The 2026 Winter Olympics will call both Milan and Cortina home. It’s the first time in Olympic history, winter or summer, that two cities officially are assuming host duties. Cortina d'Ampezzo, however, is no stranger to the global spotlight.
The resort town was the site of the Winter Games 70 years ago when skis were longer, TVs were chunkier and the internet was just a twinkle in the world’s collective eye.
Join us in a Ford Thunderbird as we drive back in time to see what was happening in sports, politics, culture, style and more in 1956.
Sports & Olympics
Who won the World Series in 1956?
The New York Yankees defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers in seven games to win the World Series. The series is best remembered for Yankees’ pitcher Don Larsen throwing a perfect game — a feat no one else before or since has accomplished.
How much did tickets to a baseball game cost?
To watch Larsen pitch his perfect game in the World Series, a fan had to pay approximately $7.35 for a ticket. Throw in an extra $0.55 or so, they also could get a beer and a hot dog. In 2024, the average ticket price of a New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Dodgers World Series game was around $1,700 on the secondary market.
Who won the Super Bowl?
Trick question. The first Super Bowl occurred in 1967. In 1956, the New York Giants won the NFL championship.
Who won the NBA championship?
The Philadelphia Warriors defeated the Fort Wayne Pistons four games to one in the NBA Finals. A few weeks later, a player named Bill Russell was drafted by the St. Louis Hawks with the third overall pick and traded to the Boston Celtics prior to the start of the following season.
Who won the NHL Stanley Cup?
The Montreal Canadiens won the Stanley Cup, knocking off the Detroit Red Wings in five games. This wound up being the start of a dynasty for the Canadiens, who won the Cup the next four years in a row. Today, the franchise holds the NHL record for most Cup victories with 24.
How many sports were played during the 1956 Winter Olympics?
8: Alpine skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, speed skating, bobsled, cross-country skiing, ski jumping and Nordic combined. At the 2026 Games, 16 sports will be played.
How many nations competed in the Winter Olympics?
32. At the 2026 Milan Cortina Games, more than 90 nations are expected to compete.
Who took the Olympic oath?
Giuliana Chenal-Minuzzo, an Italian Alpine skier, took the Olympic oath at the Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, becoming the first woman ever to do so.
Who was the final torchbearer?
Guido Caroli, an Italian speed skater, was the final torchbearer. Before he lit the cauldron at Olympic Stadium in Cortina, he tripped on a cable and almost accidentally extinguished the flame.
Could Americans watch the Winter Olympics on TV?
Yes! 1956 was the first year people were able to watch the Winter Olympics on TV in the United States (and in North America, at large). However, fans watched the action on tape delay, as broadcast satellites did not yet exist, which meant that recordings of the events had to be shipped to the U.S.
Were all of the Olympic sports played outside?
Yes, and that includes figure skating! In fact, the 1956 Games were the last time figure skating events were held outdoors at the Winter Olympics.
Who were the standout competitors?
The legendary Austrian skier Toni Sailer swept all three Alpine events (downhill, slalom and giant slalom), becoming the first athlete ever to win all available gold medals in the sport. In figure skating, the U.S. men won gold, silver and bronze medals. Tenley Albright (USA) claimed gold in figure skating on the women’s side. The USSR finished the Games with the highest medal count (16).
Economics
What was the average family income in 1956?
The average income for families was estimated at $4,800 a year.
What was the minimum wage?
The U.S. federal minimum wage was $1.
What was the average cost of a house in the U.S.?
The average cost of a house in the U.S. approximately was $9,550.
What was the average cost of a New York City apartment?
Renters in New York City paid an average of $60 per month.
Did anything major happen on Wall Street?
Ford Motor Company went public on Jan. 17, 1956, with the largest initial public offering in American history at the time.
What was the most popular car?
According to sales numbers, the most popular car was the Chevrolet Bel Air in 1956 — right around the time the modern seatbelt was invented.
Politics
Who was the U.S. president in 1956?
Dwight Eisenhower was the 34th president and served from 1953 to 1961.
What developments in the Civil Rights Movement occurred?
Martin Luther King Jr. led the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Activists protested that the segregated Alabama bus system was unconstitutional.
Was there a significant conflict going on?
The Vietnam War officially started in 1955 and continued until 1975.
Was there an important law enacted?
The U.S. government passed the Federal-Aid Highway Act in 1965, which provided billions of dollars to construct the U.S. Interstate Highway system.
What was the size of the global population?
The global population was approximately 2.7 billion people. In the U.S., there were roughly 169 million people. Compare that to over eight billion globally and 340 million nationally today.
Food
How much did milk cost in 1956?
Milk approximately was 97 cents a gallon in 1956.
What was the cost of bread?
A loaf of bread was around 18 cents.
What was the price of eggs?
A dozen eggs cost roughly 45 cents.
What was a popular everyday dinner meal?
Approximately 13 million TV dinners were sold in 1956 by Swanson. They were easy to heat and serve quickly in front of the newly minted color TVs in family living rooms.
Did any popular restaurants open?
The now food-court-staple Sbarro started serving up pizza in Brooklyn, NY in 1956. While not a restaurant, the first Mister Softee truck hit the streets in 1956 in Philadelphia, PA. The company now operates 625 trucks in 18 states.
Tech & Science
What technology was invented in 1956?
The television remote control, video tape recorder and IBM's first hard disc drive (essential for computer storage and operation) were among the significant inventions in 1956.
Without the internet, how did people shop?
The first fully enclosed shopping mall in the U.S. opened in Edina, MN on Oct. 8, 1956.
Was television displayed in color yet?
NBC debuted its now-famous peacock logo to promote the network's new color programming, which included the famous voiceover “The following program is brought to you in living color on NBC.”
Were there any new findings in the animal world?
Coco became the first gorilla born in captivity on Dec. 22, 1956, at the Columbus Zoo in Ohio.
Were any new personal products introduced?
The first lint roller, the Lint Pic-Up, was invented by Nicholas McKay, Sr.
Were there any updates to everyday home devices?
Yes! The first snooze alarm clock was introduced by General Electric-Telechron in 1956 called the “Snooz-Alarm."
Were there any new innovative concepts developed?
The field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) reportedly was first founded at a 1956 Dartmouth College summer workshop. Scientists and researchers came together to discuss the concept of machines performing tasks typically reserved for humans.
Arts & Culture
How much did a movie ticket cost in 1956?
An average movie theater ticket cost around $0.59, which is up from about $0.42 a decade earlier.
What was the number one box office film?
"The 10 Commandments" earned an estimated $85 million. The film was based on the Bible’s Book of Exodus and starred Oscar winning actor Charlton Heston, who played Moses. For reference, "Wicked," the third-highest grossing movie of 2024 domestically, earned over $473 million.
What were the most watched TV shows?
According to Nielsen, the most watched TV shows included "I Love Lucy," "The Ed Sullivan Show" and "General Electric Theater." Ronald Reagan, the actor and future president, hosted "General Electric Theater."
What song topped the charts?
“Heartbreak Hotel,” a song by then 21-year-old Elvis Presley, topped Billboard magazine’s year-end charts. The second song on the charts? “Don’t Be Cruel,” also by Presley.
What dances were popular?
In the 1950s, the golden era of swing was in full…er…swing. The jitterbug, boogie-woogie, and hand jive all were popular dances. The mambo, a Cuban precursor to the salsa, also made its way to the States.
What was the hottest toy?
Originally introduced in the 1930s as a wallpaper cleaner, Play-Doh was re-released in 1956 as a colorful children’s putty to wide appeal. Yahtzee, Mr. Potato Head, Matchbox cars and the frisbee all were invented in the ‘50s and quickly became popular, as well.
What were popular slang words of the time?
- Bash: A fun party
- Pad: A person’s home
- Cool: Excellent or fashionable
- Cruisin’ for a bruisin’: Looking for trouble
- Squaresville: A place or situation that is uncool
- Backseat bingo: Intimate activities taking place in the backseat of a car
What famous people were born this year?
Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Carrie Fisher, Geena Davis and Joe Montana all were ‘56 babies.
Who were prominent visual artists?
American painter Jackson Pollock was a highly-influential artist of the Abstract Expressionism movement, which started in the 1940s. The same can be said about Willem de Kooning. Surrealists like Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse, who rose to fame in the early 1900s, still were revered around the world in the ‘50s.
What classic books were released?
J.D. Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye" (1951), Ralph Ellison’s "Invisible Man" (1952), E.B. White’s "Charlotte’s Web" (1952), Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451" (1953), William Golding's "Lord of the Flies" (1954), and J.R.R. Tolkien’s "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy (1954-1955).
Style
Was there a royal wedding?
Yes! Movie star Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier of Monaco and wore a lace wedding dress designed by Helen Rose. The royal wedding was viewed by over 30 million people on TV.
What clothing styles were popular?
For women, elegant silhouette styles dominated the couture of the 1950s — the "New Look" first was introduced by Christian Dior in 1947. For men, actors Marlon Brando and James Dean popularized the plain white t-shirt and jeans-look that's still a staple today. For formal attire, men leaned toward slimmer, straighter suits.
Did discount clothing exist?
Cousins Louis and Shaol Pozez established Pay-Less National (which later became Payless shoes), as a self-service way to buy discount footwear. The first shop opened in Topeka, KS in 1956.
Did Broadway influence fashion?
The Broadway musical "My Fair Lady" opened in New York City in 1956 and starred Julie Andrews. Vogue magazine's Cecil Beaton designed the show's glamourous costumes that went on to influence fashion to present day. The Edwardian style included Ascot gowns and hats, luxurious lace and silky fabrics and tailcoats and top hats for men.