Fifties Entertainment

    The hit television show "I Love Lucy" was the top-rated show of the decade. The Mickey Mouse club was a total phenomenon. Kids everywhere were watching this show.

The original club

     The Disneyland amusement park, in Anaheim, California, opened it's gates on July 17, 1955 with 18 attractions, including the Jungle Cruise, Tomorrowland Autopia, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, and the Mark Twain. The televised opening was hosted by Ronald Reagan, Art Linkletter, and Bob Cummings.  The 11,000  invitation only tickets to opening day were so easily duplicated that the first day attendance shot to 28,154 with an ABC television audience of 90 million.  Official general admission cost $1. Cost of attractions ranged from $.10 to $.35.

    The famous actress and model, Marilyn Monroe, was very popular in the fifties. She was such a amazing woman, actress, and model.  She was envied by many girls and women.   She starred in numerous famous movies such as, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), The Seven Year Itch (1955), and Some Like It Hot (1959).  At the age of thirty-six, Marilyn Monroe died of an overdose of sleeping pills in 1962.

    The Cat and the Hat by Dr. Seuss was written. The book was a very good book for beginner readers. Dr. Seuss would later continue his collection of stories.  Also, the novel Charlotte's Web was written. The novel was loved by all and was awarded the Newberry Award.
    Television western style was very popular such as,  Hopalong Cassidy, Rawhide, Gunsmoke and Wagon Train. This decade was also full of outstanding musicals. The board game Scrabble was also a total hit. Parents loved this game because it secretly helped their children's spelling skills.  Also the toy, Mr. Potato Head (which you designed the face you would like on the potato),  Little Lou, and Silly Putty came out.
       Barbie was the biggest fad and entertainment for children in the fifties.  You could change Barbie into whatever stylish clothes you liked her in. Not only did she have numerous clothes to choose from, but mansions, cars, and hair styles!  Barbie continues to be a fad in the millenium.