1957

Events in 1957 69

• 1865 – 1957 Jean Sibelius Finnish national composer Finnish composer whose Finlandia, Violin Concerto and 7 symphonies made him a national hero and one of the defining voices of late Romanticism.
• 1867 – 1957 Arturo Toscanini (1867-1957) Died 16 January 1957, aged 89 Italian conductor widely regarded as one of the greatest of the 20th century, known for his intensity and photographic memory of scores. He led the La Scala, New York Philharmonic, and NBC Symphony Orchestras.
• 1867 – 1957 Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867-1957) Died 10 February 1957, aged 90 American author best known for the Little House series of children's novels, based on her childhood on the American frontier. The books later inspired the long-running television series Little House on the Prairie.
• 1876 – 1957 Constantin Brancusi (1876-1957) Died 16 March 1957, aged 81 Romanian sculptor regarded as a pioneer of modernism, celebrated for abstract works such as Bird in Space and The Kiss. He spent most of his career working in Paris.
• 1883 – 1957 Nikos Kazantzakis (1883-1957) Died 26 October 1957, aged 74 Greek writer and philosopher best known for the novel Zorba the Greek and for The Last Temptation of Christ, which was condemned by the Orthodox Church. His work explored themes of struggle, faith, and freedom.
• 1885 – 1957 Erich von Stroheim (1885-1957) Died 12 May 1957, aged 71 Austrian-born actor and director known for silent films such as Greed and for his acting role in Sunset Boulevard. His extravagant, perfectionist directing style made him a legendary and controversial figure in early Hollywood.
• 1886 – 1957 Diego Rivera Muralism · Mexico Diego Rivera (December 8, 1886 – November 24, 1957) was a Mexican muralist whose monumental public works depicted Mexican history and society. He was married to Frida Kahlo. His Detroit Industry Murals are among the greatest American public artworks.
• 1889 – 1957 Gabriela Mistral (1889-1957) Died 10 January 1957, aged 67 Chilean poet, educator, and diplomat who in 1945 became the first Latin American to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. Her poetry drew heavily on themes of childhood, motherhood, and loss.
• 1892 – 1957 Oliver Hardy (1892-1957) Died 7 August 1957, aged 65 American comic actor who formed one half of the double act Laurel and Hardy with Stan Laurel. Their films were among the most popular comedy productions of the 1920s and 1930s.
• 1893 – 1957 Dorothy L. Sayers (1893-1957) Died 17 December 1957, aged 64 English author and translator best known for her Lord Peter Wimsey detective novels. She was also a noted scholar of medieval literature and translated Dante's Divine Comedy.
• 1894 – 1957 Norma Talmadge (1894-1957) American actress, one of the biggest stars of silent film.
• 1897 – 1957 Wilhelm Reich (1897-1957) Died 3 November 1957, aged 60 Austrian psychoanalyst known for his early work with Sigmund Freud and his later, widely discredited theories about "orgone energy." He died in a US federal prison after being convicted of contempt of court for violating an injunction against selling his orgone devices.
• 1899 – 1957 Humphrey Bogart (1899-1957) Died 14 January 1957, aged 57 American actor renowned for roles in Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon, and The African Queen, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor. He died of esophageal cancer in Los Angeles.
• 1903 – 1957 John von Neumann (1903-1957) Died 8 February 1957, aged 53 Hungarian-American mathematician who made foundational contributions to quantum mechanics, game theory, and computer architecture. The "von Neumann architecture" he described remains the basis of most modern computers.
• 1905 – 1957 Christian Dior (1905-1957) Died 24 October 1957, aged 52 French fashion designer whose "New Look" collection of 1947 redefined post-war women's fashion and reestablished Paris as the center of the fashion world. His fashion house remains one of the most influential in the industry.
• 1908 – 1957 Joseph McCarthy (1908-1957) Died 2 May 1957, aged 48 American senator whose unsubstantiated accusations of communist infiltration in government fueled the anti-communist hysteria known as McCarthyism in the early 1950s. He died of complications related to alcoholism.
• 1957 – 2026 Afrika Bambaataa (1957-2026) Died 9 April 2026, aged 68 American DJ and producer, one of the godfathers of hip-hop and a leading force in spreading its music and culture.
• 1957 – 1958 Botvinnik loses and regains title vs Smyslov First use of rematch right Smyslov defeated Botvinnik for the title in 1957, but Botvinnik exercised his right to a rematch and won it back in 1958 — the first of three times he would use this rule.
• 1957 – 2026 Camp Nou Barcelona, Spain The largest stadium in Europe, built when Barcelona outgrew Les Corts. Host of a European Cup final, an Olympic final and a World Cup opening match, and closed for reconstruction from 2023.
• 1957 Camp Nou opens Barcelona, Spain The largest stadium in Europe, holding 99,354 before its current reconstruction. Built to replace Les Corts, which Barcelona had comprehensively outgrown.
• 1957 – 1958 Harris & Meehan: The Vipers Skiffle Group London jazz-skiffle scene Jet Harris and Tony Meehan, both rooted in London's jazz-skiffle scene, played together in the Vipers Skiffle Group on Parlophone Records before joining forces with Marvin and Welch.
• 1957 – 1958 Marvin & Welch: The Railroaders / Five Chesternuts Newcastle skiffle roots Hank Marvin and Bruce Welch, both inspired by American rock and roll, played together in Newcastle-based skiffle groups The Railroaders and the Five Chesternuts before moving to London.
• 1957 – 2026 Scott Adams (1957-2026) Died 13 January 2026, aged 68 American cartoonist whose comic strip Dilbert captured the absurdities of the modern office.
• 1957 – 2023 Shane MacGowan (1957-2023) Died 30 November 2023, aged 65 Irish singer and songwriter of the Pogues, who fused punk with Irish traditional music and wrote Fairytale of New York.
• 1957 – 2004 Theo van Gogh (1957-2004) Died 2 November 2004, aged 47 Van Gogh was a Dutch filmmaker and provocative public commentator, great-grandnephew of the painter Vincent van Gogh's brother. He was murdered in Amsterdam by an Islamist extremist over his film "Submission," an act that triggered fierce debate over free speech and integration in the Netherlands.
• 1957 Eisenhower Doctrine announced US pledges military and economic aid to counter communism in the Middle East President Eisenhower asked Congress for authority to provide military and economic assistance to Middle Eastern nations resisting communist aggression. Congress approved the policy, known as the Eisenhower Doctrine, in March 1957.
• 1957 Harold Macmillan becomes UK Prime Minister Succeeds Anthony Eden after the Suez Crisis Harold Macmillan became British Prime Minister after Anthony Eden resigned in the wake of the Suez Crisis. Macmillan went on to lead Britain through much of the late 1950s and early 1960s.
• 1957 Patsy Cline wins Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts Walkin' After Midnight A TV win that launches her first hit.
• 1957 – 1999 Payne Stewart (1957-1999) Died 25 October 1999, aged 42 Payne Stewart was an American professional golfer who won three major championships, including the 1999 U.S. Open just months before his death. He died along with five others when their private jet lost cabin pressure and crashed in South Dakota after flying on autopilot for hours. The incident received wide coverage as jets scrambled to track the unresponsive plane.
• 1957 Asian flu pandemic spreads worldwide H2N2 influenza outbreak kills over a million people An influenza pandemic caused by the H2N2 virus, first identified in China, spread across Asia, Europe, and the Americas over the course of 1957. It killed an estimated one to two million people worldwide before subsiding.
• 1957 Buddy Holly records That'll Be the Day Norman Petty's studio, Clovis A line from John Wayne in The Searchers.
• 1957 Ghana gains independence First sub-Saharan African colony to achieve independence The Gold Coast became the independent nation of Ghana under Prime Minister Kwame Nkrumah, ending British colonial rule. It was the first sub-Saharan African country to gain independence from a European colonial power, inspiring independence movements across the continent.
• 1957 – 2020 Qassem Soleimani (1957-2020) Died 3 January 2020, aged 62 Qassem Soleimani commanded Iran's elite Quds Force and was widely seen as the architect of Iran's regional military strategy across Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. He was killed by a US drone strike near Baghdad airport on 3 January 2020.
• 1957 Treaty of Rome signed Founding treaties of the European Economic Community West Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg signed the Treaty of Rome, establishing the European Economic Community and Euratom. The treaty took effect on 1 January 1958 and laid the legal foundation for what became the European Union.
• 1957 1957 World Snooker Championship John Pulman First Title Winner: John Pulman; Runner-up: James Jackie Rea. Score: 39–34.
• 1957 Suez Canal reopens to shipping Canal cleared after the 1956 Suez Crisis The Suez Canal reopened to international shipping after being cleared of ships sunk during the 1956 Suez Crisis. A United Nations salvage operation removed dozens of wrecks blocking the waterway.
• 1957 – 2014 L'Wren Scott (1957-2014) Died 17 March 2014, aged 49 L'Wren Scott, the American fashion designer and longtime partner of Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger, died by suicide in her New York apartment. She had built her own fashion label after a career as a stylist to celebrities. Her death came amid reported financial difficulties with her fashion business.
• 1957 – 1979 Sid Vicious (1957-1979) Died 2 February 1979, aged 21 Sid Vicious, bassist for the punk band the Sex Pistols, died of a heroin overdose in New York City while awaiting trial for the murder of his girlfriend Nancy Spungen. His short, chaotic career made him one of punk rock's most notorious figures. He died on 2 February 1979.
• 1957 – 2025 Cecile Richards (1957-2025) Died 20 January 2025, aged 67 American activist who led the Planned Parenthood Federation of America from 2006 to 2018.
• 1957 Anti-Rightist Campaign begins in China Mao Zedong launches crackdown on intellectuals Following the brief liberalisation of the Hundred Flowers Campaign, Mao Zedong launched the Anti-Rightist Campaign, purging hundreds of thousands of intellectuals, students, and officials accused of opposing the Communist Party. Many were sent to labour camps for years.
• 1957 John Diefenbaker becomes Canadian Prime Minister Progressive Conservatives end 22 years of Liberal government John Diefenbaker was sworn in as Prime Minister of Canada after his Progressive Conservative party won the federal election, ending 22 consecutive years of Liberal Party rule.
• 1957 Wimbledon 1957 Men: Lew Hoad · Women: Althea Gibson Althea Gibson — first Black player to win a Grand Slam.
• 1957 Paul McCartney meets John Lennon Woolton church fete Meets Lennon after a Quarrymen gig and joins the band.
• 1957 Tunisia becomes a republic Habib Bourguiba abolishes the monarchy The Tunisian National Constituent Assembly abolished the monarchy and declared Tunisia a republic, electing Habib Bourguiba as its first president. Bourguiba would govern Tunisia for the next three decades.
• 1957 Jerry Lee Lewis plays Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On on The Steve Allen Show Breakthrough A wild TV performance makes the record a hit.
• 1957 US Championships 1957 Men: Mal Anderson · Women: Althea Gibson Althea Gibson won the US Championships.
• 1957 American Bandstand goes national Dick Clark's show begins network broadcast American Bandstand, hosted by Dick Clark, began broadcasting nationally on the ABC television network. The show became a major platform for introducing rock and roll music and dance trends to American teenagers.
• 1957 Federation of Malaya gains independence End of British colonial rule in Malaya The Federation of Malaya became independent from Britain under Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman. It later formed the core of the modern state of Malaysia when it merged with Singapore, Sabah, and Sarawak in 1963.
• 1957 Sam Cooke releases You Send Me Number one His first pop single tops both charts.
• 1957 Little Rock Crisis Federal troops enforce school desegregation in Arkansas Nine Black students attempting to integrate Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas were blocked by the state National Guard on Governor Orval Faubus's orders. President Eisenhower sent the 101st Airborne Division to escort the students into the school, a major confrontation over Brown v. Board of Education.
• 1957 Wolfenden Report published UK committee recommends decriminalising homosexuality A British government committee chaired by John Wolfenden published a report recommending that homosexual acts between consenting adults in private no longer be a criminal offence. It took a decade for the recommendation to become law in England and Wales.
• 1957 On the Road published Jack Kerouac's novel defines the Beat Generation Jack Kerouac's novel On the Road was published by Viking Press, becoming a defining text of the Beat Generation. Written in a spontaneous, semi-autobiographical style, it influenced countercultural movements for decades afterward.
• 1957 Civil Rights Act of 1957 signed First federal civil rights legislation since Reconstruction President Eisenhower signed the Civil Rights Act of 1957, creating the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department and establishing federal protection for voting rights. It was the first civil rights law passed by the US Congress since 1875.
• 1957 – present Nick Cave Australian singer-songwriter, author, screenwriter and composer Nick Cave is an Australian musician, writer and composer best known as the frontman of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, one of the most influential and enduring bands in alternative rock. Emerging from the confrontational post-punk of The Birthday Party in the late 1970s, Cave built a decades-long career defined by literary, often gothic songwriting that draws on religion, violence, love and grief. Beyond music he has published novels, screenplays and a memoir, and become known for direct correspondence with fans through his website The Red Hand Files. His work took a profoundly personal turn following the deaths of his sons Arthur in 2015 and Jethro in 2022, reshaping the emotional register of his later albums.
• 1957 Buddy Holly's That'll Be the Day reaches number one With the Crickets Number one in the US.
• 1957 West Side Story premieres on Broadway Bernstein and Sondheim musical reimagines Romeo and Juliet The musical West Side Story, with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, opened at the Winter Garden Theatre in New York. Its story of rival street gangs in Manhattan became one of the most influential works in American musical theatre.
• 1957 Little Richard quits rock and roll for the church Australian tour Leaves music mid-tour, taking it as a sign from God.
• 1957 The Bridge on the River Kwai released David Lean war epic wins wide acclaim David Lean's film The Bridge on the River Kwai, based on Pierre Boulle's novel about Allied prisoners of war building a railway bridge for their Japanese captors, premiered in London. It went on to win seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
• 1957 Jimmy Hoffa elected Teamsters president Rise of a controversial labor leader Jimmy Hoffa was elected president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters at its convention in Miami Beach. He led the union through a period of rapid growth amid persistent allegations of corruption and organised crime ties.
• 1957 Sputnik First Earth satellite The Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1 on October 4, 1957 — the first artificial Earth satellite — shocking the West and igniting the Space Race.
• 1957 Windscale fire Worst nuclear accident in British history to that point A fire broke out in the core of the Windscale Pile 1 nuclear reactor in Cumbria, England, releasing radioactive contamination across parts of the United Kingdom and Europe. It remains the worst nuclear accident in British history.
• 1957 Toyota begins selling cars in the United States Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. is established Toyota established Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. and began exporting the Toyopet Crown to American dealerships. Early sales were poor due to the car's underpowered engine, but the venture laid the groundwork for Toyota's later dominance of the US auto market.
• 1957 Jerry Lee Lewis releases Great Balls of Fire Signature song His biggest hit.
• 1957 – present Ian McEwan British novelist McEwan writes psychological fiction exploring morality, memory, and human relationships.
• 1957 Laika becomes first animal to orbit Earth Soviet Union launches Sputnik 2 with a dog aboard The Soviet Union launched Sputnik 2, carrying the dog Laika into orbit as the first living creature to circle the Earth. Laika died within hours from overheating, a fact the Soviet government did not disclose for decades.
• 1957 Doctor Zhivago published in Italy Pasternak's novel appears abroad after Soviet suppression Boris Pasternak's novel Doctor Zhivago was published in Italian translation by Feltrinelli, after Soviet authorities blocked its publication at home. The book's international success contributed to Pasternak being awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature the following year, which Soviet pressure forced him to decline.
• 1957 – 2000 Ofra Haza (1957-2000) Died 23 February 2000, aged 42 Ofra Haza was an Israeli singer of Yemenite Jewish descent who bridged traditional Middle Eastern music and international pop. Her "Im Nin'alu" was a hit across Europe in the late 1980s and was widely sampled. She represented Israel at the 1983 Eurovision Song Contest, finishing second.
• 1957 Vanguard TV3 launch fails on live television US satellite rocket explodes seconds after liftoff The United States' first attempt to launch a satellite in response to Sputnik, the Vanguard TV3 rocket, rose about four feet before losing thrust and exploding on its launch pad at Cape Canaveral. The televised failure was widely mocked in the press as "Kaputnik" or "Flopnik."
• 1957 Boeing 707 makes its first flight Jet airliner that will transform commercial aviation The Boeing 707 prototype completed its first flight, beginning the jet age of commercial air travel. The aircraft entered airline service in 1958 and became the dominant passenger jet of the following decade.