Life & Times 1950
Indicators
| World Population | 2,556,517,137 | |
| United States Population | 152,000,000 | |
| Average national annual income | $3,216 | |
| Arkansas Population | 1,909,511 | |
| Average Arkansas annual income | $847 | |
| New House | $14,500 | |
| New Car | $1,750 | |
| Minimum Wage | $.75 | |
| Gallon of Gas | $.20 | |
| Gallon of Milk | $.82 | |
| Dozen Eggs | $.65 | |
| Loaf of Bread | $.14 | |
| Postage Stamp (ground) | $.03 |
Events
North Korea invades South Korea
China invades Tibet
The Soviet Union announces it possesses the atomic bomb
Vietnam is divided into North and South
Seven men steal $3,000,000 from Brinks in Boston
President Truman orders federal troops to take control of US railroads to prevent a strike
The FBI begins its "Ten Most Wanted Criminals" list
Sam Walton opens his first store, "Walton's 5 & 10", in Bentonville, Arkansas
Xerox copy machine is invented
First credit card introduced, Diner's Club works only in 27 restaurants in New York City
First food processor (the Kenwood Chef)
A tiny bear cub, found in a tree with burned feet, becomes Smokey the Bear
Peanuts comic strip debuts
"Hokey-pokey" dance craze
Books
I, Robot - Isaac Asimov
Across the River and Into the Trees - Ernest Hemingway
The Door in the Wall - Marguerite de Angeli
The Town and the City - Jack Kerouac
Kon-Tiki - Thor Heyerdahl
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe - C. S. Lewis
The Martian Chronicles - Ray Bradbury
The Wall - John Hersey
Movies
All about Eve (Best Picture)
Cyrano de Bergerac (Best Actor, Jose Ferrer)
Born Yesterday (Best actress, Judy Holliday)
The Blackboard Jungle
Cinderella
Harvey
Rio Grande
Stage Fright
Sunset Boulevarde
Tea for Two
Music
1 Mona Lisa - Nat King Cole
2 Third Man Theme - Guy Lombardo
3 Goodnight Irene - The Weavers
4 Sam's Song - Bing Crosby
5 Whoop Dee Do - Perry Como
6 Harbor Lights - Sammy Kaye
7 Simple Melody - Bing Crosby
8 Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy - Red Foley
9 Music, Music, Music - Teresa Brewer
10 It Isn't Fair - Sammy Kaye
11 If I Knew You Were Coming I'd A Baked A Cake - Eileen Barton
12 I'll Never Be Free - Tennessee Ernie Ford
13 Zena, Zena, Zena - The Weavers
14 There's No Tomorrow - Tony Martin
15 Third Man Theme - Anton Caras
16 I Want To Be Loved - Andrews Sisters
17 Bonaparte's Retreat - Kay Starr
18 Tennessee Waltz - Patti Page
19 Can Anyone Explain? - Ames Brothers
20 The Cry of the Wild Goose - Frankie Laine