MAY 4, 1942

MONDAY
1942 Coca-Cola advertising artwork
$1,000 INVESTED IN COKE STOCK (KO) IN 1942
WOULD HAVE MADE YOU $8,968,676 IN THE 2025 DATASET
Min Wage Hourly$0.39
Median Home Price$4,680.00
Gas Price Avg$0.20
Bread Price Avg$0.10
Movie Ticket Avg$0.33
First Class Stamp$0.03
Milk Price Avg$0.61
Top Movies From 1942
Show screen release and event cards
1 Mrs. Miniver
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Mrs. Miniver
2 Random Harvest
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Random Harvest
3 Yankee Doodle Dandy
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Yankee Doodle Dandy
4 Reap the Wild Wind
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Reap the Wild Wind
5 Road to Morocco
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Road to Morocco
6 Holiday Inn
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Holiday Inn
7 Wake Island
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Wake Island
8 The Pride of the Yankees
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The Pride of the Yankees
9 Kings Row
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Kings Row
10 For Me and My Gal
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For Me and My Gal
The Man Who Came to Dinner
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The Man Who Came to Dinner
To Be or Not to Be
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To Be or Not to Be
Woman of the Year
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Woman of the Year
The Male Animal
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The Male Animal
My Favorite Blonde
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My Favorite Blonde
Saboteur
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Saboteur
Larceny, Inc.
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Larceny, Inc.
The Ghost of Frankenstein
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The Ghost of Frankenstein
The Jungle Book
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The Jungle Book
Tarzan's New York Adventure
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Tarzan's New York Adventure
The Maltese Falcon
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The Maltese Falcon
Citizen Kane
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Citizen Kane
The Wolf Man
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The Wolf Man
Suspicion
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Suspicion
Dumbo
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Dumbo
Sullivan's Travels
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Sullivan's Travels
Ball of Fire
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Ball of Fire
Shadow of the Thin Man
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Shadow of the Thin Man
Hellzapoppin'
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Hellzapoppin'

May 4, 1942 Trivia

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Exact-date daily brief

May 4, 1942

On May 4, 1942, the theatrical world faced a significant shift as performances were interrupted due to ongoing global conflicts. The murder play 'The Walking Gentleman,' which featured prominent actors Arlene Francis, Francen, and...

Inventions & Breakthroughs of May 1942

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

1 Atomic Reactor (Chicago Pile-1)
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Atomic Reactor (Chicago Pile-1)
2 Electronic Countermeasures Systems
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Electronic Countermeasures Systems
3 Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus
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Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus
4 Modern Rocket Engine
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Modern Rocket Engine
5 High-Altitude Pressure Suit
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High-Altitude Pressure Suit
6 Amphibious Landing Craft
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Amphibious Landing Craft
7 Synthetic Rubber (GR-S)
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Synthetic Rubber (GR-S)
8 Automatic Analog Computer
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Automatic Analog Computer
9 Magnetic Mine Detection
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Magnetic Mine Detection
10 Portable Field Radio
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Portable Field Radio

The Sounds of

Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year

Headlines From May 4, 1942

Full News Archive

  • Headline: Murder Play Opens at Belasco Theatre. Impact: If only 'The Walking Gentleman' had been a hit, perhaps Broadway would have skipped the era of jukebox musicals. Imagine a world where 'Mamma Mia!' never existed and we were all spared the agony of ABBA's greatest hits on repeat!. Fact: Arlene Francis, famous for her wit, once said that if she had a dollar for every time she was mistaken for a mannequin, she'd have enough to fund a Broadway revival!.
  • Headline: Essence of Religion Explored by Dr. Merrill. Impact: Dr. Merrill's sermon likely inspired countless people to find their own personal versions of spirituality, leading to an explosion of self-help books and meditation apps. Who knew the words 'O God, Thou Art My God' would eventually lead to the rise of yoga pants as a fashion staple?. Fact: Fun fact: the phrase 'O God, Thou Art My God' is also the title of a very intense coffee brand. Who needs caffeine when you have divine inspiration?.
  • Headline: Soldiers Embraced as 'Home Folk'. Impact: The 'adoption' of soldiers as home folk not only lifted spirits during wartime but also set the stage for the future concept of 'emotional support animals.' Now, instead of a soldier, you can just adopt a cat and call it 'support.'. Fact: Mrs. R R Buigy was ahead of her time! If she were around today, she'd probably be running a popular reality show about adopting soldiers and giving them makeovers.
  • Headline: Gifts to Russian Religious Group. Impact: The gifts to the Russian Religious Group probably did wonders for international relations. Who knew that a little kindness could lead to a decades-long cold war? It's like giving your frenemy a birthday gift and then wondering why they still don't invite you to parties. Fact: Bishop H S G Tucker was once rumored to be the first person to successfully deliver a sermon without putting anyone to sleep. A true miracle worker!.
  • Headline: COMMUNITY SINGS TO HELP ROUT AXIS; That's the Goal of Series to Start Here on Friday. Impact: This community sing was likely the first step towards karaoke night, which has since led to many regrettable decisions made by people who think they can sing after a few drinks. Thanks a lot, Axis!. Fact: If you think community sings are a new thing, think again! They’ve been around longer than the idea of singing in the shower, which is also a community eventβ€”at least for the neighbors!.
  • Headline: ST. HELENA'S CHURCH IN BRONX DEDICATED; Archbishop Spellman Blesses New Buildings Near Parkchester. Impact: The dedication of St. Helena's Church might have inspired countless other communities to build their own places of worship. Just think, if they hadn't, we'd be missing out on all those awkward potluck dinners!. Fact: Archbishop Spellman was known for his impressive collection of church hats. He could probably have opened a millinery shop if the whole church thing didn’t work out!.
  • Headline: THE FALL OF MANDALAY. Impact: The fall of Mandalay marked a pivotal moment in WWII, leading to a series of strategic moves that forever changed the map of Asia. If only they had invested in real estate instead!. Fact: Mandalay is often associated with the famous poem 'The Road to Mandalay.' Spoiler alert: it's not a road; it's an emotional journey filled with regret and bad decisions.
  • Headline: HENRY STRYBING SR.; Commanded Sub-Chaser in First World Warm3 Sons in Marines. Impact: Henry Strybing Sr.'s command of a sub-chaser during WWI likely inspired future generations to pursue careers in the military, leading to an influx of action movies and a whole new genre of 'dad' films. Fact: Strybing's sons in the Marines were probably the original 'Cool Dad' trio before it was a thing. They could have had their own reality showβ€”'Marines and Their Dads!'.

Wall Street Time Machine

The Right Call: A historical $1,000 investment comparison using the stored long-range dataset.
Rank #1
KMB
Kimberly-Clark
Price in 1942
$0.69
Stored value
$147,887

Kimberly-Clark - If you invested $1,000 in 1942, it would be worth $147,887 today (147.9x return)

Rank #3
CVX
Chevron
Price in 1942
$0.31
Stored value
$474,914

Chevron - If you invested $1,000 in 1942, it would be worth $474,914 today (474.9x return)

🦸 Top 5 Comics
Wonder Woman #1
Wonder Woman #1
$25,000
All Star Comics #11
All Star Comics #11
$3,000
Captain America Comics #13
Captain America Comics #13
$20,000
Hit Comics #27
Hit Comics #27
$10,200
Detective Comics #66
Detective Comics #66
$1,500
🧸 Top 5 Toys
Inflatable Airplane
Inflatable Airplane
$120.00
Tin Soldiers
Tin Soldiers
$75.00
Simple Wooden Blocks
Simple Wooden Blocks
$75.00
Yo-Yo
Yo-Yo
$1350.00
Silhouette Jigsaw Puzzles
Silhouette Jigsaw Puzzles
$25.00
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
War Gum (1942)
War Gum (1942)
$2,000
Gill'S Cigarette Cards - Military Series
Gill'S Cigarette Cards - Military Series
$20
British Wartime Stamps
British Wartime Stamps
$10,000,000
Canada War Savings Stamps
Canada War Savings Stamps
$2,000
Ration Card Series
Ration Card Series
$1,000