1951
The first episode of The Archers, 'a simple tale of country folk', broadcast on The Light Programme. Over sixty years later, it's still going. (A run of five pilot episodes had previously been broadcast on the Regional Home Service in the Midlands during May 1950.) David Schofield born in Wythenshawe.
The Magic Circle broadcast.
Jospeh M Newman's I'll Get You For This - starring George Raft, Coleen Gray, Enzo Staiola and Charles Goldner and Jack Raymond's Take Me To Paris - starring Albert Modley, Roberta Huby, Bruce Seton and Claire Guibert - premiered.
The first episode of Fine Goings On - featuring Frankie Howerd - broadcast on The Light Programme.
The FA Cup Third Round's highlights included Southampton's four-three victory at Notts County, Newcastle United's four-one defeat of Bury, Manchester United beating Oldham Athletic four-one and Carlisle United drawing at Arsenal (The Gunners won the replay four-one at Brunton Park). Huddesfield Town defeated Tottenham in an all First Division tie whislt In-form Preston North End won three-nil at Leicester City. Third Division (South) Norwich City beat Liverpool three-one at Carrow Road.
Cathryn Helen Wigglesworth born in Ossett, West Yorkshire.
The first episode of We Beg To Differ! broadcast.
Seventeen schoolboys were caned after they played truant to watch the rearranged FA Cup Third Round tie between Rochdale and Chelsea. The punishment for the boys, aged twelve to fourteen, was given by NA Lewis, principal of Rochdale Technical School. Lewis said: 'I hate doling out corporal punishment, but I warned these boys not to go.' To make matters worse, Rochdale lost, three-two. Australia won the third test at Sydney by an innings and thirteen runs to retain the Ashes. Again, England's batting was found wanting with only Freddie Brown and Len Hutton reaching fifty. Keith Miller and Ian Johnson had a fine all-round game for Australia the former scoring one hundred and forty five and taking four wickets in England's first innings. The latter hit a career-best seventy seven and also took four wickets in the match. John Warr made his test debut.
Federico Fellini and Alberto Lattuada's Luci Del Varieta (Variety Lights) - starring Peppino De Filippo and Giuletta Masina, Maurice Elvey's The Third Visitor - starring Sonia Dresdel, Guy Middleton and Karel Stepanek and Mitchell Leisen's The Mating Season - starring Gene Tierney - premiered.
First Division leaders Tottenham Hotspur lost two-one at Manchester United.
The Third Programme's adaptation of King Henry VIII featured the radio debut of Harold Pinter.
The Daughters Of The Late Colonel broadcast.
The Third Division (South) game at the Priestfield Stadium produced a remarkable thirteen goals, Gillignham defeated Exeter City nine-four.
Ottom Preminger's The Thirteenth Letter - starring Linda Darnell, Charles Boyer and Michael Rennie - premiered.
Spurs remained top of the First Division with a two-one win over Wolves. Charlie Wayman scored three as Preston North End won four-nil at Grimsby to go top of the Second Division.
Francis Searle's The Rossiter Case - starring Helen Shingler, Clement McCallin and Sheila Burrell - premiered.
Jeffrey Dell's The Dark Man - starring Edward Underdown, Maxwell Reed, Natasha Parry, William Hartnell and Barbara Murray - premiered.
Jiri Weiss' Vstanou Noví Bojovníci - starring Otomar Krejca, Antonie Hegerlíková and Svetla Amortová - premiered.
The first episode of An Evening At Home With Bernard Braden And Barbara Kelly broadcast.
Joseph Proctor's Money broadcast - featuring the TV début of Honor Blackman.
The FA Cup Fourth Round's highlights included Norwich City's two-nil win at Newport County, Newcastle United's three-two victory over Bolton Wanderers and Manchester United's four-nil defeat of Leeds United. Wolves beat Aston Villa three-one and Birmingham City won three-one at Derby. Nottingham Foirest remained top of the Third Division (South) with a six-one win at Crystal Palace. Susan Cook born in London.
Marc Allégret's Blackmailed - starring Mai Zetterling, Dirk Bogarde, Fay Compton and Robert Flemyng - premiered.
Anthony Squire's Files From Scotland Yard - starring John Harvey, Moira Lister, Louise Hampton, Reginald Purdell and Dora Bryan - premiered.
Louis Cuny's Demain Nous Divorçons - starring Sophie Desmarets, Jean Desailly and Armand Bernard - premiered.
Match of the day in the First Division was Portsmouth's six-three victory over Everton.
Albert Lewins' Pandora & The Flying Dutchman - starring James Mason, Ava Gardner, Nigel Patrick, Sheila Sim, Harold Warrender and Mario Cabré - premiered.
Robin Sachs born in Hammersmith./
The opening episode of the first BBC adaptation of The Railway Children broadcast. Kevin Whately born in Hexham. Reginald Beck and Anthony Bushell's The Long Dark Hall - starring Rex Harrison and Lilli Palmer - premiered.
The first episode of The Man In Armour broadcast. Val Guest's Mister Drake's Duck - starring Douglas Fairbanks Jr, Yolande Donlan, Jon Pertwee, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Reginald Beckwith, Howard Marion-Crawford and Peter Butterworth - premiered.
Australia won the fourth Ashes test at Adelaide by two hundred and seventy four runs. Arthur Morris scored two hundred and six in Australia's first innings and debutant Jim Burke and century and Keith Miller ninety nine in their second. Len Hutton's undefeated one hundred and fifty six was the highlight of the match for England, but they were dismissed cheaply in their second innings with only Reg Simpson reaching fifty. Bill Johnston took seven wickets in the match. Roy Tattersall made his test debut. England's cause wasn't helped when captain Freddie Brown and tour manager Brigadier Michael Green were hospitalised after being injured in a car crash whilst returning from dinner with Sir Willoughby Norrie, the governor of South Australia.
Sally James born in Horsham.
In the FA Cup Fifth Round, Sunderland beat Norwich City three-one, Newcastle United won four-two at Stoke City and Wolves defeated Huddersfield Town two-nil. Third Division (South) Bristol Road reached the Quarter Finals with a three-nil win over Hull City. Third Division (North) leaders Rotherham beat Accrington Stanley six-two.
Joyce Penelope Wilhelmina Frankenberg born in Uxbridge.
Wilf Mannion scored twice in Middlesbrough's three-two win at Huddersfield Town in the First Division. Tottenham Hotspur beat Aston Villa three-two.
Lawrence Huntington's The Franchise Affair - starring Michael Denison, Dulcie Gray, Anthony Nicholls and Marjorie Fielding - premiered.
Basil Dearden's Pool Of London - starring Bonar Colleano, Earl Cameron, Susan Shaw and Max Adrian - premiered.
The FA Cup Sixth Round saw victories for Blackpool (one-nil against Fulham) and Birmingham City (over Manchester United). The other two games ended in draws, Bristol Rovers holding Newcastle United and Wolves drawing at Sunderland. In the First Division, leaders Tottenham lost at Burnley whilst Charlton Athletic defeated Arsenal five-two and Liverpool won three-two at Stoke City. In the Third Division (South) Reading and Southend United were in the goals (defeating Aldershot seven-one and Swindon Town eight-two resepctively).
England won the fifth Ashes test at Melbourne by eight wickets. Alec Bedser took ten wickets in the match whilst Reg Simpson's undefeated one hundred and fifty six gave England a big first innings lead for the first time in the series. For Australia Lindsay Hassett top-scored with ninety two.
Goals from Charlie Crowe, Jackie Milburn and Ernie Taylor saw Newcastle overcome Bristol Rovers in the FA Cup Sixth Round replay at Eastville. Wolverhampton Wanderers beat Sunderland three-one at Molineux.
A Tale Of Five Cities - starring Bonar Colleano, Barbara Kelly, Anne Vernon and Karin Himboldt - premiered.
John Gilling's The Quiet Woman - starring Derek Bond, Jane Hylton and Dora Bryan - premiered.
Maurice Elvey's The Late Edwina Black - starring David Farrar, Geraldine Fitzgerald and Roland Culver and John Guillermin's Smart Alec - starring Peter Reynolds - premiered. Lincoln City defeated Accrington Stanley nine-one in the Third Division (North). Johnny Garvie and Andy Graver each scored hat-tricks.
Godfrey Grayson's To Have & To Hold - starring Avis Scott, Patrick Barr and Robert Ayres - premiered.
David MacDonald's The Adventurers - starring Dennis Price, Jack Hawkins and Siobhan McKenna - premiered.
Stanley Donen's Royal Wedding - starring Fred Astaire and Jane Powell - premiered.
Edgar Ulmer's The Man From Planet X premiered.
Preston North End went five points clear at the top of the Second Division with a seven-nil thrashing of Barnsley at Deepdale. Ken Horton scored three and Tom Finney and Charlie Wayman two each. Third Division (North) leaders Rotherham United surprisingly lost-two-one at home to Gateshead.
Both FA Cup Semi-Finals resulted in replays. Following a goalless draw four days earlier at Hillsborough, Newcastle defeated Wolves two-one at Huddersfield. Jackie Milburn and Bobby Mitchell scored for United after Johnny Walker had given Wolves the lead. At Goodison Park, Blackpool beat Birmingham City two-one with goals from Stan Mortensen and Bill Perry.
Anthony Asquith's The Browning Version - starring Michael Redgrave, Jean Kent and Nigel Patrick and John Paddy Carstairs' Talk Of A Million - starring Jack Warner and Barbara Mullen - premiered. Sheffield Wednesday broke the British transfer record paying Notts County thirty four thousand five hundred smackers for highly-regarded centre forward Jackie Sewell.
The first appearance of Dennis The Menace (and Gnasher) in The Beano. Forty one goals were scored in eleven First Division matches. Tottneham lead the way with a five-nil win over West Bromwich Albion (Len Duquemin scored three). Derby beat Arsenal four-two and Bolton thrashed Huddersfield four-nil. There were forty six goals scored in the Second Division with the highlight being Southampton's five-one victory over Grimsby. Performance of the day, however, came from Third Division (North) Southport who won five-one at Shrewsbury Town. West Ham United's two-nil win over Chesterfield in the Second Division saw the club debut of centre-half Malcolm Allision, recently signed from Charlton (who whom he had only made two appearances). This was the first of two hundred and thirty eight games for The Hammers in a career that lasted until 1958, before he moved into coaching.
Paul Barber born in Liverpool.
The first of a two test series between New Zealand and England at Christchurch was drawn. Trevor Bailey scored an undefeated one hundred and thirty four. Brian Statham made his test debut.
Sixty two thousand crammed into St James' Park to watch the Tyne-Wear derby end in a two-two draw. The largest Second Division attendance of the season, forty six thousand seven hundred and one, saw Hull City beat Leeds United two-one. In the Third Division (North) Hartlepools United defeated Darlington six-opne and Mansfield Tow hammered Accrington Stanley five-nil.
Les Paul & Mary Ford's 'How High The Moon?'/'Walkin' & Whistlin' Blues' released. Tottenham's lead at the top of the First Division stretched to four points with a two-one victory over Fulham.
Preston North End's three-two win at Leicester City all but assured the Lancashire side of the Second Division champions with five games left in the season.
Pamela Brown's The Children Of Camp Fortuna broadcast. England won a low-scoring second test at Wellington by six wickets. The match highlight was Roy Tattersall's six for forty four in New Zealand's second innings.
In the First Division, Tottenham remained league leaders with the three-nil victory over Everton. Manchester United, who beat Chelsea four-one were second. Blackpool went third with a three-nil defeat of Stoke City, ahead of Middlesbrough who lost, dramatically, six-nil at Derby County. A point at Southampton in a three-three draw was enough to secure Preston's promotion from the Second Division. Manchester City, with games in hand over both Cardiff and Coventry, improved their own promotion chances with a four-two victory at West Ham United. Grimsby, on the end of another hiding (five-one at Brnetford) remained bottom. Third Division (North) leaders Rotherham lost again, three-ojne at Hartlepools United. Lincoln closed to within four points with a two-nil win against Oldham Athletic. Relegation-haunted Accrington Stanley lost seven-nil at Bradford City.
Michael McCarthy's Assassin For Hire - starring Sydney Tafler, Ronald Howard, Katharine Blake and John Hewer - premiered. David Shaun McAlister born in Worthing. Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats' 'Rocket 88'/Come Back Where You Belong' released on Chess in the United States, widely considered to be one of the first rock and roll records.
Sylvia Regan's The Golden Door broadcast.
Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's The Tales Of Hoffman - starring Moira Shearer and Robert Helpmann and Anthony Pelissier's Night Without Stars - starring David Farrar, Nadia Gray, Maurice Teynac, Gérard Landry and June Clyde - premiered.
George Stevens's A Place In The Sun - starring Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor - premiered.
Sonny Walters goal in Tottneham Hotspur's win at Newcastle coupled with Manchester United's two-nil defeat at Stoke City and Blackpool's two-one loss at Hddersifeld Town took Spurs to within two points of the First Division title. Fulham's two-two draw at Sheffield Wednesday saw the league debut of eighteen year old Bobby Robson, the first of six hundred and forty seven games in all competitions for Fulham, West Bromwich Albion and England in a craeer that lasted until 1967.
Macgregor Urquhart's adaptation of The Malory Secret broadcast. Raoul Walsh's Captain Horatio Hornblower RN - starring Gregory Peck, Virginia Mayo, Robert Beatty, Terence Morgan and James Robertson Justice - premiered.
Peter Malcolm Gordon Moffett born in Stretham.
Scotland beat England three-two at Wembley to win the Home International Championship. Hibernian duo Bobby Johnstone and Lawrie Reilly and Liverpool's Billy Liddell scored for the visitors whilst England's goals came from debutant Harold Hassall of Huddersfield Town and Tom Finney. England played the majority of the game with ten men after Wilf Mannion was stretchered off with a fractured cheekbone, sustained in an aerial challenge with Liddell. Manchester United kept their slim First Division title hopes alive with the three-nil victory over West Bromwich Albion as Spurs were losing at home to Huddersfield. Norwich City went top of the Third Division (South) with a two-one vicotry over Reading, ahead of Nottingham Forst who had a game in hand. Ernest Bevin, the wartime Minister of Labour and National Service, General Secretary of the TUC and post-war Foreign Secretary, died from a heart-attack, having planned to go to Wembley to watch the Scotland match. Described by Churchill as 'far the most distinguished man that the Labour Party have thrown up in my time,' during the war, he had been responsible for the entire workforce of the UK. He also secured Marshall Aid, strongly opposed Communism and aided in the creation of NATO.
The first episode of The Passing Show broadcast. Richard Thorpe's The Great Caruso - starring Mario Lanza and Anthony Kimmins' Flesh & Blood - starring Richard Todd, Glynis Johns and Joan Greenwood - premiered.
Gordon Parry's Tom Brown's Schooldays - starring John Howard Davies, Robert Newton and James Hayter - premiered.
The first episode of Vic's Grill - featuring Vic Wise, Norman Wisdom and Beryl Reid - broadcast. Brighton & Hove Albion beat Newport County nine-one in the Third Division (South). Johnny McNichol scored four. Bottom of the league Crystal Palace were thrashed five-nil at home by promotion-chasing Norwich City.
Jack Raymond's Worm's Eye View - starring Ronald Shiner, Garry Marsh and Diana Dors - premiered.
Louise Marion Jameson born in Wanstead, Essex.
Spurs inched closer to their first Football League championship with a one-all draw at Middlesbrough. They remained three points ahead of Manchester United (two-nil winners at Newcastle) with two games to play. Chelsea kept their survival hopes aliver with a one-nil win over Liverpool. As did Sheffield Wednesday who beat Blackpool three-one. In the Second Division promotion race, Manchester City won six-nil against Barnsley and Cardiff City beat Luton Town two-one. Grimsby Town, who lost at home to West Ham United, were relegated. Norwich's defeat at Plymouth Argyle handed the Third Division (South) promotion race initiative to Nottingham Forest, who won five-nil at Bristol City.
Aneurin Bevan, recently appointed as Minister of Labour and National Service, together with John Freeman and Harold Wilson, resigned from the government in protest at Hugh Gaitskell's announcement in the Budget of 10 April of prescription charges for dental care and spectacles in order to meet the financial demands imposed by the Korean War. Vernon Sewell's The Dark Light - starring Albert Lieven and David Greene - premiered.
Tony Young's Penny Points To Paradise - starring Harry Secombe, Alfred Marks, Peter Sellers, Paddie O'Neil and Spike Milligan - premiered.
Christian Nyby's The Thing From Another World and Edgar Ulmer's The Man From Planet X premiered. The North of England Home Service broadcast a special Cup Final edition of the popular Tyneside programme Wot Cheor, Geordie hosted by Esther McCracken. Special guests include Stan Mortenson and Jack Fairbrother and The Dunelm Singers perform that old favourite of the Tyneside music hall 'The Futbaal Team'. The rest of the country received Jon Pertwee Goes Round The Bend instead.
Jackie Milburn scored twice as Newcastle United beat Blackpool two-nil in the FA Cup Final at Wembley. The second goal was particularly memorable, a twenty five yard rocket, set up by Ernie Taylor's back-heel pass. Ticket touts were, for the first time, banned from roads around Wembley, but they were still out in force at Wembley railway station. Nylons and whiskey were amongst the temptations on offer to fans but the touts, reportedly, had little success. Tottenham Hotspur won the First Division title with a game to spare, Len Duquemin's goal beating Sheffield Wednesday. Manchester United's valient chase had continued with a six-nil thrashing of Huddersfield Town. Chesterfield were relegated from the Second Division after a one-all draw at Southampton. Norwich slipped in the tight Third Division (South) promotion race, losing three-one at home to local rivals Ipswich Town whilst Nottingham Forest were beating Southend United three-nil.
The first episode of Treasure Island broadcast. Alna Cullimore's Let's Go Crazy - featuring the film debuts of Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan - premiered.
Gordon Dopuglas's I Was A Communist For The FBI premiered. Nottingham Forest clinched the Third Division (South) title with a two-one win over Newport County.
George VI opened The Festival Of Britain in London, highlights of which included The Royal Festival Hall, The Dome Of Discovery and The Skylon. Lewis Gilbert's Scarlet Thread - starring Kathleen Byron, Laurence Harvey, Sydney Tafler, Dora Bryan and Harry Fowler - premiered.
Fred Zinnemann's Teresa - starring Pier Angeli - premiered.
Newly promoted Tottenham Hotspur won the First Division title for the first time in their history. They finished four points ahead of nearest rivals Manchester United with Blackpool third and Newcastle United fourth. Sheffield Wednesday and Everton were relegated to the Second Division (they met on the final day of the season, Wednesday winning six-nil). Chelsea, who beat Bolton Wanderers four-nil survived on goal average. Elsewhere Aston Villa defeated Stoke City six-two. Preston North End and Manchester City were promoted with Cardiff City missing out by two points. Third Division North champions Rotherham United's Jack Shaw was the league's top scorer with thirty seven goals. Henry Cornelius's The Galloping Major - starring Basil Radford, Jimmy Hanley, Janette Scott, AE Matthews, Rene Ray, Hugh Griffith, Charles Hawtry and Joyce Grenfell - premiered.
Bunny Webber's Pray You, Look In! broadcast. Angela Bruce born in Leeds.
Frederick Jackson's The Bishop Misbehaves broadcast.
England beat Argentina two-one at Wembley in a international match to orginised to celebrate the Festival of Britain. Argentina had not competed in the previous year's World Cup but had won the South American Championship three years in succession in the mid-1940's and had the best record in the history of the competition. They were coached by Guillermo Stabile, the top scorer in the 1930 World Cup. Trailing for most of the game to a Mario Boyé header, late goals by Stan Mortensen and Jackie Milburn decided the outcome. Fulham's Jim Taylor and Huddersfield Town's Vic Metcalfe both made their England debuts. The eccentric Argentine goalkeeper Miguel Ángel Rugilo, nicknamed 'Tarzan', had the crowd roaring with laughter as he swung on the crossbar and clowned his way through the match. The world's first hydrogen bomb was tested by the United States at the Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands.
Kay Daniel born in Leeds. Graeme Bell & His Australian Jazz Band's 'High Society'/'Black & White Rag' released.
The first episode of The Warden broadcast. Robert Wise's The House On Telegraph Hill - starring Richard Baseheart - premiered.
Automatic Calculating Machines, a lecture by Alan Turing, broadcast on The Third Programme. Phillip Leacock's Out Of True - starring Jane Hylton and Muriel Pavlow - premiered.
Charles Saunders' One Wild Oat - starring Stanley Holloway, Robertson Hare and Sam Costa - premiered.
Rudolph Mate's The Prince Was A Thief Piper Laurie, Everett Sloane, Jeff Corey, Betty Garde and, in his staring debut, Tony Curtis - premiered. Life magazine attributed the (sadly apocryphal) line of dialogue, 'Yonduh lies de castle of de Caliph, my fadder' to Curtis.
Twenty nine-year-old Arthur Whybrow of Southend was charged with the attempted murder of his wife, Betty, by running a concealed cable through the wall into the bathroom of their home to electrocute her via a metal soap dish, while she was having a bath. He claimed that the wire was to be used as an earth for a wireless set, but his wife revealed that she had recently discovered he had been seeing a sixteen-year-old girl behind her back. Four weeks later, he was found guilty and sentenced to ten years in prison.
England beat Portugal five-two at Goodison Park in a Festival of Britain international. Tottenham's Bill Nicholson opened the scoring after thirty seconds with his first touch on his international debut. Jackie Milburn scored twice with further goals from Tom Finney and Harold Hassall.
The first episode of The Black Arrow broadcast.
Jacqueline Tong born in Bristol. Jacques Tourneur's Circle Of Danger - starring Ray Milland, Patricia Roc, Marius Goring, Hugh Sinclair and Naunton Wayne - premiered.
Donald Williams born in Trinidad.
The first episode of Crazy People - subsequently The Goon Show - broadcast on The Home Service. Starring Spike Milligan, Harry Seacombe, Peter Sellers and Michael Bentine, its surreal humour would inspire a future generation of comedians.
Spies Guy Burgess and Donald Maclean defected to the Soviet Union.
William A Seiter's Dear Brat - starring Mona Freeman, Billy De Wolfe, Edward Arnold, Mary Phillips and Natalie Wood - premiered.
Alan Cullimore's Let's Go Crazy - starring Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan and Wallas Eaton - premiered.
Phillip Leacock's Life In Her Hands - starring Kathleen Byron, Bernadette O'Farrell, Jean Anderson and Jenny Laird - premiered.
Dorothy and Campbell Christie's Grand National Night broadcast. David Nicholas Yip born in Liverpool.
Joseph Schull's Shadow Of The Tree broadcast.
H Bruce Humberstone's Happy Go Lovely - starring David Niven, Vera-Ellen, Cesar Romero, Bobby Howes, Diane Hart and Gordon Jackson - premiered.
South Africa won the first of a five test series at Trent Bridge by seventy one runs. For the tourists Dudley Nourse scored two hundred and eight and Athol Rowan took five for sixty eight. England's highlights included a century for Reg Simpson and nine wickets in the match for Alec Bedser. Willie Watson made his test debut, becoming the first person to play both football and cricket for England since Johnny Arnold in 1933. Lewis Gilbert's There Is Another Sun - starring Maxwell Reed, Laurence Harvey, Susan Shaw and Harry Fowler and Pat Jackson's White Corridors - starring Googie Withers and James Donald - premiered.
Mario Zampi's Laughter In Paradise - starring Alastair Sim, Fay Compton, George Cole and Guy Middleton - premiered.
Billy Wilder's Ace In The Hole - starring Kirk Douglas - premiered.
The first episode of an adaptation of Five Children & It broadcast.
Michelle Newell born in London.
John Sturges's Kind Lady - starring Ethel Barrymore - premiered.
England won the second test at Lord's by ten wickets inside three days. Denis Compton and Willie Watson both scored seventy nine whilst Roy Tattersall took twelve wickets in the match.
Simon Rouse born in Bradford. David Michael Rodigan born in Hanover.
The first episode of Midshipman Barney broadcast. Charles Crichton's The Lavender Hill Mob - starring Alec Guinness, Stanley Holloway, Sid James, Alfie Bass, Marjorie Fielding, Edie Martin, John Salew, John Gregson and Sydney Tafler - premiered.
The first episode of Mother & Baby broadcast. Sarah Jill Ward born in London. Henry Koster's No Highway In The Sky - starring James Stewart, Marlene Dietrich, Glynis Johns, Jack Hawkins, Janette Scott, Elizabeth Allan, Ronald Squire and Jill Clifford - premiered.
Lloyd Bacon's The Frogmen - starring Richard Widmark and Dana Andrews - premiered.
The first episode of The Inch Man broadcast. Alfred Hitchcock's Strangers On A Train - starring Farley Grainger and Robert Walker - released.
Trevor John Eve born in Sutton Coldfield. Charles Saunders' Chelsea Story - starring Henry Mollison, Sydney Tafler, Ingeborg Von Kusserow and Lesley Osmond - premiered.
Francis Searle's Cloudburst - starring Robert Preston, Elizabeth Sellars, Colin Tapley and Sheila Burrell and Victor Saville's Calling Bulldog Drummond - starring Walter Pidgeon, Robert Beatty, Margaret Leighton and David Tomlinson - premiered.
Michael Gordon's Wherever She Goes - starring Suzanne Parrett and Muriel Steinbeck - premiered. Geoffrey Roy Rush born in Toowoomba, Queensland.
The Third Programme's Is Socialism Losing Its Appeal? featured a discussion between Enoch Powell MP and Donald Chapman, the general secretary of the Fabian Society. Ken Annakin's Hotel Sahara - starring Yvonne De Carlo, Peter Ustinov, David Tomlinson and Roland Culver - premiered.
Boxer Randy Turpin beat Sugar Ray Robinson in London to become World Middleweight champion. England won the third test at Old Trafford by nine wickets. Len Hutton was the highest scorer in the game with an undefeated ninety eight. Alec Bedser took twelve wickets. Tom Graveney made his test debut.
Ismael Rodríguez's Las Mujeres De Mi General premiered.
The first episode of What's My Line? broadcast. Mark Robson's Bright Victory premiered.
The first episode of Robert Morley's Parent-Craft broadcast.
Jeffrey Alan Rawle born in Birmingham.
Speaking Personally broadcast. 'A series of programmes in which eminent men and women speak on a subject of their own choosing.' Viscount Stansgate, DSO, DFC, former Secretary of State for Air, in conversation with his son, Anthony Wedgwood Benn, MP.
Michael Anderson's Hell Is Sold Out - starring Mai Zetterling, Herbert Lom, Richard Attenborough, Hermione Baddeley, Nicholas Hannen and Olaf Pooley - premiered.
Paul Rotha's No Resting Place - starring Michael Gough, Eithne Dunne and Noel Purcell - premiered.
Roy Del Ruth's On Moonlight Bay - starring Doris Day and Gordon MacRae - and Disney's Alice In Wonderland premiered.
Andrew Osborn became television's first Sherlock Holmes in an adaptation of The Adventure Of The Marazin Stone. Terrece Rattigan's The Final Test broadcast.
Eamonn Andrews took over from Gilbert Harding as the host of What's My Line?
The fourth test at Headingley was drawn. Eric Rowan had an extraordinary game for the tourists, scoring two hundred and thirty six in their first innings, an undefeated sixty in their second and taking five for one hundred and seventy four. Debutant Peter May scored one hundred and thirty eight for England. Frank Lowson and Doug Brennan also made their test debuts.
England women's cricket team beat Australia's women by one hundred and thirty seven runs in the Third Test at The Oval to draw the three test series one-all. Holders Australia retained The Ashes. England's top performers were captain Molly Hide (who scored sixty five and forty two) and Mary Duggan who took nine wickets in the match. Godfrey Harrison's topical satire The Lighter Side - featuring Tony Hancock - broadcast. Kenneth Hume's Cheer The Brave - starring Elsie Randolph, Jack McNaughton and Geoffrey Keen - premiered.
Terence Fisher's Home To Danger - starring Guy Rolfe, Rona Anderson, Francis Lister, Stanley Baker, Peter Jones and Alan Wheatley - premiered.
The first episode of Harry Alan Towers' The Lives Of Harry Lime starring Orson Welles broadcast on The Light Programme.
Wally Hammond played his six hundred and thirty fourth and final first class cricket match for Gloucestershire against Somerset at Bristol. In a career which began in 1920, he scored fifty thousand five hundred and fifty one runs and one hundred and sixty seven centuries, took seven hundred and thirty four wickets and held eight hundred and twenty catches (mostly at slip). In a test career spanning eighty five matches (1927 to 1947), he scored seven thousand two hundred and forty nine runs and took eighty three wickets. Hammond captained England in twenty of those tests. His career aggregate of runs was the highest in test cricket until surpassed by Colin Cowdrey in 1970; his total of twenty two test centuries remained an English record until Alastair Cook surpassed it in December 2012. In 1933, he set a record for the highest individual test innings of an undefeated three hundred and thirty six, surpassed by Len Hutton in 1938. Towards the end of England's 1926 tour of the West Indies, Hammond fell seriously ill; according to him, a mosquito stung him in the groin area causing blood poisoning. The day after his arrival back in England, in April 1926, he had the first of twelve operations .His condition worsened to the point where the doctors believed he would die; they considered amputating his leg, a suggestion vetoed by his mother out of concern for his career. He began a slow return to health though he missed the entire 1926 season. Although the cause of the illness was never made clear, Hammond's biographer David Foot has argued that it was syphilis or a related sexually transmitted disease. He has also suggested that its treatment, which in the days before antibiotics probably involved mercury, adversely affected Hammond's personality, leading to moody and depressive behaviour. David Foot quoted an unnamed cricketer saying that the two ruling passions of Hammond's life 'were his cricket bat and his genitals.' On his return to first-class cricket in the 1927 season, Hammond made an immediate impact, becoming only the second man, after WG Grace, to score one thousand runs in May. Francis Searle's A Case For PC Forty Nine - starring Brian Reece, Joy Shelton, Christine Norden, Michael Balfour and Michael Ripper - premiered.
William Templeton's The Silent Village - featuring Audrey Hepburn - broadcast.
Michael Law's The Six Men - starring Harold Warrender, Olga Edwardes and Peter Bull - premiered.
Sidney Torch's 'Barwick Green (The From The Archers)'/'La Muse Legere' released.
Alexander Mackendrick's The Man In The White Suit - starring Alec Guinness and Joan Greenwood - premiered.
Albert broadcast.
The first episode of The Bell Family broadcast. Henry King's David & Bathsheba - starring Gregory Peck and Susan Hayward - premiered.
England won the fifth test at The Oval by four wickets for a three-one series victory. Jim Laker took ten wickets in a low-scoring match. In England's second innings, Len Hutton was dismissed obstructing the field, the first such dismissal in tests. The Football League season started with big wins in the First Division for Newcastle United (six-nil against Stoke City, Jackie Milburn scoring three), Sunderland (four-three at Derby County), Bolton Wanderers (who beat Chelsea five-two) and promoted Preston North End (three-two at Fulham). West Bromwich Albion and Manchester United shared six goals at The Hawthorns (Jack Rowely hitting three for The Red Devils). Champions Tottenham Hotspur lost two-one at Middlesbrough. Forty four goals were scored in eleven matches. Cardiff City's four-nil defeat of Leicester City and Sheffield United's five-one win at Blackburn Rovers were the Second Division's highlights. Two promoted sides met at Millmor, Nottingham Forest beating Rotherham United two-one. Alan Ashman scored a hat-trick for Carlisle United in their four-nil victory at Rochdale in the Third Division (North). Brighton & Hove Albion kicked-off the Third Division (South) season with a five-one win over Colchester United.
His Kind Of Woman - starring Robert Mitchum, Jane Russell, Vincent Price and Raymond Burr - premiered.
Jack Rowley hit another three goals for Manchester United in their four-two win over Middlesbrough. Preston North End were the first leaders of the First Division, winning their second game three-nil against Charlton. Fifty nine thousand were at Stamford Bridge where Arsenal beat Chelsea three-one. In the Third Division (South) Reading hammering Shrewsbury Town six-two and Plymouth Argyle defeated Crystal Palace five-nil.
George Hoellering's adaptation of Murder In The Cathedral - starring Father John Groser, Alexander Gauge, David Ward, George Woodbridge, Basil Burton, TS Eliot, Donald Bisset, Clement McCallin, Michael Aldridge and Leo McKern - premiered.
Bolton Wanderers topped the First Division, winning two-one at Stoke City. Fulham, who lost at Burnley, remained bottom, pointless. In the Second Division, Alf Ringstead scored a hat-trick for early pace-seters Sheffield United who beat Hull City four-one. With Jack Rowley having already scored two hat-tricks for Manchester United his younger brother, Arthur, struck one for Leicester City in their four-nil win over Birmingham City. The two relegated teams, Everton and Sheffield Wednesday shared six goals in a thriller at Goodison Park.
Charlie Vaughan scored a hat-trick for Charlton Athletic in their four-two win over Preston North End in the First Division. Jack Rowley scored twice, taking his season's total to nine in four games as Manchester United won four-one at Middlesbrough. In the Second Division, Edwin Brown hit three for Southampton, who won five-two against Nottingham Forest. Ernie Edds also scored a hat-trick for Torquay United in their four-three victrory at Brighton & Hove Albion in the Third Division (South).
Swansea Town thrashed Coventry City seven-one in the Second Division.
Wolfgang Staudte's Der Untertan - starring Werner Peters, Paul Esser, Renate Fischer, Eduard Von Winterstein, Sabine Thalbach and Friedrich Gnaß and László Kardos's The Strip - starring Mickey Rooney and Sally Forrest - premiered.
John Sturges's The People Against O'Hara - starring Spencer Tracy, Pat O'Brien and James Arness - premiered. Bolton Wanderers topped the First Division with their fourth win in five games, beating Manchester United one-nil with a Nat Lofthouse goal at Brunden Park in front of fifty five thousand. Newcastle United thrashed Tottneham Hotspur seven-two, with George Robeldo scoring a hat-trick. Doug Lishman also scored three for Arsenal who beat Sunderland three-nil in front of the leargest crowd of the day, sixty six thousand one hundred and thirty seven.
JB Priestley's Treasure On Pelican broadcast. George Beck's Behave Yourself! - starring Fraley Grainger and Shelley Winters - premiered.
Michael McCarthy's Mystery Junction - starring Sydney Tafler and Barbara Murray - premiered.
David Peter Renwick born in Luton.
The first episode of At Your Service Limited broadcast. Denis McCarthy read Alan Dunband's Pickled Onions on The Light Programme's Morning Story strand. Curtis Bernhardt's The Blue Veil premiered. Bill Foulkes scored a hat-trick for Chester City in their four-one victory of Tranmere Rovers in the Third Division (South).
Portsmouth lead the First Division following their one-nil victory at Huddersfield Town. Bolton lost for the first time all season, two-one at Spurs. Jack Rowley scored yet another hat-trick for Manchester United, who beat Stoke City four-nil. Burnley twanked West Browmich Albion six-one (Billy Morris socring four). Charlton defeated Middlesbrough four-three, Newcastle won two-one at Preston and Blackpool scored a three-one victory at Sunderland. Second Division leaders Sheffield United won the steel city debry seven-three, whilst Luton Town won six-nil against Notts County.
Leo C Popkin's The Well premiered. Sally Grace born in Harrogate.
Norman Swallow's I Was A Stranger broadcast.
George Robledo scored four in Newcastle United's seven-one demolition of Burnley in the First Division. Tottenham Hotspur won six-one at bottom-to-the-table Stoke City. Forty three goals were scored in eleven First Division games, five of them at Fratton Park where Wolves beat Portsmouth three-two. Sheffield United continued to lead the Second Division, defeating West Ham United six-one with a hat-trick from Derek Hawksworth. Gateshead were top of the Third Division (North), following a one-all draw at Scunthorpe & Lindsey United. Lincoln City defeated Darlington seven-two.
Elia Kazan's adaptation of A Streetcar Named Desire - starring Marlon Brando, Vivien Leigh, Kim Hunter and Karl Malden - premiered. John Boulting's The Magic Box - starring Robert Donat, Margaret Johnston, Maria Schell, Robert Beatty and Margaret Rutherford - premiered.
Frank Capra's Here Comes The Groom - starring Bing Crosby and Jane Wyman - premiered.
George Sidney's adaptation of Show Boat - starring Kathryn Grayson, Ava Gardner and Howard Keel-premiered.
The season;s largest attendance for a First Division game, seventy thousand eight hundred and eighty two, were at White Hart Lane to watch Spurs beat Manchester united two-nil. Wolves defeated Chelsea five-three whilst Aston Villa topped the table with a two-nil victory over Liverpool. Tom Finney scored twice as Preston beat Stoke City two-nil, the latter remaining stuck at the foot of the table with only two poiints from eleven games.
First Division champions Tottenham Hotspur beat FA Cup winners Newcastle United two-one in the FA Charity Shield at White Hart Lane.
The first episode of Puck Of Pook's Hill broadcast.
Terence Young's Valley Of Eagles - starring Jack Warner and Nadia Gray - premiered.
John Huston's The Red Badge Of Courage premiered.
Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise's TV début on Parade Of Youth. Ananke, a retrograde irregular moon of Jupiter, was discovered by Seth Barnes Nicholson at Mount Wilson Observatory. It was the twelfth of Jupiter's moons to be discovered. Charles Lederer and James Anderson's On The Loose - starring Joan Evans, Melvyn Douglas and Lynn Bari and John Guillermin's Two On The Tiles - starring Herbert Lom, Hugh McDermott and Brenda Bruce - premiered.
The first episode of Turn It Up! broadcast. Highlight of the day's First Division fixtures was Wolverhampton Wanderers seven-one victory at Huddersfield Town. Sheffield United went four points clear at the top of the second Division with a five-nil victory over Swansea Town. In the Third Division (North) Andy Graver scored six in Lincoln City's remarkable eleven-one defeat of Crewe Alexandra. Fifty four goals were scored in twelve games in the division.
Sheila Hodgson's Shadow Scene - adapted by Wolf Rilla - broadcast. John Hardress Wilfred Lloyd born in Dover.
Maclean Rogers' Madmae Louise - starring Richard Hearne, Petula Clark and Garry Marsh - premiered.
Tragically, Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner born in Wallsend.
England drew two-two with France at Highbury in a Festival Of Britain international. A Kader Firoud own-goal opened the scoring, France then took the lead with two goals - by Andre Doye and René Alpsteg - in less than ninety seconds before Les Medley equalised. France were robbed of a deserved victory when Bert Williams made a desperate late save from French centre-forward Jacques Grumellon, who gave Allenby Chilton (in his second and final international) a nightmare of an afternoon. Tottenham Hotspur's Artur Willis made his international debut. Hopes faded for the four men missing following a gas explosion at the Weetslade Colliery, near Newcastle. A fifth corpse had already been found, but it would take almost two months to recover the other bodies.
Vincente Minnelli's An American In Paris - starring Gene Kelly - premiered. Frankie Laine & Jo Stafford's 'Hey, Good Lookin'/'Gambella (The Gamblin' Lady)' and The Five Smith Brothers' 'In The Cool, Cool, Cool Of The Evening'/'So Many Times Have I Cried Over You' released.
John Guillermin's Four Days - starring Hugh McDermott, Kathleen Byron, Petra Davies and Peter Reynolds - premiered.
Ralph Thomas's Appointment With Venus - starring David Niven, Glynis Johns, George Coulouris, Barry Jones, Kenneth More, Noel Purcell and Bernard Lee - premiered.
The first episode of The Eric Barker Half-Hour broadcast.
The first episode of Saturday Special broadcast. Forty seven goals were scored in eleven First Division matches; the highlights included Portsmouth's five-four defeat of Middlesbrough, Manchester United's five-two win at Aston Villa, Newcastle's four-two victory at Huddersfield Town and Derby County beating Spurs by the same score. Wolves thrashed Bolton five-one. In the Second Division, Queens Park Rangers and Everton shared eight goals. Gateshead remained at the top of the Third Division (North) with a four-one victory against Workington. In the Third Division (South), Southend United beat Aldershot seven-one.
Atoll K - the final movie of Laurel and Hardy - premiered.
Mario Camerini's Honeymoon Deferred - starring Sally Ann Howes, Griffith Jones and Kieron Moore - premiered.
The first episodes of Sherlock Holmes - with Alan Wheatley in the title role - and Top-Hat Rendezvous broadcast. The opening episode of the SF serial Strangers From Space broadcast in the Whirligig strand. England drew one-all with Wales at Ninian Park in the Home International championship. Newcastle's Billy Foulkes opened the scoring for the hosts after three minutes with Eddie Baily equalising. Bolton Wanderers' Malcolm Barrass and Aston Villa's Tommy Thompson made their England debuts. Before the match, a demonstration was given by dogs, owned by members of The Cardiff Branch of the British Alsatian Association. In the First Division, Bolton Wanderers returned to the top with a two-one victory over Huddersfield Town. Middlesbrough and Liverpool shared six goals at Ayresome Park, Newcastle beat Chelsea three-one, Stran Mortensen scored twice at Blackpool won at Fulham, West Bromwich Albion hammered Portsmouth five-nil and Spurs had a two-nil victory over Aston Villa. Jimmy Jackson scored four as Notts County won five-one at Everton in the Second Division.
Vernon Sewell's The Black Widow - starring Christine Norden, Robert Ayres and Jennifer Jayne and Herbert Wilcox's The Lady With A Lamp - starring Anna Neagle, Michael Wilding, Felix Aylmer and Gladys Young - premiered.
Come Fill The Cup - starring James Cagney - premiered.
The day of the 1951 General Erection. The Tories won.
William Wellman's Acorss The Wide Missouri - starring Clark Gable, Ricardo Montalban, Maria Elena Marques, Alan Napier and James Whitemore and Frank Launder's Lady Godiva Rides Again - starring Pauline Stroud, Dennis Price, Diana Dors, George Cole, Stanley Holloway and, in her film debut, Joan Collins - premiered.
The TV début of Charlie Caroli on an episode of Turn It Up! Nottingham Forest's three-three draw at Coventry City in the Second Division saw the league debut of Bob McKinlay - the first of six hundred and eighty five games for The Forest in a career that lasted until 1970. In the process he broke Jack Burkitt's appearance record for the club, established in 1962. Forty four goal were scored in eleven First Division matches. Highlights included Arsenal's four-three victory over Fulham, West Bromwich Albion's five-two win at Liverpool, Manchester City's four-two defeat of Charlton and leaders Bolton winning three-one at Chelsea. Sheffield United maintained a four point leader at the top of the Second Division, with a four-two victory over Birmingham City.
The first episode of Show Me A Spy broadcast.
Henry Cass's Young Wives' Tale - starring Joan Greenwood, Nigel Patrick, Derek Farr, Guy Middleton, Helen Cherry and Audrey Hepburn - premiered. Arsenal went top of the First Division following a three-nil victory against Middlesbrough. In the Second Division, there was a remarkable game at Filbert Street where Leicester and leaders Sheffield United shared ten goals. Derek Dooley scored five in Sheffield Wednesday's six-nil win over Notts County.
Robert Henryson's Death is A Number - starring Terence Alexander, Lesley Osmond and Denis Webb - premiered.
Harry Watt's Where No Vultures Fly - starring Anthony Steel and Dinah Sheridan - premiered at the Royal Command Performance.
The first episode of Sara Crewe broadcast. William Wyler's Detective Story - starring Kirk Douglas and Derek N Twist's Green Grow The Rushes (aka Brandy Ashore) - starring Richard Burton, Honor Blackman, Roger Livesey, Frederick Leister, Arnold Ridley and John Salew - premiered. Nigel Allan Havers born in Edmonton, Middlesex.
The first of a five test series between India and England at Delhi was drawn. Allan Watkins and Vijay Hazare scored centuries for the visitors and the hosts, respectively. Don Kenyon, Donald Carr, Nigle Howard, Dick Spooner and Fred Ridgway all made their test debuts.
Mervyn LeRoy's Quo Vardis - starring Robert Taylor, Deborah Kerr and Peter Ustinov and Curt Goetz's Das Haus In Montevideo - starring Valerie Von Martens - premiered.
Jonathan Edmund Fulford Turner born in Wanstead.
Forty eight goals were scored in ten First Division matches with only Burley and Sunderland letting the side down with a dull goalless draw. Arsenal beat West Bromwich Albion six-three whilst Blackpool defeat Newcastle by the same score. Derby had a five-nil victory over Fulham and Chelsea won four-two against Manchester United. There were also plenty of goals in the Second Division. Bury thrashed Southampton eight-two, Luton Town defeated Sheffield Wednesday five-three and Sheffield United suffered a shock four-one defeat at home to Bramall Lane.
Roy Boulting's High Treason - starring Liam Redmond, Anthony Bushell and André Morell - premiered.
England beat a strong Northern Ireland team two-nil at Villa Park in the Home International championship. Nat Lofthouse scored both goals. Birmingham City's Gil Merrick, Sheffield Wednesday's Jackie Sewell and Portsmouth's Len Phillips all made their England debuts. Pat Jackson, Anthony Pelissier and Harold French's Encore - starring Nigel Patrick, Roland Culver, Kay Walsh, Noel Purcell, Glynis Johns and Terence Morgan - premiered. The inquest into the death at Whitstable of eighteen-year-old Private William Hazelden of the Royal Sussex Regiment reached a verdict of accidental death. The soldier had run away from his training at Canterbury and was hiding in a haystack when farmer George Foreman shot him in mistake for a fox. The coroner said that it was 'gross negligence' on the part of Foreman in that he did not know the difference between a fox and a grown man and advised him to never use his gun again.
Portsmouth's three-one victory at Manchester United took them to the top of of the First Division, benefitting from Arsenal's two-nil defeat at Newcastle. Third placed Spurs beat Chelsea three-two. Plymouth Argyle were top of the Third Division (South), beating Millwall five-nil.
Irving Rapper's Another Man's Poison - starring Bette Davis, Gary Merrill, Emlyn Williams, Anthony Steel and Barbara Murray - premiered.
George Formby appeared as Roy Plomley's guest on Desert Island Discs.
Sam Fuller's Fixed Bayonets - starring Richard Basehart and featuring the uncredited screen debut of James Dean - premiered.
Robert Z Leonard's Too Young To Kiss - starring June Allyson, Van Johnson and Gig Young, Brian Desmond Hurst's Scrooge - starring Alastair Sim, Mervyn Johns, Hermione Baddeley, Jack Warner, Kathleen Harrison, Michael Hordern and George Cole and Rudolph Mate's When World's Collide premiered.
In the First Round of the FA Cup, Watford won five-nil at Aylesbury, Newport County beat Barry Town four-nil, Workington won five-two at Northern League Blackhall Colliery Welfare, Norwich City had a three-two victory over Northampton Town, Bradford City defeated Carlisle United six-one, Oldham Athletic won four-nil at Nelson, Scunthorpe & Lindsey United thrashed Billingham Symphonia five-nil, Lincoln City won four-two at Crewe Alexandra and Southend United hammered Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic six-one. In an all North Eastern League tie at Croft Park, Blyth Spartans defeated Bishop Auckland two-one. Isthmian League Leytonstone knocked out Third Divison Shrewsbury Town. In the First Division, Doug Reid scored twice as Porsmouth beat Tottneham two-nil. Newcastle United won three-two at Manchester City. Arsenal defeated Bolton Wanderers four-two. Blackpool beat Stoke City four-two.
Charles Terrot's The Angel Who Pawned Her Harp broadcast.
An adaptation of To Live In Peace - featuring the TV début of Arthur Lowe - broadcast.
England drew two-two with Austria at Wembley in a friendly international dubbed 'atch of the century' by the press in the build-up to the game. England led through a Nat Lofthouse header and an Alf Ramsey penalty but Ernst Stojaspal equalised with two minutes remaining. The teams were presented to the Guest of Honour, Jules Rimet, President of FIFA. Three players - two Austrian and one English - were reported to FIFA by the referee, John Mowat, as a result of incidents during the game. Arsenal's Arthur Milton and Manchester City's Ivor Broadis made their England debuts. All of the Austrian side, coached by Walter Nausch, were Vienna-based. North Eastern League Stockton won an FA Cup First Round replay at Third Division Mansfield Town. The body of Mabel Martin was found in a ditch at the side of a road in Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire. She had died following an attempted abortion and her body was then dumped. No one was ever charged over her death.
A translated adaptation of Mencius Was A Bad Boy broadcast - featuring the TV début of Anthony Valentine. Orson Welles's adaptation of Othello premiered.
Michael Anderson's Night Was Our Friend - starring Elizabeth Sellars, Michael Gough, Ronald Howard and Marie Ney - premiered.
Georgie Ptherbridge scored four in Bristol Rovers five-nil defeat of Torquay United in the Third Division (South). Billy Liddell hit three for Liverpool who won three-two at Spurs in the First Division.
JB Priestley's Eden End - featuring Peter Cushing's TV début - broadcast.
Ipswich Town overcame Southern League Merthy Tydfil at the third attempt in an FA Cup replay with a Jimmy Roberts goal.
John Wyndham's The Day Of The Triffids published. Roy Ward Baker's The House In The Square (aka I'll Never Forget You) - starring Tyrone Power, Ann Blyth, Michael Rennie and Dennis Price - premiered. Frankie Laine With Paul Weston & His Orchestra's 'One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)'/'Tomorrow Mountain' released.
First Division leaders Portsmouth drew two-two with Burnley allowing Manchester United (who won three-one at Arsenal) to close the gap at the top to three points. Derby County hammered Bolton Wanderers five-two. Wolves had a four-nil victory over Middlesbrough. Second Division leaders Rotherham lost five-nil at Swansea Town. Sheffield Wednesday won six-nil at West Ham United (Derek Dooley scoring three).
Bradford Park Avenue beat neighbours City three-two in the Second Round of the FA Cup. Cheshire County League Buxton defeated Aldershot four-three. Chester defeated Leyton five-two, Ipswich thrashed Exeter City four-nil and Southend United had a five-nil victory over Oldham. Stockton qualified for the Third Round with a two-one win over Folkstone. First Division leaders Portsmouth lost again, three-one at home to Liverpool. Manchester United beat West Bromwich Albion five-one whilst, in a remarkable game at the Victoria Ground, Newcastle United beat Stoke City five-four.
David Schofield born in Manchester.
Monckton Hoffe's Nocturne In Scotland broadcast. Anthony Kimmins' Mister Denning Drives North - starring John Mills, Phyllis Calvert, Eileen Moore, Sam Wanamaker, Herbert Lom and Raymond Huntley and Maurice Cloche and Ralph Smart's Never Take No For An Answer - starring Denis O'Dea, Guido Celano and Nerio Bernardi - premiered.
Charles Lamont's Flame Of Araby - starring Maureen O'Hara, Jeff Chandler and Lon Chaney Jr - premiered. The second test at Bombay ended in another high-scoring drawn. Vijay Hazare scored one hundred and fifty five for the hosts, Tom Graveney one hundred and seventy five for the tourists.Brian Statham and Vinoo Mankad both took four wickets. Eddie Leadbetter made his test debut.
László Benedek's adaptation of Death Of A Salesman - starring Fredric March - premiered.
Anatole Litvak's Decision Before Dawn and David Bairstow, Gudrun Parker and Roger Blais' Royal Journey premiered.
Eric Bingham's All At Sea broadcast. The highlight of the day's First Division fixtures was Preston North End's five-two win at Middlesbrough. Portsmouth got back to winning ways with a two-nil victory at Chjarlton Athletic. In the Second Division, Sheffield Wednesday went top, with a four-nil defeat of Everton (Derek Dooley scored all four). Third Division (South) leaders Plymouth Argyle won five-two at Walsall.
Wynyard Browne's The Holly & The Ivy broadcast.
Christmas Eve In Trafalgar Square broadcast.
An adaptation of JB Priestley's When We Are Married broadcast. Thirty nine goals were scored in ten First Division matches, the highlight being Newcastle United's four-one victory at Roker Park in the Wear-Tyne derby. Arsenal beat Portsmotuh four-one to go top of the table. In the Third Division (North), Accrington Stanley won five-four at Darlington.
Peter Ling's adaptation of Aladdin broadcast. Those Crazy People The Goons Present Their Pantomime Cinderella broadcast on The Home Service. Alastair Sim In Scrooge broadcast on The Light Programme. John Huston's The African Queen - starring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn - premiered. Ronnie Allen scored three for West Bromwich Albion in their three-two victory over Bolton Wanderers.
Arnold Bennett and Edward Knoblock's Milestones broadcast.
Life Begins At Sixty broadcast.
Raoul Walsh's Distant Drums - starring Gary Cooper and Richard Webb - premiered. From A Seat In The Circle broadcast on The Light Programme. In the First Division Burnley thrashed Middlesbrough seven-one. Bill Holden and Billy Morris both scored hat-tricks. Manchester United were top of the table after a one-nil victory against Bolton Wanderers. Ken Whitfield hit three in Wolves three-nil win over Blackpool. In the Third Division (North) Grimsby Town spanked Halifax eight-one whilst, in the Third Division (South), Norwich City also scored eight, without reply, against Walsall (Roy Hollis scored five).
Puss In Boots On Ice broadcast.
William Wellman's Westward The Women - starring Robert Taylor, Denise Darcel, Hope Emerson and Lenore Lonergan - premiered.
The first episode of The Archers, 'a simple tale of country folk', broadcast on The Light Programme. Over sixty years later, it's still going. (A run of five pilot episodes had previously been broadcast on the Regional Home Service in the Midlands during May 1950.) David Schofield born in Wythenshawe.
The Magic Circle broadcast.
Jospeh M Newman's I'll Get You For This - starring George Raft, Coleen Gray, Enzo Staiola and Charles Goldner and Jack Raymond's Take Me To Paris - starring Albert Modley, Roberta Huby, Bruce Seton and Claire Guibert - premiered.
The first episode of Fine Goings On - featuring Frankie Howerd - broadcast on The Light Programme.
The FA Cup Third Round's highlights included Southampton's four-three victory at Notts County, Newcastle United's four-one defeat of Bury, Manchester United beating Oldham Athletic four-one and Carlisle United drawing at Arsenal (The Gunners won the replay four-one at Brunton Park). Huddesfield Town defeated Tottenham in an all First Division tie whislt In-form Preston North End won three-nil at Leicester City. Third Division (South) Norwich City beat Liverpool three-one at Carrow Road.
Cathryn Helen Wigglesworth born in Ossett, West Yorkshire.
The first episode of We Beg To Differ! broadcast.
Federico Fellini and Alberto Lattuada's Luci Del Varieta (Variety Lights) - starring Peppino De Filippo and Giuletta Masina, Maurice Elvey's The Third Visitor - starring Sonia Dresdel, Guy Middleton and Karel Stepanek and Mitchell Leisen's The Mating Season - starring Gene Tierney - premiered.
First Division leaders Tottenham Hotspur lost two-one at Manchester United.
The Third Programme's adaptation of King Henry VIII featured the radio debut of Harold Pinter.
The Daughters Of The Late Colonel broadcast.
The Third Division (South) game at the Priestfield Stadium produced a remarkable thirteen goals, Gillignham defeated Exeter City nine-four.
Ottom Preminger's The Thirteenth Letter - starring Linda Darnell, Charles Boyer and Michael Rennie - premiered.
Spurs remained top of the First Division with a two-one win over Wolves. Charlie Wayman scored three as Preston North End won four-nil at Grimsby to go top of the Second Division.
Francis Searle's The Rossiter Case - starring Helen Shingler, Clement McCallin and Sheila Burrell - premiered.
Jeffrey Dell's The Dark Man - starring Edward Underdown, Maxwell Reed, Natasha Parry, William Hartnell and Barbara Murray - premiered.
Jiri Weiss' Vstanou Noví Bojovníci - starring Otomar Krejca, Antonie Hegerlíková and Svetla Amortová - premiered.
The first episode of An Evening At Home With Bernard Braden And Barbara Kelly broadcast.
Joseph Proctor's Money broadcast - featuring the TV début of Honor Blackman.
The FA Cup Fourth Round's highlights included Norwich City's two-nil win at Newport County, Newcastle United's three-two victory over Bolton Wanderers and Manchester United's four-nil defeat of Leeds United. Wolves beat Aston Villa three-one and Birmingham City won three-one at Derby. Nottingham Foirest remained top of the Third Division (South) with a six-one win at Crystal Palace. Susan Cook born in London.
Marc Allégret's Blackmailed - starring Mai Zetterling, Dirk Bogarde, Fay Compton and Robert Flemyng - premiered.
Anthony Squire's Files From Scotland Yard - starring John Harvey, Moira Lister, Louise Hampton, Reginald Purdell and Dora Bryan - premiered.
Louis Cuny's Demain Nous Divorçons - starring Sophie Desmarets, Jean Desailly and Armand Bernard - premiered.
Match of the day in the First Division was Portsmouth's six-three victory over Everton.
Albert Lewins' Pandora & The Flying Dutchman - starring James Mason, Ava Gardner, Nigel Patrick, Sheila Sim, Harold Warrender and Mario Cabré - premiered.
Robin Sachs born in Hammersmith./
The opening episode of the first BBC adaptation of The Railway Children broadcast. Kevin Whately born in Hexham. Reginald Beck and Anthony Bushell's The Long Dark Hall - starring Rex Harrison and Lilli Palmer - premiered.
The first episode of The Man In Armour broadcast. Val Guest's Mister Drake's Duck - starring Douglas Fairbanks Jr, Yolande Donlan, Jon Pertwee, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Reginald Beckwith, Howard Marion-Crawford and Peter Butterworth - premiered.
Australia won the fourth Ashes test at Adelaide by two hundred and seventy four runs. Arthur Morris scored two hundred and six in Australia's first innings and debutant Jim Burke and century and Keith Miller ninety nine in their second. Len Hutton's undefeated one hundred and fifty six was the highlight of the match for England, but they were dismissed cheaply in their second innings with only Reg Simpson reaching fifty. Bill Johnston took seven wickets in the match. Roy Tattersall made his test debut. England's cause wasn't helped when captain Freddie Brown and tour manager Brigadier Michael Green were hospitalised after being injured in a car crash whilst returning from dinner with Sir Willoughby Norrie, the governor of South Australia.
Sally James born in Horsham.
In the FA Cup Fifth Round, Sunderland beat Norwich City three-one, Newcastle United won four-two at Stoke City and Wolves defeated Huddersfield Town two-nil. Third Division (South) Bristol Road reached the Quarter Finals with a three-nil win over Hull City. Third Division (North) leaders Rotherham beat Accrington Stanley six-two.
Joyce Penelope Wilhelmina Frankenberg born in Uxbridge.
Wilf Mannion scored twice in Middlesbrough's three-two win at Huddersfield Town in the First Division. Tottenham Hotspur beat Aston Villa three-two.
Lawrence Huntington's The Franchise Affair - starring Michael Denison, Dulcie Gray, Anthony Nicholls and Marjorie Fielding - premiered.
Basil Dearden's Pool Of London - starring Bonar Colleano, Earl Cameron, Susan Shaw and Max Adrian - premiered.
The FA Cup Sixth Round saw victories for Blackpool (one-nil against Fulham) and Birmingham City (over Manchester United). The other two games ended in draws, Bristol Rovers holding Newcastle United and Wolves drawing at Sunderland. In the First Division, leaders Tottenham lost at Burnley whilst Charlton Athletic defeated Arsenal five-two and Liverpool won three-two at Stoke City. In the Third Division (South) Reading and Southend United were in the goals (defeating Aldershot seven-one and Swindon Town eight-two resepctively).
England won the fifth Ashes test at Melbourne by eight wickets. Alec Bedser took ten wickets in the match whilst Reg Simpson's undefeated one hundred and fifty six gave England a big first innings lead for the first time in the series. For Australia Lindsay Hassett top-scored with ninety two.
Goals from Charlie Crowe, Jackie Milburn and Ernie Taylor saw Newcastle overcome Bristol Rovers in the FA Cup Sixth Round replay at Eastville. Wolverhampton Wanderers beat Sunderland three-one at Molineux.
A Tale Of Five Cities - starring Bonar Colleano, Barbara Kelly, Anne Vernon and Karin Himboldt - premiered.
John Gilling's The Quiet Woman - starring Derek Bond, Jane Hylton and Dora Bryan - premiered.
Maurice Elvey's The Late Edwina Black - starring David Farrar, Geraldine Fitzgerald and Roland Culver and John Guillermin's Smart Alec - starring Peter Reynolds - premiered. Lincoln City defeated Accrington Stanley nine-one in the Third Division (North). Johnny Garvie and Andy Graver each scored hat-tricks.
Godfrey Grayson's To Have & To Hold - starring Avis Scott, Patrick Barr and Robert Ayres - premiered.
David MacDonald's The Adventurers - starring Dennis Price, Jack Hawkins and Siobhan McKenna - premiered.
Stanley Donen's Royal Wedding - starring Fred Astaire and Jane Powell - premiered.
Edgar Ulmer's The Man From Planet X premiered.
Preston North End went five points clear at the top of the Second Division with a seven-nil thrashing of Barnsley at Deepdale. Ken Horton scored three and Tom Finney and Charlie Wayman two each. Third Division (North) leaders Rotherham United surprisingly lost-two-one at home to Gateshead.
Both FA Cup Semi-Finals resulted in replays. Following a goalless draw four days earlier at Hillsborough, Newcastle defeated Wolves two-one at Huddersfield. Jackie Milburn and Bobby Mitchell scored for United after Johnny Walker had given Wolves the lead. At Goodison Park, Blackpool beat Birmingham City two-one with goals from Stan Mortensen and Bill Perry.
Anthony Asquith's The Browning Version - starring Michael Redgrave, Jean Kent and Nigel Patrick and John Paddy Carstairs' Talk Of A Million - starring Jack Warner and Barbara Mullen - premiered. Sheffield Wednesday broke the British transfer record paying Notts County thirty four thousand five hundred smackers for highly-regarded centre forward Jackie Sewell.
The first appearance of Dennis The Menace (and Gnasher) in The Beano. Forty one goals were scored in eleven First Division matches. Tottneham lead the way with a five-nil win over West Bromwich Albion (Len Duquemin scored three). Derby beat Arsenal four-two and Bolton thrashed Huddersfield four-nil. There were forty six goals scored in the Second Division with the highlight being Southampton's five-one victory over Grimsby. Performance of the day, however, came from Third Division (North) Southport who won five-one at Shrewsbury Town. West Ham United's two-nil win over Chesterfield in the Second Division saw the club debut of centre-half Malcolm Allision, recently signed from Charlton (who whom he had only made two appearances). This was the first of two hundred and thirty eight games for The Hammers in a career that lasted until 1958, before he moved into coaching.
Paul Barber born in Liverpool.
The first of a two test series between New Zealand and England at Christchurch was drawn. Trevor Bailey scored an undefeated one hundred and thirty four. Brian Statham made his test debut.
Sixty two thousand crammed into St James' Park to watch the Tyne-Wear derby end in a two-two draw. The largest Second Division attendance of the season, forty six thousand seven hundred and one, saw Hull City beat Leeds United two-one. In the Third Division (North) Hartlepools United defeated Darlington six-opne and Mansfield Tow hammered Accrington Stanley five-nil.
Les Paul & Mary Ford's 'How High The Moon?'/'Walkin' & Whistlin' Blues' released. Tottenham's lead at the top of the First Division stretched to four points with a two-one victory over Fulham.
Preston North End's three-two win at Leicester City all but assured the Lancashire side of the Second Division champions with five games left in the season.
Pamela Brown's The Children Of Camp Fortuna broadcast. England won a low-scoring second test at Wellington by six wickets. The match highlight was Roy Tattersall's six for forty four in New Zealand's second innings.
In the First Division, Tottenham remained league leaders with the three-nil victory over Everton. Manchester United, who beat Chelsea four-one were second. Blackpool went third with a three-nil defeat of Stoke City, ahead of Middlesbrough who lost, dramatically, six-nil at Derby County. A point at Southampton in a three-three draw was enough to secure Preston's promotion from the Second Division. Manchester City, with games in hand over both Cardiff and Coventry, improved their own promotion chances with a four-two victory at West Ham United. Grimsby, on the end of another hiding (five-one at Brnetford) remained bottom. Third Division (North) leaders Rotherham lost again, three-ojne at Hartlepools United. Lincoln closed to within four points with a two-nil win against Oldham Athletic. Relegation-haunted Accrington Stanley lost seven-nil at Bradford City.
Michael McCarthy's Assassin For Hire - starring Sydney Tafler, Ronald Howard, Katharine Blake and John Hewer - premiered. David Shaun McAlister born in Worthing. Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats' 'Rocket 88'/Come Back Where You Belong' released on Chess in the United States, widely considered to be one of the first rock and roll records.
Sylvia Regan's The Golden Door broadcast.
Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's The Tales Of Hoffman - starring Moira Shearer and Robert Helpmann and Anthony Pelissier's Night Without Stars - starring David Farrar, Nadia Gray, Maurice Teynac, Gérard Landry and June Clyde - premiered.
George Stevens's A Place In The Sun - starring Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor - premiered.
Sonny Walters goal in Tottneham Hotspur's win at Newcastle coupled with Manchester United's two-nil defeat at Stoke City and Blackpool's two-one loss at Hddersifeld Town took Spurs to within two points of the First Division title. Fulham's two-two draw at Sheffield Wednesday saw the league debut of eighteen year old Bobby Robson, the first of six hundred and forty seven games in all competitions for Fulham, West Bromwich Albion and England in a craeer that lasted until 1967.
Macgregor Urquhart's adaptation of The Malory Secret broadcast. Raoul Walsh's Captain Horatio Hornblower RN - starring Gregory Peck, Virginia Mayo, Robert Beatty, Terence Morgan and James Robertson Justice - premiered.
Peter Malcolm Gordon Moffett born in Stretham.
Scotland beat England three-two at Wembley to win the Home International Championship. Hibernian duo Bobby Johnstone and Lawrie Reilly and Liverpool's Billy Liddell scored for the visitors whilst England's goals came from debutant Harold Hassall of Huddersfield Town and Tom Finney. England played the majority of the game with ten men after Wilf Mannion was stretchered off with a fractured cheekbone, sustained in an aerial challenge with Liddell. Manchester United kept their slim First Division title hopes alive with the three-nil victory over West Bromwich Albion as Spurs were losing at home to Huddersfield. Norwich City went top of the Third Division (South) with a two-one vicotry over Reading, ahead of Nottingham Forst who had a game in hand. Ernest Bevin, the wartime Minister of Labour and National Service, General Secretary of the TUC and post-war Foreign Secretary, died from a heart-attack, having planned to go to Wembley to watch the Scotland match. Described by Churchill as 'far the most distinguished man that the Labour Party have thrown up in my time,' during the war, he had been responsible for the entire workforce of the UK. He also secured Marshall Aid, strongly opposed Communism and aided in the creation of NATO.
The first episode of The Passing Show broadcast. Richard Thorpe's The Great Caruso - starring Mario Lanza and Anthony Kimmins' Flesh & Blood - starring Richard Todd, Glynis Johns and Joan Greenwood - premiered.
Gordon Parry's Tom Brown's Schooldays - starring John Howard Davies, Robert Newton and James Hayter - premiered.
The first episode of Vic's Grill - featuring Vic Wise, Norman Wisdom and Beryl Reid - broadcast. Brighton & Hove Albion beat Newport County nine-one in the Third Division (South). Johnny McNichol scored four. Bottom of the league Crystal Palace were thrashed five-nil at home by promotion-chasing Norwich City.
Jack Raymond's Worm's Eye View - starring Ronald Shiner, Garry Marsh and Diana Dors - premiered.
Louise Marion Jameson born in Wanstead, Essex.
Spurs inched closer to their first Football League championship with a one-all draw at Middlesbrough. They remained three points ahead of Manchester United (two-nil winners at Newcastle) with two games to play. Chelsea kept their survival hopes aliver with a one-nil win over Liverpool. As did Sheffield Wednesday who beat Blackpool three-one. In the Second Division promotion race, Manchester City won six-nil against Barnsley and Cardiff City beat Luton Town two-one. Grimsby Town, who lost at home to West Ham United, were relegated. Norwich's defeat at Plymouth Argyle handed the Third Division (South) promotion race initiative to Nottingham Forest, who won five-nil at Bristol City.
Aneurin Bevan, recently appointed as Minister of Labour and National Service, together with John Freeman and Harold Wilson, resigned from the government in protest at Hugh Gaitskell's announcement in the Budget of 10 April of prescription charges for dental care and spectacles in order to meet the financial demands imposed by the Korean War. Vernon Sewell's The Dark Light - starring Albert Lieven and David Greene - premiered. Tony Young's Penny Points To Paradise - starring Harry Secombe, Alfred Marks, Peter Sellers, Paddie O'Neil and Spike Milligan - premiered.
Christian Nyby's The Thing From Another World and Edgar Ulmer's The Man From Planet X premiered. The North of England Home Service broadcast a special Cup Final edition of the popular Tyneside programme Wot Cheor, Geordie hosted by Esther McCracken. Special guests include Stan Mortenson and Jack Fairbrother and The Dunelm Singers perform that old favourite of the Tyneside music hall 'The Futbaal Team'. The rest of the country received Jon Pertwee Goes Round The Bend instead.
Jackie Milburn scored twice as Newcastle United beat Blackpool two-nil in the FA Cup Final at Wembley. The second goal was particularly memorable, a twenty five yard rocket, set up by Ernie Taylor's back-heel pass. Ticket touts were, for the first time, banned from roads around Wembley, but they were still out in force at Wembley railway station. Nylons and whiskey were amongst the temptations on offer to fans but the touts, reportedly, had little success. Tottenham Hotspur won the First Division title with a game to spare, Len Duquemin's goal beating Sheffield Wednesday. Manchester United's valient chase had continued with a six-nil thrashing of Huddersfield Town. Chesterfield were relegated from the Second Division after a one-all draw at Southampton. Norwich slipped in the tight Third Division (South) promotion race, losing three-one at home to local rivals Ipswich Town whilst Nottingham Forest were beating Southend United three-nil.
The first episode of Treasure Island broadcast. Alna Cullimore's Let's Go Crazy - featuring the film debuts of Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan - premiered.
Gordon Dopuglas's I Was A Communist For The FBI premiered. Nottingham Forest clinched the Third Division (South) title with a two-one win over Newport County.
George VI opened The Festival Of Britain in London, highlights of which included The Royal Festival Hall, The Dome Of Discovery and The Skylon. Lewis Gilbert's Scarlet Thread - starring Kathleen Byron, Laurence Harvey, Sydney Tafler, Dora Bryan and Harry Fowler - premiered.
Fred Zinnemann's Teresa - starring Pier Angeli - premiered.
Newly promoted Tottenham Hotspur won the First Division title for the first time in their history. They finished four points ahead of nearest rivals Manchester United with Blackpool third and Newcastle United fourth. Sheffield Wednesday and Everton were relegated to the Second Division (they met on the final day of the season, Wednesday winning six-nil). Chelsea, who beat Bolton Wanderers four-nil survived on goal average. Elsewhere Aston Villa defeated Stoke City six-two. Preston North End and Manchester City were promoted with Cardiff City missing out by two points. Third Division North champions Rotherham United's Jack Shaw was the league's top scorer with thirty seven goals. Henry Cornelius's The Galloping Major - starring Basil Radford, Jimmy Hanley, Janette Scott, AE Matthews, Rene Ray, Hugh Griffith, Charles Hawtry and Joyce Grenfell - premiered.
Bunny Webber's Pray You, Look In! broadcast. Angela Bruce born in Leeds.
Frederick Jackson's The Bishop Misbehaves broadcast.
England beat Argentina two-one at Wembley in a international match to orginised to celebrate the Festival of Britain. Argentina had not competed in the previous year's World Cup but had won the South American Championship three years in succession in the mid-1940's and had the best record in the history of the competition. They were coached by Guillermo Stabile, the top scorer in the 1930 World Cup. Trailing for most of the game to a Mario Boyé header, late goals by Stan Mortensen and Jackie Milburn decided the outcome. Fulham's Jim Taylor and Huddersfield Town's Vic Metcalfe both made their England debuts. The eccentric Argentine goalkeeper Miguel Ángel Rugilo, nicknamed 'Tarzan', had the crowd roaring with laughter as he swung on the crossbar and clowned his way through the match. The world's first hydrogen bomb was tested by the United States at the Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands.
Kay Daniel born in Leeds. Graeme Bell & His Australian Jazz Band's 'High Society'/'Black & White Rag' released.
The first episode of The Warden broadcast. Robert Wise's The House On Telegraph Hill - starring Richard Baseheart - premiered.
Automatic Calculating Machines, a lecture by Alan Turing, broadcast on The Third Programme. Phillip Leacock's Out Of True - starring Jane Hylton and Muriel Pavlow - premiered.
Charles Saunders' One Wild Oat - starring Stanley Holloway, Robertson Hare and Sam Costa - premiered.
Rudolph Mate's The Prince Was A Thief Piper Laurie, Everett Sloane, Jeff Corey, Betty Garde and, in his staring debut, Tony Curtis - premiered. Life magazine attributed the (sadly apocryphal) line of dialogue, 'Yonduh lies de castle of de Caliph, my fadder' to Curtis.
Twenty nine-year-old Arthur Whybrow of Southend was charged with the attempted murder of his wife, Betty, by running a concealed cable through the wall into the bathroom of their home to electrocute her via a metal soap dish, while she was having a bath. He claimed that the wire was to be used as an earth for a wireless set, but his wife revealed that she had recently discovered he had been seeing a sixteen-year-old girl behind her back. Four weeks later, he was found guilty and sentenced to ten years in prison.
England beat Portugal five-two at Goodison Park in a Festival of Britain international. Tottenham's Bill Nicholson opened the scoring after thirty seconds with his first touch on his international debut. Jackie Milburn scored twice with further goals from Tom Finney and Harold Hassall.
The first episode of The Black Arrow broadcast.
Jacqueline Tong born in Bristol. Jacques Tourneur's Circle Of Danger - starring Ray Milland, Patricia Roc, Marius Goring, Hugh Sinclair and Naunton Wayne - premiered.
Donald Williams born in Trinidad.
The first episode of Crazy People - subsequently The Goon Show - broadcast on The Home Service. Starring Spike Milligan, Harry Seacombe, Peter Sellers and Michael Bentine, its surreal humour would inspire a future generation of comedians.
Spies Guy Burgess and Donald Maclean defected to the Soviet Union.
William A Seiter's Dear Brat - starring Mona Freeman, Billy De Wolfe, Edward Arnold, Mary Phillips and Natalie Wood - premiered.
Alan Cullimore's Let's Go Crazy - starring Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan and Wallas Eaton - premiered.
Phillip Leacock's Life In Her Hands - starring Kathleen Byron, Bernadette O'Farrell, Jean Anderson and Jenny Laird - premiered.
Dorothy and Campbell Christie's Grand National Night broadcast. David Nicholas Yip born in Liverpool.
Joseph Schull's Shadow Of The Tree broadcast.
H Bruce Humberstone's Happy Go Lovely - starring David Niven, Vera-Ellen, Cesar Romero, Bobby Howes, Diane Hart and Gordon Jackson - premiered.
South Africa won the first of a five test series at Trent Bridge by seventy one runs. For the tourists Dudley Nourse scored two hundred and eight and Athol Rowan took five for sixty eight. England's highlights included a century for Reg Simpson and nine wickets in the match for Alec Bedser. Willie Watson made his test debut, becoming the first person to play both football and cricket for England since Johnny Arnold in 1933. Lewis Gilbert's There Is Another Sun - starring Maxwell Reed, Laurence Harvey, Susan Shaw and Harry Fowler and Pat Jackson's White Corridors - starring Googie Withers and James Donald - premiered.
Mario Zampi's Laughter In Paradise - starring Alastair Sim, Fay Compton, George Cole and Guy Middleton - premiered.
Billy Wilder's Ace In The Hole - starring Kirk Douglas - premiered.
The first episode of an adaptation of Five Children & It broadcast.
Michelle Newell born in London.
John Sturges's Kind Lady - starring Ethel Barrymore - premiered.
England won the second test at Lord's by ten wickets inside three days. Denis Compton and Willie Watson both scored seventy nine whilst Roy Tattersall took twelve wickets in the match.
Simon Rouse born in Bradford. David Michael Rodigan born in Hanover.
The first episode of Midshipman Barney broadcast. Charles Crichton's The Lavender Hill Mob - starring Alec Guinness, Stanley Holloway, Sid James, Alfie Bass, Marjorie Fielding, Edie Martin, John Salew, John Gregson and Sydney Tafler - premiered.
The first episode of Mother & Baby broadcast. Sarah Jill Ward born in London. Henry Koster's No Highway In The Sky - starring James Stewart, Marlene Dietrich, Glynis Johns, Jack Hawkins, Janette Scott, Elizabeth Allan, Ronald Squire and Jill Clifford - premiered.
Lloyd Bacon's The Frogmen - starring Richard Widmark and Dana Andrews - premiered.
The first episode of The Inch Man broadcast. Alfred Hitchcock's Strangers On A Train - starring Farley Grainger and Robert Walker - released.
Trevor John Eve born in Sutton Coldfield. Charles Saunders' Chelsea Story - starring Henry Mollison, Sydney Tafler, Ingeborg Von Kusserow and Lesley Osmond - premiered.
Francis Searle's Cloudburst - starring Robert Preston, Elizabeth Sellars, Colin Tapley and Sheila Burrell and Victor Saville's Calling Bulldog Drummond - starring Walter Pidgeon, Robert Beatty, Margaret Leighton and David Tomlinson - premiered.
Michael Gordon's Wherever She Goes - starring Suzanne Parrett and Muriel Steinbeck - premiered. Geoffrey Roy Rush born in Toowoomba, Queensland.
The Third Programme's Is Socialism Losing Its Appeal? featured a discussion between Enoch Powell MP and Donald Chapman, the general secretary of the Fabian Society. Ken Annakin's Hotel Sahara - starring Yvonne De Carlo, Peter Ustinov, David Tomlinson and Roland Culver - premiered.
Boxer Randy Turpin beat Sugar Ray Robinson in London to become World Middleweight champion. England won the third test at Old Trafford by nine wickets. Len Hutton was the highest scorer in the game with an undefeated ninety eight. Alec Bedser took twelve wickets. Tom Graveney made his test debut.
Ismael Rodríguez's Las Mujeres De Mi General premiered.
The first episode of What's My Line? broadcast. Mark Robson's Bright Victory premiered.
Jeffrey Alan Rawle born in Birmingham.
Speaking Personally broadcast. 'A series of programmes in which eminent men and women speak on a subject of their own choosing.' Viscount Stansgate, DSO, DFC, former Secretary of State for Air, in conversation with his son, Anthony Wedgwood Benn, MP.
Michael Anderson's Hell Is Sold Out - starring Mai Zetterling, Herbert Lom, Richard Attenborough, Hermione Baddeley, Nicholas Hannen and Olaf Pooley - premiered.
Paul Rotha's No Resting Place - starring Michael Gough, Eithne Dunne and Noel Purcell - premiered.
Roy Del Ruth's On Moonlight Bay - starring Doris Day and Gordon MacRae - and Disney's Alice In Wonderland premiered.
Andrew Osborn became television's first Sherlock Holmes in an adaptation of The Adventure Of The Marazin Stone. Terrece Rattigan's The Final Test broadcast.
Eamonn Andrews took over from Gilbert Harding as the host of What's My Line?
The fourth test at Headingley was drawn. Eric Rowan had an extraordinary game for the tourists, scoring two hundred and thirty six in their first innings, an undefeated sixty in their second and taking five for one hundred and seventy four. Debutant Peter May scored one hundred and thirty eight for England. Frank Lowson and Doug Brennan also made their test debuts.
England women's cricket team beat Australia's women by one hundred and thirty seven runs in the Third Test at The Oval to draw the three test series one-all. Holders Australia retained The Ashes. England's top performers were captain Molly Hide (who scored sixty five and forty two) and Mary Duggan who took nine wickets in the match. Godfrey Harrison's topical satire The Lighter Side - featuring Tony Hancock - broadcast. Kenneth Hume's Cheer The Brave - starring Elsie Randolph, Jack McNaughton and Geoffrey Keen - premiered.
Terence Fisher's Home To Danger - starring Guy Rolfe, Rona Anderson, Francis Lister, Stanley Baker, Peter Jones and Alan Wheatley - premiered.
The first episode of Harry Alan Towers' The Lives Of Harry Lime starring Orson Welles broadcast on The Light Programme.
Wally Hammond played his six hundred and thirty fourth and final first class cricket match for Gloucestershire against Somerset at Bristol. In a career which began in 1920, he scored fifty thousand five hundred and fifty one runs and one hundred and sixty seven centuries, took seven hundred and thirty four wickets and held eight hundred and twenty catches (mostly at slip). In a test career spanning eighty five matches (1927 to 1947), he scored seven thousand two hundred and forty nine runs and took eighty three wickets. Hammond captained England in twenty of those tests. His career aggregate of runs was the highest in test cricket until surpassed by Colin Cowdrey in 1970; his total of twenty two test centuries remained an English record until Alastair Cook surpassed it in December 2012. In 1933, he set a record for the highest individual test innings of an undefeated three hundred and thirty six, surpassed by Len Hutton in 1938. Towards the end of England's 1926 tour of the West Indies, Hammond fell seriously ill; according to him, a mosquito stung him in the groin area causing blood poisoning. The day after his arrival back in England, in April 1926, he had the first of twelve operations .His condition worsened to the point where the doctors believed he would die; they considered amputating his leg, a suggestion vetoed by his mother out of concern for his career. He began a slow return to health though he missed the entire 1926 season. Although the cause of the illness was never made clear, Hammond's biographer David Foot has argued that it was syphilis or a related sexually transmitted disease. He has also suggested that its treatment, which in the days before antibiotics probably involved mercury, adversely affected Hammond's personality, leading to moody and depressive behaviour. David Foot quoted an unnamed cricketer saying that the two ruling passions of Hammond's life 'were his cricket bat and his genitals.' On his return to first-class cricket in the 1927 season, Hammond made an immediate impact, becoming only the second man, after WG Grace, to score one thousand runs in May. Francis Searle's A Case For PC Forty Nine - starring Brian Reece, Joy Shelton, Christine Norden, Michael Balfour and Michael Ripper - premiered.
William Templeton's The Silent Village - featuring Audrey Hepburn - broadcast.
Michael Law's The Six Men - starring Harold Warrender, Olga Edwardes and Peter Bull - premiered.
Sidney Torch's 'Barwick Green (The From The Archers)'/'La Muse Legere' released.
Alexander Mackendrick's The Man In The White Suit - starring Alec Guinness and Joan Greenwood - premiered.
Albert broadcast.
The first episode of The Bell Family broadcast. Henry King's David & Bathsheba - starring Gregory Peck and Susan Hayward - premiered.
England won the fifth test at The Oval by four wickets for a three-one series victory. Jim Laker took ten wickets in a low-scoring match. In England's second innings, Len Hutton was dismissed obstructing the field, the first such dismissal in tests. The Football League season started with big wins in the First Division for Newcastle United (six-nil against Stoke City, Jackie Milburn scoring three), Sunderland (four-three at Derby County), Bolton Wanderers (who beat Chelsea five-two) and promoted Preston North End (three-two at Fulham). West Bromwich Albion and Manchester United shared six goals at The Hawthorns (Jack Rowely hitting three for The Red Devils). Champions Tottenham Hotspur lost two-one at Middlesbrough. Forty four goals were scored in eleven matches. Cardiff City's four-nil defeat of Leicester City and Sheffield United's five-one win at Blackburn Rovers were the Second Division's highlights. Two promoted sides met at Millmor, Nottingham Forest beating Rotherham United two-one. Alan Ashman scored a hat-trick for Carlisle United in their four-nil victory at Rochdale in the Third Division (North). Brighton & Hove Albion kicked-off the Third Division (South) season with a five-one win over Colchester United.
His Kind Of Woman - starring Robert Mitchum, Jane Russell, Vincent Price and Raymond Burr - premiered.
Jack Rowley hit another three goals for Manchester United in their four-two win over Middlesbrough. Preston North End were the first leaders of the First Division, winning their second game three-nil against Charlton. Fifty nine thousand were at Stamford Bridge where Arsenal beat Chelsea three-one. In the Third Division (South) Reading hammering Shrewsbury Town six-two and Plymouth Argyle defeated Crystal Palace five-nil.
George Hoellering's adaptation of Murder In The Cathedral - starring Father John Groser, Alexander Gauge, David Ward, George Woodbridge, Basil Burton, TS Eliot, Donald Bisset, Clement McCallin, Michael Aldridge and Leo McKern - premiered.
Bolton Wanderers topped the First Division, winning two-one at Stoke City. Fulham, who lost at Burnley, remained bottom, pointless. In the Second Division, Alf Ringstead scored a hat-trick for early pace-seters Sheffield United who beat Hull City four-one. With Jack Rowley having already scored two hat-tricks for Manchester United his younger brother, Arthur, struck one for Leicester City in their four-nil win over Birmingham City. The two relegated teams, Everton and Sheffield Wednesday shared six goals in a thriller at Goodison Park.
Charlie Vaughan scored a hat-trick for Charlton Athletic in their four-two win over Preston North End in the First Division. Jack Rowley scored twice, taking his season's total to nine in four games as Manchester United won four-one at Middlesbrough. In the Second Division, Edwin Brown hit three for Southampton, who won five-two against Nottingham Forest. Ernie Edds also scored a hat-trick for Torquay United in their four-three victrory at Brighton & Hove Albion in the Third Division (South).
Swansea Town thrashed Coventry City seven-one in the Second Division.
Wolfgang Staudte's Der Untertan - starring Werner Peters, Paul Esser, Renate Fischer, Eduard Von Winterstein, Sabine Thalbach and Friedrich Gnaß and László Kardos's The Strip - starring Mickey Rooney and Sally Forrest - premiered.
John Sturges's The People Against O'Hara - starring Spencer Tracy, Pat O'Brien and James Arness - premiered. Bolton Wanderers topped the First Division with their fourth win in five games, beating Manchester United one-nil with a Nat Lofthouse goal at Brunden Park in front of fifty five thousand. Newcastle United thrashed Tottneham Hotspur seven-two, with George Robeldo scoring a hat-trick. Doug Lishman also scored three for Arsenal who beat Sunderland three-nil in front of the leargest crowd of the day, sixty six thousand one hundred and thirty seven.
JB Priestley's Treasure On Pelican broadcast. George Beck's Behave Yourself! - starring Fraley Grainger and Shelley Winters - premiered.
Michael McCarthy's Mystery Junction - starring Sydney Tafler and Barbara Murray - premiered.
David Peter Renwick born in Luton.
The first episode of At Your Service Limited broadcast. Denis McCarthy read Alan Dunband's Pickled Onions on The Light Programme's Morning Story strand. Curtis Bernhardt's The Blue Veil premiered. Bill Foulkes scored a hat-trick for Chester City in their four-one victory of Tranmere Rovers in the Third Division (South).
Portsmouth lead the First Division following their one-nil victory at Huddersfield Town. Bolton lost for the first time all season, two-one at Spurs. Jack Rowley scored yet another hat-trick for Manchester United, who beat Stoke City four-nil. Burnley twanked West Browmich Albion six-one (Billy Morris socring four). Charlton defeated Middlesbrough four-three, Newcastle won two-one at Preston and Blackpool scored a three-one victory at Sunderland. Second Division leaders Sheffield United won the steel city debry seven-three, whilst Luton Town won six-nil against Notts County.
Leo C Popkin's The Well premiered. Sally Grace born in Harrogate.
Norman Swallow's I Was A Stranger broadcast.
George Robledo scored four in Newcastle United's seven-one demolition of Burnley in the First Division. Tottenham Hotspur won six-one at bottom-to-the-table Stoke City. Forty three goals were scored in eleven First Division games, five of them at Fratton Park where Wolves beat Portsmouth three-two. Sheffield United continued to lead the Second Division, defeating West Ham United six-one with a hat-trick from Derek Hawksworth. Gateshead were top of the Third Division (North), following a one-all draw at Scunthorpe & Lindsey United. Lincoln City defeated Darlington seven-two.
Elia Kazan's adaptation of A Streetcar Named Desire - starring Marlon Brando, Vivien Leigh, Kim Hunter and Karl Malden - premiered. John Boulting's The Magic Box - starring Robert Donat, Margaret Johnston, Maria Schell, Robert Beatty and Margaret Rutherford - premiered.
Frank Capra's Here Comes The Groom - starring Bing Crosby and Jane Wyman - premiered.
George Sidney's adaptation of Show Boat - starring Kathryn Grayson, Ava Gardner and Howard Keel-premiered.
The season;s largest attendance for a First Division game, seventy thousand eight hundred and eighty two, were at White Hart Lane to watch Spurs beat Manchester united two-nil. Wolves defeated Chelsea five-three whilst Aston Villa topped the table with a two-nil victory over Liverpool. Tom Finney scored twice as Preston beat Stoke City two-nil, the latter remaining stuck at the foot of the table with only two poiints from eleven games.
First Division champions Tottenham Hotspur beat FA Cup winners Newcastle United two-one in the FA Charity Shield at White Hart Lane.
The first episode of Puck Of Pook's Hill broadcast.
Terence Young's Valley Of Eagles - starring Jack Warner and Nadia Gray - premiered.
John Huston's The Red Badge Of Courage premiered.
Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise's TV début on Parade Of Youth. Ananke, a retrograde irregular moon of Jupiter, was discovered by Seth Barnes Nicholson at Mount Wilson Observatory. It was the twelfth of Jupiter's moons to be discovered. Charles Lederer and James Anderson's On The Loose - starring Joan Evans, Melvyn Douglas and Lynn Bari and John Guillermin's Two On The Tiles - starring Herbert Lom, Hugh McDermott and Brenda Bruce - premiered.
The first episode of Turn It Up! broadcast. Highlight of the day's First Division fixtures was Wolverhampton Wanderers seven-one victory at Huddersfield Town. Sheffield United went four points clear at the top of the second Division with a five-nil victory over Swansea Town. In the Third Division (North) Andy Graver scored six in Lincoln City's remarkable eleven-one defeat of Crewe Alexandra. Fifty four goals were scored in twelve games in the division.
Sheila Hodgson's Shadow Scene - adapted by Wolf Rilla - broadcast. John Hardress Wilfred Lloyd born in Dover.
Maclean Rogers' Madmae Louise - starring Richard Hearne, Petula Clark and Garry Marsh - premiered.
Tragically, Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner born in Wallsend.
England drew two-two with France at Highbury in a Festival Of Britain international. A Kader Firoud own-goal opened the scoring, France then took the lead with two goals - by Andre Doye and René Alpsteg - in less than ninety seconds before Les Medley equalised. France were robbed of a deserved victory when Bert Williams made a desperate late save from French centre-forward Jacques Grumellon, who gave Allenby Chilton (in his second and final international) a nightmare of an afternoon. Tottenham Hotspur's Artur Willis made his international debut. Hopes faded for the four men missing following a gas explosion at the Weetslade Colliery, near Newcastle. A fifth corpse had already been found, but it would take almost two months to recover the other bodies.
Vincente Minnelli's An American In Paris - starring Gene Kelly - premiered. Frankie Laine & Jo Stafford's 'Hey, Good Lookin'/'Gambella (The Gamblin' Lady)' and The Five Smith Brothers' 'In The Cool, Cool, Cool Of The Evening'/'So Many Times Have I Cried Over You' released.
John Guillermin's Four Days - starring Hugh McDermott, Kathleen Byron, Petra Davies and Peter Reynolds - premiered.
Ralph Thomas's Appointment With Venus - starring David Niven, Glynis Johns, George Coulouris, Barry Jones, Kenneth More, Noel Purcell and Bernard Lee - premiered.
The first episode of The Eric Barker Half-Hour broadcast.
The first episode of Saturday Special broadcast. Forty seven goals were scored in eleven First Division matches; the highlights included Portsmouth's five-four defeat of Middlesbrough, Manchester United's five-two win at Aston Villa, Newcastle's four-two victory at Huddersfield Town and Derby County beating Spurs by the same score. Wolves thrashed Bolton five-one. In the Second Division, Queens Park Rangers and Everton shared eight goals. Gateshead remained at the top of the Third Division (North) with a four-one victory against Workington. In the Third Division (South), Southend United beat Aldershot seven-one.
Atoll K - the final movie of Laurel and Hardy - premiered.
Mario Camerini's Honeymoon Deferred - starring Sally Ann Howes, Griffith Jones and Kieron Moore - premiered.
The first episodes of Sherlock Holmes - with Alan Wheatley in the title role - and Top-Hat Rendezvous broadcast. The opening episode of the SF serial Strangers From Space broadcast in the Whirligig strand. England drew one-all with Wales at Ninian Park in the Home International championship. Newcastle's Billy Foulkes opened the scoring for the hosts after three minutes with Eddie Baily equalising. Bolton Wanderers' Malcolm Barrass and Aston Villa's Tommy Thompson made their England debuts. Before the match, a demonstration was given by dogs, owned by members of The Cardiff Branch of the British Alsatian Association. In the First Division, Bolton Wanderers returned to the top with a two-one victory over Huddersfield Town. Middlesbrough and Liverpool shared six goals at Ayresome Park, Newcastle beat Chelsea three-one, Stran Mortensen scored twice at Blackpool won at Fulham, West Bromwich Albion hammered Portsmouth five-nil and Spurs had a two-nil victory over Aston Villa. Jimmy Jackson scored four as Notts County won five-one at Everton in the Second Division.
Vernon Sewell's The Black Widow - starring Christine Norden, Robert Ayres and Jennifer Jayne and Herbert Wilcox's The Lady With A Lamp - starring Anna Neagle, Michael Wilding, Felix Aylmer and Gladys Young - premiered.
Come Fill The Cup - starring James Cagney - premiered.
The day of the 1951 General Erection. The Tories won.
William Wellman's Acorss The Wide Missouri - starring Clark Gable, Ricardo Montalban, Maria Elena Marques, Alan Napier and James Whitemore and Frank Launder's Lady Godiva Rides Again - starring Pauline Stroud, Dennis Price, Diana Dors, George Cole, Stanley Holloway and, in her film debut, Joan Collins - premiered.
The TV début of Charlie Caroli on an episode of Turn It Up! Nottingham Forest's three-three draw at Coventry City in the Second Division saw the league debut of Bob McKinlay - the first of six hundred and eighty five games for The Forest in a career that lasted until 1970. In the process he broke Jack Burkitt's appearance record for the club, established in 1962. Forty four goal were scored in eleven First Division matches. Highlights included Arsenal's four-three victory over Fulham, West Bromwich Albion's five-two win at Liverpool, Manchester City's four-two defeat of Charlton and leaders Bolton winning three-one at Chelsea. Sheffield United maintained a four point leader at the top of the Second Division, with a four-two victory over Birmingham City.
Henry Cass's Young Wives' Tale - starring Joan Greenwood, Nigel Patrick, Derek Farr, Guy Middleton, Helen Cherry and Audrey Hepburn - premiered. Arsenal went top of the First Division following a three-nil victory against Middlesbrough. In the Second Division, there was a remarkable game at Filbert Street where Leicester and leaders Sheffield United shared ten goals. Derek Dooley scored five in Sheffield Wednesday's six-nil win over Notts County.
Robert Henryson's Death is A Number - starring Terence Alexander, Lesley Osmond and Denis Webb - premiered.
Harry Watt's Where No Vultures Fly - starring Anthony Steel and Dinah Sheridan - premiered at the Royal Command Performance.
The first episode of Sara Crewe broadcast. William Wyler's Detective Story - starring Kirk Douglas and Derek N Twist's Green Grow The Rushes (aka Brandy Ashore) - starring Richard Burton, Honor Blackman, Roger Livesey, Frederick Leister, Arnold Ridley and John Salew - premiered. Nigel Allan Havers born in Edmonton, Middlesex.
The first of a five test series between India and England at Delhi was drawn. Allan Watkins and Vijay Hazare scored centuries for the visitors and the hosts, respectively. Don Kenyon, Donald Carr, Nigle Howard, Dick Spooner and Fred Ridgway all made their test debuts.
Mervyn LeRoy's Quo Vardis - starring Robert Taylor, Deborah Kerr and Peter Ustinov and Curt Goetz's Das Haus In Montevideo - starring Valerie Von Martens - premiered.
Jonathan Edmund Fulford Turner born in Wanstead.
Forty eight goals were scored in ten First Division matches with only Burley and Sunderland letting the side down with a dull goalless draw. Arsenal beat West Bromwich Albion six-three whilst Blackpool defeat Newcastle by the same score. Derby had a five-nil victory over Fulham and Chelsea won four-two against Manchester United. There were also plenty of goals in the Second Division. Bury thrashed Southampton eight-two, Luton Town defeated Sheffield Wednesday five-three and Sheffield United suffered a shock four-one defeat at home to Bramall Lane.
Roy Boulting's High Treason - starring Liam Redmond, Anthony Bushell and André Morell - premiered.
England beat a strong Northern Ireland team two-nil at Villa Park in the Home International championship. Nat Lofthouse scored both goals. Birmingham City's Gil Merrick, Sheffield Wednesday's Jackie Sewell and Portsmouth's Len Phillips all made their England debuts. Pat Jackson, Anthony Pelissier and Harold French's Encore - starring Nigel Patrick, Roland Culver, Kay Walsh, Noel Purcell, Glynis Johns and Terence Morgan - premiered. The inquest into the death at Whitstable of eighteen-year-old Private William Hazelden of the Royal Sussex Regiment reached a verdict of accidental death. The soldier had run away from his training at Canterbury and was hiding in a haystack when farmer George Foreman shot him in mistake for a fox. The coroner said that it was 'gross negligence' on the part of Foreman in that he did not know the difference between a fox and a grown man and advised him to never use his gun again.
Portsmouth's three-one victory at Manchester United took them to the top of of the First Division, benefitting from Arsenal's two-nil defeat at Newcastle. Third placed Spurs beat Chelsea three-two. Plymouth Argyle were top of the Third Division (South), beating Millwall five-nil.
Irving Rapper's Another Man's Poison - starring Bette Davis, Gary Merrill, Emlyn Williams, Anthony Steel and Barbara Murray - premiered.
George Formby appeared as Roy Plomley's guest on Desert Island Discs.
Sam Fuller's Fixed Bayonets - starring Richard Basehart and featuring the uncredited screen debut of James Dean - premiered.
Robert Z Leonard's Too Young To Kiss - starring June Allyson, Van Johnson and Gig Young, Brian Desmond Hurst's Scrooge - starring Alastair Sim, Mervyn Johns, Hermione Baddeley, Jack Warner, Kathleen Harrison, Michael Hordern and George Cole and Rudolph Mate's When World's Collide premiered.
In the First Round of the FA Cup, Watford won five-nil at Aylesbury, Newport County beat Barry Town four-nil, Workington won five-two at Northern League Blackhall Colliery Welfare, Norwich City had a three-two victory over Northampton Town, Bradford City defeated Carlisle United six-one, Oldham Athletic won four-nil at Nelson, Scunthorpe & Lindsey United thrashed Billingham Symphonia five-nil, Lincoln City won four-two at Crewe Alexandra and Southend United hammered Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic six-one. In an all North Eastern League tie at Croft Park, Blyth Spartans defeated Bishop Auckland two-one. Isthmian League Leytonstone knocked out Third Divison Shrewsbury Town. In the First Division, Doug Reid scored twice as Porsmouth beat Tottneham two-nil. Newcastle United won three-two at Manchester City. Arsenal defeated Bolton Wanderers four-two. Blackpool beat Stoke City four-two.
Charles Terrot's The Angel Who Pawned Her Harp broadcast.
An adaptation of To Live In Peace - featuring the TV début of Arthur Lowe - broadcast.
England drew two-two with Austria at Wembley in a friendly international dubbed 'atch of the century' by the press in the build-up to the game. England led through a Nat Lofthouse header and an Alf Ramsey penalty but Ernst Stojaspal equalised with two minutes remaining. The teams were presented to the Guest of Honour, Jules Rimet, President of FIFA. Three players - two Austrian and one English - were reported to FIFA by the referee, John Mowat, as a result of incidents during the game. Arsenal's Arthur Milton and Manchester City's Ivor Broadis made their England debuts. All of the Austrian side, coached by Walter Nausch, were Vienna-based. North Eastern League Stockton won an FA Cup First Round replay at Third Division Mansfield Town. The body of Mabel Martin was found in a ditch at the side of a road in Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire. She had died following an attempted abortion and her body was then dumped. No one was ever charged over her death.
A translated adaptation of Mencius Was A Bad Boy broadcast - featuring the TV début of Anthony Valentine. Orson Welles's adaptation of Othello premiered.
Michael Anderson's Night Was Our Friend - starring Elizabeth Sellars, Michael Gough, Ronald Howard and Marie Ney - premiered.
Georgie Ptherbridge scored four in Bristol Rovers five-nil defeat of Torquay United in the Third Division (South). Billy Liddell hit three for Liverpool who won three-two at Spurs in the First Division.
JB Priestley's Eden End - featuring Peter Cushing's TV début - broadcast.
Ipswich Town overcame Southern League Merthy Tydfil at the third attempt in an FA Cup replay with a Jimmy Roberts goal.
John Wyndham's The Day Of The Triffids published. Roy Ward Baker's The House In The Square (aka I'll Never Forget You) - starring Tyrone Power, Ann Blyth, Michael Rennie and Dennis Price - premiered. Frankie Laine With Paul Weston & His Orchestra's 'One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)'/'Tomorrow Mountain' released.
First Division leaders Portsmouth drew two-two with Burnley allowing Manchester United (who won three-one at Arsenal) to close the gap at the top to three points. Derby County hammered Bolton Wanderers five-two. Wolves had a four-nil victory over Middlesbrough. Second Division leaders Rotherham lost five-nil at Swansea Town. Sheffield Wednesday won six-nil at West Ham United (Derek Dooley scoring three).
Bradford Park Avenue beat neighbours City three-two in the Second Round of the FA Cup. Cheshire County League Buxton defeated Aldershot four-three. Chester defeated Leyton five-two, Ipswich thrashed Exeter City four-nil and Southend United had a five-nil victory over Oldham. Stockton qualified for the Third Round with a two-one win over Folkstone. First Division leaders Portsmouth lost again, three-one at home to Liverpool. Manchester United beat West Bromwich Albion five-one whilst, in a remarkable game at the Victoria Ground, Newcastle United beat Stoke City five-four.
David Schofield born in Manchester.
Monckton Hoffe's Nocturne In Scotland broadcast. Anthony Kimmins' Mister Denning Drives North - starring John Mills, Phyllis Calvert, Eileen Moore, Sam Wanamaker, Herbert Lom and Raymond Huntley and Maurice Cloche and Ralph Smart's Never Take No For An Answer - starring Denis O'Dea, Guido Celano and Nerio Bernardi - premiered.
Charles Lamont's Flame Of Araby - starring Maureen O'Hara, Jeff Chandler and Lon Chaney Jr - premiered. The second test at Bombay ended in another high-scoring drawn. Vijay Hazare scored one hundred and fifty five for the hosts, Tom Graveney one hundred and seventy five for the tourists.Brian Statham and Vinoo Mankad both took four wickets. Eddie Leadbetter made his test debut.
László Benedek's adaptation of Death Of A Salesman - starring Fredric March - premiered.
Anatole Litvak's Decision Before Dawn and David Bairstow, Gudrun Parker and Roger Blais' Royal Journey premiered.
Eric Bingham's All At Sea broadcast. The highlight of the day's First Division fixtures was Preston North End's five-two win at Middlesbrough. Portsmouth got back to winning ways with a two-nil victory at Chjarlton Athletic. In the Second Division, Sheffield Wednesday went top, with a four-nil defeat of Everton (Derek Dooley scored all four). Third Division (South) leaders Plymouth Argyle won five-two at Walsall.
Wynyard Browne's The Holly & The Ivy broadcast.
Christmas Eve In Trafalgar Square broadcast.
An adaptation of JB Priestley's When We Are Married broadcast. Thirty nine goals were scored in ten First Division matches, the highlight being Newcastle United's four-one victory at Roker Park in the Wear-Tyne derby. Arsenal beat Portsmotuh four-one to go top of the table. In the Third Division (North), Accrington Stanley won five-four at Darlington.
Peter Ling's adaptation of Aladdin broadcast. Those Crazy People The Goons Present Their Pantomime Cinderella broadcast on The Home Service. Alastair Sim In Scrooge broadcast on The Light Programme. John Huston's The African Queen - starring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn - premiered. Ronnie Allen scored three for West Bromwich Albion in their three-two victory over Bolton Wanderers.
Arnold Bennett and Edward Knoblock's Milestones broadcast.
Life Begins At Sixty broadcast.
Raoul Walsh's Distant Drums - starring Gary Cooper and Richard Webb - premiered. From A Seat In The Circle broadcast on The Light Programme. In the First Division Burnley thrashed Middlesbrough seven-one. Bill Holden and Billy Morris both scored hat-tricks. Manchester United were top of the table after a one-nil victory against Bolton Wanderers. Ken Whitfield hit three in Wolves three-nil win over Blackpool. In the Third Division (North) Grimsby Town spanked Halifax eight-one whilst, in the Third Division (South), Norwich City also scored eight, without reply, against Walsall (Roy Hollis scored five).
Puss In Boots On Ice broadcast.
William Wellman's Westward The Women - starring Robert Taylor, Denise Darcel, Hope Emerson and Lenore Lonergan - premiered.
