1963 Trivia What Happened in 1963

What Happened in 1963 – Trivia, Movies, Songs, Celebs Born In 1963

Trivia, Movies, Songs, Sports, Celebrities Born In 1963, News, Fun Facts and more.

Ever wonder, “What Happened in 1963?”

Well if you if you are planning a birthday party, trivia game night, wedding anniversary event, class reunion or just curious about 1963 movies, music, tv, famous people born, news and fun facts; well you are in luck. Party Game Ideas has pulled together a list of fun and interesting things that happened in 1963, so you can create trivia games or activities based on 1963. If you are short on time and need fun and engaging games for a 1963 birthday party, be sure to check out our Born in 1963 – 60th Birthday Party Games.

1963 Items – Page Topics Listed in Order
1963 History & News, 1963 Trivia & Fun Facts
1963 Top Movies, Notable Quotes, Top 40 Songs of 1963, Sports Champions
Celebrities Born in 1963, Top TV Shows of 1963, Saturday Morning Cartoons
What Did Things Cost in 1963

1963 History & News

• President Kennedy was assassinated on Nov. 22, 1963 in Dallas, Texas.
• President Johnson establishes the Warren Commission to investigate JFK’s assassination.
• Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his “I have a Dream” speech.
• It was a year of many civil rights protests throughout the country. Birmingham, Washington DC, Baltimore, and Chicago were just a few.
• Pope John XXIII dies. Paul VI elected Pope.
• Clean Air Act is passed to help control and reduce air pollution.
• U.S, Soviet Union, and Britain sign a nuclear test ban treaty.
• US banned all monetary transactions with Cuba.
• Vaccine against measles is developed by John Enders.
• Russian cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova is the first woman to go into space.
• By 1963, nearly 16,000 American military personnel were in South Vietnam.
• Time Man of the Year: Martin Luther King Jr.

Interesting Trivia & Fun Facts about 1963

• The lava lamp is released. It has since sold millions and become an iconic symbol of the 1960s.
• The Beatles first album, “Please, Please Me,” is released. Beatlemania is just getting started.
• The Easy-Bake Oven came out and was heated by 2 100-watt incandescent light bulbs.
• Kellogg’s introduces Froot Loops breakfast cereal.
• Cap’n Crunch is released by Quaker oats Company.
• Crispy Critters cereal is introduced by Post.
• Harvey Ball, a graphic artist and ad man, created the first yellow smiley face.
• The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan is published and becomes a bestseller.
• Colt 45 Malt Liquor is introduced. The name honored from Baltimore Colts running back #45, Jerry Hill. (Not the gun.)
• First Bond film, Dr. No, is released in the US in May. It was released in the UK in late 1962.
• The Schwinn String-Ray is released and with it’s unique banana seat and looks becomes the bestselling bike.
• ZIP code was introduced in July, 1963 and ZIP stands for
• The compact cassette tape is invented by the Dutch company Philips.
• Chips Ahoy! chocolate chip cookies are released by Nabisco.
• TaB is introduced as the first diet soda for the Coca-Cola Company.
• Sunny Delight (Sunny D) is first marketed in Florida.
• Mouse Trap board game is released by Ideal.
• Daytime soap opera General Hospital premieres. It is the longest running serial program produced in Hollywood.
• Automaker, Studebaker, was the first to offer seat belts as standard equipment.
• Alcatraz prison closes after 29 years, because it was to expensive to operate.
• First successful liver transplant is performed by Thomas Starzl.
• Bell Telephone (AT&T) introduces touch-tone dialing and the first push-button phone.
• Kodak introduces the Instamatic camera. Inexpensive and easy to load, the camera became an instant success.
• CBS broadcasts the first instant replay no Dec. 7th during the Army-Navy football game.
• The Great Train Robbery occurs in the UK when 2.6 million British pounds were stolen on August 8th.
• Frank Sinatra’s son was kidnapped and safely return after a random of $240,000 was paid. The kidnappers were caught.
• Elizabeth Taylor was the first actress to earn $1 million for a single film – Cleopatra.
• SweeTarts candy were introduced and quickly became a favorite of kids everywhere.
• Construction starts on the Gateway Arch in St. Louis.
• The following companies started – Comcast, CVS Pharmacy, Weight Watchers
• Pro Football Hall of Fame opens in Canton, Ohio.
• Valium was introduced by Swiss drug company Roche Labs.
• NBS and CBS expanded their national evening news broadcast from 15 to 30 minutes.
• Speed Stick deodorant is released by Mennen.
• New York City newspaper strike stops paper publishing for 114 days.

World Population 1963 – 3,196,000,000

Top Movies 1963 – US Box Office in millions

This list represents the earnings of movies that were released in 1963. We have found several different rankings online, this list is a composite of those rankings.

1. Cleopatra $57
2. How the West Was Won $46.5 (Premiered in UK in Nov. 62 & US in Feb. 63)
3. It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World $46.3
4. Tom Jones $37.6
5. Irma La Douce $25.2
6. The Sword in the Stone $22.2
7. Son of Flubber $22.1
8. Dr. No $16 (Premiered in UK in Oct. 62 & US in May 63)
9. The V.I.P.’s $15
10. Charade $13.5

Additional Notable Movies from 1963
Bye Bye Birdie, The Birds, HUD, The Great Escape, Fun in Acapulco (Elvis)
Dr. No – Premieres in the UK in October 1962, and comes to the US eight months later in May of 1963.

The Academy Awards often takes place in February.

• 1963 Academy Award for Best Picture – Lawrence of Arabia
• 1963 Best Actor – Gregory Peck for To Kill a Mockingbird
• 1963 Best Actress – Anne Bancroft for The Miracle Worker

Below are the Academy Awards that were presented in 1964 for movies released in 1963. View all 1964 Academy Award Winners.

• 1964 Academy Award for Best Picture – Tom Jones
• 1964 Best Actor – Sidney Poitier for Lilies of the Field
• 1964 Best Actress – Patricia Neal for Hud

Notable Quotes from 1963

“Today, in the world of freedom, the proudest boast is “Ich bin ein Berliner.”
– John F. Kennedy

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed — we hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.”
– Martin Luther King

“Bond, James Bond”
– Sean Connery, in Dr. No (released in UK in ’62 and US in ’63)

New Advertising Jingles – Catch Phrases

“Oh I wish I were an Oscar Meyer wiener. That is what I truly want to be.”
– Oscar Meyer Weiner Song / TV jingle first used in 1963

Purchase games for your 60th Birthday Party!!!

Top 40 Songs of 1963

The original Billboard Hot 100 for 1963 had “Surfin’ U.S.A.” as the number one song for the year, but years later Billboard released an updated list that included end of the year data and “Surfin’ U.S.A” fell to number 2. We are using the revised list as it utilizes all of 1963.

1. “Sugar Shack” Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs
2. “Surfin’ U.S.A.” The Beach Boys
3. “The End of the World” Skeeter Davis
4. “Rhythm of the Rain” The Cascades
5. “He’s So Fine” The Chiffons
6. “Blue Velvet” Bobby Vinton
7. “Hey Paula” Paul and Paula
8. “Fingertips” Stevie Wonder
9. “Washington Square” The Village Stompers
10. “It’s All Right” The Impressions
11. “Can’t Get Used to Losing You” Andy Williams
12. “My Boyfriend’s Back” The Angels
13. “Sukiyaki” Kyu Sakamoto
14. “She’s a Fool” Lesley Gore
15. “So Much in Love” The Tymes
16. “Puff, the Magic Dragon” Peter, Paul and Mary
17. “Blowin’ in the Wind” Peter, Paul and Mary
18. “I’m Leaving It Up to You” Dale and Grace
19. “Deep Purple” Nino Tempo & April Stevens
20. “Wipe Out” The Surfaris
21. “I Love You Because” Al Martino
22. “Wild Weekend” The Rebels
23. “You’re the Reason I’m Living” Bobby Darin
24. “Walk Like a Man” The Four Seasons
25. “Mockingbird” Inez and Charlie Foxx
26. “I Will Follow Him” Little Peggy March
27. “Pipeline” The Chantays
28. “Surf City” Jan and Dean
29. “It’s My Party” Lesley Gore
30. “Blame It on the Bossa Nova” Eydie Gormé
31. “You Can’t Sit Down” The Dovells
32. “Heat Wave” Martha and the Vandellas
33. “Denise” Randy & the Rainbows
34. “Walk Right In” The Rooftop Singers
35. “If You Wanna Be Happy” Jimmy Soul
36. “Surfer Girl” The Beach Boys
37. “If I Had a Hammer” Trini Lopez
38. “Everybody” Tommy Roe
39. “Easier Said Than Done” The Essex
40. “Ruby Baby” Dion

Other notable 1963 Songs that were in the Top 100
45. “Be My Baby” The Ronettes, 56. “Da Doo Ron Ron” The Crystals, 61. “Fools Rush In” Rick Nelson, 69. “(You’re the) Devil in Disguise” Elvis Presley, 80. “Ring of Fire” Johnny Cash, 84. “Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport” Rolf Harris, 98. “One Fine Day” The Chiffons

Kyu Sakamoto was the first Asian to have a No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100. It happened with the song Sukiyaki, #13 for the year.

1963 Year in Sports

• Football
  AFL Championship – San Diego Chargers defeated Boston Patriots 51-1 (For 1963 Season – Jan. 5th, 1964) AFL Championship in 1962 was played on Dec. 23rd; so in all true sense there was no championship game played in 1963.
  NFL Championship – Chicago Bears defeated New York Giants 14-10 (Dec. 29th, 1963)
• Horse Racing – Kentucky Derby – Chateaugay
• Ice Hockey – Stanley Cup – Toronto Maple Leafs defeated Detroit Red Wings 4 games to 1
• NBA Finals – Boston Celtics defeated Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 2 games
• Golf – U.S. Open – Julius Boros
• Tennis
  Wimbledon Championships – Men’s Chuck McKinley, Women’s Margaret Smith Court
  US National Championships (In ’68 becomes US Open) – Men’s Rafael Osuna, Women’s Maria Bueno
• Baseball – World Series – Los Angeles Dodgers defeated New York Yankees 4 games to 0 games
• Tour De France – Jacques Anquetil of France wins. (He would win a total of 5 Tour De France races.

1963 NCAA

• Football
  Orange Bowl: January 1, 1963 – Alabama defeated Oklahoma
  Rose Bowl: January 1, 1963 – USC defeated Wisconsin
  Sugar Bowl : January 1, 1963 – Ole Miss (Mississippi) defeated Arkansas
  Cotton Bowl: January 1, 1963 – LSU defeated Texas
• Men’s Division 1 Basketball – Loyola (Illinois) defeated Cincinnati 60 – 58

Celebrities Born in 1963

Check out these famous people born in 1963. For those born in the 60s, this might have you feeling old. There are a lot of talented celebrities and famous people born this year. While many look their age, some are looking very youthful and others look older than 60.

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Bret Michaels

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Kathy Ireland

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Johnny Depp

More Celebrities and Famous People Born in 1963.

• Tori Amos (Singer)
• Jennifer Beals (Flashdance)
• Charles Barkley
• David Baszucki (Roblox founder)
• Downtown Julie Brown (MTV VJ)
• Phoebe Cates (Fast Times at Ridgemont High)
• Coolio (1963-2022)
• Rob Estes (Melrose Place)
• Dave Foley (Kids in the Hall)
• Chip Foose (Automotive Designer)
• Mossimo Giannulli (Designer, Founded Mossimo)
• James Hetfield (Metallica)
• John Michael Higgins (Actor, Comedian, Game Show Host)
• D.L. Hughley
• Helen Hunt
• Marc Jacobs (Fashion Designer)
• Randy Johnson (Baseball Player)
• Larry the Cable Guy
• Jet Li
• Norm MacDonald (SNL, Comedian)
• Karl Malone (Basketball Player)
• Richard Marx (Singer)
• Chase Masterson
• Natalie Merchant (10,000 Maniacs)
• George Michael (1963-2016)
• Mike Myers
• Brigitte Nielson
• Graham Norton
• Conan O’Brien
• Tatum O’Neal
• Hakeem Olajuwon (Basketball Player)
• Sean Payton (Football Coach)
• Lisa Rinna (Actress, Real Housewives)
• Rob Schneider
• Seal
• Elisabeth Shue
• Sir Mix-a-Lot
• Mark Strong (Actor)
• Quentin Tarantino
• Travis Tritt (Singer)
• Lars Ulrich (Metallica)

Top Baby Names of 1963

• Girls Names – Lisa, Mary, Susan, Karen, Linda
• Boys Names – Michael, John, David, James, Robert

Most Popular TV Shows of 1963

We include the Top 20 TV shows for two seasons, since they are different. It is Interesting to see the shows shift in popularity from 1962-63 to 1963-64. Amazing how top shows surged in 62-63 and drop off by 63-64.  Hazel, Ben Casey, What’s My Line all did well and then fell off significantly the following season.

Top TV Shows of 1962 – 1963 Season – based on Nielsen Media
1. The Beverly Hillbillies 36
2.  Candid Camera 31.1
The Red Skelton Show
4. Bonanza 29.8
The Lucy Show
6. The Andy Griffith Show 29.7
7.  Ben Casey 28.7
The Danny Thomas Show
9. The Dick Van Dyke Show 27.1
10. Gunsmoke 27.0
11. Dr. Kildare 26.2
The Jack Benny Show
13. What’s My Line 25.5
14. The Ed Sullivan Show 25.3
15. Hazel 25.1
16. I’ve Got a Secret 24.9
17. The Jackie Gleason Show 24.1
18. The Defenders 23.9
19. The Garry Moore Show 23.3
To Tell The Truth
Lassie

Top TV Shows of 1963 – 1964 Season – based on Nielsen Media
1. The Beverly Hillbillies 39.1
2. Bonanza 36.9
3. The Dick Van Dyke Show 33.3
4. Petticoat Junction 30.3
5. The Andy Griffith Show 29.4
6. The Lucy Show 28.1
7. Candid Camera 27.7
8. The Ed Sullivan Show 27.5
9. The Danny Thomas Show 26.7
10. My Favorite Martian 26.3
11. The Red Skelton Show 25.7
12T. I’ve Got a Secret 25
12T. Lassie
12T. The Jack Benny Show
15. The Jackie Gleason Show 24.6
16. The Donna Reed Show 24.5
17. The Virginian 24.0
18. The Patty Duke Show 23.9
19. Dr. Kildare 23.6
20. Gunsmoke 23.5

On December 30th, the TV game show “Let’s Make a Deal” with host Monty Hall premieres on NBC.

Popular Saturday Morning Shows in 1963

Before blocks of Saturday morning cartoons became the norm, you had a mix of cartoons, education, and variety shows for kids. In the 1962-63 season Bugs Bunny arrives and the Jetson’s arrive on Saturdays in the fall of 1963.

• Mighty Mouse Playhouse
• The Roy Roger’s Show
• Captain Kangaroo
• The Magic Land of Allakazam
• The Bugs Bunny Show
• The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin
• My Friend Flicka
• The Jetsons – Arrive on Saturday mornings in the fall of 1963!

What did things cost in 1963

Check out this 1963 prices for food, gas, and even gold.  These tend to be average prices for an item in the US during the year and the prices of items variety by region of the country. When possible we used US Govt. Economic data.

• Stamp $0.04 (Jan. 1-6) $0.05 (Started on Jan. 7, 1963)
• Loaf of Bread $0.22
• Mueller’s Elbow Macaroni 1 lb. Package $0.23
• Ivory Soap 2 Large Bars $0.33
• Ragu Spaghetti Sauce 16 oz. Jar $0.39
• Gallon of Milk $0.49
• Dozen Eggs $0.55
• Bacon 1 lb. $0.69 (Bacon fluctuates in price, in the ad it is $0.45 for a lb.)
• Gallon of Gas $0.31
• Movie Ticket $0.85
• Minimum Wage $1.25 (And would stay at this rate until 1966)
• One Ounce of Gold $35.25
• New Car was right around $3,000
• Average Income $5,800

Grocery stores newspaper ad from Thanksgiving 1963
Turkeys price per lb. is under 10 lbs. 0,43 cents, 10-18 lbs. 0.37 cents, and over 18 lbs. 0.33 cents.

Most likely if you are here researching What Happened in 1963, you are getting ready to plan a big event like a birthday celebration for a spouse or close friend. We hope that our 1963 trivia, fun facts, top movies, top 40 songs of 1963 and other information was helpful and interesting.

If you are hosting a birthday party for someone Born in 1963, be sure to check out our born in 1963 party games and these party supplies and decorations that will help make your event extra special.

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60 Party Balloons & Mylar 60 Numbers

You're Old - Funny Rude Offensive Birthday Balloons

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Birthday Party Game Options
1961 - Birthday Games • 1962 - Birthday Games • 1963 - 60th Birthday Party Games• 1971 Birthday Games • 1972 - Birthday Games • 1973 - 50th Birthday Party Games • 1981 Birthday Games • 1982 Birthday Games • 1983 - 40th Birthday Party Game Pack • 1991 - Birthday Party Game Packs

Decades Bingo

Kid's Birthday Party Games
My 1st Birthday • Who Knows the Birthday Girl • Who Knows the Birthday Boy • Who Knows the Birthday Star

Birthday Bingo • Birthday Charades & Pictionary • Birthday Left Right Story

Birthday Decorations
Back in 1971 Poster, Back in 1981 Poster
Funny & Joke - 40th Birthday Star Posters, 40th Birthday Gold Glitter Posters, 50th Birthday Posters, 60th Birthday Posters

Year Trivia, Fun Facts, Celebs Born in, What Happened In
1961 Trivia • 1962 Trivia • 1963 Trivia • 1971 Trivia • 1972 Trivia • 1973 Trivia • 1981 Trivia • 1982 Trivia • 1983 Trivia • 1984 Trivia • 1991 Trivia

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