Explore 2487 historical events from 1950–1959.
Aloysius Harry Simmons was an American professional baseball outfielder who played 20 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Nicknamed "Bucketfoot Al", he had his best years with …
Al Simmons, American baseball player and coach (born 1902)
Jean Pierre Carl Buron, known professionally as Jean Hersholt, was a Danish-American actor. He is most famous for starring on the CBS radio series Dr. Christian from 1937–1954, rep…
Jean Hersholt, Danish-American actor and director (born 1886)
John Collings Willcock was an Australian politician. He was the premier of Western Australia from 1936 to 1945, holding office as state leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP). …
John Willcock, Australian politician, 15th Premier of Western Australia (born 1879)
Marie Laurencin was a French painter and printmaker. She became an important figure in the Parisian avant-garde as a member of the Cubists associated with the Section d'Or.
Marie Laurencin, French painter and sculptor (born 1883)
Chandrashekhar Govind Agashe was an Indian industrialist, lawyer, educator, and philanthropist, best remembered as the founder of the Brihan Maharashtra Sugar Syndicate Ltd. He ser…
Chandrashekhar Agashe, Indian industrialist and lawyer (born 1888)
Hans Bergsland was a Norwegian fencer, sports official and businessperson.
Hans Bergsland, Norwegian fencer (born 1878)
Thomas Henry Hicks was an Australian tennis player and administrator who managed Australia and New Zealand's participation in early Davis Cup competitions. Hicks was born in Balmai…
Thomas Hicks, Australian tennis player (born 1869)
Ferdinand Alfred Friedrich Jodl was a German general during World War II who commanded the Mountain Corps Norway during the Petsamo–Kirkenes Offensive. He was the younger brother o…
Ferdinand Jodl, German general (born 1896)
Percival Lea Dewhurst Perry, 1st Baron Perry KBE was an English motor vehicle manufacturer who served as chairman of Ford Motor Company Limited in Britain for 20 years from its i…
Percival Perry, 1st Baron Perry, English businessman (born 1878)
Paul Rostock was a German physician, official, and university professor. He was chief of the Office for Medical Science and Research under Third Reich Commissioner and war criminal…
Paul Rostock, German surgeon and academic (born 1892)
Robert Charles Sweikert was an American racing driver, best known as the winner of the 1955 Indianapolis 500 and the 1955 National Championship, as well as the 1955 Midwest Sprint …
Bob Sweikert, American race car driver (born 1926)
Thomas John Watson Sr. was an American businessman who was the chairman and CEO of IBM. He oversaw the company's growth into an international force from 1914 to 1956. Watson develo…
Thomas J
Walter John de la Mare was an English poet, short story writer and novelist. He is probably best remembered for his works for children, for his poem "The Listeners", and for his ps…
Walter de la Mare, English poet, short story writer and novelist (born 1873)
Reinhold Moritzevich Glière was a Russian and Soviet composer of German and Polish descent. He was awarded the titles of People's Artist of the RSFSR (1935) and People's Artist of …
Reinhold Glière, Russian composer and educator (born 1875)
Clifford Benjamin Brown was an American jazz trumpeter, pianist, and composer. He died at the age of 25 in a car crash, leaving behind four years' worth of recordings. His composit…
Clifford Brown, American trumpet player and composer (born 1930)
Richard Powell was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. He was not assisted in his musical development by Bud, his older and better known brother, but both played pred…
Richie Powell, American pianist (born 1931)
Thorleif Brinck Lund was a Norwegian stage and film actor of the silent film era.
Thorleif Lund, Norwegian actor (born 1880)
Gottfried Benn was a German poet, essayist, and physician. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature five times. He was awarded the Georg Büchner Prize in 1951.
Gottfried Benn, German author and poet (born 1886)
Giovanni Papini was an Italian journalist, essayist, novelist, short story writer, poet, literary critic, and philosopher. A controversial literary figure of the early and mid-twen…
Giovanni Papini, Italian journalist, author, and critic (born 1881)
Joseph Oscar Giard was an American Major League Baseball pitcher.
Joe Giard, American baseball player (born 1898)
John Blyth Hayes was an Australian politician who served as a Senator for Tasmania from 1923 to 1947. He was President of the Senate from 1938 to 1941. Before entering federal poli…
John Hayes, Australian politician, 25th Premier of Tasmania (born 1868)
James Alexander Calder was a Canadian politician.
James Alexander Calder, Canadian educator and politician, Canadian Minister of Militia and Defence (born 1868)
Grace Patricia Kelly was an American actress and Princess of Monaco as the wife of Prince Rainier III from their marriage on April 18, 1956, until her death in 1982. Prior to her m…
American actress Grace Kelly (pictured) became the princess consort of Monaco upon her marriage to Rainier III
The Eurovision Song Contest 1956, originally titled the Gran premio Eurovisione 1956 della canzone europea, was the first edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, held on 24 May 195…
The first edition of the Eurovision Song Contest was held in Lugano, Switzerland