50's info

Time Line (TL)

The Fifties spanned the period from October 14, 1947 to November 22, 1963. On October 14, 1947, Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier in an experimental rocket plane. From that point forward, all of us yearned to go faster. We demanded big, powerful overhead-valve high-octane engines in our cars (instead of those puny, low-octane L-head engines which were carryovers from the Thirties, for Pete's sake!). We wanted to drive fast on fat tubeless tires, introduced in 1947 by B. F. Goodrich. We wanted sleek cars with tailfins for high speed stability - the first tailfin was on the '48 Cadillac, introduced in October, 1947. (The inspiration for the Caddy fin came from the P-38, a fast, twin-fuselage WW II fighter plane.) We wanted to get wherever we were going as quickly as possible. Prior to WW II, less than 2% of all passengers traveled by air. By 1956, air passenger traffic equaled rail passenger traffic. So, in 1947, Chuck Yeager unknowingly spawned the Fifties with his historic flight - his quest for speed.

More Changes (MC)

More Speed; More Improvements - 1947 was a significant year in other ways, too. In October, the first Levittown home was occupied. Levitt homes became the prototype for affordable, look-alike housing that characterized the Fifties. These new housing developments led to the middle-class migration to the suburbs and caused the need for high-speed roads (turnpikes, expressways and freeways) to be developed to handle commuters driving their high-powered Fifties cars at (relatively) high speeds into the city.

In 1947, Reddi-Whip was introduced to the American public. It was the first highly-artificial convenience food and could be sprayed out of a can, like paint or insect repellent. The accent was on convenience and speed, not taste. It was, perhaps, a first step toward the 50's trend of freeing the housewife from the drudgery of daily chores.

The Fifties saw the mass production of labor-saving home appliances (4,196,000 electric clothes washers are sold in 1948 compared with 1,892,000 in 1941) and onvenience foods to provide the 50s woman with more leisure time.This 16-year period brought improvements in many aspects of everyday life. In 1948, 75% of all homes had flush toilets; this figure rose to over 90% by 1963. In 1948, only 64% of all homes were had telephones; by 1963, 83% had phones. During this extended 16-year decade, the automobile fatality rate dropped by over 40%. The homicide rate dropped by 32%. In 1948, only 33% of all adults had four years of high school education; by 1963, it had risen to 46%. (Today it's almost 80%.)

New Food (NF)

Our eating habits changed substantially during the 1950's. In 1948, Campbells' introduces V-8 Juice. The same year, the McDonald brothers opened their first fast-food stand - McDonalds, offering a limited menu or burgers and fries, prepared quickly and offered at a low price. Drive-Ins of all types roliferated - eat fast; eat in your car; zoom off. In 1949, prepackaged cake mixes were introduced as a convenience food.

Oreo cookies debut the same year, satisfying (temporarily) America's sweet tooth. In 1950, Minute Rice debuts. In 1951, a sugary breakfast cereal is introduced - Sugar Pops. In 1951, Earl Tupper introduces Tupperware, making the preservation of leftovers a more convenient, time-saving task. In 1952, Sugar Smacks and Sugar Frosted Flakes are introduced to address our craving for sweets. Then, in 1954, M&M Peanuts are introduced. The same year, Swanson TV dinners debut - frozen, assembly-line-prepared, tasteless dinners in compartmentalized aluminum trays. Heat and eat. Tony the Tiger appears in 1955 to promote cereal.

By 1957, the average American family consumes 850 cans of food each year. Sales of Mason jars and other labor-intensive canning and preserving supplies plummet. In 1960, Hawaiian Punch is introduced. It's sweet and it's not carbonated -- just punch open the can with a screwdriver and drink it up! Teflon-coated pots and pans for cooking convenience go on sale in December of 1960. In 1961, Coffee-Mate, the first 'coffee lightener' is introduced.

Stylish Cars (SC)

Those Cadillac tailfins continued to grow until they reached their zenith in the 1959 model year when they were almost as tall as the car itself. Along the way, they started a trend - not just a trend toward fins, but a trend toward style-consciousness. Most cars of the Forties were dull. The styling was evolutionary and the color selection was limited. (To be fair, not much automotive design development went on during the first half of the Forties; car manufacturers were too busy developing and producing tanks, planes and artillery for World War II.) In the Fifties, there was a revolution in car design. In 1949, General Motors held its first Motorama, a giant car exposition exhibiting futuristic 'dream cars' and showing of all its brands with emphasis on style, power, convenience and features. And those four items were what 50s automobiles were all about.

Cars of the 50's: Wild Custom Cars, Sports Cars and Hot Rods - In the Forties, returning servicemen were unhappy with automotive choices. New cars were scarce; old cars were worn out. Some of them bought old Thirties cars and rebuilt them, either hopping-up the engine to get better performance or customizing the car to make it look more modern. Or both. Competition soon ensues to see who has the fastest car or the wildest-looking car. Other servicemen, impressed with the small, nimble roadsters they saw in Europe, clamor for these 'sports cars' and entrepreneurs begin importing them to satisfy demand. European brands like MG, Alfa Romeo, Austin Healey, and Porsche come to our shores in the Fifties.

In 1948, Road & Track, a magazine devoted to sports cars, begins publication. In 1949, Hot Rod magazine debuts; Rod and Custom appears shortly thereafter. Customizers like George Barris and hot-rod builders like Ed 'Big Daddy' Roth became famous. So did drag racers like Don Garlits and Art Arfons. The 1950's were the beginning of wild and exotic cars - a decade of choices, style and speed.

Neat Toys (NY)

During the World War II years, kids were toy-deprived. Most toy manufacturers were busy producing munitions and other supplies for the war. After the war, toy manufacturers geared up, introducing a plethora of toys, dolls and games. They use materials like colorful lithographed tin, precision die-cast metal and the new 'wonder material' - plastic. Lionel introduces a lot of new train models, including the colorful Santa Fe diesel set in 1948.

In 1949, Silly Putty debuts; over 30 million Silly Putty 'eggs' are sold over the next five years. Lego building blocks are introduced the same year. In 1952, Revell begins producing plastic kits of model aircraft; model cars will soon follow. Little Matchbox cars arrive in 1954; they were introduced in England the previous year.

In 1955, the Davy Crockett fad spawns over $100 million in toy and merchandise sales. The same year, Play-Doh is created. In 1957, the Frisbee is introduced. The Hula Hoop is introduced in '57; the fad peaks in 1958 (over one million pounds per week of polyethylene plastic is consumed trying to keep up with demand); it's dead by '59. In 1959, the first Barbie doll appears. Etch-A-Sketch debuts in 1960. Wham-O Manufacturing introduces Slip 'n Slide in 1961. Barbie's friend, Ken, debuts in 1961.

Wow! Television (WT)

The 'magic box' became a great medium for hawking toys,especially on Saturday morning kids shows and around the holidays. But TV offered entertainment for everyone. In late 1947, Howdy Doody and Kukla, Fran and Ollie appear on screen. The announcer for Kukla, Fran & Ollie is a young unknown named Hugh Downs. Ed Sullivan's Toast of the Town, Candid Camera and Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts all debut in 1948. In 1949, new TV shows include Hopalong Cassidy, The Lone Ranger and I Remember Mama.

Beat the Clock is one of the new programs for the 1950 season; 7,464,000 TV sets are sold in 1950 at an average price of $300. A children's show, "Life With Snarky Parker," debuts; it only lasts 8 months but the director, Yul Brynner, shaves his head and moves on to fame as an actor. In 1951, The Roy Rogers Show, I Love Lucy and Mr. Wizard commence. Ozzie and Harriet debut in '52. New shows for 1953 include The Life of Riley and The Danny Thomas Show. In 1954, Father Knows Best, Mr Wizard and Lassie are new. The Miss America Pageant is televised for the first time.

Debuting in 1955 are: Gunsmoke, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Millionaire, The Mickey Mouse Club, The Lawrence Welk Show and The $64,000 Question. In 1956, The Steve Allen Show and Playhouse 90 make their first appearances. On August 5, 1957, American Bandstand goes coast-to-coast. (It had been a local Philadelphia show since 1952.) Perry Mason makes his first TV appearance, too. In 1958, 77 Sunset Strip debuts. 1959 newcomers include Bonanza and Rod Serling's Twilight Zone.

My Three Sons, Flintstones and Route 66 all make their first appearance in 1960. 1961 brings The Bullwinkle Show; 1962 features The Beverly Hillbillies, The Jetsons and Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. The Fugitive, The Outer Limits and The Patty Duke Show all appear for the first time in 1963.

New Technology and Business Changes (NT)

TV was just one of the technological developments which caused social changes during the 1950's. In 1948, Admiral used molded phenolic plastic to produce a 35 pound TV cabinet. That same year, Bell Telephone Labs demonstrates the transistor, the first step toward electronic miniaturization. In 1948, the first jet plane lands on an aircraft carrier. Adidas, the athletic shoe manufacturer, is founded. In 1949, the atomic clock is developed; so is the Denver Boot.

PaperMate is the first leak-proof ballpoint pen in 1950. Haloid Corporation (later renamed Xerox) develops the first xerographic copy machine. The first credit card - Diners Club - debuts. In 1951, the classic, award-winning, ubiquitous Eames shell chair is produced from fiberglass-reinforced polyester plastic. In 1953, the new Chevrolet Corvette becomes the first production car to have an all-fiberglass body. Bell Telephone Labs develops a solar battery in 1954. Con-Tact paper premieres the same year - cost is 59¢ per yard. Polypropylene is invented in 1954, and Coke uses plastic bottles for the first time in 1957.

Cool Music (CM)

The electric guitar was developed in the late 1940's by Les Paul. He and wife Mary Ford had a moderately successful singing career during the early Fifties. But Les' technology revolutionized music. The electric guitar arguably gave birth to rock and roll.

It's hard to say which was the first rock and roll record - some say it was Jackie Brentson's 'Rocket 88' from 1951. (It certainly has the correct elements - it's about a car [a 1950 Oldsmobile 88 with a high-compression, overhead-valve Rocket V-8 engine] and features Ike Turner on keyboards.) Others claim that 'Shake, Rattle and Roll' (a remake of a Thirties R&B song) by Bill Haley and his Comets in 1954 was the first rock and roll song. Little Richard claims he invented it, screaming, "I am the architect of Rock and Roll!" Still others credit Chuck Berry.

Regardless of who invented it, the credit for the mass-popularization of this new music must be given to Elvis Presley, who flew onto the scene in 1956 with the number one hit, 'Heartbreak Hotel.' For 25 of the next 37 weeks, Elvis holds the absolute top of the charts with no less than 7 single million-seller hits. RCA can't keep up with record demand. In 1957 alone, over $25 million in Elvis non-record merchandise is sold. Until rock and roll becomes a musical mainstay, many of the early 50s hit songs are novelty songs, like 'How Much Is That Doggie In The Window.'

The Good Life - Fifties Leisure (GL)

In 1948, New York raises its subway fare from a nickel to a dime and becomes the last American city to abandon the nickel subway ride. Americans go to the movies to see Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein or Easter Parade (with Judy Garland). The Kinsey Report on human sexual behavior is published. George Orwell's dark look at the future is printed in 1948 (with the numbers reversed for the title) and published the next year.

In 1950, Peanuts - the comic strip - makes its debut; Asphalt Jungle, Father of the Bride and Cinderella are in movie theaters. On Broadway, Ethyl Merman stars in Call Me Madam. The first Club Med opens. In 1950, the first credit card is issued by Diners Club. The FBI issues the first Ten Most Wanted Criminals list in 1951. Top movies include The African Queen, Disney's Alice In Wonderland and A Streetcar Named Desire.

In 1952, Marilyn Monroe's tight sweaters inspire the 'sweater girl' look. Movies include Singin' in the Rain, The Quiet Man and High Noon. In 1953, the first issue of Playboy magazine is published. Movies include the 3-D thriller, It Came from Outer Space. In 1954, Hi and Lois debuts as a comic strip. Disneyland opens the futuristic "House of Tomorrow." Marilyn Monroe marries Joe DiMaggio. America goes to the movies to see The Caine Mutiny, On the Waterfront, Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window, and Pillow Talk, which paired 2 of America's favorite heartthrobs

In 1961, President John F. Kennedy, in his inaugural address, promises a New Frontier. The same year, Camelot opens on Broadway and the Peace Corps is inaugurated. In 1962, the first James Bond movie, hits the theaters. In 1963, the very dark Hitchcock movie, The Birds, makes its screen debut. Former Mouseketeer Annette Funicello and singer Frankie Avalon make their movie debut in Beach Party. John LeCarre writes The Spy Who Came In From The Cold. On Broadway, Oliver opens. For letter writers, ZIP codes debut in 1963.

The End of The Fifties (EF)

The 1950's officially ended on November 22, 1963 with the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Until that time, the dangers we feared were vague impersonal threats of nuclear war. We'd all die together - vaporized instantly in a giant, bright explosion - an almost-romantic Fifties concept. (And we all knew that hiding under a desk, as we were taught during those emergency drills in school, wasn't going to save us.) Reality was much more bloody and violent - watching the leader of the United States have his head blown off in Dallas. And watching it over and over and over again on the Zapruder film ever since.

An era ended; everything changed afterward. The music changed -- in 1963, American Bandstand ended its daily show, moving to a weekly format. Dinah Washington and Patsy Cline died; the Beatles took over the music scene. Later, psychedelic music ripped our eardrums; disco numbed them.

After 1963, the cars began to change. Ralph Nader wrote 'Unsafe At Any Speed' and pushed for regulations to make automobiles ugly and safe. Later, the Oil Crisis came and it made fuel-efficient smaller cars more attractive. Acres of chrome trim were abandoned to save weight and, therefore, improve fuel economy.

The culture changed after November 1963, too. There was anger in the air -- more assassinations, race riots, an unpopular war, an unruly and boisterous youth subculture who trusted no one, especially those over 30. Less than a month after JFK's death, tranquilizers (especially Miltown, the "happy pill") are introduced just in time to handle the tumultuous Sixties and Seventies.

Robert Frost, who spoke at Kennedy's inauguration and was America's unofficial poet laureate, died in 1963. Frost once said that a verse 'should begin in delight and end in wisdom.' The Fifties began in delight and excitement. Let's hope that all of us gained some wisdom from the experiences of this extraordinary 16-year decade.