Important Events in 1960
- Feb 8 Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom issued an Order-in-Council, stating that she and her family would be known as the House of Windsor, and that her descendants will take the name "Mountbatten-Windsor".
- Feb 29 Agadir earthquake in Morocco kills a third of the population (12,000-15,000)
- Mar 25 1st guided missile launched from nuclear powered sub (Halibut)
- Apr 13 France becomes the 4th nuclear nation by exploding an atomic bomb in the Sahara
- May 9 US becomes the first country to legalize the birth control pill
- May 10 US atomic submarine USS Triton completes 1st submerged circumnavigation of the globe
- Jun 23 1st contraceptive pill is made available for purchase in the U.S.
- Sep 14 Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi-Arabia and Venezuela form the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
- Dec 20 The National Liberation Front, better known as the Viet Cong, is officially formed in South Vietnam
More Historical Events
1960 in Film & TV
- Feb 3 "La Dolce Vita" directed by Federico Fellini and starring Marcello Mastroianni and Anita Ekberg has its film premiere in Italy
- Feb 26 Vera Miles stars in the famous "Mirror Image" episode of the classic CBS television series "The Twilight Zone"
- Mar 17 One of the first French New Wave films, "Breathless", directed by Jean-Luc Godard, starring Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg is released in France
- Jun 16 "Psycho", psychological horror film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Janet Leigh, Anthony Perkins, and Vera Miles, opens in New York City
1960 in Music
- Jan 1 Johnny Cash plays first of many free concerts behind bars
- Apr 3 Elvis Presley records ‘It's Now Or Never’, ‘Fever’ and ‘Are You Lonesome Tonight’ at RCA studios in Nashville, Tennessee
- May 3 Musical "Fantasticks" by Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones, premieres in NYC (world's longest running musical)
- Jun 19 Loretta Lynn records "I'm a Honky Tonk Girl"
1960 in Sport
- Jan 11 LaMar Clark sets pro boxing record of 44 consecutive knockouts
- Feb 1 Australian Championships Men's Tennis: In a classic all-Australian final Rod Laver beats Neale Fraser 5-7, 3-6, 6-3, 8-6, 8-6; Laver's first Grand Slam title
- Aug 25 AFL begins placing players names on back of their jerseys
- Sep 15 Maurice Richard announces his retirement. He finishes his career with 544 goals, an NHL record at the time.
Did You Know?
Did You Know?"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee is first published by J. B. Lippincott & Co.
On July 11, 1960
Antonio Banderas
Ayrton Senna
Cal Ripken Jr
Jean-Claude Van Damme
Jeffrey Dahmer
John F. Kennedy Jr.Famous People in 1960
Arnold Palmer
Sportsperson
of the Year- Burt Lancaster
Oscar for Best Actor - Edward Teller
Time Person
of the Year - Elizabeth Taylor
Oscar for Best Actress - Emilio G. Segrè
Time Person
of the Year - Linus Pauling
Time Person
of the Year - Willard Libby
Time Person
of the Year - William Shockley
Time Person
of the Year
Arnold Palmer
Burt Lancaster
Edward Teller
Elizabeth Taylor
Emilio G. Segrè
Linus Pauling
Willard Libby
William ShockleyWorld Leaders in 1960
- Dwight D. Eisenhower
34th US President & WWII General - Mao Zedong
Chinese Revolutionary and Chairman of the Communist Party - Nikita Khrushchev
Soviet First Secretary
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Mao Zedong
Nikita KhrushchevWould You Believe?
"The Flintstones" the first animated sitcom created by Hanna-Barbera premieres on ABC in the US
On September 30, 1960
Famous Weddings in 1960
- Jan 22 Comedic actor Bob Denver (25) weds Maggie Ryan in California
- Jan 31 Songwriter Adolph Green marries actress and singer Phyllis Newman in NYC
- Mar 31 Actor Yul Brynner (44) weds fashion house executive Doris Kleiner (32) in Mexico City
Famous Divorces in 1960
- Mar 4 Lucille Ball files divorce from Desi Arnaz
- Mar 26 Academy award-winning actor Yul Brynner (39) divorces actress Virginia Gilmore (40) after 15 years of marriage
- Jun 14 Actress Laraine Day (39) divorces manager Leo Durocher (53) due to incompatibility after 12 years of marriage
More Weddings & Divorces
Albert Camus
Albert Kesselring
Boris Pasternak
Clark Gable
Melvin Purvis
Otto Frederick Rohwedder1960 in Articles and Photos
The Twist Dance Craze
Young people in Berlin taking part in the Twist dance craze, 1964
September 19, 1960How Britain Fell in Love with Lady Chatterley
After a sensational trial, the courts cleared the way for the controversial novel Lady Chatterley's Lover to go on sale in Britain, causing a stampede.
November 10, 1960Coronation Street, King of the Soaps
Thought to have no great future when launched on this day, Coronation Street still reigns supreme
December 9, 1960
