Time Capsule: 1957

News & Economy

President: Dwight D. Eisenhower
Vice President: Richard M. Nixon

Population: 171,984,130
Life expectancy: 69.5 years

Cost of a new home: $20,000.00
Cost of a new car: $2,100.00
Median Household Income: $4,454.00
Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.03
Cost of a gallon of gas: $0.24
Cost of a dozen eggs: $0.82
Cost of a gallon of milk: $1.00

News Headlines

Soviet Union inaugurates the "Space Age" by launching Sputnik I, the world's first artificial satellite. A month later Sputnik II carries a dog into orbit, making that dog the first living being to enter space.

President Eisenhower announces "Eisenhower Doctrine," pledging defense of Middle Eastern nations against communism

Federal troops ordered to enforce integration of schools in Little Rock, Arkansas

Israel withdraws from Sinai Peninsula

European Common Market created

Britain detonates hydrogen bomb; U.S. conducts first underground nuclear test

Despite record-setting filibuster by Sen. Strom Thurmond, Congress approves the first significant civil rights legislation since the Civil War

Teamsters union expelled from the AFL-CIO for failing to deal with organized crime

Growth-producing hormone discovered

Music

Billboard Top 20
1. All Shook Up, Elvis Presley
2. Bye Bye Love, Everly Brothers
3. Little Darlin', Diamonds
4. Round And Round, Perry Como
5. So Rare, Jimmy Dorsey
6. Don't Forbid Me, Pat Boone
7. Singing The Blues, Guy Mitchell
8. Young Love, Sonny James
9. Too Much, Elvis Presley
10. Young Love, Tab Hunter
11. Love Letters In The Sand, Pat Boone
12. Tammy, Debbie Reynolds
13. Party Doll, Buddy Knox
14. Teddy Bear / Loving You, Elvis Presley
15. Banana Boat (Day-O), Harry Belafonte
16. You Send Me, Sam Cooke
17. A White Sport Coat (And A Pink Carnation), Marty Robbins
18. Come Go With Me, Dell-vikings
19. Wake Up Little Susie, Everly Brothers
20. Jailhouse Rock, Elvis Presley

 

Movies

Top 5 Movie Money Makers
1. Island in the Sun
2. Jailhouse Rock
3. I Was a Teenage Werewolf
4. The Delinquents
5. Le Notti di Cabiria

Academy Awards

Best Actor: Alec Guinness, The Bridge On The River Kwai
Best Actress: Joanne Woodward, The Three Faces Of Eve
Best Director:   David Lean, The Bridge On The River Kwai
Best Picture: The Bridge On The River Kwai
Best Supporting Actor: Red Buttons, Sayonara
Best Supporting Actress: Miyoshi Umeki, Sayonara

Television

Americas Top 10 TV Favorites
1. Gunsmoke (CBS)
2. The Danny Thomas Show (CBS)
3. Tales of Wells Fargo (NBC)
4. Have Gun Will Travel (CBS)
5. I've Got A Secret (CBS)
6. The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (ABC)
7. General Electric Theatre (CBS)
8. The Restless Gun (NBC)
9. December Bride (CBS)
10. You Bet Your Life (NBC)

Emmy Awards

Best Drama -  Gunsmoke (CBS)
Best Actor -  Robert Young, Father Knows Best
Best Actress - Jane Wyatt, Father Knows Best
Best Comedy - Phil Silvers Show (CBS)

Sports

Football

Pro Championship:
Detroit 59, Cleveland 14

College Football Champion:
Auburn (AP) (10-0-0) & Ohio St. (UP, FW, INS) (9-1-0)
Heisman Trophy:
John David Crow, Texas A&M, halfback

Basketball
NBA Championship:
Boston d. St. Louis Hawks (4-3)

NCAA National Champions:
North Carolina d. Kansas (54-53 3OT)

Baseball
World Series Champs:
Milwaukee Braves d. NY Yankees (4-3)

Odds 'N Ends

Humphrey Bogart dies

"Beatnik" enters the vernacular as a description of the emerging "Beat Generation" counterculture movement

Successful Sputnik satellites mark the beginning of the "Space Race," with intensive efforts by both the U.S. and Soviet Union to achieve space milestones.

American Bandstand goes national with Dick Clark as host.

71 cities have populations of one million or more in 1957; 40 years earlier such cities numbered only 16.

General Foods Corp. introduces TANG breakfast beverage crystals.

5,000 new products wil hit the supermarket shelves, including frozen pizza.

The Edsel was introduced by Ford Motor Company with a big fanfare and lots of hoopla.

Theodore Geisel writes Cat in the Hat as Dr. Seuss!