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The 1950s decade refers to the years of 1950 to 1959 inclusive. The Fifties in the United States and much of Western Europe are generally considered conservative in contrast to the social revolution of the next decade. Mass suburban developments and nuclear family ideals serve as symbols of the era from the end of the Second World War in 1945 to the inauguration of United States President John F. Kennedy in 1961. Education grew explosively because of a very strong demand for high school and college education. The Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States played out through the entire decade. The fifties also revolutionized entertainment with the mainstream introduction of television, rapid growth of the recording industry and new genres of music, and movies targeted at teenage audiences. Due to the conservative norms of the era and the sometimes violent suppression of social movements, seeds of rebellion grew and were manifested through Rock and Roll, movies emphasizing rebelliousness, expansion of the Civil Rights Movement, the so-called Beat Generation of poets and artists. All of these played significant roles in the Social Revolution of the Sixties (1960s). These pages contain the trends of millennia and centuries. ... On the Gregorian calendar, the 2nd millennium commenced on 1 January 1001, and ended at the end of 31 December 2000. ... These pages contain the trends of millennia and centuries. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the... 20XX redirects here. ... This is a list of decades which have articles with more information about them. ... The 1920s is sometimes referred to as the Jazz Age or the Roaring Twenties, usually when speaking about the United States. ... The 1930s were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles, as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression, also known as the [[. In East Asia, the rise of militarism occurred. ... The 1940s decade ran from 1940 to 1949. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from the beginning of 1960 to the end of 1969. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called The Seventies. ... The 1980s was the decade spanning from 1980 to 1989, also called The Eighties. The decade saw social, economic and general upheaval as wealth, production and western culture migrated to new industrializing economies. ... Year 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1952 (MCMLII) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1953 (MCMLIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar). ... A car from 1956 Year 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar). ... Jan. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other senses of this word, see decade (disambiguation). ... A current understanding of Western Europe. ... // The counterculture of the 1960s was a social revolution between the period of 1960 and 1973[1] that began in the United States as a reaction against the conservative social norms of the 1950s, the political conservatism (and perceived social repression) of the Cold War period, and the US government... “Suburbia” redirects here. ... The term nuclear family developed in the western world to distinguish the family group consisting of parents (usually a father and mother) and their children, from what is known as an extended family. ... For the pop band, see Presidents of the United States of America. ... John Kennedy and JFK redirect here. ... For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Music (disambiguation). ... Rock and roll (also spelled Rock n Roll, especially in its first decade), also called rock, is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. ... Historically, the civil rights movement was a concentrated period of time around the world of approximately twenty years (1960-1980) in which there was much worldwide civil unrest and popular rebellion. ... Beats redirects here. ...

[edit] Ascendancy of the United States

The 1950s in the U.S. were marked with a sharp rise in the economy for the first time in almost 30 years, and a return to the 1920s-type consumer society built on credit and boom-times, as well as the baby boom from returning GIs who went to college under the G.I. Bill and settled in suburban America. Most of the internal conflicts that had developed in earlier decades like women's rights, civil rights, and imperialism were relatively suppressed or neglected during this time as a world returning from the brink hoped to see a more consistent way of life as opposed to the radicalism of the 1930s and 1940s. The effect of suppressing social problems in the 1950s would have a significant impact on the rest of the twentieth century^{[citation needed]}. Consumers refers to individuals or households that use goods and services generated within the economy. ... Young people interacting within an ethnically diverse society. ... A baby boom is any period of greatly increased birth rate during a certain period, and usually within certain geographical bounds. ... GI or G.I. is a term describing a member of the US armed forces or an item of their equipment. ... The G. I. Bill of Rights or Servicemens Readjustment Act of 1944 provided for college or vocational education for returning World War II veterans as well as one-year of unemployment compensation. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Suburb. ... The term women’s rights typically refers to freedoms inherently possessed by women and girls of all ages, which may be institutionalized or ignored and/or illegitimately suppressed by law or custom in a particular society. ... Civil rights or positive rights are those legal rights retained by citizens and protected by the government. ... For the computer game, see Imperialism (computer game). ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ...

[edit] Social and political movements

[edit] Trends

In the east, an American generation troubled by the Great Depression and World War II created a culture with emphasis on organization and suppression. African Americans took a generally different approach to a post-war society, aiming for a greater inclusiveness and social awareness after a global crisis in the preceding decades that many blamed on the failings of free market capitalism, and the fifties were marked by the establishment of a Welfare State in many countries in Europe. Teenagers had a significant impact on fashion trends in the 1950s For other uses, see The Great Depression (disambiguation). ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... A free market is an idealized market, where all economic decisions and actions by individuals regarding transfer of money, goods, and services are voluntary, and are therefore devoid of coercion and theft (some definitions of coercion are inclusive of theft). Colloquially and loosely, a free market economy is an economy... For other uses, see Capitalism (disambiguation). ... There are three main interpretations of the idea of a welfare state: the provision of welfare services by the state. ...

[edit] Korean War

The Korean War, lasted from June 25, 1950 until a cease-fire on July 27, 1953 (as of now, there has been no peace treaty signed), started as a civil war between communist North Korea and the Republic of South Korea. When it began, North and South Korea existed as provisional governments competing for control over the Korean peninsula, due to the division of Korea by outside powers. While originally a civil war, it quickly escalated into a proxy war between the capitalist powers of the United States and its allies and the Communist powers of the People's Republic of China and the Soviet Union. Belligerents United Nations: Republic of Korea Australia Belgium Canada Colombia Ethiopia France Greece Luxembourg Netherlands New Zealand Philippines South Africa Thailand Turkey United Kingdom United States Naval Support and Military Servicing/Repairs: Japan Medical staff: Denmark Italy Norway India Sweden DPR Korea PR China Soviet Union Commanders Syngman Rhee Chung... is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... An armistice is the effective end of a war, when the warring parties agree to stop fighting. ... is the 208th day of the year (209th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1953 (MCMLIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the definition of the specific type of war. ... This article is about the form of society and political movement. ... Look up republic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Korean peninsula, first divided along the 38th parallel, later along the demarcation line The division of Korea into North Korea and South Korea stems from the 1945 Allied victory in World War II, ending Japans 35-year occupation of Korea. ... A proxy war is a war where two powers use third parties as a supplement or a substitute for fighting each other directly. ...

On September 15, General Douglas MacArthur planned a grand strategy to dissect North-Korean-occupied Korea at the city of Incheon (Song Do port) to cut off further invasion by the North Korean army. Within a few days, MacArthur's army took back Seoul (South Korea's capital). The plan succeeded which allowed American and South Korean forces to cut off further expansion by the North Koreans. The war continued until a cease-fire was agreed to by both sides on July 27, 1953. The war left 33,742 American soldiers dead, 92,134 wounded, and 51,000 MIA. is the 258th day of the year (259th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the American general; for the municipality in the Philippines, see General MacArthur, Eastern Samar. ... This article is about the city. ... Short name Statistics Location map Map of location of Seoul. ... is the 208th day of the year (209th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1953 (MCMLIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... MIA is a three-letter acronym that is most commonly used to designate a combatant who is Missing In Action, and has not yet returned or otherwise been accounted for as either dead (KIA) or a prisoner of war (POW). ...

[edit] Suez Crisis

Israeli conquest of Sinai during the Suez Crisis

The Suez Crisis was a war fought on Egyptian territory in 1956. Following the nationalisation of the Suez Canal in 1956 by Gamal Abdel Nasser, the United Kingdom, France and Israel subsequently invaded. The operation was a military success, but after the USA and Soviet Union united in opposition to the invasion, the invaders were forced to withdraw. This was seen as a major humiliation, especially for the two European countries, and symbolises the beginning of the end of colonialism and weakening of European global importance. Download high resolution version (740x918, 131 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (740x918, 131 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Belligerents Israel United Kingdom France Egypt Commanders Moshe Dayan Charles Keightley Pierre Barjot Gamal Abdel Nasser Abdel Hakim Amer Strength 175,000 Israeli 45,000 British 34,000 French 70,000 Casualties and losses 197 Israeli KIA 56 British KIA 91 British WIA 10 French KIA 43 French WIA 1650... -1... Nasser redirects here. ... Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized...

[edit] European Common Market

The European Community (or Common Market), the precursor of the European Union, was established with the Treaty of Rome in 1957 The European Community (EC) was originally founded on March 25, 1957 by the signing of the Treaty of Rome under the name of European Economic Community. ... The Treaty of Rome signing ceremony Signatures in the Treaty The Treaty of Rome, signed by France, West Germany, Italy and Benelux (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg) on March 25, 1957, established the European Economic Community (EEC). ...

[edit] Civil rights

During this time, African-Americans were subject to racial segregation, but the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s was brewing. Key figures like Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and Rosa Parks highlighted and challenged those who were against African-American rights and freedom. The Little Rock Nine integrated Central High School, which was a key event in the fight to end segregation in schools. “Martin Luther King” redirects here. ... Malcolm X, born Malcolm Little, also known as Detroit Red and Al-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz (Omaha, Nebraska, May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965 in New York City) was a Muslim Minister and National Spokesman for the Nation of Islam. ... Rosa Louise McCauley Parks (February 4, 1913 – October 24, 2005) was an African American civil rights activist and seamstress whom the U.S. Congress dubbed the Mother of the Modern-Day Civil Rights Movement. Parks is famous for her refusal on December 1, 1955 to obey bus driver James Blake...

[edit] Culture

• Juvenile delinquency was said to be at unprecedented epidemic proportions in the United States, though some see this era as relatively low in crime compared to today.
• Continuing poverty in some regions during recessions later on in this decade. The 1950s is often mistakenly painted as the pinnacle of American prosperity. To some, it also may be considered the peak of the modern American civilization^{[citation needed]}. The '50s were supposed to be a time of the "Affluent Society".
• The 1950s saw fairly high rates of unionization, government social spending, taxes, and the like in the United States and European countries. Most Western governments were liberal or moderate, though domestic politics were also affected by reactions to communism and the Cold War.
• Beatniks, a culture of teenage and young adults who were seen as rebels and against the social norms, were popularized towards the end of the decade and criticised by older generations. They are seen as a predecessor for the counterculture and hippie movements.
• Optimistic visions of a semi-utopian technological future, including such devices as the flying car, were popular.
• The Day the Earth Stood Still hits movie theaters launching a cycle of Hollywood films in which Cold War fears are manifested through scenarios of alien invasion or mutation.
• Considerable racial tension arose with military and school desegregation in mostly the southern part of the United States, though major controversy and uproar did not truly erupt until the 1960s.
• Resurgence of evangelical Christianity including Youth for Christ (1943); the National Association of Evangelicals, the American Council of Christian Churches, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (1950), Conservative Baptist Association of America (1947); and the Campus Crusade for Christ (1951). Christianity Today was first published in 1956. 1956 also marked the beginning of Bethany Fellowship, a small press that would grow to be a leading evangelical press.
• Carl Stuart Hamblen, a religious radio broadcaster, hosted the popular show "The Cowboy Church of the Air".
• The Kinsey Reports were published. Hugh Hefner launched Playboy magazine. [1][2]

Juvenile delinquency refers to criminal acts performed by juveniles. ... A boy from Jakarta, Indonesia shows his find. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... “Moderates” redirects here. ... Beatnik can refer to two different things: A member of the Beat Generation An esoteric programming language This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... // The counterculture of the 1960s was a social revolution between the period of 1960 and 1973[1] that began in the United States as a reaction against the conservative social norms of the 1950s, the political conservatism (and perceived social repression) of the Cold War period, and the US government... For the British TV show, see Hippies (TV series). ... For the Kevin Smith film, see The Flying Car. ... Race relations is the area of sociology that studies the social, political, and economic relations between races at all different levels of society. ... Topics in Christianity Preaching Prayer Ecumenism Relation to other religions Movements Music Liturgy Calendar Symbols Art Criticism Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. ... For other persons named Billy Graham, see Billy Graham (disambiguation). ... The first organization of Conservative Baptists was the Conservative Baptist Foreign Mission Society (CBFMS), now called WorldVenture, formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1943. ... Christianity Today is an Evangelical Christian periodical based in Carol Stream, Illinois. ... Carl Stuart Hamblen (1908-1989), often called Stuart Hamblen, became radios firt singing cowboy in 1926. ... The 1948 first edition of Sexual Behavior in the Human Male, the first of the two Kinsey reports. ... Hugh Marston Hefner (born April 9, 1926 in Chicago, Illinois), also referred to colloquially as Hef, is the founder and editor-in-chief of Playboy magazine. ... For other uses, see Playboy (disambiguation). ...

[edit] Fashion

Flying in the face of continuity, logic, and erudite sociological predictions, fashion in the 1950s, far from being revolutionary and progressive, bore strong nostalgic echoes of the past. A whole society which, in the 1920s and '30s, had greatly believed in progress, was now much more circumspect. Despite the fact that women had the right to vote, to work, and to drive their own cars, they chose to wear dresses made of opulent materials, with corseted waists and swirling skirts to mid-calf. As fashion looked to the past, haute couture experienced something of a revival and spawned a myriad of star designers who profited hugely from the rapid growth of the media. Throughout the 1950s, although it would be for the last time, women around the world continued to submit to the trends of Parisian haute couture. Three of the most prominent of the Parisian couturiers of the time were Cristobal Balenciaga, Hubert de Givenchy, and Pierre Balmain. Also notable is the return of Coco Chanel (who detested the New Look) to the fashion world. After the war, the American look (which consisted of broad shoulders, floral ties, straight-legged pants, and shirts with long pointed collars, often worn hanging out rather than tucked in) became very popular among men in Europe. The designers of Hollywood created a particular type of glamour for the stars of American film, and outfits worn by the likes of Marilyn Monroe, Lauren Bacall, or Grace Kelly were widely copied. By the end of the decade mass-manufactured, off-the-peg clothing had become much more popular than in the past, granting the general public unprecedented access to fashionable styles. Teen fashion in America favored blue jeans, penny loafers and bobby sox, saddle shoes, poodle skirts, letterman sweaters and varsity jackets, T-shirts and black leather motorcycle jackets made popular by the Marlon Brando film The Wild One, and, for boys, the greaser hairstyle known as the D.A. or Duck's Ass. The hairstyle became a stereotypical feature of rebels and nonconformists, and was adopted by Hollywood to represent the wild youth of the era. Brylcreem and other hair tonics had a period of popularity. Cristóbal Balenciaga (January 21, 1895 - March 23, 1972) was a fashion designer from Spain. ... Count Hubert James Marcel Taffin de Givenchy (born February 21, 1927) is a French aristocrat and fashion designer who founded the The House of Givenchy in 1952. ... Pierre Balmain and Ruth Ford, photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1947 Pierre Alexandre Claudius Balmain (May 18, 1914-June 29, 1982) was French fashion designer. ... Gabrielle Bonheur Coco Chanel (August 19, 1883 – January 10, 1971)[1] was a pioneering French fashion designer whose modernist philosophy, menswear-inspired fashions, and pursuit of expensive simplicity made her arguably the most important figure in the history of 20th-century fashion. ... For other uses, see New Look (disambiguation). ... ... Marilyn Monroe (born Norma Jeane Mortenson;[1] baptised Norma Jeane Baker June 1, 1926 – August 5, 1962), was a Golden Globe-winning,[2] critically-acclaimed[3][4][5] American actress, singer, model, Hollywood icon,[6] cultural icon, fashion icon,[7] pop icon,[8] film executive[9] and sex symbol. ... Bacall redirects here. ... For the Mika song, see Grace Kelly (song). ... Blue Jeans Jeans are trousers traditionally made from denim, but may also be made from a variety of fabrics including cotton and corduroy. ... Penny loafers are low, leather step-in shoes whose tops resemble a moccasin, but have broad flat heels. ... Saddle shoes are formal two-toned leather footwear, the normal coloration is white and black, although other colorations are frequently sold. ... A poodle skirt is a wide swing skirt worn with layers of petticoats underneath, often on its own (worn with a cardigan) or sometimes as part of a dress. ... T-Shirt A T-shirt (or tee shirt) is a shirt with short or long sleeves, a round neck, put on over the head, without pockets. ... Marlon Brando, Jr. ... The Wild One is a 1953 outlaw biker film. ... A Greaser is a type of person that is familiar with the greasyness of of human culture. ... Note the curled feathers The Ducks Ass was a haircut style popular during the 1950s. ... Original Brylcreem Brylcreem (pronounced brill-cream) is a brand name of mens hair groom. ...

[edit] Popular music

See also: Timeline of musical events#1950s

Popular music up to the early 1950s was mainly bebop and jazz variants. Jazz stars included Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Thelonious Monk. Rock and roll emerged as the teen music of choice with Little Richard, Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly being notable exponents. Elvis Presley was the musical superstar of the period with rock, rockabilly, gospel, and romantic balladeering being his signatures. Bill Haley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash were rockabilly musicians. Doo Wop was another popular genre at the time. Calypso enjoyed popularity with Jamaican Harry Belafonte being dubbed the "King of Calypso". The Kingston Trio was instrumental in launching the folk music revival of the fifties and sixties. On March 14, 1958, the RIAA certified crooner Perry Como's single, "Catch A Falling Star" its first ever Gold Record. For the music genre, see Pop music. ... This article is about the genre of music, for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles character see Bebop and Rocksteady. ... For other uses, see Jazz (disambiguation). ... For other persons of the same name, see Charles Parker. ... For the Australian cricketer nicknamed Dizzy, see Jason Gillespie. ... Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926 – September 28, 1991) was an American jazz musician, widely considered to be one of the most influential of the 20th century. ... Coltrane redirects here. ... Thelonious Sphere Monk (October 10, 1917 – February 17, 1982) was a jazz pianist and composer. ... Richard Wayne Penniman (born December 5, 1932), better known by the stage name Little Richard, is an African-American singer, songwriter, and pianist, who began performing in the 1940s and was a key figure in the transition from rhythm & blues to rock and roll in the mid-1950s. ... Charles Edward Anderson Chuck Berry (born October 18, 1926 in St. ... For the Weezer song, see Buddy Holly (song). ... Elvis redirects here. ... Bill Haley, with his band, the Comets, was one of the first rock and roll acts to tour the United Kingdom. ... Jerry Lee Lewis (born September 29, 1935), also known by the nickname The Killer, is an American rock and roll and country music singer, songwriter, and pianist. ... For the song of the same name, recorded by Tracy Byrd and later by Jason Aldean, see Johnny Cash (song). ... For the Lauryn Hill single, see Doo Wop (That Thing). ... Calypso might refer to one of several things: Calypso is the name of a sea nymph in Greek mythology; Calypso music is a style of Caribbean folk music; Calypso is the name of an album sung by Harry Belafonte; Calypso is the name of a moon of Saturn; 53 Kalypso... Harold George Belafonte, Jr. ... The Kingston Trio is an American folk group, perhaps the single most prominent one. ... The RIAA Logo. ... Pierino Ronald Perry Como (May 18, 1912 – May 12, 2001) was an Italian-American singer and television personality. ... The description Gold Album is applied to recorded music albums that have sold a minimum number of copies (in the US, currently 500,000 sales). ...

[edit] Drama and musical theater

Dramas included William Inge's Come Back, Little Sheba (1950), the Pulitzer Prize-winning Picnic (1953), Bus Stop (1955) and The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (1957). Tennessee Williams won a Tony Award for The Rose Tattoo (1952) and the Pulitzer Prize for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1955). Arthur Miller followed his 1949 success Death of a Salesman with The Crucible (1953) and A View from the Bridge (1955). Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey Into Night, written 1941, was first performed 1956 and A Touch of the Poet, completed in 1942, was first performed 1958. William Motter Inge (May 3, 1913 – June 10, 1973) was an American playwright and novelist, whose works feature solitary protagonists encumbered with strained sexual relations. ... Come Back, Little Sheba is a play written by American playwright William Inge. ... Picnic is a 1953 play by William Inge. ... Bus Stop is a 1955 play by William Inge. ... Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), better known as Tennessee Williams, was a major American playwright who received many of the top theatrical awards. ... The Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Awards, recognize achievement in live American theatre and are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League [1] at an annual ceremony in New York City. ... The Rose Tattoo is a Tennessee Williams play. ... This article is about the play. ... Arthur Bob Miller (October 17, 1915 – February 10, 2005) was an American playwright and essayist. ... For other uses, see Death of a Salesman (disambiguation). ... For the 1996 film, see The Crucible (1996 film). ... A View from the Bridge is a play by Arthur Miller originally produced as a one-act verse drama on Broadway in 1955. ... Eugene Gladstone ONeill (October 16, 1888 – November 27, 1953) was a Nobel- and four-time Pulitzer Prize-winning American playwright. ... Long Days Journey Into Night is a dramatic play in four acts by Eugene ONeill, widely considered to be his masterwork. ... A Touch of the Poet is a 1942 play by Eugene ONeill. ...

Musicals of the period included Guys and Dolls (1950), Rogers and Hammerstein's The King and I (1951), The Pajama Game (1954), Peter Pan (1954), Damn Yankees (1955), Lerner and Loewe's My Fair Lady (1956), Meredith Wilson's The Music Man (1957), Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story (1957), Lerner and Loewe's musical film adaptation of the stage play Gigi (1958), and Rogers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music (1959). Guys and Dolls is a musical, with the music and lyrics written by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows, based on The Idyll Of Miss Sarah Brown, a short story by Damon Runyon. ... Rodgers and Hammerstein is the songwriting team consisting of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. Rodgers had previously been in a successful partnership with Lorenz Hart (see Rodgers and Hart). ... The King and I is a musical by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. Its script is based on the book Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon. ... The Pajama Game is a musical based on the novel 7-1/2 Cents by Richard Bissell. ... Damn Yankees is a musical comedy, a modern retelling of the Faust legend set during the 1950s (when the New York Yankees dominated Major League Baseball), in Washington, D.C., with a script by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop and music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. ... Lerner and Loewe is a designation for the musical comedy writing team of lyricist and librettist Alan Jay Lerner and composer Frederick Loewe. ... My Fair Lady is a musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe, based on George Bernard Shaws Pygmalion. ... The Music Man is a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson. ... Leonard Bernstein in 1971 Leonard Bernstein (IPA pronunciation: )[1] (August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, and pianist. ... For other uses, see West Side Story (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Gigi (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see The Sound of Music (disambiguation). ...

[edit] Film

See also: 1950s in film

With television's rapidly growing popularity producing a marked decline in fifties movie-going, Hollywood was prompted to seek ways to draw its former audience back to the theaters. New film techniques were developed (Cinemascope, VistaVision, Cinerama, and 3-D film) that were ideally suited for the big budget sword and sandal epics The Robe, Demetrius and the Gladiators, The Ten Commandments, Ben-Hur and Cleopatra (1963). Hercules (1958) and its follow-up Hercules Unchained launched internationally popular low budget epics with bodybuilders Steve Reeves, Gordon Scott, and others cast as the heroes of Greco-Roman mythology. The decade of the 1950s in film involved many significant films. ... A Fox logo used to promote the CinemaScope process. ... A VistaVision 35 mm horizontal camera film frame. ... Cinerama is the trademarked name for a widescreen process which works by simultaneously projecting images from three synchronized 35 mm projectors onto a huge, deeply-curved screen, subtending 146° of arc, and for the corporation which was formed to market it. ... In film, the term 3-D (or 3D) is used to describe any visual presentation system that attempts to maintain or recreate moving images of the third dimension, the illusion of depth as seen by the viewer. ... D. W. Griffith set out to depict the splendor of ancient Babylon in Intolerance. ... The Robe, a 1942 historical novel featuring the Crucifixion, written by Lloyd C. Douglas. ... Demetrius and the Gladiators was a 1954 drama film that was a sequel to The Robe. ... The Ten Commandments is a 1956 motion picture dramatizing the Biblical story of Moses, an Egyptian prince-turned deliverer of the Hebrew slaves. ... Ben-Hur is a 1959 epic film directed by William Wyler, and is the third film version of Lew Wallaces novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1880). ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Steve Reeves as Hercules Hercules was the name of the English release of the 1958 Italian film Le Fatiche di Ercole starring the bodybuilder Steve Reeves. ... Hercules Unchained is the sequel to the 1950s block buster Hercules that inspired the popularity of the 1960s sword and sandal craze. ... Stephen L. Reeves (January 21, 1926 – May 5, 2000), was a bodybuilder, actor, and author. ... Classical mythology usually refers to the religious legends and practices of classical antiquity: Greek mythology; Roman mythology; Greek religion; and Roman religion. ...

The spectacle approach to film-making, Cold War paranoia, public fascination with Outer Space, and a renewed interest in science sparked by the atom bomb lent itself well to science fiction films. Martians and other alien menaces were metaphors for Communism, foreign ideologies, and the misfits threatening democracy and the American way of life. The Day the Earth Stood Still, Invaders from Mars, Them!, The War of the Worlds, The Time Machine, It Came from Outer Space, Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Thing from Another World, This Island Earth, Earth vs. the Flying Saucers, and Forbidden Planet were popular. Queen of Outer Space (1958) with Zsa Zsa Gabor brought sex to the genre. There were also Earth-based subjects, such as 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) and When Worlds Collide (1951). Companies such as American International Pictures, Japan's Toho, and Britain's Hammer Film Productions were created to solely produce films of the fantastique genres. Japanese films included Godzilla (1954), Godzilla Raids Again (1955), and Rodan (1956), and Battle in Outer Space (1959). For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... Layers of Atmosphere - not to scale (NOAA)[1] Outer space, sometimes simply called space, refers to the relatively empty regions of the universe outside the atmospheres of celestial bodies. ... The mushroom cloud of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, in 1945 lifted nuclear fallout some 18 km (60,000 feet) above the epicenter. ... Poster for The Day the Earth Stood Still, an archetypal science fiction film. ... The Day the Earth Stood Still is a 1951 black-and-white science fiction film that tells the story of a humanoid alien who comes to Earth to warn its leaders not to take their conflicts into space, or they will face devastating consequences. ... Invaders from Mars is a 1953 science fiction motion picture. ... Categories: Movie stubs | 1954 films | Science fiction films ... The War of the Worlds (1898), by H. G. Wells, is an early science fiction novel which describes an invasion of England by aliens from Mars. ... The Time Machine is a novel by H. G. Wells, first published in 1895, later made into two films of the same title. ... It Came from Outer Space is a 1953 Science Fiction 3-D film directed by Jack Arnold, and starring Richard Carlson, Barbara Rush, and Charles Drake. ... Creature from the Black Lagoon is a 1954 monster film directed by Jack Arnold, and starring Richard Carlson, Julia Adams, Richard Denning, Antonio Moreno, and Whit Bissell. ... The Day the Earth Stood Still is a 1951 black-and-white science fiction film that tells the story of a humanoid alien who comes to Earth to warn its leaders not to take their conflicts into space, or they will face devastating consequences. ... The Thing from Another World is a 1951 science fiction film which tells the story of an Air Force crew and scientists at a remote Arctic research outpost who fight a malevolent alien being. ... For the novel by Raymond F. Jones, see This Island Earth (novel). ... DVD Earth vs. ... This article is about the 1956 film. ... Queen of Outer Space is a science fiction movie filmed in 1958 starring Zsa Zsa Gabor as Talleah, the Venusian leader of the resistance to overthrow cruel Queen Yllana of Venus. ... Zsa Zsa Gábor (born Sári Gábor on February 6, 1917)) is a Hungarian-American actress and socialite. ... Front page of Vingt Mille Lieues Sous les Mers 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (or Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea) is a classic science fiction novel by Jules Verne, published in 1870 under the title Vingt mille lieues sous les mers. ... When Worlds Collide Book Cover published by Lippincott This article is about the 1932 novel. ... The early AIP logo. ... The English-language version of Tohos famous logo, used from the early 1960s to the late 1990s. ... New company logo as introduced in May 2007 A poster for Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966). ... This article is about the character itself. ... Godzilla no Gyakushū , lit. ... Rodan ), is a fictional monster, introduced in Rodan, a 1956 release from Toho Studios, the company responsible for the Godzilla series. ... Battle in Outer Space (宇宙大戦争 - Uchu daisenso), is a tokusatsu film produced and released by Toho Studios in 1960. ...

Original poster

Teen films came into their own during the decade. MGM's Blackboard Jungle (1955) examined race and class dynamics in an inner-city high school, and is regarded by some as the spark that lit the Rock and Roll revolution by featuring Bill Haley & His Comets's Rock Around the Clock over the opening credits. Screenings of the film occasionally led to teen violence and vandalism, and, for some, the film marks the start of visible teen rebellion in the 20th century. Rebel Without a Cause (1955) thrust its angst-ridden star James Dean to international stardom, and, unlike Blackboard Jungle, told its story from the viewpoint of its teen characters. Gidget (1959) set off a tsunami of light-hearted teen beach party and surfing movies that flirted with sex but respected fifties morality, conformism, and traditional values. Love, sex, marriage, divorce, alcoholism, dysfunctional families, and adultery were themes of A Summer Place featuring Sandra Dee and Troy Donahue as teen lovers and Dorothy McGuire and Richard Egan as their adulterous parents. Low budget teen films punctuated with rock and roll soundtracks were produced through the decade with provocative titles such as High School Hellcats, High School Confidential, Girls in the Night, Girls Town, Hound-Dog Man, Lost, Lonely, and Vicious, Running Wild, Hot Rod Girl, Juvenile Jungle, Teenage Devil Dolls, and the Ed Wood-scripted The Violent Years. Teen and sci-fi genres were wedded in B-film The Blob with Steve McQueen in his first starring role while teen horror flick I Was a Teenage Werewolf launched Michael Landon's Hollywood career. Image File history File links I_Was_A_Teenage_Werewolf. ... Image File history File links I_Was_A_Teenage_Werewolf. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... MGM logo Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer or MGM, is a large media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of cinema and television programs. ... Blackboard Jungle is a 1955 social commentary film about teachers in an inner-city school. ... Rock and roll (also spelled Rock n Roll, especially in its first decade), also called rock, is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. ... This article includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... Rock Around the Clock is a rock n roll song from 1952, written by Max C. Freedman and James E. Myers (the latter under the pseudonym Jimmy De Knight). Although first recorded by Sonny Dae & the Knights, the more famous version by Bill Haley & His Comets is not, strictly speaking... Rebel Without a Cause is a 1955 film directed by Nicholas Ray that tells the story of a rebellious teenager who comes to a new town, meets a girl, defies his parents, and faces the local high school bullies. ... For other uses, see Angst (disambiguation). ... For the film, see James Dean (film). ... Gidget was an American film starring 1950s teen icon Sandra Dee, released in 1959. ... Surf culture is the people, language, fashion and sporting life surrounding the sport of modern surfing. ... A Summer Place is the title of a 1959 film based on the novel of the same name by Sloan Wilson. ... Sandra Dee (April 23, 1942 - February 20, 2005) was an American film actress best known for her role as Gidget. // Alexandra Zuck was born to John and Mary Zuck, of Rusyn ancestry, in Bayonne, New Jersey, Dee was a professional model by the age of four. ... Troy Donahue Troy Donahue (January 27, 1936 – September 2, 2001) was an American actor, known for being a teen idol. ... Dorothy McGuire and Kent Smith in The Spiral Staircase Dorothy Hackett McGuire (June 14, 1916 – September 13, 2001) was an American actress. ... Richard Egan is: Richard Egan (actor) - American film actor Richard Egan (businessman) - American businessman, Ambassador This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... High School Confendential is the third gold disc for pianorocker Jerry Lee Lewis in 1958, featured in the movie from the same title. ... Ed Wood can refer to: The movie director Ed Wood, Jr. ... The Violent Years is a 1956 film starring Playboy Playmate Jean Moorhead as a high school student who gets involved in crime. ... For other meanings of this term, see Blob. ... For other uses, see Steve McQueen (disambiguation). ... I Was a Teenage Werewolf is a 1957 horror film starring Michael Landon as a troubled teenager and Whit Bissell as the primary adult. ... Michael Landon (October 31, 1936 - July 1, 1991) was an American actor, writer, director, and producer, who starred in three popular NBC TV series that spanned three decades. ...

The Walt Disney Studios enjoyed a decade of prosperity with animated feature-length films Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp (Disney's first wide-screen animated film), and Sleeping Beauty. The studio began producing live-action period and historical films such as The Sword and the Rose, Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier, Johnny Tremain, Old Yeller, Light in the Forest, Tonka, and Darby O'Gill and the Little People. The studio produced its first live-action contemporary comedy The Shaggy Dog in 1959 with Disney teen stars Annette Funicello and Tommy Kirk. The Walt Disney Studios refers to several different entities and locations associated with The Walt Disney Company: The Walt Disney Studios is one of the media empires four main operating units. ... Cinderella is a 1950 animated feature produced by Walt Disney, and released to theaters on February 15, 1950 by RKO Radio Pictures. ... Alice in Wonderland is a 1951 animated feature film produced by Walt Disney and originally premiered in London, England on July 26, 1951 by RKO Radio Pictures. ... Peter Pan is an animated feature film produced by Walt Disney based on the play Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldnt Grow Up by J. M. Barrie. ... Lady and the Tramp is a 1955 animated feature film produced by Walt Disney, and originally released to theaters on June 16, 1955 by Buena Vista Distribution. ... “Princess Aurora” redirects here. ... This is a list of live-action films produced by Walt Disney Productions and its successor label, Walt Disney Pictures. ... ddfdds ... This article is about the 1957 Disney film. ... Old Yeller is a classic 1957 film directed by Robert Stevenson, produced by Walt Disney Productions, and released to theaters by Buena Vista Distribution. ... Darby OGill and the Little People is a Disney film released in 1959, set in rural Ireland at the beginning of the 20th century. ... The Shaggy Dog is the title of two films, The Shaggy Dog (1959 film) The Shaggy Dog (1994 film) The Shaggy Dog (2006 film). ... Annette Joanne Funicello (born October 22, 1942) is an American singer and actress. ... Tommy Kirk (born December 10, 1941 in Louisville, Kentucky) is a former American child actor, and later a businessman and adult actor. ...

Established stars appeared in films that have come to be regarded as classics such as Sunset Boulevard (Gloria Swanson), All About Eve (Bette Davis), Some Like It Hot (Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemmon), High Noon (Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly), The Searchers (John Wayne), North by Northwest (Cary Grant), The Bridge on the River Kwai (Alec Guinness), Singin' in the Rain (Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor), White Christmas (Bing Crosby), and Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston), a film which holds (with Titanic and Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King) a record for most Academy Awards. The Stanislavski method's natural approach to acting was exemplified in screen stars Marlon Brando and Paul Newman. Brando's performances in The Wild One and A Streetcar Named Desire influenced sales of T-shirts and motorcycles. It has been suggested that Norma Desmond be merged into this article or section. ... Gloria Swanson (March 27, 1899 – April 4, 1983) was an Academy Award-nominated, Golden Globe-winning American Hollywood actress. ... For other uses, see All About Eve (disambiguation). ... This article is about the actress. ... Some Like It Hot is a 1959 comedy film directed by Billy Wilder. ... Marilyn Monroe (born Norma Jeane Mortenson;[1] baptised Norma Jeane Baker June 1, 1926 – August 5, 1962), was a Golden Globe-winning,[2] critically-acclaimed[3][4][5] American actress, singer, model, Hollywood icon,[6] cultural icon, fashion icon,[7] pop icon,[8] film executive[9] and sex symbol. ... For other persons named Tony Curtis, see Tony Curtis (disambiguation). ... John Uhler Lemmon III (February 8, 1925 – June 27, 2001), better known as Jack Lemmon, was a two-time Academy Award and Cannes Award-winning American actor and comedian. ...