Memory Lane: 1964

beatles1964The war in Vietnam and US Congress Authorizes war against North Vietnam more American servicemen were dying.

After three civil rights workers were murdered in Mississippi the president signed the Civil Rights act of 1964 but this did not stop the violence as it continued to increase in many American Cities.

Lyndon Johnson was also returned to power after a landslide victory.

This was also the year The Beatles took the world and America by storm and Beatlemania went into overdrive as they released a series of number one hits including “I Want To Hold Your Hand”, “All My Loving”.

Other British groups also found success including The Rolling Stones and The Animals and together with the American talent of The Supremes and Bob Dylan, many say this was one of the greatest years for music in the last century.

One young loud talented boxer by the name of Cassius Clay won the Boxing World heavyweight championship from Sonny Liston.

In The News

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is signed into law

The Beatles hold the top five positions in the Billboard Top 40 singles in America

Race riots in major US cities

First pirate radio station, Radio Caroline, is established

24th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States is ratified

Elizabeth Taylor marries Richard Burton for the first time

U.S. Surgeon General reports that smoking may lead to lung cancer

Mods and Rockers fight at British Seaside Resorts


Population/Economy

Population:

  • Wake County (1960 census): 169,082
  • NC: 4,802,000
  • USA: 191,900,000

National Debt:

  • $311,712,899,257 (1964)
  • $18,152,809,942,589 (2015)

Value of a Dollar: $1 in 1964 is $7.59 in 2015

Cost Of Living 1964:

  • Yearly Inflation Rate USA: 1.28%
  • Year End Close Dow Jones Industrial Average 874
  • Average Cost of new house: $13,050
  • Average Monthly Rent: $115
  • Average Yearly Wages: $6,000
  • Average Cost of a new car: $3,500
  • Cost of a gallon of Gas: $0.30
  • Loaf of bread: $0.21
  • US postage stamp: $0.05
  • Cheeseburger at McDonald’s: $0.15
  • Ticket to Disneyland: $5.00 Adult / $3.00 Children; General Admission $1.60; Parking $0.25 per day

Ounce of Gold Price:

  • The cost of an ounce of gold was $35.10
  • The inflation-adjusted price of an ounce of gold was $272.09


Going to the Movies

Cost of a movie ticket: $0.93

Inflation-adjusted price of a movie ticket: $7.21

The cost of a movie ticket in 2015: $7.92

Top 5 Movies:

  1. Goldfinger 
  2. Mary Poppins
  3. My Fair Lady 
  4. The Carpetbaggers
  5. From Russia with Love


37th Academy Awards

  • Best Picture: My Fair Lady
  • Best Director: George Cukor – My Fair Lady
  • Best Actor: Rex Harrison – My Fair Lady
  • Best Actress: Julie Andrews – Mary Poppins
  • Best Supporting Actor: Peter Ustinov – Topkapi
  • Best Supporting Actress: Lila Kedrova – Zorba the Greek


Top 10 TV Shows

  1. Bonanza – NBC – 19,130,100
  2. Bewitched – ABC – 16,337,000
  3. Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. – CBS – 16,178,900
  4. The Andy Griffith Show – CBS – 14,914,100
  5. The Fugitive – ABC – 14,703,300
  6. The Red Skelton Show – CBS – 14,439,800
  7. The Dick Van Dyke Show – CBS – 14,281,700
  8. The Lucy Show – CBS – 14,018,200
  9. Peyton Place II – ABC – 13,912,800
  10. Combat – ABC – 13,754,700

Top 20 Pop Songs

  1. Beatles – I Want To Hold Your Hand
  2. Beatles – She Loves You
  3. Louis Armstrong – Hello, Dolly!
  4. Roy Orbison – Oh, Pretty Woman
  5. Beach Boys – I Get Around
  6. Dean Martin – Everybody Loves Somebody
  7. Mary Wells – My Guy
  8. Gale Garnett – We’ll Sing In The Sunshine
  9. J. Frank Wilson and The Cavaliers – Last Kiss
  10. Supremes – Where Did Our Love Go
  11. Barbara Streisand – People
  12. Al Hirt – Java
  13. Beatles – A Hard Day’s Night
  14. Beatles – Love Me Do
  15. Manfred Mann – Do Wah Diddy Diddy
  16. Beatles – Please Please Me
  17. Martha and The Vandellas – Dancing In The Street
  18. Billy J. Kramer and The Dakotas – Little Children
  19. Ray Charles Singers – Love Me With All Your Heart
  20. Drifters – Under The Boardwalk


Top 10 Country Songs

  1. Begging To You – Marty Robbins
  2. B. J. The D. J. – Stonewall Jackson
  3. Saginaw Michigan – Lefty Frizell
  4. Understand Your Man – Johnny Cash
  5. My Heart Skips A Beat – Buck Owens
  6. Together Again – Buck Owens
  7. Dang Me – Roger Miller
  8. I Guess I’m Crazy – Jim Reeves
  9. I Don’t Care (Just As Long As You Love Me) – Buck Owens
  10. Once A Day – Connie Smith


This Year in Sports

ACC Football Champ: NC State

ACC Basketball Champs: Duke (Duke 80 – Wake Forest 59)

World Series Winner: St. Lewis Cardinals over the NY Yankees

Heavyweight Boxing Champ: Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay)

NFL Championship Game: Cleveland Browns (Cleveland 27 – Baltimore Colts 10)

NASCAR Season Winner: Richard Petty

Masters Winner: Arnold Palmer (12 under – won $20,000)

Wimbledon Winners:

  • Men’s Singles: Australia Roy Emerson defeated Australia Fred Stolle 6–1, 12–10, 4–6, 6–3
  • Women’s Singles: Brazil Maria Bueno defeated Australia Margaret Court 6–4, 7–9, 6–3
  • Men’s Doubles:  Australia Bob Hewitt / Australia Fred Stolle defeated Australia Roy Emerson / Australia Ken Fletcher 7–5, 11–9, 6–4
  • Women’s Doubles: Australia Margaret Smith Court / Australia Lesley Turner defeated United States Billie Jean King / United States Karen Hantze Susman 7–5, 6–2
  • Mixed Doubles: Australia Lesley Turner / Australia Fred Stolle defeated Australia Margaret Smith Court / Australia Ken Fletcher 6–4, 6–4