1960s Timeline

Latest Podcasts

Politics | Culture | Entertainment | Sports

1 day ago

Poet Robert Frost Dead at 88

Jan. 29, 1963 - Robert Frost (pictured in 1913), dean of American poets, died today at the age of 88. He was pronounced dead at Boston’s Peter Bent Brigham hospital at 1:50 a.m. The poet’s general condition began deteriorating two days ago. His attending physician, Dr. Roger B. Hickler, said Mr. Frost died shortly after complaining of severe chest pains and a shortness of breath. The cause of death was listed as “probably a pulmonary embolism,” or blood clot in the lungs. Dr.

2 days ago

Hollywood Director John Farrow Is Dead

Jan. 28, 1963 - John Farrow (pictured in 1946), motion picture director and producer, was found dead of an apparent heart attack today at his home in Beverly Hills. He was 56 years old. Mr. Farrow’s wife, Maureen O’Sullivan, was in New York, appearing in the play “Never Too Late,” when she was notified. She is expected in California tomorrow, accompanied by her daughter Mia. Since 1937, John Farrow had directed and produced scores of motion pictures. He interrupted his career

Jan 5

Baseball Star Rogers Hornsby is Dead

Jan. 5, 1963 - Baseball great Rogers Hornsby died this morning of a heart attack at the age of 66. Hornsby was elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame in 1942. The man known as “The Rajah” was hired and fired as manager by five major league clubs. He was considered by many as the greatest right-handed hitter in baseball history with a lifetime batting average of .358. He batted over .400 in successive years — a modern record of .424 in 1924 with the St. Louis Cardinals and .403 in

Jan 5

Jack Carson Eulogized in Hollywood

Jan. 5, 1963 - Jack Carson (pictured in 1955), the fourth Hollywood star to die of cancer in 18 days, was eulogized today as “a big man with a big heart that was open and always available to everyone.” Dr. Raymond Lindquist, pastor of Hollywood Presbyterian Church, told 150 mourners at the funeral services in Forest Lawn, Calif., that the 52-year-old performer also was a “religious man with a mystical streak in him.” “He believed that God had put a spark of response in every

Jan 4

Hollywood Stars Attend Dick Powell’s Funeral

Jan. 4, 1963 - Scores of Hollywood’s vintage stars attended memorial services today for one of their own — Dick Powell — and left with moist eyes and saddened hearts. It was one of the largest turnouts of stars in recent Hollywood history. More than 800 persons filled the chapel of All Saints Episcopal Church in Beverly Hills. Dr. Kermit Castellanos, assistant rector of the church, told the mourners: “This is a Christian farewell to one whom countless thousands enjoyed, loved

Jan 3

Hollywood Mourns Loss of Dick Powell

Jan. 3, 1963 - Hollywood’s movie and television industries are mourning today the loss of Dick Powell, who died last night at his Los Angeles apartment of cancer at the age of 58. Apart from having been a movie and television star, Mr. Powell became the head of Four Star, one of the most important producers of television shows in the world. His death was made particularly poignant since it followed so closely on the death of Jack Carson earlier in the day, also of cancer. The

Jan 2

Jack Carson Dead at 52

Jan. 2, 1963 - Jack Carson, the chunky, moon-faced comedian and dancer of motion pictures, nightclubs, and television died of cancer at his home in Encino, Calif., today. He was 52 years old. He had been ill since Oct. 26 when he collapsed during a rehearsal with what was then announced as stomach trouble. His pictures included “Destry Rides Again,” “Mildred Pierce,” “Gentleman Jim,” and “Arsenic and Old Lace.” His recent films included “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” and “A Star Is

Jan 1

Senator Robert Kerr is Dead

Jan. 1, 1963 - Senator Robert S. Kerr (pictured in the 1940s), Democrat of Oklahoma, collapsed and died today of a coronary occlusion in Doctors Hospital in Washington, D.C. He was 66 years old. Senator Kerr, one of the most powerful men in the Senate, had been a patient in the hospital since Dec. 16, when he was admitted for treatment of a respiratory ailment. A day later, doctors said he had suffered narrowing of a coronary artery and would be kept in bed for treatment. Sen

Dec 19, 2022

Actor Charles Laughton Eulogized in Hollywood

Dec. 19, 1962 - Charles Laughton (pictured in 1939) was eulogized today for his contributions to the performing arts in the United States, his adopted country. Author Christopher Isherwood, a long-time friend of the acclaimed actor, gave the eulogy. He also read Prospero’s farewell speech from Shakespeare’s “The Tempest.” The speech, a Laughton favorite, was one he had recited many times on tours of this country. Mr. Laughton, who was born in Britain, died Saturday of cancer.

Dec 17, 2022

Actor Thomas Mitchell Dead at 70

Dec. 17, 1962 - Thomas Mitchell (pictured with Jean Arthur in 1939), Academy Award-winning character actor, died of cancer today at the age of 70 — the second star to die in the past 3 days. Charles Laughton died Saturday, also of cancer. Both men had been patients at the same hospital during the fall in their unsuccessful battle against the disease. Mr. Mitchell was most fond of the stage but made his greatest success as an exuberant character actor in the movies. He had als

Dec 16, 2022

Charles Laughton Dead at 63

Dec. 16, 1962 - Charles Laughton (pictured in 1938), whose outstanding performances over three decades made him the movies’ top character actor, died last night of cancer. He was 63 years old. The British-born performer, who had been in a coma for some time, succumbed at his home in Hollywood. His wife, actress Elsa Lanchester, was at the bedside as was his brother Frank, a retired hotel man. Mr. Laughton was hospitalized last July 30 after previous treatment in New York. He

Dec 7, 2022

Bobo Newsom is Dead

Dec. 7, 1962 - Bobo Newsom (pictured in 1932), a big right-handed pitcher who spent 24 years in the major leagues, died today in an Orlando hospital of a liver ailment. He was 55 years old. The colorful pitcher, whose true name was Louis Norman Newsom, broke into the majors with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1929. Gifted with a rare sense of humor, Newsom adopted the nickname of Bobo himself, then generously applied it to all others he addressed. Bobo never used the pronoun “I.” He

Nov 29, 2022

Actress Gerry Jedd Dies After Suffering Stroke on Stage

Nov. 29, 1962 - Gerry Jedd, an actress who appeared in Off Broadway attractions as well as in the London production of “Two for the Seesaw,” died yesterday after suffering a stroke Tuesday night while performing on stage in “Brecht on Brecht.” She was 37 years old. Miss Jedd was singing the Pirate Jenny song from “The Threepenny Opera” Tuesday night when she collapsed on the stage of the Theater de Lys in Greenwich Village. A physician in the audience administered mouth-to-mo

Nov 25, 2022

Kilroy is Dead

Nov. 25, 1962 - James J. Kilroy (pictured in 1946), who maintained that he was the original Kilroy of the famous “Kilroy was here” graffiti of World War II, died yesterday in Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston. He was 60 years old. Wherever American troops served in World War II, the scrawl “Kilroy was here” marked their passage. Afterward, many accounts of its origin arose. Mr. Kilroy’s was judged the most likely to be true when he offered it on a radio program in Boston

Oct 9, 2022

“Dracula” Director Tod Browning Dead at 80

Oct. 9, 1962 - Tod Browning (pictured right with Helen Chandler and Bela Lugosi in 1930), who directed scores of Hollywood movies for many years until 1939, died Saturday. He was 80 years old. Mr. Browning directed the late Lon Chaney in his masterpiece, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” and other films of strange character portrayal. He was credited with having been the man who first recognized Chaney’s genius as a contortionist and master of bizarre makeup. Mr. Browning was bo

Oct 2, 2022

Gen. Henry Louis Larsen Dead at 71

Oct. 2, 1962 - Lieut. Gen. Henry L. Larsen (pictured in 1945), a much-decorated retired Marine Corps officer, died of a heart attack at his home in Denver, Co., today. He was 71 years old. General Larsen retired from the Marine Corps in 1946 after 33 years, and then for 10 years he was Colorado’s Civil Defense director. The phrase “fighting Marine” applied to nobody more forcibly than to Henry Louis Larsen. He was in the first Marine Corps detachments to leave the U.S. for co

Oct 2, 2022

Actor Frank Lovejoy Dead at 50

Oct. 2, 1962 - Frank Lovejoy, the stage, screen, and television actor, was found dead in bed this morning at New York’s Warwick Hotel. Mr. Lovejoy’s wife, the actress Joan Banks, summoned a physician, who said the 50-year-old actor had apparently died of a heart attack. The couple, both of whom had been appearing in “The Best Man” at the Playhouse on the Mall in Paramus, N.J., were staying in the city. The theater is regularly closed on Monday nights. Mrs. Lovejoy said they h

Sep 14, 2022

Struggling Crime Novelist Found Dead in New York Hotel

Sept. 14, 1962 - A man identified by the police as William Lindsay Gresham, the writer, was found dead today in his room at the Dixie Hotel in New York City. He had taken an overdose of sleeping pills. Mr. Gresham was best known for his novel, “Nightmare Alley,” published in 1946, the study of the life of a carnival worker. It was adapted into a film in 1947 starring Tyrone Power. Mr. Gresham, who grew up in Brooklyn, received his initial taste for carnival life at the sidesh

Sep 7, 2022

Author Isak Dinesen Dead

Sept. 7, 1962 - Danish author Isak Dinesen (pictured center with Marilyn Monroe and Carson McCullers in 1959). She was 77 years old. The cause of her death was attributed to malnourishment. Isak Dinesen was the pen name of the Baroness Karen Christenze von Blixen-Finecke. Her health had been failing for years, but she said only recently, “I shall never stop writing.” Three of her best-known works were “Out of Africa,” “Seven Gothic Tales,” and “Winter’s Tales” — all Book-of-t

Sep 3, 2022

E.E. Cummings is Dead

Sept. 3, 1962 - E.E. Cummings (pictured in 1920), who made poetic art out of commas and parentheses, died in North Conway, N.H., early today after having suffered a stroke. The poet, who was 67 years old, was taken to Memorial Hospital last night from his summer home on Silver Lake in nearby Madison. He died at 1:25 a.m. Mr. Cummings was a novelist and painter as well as a poet. To him, most people were not really alive, but merely “undead.” To escape being undead, in his vie