This page offers an insight into life in 1966 and includes World news, political leaders, prices, population statistics and information about the popular culture of 1966.
The year 1966 began on a Saturday. It was not a leap year.
1966 In The News
14th February – The Australian dollar was introduced to replace the Australian pound .
10th March – Princess Beatrice of the Netherlands married Claus von Amsberg.
20th March – The FIFA World cup trophy was stolen. It was later found by a dog named Pickles.
28th May – The boat ride ‘It’s a Small World’ opened at Disneyland California.
18th August – The Cultural Revolution to purge the Communist party, began in Beijing.
29th August – The Beatles made their last live performance at Candlestick Park, San Francisco.
21st October – The Aberfan disaster – 144 people, mostly children, were killed when a coal tip collapsed and engulfed the local school.
8th November – Ronald Regan was elected Governor of California.
Life in 1966 – Prices
Average house:
UK – £3,465; USA – $14,200
Petrol per gallon:
UK – £0.24; USA – $0.32
Loaf of Bread:
UK – £0.07; USA – $0.22
Gold per ounce:
UK – $35.13, USA – $35.6
Life in 1966 – Population
World: – 3,420,547,740
Australia: – 11,655,083
Canada: – 20,448,496
China: – 735,905,808
India: – 506,123,200
Soviet Union: 127,414,768
United States: – 195,576,000
United Kingdom: – 54,643,000
Life in 1966 – Music
Best Selling Single:
UK – Green, Green Grass of Home – Tom Jones
USA – Ballad of the Green Berets – Barry Sadler
AUS – These Boots Are Made for Walkin’ – Nancy Sinatra
CAN – I’m a Believer – The Monkees
Best Selling Album:
UK – The Sound of Music – Original Broadway Cast
USA – Whipped Cream and Other Delights – Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass
AUS – The Sound of Music – Original Broadway Cast
CAN – No data – Charts began 1968
Popular Artists:
The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Four Tops, The Lovin’ Spoonful, The Mamas & the Papas, The Monkees, Nancy Sinatra, The Rolling Stones, The Supremes, The Troggs
On the Bookshelves
Books Published in 1966:
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress – Robert A Heinlein
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead – Tom Stoppard
Ariel – Sylvia Plath
The Chosen – Chaim Potok
The Crying of Lot 49 – Thomas Pynchon
At the Movies
1966 Top Movies (USA box office figures):
1. Hawaii- $15.6 million
2. The Bible – In the Beginning – $15 million
3. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? – $14.5 million
4. The Sand Pebbles – $13.5 million
5. A Man For All Seasons – $12.8 million
Life in 1966 – World Leaders
Australia Prime Minister – Robert Menzies to 26th January; Harold Holt from 26th January
Canada Prime Minister – Lester Pearson
China President – Liu Shaoqi
India Prime Minister – Lal Bahadur Shastri
Soviet Union Leader – Leonid Brezhnev
United States President – Lyndon B Johnson
United Kingdom Prime Minister – Harold Wilson
Born in 1966
20th February – Cindy Crawford (Model)
10th May – Jonathan Edwards (Athlete)
14th August – Halle Berry (Actress)
8th September – Adam Sandler (Actor/Comedian)
24th October – Roman Abramovich (Buisnessman)
8th November – Gordon Ramsay (Chef)
21st December – Kiefer Sutherland (Actor/Director)
Died in 1966
1st February – Buster Keaton (Actor)
10th April – Evelyn Waugh (Author)
22nd May – Tom Goddard (Cricketer)
21st September – Paul Reynaud (French Politician)
18th October – Elizabeth Arden (Beautician)
13th November – Esna Boyd (Tennis Player)
15th December – Walt Disney (Disneyland founder)
1966 Sport Highlights
World Cup Final – England beat Germany
Football – Everton won the FA Cup
Cycling – Lucien Almar (FRA) won the Tour de France
Tennis – Billie Jean King won her first Grand Slam tournament at Wimbledon
Golf – British Open won by Jack Nicklaus; US Open won by Billy Caspar
Baseball – Baltimore Orioles won the World Series
Horse Racing – Arkle won the Cheltenham Gold Cup for the third year running; Kauai King won the Kentucky Derby
Christmas Wishlist
G I Joe Action Figure
Barbie and Ken Dolls
Fisher Price Chatter Telephone
Suzy Homemaker kitchen play range
Matchbox Cars
What was new?
Fibre Optics invented
Video Games envisaged by Ralph Baer
Electronic Fuel injection invented
Portable Dishwasher invented
First published 2021; updated and republished Mar 30 2022 @ 11:15 am – Updated –
