richthofen

Manfred von Richthofen

Pilot Deceased
Born on May 2, 1892
He was not alive on this date.

Big Boss Man

Big Boss Man

Wrestler Deceased
Born on May 2, 1963
He was born exactly 2 years after this date.

Dwayne Johnson

Dwayne Johnson

Wrestler / Actor
Born on May 2, 1972
He was born exactly 11 years after this date.

David Beckham

David Beckham

Soccer player
Born on May 2, 1975
He was born exactly 14 years after this date.

Lily Allen

Lily Allen

Singer
Born on May 2, 1985
She was born exactly 24 years after this date.

Princess Charlotte

Princess Charlotte

Princess of Wales
Born on May 2, 2015
She was born exactly 54 years after this date.

USA

US President

John Fitzgerald Kennedy was the President of the United States on May 2, 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 May 2, 1961 was most likely conceived around August 9, 1960.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on May 2, 1961 is close to January 23, 1962.

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Stats for May 2, 1961

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about May 2, 1961:

  • 23,193 days have passed since this date.
  • 3,313 weeks have passed.
  • 2,003,878,800 seconds have passed since May 2, 1961.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 2,337,858,600 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 1,034,001,460,800 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 333,979,800 times.
  • You have taken approximately 172,333,577 steps. That's roughly 76,593 miles.
  • 24,046,546 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1961?

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