The almanac
The 1961 Edition
Limited to about 101 million copies: the babies born worldwide in 1961. About 64 million are still in circulation.
Estimates from the UN World Population Prospects 2024. How we count
What happened in 1961
- One Hundred and One Dalmatians opensDisney's animated film about Pongo, Perdita and Cruella De Vil reached theaters.January 25 · Source: D23, the official Disney fan club
- First human in spaceYuri Gagarin circled the Earth in Vostok for 108 minutes.April 12 · Source: BBC On This Day
- Alan Shepard flies into spaceHe became the first American in space on a short suborbital flight from Florida.May 5 · Source: BBC On This Day
- Berlin is divided overnightBarbed wire went up between East and West Berlin, the start of the Berlin Wall.August 13 · Source: BBC On This Day
- The Dick Van Dyke Show beginsCBS launched the sitcom about a TV comedy writer and his family.October · Source: Television Academy Foundation, The Interviews
- Roger Maris hits 61 home runsThe Yankees slugger passed Babe Ruth's single season record on the last day.October 1 · Source: Prairie Public (Dakota Datebook)
Famous people born in 1961
- George ClooneyAmerican-French actor and filmmaker · born May 6
- EnyaIrish singer · born May 17
- Eddie MurphyAmerican actor and comedian · born April 3
- Peter JacksonNew Zealand film director, screenwriter, producer and actor · born October 31
- James GandolfiniAmerican actor · born September 18
- Nadia ComăneciRomanian gymnast and five-time Olympic gold medalist · born November 12
- Michael J. FoxCanadian-American actor, comedian, author, film producer, and activist · born June 9
- Stephen HillenburgAmerican marine science educator and artist · born August 21
From Wikidata, ranked by how many Wikipedia languages write about them. Spotted a mistake?
No. 1 songs of 1961
- Are You Lonesome To-night?Elvis Presley With The Jordanaires · first week at No. 1: January 2, 1961
- Wonderland By NightBert Kaempfert And His Orchestra · first week at No. 1: January 9, 1961
- Will You Love Me TomorrowThe Shirelles · first week at No. 1: January 30, 1961
- CalcuttaLawrence Welk And His Orchestra · first week at No. 1: February 13, 1961
- Pony TimeChubby Checker · first week at No. 1: February 27, 1961
- SurrenderElvis Presley With The Jordanaires · first week at No. 1: March 20, 1961
- Blue MoonThe Marcels · first week at No. 1: April 3, 1961
- RunawayDel Shannon · first week at No. 1: April 24, 1961
- Mother-In-LawErnie K-Doe · first week at No. 1: May 22, 1961
- Travelin' ManRicky Nelson · first week at No. 1: May 29, 1961
- Running ScaredRoy Orbison · first week at No. 1: June 5, 1961
- Moody RiverPat Boone · first week at No. 1: June 19, 1961
- Quarter To ThreeU.S. Bonds · first week at No. 1: June 26, 1961
- Tossin' And Turnin'Bobby Lewis · first week at No. 1: July 10, 1961
- Wooden HeartJoe Dowell · first week at No. 1: August 28, 1961
- MichaelThe Highwaymen · first week at No. 1: September 4, 1961
- Take Good Care Of My BabyBobby Vee · first week at No. 1: September 18, 1961
- Hit The Road JackRay Charles And His Orchestra With The Raelettes · first week at No. 1: October 9, 1961
- Runaround SueDion · first week at No. 1: October 23, 1961
- Big Bad JohnJimmy Dean · first week at No. 1: November 6, 1961
- Please Mr. PostmanThe Marvelettes · first week at No. 1: December 11, 1961
- The Lion Sleeps TonightThe Tokens · first week at No. 1: December 18, 1961
Billboard Hot 100, chart weeks of 1961. Spotted a mistake?
If you were born in 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.
- Older than the first spacewalkAlexei Leonov became the first person to float freely outside a spacecraft on March 18, 1965.
- Older than Star TrekStar Trek premiered on NBC on September 8, 1966.
- Younger 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.
- Younger than NASANASA officially opened for business on October 1, 1958.
- Younger than the microchipJack Kilby demonstrated the first working integrated circuit (microchip) at Texas Instruments on September 12, 1958.