Life & Times 1956
Indicators
| Average annual income | $4,450 |
| New House | $22,000 |
| New Car | $2,100 |
| Minimum Wage | $.75 |
| Gallon of Gas | $.23 |
| Gallon of Milk | $.97 |
| Dozen Eggs | $.80 |
| Loaf of Bread | $.18 |
| Postage Stamp (ground) | $.03 |
Events
Nikita Khrushchev says, "History is on our side. We will bury you!"
Ampex Corporation demonstrates the first successful video tape recorder
Israeli forces under Moshe Dayan seize the Gaza Strip & Sinai Peninsula
Fidel Castro and Che Guevara land in Cuba and begin a guerrilla war
Transatlantic telephone cable
52 people die when the S.S. Andrea Doria collides with the S.S. Stockholm
Eisenhower re-elected President of US (Nixon Vice President)
Grace Kelly marries Prince Rainier III of Monaco
Jackie Robinson retires from baseball
Elvis Presley enters the music charts for the first time, with "Heartbreak Hotel"
Pakistan becomes the first Islamic republic
Bikini Atoll is nearly obliterated by the first airborne explosion of a hydrogen bomb
"In God We Trust" is adopted as the U.S. national motto
The Arkansas NAACP files federal suit for immediate integration of Little Rock Public Schools
Borden's Dairy in Little Rock acquires Terry Dairy
Newly constructed Forest Heights Junior High opens for classes
First hard disk (5 MB) invented by IBM
February 15, the national minimum wage is increased to $1.00 per hour
The Federal Aid Highway Act authorizes construction of a 42,500-mile highway system
Budweiser Brewery introduces Busch beer
Collier's Magazine ends publication
The Nat King Cole Show Debuts, first Black entertainer to host his own show
Yahtzee
In January, Capitol Transit Company, mired in strike violence, surrenders its
franchise to the cities of Little Rock and North Little Rock
In February, a 15-year transit franchise is awarded to Citizens Coach Company
Books
Auntie Mame - Patrick Dennis
Diamonds Are Forever - Ian Fleming
Don't Go Near the Water - William Brinkley
The Last Battle - C. S. Lewis
Peyton Place - Grace Metalious
Seize the Day - Saul Bellow
Minority Report - Philip K. Dick
Movies
Around the World in 80 Days (Best picture)
The King And I (Best actor, Yul Brynner)
Anastasia (Best actress, Ingrid Bergman)
Baby Doll
Love Me Tender
The Searchers
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
The Teahouse Of August Moon
Forbidden Planet
Giant
The Ten Commandments
And God Created Woman
The Bad Seed
Bus Stop
Friendly Persuasion
Moby Dick
High Society
The Rainmaker
The Man In The Grey Flannel Suit
The Man Who Knew Too Much
Music
1 Heartbreak Hotel - Elvis Presley
2 Don't Be Cruel - Elvis Presley
3 Lisbon Antigua - Nelson Riddle
4 My Prayer - Platters
5 The Wayward Wind - Gogi Grant
6 Hound Dog - Elvis Presley
7 The Poor People of Paris - Les Baxter
8 Que Sera Sera - Doris Day
9 Memories Are Made of This - Dean Martin
10 Rock and Roll Waltz - Kay Starr
11 Theme from "Picnic" - Morris Stoloff
12 The Great Pretender - Platters
13 I Almost Lost My Mind - Pat Boone
14 I Want You, I Need You, I Love You - Elvis Presley
15 Love Me Tender - Elvis Presley
16 Hot Diggity - Perry Como
17 Canadian Sunset - Hugo Winterhalter
18 Blue Suede Shoes - Carl Perkins
19 The Green Door - Jim Lowe
20 No, Not Much - Four Lads
21 Honky Tonk - Bill Doggett
22 Sixteen Tons - Tennessee Ernie Ford
23 Just Walking in the Rain - Johnnie Ray
24 Allegheny Moon - Patti Page
25 I'm in Love Again - Fats Domino
26 Tonight You Belong to Me - Patience & Prudence
27 Be-Bop-A-Lula - Gene Vincent
28 Why Do Fools Fall in Love - Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers
29 Standing on the Corner - Four Lads
30 The Flying Saucer - Buchanan & Goodman
31 Moonglow and Theme from "Picnic" - George Cates
32 Ivory Tower - Cathy Carr
33 See You Later Alligator - Bill Haley & His Comets
34 I'll Be Home - Pat Boone
35 On the Street Where You Live - Vic Damone
36 Magic Touch - Platters
37 Born to Be with You - Chordettes
38 Band of Gold - Don Cherry
39 More - Perry Como
40 Singing the Blues - Guy Mitchell