When This Dropped

October 4, 1957

President
Eisenhower
Dow (EOY)
436
Gas/gal
$0.31
Min Wage
$1.00

That fall of 1957, gas ran $0.31 a gallon and Eisenhower was in the White House — and the Soviet Union had just launched Sputnik 2, carrying a dog named Laika as the first living creature to orbit the Earth, pushing the space race into urgent new territory for American policymakers. On television, "Gunsmoke" was the country's top-rated show, while "The Bridge on the River Kwai" was drawing crowds to movie theaters across the nation. The Milwaukee Braves defeated the New York Yankees in seven games to claim the World Series, the same fall that "West Side Story," with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, opened on Broadway for the first time.

On the cover

Magazine Covers — October 4, 1957

New York Times
Time
TV Guide
Nat. Geographic

NY Times Headlines — Week of October 4, 1957

President Voices Concern On U.S. Missiles Program, But Not On The Satellite; Disclaims A Race Views Feat Of Soviet As Political And Not Military Victory Won'T By-Pass Allies Seeks To Calm Fears President Voices I.C.B.M. Concern Might Have Beaten Soviet

World Events — October 1957

Time Person of the Year — 1957

Hungarian Freedom Fighter
Person of the Year
Hungarian Freedom Fighter

On the radio

Billboard Charts — October 4, 1957

Honeycomb
Jimmie Rodgers with Hugo Peretti and His Orchestra
Best Sellers #1
"Honeycomb"
Jimmie Rodgers with Hugo Peretti and His Orchestra

On the bookshelf

By Love Possessed
NYT Fiction #1
"By Love Possessed"
Kids Say the Darndest Things
NYT Non-Fiction #1
"Kids Say the Darndest Things"
The Field of Vision
Wright Morris
National Book Award Fiction
"The Field of Vision"
Wright Morris
Russia Leaves the War
George F. Kennan
National Book Award Nonfiction
"Russia Leaves the War"
George F. Kennan

On the television

Nielsen Top 10 — 1957–58 Season

Gunsmoke
Nielsen #1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Nielsen
Top 10
TV Shows
Nielsen Ratings
Top 10 TV Shows
1957–58 Season

Emmy Winners — 1957

Gunsmoke
Emmy Drama Series
Gunsmoke
The Phil Silvers Show
Emmy Comedy Series
The Phil Silvers Show
Peter Ustinov
Omnibus
Emmy Lead Actor
Peter Ustinov
Omnibus
Jane Wyatt
Father Knows Best
Emmy Lead Actress
Jane Wyatt
Father Knows Best

At the movies

Box Office & Oscar Winners — October 4, 1957

Jet Pilot
Box Office #1
Jet Pilot
The Bridge on the River Kwai
Oscar Best Picture
The Bridge on the River Kwai
David Lean
The Bridge on the River Kwai
Oscar Best Director
David Lean
The Bridge on the River Kwai
Alec Guinness
The Bridge on the River Kwai
Oscar Best Actor
Alec Guinness
The Bridge on the River Kwai
Joanne Woodward
The Three Faces of Eve
Oscar Best Actress
Joanne Woodward
The Three Faces of Eve

On the field

Sports Champions — October 4, 1957

NFL Champion
Detroit Lions
World Series
Milwaukee Braves
def. New York Yankees
NBA Champion
Boston Celtics
def. St. Louis Hawks
Stanley Cup
Montreal Canadiens
def. Boston Bruins

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