The year 1955 in film involved some significant events.
Top-grossing films (U.S.)
The top-grossing hits of 1955 in the United States.
Top-grossing films by country
The highest-grossing 1955 films from countries outside of North America.
Events
January 7 – U.K. release of the Halas and Batchelor film animation of George Orwell's Animal Farm (completed April 1954), the first full-length British-made animated feature on general theatrical release. February 24 - 12th Golden Globe Awards announced: On The Waterfront, Marlon Brando, & Judy Garland win March 18 – The film adaptation of Evan Hunter's novel Blackboard Jungle previews in New York City, featuring the single "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley & His Comets over the opening credits, the first use of a rock and roll song in a major film. Teenagers jump from their seats to dance to it. June 1 – Premiere of Billy Wilder's film of The Seven Year Itch featuring an iconic scene of Marilyn Monroe standing on a New York City Subway grating as her white dress is blown above her knees. June 16 – Lady and the Tramp, the Walt Disney company's 15th animated film, premieres in Chicago, the first animated feature filmed in the CinemaScope widescreen process. Peggy Lee co-writes and sings the songs. June 27 – The last Republic serial, King of the Carnival, is released. July 18 – Disneyland opens to the public in Anaheim, California. September 30 – American actor James Dean dies in an automobile collision near Cholame, California, age 24. On October 27, the film Rebel Without a Cause, in which he stars, is released. October 11 – Theatrical release in the United States of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical film Oklahoma!, the first feature photographed in the Todd-AO 70 mm widescreen process. November 3 – The musical film Guys and Dolls, starring Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra, is premiered in New York City. November 22 – The death of Shemp Howard requires use of a Fake Shemp to complete The Three Stooges films which he has commenced. December – United Artists quit the Motion Picture Association of America over the decision to deny The Man With the Golden Arm a Production Code seal. December 7 – The film Picnic starring William Holden and Kim Novak is released.
Awards
1955 film releases
January–March
January 1955
January 1
Young at Heart
January 26
The Violent Men
January 29
The Americano
January 31
Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops
February 1955
February 2
Battle Cry
February 8
Cinerama Holiday
March 1955
March 1
Untamed
March 4
Hit the Deck
March 20
Blackboard Jungle
March 23
Revenge of the Creature
March 24
The Glass Slipper
March 25
Strategic Air Command
April–June
April 1955
A Man Called Peter
April 10
East of Eden
Marty
April 13
Rififi (France) April 20 Violent Saturday April 24 Godzilla Raids Again (Japan) May 1955 May 6 The Prodigal May 11 Bride of the Monster May 25 Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier May 30 Cult of the Cobra June 1955 June 1 Son of Sinbad June 3 The Seven Year Itch June 4 The Sea Chase June 10 5 Against the House This Island Earth June 15 The Beast with a Million Eyes June 17 King Dinosaur June 22 Lady and the Tramp Land of the Pharaohs June 23 Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy Date unknown Footsteps in the Fog
July–September
July 1955
July 7
We're No Angels
July 13
Foxfire
July 22
How to Be Very, Very Popular
The Night of the Hunter
July 30
Mister Roberts
Pete Kelly's Blues
Dates Unknown
Not as a Stranger
It Came From Beneath the Sea
August 1955
August 3
To Catch a Thief
August 5
Journey to the Beginning of Time
The King's Thief
August 14
Half Human (Japan) August 17 To Hell and Back August 25 You're Never Too Young August 26 The Quatermass Xperiment September 1955 September 22 The Tall Men September 30 The Trouble with Harry