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January
Britain was hit with freezing temperatures which lasted up to April.
The leader of the British Labour Party Hugh Gaitskell died aged 56.
February
The Boeing 727 prototype had it’s first flight.
The United States launched the communications satellite Syncom1.
March
Alcatraz the penitentiary was closed and the prisoners were transferred.
The Beeching report called for massive cuts on the U.K.’s railways.
In the U.S. and the U.K. the Sabin Polio vaccine was given.
The first “Pop Art” exhibition was shown in New York.
Sony introduced the first fully transistorised portable video recorder.
April
Thresher the U.S. nuclear submarine was officially declared lost after sinking
with all hands drowned.
Explorer 17 was launched to study the Earth’s upper atmosphere
The USSR Luna 4 was launched.
May
James Bond film Dr. No opened in the U.S.
James Whittaker became the first American to climb the tallest mountain in the world Mt. Everest.
Telstar 2 was launched.
Gordon Cooper in the capsule named Faith 7, completed twenty two Earth orbits. This was the last Mercury mission. Project.
June
John Profumo the British war minister resigned due to the Christine Keeler scandal.
Cardinal Montini became the 262nd leader of the Catholic Church. Pope Paul VI.
The cancellation of the Mercury-Atlas 10 moved all future interest to the Gemini projects.
Vostok 6 carried the first woman Valentina Tereshkova into space.
July
The U.S. postal service introduced the first zip (Zone Improvement Plan) codes.
Sonny Liston Knocked out Floyd Patterson to retain his heavyweight championship belt.
U.S. communications satellite Syncom 2 was launched.
August
The United States, Britain and USSR signed a nuclear test ban treaty that stated there was to be no testing underwater, outer space or in the Earth’s atmosphere.
A telephone “hotline” was installed between Washington and Moscow.
The great train robbery took place in Buckinghamshire, England.
Martin Luther King delivered his “I Have A Dream” speech.
September
Czechoslovakian premier Sikory was deposed by Josef Lenart.
In the U.K. American Express launched their credit card.
October
The British Prime Minister Harold MacMillan resigned.
A landslide which fell into the Vaiont dam in Italy caused a huge wave which killed over a thousand people.
The French singer Edith Piaf died.
November
John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas.
An Air disaster in Montreal killed 118 people.
In the U. K. the Dartford – Purfleet road tunnel was opened.
December
Explorer 18 was launched to study radiation between the Earth and the Moon.
Frank Sinatra Jr. was kidnapped.
A fire on the Atlantic cruise liner Lakonia killed 128 people.
Zanzibar gained independence from Britain.
Movies of 1963
Alfred Hitchcock’s suspense film THE BIRDS.
CLEOPATRA directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. and starred Elizabeth Taylor.
John Wayne, Lee Marvin, Dorothy Lamour DONOVAN’S REEF.
FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE the second James Bond film.
Directed by John Sturges THE GREAT ESCAPE.
Hud starring Paul Newman.
The fantasy film JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS.
THE PINK PANTHER featured David Niven, Peter Sellers, Robert Wagner.
SUMMER HOLIDAY starred Cliff Richard.
Walt Disney’s fantasy animated film THE SWORD IN THE STONE.
Richard Harris, Rachel Roberts and Alan Badel THIS SPORTING LIFE.
THE V.I.P’s Starred Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor.
Sixties Events 1963
Essential Artists