Mark Scott Smith's Blog: Enemy in the Mirror, page 32

The Sound of Music

Based on the 1949 book The Story of the Trapp Family Singers written by Maria Augusta von Trapp, the Rodgers and Hammerstein Broadway musical The Sound of Music opened on Broadway in 1959.

The original Broadway production, starring Mary Martin and Theodore Bikel, won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical, out of nine nominations.

In 1965 The Sound of Music  movie, produced and directed by Robert Wise, starred Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer.

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Charles Van Doren Quiz Show Scandal

In November 1959 Charles Lincoln Van Doren, an American writer and editor, testified before the U.S. Congress that he had been given the correct answers by the producers of the NBC quiz show Twenty-One.

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The Twilight Zone

The Twilight Zone debuted on CBS TV in October 1959.

Created by Rod Serling, the show’s episodes were a blend of fantasy, science fiction, horror, black comedy and psychological thrills that often ended with an unexpected twist and/or moral.

 The first series, shot entirely in black and white, ran from 1959 to 1964.

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Deadly Typhoon Vera Strikes Japan

Typhoon Vera (Isewan Typhoon), was an unusually powerful tropical cyclone that struck Japan in September 1959.

Vera was the strongest and deadliest typhoon on record to make landfall in Japan.

The storm caused damage of unparalleled severity that proved a major setback to the Japanese economy, 

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Khrushchev & Eisenhower Meet at Camp David

 

In September 1959 Soviet Premier Nikita Khruschev made an extended visit to the USA.

While visiting Los Angeles, Khrushchev was infuriated when barred from visiting Disneyland because of security concerns.

Khruschev and President Eisenhower met at Camp David in Maryland for talks about the Cold War.

After two days of meetings, a joint communique suggested that both agreed that the discussions had been useful in clarifying each other’s position on a number of subjects. They also agreed that general disarmament was the most important issue facing the world.

Although no specific agreements were made, Eisenhower and Khrushchev agreed to hold another summit in the near future and Eisenhower announced he would visit the Soviet Union during the next year. 

Source: history.com

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Russian Probe Luna 2 Strikes Moon Surface

 

In September 1959, Luna 2, the sixth Russian spacecraft launched to the moon, was the first spacecraft to reach the moon’s surface and the first man-made object to make contact with another celestial body.

Luna 2 impacted on the Moon’s surface at a speed of ~7,400 mph.

At that time the closest Americans had come to the Moon was ~23,000 mi) with Pioneer 4.

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Bonanza

In September 1959 NBC launched “Bonanza,” the first TV color western.

Filmed at Incline Village, Nevada, the show ran until 1973 with Michael Landon as Little Joe, Lorne Greene as Ben Cartwright and Dan Blockeras Hoss.

Source: Wikipedia

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First Satellite Images of Earth

In August 1959 the United States launched the Explorer 6 satellite, popularly known as the “paddlewheel satellite.

The satellite featured a photocell scanner that transmitted a crude picture of the earth’s surface and cloud cover from a distance of 17,000 miles.

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Nixon-Khruschev Kitchen Debate

During a visit to the Soviet Union in July 1959, Vice President Richard Nixon got into a “kitchen debate” with Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev at a US exhibition. 

Source: Wikipedia

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Hawaii Becomes 50th State

In August 1959 President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a proclamation admitting Hawaii into the Union as the 50th state.

The new American flag, featuring 50 stars arranged in staggered rows became official July 4, 1960.

Source: History.com

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