Fun Facts from 1958

FUN FACTS 1958--

• A 1958 Chevrolet Corvette originally sold for $3,591. Today, a restored model sells for anywhere from $30,000-$50,000!
  
  
• United States Population: 174,881,904
  
  
• World Population: 2.945 billion
  
  
• An average U.S. house cost $18,200
  
  
• Gallon of gas in U.S. was 30 cents in 1958
  
  
• Cost of a U.S. first-class stamp: $0.03 ($0.04 as of 8/1/58)
  
  
• Dwight D. Eisenhower was President and Richard Nixon was Vice President in 1958
  
  
• June 15, 1958: The first Pizza Hut opens in Wichita, Kansas
  
  
• The U.S. Supreme Court rules unanimously that Little Rock, Arkansas, schools must integrate
  
  
• If you're an Elvis fan, you might feel lucky to be celebrating your 50 year old birthday on this date: March 24 When Elvis Presley was inducted into the U.S. Army in 1958
  
  
• Minimum wage in U.S. was $1.00 per hour

• September 22, 1958: Peter Gunn premieres on NBC
  
  
• October 2, 1958: The Huckleberry Hound Show debuts
  
  
• The Donna Reed Show debuts
  
  
• The Friendly Giant debuts
  
  
• Scandal involving rigged CBS quiz show "The 64,000 Question" ended in its cancellation
  
  
• NBC dropped top-rated game show "Twenty One" after contestant Herb Stempel said the game was rigged: he was told to lose a match to popular Charles Van Doren

• 1958 World Series was: the NY Yankees vs. Milwaukee Braves (4-3)
  
  
• NBA Championship: St. Louis Hawks d. Boston (4-2)
  
  
• Stanley Cup: Montreal d. Boston (4-2)
  
  
• NCAA Basketball Championship: Kentucky vs. Seattle (84-72)
  
  
• World Cup: Brazil vs. Sweden (5-2)
  
  
• If you’re celebrating your 50 year old birthday this year, here is some information about the:
  
  

• The 1958 Academy Awards were presented April 6, 1959 at the RKO Pantages Theatre, Hollywood, CA
  
  
• Best Motion Picture: Gigi, Arthur Freed, producer (MGM)
  
  
• Best Actor: David Niven, Separate Tables
  
  
• Best Actress: Susan Hayward, I Want to Live!

• Billboard debuts its Hot 100 chart. Ricky Nelson's "Poor Little Fool" boasts the first No. 1 record
  
  
• Record of the Year: “Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu” (Volare) Domenico Modugno
  
  
• Album of the Year: The Music From Peter Gunn, Henry Mancini (RCA)
  
  
• Best Vocal Performance, Male: “Catch a Falling Star,” Perry Como
  
  
• Best Vocal Performance, Female: Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Song Book, Ella Fitzgerald
  
  
• Best Performance By a Vocal Group or Chorus: “That Old Black Magic,” Louis Prima and Keely Smith
  
  
• Best Country and Western Performance: “Tom Dooley,” Kingston Trio
  
  
• First Annual 1958 GRAMMY AWARDS--(Which just had its 50 year old birthday!)

• February 12: Arsenio Hall
  
  
• April 3: Alec Baldwin
  
  
• May 23: Drew Carey
  
  
• August 16: Madonna
  
  
• September 6: Jeff Foxworthy
  
  
• November 22: Jamie Lee Curtis