• Christie Brinkley
• Ron Howard
• Kim Basinger
• John Malkovich

MUSIC

• 17-year-old Elvis Presley records his first demoacetates at Sun Studios: “My Happiness” and “That’s When Heartaches Begin” as a belated birthday present for his mom.

FASHION

• Spike heels (aka stilettos) are popular.
• Sports clothes are becoming big in the US
• Designers start to take notice of the need for men’s fashion design.

SPORTS

• Maureen “Little Mo” Connolly becomes the first woman to win tennis’ Grand Slam.

WORLD

• The Korean Warends with Armistice.
• Joseph Stalin dies.
• Fidel Castro leads failed Cuban rebellion and is jailed.
• Soviets successfully detonate a Hydrogen bomb.

TRIVIA QUESTIONS:

1. TV Guide begins publishing in ten cities this year. Who graced its first cover?
   a. Howdy Doody b. Milton Berle c. Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz d. Ed Sullivan
2. Fear of television gripped movie theaters and studios back in 1953. So two “gimmicks” were introduced to lure audiences away from the couch and back to the dark communal experience. Which two innovations were launched this year?
   a. Technicolor b. Widescreen c. Drive-in theaters d. The Third Dimension
3. What was the British Natural History Museum’s revelation in 1953 regarding the archeological discovery, “The Piltdown Man”?
4. Legend has it that Frank Sinatra got the role in this movie because of his speculated Mafia connections. The truth is more likely to have been that Sinatra’s sexy, screen star then-wife, Ava Gardner persuaded studio head, Harry Cohn’s wife to go to bat for him. Behind every great man - a woman! That role and the subsequent Academy Award revitalized Sinatra’s acting and singing careers. Name the film that swept the ‘53 Oscars.

Billboard Top 10 Pop Hits:

1. That’s Amore—Dean Martin
2. The Doggie In The Window—Patti Page
3. Vaya Con Dios—Les Paul & Mary Ford
4. Your Cheatin’ Heart—Hank Williams
5. Rags To Riches—Tony Bennett
6. I’ve Got The World On A String— Frank Sinatra
7. You Belong To Me—Jo Stafford
8. I Believe—Frankie Laine
9. South Of The Border—Frank Sinatra
10. Stranger In Paradise—Tony Bennett

R.I.P.

• Hank WIlliams
• Eugene O’Neill
• Dylan Thomas
• Joseph Stalin