Year: 1958

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The Class of 1958

1958was a great year - it was the year of my husband's birth :)

In celebration of his 50th year, this page looks back at the events and facts that made the year 1958 unique.

Step back in time and take a look at the pop culture of the year - the music, movies, books, cars that were the rage more than fifty years ago.

1958: US & World Events and Facts 

Quick Facts

USA

President: Dwight D. Eisenhower
Vice President: Richard M. Nixon
Population: 174,881,904
Life expectancy: 69.6 years

WORLD

European Economic Community (Common Market) becomes effective (Jan. 1).

Egypt and Syria merge into United Arab Republic (Feb. 1).

Khrushchev becomes Premier of Soviet Union as Bulganin resigns (Mar. 27).

Gen. Charles de Gaulle becomes French premier (June 1), remaining in power until 1969.

Eisenhower orders US Marines into Lebanon at request of President Chamoun, who fears overthrow (July 15).

New French constitution adopted (Sept. 28), de Gaulle elected president of 5th Republic (Dec. 21).

US President 1958: Dwight D. Eisenhower

Chinese Zodiac: 1958 - Year of the Dog 

1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006

The dog is the human's friend who can understand the human's spirit and obey its master, whether he is wealthy or not. The Chinese regard the dog as an auspicious animal. If a dog happens to come to a house, usually the host will be very glad to adopt it, for it symbolizes the coming of fortune. Poodles, especially black poodles, bring more luck. The masters of dogs are not only humans, but the immortal in legends as well. The invincible God Erlang used a wolf-dog mix to help him capture monsters.

One born in the Year of Dog possesses the best traits of human nature. They have a deep sense of loyalty, are honest, and inspire other people's confidence because they know how to keep secrets.

But Dog People are somewhat selfish, terribly stubborn, and eccentric. They care little for wealth, yet somehow always seem to have money. They can be cold emotionally and sometimes distant at parties. They can find fault with many things and are noted for their sharp tongues. Dog people make good leaders.

They are compatible with those born in the Years of the Horse, Tiger, and Rabbit.

1958: Pan Am Begins Jet Passenger Travel 

Pan Am ushered in jet passenger travel into the UK in September 1958, and was the first U.S. Airline to do so.

It should be noted however, that a De Havilland BOAC Comet lV landed in New York about 3 weeks before the first Pan Am 707 departed New York for Paris.

This film really captures the glamor of early jet travel from the "Golden Age".

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Top Television of 1958 

1958 Television Collections

1. Gunsmoke (CBS)
2. Wagon Train (NBC)
3. Have Gun Will Travel (CBS)
4. The Rifleman (ABC)
5. The Danny Thomas Show (CBS)
6. Maverick (ABC)
7. Tales of Wells Fargo (NBC)
8. The Real McCoys (ABC)
9. I've Got a Secret (CBS)
10. The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (ABC)

Gunsmoke - 50th Anniversary Collection, Volumes 1 & 2

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Have Gun Will Travel - The First Three Seasons

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The Rifleman: Boxed Set Collection 6

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Maverick (Television Favorites)

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Game Shows Of The 50s: Beat The Clock / I've Got A Secret

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1958: The Year of the TV Western? 


Gunsmoke 1962 Opening


The Rifleman


Maverick


I've Got a Secret - Bobby Fischer


WYATT EARP ORIGINAL TV SHOW


Wagon Train


Have Gun Will Travel TV Opening Theme


Danny Thomas Show-Syndicated 1953

 

Domenico Modugno - Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu (Volare) 

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The Kingston Trio - Tom Dooley 

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The Platters - Smoke Gets in Your Eyes 

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The Everly Brothers - Bird Dog 

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Tommy Edwards - It's All in the Game 

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Grammy Awards of 1958 

Record of the Year: "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)" - Domenico Modugno

Song of the Year: "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)" - Domenico Modugno

Album of the Year: "The Music from Peter Gunn" - Henry Mancini

Male Vocalist: Perry Como - "Catch a Falling Star"

Female Vocalist: Ella Fitzgerald - "Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Songbook"

Volare: Greatest Hits

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The Music from & More Music from Peter Gunn

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Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Songbook, Vol. 1

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Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Songbook, Vol. 2

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The Very Best of Perry Como

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The Rock Hits of 1958 


Elvis Jail House Rock


CLIFF RICHARD AND THE SHADOWS


Rock 'N' Roll Is Here To Stay


Chuck Berry


Big Bopper - Chantilly Lace


Rockin Robin - Bobby Day


Jerry Lee Lewis -Great balls of fire & Breathless (Live 1958)


Summertime Blues- Eddie Cochran

Looking For 1958 Memorabilia? 

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The Oscar Winning Movies of 1958 

Best Picture : Gigi

Best Director : Vincente Minnelli, Gigi

Best Actor : David Niven, Separate Tables

Best Supporting Actor : Burl Ives, The Big Country

Best Actress : Susan Hayward, I Want To Live!

Best Supporting Actress : Wendy Hiller, Separate Tables

Best Original Story and Screenplay : Nedrick Young and Harold Jacob Smith, The Defiant Ones

Best Screenplay Based on Material From Another Medium : Alan Jay Lerner, Gigi

Gigi

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I Want to Live!

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Separate Tables

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The Big Country

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Mon Oncle - Criterion Collection

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Gigi 

Best Picture & Best Director Oscar Winners

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Best Picture 1958: Gigi

Separate Tables 

Best Actor & Supporting Actress Oscars: David Niven and Wendy Hiller

This is a clip from the 1958 drama "Separate Tables" starring Burt Lancaster, Rita Hayworth, David Niven, Deborah Kerr and Wendy Hiller, with music by David Raksin and directed by Delbert Mann.

The film follows the interplay of a group of lonely characters who are staying at a slightly shabby seaside hotel in Bournemouth, England. The term "separate tables" refers to the practice of seating single guests at their own tables in the dining room, and serves as a metaphor for the characters' fear of intimacy.

Major Pollack (David Niven) is a retired officer who likes to wax eloquent about fanciful acts of heroism in WWII North Africa, and Sybil Railton-Bell (Deborah Kerr) is a repressed spinster boxed in by an oppressive mother (Gladys Cooper).

John Malcolm (Burt Lancaster), a cynical, hard-drinking, occasional writer, is surprised by the sudden arrival of his ex-wife Ann (Rita Hayworth). Though Ann's legendary beauty is dimmed by age, Ann and John both reach tentatively for some human contact.

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Oscar Winners Niven & Hiller: Separate Tables

I Want To Live! 

Best Actress Oscar: Susan Hayward

Susan Hayward in a clip showing her astounding portrayal of a prostitute/petty criminal condemned to death row for murder.

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Best Actress 1958: Susan Hayward

The Big Country 

Best Supporting Actor Oscar: Burl Ives

This is the theatrical trailer for William Wyler's 1958 Western "The Big Country" starring Gregory Peck, Jean Simmons, Carroll Baker, Charlton Heston, Burl Ives, Charles Bickford and Chuck Connors, with music by Jerome Moross.

Wyler's powerful Western covers a lot of territory with Gregory Peck a fish out of water as a sea captain who travels west to marry and settle, but finds himself in the middle of a bitter dispute over water rights and a jealous clash with the ranch foreman (Charlton Heston). He also discovers his fiancee isn't who he imagined and finds true romance with the local schoolmistress (Jean Simmons).

Folk singer Burl Ives surprised audiences with his performance which garnered him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar.

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Best Supporting Actor 1958: Burl Ives

Mon Oncle 

Best Foreign Film

Slapstick prevails when Jacques Tati's eccentric hero Monsieur Hulot is let loose in the ultramodern house of his brother-in-law, and in an antiseptic factory that manufactures plastic hose.

Tati directs and stars in the second entry of the Hulot series, a delightful satire of mechanized living.

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Best Foreign Film 1958: Mon Oncle

The Most Popular Fiction Books of 1958 

1."Doctor Zhivago"... Boris Pasternak.
2. "Anatomy of a Murder"... Robert Traver.
3."Lolita"... Vladimir Nabokov.
4."Around the World with Auntie Marne"... Patrick Dennis.
5."From the Terrace"... John O'Hara.
6."Eloise at Christmastime"... Kay Thompson.
7."Ice Palace"... Edna Ferber.
8."The Winthrop Woman"... Anya Seton.
9."The Enemy Camp"... Jerome Weidman.
10. "Victorine"... Frances Parkinson Keyes.

Doctor Zhivago

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Anatomy of a Murder

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Lolita

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Eloise At Christmastime

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The Winthrop Woman: A Novel

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Great Memorabilia from 1958 

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1958 in Sports 

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

NBA Championship
St. Louis Hawks d. Boston (4-2)

Stanley Cup
Montreal d. Boston (4-2)

Wimbledon
Women: Althea Gibson d. A. Mortimer (8-6 6-2)
Men: Ashley Cooper d. N. Fraser (3-6 6-3 6-4 13-11)

Kentucky Derby Champion
Tim Tam

NCAA Basketball Championship
Kentucky d. Seattle (84-72)

NCAA Football Champions
LSU (AP, UPI) (11-0-0) & Iowa (FW) (8-1-1)

World Cup
Brazil d. Sweden (5-2)

World Cup Final 1958 - Brazil vs. Sweden 

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The Cars of 1958 

1958 Classic TV Commercial:

Here's a breathless, big budget TV commercial for the 1958 range of shiny, huge, General Motors cars (sorry, Autos), as broadcast on NBC. Could a vocal chorus sing any louder, bigger, higher??

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Comparison of 1958 Cars Part 1 

Chrysler vs Ford and GM.

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Comparison of 1958 Cars Part 2 

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Pop Idols At 50 

Born in 1958 - Join the Debate

 

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Remember 1958? 

Please Leave Your Comments About 1958

drifter0658 wrote...

What a great year!

ReplyPosted June 08, 2009

OhMe wrote...

This is wonderful. Seems like only yesterday. Great Birthday Tribute for your husband. I really enjoyed the videos and all the memories. Thank you.

ReplyPosted November 17, 2008

StephenC wrote...

Terrific idea for a lens! Quite nice. I was born in 1960.

ReplyPosted November 16, 2008

JaguarJulie wrote...

You know, I think I just read another lens highlighting 1958 -- Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball. You've done a remarkable job with this lens.

ReplyPosted October 18, 2008

StephenC wrote...

Two years before I was born.
Nice lens! Good stuff, enjoyed the visit!
Fun Facts about San Bernardino
StephenC

ReplyPosted October 07, 2008

 
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