Historical Events
- Oct 1 British colony of Nigeria becomes a federation
- Oct 2 8th NHL All-Star Game, Detroit Olympia, Detroit, MI: All-Stars tie Detroit Red Wings, 2-2
- Oct 2 Baseball World Series: New York Giants beat Cleveland, 7-4 at Cleveland Stadium to sweep Indians, 4-0; MVP: Giants outfielder Dusty Rhodes
- Oct 2 Don Liddle beats Bob Lemon 7-4 as the New York Giants complete an unlikely World Series sweep of the powerful Cleveland Indians; Cleveland season record of 111-43 sets American League mark for regular season wins
- Oct 2 Former French possession of Chandernagore made part of West Bengal, India
- Oct 3 "Father Knows Best" premieres
- Oct 3 KFVS TV channel 12 in Cape Girardeau, MO (CBS) begins broadcasting
General Conference on Weights and Measures
Oct 5 10th General Conference on Weights and Measures opens, will define the Kelvin as the primary unit of temperature (after William Thomson, Lord Kelvin) [1]
- Oct 5 Hurricane Hazel forms in the Caribbean, killing 400-1000 people in the Bahamas and Haiti
- Oct 7 Hassan el Hodeiby, leader of the Muslim Brothership, arrested in Egypt
Ho Chi Minh Takes Hanoi
Oct 10 Ho Chi Minh enters Hanoi after withdrawal of French troops
On Your Toes
Oct 11 Revival of George Abbott, Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart's musical "On Your Toes" opens at 46th St Theater, NYC; runs for 64 performances
- Oct 13 Robert Paul Smith and Max Shulman's "Tender Trap" premieres in NYC
- Oct 14 Israeli act of revenge in Qibiya Jordan, kills 53
- Oct 15 Hurricane Hazel makes landfall in the US in North Carolina as a category 4 hurricane, 195 die in US and Canada
- Oct 15 KLTV TV channel 7 in Tyler-Longview, TX (ABC) begins broadcasting
- Oct 17 Philadelphia Eagle Adrian Burk passes for 7 touchdowns vs Wash (49-21)
- Oct 18 Hurricane Hazel becomes most severe to ever hit the US, killing 195 in US and Canada
- Oct 18 Texas Instruments Inc. announces the first transistor radio.
- Oct 18 WBTW TV channel 13 in Florence, SC (CBS/ABC) begins broadcasting
- Oct 18 WNBC radio changes call letters to WRCA (NYC)
- Oct 19 Egypt and Great Britain sign treaty; British troops depart
- Oct 19 First ascent of Cho Oyu, sixth highest mountain in the world at 8,201 metres
- Oct 19 KAKE TV channel 10 in Wichita, KS (ABC) begins broadcasting
Peter Pan
Oct 20 Leigh, Charlap, Styne, Comden and Green's musical "Peter Pan", starring Mary Martin and Cyril Ritchard, opens at Winter Garden Theater NYC; runs for 152 performances
Ladies of the Corridor
Oct 21 Dorothy Parker and Arnaud d'Usseau's black comedy play "Ladies of the Corridor" premieres
- Oct 21 Indonesian troops land in New Guinea
- Oct 22 West Germany joins North Atlantic Treaty Organization
- Oct 23 Britain, France & US agree to end occupation of Germany
- Oct 23 Pakistan Governor-General Ghoelan Mohammed disbands parliament
- Oct 23 WSAU TV channel 7 in Wausau, WI (CBS) begins broadcasting
F1 World Champion
Oct 24 Britain's Mike Hawthorne wins season ending Spanish Grand Prix at Pedralbes; Argentine Maserati driver Juan Manuel Fangio takes second Formula 1 World Drivers Championship by 17 points from countryman José Froilán González
Event of Interest
Oct 24 Dwight D. Eisenhower pledges United States' support to South Vietnam
Aid to South Vietnam
Oct 25 US President Dwight D. Eisenhower offers aid to the Prime Minister of South Vietnam Ngô Đình Diệm [1]
Disneyland
Oct 27 Walt Disney's 1st TV show, "Disneyland", premieres on ABC
- Oct 27 WISN TV channel 12 in Milwaukee, WI (ABC) begins broadcasting
- Oct 28 Major league owners vote down sale of A's to a Philadelphia syndicate
- Oct 28 N. Richard Nash's play "The Rainmaker" premieres in NYC
Nobel Prize in Literature
Oct 28 Nobel Prize for Literature is awarded to Ernest Hemingway
Egyptian History
Oct 29 Colonel Gamal Abdel Nasser disbands the Muslim Brotherhood
- Oct 29 Sweden begins experimental TV
- Oct 30 1st use of 24-sec shot clock in pro basketball (Rochester vs Boston)
- Oct 30 US Defense Department announces elimination of all racially segregated regiments
- Oct 31 Algerian Revolution against French begins
- Oct 31 KREM TV channel 2 in Spokane, WA (CBS/ABC) begins broadcasting
Famous Birthdays
- Oct 1 Martin Strel, Slovenian long distance swimmer (Danube, Mississippi, Yangtze, Amazon River records), born in Mokronog, Slovenia
- Oct 1 Richard Schlesinger, American news correspondent (CBS, 48 Hours), born in New York City
- Oct 1 Rodney William "Rod" Ansell, Australian bushman and inspiration for "Crocodile Dundee", born in Murgon, Queensland (d. 1999)
- Oct 2 Greg Jennings, American country singer (Restless Heart - "Wheels"), born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Oct 2 Lani O'Grady, American actress (Mary-8 is Enough), born in Walnut Creek, California
- Oct 2 Lorraine Bracco, American actress (Sopranos, Goodfellas), born in Brooklyn, New York
Al Sharpton (69 years old)
Oct 3 American minister and civil rights activist (Keepin' It Real), born in Brooklyn, New York
- Oct 3 Branko Cikatić, Croatian kickboxer (first K-1 World Grand Prix Heavyweight C'ship 1993), born in Split, Croatia (d. 2020)
- Oct 3 Dawayne Bailey, American rock guitarist (Silver Bullet Band, 1983-86; Chicago, 1986-95), born in Manhattan, Kansas
- Oct 3 Dennis Eckersley, American Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher (6 x MLB All Star; AL Cy Young Award 1992; AL MVP 1992; Oakland A's), born in Oakland, California
Stevie Ray Vaughan (1954-1990)
Oct 3 American blues guitarist (Texas Flood; "Pride And Joy"; David Bowie - "Let's Dance"), born in Dallas, Texas
- Oct 6 David Hidalgo, American Tex-Mex and roots singer-songwriter, guitarist and accordion player (Los Lobos - "Will The Wolf Survive?"; Latin Playboys), born in Los Angeles, California
- Oct 7 Kenneth Atchley, American ambient music composer, born in California
- Oct 8 Ben Amonette, American free pistol shooting athlete (Olympics 1992, 96), born in Radford, Virginia
- Oct 8 Carl Vine, Australian classical composer, born in Perth, Australia
- Oct 8 Michael Dudikoff, American actor (American Ninja, TRON), born in Redondo Beach, California
- Oct 9 James Fearnley, British celtic-punk accordionist (The Pogues - "The Irish Rover"), born in Worsley, Greater Manchester, England
- Oct 9 John O'Hurley, American actor (Seinfeld -"J. Peterman"), and game show host (Family Feud, 2006-10), born in Kittery, Maine
- Oct 9 Scott Bakula, American actor (Quantum Leap, Gung Ho, Murphy Brown), born in St Louis, Missouri
David Lee Roth (69 years old)
Oct 10 American rock singer (Van Halen - "Jump!"; solo -"Just a Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody"), born in Bloomington, Indiana
Juliane Koepcke (69 years old)
Oct 10 German-Peruvian mammalogist (specialises in bats), born in Lima, Peru
- Oct 10 Mohamed Mounir, Egyptian singer and actor (El Malek Howwa El Malek), born in Aswan, Egypt
- Oct 10 Rekha, Bollywood actress (Khoon Bhari Maang), born in Madras, India
- Oct 11 Haitham bin Tariq, Sultan of Oman (2020-), born in Muscat, Oman
- Oct 12 Ed Cherry, American jazz and session guitarist (Dizzy Gillespie, 1978-92), born in New Haven, Connecticut
- Oct 12 Ian Trent, Australian water polo coach (World C'ship gold women 1986; FINA World Cup gold 1984) and broadcaster (2WS, 2GB, 2KY, Fox Sports), born in Sydney, Australia
- Oct 12 Tom Blomberg, Dutch radio host and producer (Evening Rush Hour), born in Haarlem, Netherlands
- Oct 13 Charles Giordano, American session and touring keyboardist, organist, and accordionist (Pat Benatar, 1982-91; E Street Band, 2006-present), born in Brooklyn, New York
- Oct 13 Claude Ribbe, French historian and writer, born in Paris
- Oct 13 Mordechai Vanunu, Israeli nuclear technician and peace activist, born in Marrakesh, French Morocco
- Oct 14 Carole Malone, English newspaper columnist
- Oct 15 Jere Burns, American actor (Something So Right, Kirk-Dear John), born in Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Oct 16 Stephen Mellor, American actor
- Oct 18 Liz Burch, Australian actress
- Oct 19 Deborah Blum, American writer
- Oct 19 Joe Bryant, American basketball player
- Oct 19 Sam Allardyce, English football manager
- Oct 20 Günter Müller, German sound artist, improvisor and percussionist, born in Munich, West Germany
- Oct 20 Lee Roy Selmon, American College-Pro Football HOF defensive end (NFL Defensive Player of the Year 1979; First-team All-Pro 1979, 80, 82; 6× Pro Bowl; TB Buccaneers), born in Eufaula, Oklahoma (d. 2011)
- Oct 20 Steve Orich, American orchestrator and composer (Jersey Boys), born in New York City
- Oct 21 Brian Tobin, Canadian premier of Newfoundland
- Oct 22 Carla Dunlap, bodybuilder (Pumping Iron 2), born in Newark, New Jersey
Ang Lee (69 years old)
Oct 23 Taiwanese-born American filmmaker (Brokeback Mountain; Life of Pi), born in Chaochou, Pingtung, Republic of China
- Oct 24 Brad Sherman, American politician, born in Los Angeles, California
- Oct 24 Doug Davidson, American actor (Paul Williams-Young & Restless), born in Glendale, California
- Oct 24 Jozef Ráž, Slovak musician and singer, born in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia
Malcolm Turnbull (69 years old)
Oct 24 Australian politician, Prime Minister (2015-18), born in Sydney, Australia
- Oct 24 Mike Rounds, American politician (31st Governor of South Dakota), born in Huron, South Dakota
- Oct 24 Perry Lee "Tiny" Tavares, American rocker, born in Providence, Rhode Island
- Oct 24 Tom Mulcair, Quebec politician (Leader of the New Democratic Party 2012-17), born in Ottawa, Ontario
- Oct 24 Wahome Muthahi, Kenyan humorist, newspaper columnist (The Daily Nation - Whispers), and playwright, born in Kenya (d. 2003)
- Oct 24 Wang Jianlin, Chinese businessman and founder of Dalian Wanda Group, born in Cangxi County, Sichuan Province
Mike Eruzione (69 years old)
Oct 25 American ice hockey player (Olympic gold Medal 1980), born in Winthrop, Massachusetts
- Oct 26 Carlos Agostinho do Rosário, Mozambican politician, Prime Minister of Mozambique (2015-), born in Maxixe, Mozambique
- Oct 26 D. W. Moffett, American actor (Fine Things, Lisa, Chicago Sons), born in Highland Park, Illinois
- Oct 26 Vassilis Hatzipanagis, Greek footballer, born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan
- Oct 27 Chris Tavaré, English cricket batsman (31 Tests, 2 x 100, 12 x 50, HS 149; Kent CCC, Somerset CCC), born in Orpington, England
- Oct 27 Jan Duursema, American comic book artist (Star Wars comics), born in New Jersey
- Oct 27 Uffe Steen, Danish jazz, rock and blues electric guitarist, born in Odense, Denmark
- Oct 28 Sammy Stewart, American MLB pitcher (World Series 1983; AL ERA leader 1981; Cleveland Indians), born in Asheville, North Carolina (d. 2018)
- Oct 29 Anita Meyer [Annita Meijer], Dutch pop and disco singer ("Just a Disillusion"; "Why Tell Me Why"), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Oct 29 Herman Ronald Frazier, American 400m/4x400m runner (Olympic gold 1976), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Oct 29 Lee Child [James Grant], English author (Jack Reacher novels), born in Coventry, England
- Oct 30 JoAnne Russell, American tennis player (Wimbledon doubles 1977), born in Miami, Florida
- Oct 30 Mario Testino, Peruvian-born English fashion photographer, born in Lima, Peru
- Oct 30 T. Graham Brown, American country singer ("Come As You Were"), born in Arabi, Georgia
- Oct 31 Ken Wahl [Anthony Calzaretta], American actor (Wiseguy, The Gladiator, The Wanderers), born in Chicago, Illinois
Famous Weddings
Corazon Aquino
Oct 11 Philippine president Corazon Aquino (21) weds Tarlac governor Benigno Aquino Jr (22) in Pasay City, Philippines
Famous Deaths
- Oct 3 Herbert Prior, British actor (Caught Short, Slave of Desire), dies at 87
- Oct 5 Flor Alpaerts, Flemish composer (Tyl Uilenspiegel, Pallieter), dies at 78
- Oct 5 Oscar Charleston, American Baseball HOF CF (NgL Triple Crown 1921 St. Louis Giants, 1924, 25 Harrisburg Giants) and manager (NgL WS 1933, 35, 36 Pittsburgh Crawfords), dies of a stroke at 57
- Oct 6 Hakon Børresen, Danish composer, dies at 78
- Oct 8 Morten Korch, Danish author, dies at 78
- Oct 9 Robert H. Jackson, American lawyer and politician (84th Supreme Court justice 1941-54), dies at 62
- Oct 12 George Welch, American World War II flying ace (Medal of Honor nominee) and test pilot, dies in a plane crash of his experiential F-100 Super Sabre at 36
- Oct 19 Hugh Duffy, American Baseball HOF outfielder (Triple Crown & MLB record .440 batting average, single season 1894 Boston Beaneaters), dies from heart failure at 87
- Oct 20 Wilbur Shaw, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500 1937, 39, 40; Motorsports Hall of Fame of America 1991), dies in an airplane crash at 51
- Oct 22 Jibanananda Das, Bengali poet (b. 1899)
- Oct 22 Oswald de Andrade, Brazilian author (one of the modernist Group of Five), dies at 64
- Oct 22 Prosper Cocquyt, Belgian brewer and pilot, dies at 54
- Oct 23 Henri Zagwijn, Dutch composer and musicologist, dies at 76 [1]
- Oct 25 Marika Stiernstedt, Swedish author (Ulla Bella), dies at 79
- Oct 26 Floris Prims, Flemish priest (historian (archivist of Antwerp), dies at 72
- Oct 27 Franco Alfano, Italian opera composer (Puccini's Turandot), dies at 78
- Oct 27 Frank Druce, English cricket batsman (5 Tests, 1 x 50; Surrey CCC), dies at 79
- Oct 27 Sydney Horler, English detective writer (Checkmate), dies at 66
