1956

World Events

• Morocco gains independence from France.
• Hollywood actress Grace Kelly weds Prince Rainier of Monaco.
• Four churches are bombed in Montgomery, Alabama by white anti-civil rights activists.
• Transatlantic cable telephone service is established.

San Diego History

• To help attract middle-class, suburban customers, the El Cortez opens its modern Starlight Room on the 12th floor. The "Starlight Express," an exterior glass elevator takes guests up to the "Sky Room" and the "Starlight Room." It becomes a local tourist attraction as people enjoy the scenic journey into the sky.
• Laurence Klauber, born in San Diego in 1883, published his 2-volume, Rattlesnakes: Their Habits, Life Histories and Influence on Mankind, 1,533 pages, and recognized as the most complete and authoritative resource ever written on rattlesnakes. (He donated his entire rattlesnake collection to SDNHM in 1961.)
• Salton Sea level measured at -234.5 feet below sea level.

Arts

• The beast is loose, Godzilla, King of the Monsters is released in the United States. It was originally released in Japan in 1954.
• Elvis Presley hits number one with his song Heartbreak Hotel. He gyrates his hips on the Milton Berle show, upsetting many adult viewers, and exciting many more.
• Allen Ginsberg publishes Howl.
• Hollywood embraces rock and roll and releases the following films: Donít Knock the Rock, The Girl Canít Help It, Rock Around the Clock, Shake Rattle and Rock!, Rock Pretty Baby, and Love Me Tender.
• James Brown releases his debut record Please, Please, Please.

• Eero Saarinen creates the TWA Terminal, which recalls the shape of a gliding bird.
• Pop Art comes to life with British artist Richard Hamilton's Just What is it That Makes Today's Home So Different, So Appealing?
• In a veiled reference to the spread of Communism, the movie Invasion of the Body Snatchers scares American film go-ers.
• Ellsworth Kelly's painting, Atlantic, introduces hard edges to the abstract expressionist tradition.

American Life

• Police in Cleveland begin enforcing a law that prohibits people under 18 from dancing without an adult.
• As the World Turns premieres and changes the lives of American housewives.

• The first lobotomy in the U.S. was performed at George Washington University on a 63 year old woman.
• American families embraced food that was easy to make and used pre-packaged ingredients yet looked sophisticated. A great example is the Baked Alaska.