The almanac
The 1958 Edition
Limited to about 105 million copies: the babies born worldwide in 1958. About 59 million are still in circulation.
Estimates from the UN World Population Prospects 2024. How we count
What happened in 1958
- LEGO filed its brick patentThe Danish toy maker applied to patent its interlocking stud-and-tube building brick.January 28 · Source: LEGO Group
- Explorer 1 became America's first satelliteIts cosmic ray detector led to the discovery of the Van Allen radiation belts.January 31 · Source: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- First land crossing of AntarcticaVivian Fuchs's expedition crossed the continent in snow vehicles in 99 days.March 2 · Source: EBSCO Research Starters
- Hitchcock's Vertigo openedJames Stewart and Kim Novak starred in Alfred Hitchcock's San Francisco mystery.May 9 · Source: Box Office Mojo
- First integrated circuit workedJack Kilby of Texas Instruments showed a working circuit built on a single piece of material.September 12 · Source: IEEE Milestones (Engineering and Technology History Wiki)
- NASA opened for businessThe new civilian space agency began work, absorbing the older aeronautics research labs.October 1 · Source: NASA
- First US jet airline serviceA Pan Am Boeing 707, the Clipper America, flew from New York to Paris.October 26 · Source: Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Famous people born in 1958
- Michael JacksonAmerican singer, songwriter, record producer, and dancer · born August 29
- MadonnaAmerican singer, songwriter, and actress · born August 16
- PrinceAmerican musician · born June 7
- Gary OldmanBritish actor and filmmaker · born March 21
- Michelle PfeifferAmerican actress · born April 29
- Andrea BocelliItalian tenor and singer-songwriter · born September 22
- Sharon StoneAmerican actress · born March 10
- Ellen DeGeneresAmerican comedian, television host, actress, and writer · born January 26
From Wikidata, ranked by how many Wikipedia languages write about them. Spotted a mistake?
No. 1 songs of 1958
- Poor Little FoolRicky Nelson · first week at No. 1: August 4, 1958
- Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)Domenico Modugno · first week at No. 1: August 18, 1958
- Little StarThe Elegants · first week at No. 1: August 25, 1958
- It's All In The GameTommy Edwards · first week at No. 1: September 29, 1958
- It's Only Make BelieveConway Twitty · first week at No. 1: November 10, 1958
- Tom DooleyThe Kingston Trio · first week at No. 1: November 17, 1958
- To Know Him, Is To Love HimThe Teddy Bears · first week at No. 1: December 1, 1958
- The Chipmunk SongThe Chipmunks With David Seville · first week at No. 1: December 22, 1958
Billboard Hot 100, chart weeks of 1958. Spotted a mistake?
If you were born in 1958
- Older than the laserTheodore Maiman built and operated the first laser, in Malibu, California (month only; the day is not given by the source) on May 1, 1960.
- Older than the first human in spaceYuri Gagarin became the first human to fly into space and orbit the Earth on April 12, 1961.
- Older than the Beatles on Ed SullivanThe Beatles made their first live American TV appearance, on The Ed Sullivan Show on February 9, 1964.
- Older than the Ford MustangThe Ford Mustang was unveiled to the public at the New York World's Fair on April 17, 1964.
- Younger than SputnikThe Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the first artificial satellite on October 4, 1957.
- Younger than Elvis on The Ed Sullivan ShowElvis Presley made his first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show on September 9, 1956.
- Younger than DisneylandDisneyland opened in Anaheim, California on July 17, 1955.