Popular Culture 1950s

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Popular Culture in the 50's can be captured in just a few words which speak volumes. "The Cold War", "Baby Boomers" , "Korea" , "The Red Scare",. This was the decade where people built Bomb Shelters, had babies and the news was filled with what the reds were doing or going to do.

Some of the Most Well Known Movie Stars of the Fifties 

Gary Cooper

Bing Crosby

Bob Hope

John Wayne

James Stewart

Frank Sinatra

Marilyn Monroe

William Holden

The other important change was in how teenagers were viewed up until the 50's teenagers were just children and were treated as such the 50's and future decades changed that where teenagers became an important section of society when politicians and others realized teenagers would very quickly become voters and consumers and a new generation of pop stars including Elvis Presley were created whose main target audience was teenagers.


As the radio had done in the 20's providing the masses with news and entertainment so the TV did in the fifties originally broadcasting in black and white but later in color



This was also a time of great affluence after the depression years and the World Wars consumerism took off in a big way which in turn created jobs and wealth and a circle of growth


Following on from black men joining the forces and fighting for their country , a change was needed to treat this section of society equally " they had fought for their country " and should be treated as equals, and the battle for civil rights began


The frozen "french fries" were invented by the JR Simplot company in the early 50's and up till the time McDonalds still peeled, cut and prepared fries on the premises
A common name termed for people born in the 50's are the baby boomers . ( after the depression in the 30's and the world war in the 40's ) people felt confident enough to have children and an explosion in the population occurred
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TV Shows 1950s

Perry Mason 1957 - 1966. Perry Mason played by actor Raymond Burr.
Rawhide 1959 - 1966. Starring Eric Fleming and Clint Eastwood.
The Phil Silvers Show 1955 - 1959. with US Army master sergeant Ernest G. Bilko played by Phil Silvers.

Lassie 1954 - 1973.

The Lone Ranger 1949 - 1954.

Bonanza 1959 - 1973.

77 Sunset Strip 1958 - 1964.

The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin 1954 - 1959.

Gunsmoke 1955 - 1975.

The Twilight Zone ( Original Series ) 1959 - 1964.

source: http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/

Technology Fifties

First oral contraceptive ( the Pill )invented by Luis E. Miramontes
The Soviet Union launches Sputnik I, the first artificial satellite to orbit the earth. and so starts the space race and man's exploration of our solar system

Inventions The Year Invented Inventors and Country ( or attributed to First Use )

Atomic Clock ----- 1955 England 
Breeder Reactor ----- 1951 USA Converted Uranium to Plutonium
Computer Modem ----- 1958 USA 
Credit Card ----- 1950 USA by Ralph Schneider
Hovercraft ----- 1955 England by Christopher Cockerell 
Hydrogen Bomb ----- 1952 USA by Edward Teller's team 
Lunar Probe ----- 1959 Russia Lunik I passed the Moon; 
Lunar Probe ----- 1959 Russia Lunik II crashed on the Moon;
Lunar Probe ----- 1959 Russia Lunik III photographed the far side of the Moon 
Microchip ----- 1958 USA by Jack Kilby
Nuclear Power ----- 1956 England First power station at Calder Hall
Robot ----- 1954 USA by George C Devol Jr 
Satellite ----- 1957 Russia Sputnik I
Solar Cell ----- 1954 USA Or Photovoltaic cells
Transistor Radio ----- 1953 USA Texas Instruments
Video Recorder ----- 1956 USA 
Video Tape ----- 1956 USA