World news events

  • Fidel Castro's forces victorious in Cuban revolution
  • Alaska and Hawaii become U.S. states
  • U.S. and Canada complete St. Lawrence Seaway
  • Vice President Richard Nixon engages Soviet leader Khrushchev in an informal "kitchen debate" at a Moscow trade show where U.S. kitchen appliances are on exhibit
  • Degaulle Agrees to Vote on Algerian Independence

Science & Technology

  • Soviet space probe Lunik III photographs far side of the moon
  • The "X-15 Rocket" Aircraft made its first flight from a B-52 Bomber

Sports

  • NBA: Boston Celtics vs. Minneapolis Lakers Series: 4-0
  • NCAA Football: Syracuse Record: 11-0-0
  • Heisman Trophy: Billy Cannon, lsu, HB points: 1,929
  • Stanley Cup: Montreal Canadiens vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Series: 4-1
  • World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Chicago White Sox Series: 4-2

Movies

  • Auntie Mame
  • Shaggy Dog
  • Some Like It Hot
  • Imitation of Life
  • The Nun's Story
  • Anatomy of a Murder
  • North by Northwest
  • Rio Bravo
  • Sleeping Beauty
  • Some Came Running

         Academy Awards

  • Best Picture: "Ben-Hur"
  • Best Director: William Wyler ... "Ben-Hur"
  • Best Actor: Charlton Heston ... "Ben- Hur"
  • Best Actress: Simone Signoret ... "Room at the Top"

Most Popular Books

Fiction
1." Exodus"... Leon Uris. Doubleday
2."Doctor Zhivago"... Boris Pasternak. Pantheon Books
3."Hawaii" ... James Michener. Random House
4."Advise and Consent"... Allen Drury. Doubleday
5."Lady Chatterley's Lover" ... D. H. Lawrence. Grove Press
6."The Ugly American"... William J. Lederer and Eugene L. Burdick. Norton
7."Dear and Glorious Physician"... Taylor Caldwell. Doubleday
8."Lolita"... Vladimir Nabokov. Putnam
9."Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris"... Paul Gallico. Doubleday
10. "Poor No More"... Robert Ruark. Holt
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Nonfiction
1."Twixt Twelve and Twenty"... Pat Boone. Prentice-Hall
2."Folk Medicine"... D. C. Jarvis. Holt
3."For 2 Plain"... Harry Golden. World Publishing Co.
4."The Status Seekers"... Vance Packard. McKay
5."Act One"... Moss Hart. Random House
6."Charley Weaver's Letters from Mamma"...Cliff Arquette. Winston
7."Elements of Style"... William Strunk, Jr. and E. B. White. Macmillan
8."The General Foods Kitchens Cookbook"... Random House
9."Only in America"... Harry Golden. World Publishing Co.
10."Mine Enemy Grows Older"... Alexander King. Simon & Schuster
 

Music

1. Mack The Knife - Bobby Darin
2. Kansas City - Wilbur Harrison
3. What'd I Say - Ray Charles
4. 16 Candles - the Crests
5. A Teenager In Love - Dion and the Belmonts
6. I Only Have Eyes For You - The Flamingos
7. Sleep Walk - Santo & Johnny
8. It's Just A Matter Of Time - Brook Benton
9. There Goes My Baby - Drifters
10. Come Softly To Me - The Fleetwoods
11. Sea Of Love - Phil Phillips
12. Donna - Ritchie Valens
13. Put Your Head On My Shoulder - Paul Anka
14. ('Til) I Kissed You - Everly Brothers
15. Only Sixteen - Sam Cooke
16. Heartaches By The Number - Guy Mitchell
17. A Big Hunk O' Love - Elvis Presley
18. Mr. Blue - The Fleetwoods
19. Sea Cruise - Frankie Ford
20. (Sorry) I Ran All The Way Home - the Impalas
21. Red River Rock - Johnny and the Hurricans
22. My Happiness - Connie Francis
23. Poison Ivy - Coasters
24. Misty - Johnnie Mathis
25. La Bamba - Ritchie Valens
26. Dream Lover - Bobby Darin
27. Along Came Jones - Coasters
28. Stagger Lee - Lloyd Price
29. Teen Beat - Sandy Nelson
30. Back In The U.S.A. - Chuck Berry
31. High Hopes - Frank Sinatra
32. Turn Around - Harry Belafante
33. Personality - Lloyd Price
34. Everybody Likes To Cha Cha Cha - Sam Cooke
35. Love Potion No. 9 - Clovers
36. Hushabye - the Mystics
37. Charlie Brown - Coasters
38. Battle Of New Orleans - Johnny Horton
39. Bongo Rock - Preston Epps
40. The Happy Organ - Dave "Baby" Cortez

Grammy Awards

  • Record of the Year: "Mack the Knife" ... Bobby Darin
  • Song of the Year: "The Battle of New Orleans" ... Jimmy Driftwood
  • Album of the Year: "Come Dance with Me" ... Frank Sinatra
  • Male Vocalist: Frank Sinatra ... "Come Dance with Me"
  • Female Vocalist: Ella Fitzgerald ... "But Not for Me"

 

 Number One Song according to Billboard Magazine:

December 27, 1958 - January 18, 1959: Chipmunk Song - David Seville & The Chipmunks
January 19 - February 8: Smoke Gets In Your Eyes - The Platters
February 9 - March 8: Stagger Lee - Lloyd Price
March 9 - April 12: Venus - Frankie Avalon
April 13 - May 10: Come Softly To Me - The Fleetwoods
May 11 - May 17: The Happy Organ DaveBaby - Cortez
May 18 - May 31: Kansas City - Wilbert Harrison
June 1 - June 12: The Battle Of New Orleans - Johnny Horton
July 13 - August 9: Lonely Boy - Paul Anka
August 10 - August 23: A Big Hunk O' Love - Elvis Presley
August 24 - September 20: The Three Bells - The Browns
September 21 - October 4: Sleep Walk - Santo & Johnny
October 5 - November 15: Mack The Knife - Bobby Darin
November 16 - December 13: Mr. Blue - The Fleetwoods
December 14 - December 27: Heartaches By The Number - Guy Mitchell
December 28, 1958 - January 3, 1960: Why - Frankie Avalon