On this day
Revisit the news, notable people, and historical moments connected to this date.
In 1955, the world population was approximately 2,740,213,792 people[†]
1955Andy Bechtolsheim, German engineer, co-founded Sun Microsystems[†]
Andreas Maria Maximilian Freiherr von Mauchenheim genannt Bechtolsheim is a German electrical engineer, entrepreneur and investor. He co-founded Sun Microsystems in 1982 and was its chief hardware designer. As of 2025, he's 68th wealthiest according to Bloomberg Billionaires Index and Forbes with an estimated net worth of US$28.9 billion.
1955Frankie Kennedy, Northern Irish flute player (died 1994)[†]
Frankie Kennedy was a flute and tin whistle player born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He was also the co-founder of the band Altan, formed with his wife Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh. The popular Frankie Kennedy Winter Music School was founded in 1994 in his honour.
1955James Dean, American actor (born 1931)[†]
James Byron Dean was an American actor. He became one of the most influential figures in Hollywood in the 1950s, despite a career that lasted only five years. His impact on cinema and popular culture was profound, even though he appeared in just three major films. Rebel Without a Cause (1955), in which he portrayed a disillusioned and rebellious teenager, East of Eden (1955), which showcased his intense emotional range, and Giant (1956), a sprawling drama, have been preserved in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for their "cultural, historical, or aesthetic significance". He was killed in a car accident at the age of 24 in 1955, leaving him a lasting symbol of rebellion, youthful defiance, and the restless spirit.
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Yankees win 2d, 4-2
1st unit leaves through Brenner Pass for new stations in Italy; illus
urges USSR help build genuine peace, s, UN Assembly; defends NATO
drs to permit Pres to initial 2 routine Govt papers; bulletin; oxygen tent use discontinued; 1 cardiogram, not 2 daily as before, taken; White consulted by phone; Mattingly returns; Hagerty sees Pres gaining as result of S Adams plan to come to Denver to take charge of staff and work
NYCTA predicts no fare rise for fiscal '56; cites economies, increased efficiency, service cuts; Patterson, O'Grady hold passenger revenue loss rate stabilized at 3% a yr; see no chance of fare cut; hold 15¢ fair
Min Pinay (France) rejects proposal, s, UN Assembly
Pelham Bay IRT delayed 9 hrs during morning rush-hr when gasoline seeps into E 149th St station; 75,000 riders stalled; illus; map
Sec Wilson statement rejects further defense funds cuts; says receipts, not defense economies, are key to balanced budget in fiscal '56; Humphrey statement stresses that higher receipts and economies may achieve balance by end of fiscal '56; estimates expenditures at $63.8 billion, receipts at $62.1 billion; urges depts strive at 3% spending cut
Ford repts $500-million expansion program for '56, s, NJ C of C dinner held in conjunction with Mahwah, NJ, plant dedication; cites outlay as proof of faith in US econ; says Ford stock may be made available to pub in near future; Gov Meyner, Sen Case s at dedication
FHA for 1st time insures mortgage for private project in slum area under '54 amendment to housing law; Admr Cole repts FHA previously barred from doing so because slums were considered beyond redemption