March 18, 1955
Gas cost $0.29 a gallon in the spring of 1955, and the Dow Jones stood at 488 — a newly independent Austria signed a freedom treaty guaranteeing its permanent neutrality, marking a rare diplomatic breakthrough in the early Cold War. On screen and on the radio, Delbert Mann's film "Marty" had just won the Oscar for Best Picture, and Bill Hayes was dominating the charts with "The Ballad of Davy Crockett." In the NBA, the Syracuse Nationals defeated the Fort Wayne Pistons to claim the championship, and on April 15, Ray Kroc opened the first franchised McDonald's restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois, laying the foundation for what would become the largest fast food chain in the world.
On the cover
Magazine Covers — March 18, 1955
World Events — March 1955
Time Person of the Year — 1955
On the radio
Billboard Charts — March 18, 1955
On the bookshelf
On the television
Nielsen Top 10 — 1954–55 Season
Emmy Winners — 1955
At the movies
Box Office & Oscar Winners — March 18, 1955
On the field
Sports Champions — March 18, 1955
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