Life in the 1950’s
Shelby Lahne, Kristin Baker, Kayla Scott
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
World News................................................................................................................ Page 3
Social Events............................................................................................................... Page 4
Automobiles................................................................................................................. Page 5
Music………………………………………………………………………………… Page 6
Actors/Actresses........................................................................................................... Page 7
Fashion…………………………………………………………………………….…. Page 9
Family Recreation………………………………………………………………..……. Page 10
Technology Advances………………………………………………………………… Page 11
TV Shows…………………………………………………………………………..…. Page 12
Movies……………………………………………………………………………….... Page 13
Inventions………………………………………………………………………….….. Page 14
Medical Discoveries………………………………………………………………...… Page 16
Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………….……Page 17
Citations………………………………………………………………………...…….. Page 18
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1950’s World Events
Many new discoveries and inventions were made during the 1950’s. The world was
becoming more modernized with inventions, and things we could not imagine not knowing about
now were discovered. Starting in 1950 medical history was made when the first organ transplant
took place. The Korean War began on June 25, 1950 and an armistice was signed on 27 July
1953. The war was a result of the division of Korea by an agreement of the victorious allies at
the conclusion of the Pacific War at the end of World War II. This was also the year that Truman
ordered the construction of the Hydrogen bomb. In 1951 the historic ending of World War II
happens when the Japanese sign the Treaty of Peace with Japan on April 28th, 1951. But, that
was not the only major event that happened, colored television was also introduced! In 1952, the
seat belt for automobiles was created 49 years after the first car was put up for sale! The Great
Smog also occurred during this year. This affected London, England in December of 1952.
Another big event during 1952 was that the first polio vaccine was created by Jonas
Salk. In 1953, Dwight Eisenhower became president in the United States. A major
discovery in science occurred. In April of 1953 James Watson discovered DNA. In
1954 the first atomic submarine was launched. The USS
Nautilus was launched January 21st. In the world of sports
Rodger
Bannister broke a four minute mile, and segregation became
illegal
in the United States. 1955, was a year to remember with Disney
Land
opening in California, McDonalds is founded, and Rosa Parks refused to
give up
her seat on the bus. In 1956, Elvis played on September 9, 1956 after the
first Ed
Sullivan said that he would never host Elvis on his show. Elvis then went
on to
play on the show two more times. This was also the year that the Suez Canal crisis between
Egypt and England went on. The remote control was FINALLY invented in 1956 by the Zenith
Corporation. The first remote control was not wireless and had a control going from the TV to
the remote. 1957, the Soviet Union has many breakthroughs including sending the first living
animal, Laika, into space to find if humans would be able to withstand liftoff. She was launched
on Sputnik 2 and died hours after launch from overheating. 1957, was also the year that Dr.
Suess published his first book The Cat in the Hat. In 1958, NASA was founded and LEGOS
were now for sale. NASA was founded by Dwight Eisenhower once the Soviet
Union launched Sputnik. The last year of the 1950’s went out with a bang. Fidel
Castro became the dictator of Cuba. He reined from 1959 to 2008. The sound of
music opened in November on Broadway. It stared Mary Martin and Theodore
Bikel. Also, Antarctica became a scientific preserve. The 1950’s was a decade to
remember. Many events that shaped the life that we have now, in 2011, happened
in this decade. Life would not be the same.
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1950’s Social Events
There were many social events that occurred each year during the 1950s. Some of these
may have just been tiny events that didn’t mean much except at that time and some have changed
the way we live today. From events with car companies, celebrities, entertainment, and everyday
ordinary people, you can say that the 1950’s had their fair share of social events.
Starting out the social events in 1950 was Henry J. Kaiser introducing the Henry J, a
domestically produced compacted car. Three literature items were released in the year of 1950.
These literature items were the Prevention Magazine, which helped to launch a folk-remedies
craze; Look Younger, Live Younger, which boosted demands for “wonder foods” such as yogurt;
and Betty Crocker’s Picture Cookbook was published. On January 24, 1950 a federal minimum
wage of 75 cents was taken into effect. A few days later on February 9, Senator Joseph
McCarthy of Wisconsin made a speech to the Republican Women’s Club of Wheeling. He
claimed that 205 State Department employees are known members of the Communist party and
this created extreme hysteria. On September 22, UN diplomat Ralph Bunche becomes the first
African American to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. Beginning with the social events of the year
1951 was when a cemetery in Sioux City, Iowa refused to bury the remains of John Rice, a
Native American soldier killed in the Korean War, so the President Truman sends the Air Force
to bury him in Washington. In March of 1951, many Americans were fixated by televised
Senate hearings investigating organized crime in America. The number of Americans tuning
into this case exceeded so much that stores in Chicago began to offer a 10 percent discount
whenever the hearings were on TV. Also on July 1 of 1951, the largest unsegregated audience in
Atlanta since Reconstruction meets at the convention of the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People. Early in the year of 1952, more than 52 million automobiles
rode American highways. The first Holiday Day Inn motel also opened up during 1952. In
1953, Hollywood and the Screen Actors Guild adopted a by-law banning Communists from
membership in the organization. In Indiana, a state education official requested to ban the book
Robin Hood from schools because of the actions of Robin Hood, stealing from the rich and
giving to the poor. In the end of 1952, the Songwriter’s Protective Association reports that coinoperated jukeboxes grossed nearly $1 billion annually in the United States. In the beginning of
1954, the C.A. Swanson and Sons Company introduced the first frozen TV dinner. The cha cha
also was brand new in 1954 and became very popular in United State’s dance halls. A survey
revealed that 78 percent of Americans believe that it was important to have the FBI examine
their family members and friends to see if any of them were Communists. And in October 27,
twenty-six American publishers announced the formation of the Comics Code, regulating the
contents of comic books. In January of 1957, "American Bandstand," hosted by Philadelphia
disc jockey Dick Clark, debuts on the ABC network. And in 1958, Pizza Hut, eventually the
largest chain of pizzerias in the United States, opens its first restaurant in Kansas City, Missouri.
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1950 Automobiles
Can anyone ever forget the chrome, fins, and huge engines? Some cars were stylish and
others no one knows what the designer was thinking! Some automobiles were futuristic and
others were lacking style.
The 1950’s was a great automobile time period. By 1950 there were almost 40
million cars on the road. Three out of five families now owned a car. Small American
automobile companies were going out of business in the 1950’s due to price wars between
Chrysler and Ford. A new market emerged as cars were becoming more and more popular. This
market was selling “used” cars. Cars were now becoming more of a necessity than a luxury.
Styling played a HUGE role when purchasing an automobile in the 1950’s. Americans
wanted the latest and greatest and nothing less. American’s thought the bigger the better about
cars, a lot like now in 2011. The 1950’s brought many new innovations and Americans wanted it
all. Retractable convertible tops were one feature that no one could get enough of. Automatic
transmissions and dimming headlights were also becoming more popular. Because of America’s
obsession with space, tail fins became a trend and got bigger and bigger through the decade.
Three toned paint jobs became fashionable in the 1950’s, also.
Marketing for automobiles in 1950 was MUCH
different than it is now in 2011. The car dealerships
would always make a scene whenever they got a new
model. Dealerships would often cover the windows to
keep the public from seeing the new models. Some years
the models would change drastically and others would
have so few changes that cosmetics like colors were
stressed. Many car dealers complained about not having
enough stock to fulfill customer’s needs. This was
because Americans’ didn’t just want a car, they wanted
the BEST car.
What can you by with twenty seven cents? Twenty seven cents was the average cost for a
gallon of gas. In the 1950’s cars were much cheaper than they are today, in 2011. In the 1950’s
the luxury cars only cost around five thousand dollars. While family cars were only around two
thousand dollars. A new average car was 1,750 dollars. This is compared to now, 2011, where
the national average of a gallon of unleaded gas is three dollars and fifty-six cents.
Some new safety car inventions also happened during the 1950’s. In the 1950’s the
seatbelt is finally invented and put into new models by Ford. Vacuum operated windshield
wipers are replaced by electric wipers. And, on some models electric windows were also
introduced. In 1958 Chrysler offers new options. One of these includes automatic speed
controls. Things that now in 2011 seem like necessities were considered luxury in the 1950’s.
Automobiles were much different than now, in 2011. Price, marketing, styling, selling,
and options were much different. Gas and car prices differed drastically. Marketing took on a
different kind of approach. Styling was some of the most iconic car designs of the centaury.
Could you even begin to imagine life back in the 1950’s?
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1950’s Music
The 1950’s offered a variety of music for everyone’s taste. From rock’n roll to
rhythm and blues, love songs, or jazz, there was something for everybody. Hit makers of the time
included Elvis Presley, Johnny Ray, Patti Page, Pat Boone, The Platters, and the Ames Brothers.
This era would change the face of music for decades to come.
In the 1950’s, the act of listening to music became a form of teenage rebellion. The lyrics
and dance moves of rock’n roll music were considered unprecedented and provocative. Many
parents disliked this type of music and thought it was inappropriate. Rock’n roll was not just a
music style; it also influenced lifestyles, fashion, attitudes, and language. Popular artists of this
time included Little Richard and Buddy Holly, but the most well-known artist was the “King of
Rock’n Roll”, Elvis Presley. He had the looks and unique sound that made teens swoon and
parents cringe. His electric performances made him a rock star. He was a teen idol with millions
of fans around the world.
However, rock’n roll would be nothing without rhythm and blues. R & B music helped
birth rock’n roll. This style of music was melodic and full of soul. Artists of the time included
The Dominoes, Ruth Brown, LaVern Baker and The Gliders, and B.B. King. B.B. King, also
known as “The King of the Blues” is an American blues guitarist and singer-songwriter. He was
born in 1925 and is still alive today. His expressive singing and complex guitar playing amazes
fans worldwide. In 1984, he was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame and into the
Rock and Roll hall of fame in 1987. “The Thrill is Gone”, “Three O’clock Blues”, and “How
Blue Can You Get” are just a few of his songs. To this day, B.B. King still tours the world,
averaging over 250 concerts per year. His soulful music has won him many Grammys and he has
also acted in movies and written a book.
During this time, love songs were climbing up the music charts. Whether they were
mellow or upbeat, mushy or depressing; love songs were growing in popularity. Some artists
who wrote love songs were Johnny Cash, The Spaniels, and Don Cherry. One very popular artist
was Frank Sinatra. Some of his top love songs are “I’ve got you under my skin”, “Witchcraft”,
“The best is yet to come”, and “Summer Winds”. He received many awards during his career;
including a Presidential Medal of Freedom, a Congressional Gold Medal, and he was inducted
into both the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame and the New Jersey Hall of Fame.
The 1950’s was an era in music that could not be matched. From it came rock’n roll,
rhythm and blues, jazz, and many other music genres. Top artists of this time have become
legendary and are still listened to by many people today. This decade helped to influence
everything that we listen to on the radio today and shape the industry forever.
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1950’s Actors and Actresses
The actors and actresses of the 1950s were no different from the actors and actresses of
the present. The 1950s had their teenaged heartthrobs, beloved actors and actresses, and the
annual Oscars (Academy Awards) just like we have now. Movies were a big deal in the 50s just
as they are now. The 1950s and the 2000s actors and actresses actually have a lot in common.
If you asked teenagers today who their teen idols are common answers would be Justin
Bieber, Zac Efron, or Taylor Lautner. If you asked teens in the 1950s who their teenaged
heartthrobs were they would also would have an answer. The definition of a teen idol is the
same as it now; an actor or musician that makes the teen girls swoon. Common actors or
musicians that fit this definition were Frankie Avalon, James Dean, and Bobby Rydell. Frankie
Avalon was a singer and actor. He ranked first on the Billboard Hot 100 with singles such as
“Venus” and “Why” and stole the hearts of 1950’s teen girls. James Dean was an actor and a
cultural icon. He landed huge roles in movies that are so well known today, but he only was in
the business for 4 years due to a car crash when he was 24 years old. Bobby Rydell started out
as a rock and roll teen idol and due to his popularity, he had the opportunity to be apart of
movies such as West Side Story and Bye Bye Birdie. These teen idols are still well known today
and maybe the teen idols of today will be just as well known in the future.
Taylor
Lautner
Zac Efron
James Dean
Justin Bieber
Frankie Avalon
Bobby Rydell
The 1950s also had their favored and most talented actors and actresses. Some of the
actors that acted then are still acting now or have acted in a movie a lot later after the 50s. Some
of the actors have also become a huge American icon and the name is recognized whenever
spoken. These names include Marilyn Monroe, who was also said to be the most beautiful
woman to have been on this earth, and John Wayne, who starred in the most movies overall the
other 50s actors/actresses. The top ten actors/actors from the 50’s were Grace Kelly, Marlene
Dietrich, James Stewart, Kim Novak, Doris Day, Marilyn Monroe, John Wayne, Katharine
Hepburn, Thelma Ritter, and Deborah Kerr. Grace Kelly only starred in 14 movies, so her
personality must have made her the top actress of the 1950s. James Stewart and Marilyn Monroe
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have starred in the most movies in the 50s, both being in over 20 films. Actors like Grace Kelly
and Audrey Hepburn won Oscars for best actress.
The 1950s had their fair share of very talented actors and actresses, teen heartthrobs, and
American icons such as Marilyn Monroe and John Wayne. It is absolutely crazy to think that the
way we look at the actors and actresses of the 1950s are going to be looked at the same way a
few decades from now.
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1950’s Fashion
The fashion of the 1950’s was very different than it is now in 2011. Many styles and
trends that were popular then would never be seen on today’s people, however some fads make a
comeback for a period of time.
Girls’ fashion of the 1950's was very different from the way girls dress today. Poodle
skirts were very popular at the time. These are wide swing felt skirts that were in solid, bold
colors, often pink or powder blue. They usually had a poodle patch on them, but sometimes had
flamingos, flowers, or cars. Slim-fit pants, also known as skinny jeans, are not only popular
nowadays but were also popular in the 1950's. These are jeans that fit snug throughout the legs.
Many stars, such as Marilyn Monroe, wore these kind of pants. Another popular item of clothing
was bobby socks. These had thick uppers that were folded down to form a thick cuff at the ankle.
They were often worn with saddle shoes, which are low-heeled, casual shoes that had a saddleshaped decorative panel about mid foot on the shoe. These were popular among both men and
women. One trend that was very popular among women was the 'sweater girl'. Women would
wear super tight sweaters to emphasize the bustline. Sometimes heels and gloves were worn with
dresses to complete the look. Girdles were worn under everything to make women appear
slimmer.
The hair and make up of today's women is much different than in the 1950's. Fifties
hairstyles were soft and curly. Hair was usually cut short and straight hair was out of style.
Longer hair was usually pulled back into a ponytail and tied with a chiffon scarf. There were no
blow dryers in the 1950's, so hair was curled by rolling and pin curling. Women would have to
sleep in the curlers or rollers in order for their hair to be curly the next day. Perms were also a
popular thing to get at the time. This gave hair a permanent curl. The poodle craze of the decade
gave birth to a new hairstyle- the Poodle Cut. This was short hair that was curly and looked very
similar to that of a poodle. A good example of this is the haircut of I Love Lucy's Lucille Ball.
Make up of the time was mostly natural looking. Peaches and cream completion was very
common. Foundation was very soft and feminine. Blush and eye shadow were minimal and
natural looking. In the evenings, women would get away with a more dramatic look. Liquid
eyeliner was used for a bolder, more defined look. Eyeliners and mascara were used to make
eyes seem larger. Many women who wore there eye make up like this were referred to as 'doeeyed'. Pastel colored lipstick was very popular, especially among younger women. Red lipstick
was worn by older women, but they wore other colors also.
Women of the fifties dressed 'smartly'. Good grooming and a tailored look were essential.
The goal was to act and look very ladylike.
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Family Recreation
In the 1950’s there was no watching TV at dinner, texting, or all of the countless toys.
Families spent more time together in the 1950’s than families do today, in 2011. Families
in 1950 went to the pool together in the summer. However, life in the 1950’s was so laid back
that parents did not have to worry about sending their kids to the pool by themselves. Even
young kids could ride bikes alone without their parents worrying. Almost all families went to
church together. Most families went to church every Sunday.
The best toys in the 1950’s were the toys you could not buy. These toys were trees,
woods, and children’s imaginations. Children cherished their toys because they would only get
them once or twice a year at Christmas time. Plastic army men and cowboys and train sets were
played with indoors. New inventions included Barbie dolls, hula hoops, and the Mr. Potato head.
TV was just becoming a new fad. If you had a TV you were the coolest kid on the block.
The TV stations were boring, and mostly news stations. But, families did not care about that. Just
the fact that they had a TV at their house was special.
Teens did not hang out at malls like teens do now, in 2011. Teens did not hang out there
simply because there were no malls! So where did teens hang out? Teens in the 50’s hung out
with their friends at malt shops. Malt shops offered food like burgers, sandwiches and fries. They
also went to drive-ins. The peak of the drive-ins popularity was during the 50’s and 60’s. Driveins became popular due to America’s interest in cars in the 1950’s.
Teens all over the planet were falling in love with rock in roll. Most teens had radios to
themselves. Rock and roll was also a good type of music for teens to dance to. Rock and roll was
played at almost all the sock hop. If any girls went to a rock and roll concert their boyfriends
would break up with them.
After the end of World War II some teen boys would get a job. This was because the
economy was bad. Teens were now able to get cars. This was the first decade that cars were not
limited to adults and wealthy people. Teens working helped with money issues in the families. In
the 1950’s life for teens changed because the economy was now booming. Teens were expected
to finish high school and many were now able to get into a good college with their parents
money.
Families ate dinner together almost every night. Every night was a sit down dinner. The
wife was expected to make dinner every night. She was also expected to have it ready and hot
when the father came home. The number of employed men in the 50’s was 40,174,705 and the
number of women employed was 15,559,454.
Families in the 1950’s had some things in common with families today in 2011. But,
most things that families done has changed over the years.
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Technology Advances
In the 1950’s new technology was invented that would shape life today, in 2011. The
video recorder, remote controls, satellites, robots, and solar cells were the new technology
everyone wanted in the 50’s.
The video recorder was invented in 1956 by AMPEX. The first commercial VCR cost a
grand total of $50,000 US dollars. Due to its price it could only be purchased by large TV
networks.
The remote control was first used for television in 1950. The remote control was invented
by Zenith Radio Corporation. The first remote control was named “Lazy Bones.” Lazy Bones
was connected to the television by a wire. Then in 1955 the “Flashmatic” was invented. This was
the first wireless remote control. The Flashmatic had to be pointed directly at the receiver to
work. Then, in 1956, another remote control design was invented. Robert Adler developed
"Zenith Space Command.” This was also a wireless remote. This was the first remote to not only
change the channels, but also change the volume. In the 1950’s we saw many different designs,
by many different designers of the remote control.
The first artificial satellite was Sputnik 1. This satellite was developed by the Soviet
Union. The first satellite was launched on October 4, 1957. Sergei Korolev was the main
designer of Sputnik. The launching of the satellite, Sputnik, triggered the “space race” between
the United States and the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union wasted no time at all launching their
second satellite, Sputnik 2. Sputnik 2 was launched November 3, 1957. On the Sputnik 2 there
was a passenger. The passenger on Sputnik 2 was a dog named Laika. Explorer 1 was the first
satellite that the United States sent into space. This was three months after the launch of Sputnik
1. This launch was on January 31, 1958.
Do you think of robots as futuristic? In 1954 the first
digital
and programmable robot was designed. This robot was
invented by George Devol. The robot was called “Unimate.”
Devol
sold his first robot to General Motors. He sold his robot,
Unimate, in 1960. The robot was used to lift pieces of hot
metal
from die casting. The robot was used for this job because it
could
be harmful for humans or other living things to do this job. Humans might be poisoned by
exhaust gas or lose a limb if they did the same job as Unimate. Unimate was used in a plant in
Trenton, New Jersey.
A solar cell is a solid device that transforms sun light directly into electricity. The first
modern solar cell was designed in 1954. This was designed at Bell Laboratories. When the solar
cells were first made they were used for minor uses. An example is that they were first used for
toys. The cost of the electricity was very high and many could not afford the price. The price of
the electricity was around to hundred and fifty dollars while a piece of coal was only two to three
dollars.
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1950’s Television
The 1950’s was basically the birthplace of entertainment. Shows had been around for
about 20-30 years but those years didn’t compare to the entertainment in the 1950’s. The
number of Americans with televisions in their homes skyrocketed during this time and the
number of TV shows, news broadcasts, and even game shows began to pop out of nowhere!
Television took on the world of history and current events. The number of people tuning
into what was going on in the world grew tremendously. “You Are There” was one of the major
history shows that the 1950’s had around. The show aired on CBS, which is a well known
station currently, and stopped airing in 1957. Walter Cronkite, the host of “You Are There” died
at age 97 and after being with the show for 5 seasons it came to an end. CBS was one of the first
and biggest news stations that were around in the 1950s. CBS News originally had been played
and tuned into on the radio, even when CBS moved onto television screens. Since so many
people still tuned in to the radio, CBS decided to split and entertain people on TV with TV
shows and keep the news and some radio shows on the radio. In 1954, CBS finally decides to be
on both the radio and the TV.
Many TV shows debuted in the 1950s along with many TV shows ending that had been
popular in the 1940s. Popular TV shows that debuted in the 1950s were “What’s My Line”,
“Your Show of Shows”, and “Beat the Clock”. “What’s My Line” and “Beat the Clock” were
both game shows and had many different hosts throughout the years. “Your Show of Shows”
was a variety show that was on NBC and only lasted for 4 years. Shows that ended in the 1950s
were “For the Children”, “Actor’s Studio”, and “Cartoon Teletales”. These shows started in the
late 1940s and one of the shows started in the late 1930s.
There were many events that involved television during the 1950s. In 1950, the first
colored television was approved by the FCC which was later replaced by a second one three
years later. Vladamir Zworkin developed a better camera tube for the TV in this year also. In
1956, Ampex introduced the first reasonable and practical system of broadcast quality for TV.
Since the television had been created the quality of the shows and TV stations had been a very
low and terrible quality. The last invention created for TV in the 1950s was the remote control
in 1956. It was created by Robert Adler and did have a few flaws such as being connected to
many cords to function, and the remote often didn’t work correctly in sunlight.
As it as been said before, the television was becoming very successful in the 1950s. It
had been around in the 20 years or more prier to then, but not many families owned a television
and just tuned into the radio. Shows such as “What’s My Line?”, “Beat the Clock”, and “I Love
Lucy”, came around and changed the world of TV forever. Thank the 1950s for the inspiration
of many of our shows that we view everyday today.
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1950’s Movies
Movies were a big deal in the 1950’s. Sure, they had been around for about 20 years, but
now movies were getting more exciting. Movies were getting more recognition along with
bigger and a more variety of audience, and our technology was becoming more and more
advanced. During this time movies were also taken to a whole new level with new genres, the
way you view a movie, and all new and blooming movie companies and productions.
A new genre that was born in the 1950s was movies for teenagers. This genre introduced
the rebellious teenagers that we have in teenaged movies now. Gidget, Rebel Without a Cause,
and I Was a Teenage Werewolf were popular movies with teenagers. Gidget was categorized as
a ‘beach movie’ and “I Was a Teenage Werewolf” was a ‘teen horror’. Another genre
introduced into the world during the 1950’s was science fiction. Movies that were included in
this genre were “The War of the Worlds”, “The Blob”, and “Invasion of the Body Snatchers”.
These movies focused on extraterrestrials and the possibility of life on another planet. Many of
the science fiction movies just let their minds run with this idea, so many science fiction movies
were created during this time period.
During the 1950s, the first 3D movie was shown and watched. The title of this movie
was “Bwana Devil” and the movie rolled for 79 minutes. “Bwana Devil” was about thousands
of workers working on the Uganda Railway and the heat and sickness starts to get to them and
make the work unbearable. Two man eating lions are on the loose and start killing the workers
one by one. Jack is one of the game hunters sent to kill these lions, and ends up being the last
one left to save the rest of the workers and Africa’s first railroad. This movie began the 3D
movie boom during the 1950s. Two movies that followed after “Bwana Devil” was “House of
Wax” and “Man in the Dark” produced by Warner Brothers.
Movie production and distribution played a big role in the 1950s also. Many of these
productions started out in the 1920s and 1930, when movies were first shown, but started to
actually bloom in the 1950s. 20th Century Fox, Paramount, and Warner Bros were three major
movie productions that became so much bigger in the 1950s. The Warner Brothers produced
some of the first 3D movies after the very first 3D film, “Bwana Devil”. During the 1950s
Paramount had issues with the separation of productions forced by the U.S. Supreme Court and
ended up splitting into two, but then later recovered in the 1980s. 20th Century Fox had the same
issues as Paramount had with the war with advent of television audiences, but later on became
very successful. We often just focus on the actors and actresses of the major movies and we
forget that these major movie productions had a big part in the big movies from the past that
made the movies we have today.
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1950's Inventions
The 1950’s were a time of endless possibilities and new inventions that happen to be
important parts of our life today. Without these inventions, our lives today would be very
different. We wouldn't have Super Glue, Liquid Paper, the Hula Hoop, and many other things
that are part of our everyday lives.
In 1958, Super Glue was introduced to the public. Originally called "Compound 910",
Super Glue was first discovered by Dr. Harry Coover while he was developing a clear plastic
gun sight for Kodak during World War II. He abandoned the idea because it was too sticky. In
1951, Dr. Coover and Dr. Fred Joyner rediscovered it while they were working on jet engines.
The Eastmon Company started selling Super Glue in 1958.
Liquid Paper was invented by secretary and artist, Bette Nesmith Graham. Bette began
noticing how costly typographical errors were for businesses. She made the first batch of Liquid
Paper in her own kitchen blender. She started her own company in 1958 and began selling what
she originally called "Mistake Out".
In 1957, an Australian company began making wood rings that were for sale in retail
stores. This caught the attention of a California toy company called Wham-O. In 1958, Richard
P. Knerr and Arthur "Spud" Melin manufactured plastic hoops in a variety of bright colors. This
toy, known as the Hula Hoop, became an instant success, with more than 100 million sold in the
first twelve months on the market. The Hula Hoop was so popular that truckloads of hoops were
hijacked by crazed consumers. Knerr and Melin were not able to patent their invention since a
similar design had been used before, but they did get a trademark for the name "Hula Hoop".
The first TV remote control was developed in 1950 by Zenith Electronics Corporation.
The remote, called "Lazy Bones", had a cable that ran from the TV set to the viewer. In 1956,
Dr. Robert Adler of Zenith's Electronic Corporation suggested using ultrasonic's. Ultrasonic's is
high-frequency sound that is beyond the range of human hearing. He led a team of engineers to
work on the first use of ultrasonic's technology in the home to develop a new remote control.
These new remote controls had no batteries, but had lightweight aluminum rods that were struck
at one end and emitted high-frequency sounds. This remote was called the Zenith Space
Command.
Just before 1950, designer and inventor George Lerner designed and produced a set of
plastic face pieces. These were push pin shaped eyes, noses, ears, and mouth parts that could be
pushed into vegetables and fruits to create faces and transform these foods into 'playmates'.
These toys where not a big hit at first because everyone still had the World War II mentality to
conserve their resources and the thought of wasting a piece of food as a child's toy was not an
idea that many people would accept. George sold the toy for $5,000 dollars to a cereal company.
The company planned to giveaway the pieces in their cereal boxes. George knew that his toy
could be a hit and thought it deserved a bigger shot. He met with a New England manufacturer.
He and the manufacturer bought back the rights from the cereal company for $7,000. "Mr. Potato
Head" was born in 1952 at Hasbro, Inc. He became one of the world's most adored
'personalities'. He was the first toy to be advertised on TV. The original Mr. Potato head
contained only face parts and you had to use a real potato for the body however, eight years later,
a hard plastic potato "body" was included with the face parts to eliminate the need for a real
potato. A variety of Mr. Potato Head products were sold, including puzzles, games, and creative
play sets. He also became the ambassador for many causes including the American Cancer
Society, the League of Women Voters, and received a award from the President's Council for
15
Physical Fitness. He was a children's toy, everyone's best friend, a speaker of causes,
entertainment star, and a cultural icon.
Many inventions from the 1950's are still used today. Whether they are office supplies,
household electronics, or children's toys, we owe it to the fifties for creating them.
16
1950's Medical Discoveries
There were many important medical advances and discoveries in the 1950's. Some
medical achievements include the discovery of the Polio Vaccine, the invention of the
Pacemaker, the first successful kidney transplant, and many other discoveries.
Polio was a common disease in the United States before the 1950's. The contagious
disease is caused by a virus and it attacks the nerve cells of the brain and spinal cord, and in few
cases causes it can cause paralysis. In 1952, at the height of the Polio epidemic, there were nearly
600,00 cases and over 3,000 deaths from the disease in the United States alone. Five years
earlier, in 1947, Jonas Salk created a vaccine for Polio but it was not ready to be released to the
public until 1955. This vaccine saved many lives. Polio is still around, but isn't very common
thanks to Dr. Salk.
In 1958, an engineer named Earl Bakken produced the first wearable external pacemaker.
This pacemaker was housed in a small box and had controls to adjust the pacing heart rate and
output voltage. It was connected to electrode leads that passed through the skin of the patient to
electrodes attached to the myocardium of the heart.
The first attempts at kidney transplants in the early 1950's were not very successful.
Patients briefly raised hopes by starting a good recovery but then succumbed. There was little
hope in the future of transplant surgery. In Great Britain, Peter Medawar had been researching
the topic of rejection. He had been a wartime surgeon and had observed rejection in skin grafts.
He found that the patient would form antibodies against the graft unless they had been exposed
to similar foreign tissue early in life. His research showed that the body's rejection of foreign
tissue was an immune response. In 1954, the first successful kidney transplant was performed on
identical twin brothers, Richard and Ronald Herrick. Ronald donated one of his kidneys and it
was successfully transplanted into Richard. Since they were identical twins, the kidney did not
appear foreign to Richard's body, so it did not reject it. This taught medicine a great deal by
confirming Medawar's results. In 1960, Peter Medawar received a Nobel Prize for his discovery.
In 1950, Richard Doll and Bradford Hill publish a study that links smoking to lung
cancer. They undertook a study of lung cancer patients in 20 hospitals in London. They first
believed that the cancer was caused by a new material called tarmac, which are motor car fumes,
but they later discovered that tobacco smoking was the only thing that all the patients had in
common. This discovery caused Mr. Doll to also stop smoking. These findings were published in
the British Medical Journal in 1950. This stated that "The risk of developing the disease
increases in proportion to the amount smoked. It may be 50 times as great among those who
smoke 25 or more cigarettes a day as among non-smokers." Four years later, in 1954, the British
Doctors Study, a study of some 40 thousand doctors over a 20 year time period, confirmed Doll
and Hill’s findings. This caused the government to issue advice that smoking and lung cancer
rates were related.
17
Acknowledgements
Headings researched by: Kayla Scott, Kristin Baker, and Shelby Lahne
Heading narratives written by: Kayla Scott, Kristin Baker, and Shelby Lahne
Headings edited by: Kayla Scott
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