1936

What Was Happening in 1936

Abdication, Berlin Olympics, and Spanish Civil War — a year of dramatic upheaval and ominous portents.

Born in

Number 1 Songs in 1936 — UK and US Charts

UK #1

"These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You)"

Carroll Gibbons and the Savoy Hotel Orpheans

This bittersweet ballad became one of the most recorded standards of the era. Carroll Gibbons' elegant arrangement from the Savoy Hotel captured the romantic sophistication of 1930s London.

US #1

"The Way You Look Tonight"

Fred Astaire

Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields' Oscar-winning song from the film Swing Time became one of the greatest romantic ballads of the decade. Astaire's effortlessly charming vocal defined the song for a generation.

Biggest Films of 1936 — Box Office Hits

San Francisco

Box Office: $5.3 million

This MGM disaster spectacle starring Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, and Jeanette MacDonald climaxed with a stunning recreation of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. It was the highest-grossing film of 1936 and showcased the studio's technical prowess.

Fashion and Style of 1936

Fashion, clothing and visual culture from the era

Architecture and Buildings of 1936

Buildings completed and structures opened in 1936

More About 1936

What Was Happening — A journey through the years