OCTOBER 21, 1939

SATURDAY
1939 Coca-Cola advertising artwork
$1,000 INVESTED IN COKE STOCK (KO) IN 1939
WOULD HAVE MADE YOU $7,875,940 IN THE 2025 DATASET
Min Wage Hourly$0.30
Median Home Price$4,150.00
Gas Price Avg$0.18
Bread Price Avg$0.09
Movie Ticket Avg$0.30
First Class Stamp$0.03
Milk Price Avg$0.55
Top Movies From 1939
Show screen release and event cards
1 Gone with the Wind
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Gone with the Wind
2 Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
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Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
3 Jesse James
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Jesse James
4 Babes in Arms
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Babes in Arms
5 The Wizard of Oz
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The Wizard of Oz
6 Goodbye, Mr. Chips
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Goodbye, Mr. Chips
7 Dodge City
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Dodge City
8 The Rains Came
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The Rains Came
9 The Women
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The Women
10 Drums Along the Mohawk
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Drums Along the Mohawk
Son of Frankenstein
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Son of Frankenstein
Made for Each Other
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Made for Each Other
Idiot's Delight
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Idiot's Delight
The Oklahoma Kid
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The Oklahoma Kid
Stagecoach
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Stagecoach
Midnight
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Midnight
The Ice Follies of 1939
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The Ice Follies of 1939
The Hound of the Baskervilles
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The Hound of the Baskervilles
They Made Me a Criminal
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They Made Me a Criminal
The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle
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The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle
The Little Princess
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The Little Princess
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
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The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Union Pacific
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Union Pacific
Gunga Din
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Gunga Din
Only Angels Have Wings
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Only Angels Have Wings
Young Mr. Lincoln
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Young Mr. Lincoln
Confessions of a Nazi Spy
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Confessions of a Nazi Spy
Love Affair
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Love Affair
Beau Geste
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Beau Geste
The Man in the Iron Mask
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The Man in the Iron Mask
Five Came Back
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Five Came Back
Each Dawn I Die
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Each Dawn I Die
Bachelor Mother
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Bachelor Mother
Intermezzo: A Love Story
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Intermezzo: A Love Story
The Old Maid
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The Old Maid
Golden Boy
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Golden Boy
In Name Only
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In Name Only
The Three Musketeers
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The Three Musketeers
Dark Victory
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Dark Victory
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
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The Hunchback of Notre Dame
When Tomorrow Comes
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When Tomorrow Comes
On Borrowed Time
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On Borrowed Time
Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation
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Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation
At the Circus
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At the Circus
Angels with Dirty Faces
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Angels with Dirty Faces
A Christmas Carol
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A Christmas Carol
The Dawn Patrol
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The Dawn Patrol
Listen, Darling
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Listen, Darling
Kentucky
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Kentucky

October 21, 1939 Trivia

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Exact-date daily brief

October 21, 1939

On October 21, 1939, the Salvation Army held a poignant ceremony to bid farewell to Count Folke Bernadotte, the Swedish diplomat known for his humanitarian efforts during World War II. Bernadotte played a crucial role in negotiati...

Inventions & Breakthroughs of October 1939

Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.

1 Jet-Powered Aircraft
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Jet-Powered Aircraft
2 Helicopter Practical Design
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Helicopter Practical Design
3 Electronic Digital Computer Prototype
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Electronic Digital Computer Prototype
4 FM Radio Broadcasting Service
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FM Radio Broadcasting Service
5 Fluorescent Light Commercialization
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Fluorescent Light Commercialization
6 Color Film (Kodachrome Improvements)
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Color Film (Kodachrome Improvements)
7 Aircraft Radar System
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Aircraft Radar System
8 Remote Control Device
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Remote Control Device
9 Microwave Oven Concept
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Microwave Oven Concept
10 Automatic Fire Sprinkler Improvements
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Automatic Fire Sprinkler Improvements

The Sounds of

Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year

Headlines From October 21, 1939

Full News Archive

  • Headline: Farewell to Count Bernadotte. Impact: Little did they know, Count Bernadotte's farewell would set off a chain of events leading to the world's obsession with celebrity farewells. Today, we have reality TV stars throwing goodbye parties, complete with confetti cannons and overpriced hors d'oeuvres. Fact: Did you know that Count Bernadotte was also a UN mediator? So, his farewell probably had more impact than your last birthday party.
  • Headline: Consumer Counsel in Milk Row Proposed. Impact: The plea for a consumer counsel kickstarted the long, tiresome journey toward modern consumer protection laws. Who knew that a milk row would eventually lead to the FDA and a million cereal box warnings?. Fact: Fun fact: If you think milk is complicated now, just wait until they start adding kale and chia seeds!.
  • Headline: Doris Amelia Larson's Wedding Day. Impact: The drama of this wedding sparked a long-standing feud that would lead to future family reunions being awkwardly planned around who brings the potato salad. Some say it even inspired a reality show. Fact: Did you know that weddings are supposed to be a happy occasion? Clearly, someone forgot to tell Doris's relatives.
  • Headline: NITA EASLEY IS BRIDE OF JOHN K. PEPPER JR.; Married in Church Ceremony at Morristown, N.J.. Impact: Nita and John’s nuptials set the bar for future couples who thought they could just wing it with their wedding planning. Now, every couple feels the pressure to have a Pinterest-perfect ceremony. Fact: Did you know that marriage is essentially just a legal way to argue about which way the toilet paper should hang?.
  • Headline: Laffoon Leads With 66. Impact: This headline, while seemingly mundane, would eventually inspire a new generation of athletes to take up competitive sports, leading to the invention of extreme sports like competitive hot dog eating. Fact: Did you know that β€˜Laffoon’ sounds like a failed attempt at a circus clown name? You can almost hear the rubber nose squeaking.
  • Headline: STEPHEN J. FERON DIES HERE AT 62; Open Squash Tennis Champion, 1902-14, Had Coachedat Harvard Club 15 YearsBEGAN HIS CAREER IN 1898 Was Assistant Professional atRacquet and Tennis Club--Owned Sports Goods Store. Impact: The loss of Stephen J. Feron marked the decline of squash's popularity, which ultimately led to the rise of other sports, including pickleball. The world is still recovering from that decision. Fact: Did you know that squash is actually a fruit? So, in a way, Feron was the champion of fruit as well as sports!.
  • Headline: World's Fair Aspires to the Title of 'People's Playground' Next Year; 1940 FAIR TO PUT EMPHASIS ON FUN Livelier Shows at Cheaper Rates and Numerous Free Features Are Planned VETERAN SHOWMEN AIDING Aviation Exhibit to Return-- Sun Valley Area Will Be Expanded by One-third To Study Plans This Winter Aviation Exhibit Returning. Impact: The aspiration for a 'People's Playground' led to the evolution of amusement parks and fairs, where people now spend hundreds to win stuffed animals that cost less than the ticket price. Fact: Did you know that the term 'People's Playground' was later co-opted by every single theme park? Guess they all wanted a piece of the fun pie!.
  • Headline: GET RUMANIAN AIR AWARD; Jacqueline Cochran and F.B. Odlum Honored for Their Aid. Impact: This award sparked a wave of aviation enthusiasm, leading to a future where everyone believes they can become a pilot, thanks to flight simulators and YouTube tutorials. Fact: Did you know that Jacqueline Cochran was a record-setting pilot? So, basically, she was the original 'Top Gun' before it was cool.
  • Headline: CIVILIANS TO GET 60 POLICE POSTS; 40 Will Replace Sergeants on Telephone Service and 20 Will Work as Clerks. Impact: The civilianization of police positions opened the door for future bureaucratic nightmares, paving the way for endless paperwork and the phrase 'just let me talk to a manager.'. Fact: Did you know that this decision was the precursor to every time you've had to explain your problem to a customer service representative? Thanks, 1940!.

Wall Street Time Machine

The Right Call: A historical $1,000 investment comparison using the stored long-range dataset.
Rank #1
JNJ
Johnson & Johnson
Price in 1939
$0.06
Stored value
$3,433,942

Johnson & Johnson - If you invested $1,000 in 1939, it would be worth $3,433,942 today (3433.9x return)

Rank #2
PG
Procter & Gamble
Price in 1939
$0.25
Stored value
$586,657

Procter & Gamble - If you invested $1,000 in 1939, it would be worth $586,657 today (586.7x return)

Rank #3
CVX
Chevron
Price in 1939
$0.31
Stored value
$474,913

Chevron - If you invested $1,000 in 1939, it would be worth $474,913 today (474.9x return)

🦸 Top 5 Comics
Action Comics #10
Action Comics #10
$1,100
Detective Comics #27
Detective Comics #27
$3,000,000
Marvel Comics #1
Marvel Comics #1
$200,000
All-American Comics #1
All-American Comics #1
$150,000
Adventure Comics #40
Adventure Comics #40
$3,000
🧸 Top 5 Toys
View-Master
View-Master
$40.00
Little Golden Books
Little Golden Books
$300.00
The Game of Cootie
The Game of Cootie
$50.00
Tinkertoy Joy Boy and Joy Girl Sets
Tinkertoy Joy Boy and Joy Girl Sets
$150.00
Buck Rogers Atomic Pistol
Buck Rogers Atomic Pistol
$1,200.00
⚾ Notable Trading Cards
W.D. & H.O. Wills 'Life in the Tree Tops'
W.D. & H.O. Wills 'Life in the Tree Tops'
$236.61
Churchman's 'Treasure Trove'
Churchman's 'Treasure Trove'
$492,000
Cadet Suite Collection 'World Wonders'
Cadet Suite Collection 'World Wonders'
$0
Players Cigarettes 'Cycling 1939'
Players Cigarettes 'Cycling 1939'
$10.00