Rememberthen.ca

1959 TRIVIA
Compiled By Ted Yates

On February 3rd, we lost Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper when the small chartered plane they were travelling in, crashed shortly after takeoff near Mason City Iowa.

TV Shows which made their debut in 1959 included;
Bonanza
The Twilight Zone
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
Bat Masterson
Dennis the Menace
The Untouchables
Rawhide

The St. Lawrence Seaway opened along the U.S./ Canada border to facilitate shipping on the St. Lawrence River between Montreal and Lake Superior.

Notable people we lost in 1959 included Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, Big Bopper, Lou Costello, Errol Flynn, George Reeves, Ethel Barrymore and Mario Lanza.

The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Chicago White Sox 4 games to 2 to win the World Series.

The Montreal Canadiens beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4 games to 1 to win the Stanley Cup.

Popular movies of 1959 included:
Ben Hur
A Summer Place
Anatomy Of a Murder
Gidget
North By Northwest
Pillow Talk
Some like it Hot
On the Beach

Alaska becomes the 49th and largest state and Hawaii became the 50th state in 1959.

Music artists who had their first hit in 1959 included :
Chubby Checker, Jan and Dean, James Darren, The Fleetwoods, Cliff Richard, The Isley Brothers, Bobby Rydell and Bobby Vee

The Ford Falcon and the Cassette Tape Recorder were introduced in 1959.

The Soviet Union launches the Lunik 2 Spacecraft, which becomes the first object originating on earth to land on the moon.

John F. Kennedy , a young Senator from Massachusetts was leading the race for democratic Presidential nomination.

The Grammy Award winning Record of the Year was ‘Mack The Knife’ by Bobby Darin.

Famous jockey Willie Shoemaker raced in Canada for the first time. It was at Woodbine Racetrack.

Georges Vanier, a distinguished soldier and diplomat succeeded Vincent Massey as Canada’s Governor General.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers won the Grey Cup defeating the Hamilton Ti-Cats 21 – 7.

It was announced that Ontario motorists would now be able to drive up to 60 m.p.h. without penalty on highways 400 and 401. The speed limit signs changed from 50 to 60 miles per hour.