177 Fun Facts About 1970s

Which musical group had a major hit with the soundtrack for the 1977 film *Saturday Night Fever*?

The Bee Gees wrote and performed the soundtrack's biggest hits, including 'Stayin' Alive' and 'Night Fever'; the album topped the Billboard 200 for 24 weeks in 1978.

Who directed the 1971 crime thriller *The French Connection*?

William Friedkin won an Academy Award for Best Director for *The French Connection*, a film recognized for its gritty realism and iconic car chase scene.

In what year did the Watergate break-in at Democratic headquarters occur?

The break-in at the Watergate complex happened on June 17, 1972; the burglars were tied to Nixon's re-election campaign, and the cover-up forced his resignation in August 1974.

In what year were the twin Voyager probes launched?

The timing exploited a rare planetary alignment that let one probe swing past Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune; both craft are now in interstellar space.

Which 3D combination puzzle did a Hungarian architecture professor invent in 1974?

The Rubik's Cube, originally called the 'Magic Cube,' was invented by Ernő Rubik in 1974 as a teaching tool for three-dimensional geometry.

Who directed One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975), which won five Oscars including Best Picture?

Miloš Forman directed it; the film swept the 'Big Five' Oscars (Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, Adapted Screenplay), the first to do so since It Happened One Night in 1934.

The Apollo 13 mission, famous for its in-flight emergency, launched in what year?

The Apollo 13 mission launched on April 11, 1970, and despite an oxygen tank explosion, the crew safely returned to Earth.

In what year was Apple Computer Company co-founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne?

Apple Computer Company was founded on April 1, 1976, by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne, initially to market Wozniak's Apple I desktop computer.

Which film starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John was the highest-grossing film of 1978?

Grease, released in June 1978 with Travolta as Danny and Newton-John as Sandy, was the year's top-grossing film in the US and the highest-grossing movie musical to that point.

What is the period of widespread UK strikes between late 1978 and early 1979 famously called?

The 'Winter of Discontent' refers to the period between late September 1978 and February 1979 in the UK, characterized by widespread strikes protesting wage limits set by the Labour government.

Which 1977 Fleetwood Mac album features 'Go Your Own Way' and 'Dreams'?

Rumours, recorded as the McVies and Buckingham and Nicks were splitting up, won Album of the Year at the 1978 Grammys and spent 31 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

Who directed the acclaimed 1972 crime drama 'The Godfather,' based on Mario Puzo's novel?

Francis Ford Coppola directed 'The Godfather,' which was released in 1972. The film, starring Marlon Brando and Al Pacino, is considered one of the greatest and most influential films ever made.

Which US president resigned on 9 August 1974, the only one ever to do so, amid the Watergate scandal?

Richard Nixon resigned amid an impeachment process over his administration's involvement in the Watergate scandal.

Which soul singer released What's Going On, his eleventh studio album, on Motown's Tamla label in May 1971?

Marvin Gaye's title track was initially resisted by Motown boss Berry Gordy as too political; the album has since topped Rolling Stone's list of the greatest of all time.

Which Japanese company released the arcade hit Space Invaders in 1978?

Designer Tomohiro Nishikado went uncredited at first because anonymity was written into his contract; Midway handled the game's overseas release.

In what year did the Kent State shootings, a tragic event during Vietnam War protests, occur?

The Kent State shootings occurred on May 4, 1970, when the Ohio National Guard opened fire on unarmed college students during a rally against the Vietnam War and the U.S. invasion of Cambodia.

The Eagles released their highly successful album 'Hotel California' in which year?

It came out on December 8, 1976 on vinyl, cassette and 8-track, the first Eagles album with Joe Walsh in the line-up.

Which long-running series set during the Korean War premiered in 1972?

M*A*S*H, set at the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, ran 11 seasons from 1972 to 1983; its finale drew about 106 million US viewers, a record for a scripted episode.

The famous boxing match known as 'The Rumble in the Jungle' featured Muhammad Ali against which opponent?

Ali beat George Foreman by eighth-round knockout in Kinshasa, Zaire, on 30 October 1974, using his rope-a-dope tactic to exhaust the heavily favoured champion.

Who served as the 39th President of the United States from 1977 to 1981?

Jimmy Carter, a Democrat, served as the 39th President from January 20, 1977, to January 20, 1981, after defeating incumbent Gerald Ford in the 1976 election.

'Bohemian Rhapsody' by Queen, a groundbreaking rock anthem, was released on which album in 1975?

'Bohemian Rhapsody' appeared on A Night at the Opera (November 1975), its title taken from a Marx Brothers film; the single ran nearly six minutes and spent nine weeks at UK number one.

Which science fiction epic, directed by George Lucas, first premiered in 1977?

Star Wars opened on 25 May 1977 and quickly became a surprise blockbuster; the 'Episode IV – A New Hope' subtitle was added later.

What fashion item, characterized by a flare from the knee down, was a defining trend of the 1970s?

They began as sailors' wear; the Royal Navy kept true bell-bottoms in its 'square rig' uniform until 1977, when it switched to conventional flares.

What is the 1973 shock called in which OAPEC's embargo during the Yom Kippur War quadrupled a key commodity's price?

The oil crisis took a barrel from about $3 to nearly $12 by the time the embargo was lifted in March 1974, and the shortage sparked the US gas-guzzler backlash.

Which Swedish pop group had 1970s hits 'Dancing Queen' and 'Waterloo'?

ABBA won the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest for Sweden with 'Waterloo'; 'Dancing Queen' topped the US Billboard Hot 100 in April 1977, the group's only American number one.

What groundbreaking computer, often considered the first personal computer, was introduced in 1975?

The Altair 8800, introduced in 1975, is widely recognized as the spark that ignited the personal computer revolution, inspiring many early computer enthusiasts and entrepreneurs.

Which Queens-set American sitcom explored social and political issues through Archie Bunker?

'All in the Family,' which aired from 1971 to 1979, was a groundbreaking sitcom known for tackling controversial social and political themes through the perspective of its bigoted but lovable patriarch, Archie Bunker.

Which glam rock musician released 'Ziggy Stardust' and 'Aladdin Sane' in the early 1970s?

He lived as Ziggy Stardust on stage through 1972 and 1973, the years the two albums came out, at the height of early-1970s glam.

Which 1975 Steven Spielberg film is regarded as the prototypical summer blockbuster?

Jaws opened on 20 June 1975 with a then-unusual wide release backed by TV advertising and became the first film to gross $100 million at the US box office.

Which famous discotheque in New York City became synonymous with 1970s nightlife and celebrity culture?

Studio 54, which opened in 1977, was a legendary New York City nightclub that became the epicenter of disco and celebrity culture in the late 1970s, known for its exclusivity and extravagant parties.

The first modern Lego minifigures with movable arms and legs appeared in which year?

More than four billion had been produced by 2020, and the classic smiling yellow face went unchanged until the late 1980s.

In which decade did punk rock rise?

By the mid-1970s the label covered scenes from the Ramones and Television in New York to the Sex Pistols and the Clash in England and the Saints in Australia.

Before becoming President, Jimmy Carter served as the governor of which U.S. state?

Before his presidency, Jimmy Carter served as the 76th Governor of Georgia from 1971 to 1975, where he gained a reputation as a progressive leader.

Which brand of portable cassette player did Sony introduce in 1979, making music listening personal and portable?

Sony launched the Walkman TPS-L2 in Japan on 1 July 1979; the blue-and-silver cassette player had two headphone jacks and no recording function.

In what year did the miniseries 'Roots' first air?

ABC ran all eight episodes on consecutive nights in January because nervous executives wanted to limit predicted losses; instead it drew record audiences.

Which legendary martial artist and actor passed away in 1973, becoming a global icon?

Bruce Lee, the influential martial artist and actor, died tragically in 1973 at the age of 32. His films, such as 'Enter the Dragon,' posthumously elevated him to legendary status worldwide.

What 1979 film, directed by Ridley Scott, redefined the science fiction horror genre?

Ridley Scott's 'Alien,' released in 1979, became a landmark film in the science fiction and horror genres, known for its suspenseful atmosphere and terrifying creature design.

Which Swede won five consecutive Wimbledon singles titles between 1976 and 1980?

Björn Borg won Wimbledon every year from 1976 to 1980, beating John McEnroe in the 1980 final; he also won six French Opens and retired at 26 with eleven major titles.

Which toy, popular in the 1970s, makes glowing pictures from coloured pegs in a light box?

Lite-Brite, designed at Marvin Glass and Associates and sold by Hasbro from 1967, was a staple of 1970s toy shelves; the pegs glow when a bulb lights the box from behind.

In which year was 'Led Zeppelin IV', featuring 'Stairway to Heaven', released?

Released on 8 November 1971, the album commonly called 'Led Zeppelin IV' or 'Zoso' carries many of the band's most famous songs, including 'Stairway to Heaven'.

Which 1973 Kenner doll could be spoon-fed food packets and then needed its diaper changed?

Baby Alive, launched by Kenner in 1973, chewed when a lever on its back was pressed; Hasbro revived the brand in 2006 with a talking version.

The 1978 US Energy Tax Act added a levy on new cars that failed what standard?

The Energy Tax Act of 1978 imposed the gas guzzler tax on new cars whose fuel economy fell below a set miles-per-gallon threshold; trucks were exempt, and rates rose through the 1980s.

Which Pink Floyd album, the band's eighth and famous for its prism cover art, was released in March 1973?

The Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd's eighth studio album, came out in March 1973 and became one of the best-selling and most acclaimed albums of all time.

Which 1970s Ronald Neame disaster film trapped passengers on a capsized luxury liner?

The Poseidon Adventure (1972), directed by Ronald Neame, follows survivors climbing through an overturned liner; it won the Oscar for Best Original Song, 'The Morning After', and kicked off the disaster-movie boom.

Which 29-year-old beat 55-year-old Bobby Riggs in the 1973 'Battle of the Sexes'?

Riggs had beaten Margaret Court months earlier in the so-called Mother's Day Massacre, which is why King agreed to play him.

What popular 1970s arcade game involved a player controlling a paddle to hit a ball back and forth?

Pong, built by Allan Alcorn as a training exercise set by Nolan Bushnell, was released by Atari in 1972 and became the first commercially successful arcade video game.

Where was the 1973 'Battle of the Sexes' between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs played?

The match was played at the Houston Astrodome on 20 September 1973 before 30,472 spectators; King took the $100,000 winner-takes-all prize in straight sets, 6–4, 6–3, 6–3.

In which year did the Iranian Revolution overthrow the monarchy and establish an Islamic republic?

The Shah left Iran in January 1979 and Ayatollah Khomeini returned from exile on 1 February 1979; a referendum declared the Islamic Republic on 1 April that year.

Which influential TV sketch comedy show, known for launching many comedic careers, premiered in 1975?

Saturday Night Live (originally 'NBC's Saturday Night') premiered on October 11, 1975. The live sketch comedy show quickly became a cultural touchstone and a launching pad for many famous comedians.

Which Stevie Wonder double album of 1976 won Album of the Year at the Grammys?

Songs in the Key of Life, a double album with a bonus EP released in September 1976, won Album of the Year at the 1977 Grammys, Wonder's third such award in four years.

Which country ranked as the world's second-largest economy throughout the 1970s?

Japan overtook West Germany in the late 1960s to become the world's second-largest economy after the United States, a position it held until China passed it in 2010.

Which 1971 chip is described as the first commercial microprocessor?

The Intel 4004, released in November 1971, was a 4-bit processor designed for Busicom calculators and is recognised as the first commercially available microprocessor.

Which country saw its elected socialist president overthrown in a September 1973 coup?

Chile's armed forces under Augusto Pinochet overthrew Salvador Allende on 11 September 1973; Allende died in La Moneda palace during the assault, and Pinochet ruled until 1990.

Which two African countries gained independence from Portugal in 1975?

Angola and Mozambique became independent in 1975, Mozambique on 25 June and Angola on 11 November, after the April 1974 revolution in Lisbon ended Portugal's colonial wars.

Which long-reigning Ethiopian emperor was removed in a 1974 coup?

Haile Selassie, emperor since 1930, was deposed by the Derg military committee on 12 September 1974 and died in custody the following year.

Roughly what was the world's population by the end of the 1970s?

World population passed 4 billion around 1974 and stood near 4.4 billion by 1980, up from about 3.7 billion in 1970.

In which month of 1975 did Saigon fall, ending the Vietnam War?

Saigon fell to North Vietnamese forces on 30 April 1975, the day the last Americans were evacuated by helicopter; Vietnam was formally reunified on 2 July 1976.

Which country did the Soviet Union invade in December 1979?

Soviet troops entered Afghanistan on 24 December 1979 to prop up the communist government in Kabul, beginning a war that lasted until their withdrawal in 1989.

Which dictator's regime was toppled by the Ugandan–Tanzanian War of 1978–79?

Amin had started the war with an expansionist aim of annexing Tanzanian territory.

Which region did Somalia and Ethiopia fight over in the 1977–78 war?

Somalia invaded the Ogaden, an ethnically Somali region of eastern Ethiopia, in July 1977; Ethiopia, backed by Soviet arms and Cuban troops, retook it by March 1978.

Which South African township saw a 1976 student uprising against Afrikaans in schools?

The Soweto uprising began on 16 June 1976 when police fired on schoolchildren marching against Afrikaans as a medium of instruction; at least 176 people were killed, and 16 June later became Youth Day.

Which Quebec minister was kidnapped and killed by the FLQ during the 1970 October Crisis?

Pierre Laporte, Quebec's labour minister, was kidnapped on 10 October 1970 and found dead a week later; Ottawa invoked the War Measures Act in response.

Which Philippine leader declared martial law on September 21, 1972?

Ferdinand Marcos, the dictator, kept martial law in force for nearly a decade.

How many days were the U.S. hostages held after the 1979 embassy seizure in Tehran?

The hostages were held for 444 days, from 4 November 1979 until 20 January 1981, minutes after Ronald Reagan's inauguration; 52 Americans endured the full term.

In which year did Yugoslavia adopt the constitution naming Tito president-for-life?

The 1974 constitution, Yugoslavia's fourth and one of the world's longest, named Tito president for an unlimited term and shifted power to the six republics and two autonomous provinces.

Which Syrian leader took power in a 1970 coup?

Hafez al-Assad, then defence minister, ousted Salah Jadid in the 'Corrective Movement' of November 1970 and became president in 1971, ruling until his death in 2000.

Which flower names Portugal's April 25, 1974 uprising that began as a military coup?

The Carnation Revolution took its name from the red carnations placed in soldiers' rifle barrels in Lisbon; it ended the Estado Novo dictatorship and led to the decolonisation of Portugal's African colonies.

Which Bangladeshi president was assassinated with most of his family on August 15, 1975?

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh's founding leader, was killed with most of his family at his Dhanmondi residence in Dhaka by army officers on 15 August 1975; his daughters survived because they were abroad.

Which Argentine general seized power in the 1976 coup?

Jorge Rafael Videla led the 24 March 1976 coup that ended Argentina's civilian government and served as president until 1981; he was later convicted for crimes of the Dirty War.

Which Palestinian group carried out the Munich Olympics massacre of 1972?

Black September, linked to Fatah, sent eight gunmen into the Olympic Village on 5 September 1972; eleven members of the Israeli team and a West German policeman died.

What name did the press give 6 September 1970, when PFLP hijackers seized several airliners?

The press called it Skyjack Sunday: PFLP teams seized TWA, Swissair and Pan Am jets on 6 September 1970 and a BOAC plane three days later; the hostages were freed and the aircraft blown up.

Who became the first woman president in Argentina in 1974?

Isabel Perón, vice-president and third wife of Juan Perón, succeeded him on his death on 1 July 1974 and governed until the military coup of 24 March 1976.

Which South American country became independent from the Netherlands on November 25, 1975?

Suriname became independent from the Netherlands on 25 November 1975, with Johan Ferrier as its first president and Henck Arron as prime minister.

In which country was the Jonestown commune located?

Jonestown was a Peoples Temple settlement in the jungle of northwestern Guyana; more than 900 people died there on 18 November 1978 in a mass murder-suicide ordered by Jim Jones.

Which U.S. congressman was killed by Jim Jones's guards in 1978?

Leo Ryan, a California congressman, was shot dead at the Port Kaituma airstrip on 18 November 1978 after visiting Jonestown with journalists and defectors; the mass deaths followed hours later.

Which movement ousted Nicaragua's Somoza dictatorship in 1979?

The Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) entered Managua on 19 July 1979 after Anastasio Somoza Debayle fled; US-backed Contra rebels fought the new government through the 1980s.

Which Spanish dictator died in 1975 after 39 years in power?

Francisco Franco died on 20 November 1975, having ruled Spain since the Civil War; Juan Carlos I was proclaimed king two days later and steered the transition to democracy.

Who became East Germany's communist party leader in May 1971?

Erich Honecker took over as First Secretary of the SED on 3 May 1971, replacing the ageing Walter Ulbricht, and led East Germany until he was ousted in October 1989.

Which policy of easing US–Soviet tensions defined most of the 1970s?

Détente brought the SALT I treaty and Nixon's 1972 Moscow summit, plus the 1975 Helsinki Accords; the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979 brought the era to an end.

Which anniversary of her accession did Queen Elizabeth II celebrate in 1977?

The Silver Jubilee marked 25 years on the throne since her accession on 6 February 1952; the main celebrations came on 7 June 1977, with a service at St Paul's and street parties across Britain.

Which year became known as the 'Year of Three Popes'?

John Paul I died only 33 days into his papacy and was followed by John Paul II.

Pope John Paul II, elected in 1978, was the first non-Italian pope since which year?

The previous non-Italian pope was the Dutch Adrian VI, who reigned from 1522 until his death in 1523; Karol Wojtyła's election on 16 October 1978 ended a 455-year run of Italians.

Which two leaders shared the 1978 Nobel Peace Prize after the Camp David Accords?

The prize went to Sadat and Begin: Egypt's president and Israel's prime minister had signed the Camp David Accords in September 1978, leading to the Egypt–Israel peace treaty of March 1979.

Which US Secretary of State pursued 'shuttle diplomacy' in the Middle East after the 1973 war?

Henry Kissinger flew repeatedly between Jerusalem, Cairo and Damascus in 1974 to broker disengagement agreements after the Yom Kippur War, a practice dubbed 'shuttle diplomacy'.

Which two Chinese leaders both died in 1976, ending the Cultural Revolution?

Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai died within eight months of each other, Zhou on 8 January and Mao on 9 September 1976; the Gang of Four were arrested a month later and Deng Xiaoping rose to paramount leader by 1978.

Which Iraqi assumed the presidency on July 16, 1979?

Saddam Hussein, long the regime's strongman as vice-president, took over when Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr resigned on 16 July 1979, and within days purged the Ba'ath leadership at a televised party meeting.

Which Pakistani leader was hanged in jail in 1979?

Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, prime minister until Zia-ul-Haq's July 1977 coup, was convicted of authorising a political murder and hanged in Rawalpindi on 4 April 1979.

Which African ruler crowned himself emperor in a lavish 1977 ceremony?

Jean-Bédel Bokassa crowned himself Emperor Bokassa I of the Central African Empire on 4 December 1977, modelling the ceremony on Napoleon's coronation; French troops helped depose him in September 1979.

Which South African anti-apartheid activist died in 1977?

Steve Biko, founder of the Black Consciousness Movement, died on 12 September 1977 from head injuries sustained in police custody; he was 30.

Which November 1970 cyclone killed up to 500,000 people in East Pakistan?

The Bhola cyclone made landfall on 12 November 1970, drowning an estimated 300,000 to 500,000 people in the low-lying Ganges delta of East Pakistan, now Bangladesh.

Which Australian city was devastated by Cyclone Tracy on Christmas Eve 1974?

Cyclone Tracy hit Darwin early on 25 December 1974, destroying more than 70 percent of the city's buildings and killing 71 people; most of the population was evacuated.

Which Chinese city was flattened by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake in July 1976?

The Tangshan earthquake struck at 3:42 a.m. on 28 July 1976, killing an official 242,769 people in the Hebei industrial city, one of the deadliest earthquakes of the century.

Which 1979 typhoon became the largest and most powerful tropical cyclone ever recorded?

Typhoon Tip peaked on 12 October 1979 with a record low pressure of 870 millibars and 190-mph winds; its circulation spanned about 1,380 miles, roughly half the continental United States.

Which US university lost most of its football team in a November 1970 plane crash?

Marshall University's chartered Southern Airways Flight 932 crashed near Ceredo, West Virginia, on 14 November 1970, killing all 75 aboard, including 37 players and most of the coaching staff.

How many days did survivors of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 endure in the Andes?

The Fairchild crashed on 13 October 1972 and the last survivors were rescued on 23 December, 72 days later; 16 of the 45 people aboard lived, after Nando Parrado and Roberto Canessa trekked out for help.

Where did two Boeing 747s collide in 1977 in the worst aviation disaster on record?

At Tenerife's Los Rodeos airport on 27 March 1977, a KLM 747 began its takeoff roll in fog while a Pan Am 747 was still on the runway; 583 people died.

Which Great Lakes freighter sank on Lake Superior on November 10, 1975?

The SS Edmund Fitzgerald went down in a storm on Lake Superior on 10 November 1975 with all 29 crew; Gordon Lightfoot's 1976 ballad made the wreck famous.

Which 1979 crash on Mount Erebus in Antarctica killed all 257 aboard?

Air New Zealand Flight 901, a sightseeing DC-10, flew into Mount Erebus in whiteout conditions on 28 November 1979, killing all 237 passengers and 20 crew.

In which US state did the Three Mile Island partial meltdown occur in 1979?

Three Mile Island sits on the Susquehanna River near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Unit 2's reactor core partially melted on 28 March 1979, twelve days after the film The China Syndrome opened.

What was the average US annual inflation rate during the 1970s?

Annual CPI inflation averaged about 7% across 1970–79, ranging from 3.2% in 1972 to 11.3% in 1979; the year-on-year rate reached 13.3% in December 1979.

What term describes the 1970s combination of rising inflation and rising unemployment?

Stagflation, a term popularised by British politician Iain Macleod in 1965, combined stagnant growth, high unemployment and high inflation; US inflation topped 11% in 1974 while unemployment passed 8% in 1975.

During the 1973 oil crisis, US drivers could buy gas on alternating days based on what?

Odd–even rationing keyed purchases to their license plate number: odd-ending plates bought on odd-numbered dates, even on even, with many states adopting it in early 1974.

Which four economies were known as the 'Four Asian Tigers'?

Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan earned the 'tiger' label for rapid, export-led industrialisation from the 1960s, with Hong Kong and Singapore as trading ports and South Korea and Taiwan as manufacturing exporters.

Which fossil hominid was discovered in Ethiopia by Donald Johanson in 1974?

Lucy, an Australopithecus afarensis skeleton about 3.2 million years old, was found at Hadar on 24 November 1974 and named after the Beatles song 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds'.

Which disease did the WHO certify as eradicated in December 1979?

Smallpox was declared eradicated by a WHO commission on 9 December 1979; the last naturally occurring case was Ali Maow Maalin in Somalia in October 1977.

Who in 1978 became the first child born via in vitro fertilisation?

Louise Brown was born in Oldham, England, on 25 July 1978 after Patrick Steptoe and Robert Edwards fertilised her mother's egg in the laboratory.

Which 1973 computer pioneered the mouse-driven graphical user interface?

The Xerox Alto, built at Xerox PARC from 1973, combined a bitmapped display, a three-button mouse and windowed software; its ideas inspired the Xerox Star and Apple's Lisa and Macintosh.

Which Motorola engineer made the first cell phone call in 1973?

Martin Cooper placed the call on 3 April 1973 on a New York street using a Motorola DynaTAC prototype, phoning rival Joel Engel at Bell Labs.

Which two men founded Microsoft in 1975?

Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded Microsoft in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on 4 April 1975, after writing a BASIC interpreter for MITS's early microcomputer kit.

Which US passenger rail operator was formed in 1971?

Amtrak began operations on 1 May 1971, taking over intercity passenger service from private railroads under the Rail Passenger Service Act of 1970.

Which high-speed diesel train entered British Rail service in 1976?

The InterCity 125, or High Speed Train, entered service in October 1976 with a Class 43 diesel-electric power car at each end of Mark 3 carriages, running at 125 mph.

Which 'jelly bean shaped' American car of the 1970s was made by AMC?

The AMC Pacer, launched in 1975, was nicknamed 'the Flying Fishbowl' for its wide body and huge glass area; its passenger door was longer than the driver's to ease rear-seat access.

Which Japanese car introduced in 1973 sold well for its fuel efficiency?

By 1975 Toyota had overtaken Volkswagen as the top-selling import brand in the US.

Which Chrysler president sought a government bailout in 1979?

Lee Iacocca, fired by Henry Ford II in July 1978, joined Chrysler that November and won $1.5 billion in federal loan guarantees from Congress in December 1979.

With which French automaker did American Motors form a partnership in 1979?

Renault bought a stake in American Motors in 1979 and took control in the early 1980s; the deal led to the Renault Alliance, an Americanised Renault 9 built at AMC's Kenosha, Wisconsin plant.

On what date was the first Earth Day celebrated in the United States?

The first Earth Day on April 22, 1970 was organised by Senator Gaylord Nelson; about 20 million Americans took part, with some 2,000 colleges and 10,000 schools.

Which US constitutional amendment, ratified in 1971, lowered the voting age to 18?

The Twenty-sixth Amendment was ratified on 1 July 1971, the fastest ratification of any amendment, driven by the argument that men drafted for Vietnam at 18 deserved the vote.

Which Helen Reddy song gave her a 1973 Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance?

I Am Woman reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and won Helen Reddy her only Grammy.

Where did Erin Pizzey open a pioneering women's refuge in 1971?

Erin Pizzey founded Chiswick Women's Aid in Chiswick, London in 1971, one of the first modern refuges for battered women; her 1974 book Scream Quietly or the Neighbours Will Hear publicised the cause.

Which two music legends died within two months of each other in 1977?

Elvis Presley and Bing Crosby died on 16 August and 14 October 1977 respectively, Presley at Graceland aged 42 and Crosby on a golf course near Madrid aged 74.

Which British singer had seven consecutive US number-one albums between 1972 and 1975?

Elton John's run of seven straight US number-one albums began with Honky Château in 1972 and ended with Rock of the Westies in 1975, a first for any artist.

Which Elvis concert was broadcast by satellite to over 40 countries in 1973?

Aloha from Hawaii was staged at the Honolulu International Center on 14 January 1973 and beamed by satellite across Asia and Oceania, with Europe and the US airing it later; Elvis wore a white American Eagle jumpsuit.

Which Japanese band's 1978 self-titled album helped pioneer synthpop?

Yellow Magic Orchestra — Haruomi Hosono, Ryuichi Sakamoto and Yukihiro Takahashi — released their self-titled debut in November 1978, using a Roland MC-8 sequencer programmed by Hideki Matsutake.

Which 1979 song by the Sugarhill Gang gave hip-hop a wider audience?

'Rapper's Delight', built on the bass line of Chic's 'Good Times', was released in September 1979 and reached the Billboard top 40, the first rap record to do so.

Which two country stars led the late-1970s 'outlaw' movement?

Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson headlined the 1976 compilation Wanted! The Outlaws, the first country album certified platinum, and their duet 'Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys' won a 1979 Grammy.

Which 1970 film spawned the air-disaster genre and three sequels?

Airport (1970), adapted from Arthur Hailey's novel, earned Helen Hayes a supporting-actress Oscar and spawned Airport 1975, Airport '77 and The Concorde ... Airport '79.

Which two hit films both opened in US cinemas on June 16, 1978?

Grease and Jaws 2 both opened on 16 June 1978; Grease went on to be the year's top-grossing film, while Jaws 2 brought back Roy Scheider as Chief Brody with Jeannot Szwarc directing.

Which 1975 film flopped on release but became a midnight-movie phenomenon with audience participation?

The Rocky Horror Picture Show, with Tim Curry as Dr Frank-N-Furter, bombed in 1975 but found its audience at midnight screenings at New York's Waverly Theater from April 1976, where fans talked back to the screen.

Which 1979 Bob Fosse film won four Oscars and joined the National Film Registry in 2001?

All That Jazz, Bob Fosse's semi-autobiographical musical starring Roy Scheider, won four Oscars including Film Editing and shared the Palme d'Or at Cannes in 1980.

Which BBC teletext service went live on 23 September 1974?

Ceefax, the BBC's teletext service and the world's first, began on 23 September 1974 with 30 pages; it closed in October 2012 with the digital switchover.

Which term describes US networks cancelling country-themed shows in the early 1970s?

The 'rural purge' of 1971 saw CBS drop The Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres, Hee Haw and Mayberry R.F.D. in one season as it chased younger urban viewers; Hee Haw carried on in syndication until 1993.

Which 1970s sitcom, set at Minneapolis station WJM-TV, ended in 1977 with a group hug?

The Mary Tyler Moore Show ran on CBS from 1970 to 1977, with Moore as news producer Mary Richards at WJM-TV; it won 29 Emmys, a record that stood until Frasier.

Who created Soul Train, which premiered in 1971?

Don Cornelius, a Chicago newsreader, created and hosted Soul Train; it began on WCIU-TV in 1970 and went into national syndication in October 1971.

Which 1970s drama was the first popular medical show to feature paramedics?

Emergency!, which ran on NBC from 1972 to 1977, followed Los Angeles County paramedics Roy DeSoto and John Gage of Squad 51 and helped spread paramedic programs across the US.

Which two shows were spun off from Happy Days?

Laverne & Shirley and Mork & Mindy both grew out of Happy Days guest appearances: Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams in 1975 and Robin Williams's Mork in 1978, all produced by Garry Marshall.

Which soap opera expanded to 90-minute episodes in March 1979?

Another World, NBC's Bay City serial, expanded to 90 minutes on 5 March 1979, the only US soap to air at that length regularly, before returning to an hour in 1980.

Which game show did Bob Barker begin hosting in 1972?

Bob Barker hosted The Price Is Right from its CBS revival on 4 September 1972 until June 2007, signing off each show by reminding viewers to have their pets spayed or neutered.

Which British producer agreed to co-produce The Muppet Show after US networks passed?

Lew Grade's ATV co-produced The Muppet Show with Jim Henson at Elstree Studios; it premiered in the UK on 5 September 1976 and was syndicated in the US.

Which 1975 film was The Dukes of Hazzard based on?

Moonrunners (1975), a moonshine-running film directed by Gy Waldron and narrated by Waylon Jennings, was reworked by Waldron into The Dukes of Hazzard in 1979.

Which channel launched on November 8, 1972, as America's first pay-television service?

HBO began on 8 November 1972 on a Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania cable system, airing the film Sometimes a Great Notion and a Rangers–Canucks hockey game to a few hundred subscribers.

Which boxing match did HBO show in 1975 as the first continuous satellite TV delivery?

The Thrilla in Manila, Ali's third fight with Joe Frazier on 1 October 1975, ended when Frazier's corner stopped it before the 15th round; HBO relayed it by satellite, a first.

Which country got nationwide television for the first time on January 5, 1976?

South Africa's apartheid government resisted television for decades, and the SABC finally launched a single national channel on 5 January 1976, in colour from the start.

Which educational game was first played by Minneapolis pupils on December 3, 1971?

The Oregon Trail was written by Don Rawitsch, Bill Heinemann and Paul Dillenberger for a Minneapolis eighth-grade history class and first played on a teletype on 3 December 1971; MECC later distributed it statewide.

Who created the Magnavox Odyssey, released in September 1972?

Ralph H. Baer, an engineer at Sanders Associates, built the 'Brown Box' prototype that Magnavox licensed as the Odyssey, the first home video game console, released in September 1972.

Which 1976 product was the first handheld electronic game?

Mattel Auto Race, released in 1976, was the first fully electronic handheld game, using an LED display and a calculator chip; Mattel Electronic Football followed in 1977.

Who wrote the first modern text adventure, Colossal Cave Adventure, in 1976?

William Crowther, a caver and ARPANET programmer, wrote Colossal Cave Adventure in FORTRAN on a PDP-10 in 1976, modelling it on Kentucky's Mammoth Cave; Don Woods expanded it in 1977.

What was the retail price of the Apple II with 4 KB of RAM at its 1977 launch?

The Apple II launched in June 1977 at $1,298 with 4 KB of RAM; the 48 KB version cost $2,638, and the machine shipped with colour graphics and Integer BASIC in ROM.

Which 1976 console was the first with programmable ROM cartridges?

The Fairchild Channel F, released in November 1976, was the first home console to use programmable ROM cartridges, called Videocarts, and was built around Fairchild's F8 microprocessor.

Which swimmer won seven gold medals at the 1972 Munich Olympics?

Mark Spitz won all seven of his events at Munich in world-record time, a single-Games record that stood until Michael Phelps won eight golds in 2008.

Which broadcasting milestone did the 1970 FIFA tournament in Mexico achieve?

The 1970 World Cup was the first televised in color, also introducing red and yellow cards and substitutions; Brazil beat Italy 4–1 in the final at the Azteca.

Which MLB team won three straight World Series from 1972 to 1974?

The Oakland Athletics, owned by Charlie Finley and starring Reggie Jackson, Catfish Hunter and Rollie Fingers, won three straight World Series from 1972 to 1974 as the moustachioed 'Swingin' A's'.

Which NFL team completed a perfect 17–0 season by winning Super Bowl VII in January 1973?

The Miami Dolphins went 14–0 in the 1972 regular season and won three playoff games, beating Washington 14–7 in Super Bowl VII on 14 January 1973 to finish 17–0.

Which NHL team, nicknamed the 'Broad Street Bullies', won the Stanley Cup in 1974 and 1975?

The Philadelphia Flyers beat Boston in 1974 and Buffalo in 1975 to win back-to-back Stanley Cups, the first by a 1967 expansion team, with Bobby Clarke and goalie Bernie Parent.

In which country was Asia's first professional basketball league founded in 1975?

The Philippine Basketball Association, founded in April 1975, was Asia's first professional basketball league; its opening game was played at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, Philippines.

Which 1971 'fake memoir' was later revealed to be written by Beatrice Sparks?

Go Ask Alice was sold as the real diary of a teenage girl who overdosed, but 'editor' Beatrice Sparks, a Mormon youth counsellor, was later shown to have written it.

Which Thomas Pynchon novel, his most famous, was published in 1973?

Gravity's Rainbow, published in February 1973, shared the 1974 National Book Award for Fiction; the Pulitzer board overrode its jury's unanimous recommendation and gave no fiction prize that year.

Which Toronto structure became the world's tallest free-standing structure on land in 1976?

The CN Tower, 553.3 m tall, was topped out in 1975 and opened in June 1976; it stayed the world's tallest free-standing structure until the Burj Khalifa passed it in 2007.

Which Paris cultural landmark by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers opened in 1977?

The Centre Pompidou opened on 31 January 1977 with its structure, escalators and colour-coded ducts worn on the outside, a landmark of 'high-tech' architecture in the Beaubourg district.

Which ancient burial figures were discovered by farmers near Xi'an in 1974?

The Terracotta Army, thousands of life-size clay soldiers buried around 210 BC to guard the tomb of Qin Shi Huang, was found by farmers digging a well near Xi'an in March 1974.

Which architect of Dhaka's National Parliament House died at New York's Penn Station in 1974?

Louis Kahn died of a heart attack in a Penn Station washroom on 17 March 1974; his National Parliament House in Dhaka, begun in 1961, was finished in 1982 after his death.

Which band's frontman wore glitter on Top of the Pops in 1971, helping launch glam rock?

T. Rex's Marc Bolan performed 'Hot Love' on Top of the Pops in March 1971 with glitter under his eyes, a moment widely credited with starting glam rock.

Whose feathery haircut became the defining women's style of the late 1970s?

Farrah Fawcett's feathered, flicked-back hair from her 1976 red-swimsuit poster and Charlie's Angels was copied worldwide; the poster sold an estimated 12 million copies.

Which designer's jersey wrap dress, launched in 1974, became a 1970s fashion staple?

Diane von Fürstenberg introduced the jersey wrap dress in 1974; it sold in the millions and put her on the cover of Newsweek in March 1976.

Which advertising executive created the Pet Rock in 1975?

Gary Dahl, a Los Gatos advertising copywriter, dreamed up the Pet Rock in 1975, selling Rosarito Beach stones in a cardboard carrying case with a training manual for $3.95.

About how many Pet Rocks were sold during the fad's initial six months?

About 1.5 million Pet Rocks sold at $3.95 each between the autumn of 1975 and early 1976, before the fad collapsed after Christmas.

What changes the color of a mood ring?

Its thermotropic liquid crystals respond to finger temperature, which tracks blood flow.

By how many lengths did Secretariat win the 1973 Belmont Stakes?

Secretariat won the 1973 Belmont by 31 lengths in 2:24, a record for 1½ miles on dirt, completing the first Triple Crown since Citation in 1948.

Who scored the first perfect 10 in Olympic gymnastics at the 1976 Montreal Games?

Nadia Comăneci, 14, scored the first perfect 10 on the uneven bars on 18 July 1976; the scoreboard showed '1.00' because it had only three digits, and she earned six more 10s at those Games.

Over which country did Skylab scatter debris when it re-entered on July 11, 1979?

Debris fell across the Indian Ocean and Western Australia amid worldwide media attention.

Which two airlines flew Concorde's first commercial services on 21 January 1976?

Air France and British Airways launched Concorde service simultaneously on 21 January 1976, Air France from Paris to Rio de Janeiro via Dakar and British Airways from London to Bahrain.

In which California town were 26 children and their bus driver kidnapped in July 1976?

The Chowchilla kidnapping of 15 July 1976 saw three young men bury the bus passengers in a truck trailer at a quarry; the driver and older boys dug their way out after about 16 hours.

Which Dodgers pitcher gave up Hank Aaron's record-breaking 715th home run in April 1974?

Downing coincidentally also wore number 44, Aaron's famous number; a Braves-record crowd of 53,775 watched in Atlanta as NBC broadcast the game nationally.

What was the name of the rocket-powered cycle Evel Knievel rode at Snake River Canyon in 1974?

The Skycycle X-2, a steam-powered rocket designed by Robert Truax, launched on 8 September 1974, but its drogue parachute deployed early and it drifted into the canyon; Knievel suffered only minor injuries.

What name did the Symbionese Liberation Army give Patty Hearst after her 1974 kidnapping?

Hearst took the name Tania after Tamara Bunke, the Argentine-born guerrilla who fought with Che Guevara in Bolivia; she was 19 when the SLA seized her from her Berkeley apartment in February 1974.

Which team were the White Sox forced to forfeit a game to after 1979's Disco Demolition Night riot?

After a crate of disco records was blown up between games of a 12 July 1979 doubleheader at Comiskey Park and fans tore up the field, the second game was forfeited to the Detroit Tigers.

Which NASA lander became the first to operate successfully on the surface of Mars, on July 20, 1976?

Viking 1 touched down on Chryse Planitia on 20 July 1976 and worked for 2,307 days, a surface-mission record not beaten until the Opportunity rover in 2010.

Which game cartridge was bundled with the Atari Video Computer System at its 1977 launch?

The console cost $199, about $1,060 today, and was renamed the Atari 2600 in 1982; Sears sold it as the Tele-Games Video Arcade.