- Jan 1 KHAS TV channel 5 in Hastings, Nebraska (NBC) begins broadcasting
- Jan 1 KOSA TV channel 7 in Odessa, Texas (CBS) begins broadcasting
- Jan 1 WREC (now WREG) TV channel 3 in Memphis, Tennessee (CBS) begins broadcasting
- Jan 6 KGNS TV channel 8 in Laredo, TX (NBC/ABC) begins broadcasting
"Peter Pan"
Jan 9 Musical "Peter Pan", starring Mary Martin broadcast live, for a 2nd time, on NBC as part of "Producers' Showcase" series
- Jan 15 KWAB TV channel 4 in Big Spring, TX (NBC) begins broadcasting
"Comedy in Music"
Jan 21 Victor Borge's one-man show "Comedy in Music" closes at John Golden Theatre, NYC; runs for 849 performances, a Guinness world record
- Jan 30 KRMA TV channel 6 in Denver, CO (PBS) begins broadcasting
- Jan 30 KTXS TV channel 12 in Sweetwater-Abilene, TX (ABC) begins broadcasting
- Feb 1 WSAV TV channel 3 in Savannah, GA (NBC) begins broadcasting
- Feb 9 KHPL (now KWNB) TV channel 6 in Hayes Center, NB (ABC) 1st broadcast
- Feb 10 "My Friend Flicka" premieres on CBS (later NBC) TV
- Feb 20 WOSU TV channel 34 in Columbus, OH (PBS) begins broadcasting
Golden Globes
Feb 23 13th Golden Globes: "East of Eden", Ernest Borgnine, & Anna Magnani win
- Mar 5 "King Kong" 1st televised
Songs for Swingin' Lovers!
Mar 5 Capitol Records releases "Songs for Swingin' Lovers!", the tenth album by American singer Frank Sinatra: upbeat collection of pop tunes with jazz arrangements by Nelson Riddle became the first album ever to top the new UK Albums Chart
The Searchers
Mar 13 "The Searchers" American western film directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne and Natalie Wood is released
Music History
Mar 15 Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe's musical "My Fair Lady", adapted from George Bernard Shaw's "Pygmalion", starring Rex Harrison, Julie Andrews, and Stanley Holloway, opens at Mark Hellinger Theater, later transferring to the Broadway Theatre, NYC; runs for 2,715 performances, winning 6 Tony Awards
Pro Wrestling
Mar 15 Whipper Billy Watson beats Lou Thesz in Toronto, to become NWA wrestling champion
Emmy Awards
Mar 17 8th Emmy Awards: "The Ed Sullivan Show", "The Phil Silvers Show". Phil Silvers & Lucille Ball win
- Mar 21 "The Rose Tattoo" wins 3 Academy awards, including Anna Manini for Best Actress and Cinematography (Black & White)
Academy Awards
Mar 21 28th Academy Awards: "Marty", Anna Magnani & Ernest Borgnine win
Mr Wonderful
Mar 22 Jerry Bock, Larry Holofcener, and George David Weiss's musical "Mr Wonderful" with Sammy Davis Jr. and his father Sammy Davis Sr., opens at Broadway Theater NYC for 383 performances
- Apr 1 KPIC TV channel 4 in Roseburg, OR (CBS) begins broadcasting
Romanoff & Juliet
Apr 2 Peter Ustinovs' play "Romanoff & Juliet" premieres in Manchester
South Sea Bubble
Apr 25 Noël Coward's musical "South Sea Bubble" premieres in London
Cannes Film Festival
May 10 9th Cannes Film Festival: "The Silent World" directed by Jacques Cousteau and Louis Malle wins the Palme d'Or
Television Finale
Jun 5 "Milton Berle Show" last airs on NBC-TV
Film & TV History
Jun 7 Gene Roddenberry resigns from the Los Angeles Police Department to concentrate on his writing career
- Jun 8 WDAM TV channel 7 in Laurel-Hattiesburg, MS (NBC) begins broadcasting
Music History
Jun 19 Jerry Lewis & Dean Martin end partnership after 10 years, and 16 films
- Jun 22 6th Berlin International Film Festival: "Invitation to the Dance" wins Golden Bear
Jimmy Durante Show
Jun 23 "Jimmy Durante Show" last airs on NBC-TV
Music History
Jun 24 "Steve Allen Show" returns on NBC-TV
- Jun 24 WISC TV channel 3 in Madison, WI (CBS) begins broadcasting
- Jun 25 WKNO TV channel 10 in Memphis, Tennessee (PBS) begins broadcasting
TV Show Appearance
Jul 1 Elvis Presley, wearing a tuxedo, appears on Steve Allen Show
Hancock's Half Hour
Jul 7 "Hancock's Half Hour" premieres as a TV show starring Tony Hancock and Sid James, written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson
Film & TV History
Jul 9 Dick Clark's 1st appearance as host of American Bandstand
- Jul 13 WCBI TV channel 4 in Columbus, MS (CBS) begins broadcasting
High Society
Jul 17 MGM releases film "High Society", a musical re-working of "The Philadelphia Story" set in Newport, Rhode Island; starring Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, and Frank Sinatra, with songs by Cole Porter
- Jul 29 WCKT (now WSVN) TV channel 7 in Miami, Florida (IND) begins broadcasting
- Aug 1 KRCR TV channel 7 in Redding-Chico, California (ABC) begins broadcasting
- Aug 5 KUAM TV channel 8 in Agana, Guam (CBS/ABC/NBC) begins broadcasting
- Aug 5 WCYB TV channel 5 in Bristol-Kingsport, Virginia (NBC) begins broadcasting
- Aug 6 After going bankrupt in 1955, the American national broadcaster DuMont Television Network makes its final broadcast, a boxing match from St. Nicholas Arena
- Aug 8 WDIQ (now KMCT) TV channel 2 in Dozier, AL (PBS) begins
- Aug 12 KOTI TV channel 2 in Klamath Falls, OR (NBC/CBS) begins broadcasting
- Aug 13 WBIR TV channel 10 in Knoxville, TN (CBS) begins broadcasting
- Aug 21 WTVW TV channel 7 in Evansville, IN (ABC) begins broadcasting
- Aug 26 KREY TV channel 10 in Montrose, CO (CBS/NBC) begins broadcasting
- Aug 28 17th Venice Film Festival opens. No Golden Lion awarded
- Sep 1 KELP (now KCOS) TV channel 13 in El Paso, TX (PBS) begins broadcasting
#1 in the Charts
Sep 8 Harry Belafonte's album "Calypso" goes #1 & stays #1 for 31 weeks
- Sep 9 Elvis Presley appears on "The Ed Sullivan Show" for the 1st time
- Sep 10 WSYE (now WETM) TV channel 18 in Elmira-Corning, NY (NBC) 1st broadcast
- Sep 17 Television is first broadcast in Australia
Television Finale
Sep 28 "Johnny Carson Show" TV Variety last airs on CBS-TV
- Sep 29 "Oh! Susanna" debuts on CBS-TV
Giant
Oct 10 "Giant", directed by George Stevens, starring Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, and James Dean in his last role, premieres in NYC
- Oct 13 WAGM TV channel 8 in Presque Isle, ME (CBS/NBC/ABC) begins
Around the World in 80 Days
Oct 17 "Around the World in 80 Days", based on the book by Jules Verne, directed by Michael Anderson and starring David Nivon and Cantinflas, premieres in New York
- Oct 23 First video recording on magnetic tape televised coast-to-coast
Huntley–Brinkley Report
Oct 29 NBC anchors Chet Huntley and David Brinkley first team up in "The Huntley–Brinkley Report"
The Wizard of Oz
Nov 3 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz" televised for 1st time - hosted by Bert Lahr and Judy Garland's 10-year old daughter Liza Minnelli, as the finale of the Ford Star Jubilee series (CBS-TV)
The Nat King Cole Show
Nov 5 "The Nat King Cole Show" debuts on NBC, the first variety program to be hosted by an African-American
The Ten Commandments
Nov 8 Biblical drama film "The Ten Commandments", directed by Cecil B. DeMille, starring Charlton Heston and Yul Brynner premieres at the Criterion Theater in NYC
The Girl Can't Help It
Dec 1 Musical comedy film "The Girl Can't Help It" starring Jayne Mansfield with cameos by rock 'n' roll stars Little Richard, Eddie Cochran, and Gene Vincent premieres
- Dec 3 KFSA (now KFSM) TV channel 5 in Ft Smith, AR (CBS) 1st broadcast
Happy Hunting
Dec 6 Harold Karr and Matt Dubey's musical "Happy Hunting", starring Ethel Merman and Fernando Lamas, opens at Majestic Theater, NYC; runs for 412 performances
- Dec 7 Helen O'Connell joins Today Show panel (NBC)
Anastasia
Dec 13 "Anastasia" comeback film for Ingrid Bergman is released in the US, role wins Bergman Academy Award for Best Actress.
Rizzuto for the Yankees
Dec 18 Phil Rizzuto signs as NY Yankees radio-TV announcer
- Dec 28 Miss Frances [Horwich], last Ding Dong School on NBC-TV
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