Week of June 23, 1959
Secretary of State Herter returns to Washington and reports
that what Russia really wants is to pull West Berlin into the Iron
Curtain and extend Red influence over all Germany.
A southern judge (Tallahassee) hands out life sentences to four
white youths convicted of raping a Negro coed. Sentencing came
seven weeks after the crime.
Medical (New York) - A 67-year-old man will walk out of Montefiore Hospital with
a 2-lb portable (battery) machine plugged into his heart. It will constantly shock
the heart with electricity as he pursues a fairly normal life. It’s the first time a
heart-pacing device will be operating continually in a man.
Soviet exhibition in New York is attended by President Eisenhower and a number
of Soviet officials. On display were models of Sputniks which the President
inspected. The turn-out turned-out to be a melee of sorts with about 400
reporters and as many policemen. The display was at the New York Coliseum.
A TWA airliner carrying mostly Americans and Italians bound for Chicago
plunges to earth out of a thunderstorm in flames near Milan, Italy. All 68 aboard
perish.
President Eisenhower says he thinks the American people “have changed” their
minds about irresponsible spending over the last several years and that inflation
will be one of the big issues of the 1960 presidential campaign as Vice President
Nixon believes.
About $6 million worth of electronic brain
machines are declared a total loss after a fire
races through the Air Force statistical center at
the Pentagon. IBM will send out a team of
specialists to help the Air Force install
replacement equipment. The machines were
owned by IBM and leased back to the Air
Force.
Queen Elizabeth and Vice President Nixon
attend the American portion of the 2300-mile-St
Lawrence Seaway dedication ceremonies. Also
attending - Gov Nelson Rockefeller of New
York. The queen was delayed slightly by fog.
Week of June 23, 1959
Two butane -filled railroad tank cars explode on a trestle near a beach near
Meldrim, GA, spewing injury and death to nearby bathers and boaters. Many died
at the scene as the first tank car caught fire, apparently from an overheated
journal box and broke open releasing the liquefied gas under tremendous
pressure. Fire spurted hundreds of yards, torching victims in its path. A second
car exploded minutes later, adding to the holocaust. At least fourteen are dead
with many injured.
James R Hoffa charges that Senator John F. Kennedy was
“afraid” to debate labor reform legislation with him on national
radio and television. Kennedy says that it is obvious that he
could not enter into a public debate “with every individual like
Mr. Hoffa, who has consistently misused the American labor
movement for his own selfish and improper ends.” Hoffa says
he challenged Senator Kennedy last Monday to discuss
pending labor legislation on radio, television or any other
forum. Kennedy noted that he had already debated the labor-reform legislation
for nine days while it was pending in front of the Senate.
In Cuba - police report the arrest “many” Cubans and the seizure of large
quantities of arms in the smashing of an anti-government plot in Havana. Secret
Police Chief Erundion Vilela says the leaders of the conspiracy were ex-Sen.
Rolando Masferrer - now in exile in Miami.
Marries - Actress Dorothy Malone to French actor Jacques Bergerac.
Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts names
seven top campaign issues for the coming year.
“These seven peaceful revolutions constitute the basic
agenda of our time - the issue of the 1960 campaign -
the differences between our two major parties.” “The
Republican Party has traditionally been the party of the
status quo, and today there is no status quo.” The
senator listed the issues”
An explosive population increase ... shrinking farm
acreage ... use of automation and atomization ...
soaring living standards ... weapons development ... aid to underdeveloped
nations ... growing nationalism throughout the globe.
The Supreme rules that broadcasting stations can not be sued for libelous
statements made by political candidates to whom they are forced to give equal
broadcasting time.
Week of June 23, 1959
Week of June 23, 1959
49 stars no more - Hawaii votes itself into the union. The vote clears the way for
formal admission of the territory as the 50 th state this summer, probably in
August. The 49 star American flag is going to be history.
Speaking of which - Ft. McHenry will be the site of the first official raising of the
nation’s new 49-star flag at one minute after midnight on the morning of July 4.
Interior Secretary Seaton will raise the new flag with its 49 th star representing
Alaska while the U.S Marine band plays “The Star-Spangled banner.”
Eugene Quindlen of the office of Civil Defense in Washington estimates that 48.9
million Americans would die in an all-out nuclear war. Adding to that,
congressman Chet Hollfield of California says, “tens of millions would be victims
of unprepared ness and lack of shelters.”
In a Gallup Poll - President Eisenhower’s approval ratings is going up - to 62%.
Up from 61% in May.
Sports - Loses title - Underdog Ingemar
Johansson floors Floyd Patterson
seven times and stops the defending
king in 2:03 of the third round.
Dethroned heavyweight champ Patterson
had this account: “I couldn’t see the
punch coming. The first one hit flush on
the forehead. When I got up, the first
time I didn’t know where I was. I didn’t
feel the second punch, but after that I
think I started to come out of it…”
More sports - Hank Aaron of the Milwaukee Braves sets
a baseball precedent when he becomes the first player
ever to be chosen unanimously for the major league All-
Star game. He received a maximum 208 votes.
In sports - Casey Sten gel has this to say about Mickey
Mantle: “Mickey Mantle is a five-way player. He can beat
you five ways - with his fielding, his arms, his legs, the
short hit and the long ball.”
Sports - Milwaukee slugger Hank Aaron crashes three
home runs in a 15-hit barrage that leveled San Francisco
13-3 and boosted the Milwaukee Braves’ National League
lead over the Giants to 1 ½ games.
Week of June 23, 1959
Bestsellers -
Dear and Glorious Physician - Taylor Caldwell
Exodus - Leon Uris
The Ugly American - W. Lederer and E. Burdick
Doctor Zhivago - Boris Pasternak
How I Turned $1,000 Into a Million In Real Estate - W.
Nickerson
The Status Seekers - Vance Packard
Only In America - Harry Golden
The Years With Ross - James Thurber
Steps In Time - Fred Astaire
Technology -
Integrated circuits developed - RCA
says it wants to improve integrated
electronic elements so that 100 million
computer functions can be done by
components packed into a cubic foot of
space. So far two computer elements
have been made under a contract with
the Air Force Cambridge Research
Center. Fly-speck-sized pieces of
germanium using fly-push-up sized bursts of electrical energy have been made
to perform computer circuit functions. Computer functions such as sorting,
remembering and controlling flow of information, may be performed by integrated
electronic elements will to be built. Some are suggesting that these integrated
circuits, could shrink the IBM 704 computer - now the size of a garage, to fit on a
desk.
More Technology - RCA says it has a home TV taping system under
development. You may be able to save your favorite television program or watch
the World Series on your time. The recorder would attach to a regular television
set. RCA is calling it “Hear-See” and says there already is a huge demand for the
recording devices by schools and educators.
Entertainment - An autopsy performed on George Reeves (Superman on TV)
confirms police findings that his death on June 16 was a suicide. “The
Week of June 23, 1959
examination of the bones of the head and brain establish the fact that the fatal
wound was of close contact nature with the gun pressed against the skin,
producing extensive fracturing of the skull and marked damage to the brain along
the wound track,” said a spokesman. The body at the time showed an alcoholic
content of .27 of 1% - far above the .15 of 1% generally regarded as sufficient to
cause intoxication. The body is being held at the mortuary pending arrival of Mrs.
Bessolo (his mom).
More George Reeves - It’s revealed that George
Reeves reported he was being harassed by an
anonymous phone caller he believed was Mrs.
Toni Mannix, to whom he left the bulk of his estate.
He said the caller would hang-up as soon as he
lifted the receiver. Reeves left an estimated $50,00
estate to Mrs. Mannix. His mom says she’s going
to contest her son’s will. Mrs. Mannix is married to
Loew’s Theater executive Eddie Mannix. In a
statement, she says they were good friends and
were involved in charities. And, she supported his
career.
Divorces - Marjorie Chandler from her actor/husband Jeff Chandler. She says
she developed an ulcer because he was too absorbed in his film work. They
have two daughters.
Looks like the ABC-Disney
relationship is going sour after 5 years
as Walt Disney Productions files a
federal court suit against the television
network charging the network with
illegally trying to keep the programs
“ Zorro” and the “Mickey Mouse Club”
off the air next fall. Both shows were
cancelled by the network, but Disney
wants to shop them to other outlets.
ABC says that Disney was trying to
avoid its obligations after obtaining all
the benefits it hoped to get from its contract with the network. Says Roy Disney
“Several weeks ago, the ABC network
advised us and announced publicly that
they would not televise Zorro or the
Mickey Mouse Club over their network
next season, and at the same time, they
Week of June 23, 1959
told us we could not offer these programs to any other television outlet.
Subsequently, they have interfered with and prevented our attempts to offer
these programs to any other network or independent television station.” In a
statement - ABC said that Walt Disney Productions and ABC entered into an
agreement in 1954 providing that the network would finance Disneyland Park in
Anaheim, CA and agree to buy what now is the “Walt Disney Presents” television
program (formerly known as Disneyland) for seven years in exchange for
exclusive use of all Disney television programs. “ABC has lived up to its
agreement in all respects. Despite this, Walt Disney Productions has been
making concerted efforts over the last six months to change the conditions of the
agreement and modify the exclusivity provisions.”
Actor Keenan Wynn (42) is accused in a sheriff’s report
of punching and kicking his wife ad then tossing her
mother to the floor three times when she tried to break up
the fracas at the couple’s Malibu home. They said he told
them “every woman should be struck regularly.” Mrs Wynn
said the trouble began after Wynn concluded a telephone
call with one of his ex-wives. “He came out of the
bedroom and began punching and kicking her.”
Tony Marvin - Arthur Godfrey’s announcer for 12 years is let go and
will not return next television season. Godfrey says his show next
year will be very informal and he will handle all the commercials
himself. Other than Godfrey, Marvin was the only remaining member
of the famous radio and television troupe that eventually disbanded.
“Families love Mr. Clean because he’s so good at all their most important
cleaning jobs. Procter & Gamble’s new all-purpose liquid cleaner is the all-time
champ at all kinds of cleaning.”
Television news - More Dick Clark - He’s featured on “This Is Your Life” on
NBC-TV this week. Appearing on the program - Fabulous Fabian, Frankie
Avalon, Connie Francis, Andy Williams and Dave Seville.
Saturday night television -
CBS - Perry Mason, Wanted - Dead or Alive, Have Gun, Will Travel, Gunsmoke,
Markham
NBC - People Are Funny, Perry Presents, Cimarron City, The D.A.’s Man From
Yesterday ABC - Dick Clark Show, Lawrence Welk Show, Jubilee U.S.A.,
Target,
Week of June 23, 1959
Perry Mason - “The Case of the Lame Canary.” A tiny canary convinces Perry
his client did not murder her husband.
Dick Clark Show - Paul Anka, Jack Scott, Dee Clark, Jerry Kessler, The Tassels.
Perry Presents - Tony Bennett, Teresa Brewer and the Four Lads.
Wanted - Dead Or Alive - Josh Randall is hired by the town drunk to find the
body of his missing son.
Jubilee U.S.A. - Bob Wills and Bobby Helms guest star.
Sunday Night Television -
CBS - Twentieth Century, Lassie, That’s My Boy,
The Ed Sullivan Show, G.E. Theater, Alfred
Hitchcock Presents, Richard Diamond Private Eye,
What’s My Line?
NBC - Suspicion, Pete Kelly’s Blues, The Chevy
Show, Loretta Young Show
ABC - You Asked For It, Maverick, Lawman, Colt
.45, Special-The Record Years w/Dick Clark
The Ed Sullivan Show - Frankie Avalon, Duke
Ellington, Lloyd Price, Floyd Patterson and more.
Special-The Record Years w/Dick Clark - a song-
filled salute to the fabulous fifties - featuring the top
hits of the decade and the stars that made them
famous!
Richard Diamond - stars David Janson. Diamond is
hired by a rich women to locate he playboy son.
Mort Sahl guest stars.
Don’t miss the Dick Clark show next Saturday night
on ABC-TV. Guests are Tommy Sands, The
Impalas , Jackie Lee and Clyde McPhatter.
Pop music this week in 1959 -
THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS - Johnny Horton
WHAT A DIFF’RENCE A DAY MAKES - Dinah
Week of June 23, 1959
Washington
PERSONALITY - Lloyd Price
LONELY BOY - Paul Anka
FRANKIE - Connie Francis
DREAM LOVER - Bobby Darin
I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU - The
Flamingos
TALLAHASSEE LASSIE - Freddy Cannon
HUSHABYE - The Mystics
QUIET VILLAGE - Martin Denny
YOU’RE SO FINE - The Falcons
KANSAS CITY - Wilbert Harrison
THIS I SWEAR - The Skyliners
BOBBY SOX TO STOCKINGS - Frankie Avalon
WATERLOO - Stonewall Jackson
A TEENAGER IN LOVE - Dion & The Belmonts
TIGER - Fabian
THERE GOES MY BABY - The Drifters
LIPSTICK ON YOUR COLLAR - Connie Francis
IT WAS I - Skip & Flip
I’VE COME OF AGE - Billy Storm
At the movies
Walt Disney’s Darby O’Gill and the Little People - Albert Sharpe, Janet
Munro, Sean Connery, Jimmy O’Dea
The Five Pennies - Danny Kaye, Barbara Bel
Geddes, Louis Armstrong, Harry Guardino, Bob
Crosby, Bobby Troup
Otto Preminger’s Anatomy of a Murder -
James Stewart, Lee Remick, Ben Gazzara,
Arthur O’Connell, Ever Arden, Kathryn Grant,
George C. Scott, Orson Bean.
The Hound Of Baskervilles - Peter Cussing,
Andre Morell, Christopher Lee
The Four Skulls of Jonathan Drake - Edward
Franz, Valerie French, Henry Daniel, Grant
Week of June 23, 1959
Richards
A Hole In The Head - Frank Sinatra,
Edward G. Robinson, Carolyn Jones,
Keenan Wynn, Eleanor Parker,
Thelma Ritter
The Big Fisherman - Howard Keel,
Susan Kohner, John Saxon, Martha
Hyer, Herbert Lom
The Nun’s Story - Audrey Hepburn,
Peter Finch, Edith Evans, Peggy
Ashcroft, Dean Jagger
Don’t Give Up The Ship - Jerry
Lewis, Dina Merrill, Diana Spencer,
Gale Gordon
Middle of the Night - Kim Novak,
Fredric March, Martin Balsam
Say One For Me - Bing Crosby,
Debbie Reynolds, Robert Wagner
Porgy and Bess - Sidney Piotier,
Dorothy Dandridge, Sammy Davis Jr.,
Pearl Bailey
This Earth is Mine! - Rock Hudson,
Jean Simmons, Dorothy McGuire,
Claude Rains, Kent Smith
Al Capone - Rod Steiger, James
Gregory
Teenagers From Outer Space
Gigantis The Fire Monster
Love is My Profession - Brigitte
Bardot, Jean Gabin, Edwige Feuillere
John Ford’s - The Horse Soldiers -
John Wayne, William Holden,
Constance Towers
Week of June 23, 1959
Week of June 23, 1959
Week of June 23, 1959