The Menzies Era - 1950 to 1972

Chinese invade Tibet
North Korea invades South Korea
UN forces drive North Koreans out of South Korea
Vietnam divided into North and South
Senator McCarthy begins enquiry into "un-American activities"
Colombo Plan to aid South Asia begun
Credit cards introduced in the United States
First food processor (the Kenwood Chef)
Antihistamines introduced
New York subway commuters stampede when they think a short-circuited signal is the start of World War Three
Petrol and butter rationing ends in Australia
British Empire Games in Auckland
Peanuts comic strip begins
"Hokey-pokey" dance craze
Work begins on overhead railway at Circular Quay, Sydney
First "bodgies" and "widgies"
First commercial bauxite discovery in Australia at Marchimber Is, WA
Australian Basic Wage increased from £7/2/- to £8/2/-
Australia's rabbit population reaches 1,000,000,000
Myxomatosis used to kill rabbits in Australia

Spike on "Mixo"
Spike Milligan wrote two verses about myxomatosis:
Rabbits they say
Are very scarce to-day
My diagnosis?
Myxamatowsis.
and
A baby rabbit
With eyes full of pus
This is the work
Of scientific us.

View the events of any day:

Korea The early phase of the Korean War seemed like an easy victory for the United Nations forces.

The Music of 1950

Harry Lime Theme (Anton Karas)
I've Got the World on a String (Ella Fitzgerald)
Sentimental Me (Ames Brothers)
Rag Mop (Ames Brothers)
Bonaparte's Retreat (Kay Starr)
The Thing (Phil Harris)
Mona Lisa (Nat "King" Cole)
Cool Water (Frankie Laine)

Australian Radio in 1950

Australia's Amateur Hour (1940-60)
The Children's Hour - Argonauts' Club (1941-69)
Tarzan (1940s & 50s)
The Quiz Kids (1942-early 60s)
The Air Adventures of Biggles(1945-60s)
When a Girl Marries (1946-65)
Pick-a-Box (1948-71)
Blue Hills (1948-76)
Dr Paul (!949-71)
Superman (late 1940s-late 50s)

Television in 1950

Television was not introduced into Australia until 1956. However, shows that later became popular in Australia were already being broadcast elsewhere. These included:

The Lone Ranger

1949-61

cast

Movies in 1950

Title	Cast	Academy Awards	Buy
All about Eve directed by Joseph L. Manckiewicz	Bette Davis Anne Baxter George Sanders Cleeste Holm Gary Merrill Thelma Ritter	Best Picture Best Supporting Actor Best Picture Best Costume Desgn Best Sound Best Screenplay
Born Yesterday directed by George Cukor	Judy Holliday William Holden Broderick Crawford Howard St John Frank Otto Larry Oliver	Best Actress
The Lavender Hill Mob directed by Charles Chrichton	Alec Guiness Stanley Holloway Sid Janes	Best Screenplay
Rio Grande directed by John Ford	John Wayne Maureen O'Hara Ben Johnson Harry Carey Jr Victor McLagan Chris Willis
Stage Fright directed by Alfred Hitchcock	Marlene Deitrich Jane Wyman Michael Wilding Richard Todd Kay Walsh Alastair Sim
Sunset Boulevarde directed by Billy Wilder	William Holden Gloria Swanson Erich von Stronheim Nancy Olsen
Tea for Two directed by David Butler	Doris Day Gordon MacRae Gene Nelson Eve Arden Billy de Wolfe S.Z. Sakall

Watch a free movie from 1950 now:

Cyrano De Bergerac Michael Gordon’s tale based on the classic French tale.
Big Bluff Directed by W. Lee Wilder. When a scheming fortune hunter finds his rich wife is not going to die as expected, he and his lover make other plans to get her millions.
BorderlineTwo undercover agents infiltrate a drug-smuggling ring in Mexico, but neither is aware of the other’s identity. Stars Fred MacMurray, Claire Trevor and Raymond Burr.
D.O.A. Rudolph Maté’s classic noir film.
Quicksand Noir film with Mickey Rooney and Peter Lorre
Woman on the Run After Frank Johnson (Ross Elliott) is the sole witness to a gangland murder, he goes into hiding and is trailed by Police Inspector Ferris (Robert Keith), his wife, Eleanor (Ann Sheridan), and newspaperman, Danny Leggett (Dennis O’Keefe).

Books of 1950

Title	Author	Buy
I, Robot	Isaac Asimov
A Town like Alice	Neville Shute

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