Year 1974 Fun Facts, Trivia, and History

Gregory DeVictor is a trivia enthusiast who loves to write articles on American nostalgia.

What Happened During the Year 1974?

What are some fun facts, trivia, and history events from the year 1974? What were some of the top news stories in the U.S. and around the world, and what major events took place in the business and financial sectors? What was popular in everyday life, and what happened in science, technology, sports, and in the entertainment industry? From world leaders to pioneers to innovators, who were the most influential people in 1974? What about famous birthdays, marriages, and deaths that year, as well as the cost of living? Finally, what was the year 1974 best known for, and was it a good or bad year overall? Let's find out.

Here is a summary of the news and history events that took place in 1974:

1. The 1973-75 recession in the United States resulted from rocketing gas prices, OPEC’s oil embargo against the U.S., heavy government spending on the Vietnam War, and a Wall Street stock crash in 1973-74. The recession also came about from efforts by the Federal Reserve to tame inflation through restrictive monetary policy, which had the expected effect of dampening economic growth.
2. President Nixon signed the Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act into law. It required states “to limit highway speeds to a maximum of 55 miles an hour as a condition for continuing to receive Federal highway trust funds.”
3. Because of the Watergate scandal, Richard Nixon resigned as president of the United States, and Vice President Gerald Ford became the 38th U.S. president.
4. The federally-administered Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program began operations by providing basic financial support for the aged, blind, and disabled.
5. The Equal Credit Opportunity Act was enacted in 1974. The law “prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, or age in credit transactions. The law also requires creditors to provide a reason if credit is denied.”
6. On April 3-4, a series of 148 deadly tornadoes struck 13 states from the Great Lakes region all the way to the deep south.
7. Coleman Young (1918-97) was inaugurated as the mayor of Detroit, and became the Motor City’s first African-American mayor.
8. Newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst was kidnapped from her Berkeley, CA apartment by the Symbionese Liberation Army, and later participated in a bank heist with the group.
9. In 1974, unemployment peaked at 7.2% in December, and inflation remained steady at 11.04%. Median household income was $11,100, and Americans paid an average of $4,441 for a new car.
10. In 1974, a gallon of whole milk cost $1.39, bacon was 99 cents for a one-pound package, and eggs were 58 cents a dozen.
11. People magazine began publishing, and Happy Days started an 11-year run on ABC.
12. Barbra Streisand's The Way We Were became Billboard's No. 1 song for 1974.
13. The Sting won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.
14. The radio drama CBS Mystery Theater premiered, and a total of 1,399 episodes were produced over the next eight years.
15. Here are some sports facts from 1974: The Miami Dolphins were the Super Bowl champs, the Oakland Athletics won the World Series, and the Philadelphia Flyers clinched the Stanley Cup.
16. MLB legends Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford were both inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
17. In the summer of 1974, NFL players went on strike for 41 days over player salaries and the "Rozelle Rule.”
18. The World Trade Center—the tallest building in the world at 110 stories—opened for business in New York City.
19. Alamo Rent a Car, Arista Records, Foot Locker, Kendall-Jackson Wine, and Tuesday Morning were all founded.
20. Julie Ann Junkin, a sixth-grader from Gordo, Alabama, won the 47th Scripps National Spelling Bee with the word “hydrophyte.”

Here are the five most popular TV shows from 1984-85:

1. All in the Family (CBS)
2. Sanford and Son (NBC)
3. Chico and the Man (NBC)
4. The Jeffersons (CBS)
5. M*A*S*H (CBS)

Here are ten cool food and beverage trends for the year:

1. Cheese balls and logs
2. Deviled eggs
3. Fajitas
4. Hamburger Helper
5. Jell-O salads
6. Mug-O-Lunch
7. Quiche
8. Swanson TV dinners
9. Tab (a diet cola soft drink that was created and produced by the Coca-Cola Company)
10. Watergate salad (FoodNetwork.ca tells us that “We have Kraft to thank for Watergate Salad, a sweet ‘salad’ consisting of canned pineapple, whipped cream, marshmallows and the company’s pistachio pudding that was often served for dessert.”)

This article teaches you fun facts, trivia, and history events from the year 1974. Find out about popular TV shows, movies, music, books, foods, sports facts, political and economic news, advances in science and medicine, famous birthdays, and other cool pop culture trends to get the right mix of questions and answers for your 1970s-themed trivia quiz.

Table of Contents

For easier reading and referencing, I have divided this article into the following categories:

1. Grocery Prices in the Year 1974
2. What Was the U.S. Economy Like in 1974?
3. History Facts From the USA and World
4. Sports Facts and Trivia From 1974
5. Miscellaneous Fun Facts, Trivia, and Pop Culture Trends
6. Nobel Prize Winners
7. Best-Selling Fiction Books
8. Most Popular Television Shows From 1974-75
9. Highest-Grossing Films
10. Horror Movies From 1974
11. Biggest Pop Music Artists
12. Top 40 Songs for the Year
13. Food and Beverage Trivia
14. Weddings and Divorces
15. Famous People Who Were Born in 1974
16. Well-Known People Who Died
17. America’s Largest Corporations
18. Companies and Brands Launched in 1974

1. Grocery Prices in the Year 1974

These grocery facts have been made available courtesy of the Morris County Public Library in Whippany, NJ.

1. Apples (Washington state): Three pounds for $1.00
2. Bacon (Swift Premium): 99 cents for a one-pound package
3. Beans (Van Camp’s, baked): Four one-pound cans for $1.00
4. Beef (chuck roast): $1.09 per pound
5. Bread: 24 cents for a 16-ounce loaf
6. Cake mix (Pillsbury): Three 18-ounce boxes for $1.00
7. Cheese (Kraft singles): 89 cents for a 12-ounce package
8. Chicken (fryers): 49 cents a pound
9. Coffee (Maxwell House): $1.89 for a two-pound can
10. Cookies (Keebler Pecan Sandies): 79 cents for a 12-ounce package
11. Crackers (Ritz): 49 cents for a 12-ounce box
12. Crisco oil: $1.29 for a 38-ounce bottle
13. Eggs: One dozen for 58 cents
14. Fish (fresh, cod): $1.39 a pound
15. Hot dogs (Stop & Shop brand): $1.69 for a two-pound package
16. Ice Cream (Marvel): 79 cents for a half-gallon carton
17. Juice (Hawaiian Punch): Two 12-ounce cans for $1.00
18. Ketchup (Heinz): Four 14-ounce bottles for $1.00
19. Margarine (Mazola): 59 cents for a one-pound package
20. Mayonnaise (Kraft): 89 cents for a 16-ounce jar
21. Milk (whole): $1.39 a gallon
22. Onions: Three pounds for 49 cents
23. Oranges (Florida): 10 oranges for 59 cents
24. Peanut butter (Skippy): 55 cents for a 12-ounce jar
25. Pineapple (fresh, whole): Three for $1.00
26. Preserves (Welch’s, grape): 59 cents for a two-pound jar
27. Soda (Pepsi-Cola): Six 12-ounce cans for 88 cents
28. Strawberries: 89 cents per quart
29. Tea (Tenderleaf): 88 cents for a 100-count box
30. Tuna (Bumblebee, chunk light): 49 cents for a 6.5-ounce can

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2. What Was the U.S. Economy Like in 1974?

1. The 1973-75 recession in the United State resulted from rocketing gas prices, OPEC’s oil embargo against the U.S., heavy government spending on the Vietnam War, and a Wall Street stock crash in 1973-74. The recession also came about from efforts by the Federal Reserve to tame inflation through restrictive monetary policy, which had the expected effect of dampening economic growth.
2. One of the major consequences of the 1973-75 recession was “stagflation.” According to Investopedia.com, “Stagflation refers to an economy that is experiencing a simultaneous increase in inflation and stagnation of economic output. Stagflation was first recognized during the 1970's, where many developed economies experienced rapid inflation and high unemployment as a result of an oil shock.”
3. In January 1974, unemployment was 5.10%. By December, the jobless rate had increased to 7.2%.
4. During the early 1970s, unemployment stayed close to its “natural” rate—that is, 3.5 percent to 4.5 percent of the workforce is looking for a job. After 1974, however, the jobless rate increased, and peaked at 8.2% in December, 1975.
5. The inflation rate was 11.04%. According to In2013Dollars.com, “Purchasing power decreased by 11.04% in 1974 compared to 1973. On average, you would have to spend 11.04% more money in 1974 than in 1973 for the same item. In other words, $1 in 1973 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $1.11 in 1974. The 1973 inflation rate was 6.22%. The inflation rate in 1974 was 11.04%.”
6. In 1974, median household income in the U.S. was $11,100, “an increase of about 6 percent over the 1973 median of $10,500. However, this increase was eroded by rising prices which resulted in a net loss in real purchasing power.”
7. Of the 71.1 million households in the United States, 6.8 million (10 percent) had incomes of $25,000 or more, another 16.8 million (24 percent) had incomes between $15,000 and $25,000, 32.5 million (45 percent) had incomes between $5,000 and $15,000, and another 15.0 million households (21 percent) had incomes under $5,000.
8. In 1974, a gallon of whole milk cost $1.39, bacon was 99 cents for a one-pound package, and eggs were 58 cents a dozen.
9. Americans paid an average of $4,441 for a new car, up $389 from the previous year.
10. Annual tuition for a public college averaged $512. At a private college, the average tuition was $2,130.
11. In 1974, the average price of a new home sold in the United States was $34,900.
12. The sticker price on a 1974 Mercury Capri was $3,395, and an AMC Gremlin cost $2,408.
13. Your McDonald’s hamburger cost 28 cents, and a hot apple pie was 26 cents.
14. The federal minimum wage was $2.00. According to Dol.gov, “The minimum wage increased to $2.00 an hour in 1974, $2.10 in 1975, and $2.30 in 1976 for all except farm workers, whose minimum initially rose to $1.60. Parity with nonfarm workers was reached at $2.30 with the 1977 amendments.”
15. In 1974, the price of gold averaged $183.77 per ounce.

3. History Facts From the USA and World

1. On January 1, the federally-administered Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program began operations by providing basic financial support for the aged, blind, and disabled.
2. On January 1, Great Britain’s three-day week went into effect. It was “one of several measures introduced in the United Kingdom by the Conservative government at the time to conserve electricity, owing to the effects of the 1973–74 oil crisis on transportation and inflation.”
3. On January 2, President Nixon signed the Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act into law. It required states “to limit highway speeds to a maximum of 55 miles an hour as a condition for continuing to receive Federal highway trust funds.” According to the New York Times, “The highway legislation requires states within 60 days to post speed limits of 55 miles an hour on divided highways of four lanes or more—nearly all of the Interstate System and a substantial number of state built freeways.” (President Nixon believed that the measure could save the U.S. around 200,000 barrels of fuel a day.)
4. On January 2, Coleman Young (1918-97) was inaugurated as the mayor of Detroit, and became the Motor City’s first African-American mayor. Young also won “four subsequent terms by very wide margins and continued in office until December, 1993.”
5. On January 16, MLB legends Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford were both inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
6. On February 4, newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst was kidnapped in Berkeley, CA by the Symbionese Liberation Army, and later participated in a bank heist with the group. Today.com explains that “For nearly a century, the Hearst family name was synonymous with a newspaper tycoon and a powerful media empire. That changed in April 1974, when Patricia Hearst appeared on surveillance video taking part in an armed bank robbery just two months after being kidnapped by a violent terrorist group.”
7. On February 5, John Murtha (PA) became the first Vietnam War veteran to serve in Congress.
8. On February 5, the maximum speed on the Autobahn was reduced to 100 kph.
9. On February 8, the three-man crew of the "Skylab" space station returned to Earth after spending 84 days in space.
10. On February 12, the island of Grenada won independence from Great Britain.
11. On February 18, Randolph Hearst was ordered to give $2 million in free food for the poor in order to open talks for his daughter Patty. The next day, Hearst pledged $2 million to the kidnappers for a program called People in Need.
12. On March 1, a grand jury in Washington, DC concluded that President Nixon was involved in the Watergate coverup.
13. On April 3-4, a series of 148 deadly tornadoes struck 13 states before jumping across the border into Canada. Weather.gov confirms that “The April 3-4, 1974 Super Outbreak affected 13 states across the eastern United States, from the Great Lakes region all the way to the Deep South. In all, 148 tornadoes were documented from this event, of which 95 were rated F2 or stronger on the Fujita scale and 30 were F4 or F5. Aside from all the catastrophic damage they left behind, the tornadoes resulted in 335 deaths and more than 6000 injuries.”
14. On April 4, MLB legend Hank Aaron tied Babe Ruth's home-run record by hitting his 714th round-tripper.
15. On April 5, the World Trade Center—the tallest building in the world at 110 stories—opened for business in New York.
16. On April 10, Golda Meir resigned as prime minister of Israel, and was replaced by Yitzhak Rabin.
17. On June 3, Yitzhak Rabin formed a new Israeli government.
18. On July 1, NFL players went on strike for 41 days over player salaries and the "Rozelle Rule.”
19. On August 5, President Nixon released a transcript known as the “smoking gun” tape, which showed his “complicity in the Watergate cover-up. This disclosure destroyed Nixon politically.”
20. On August 8, President Nixon announced that he would resign at 12 noon on August 9.
21. On August 9, Richard Nixon resigned as president of the United States, and Vice President Gerald Ford became the 38th U.S. president.
22. On August 20, President Ford selected Nelson Rockefeller as his vice president.
23. On September 2, President Gerald Ford signed the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) into law, which guaranteed the pension rights of 23 million Americans.
24. On September 8, President Ford pardoned former President Richard Nixon of all federal crimes.
25. On September 16, Bay Area Rapid Transit—widely known by the acronym BART—began regular transbay service.
26. On September 16, President Ford announced a “conditional amnesty program for Vietnam War deserters and draft-evaders. Limited amnesty was offered to Vietnam-era draft resisters who would now swear allegiance to the United States and perform two years of public service.”
27. In October, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act was enacted. The law “prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, or age in credit transactions. The law also requires creditors to provide a reason if credit is denied.”
28. On December 4, the Pioneer II spacecraft made its closest approach to Jupiter.
29. On December 16, the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) “was established to protect the quality of drinking water in the U.S. This law focuses on all waters actually or potentially designed for drinking use, whether from above ground or underground sources.”
30. On December 31, private American citizens were allowed to buy and sell gold for the first time in over 40 years.

4. Sports Facts and Trivia From 1974

Generally suitable for all age groups, sports questions are a welcome addition to any trivia quiz.

1. FIFA World Cup Soccer: West Germany
2. Indianapolis 500: Johnny Rutherford
3. Kentucky Derby: Cannonade
4. NBA Champions: Boston Celtics
5. NCAA Basketball Champions: North Carolina State
6. NCAA Football Champs: Oklahoma & USC
7. Orange Bowl: Penn State over LSU
8. Rose Bowl: Ohio State over USC
9. Stanley Cup Champs: Philadelphia Flyers
10. Sugar Bowl: Notre Dame over Alabama
11. Super Bowl XIII Champions: Miami Dolphins
12. Tour de France: Eddy Merckx
13. U.S. Open Golf: Hale Irwin
14. U.S. Open Tennis (men/women): Jimmy Connors/Billie Jean King
15. Wimbledon (men/women): Jimmy Connors/Chris Evert
16. World Series: Oakland Athletics

5. Miscellaneous Fun Facts, Trivia, and Pop Culture Trends

PBS.org explains that pop culture is that loose blend of books, music, fashion and other daily ephemera that contributes to the identity of a society at a particular point in time. In the 1970s, radio, film, television, and books defined the essence of American pop culture.

1. Popular baby names in 1974 were Michael, Jason, Christopher, David, Jennifer, Amy, Michelle, and Heather.
2. The average life expectancy at birth in the U.S. was 71.96 years. In 1973, it was 71.36 years, and in 1964, it was 70.17 years.
3. The cost of a 30-second Super Bowl ad was $103,000.
4. Favorite Halloween costumes were pirates, clowns, witches, dinosaurs, vampires, devils, ghosts, zombies, and princesses.
5. Popular holiday gifts included Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots, Dungeons and Dragons, Magic 8 Ball, Spirograph, and Twister.
6. Courtesy of RetroWaste.com, fashion trends in 1974 included medallions, polyester, butterfly collars, bell bottoms, sandals, leisure suits, flower-patterned dress shirts, and sideburns. Retro adds that a woman’s professional uniform that year “was a blazer, cowl-neck sweater, and slimmed-down skirt. Bill Blass, Calvin Klein, and Ralph Lauren all used tweeds, plaids, corduroys, and flannels in tans, grays, browns, and muted greens.”
7. Fashion icons for the year included Barbi Benton, Jacqueline Bisset, Carol Burnett, Dyan Cannon, Veronica Carlson, Diahann Carroll, Angie Dickinson, Karen Graham, Pam Grier, Margaux Hemingway, Lauren Hutton, Sophia Loren, Mary Tyler Moore, Suzanne Pleshette, Diana Ross, and Jane Seymour.
8. Rebecca King of Denver, CO won the Miss America crown.
9. Karen Morrison of Illinois became Miss USA.
10. At the 46th Academy Awards, which honored the best films of 1973, The Sting won an Oscar for Best Picture, George Roy Hill (The Sting) won an Oscar for Best Director, Jack Lemmon (Save the Tiger) won an Oscar for Best Actor, and Glenda Jackson (A Touch of Class) won an Oscar for Best Actress.
11. At the 26th Primetime Emmy Awards, M*A*S*H (CBS) won an Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series, and Upstairs, Downstairs (PBS) won an Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series. Likewise, Alan Alda (M*A*S*H) won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, and Mary Tyler Moore (the Mary Tyler Moore Show) won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.
12. On January 6, the radio drama CBS Mystery Theater premiered, and a total of 1,399 episodes were produced over the next eight years.
13. On January 15, Happy Days began an 11-year run on ABC.
14. On February 2, Barbra Streisand's The Way We Were hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. MyLifetime.com points out that the nostalgic ballad from the 1973 film of the same name also became Billboard's No. 1 song for 1974. The song won an Academy Award for Best Song in 1974 and a Grammy for Song Of The Year in 1975.
15. On February 7, Blazing Saddles—directed by Mel Brooks—opened in movie theatres.
16. The first issue of People magazine was dated March 4, 1974.
17. On July 1, the first Laura Ashley store opened in San Francisco.
18. On September 13, The Rockford Files premiered on NBC.
19. On October 30, the mystery film The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was released in Los Angeles.
20. Major league baseballs could now be made from cowhide, and not just from horsehide.

6. Nobel Prize Winners

Beth Rowen tells us that winning a Nobel Prize is a life-changing honor. Whether the laureate is an internationally known figure (such as Mother Teresa) or a scientist from obscurity (like Richard R. Ernst), the award brings worldwide recognition that highlights one's life work and provides the funds to continue the mission.

This Nobel Prize information from 1974 has been made available courtesy of NobelPrize.com.

• Chemistry: Paul Flory
• Economics: Friedrich Hayek and Gunnar Myrdal
• Literature: Harry Martinson and Eyvind Johnson
• Peace: Seán MacBride and Eisaku Satō
• Physics: Martin Ryle and Antony Hewish
• Physiology or medicine: George Emil Palade, Christian de Duve, and Albert Claude

7. Best-Selling Fiction Books

This book trivia has been made available courtesy of PublishersWeekly.com.

1. All the President’s Men by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward
2. The Bermuda Triangle by Charles Berlitz
3. Burr by Gore Vidal
4. Carrie by Stephen King
5. Centennial by James A. Michener
6. The Dispossessed by Urslua K. Le Guin
7. The Dogs of War by Frederick Forsyth
8. The Fan Club by Irving Wallace
9. Jaws by Peter Benchley
10. I Heard the Owl Call My Name by Margaret Craven

8. Most Popular Television Shows From 1974-75

This TV trivia has been made available courtesy of Nielsen TV Research.

1. All in the Family (CBS)
2. Sanford and Son (NBC)
3. Chico and the Man (NBC)
4. The Jeffersons (CBS)
5. M*A*S*H (CBS)
6. Rhoda (CBS)
7. Good Times (CBS)
8. The Waltons (CBS)
9. Maude (CBS)
10. Hawaii Five-O (CBS)

9. Highest-Grossing Films

This movie trivia has been made available courtesy of The-Numbers.com.

1. Blazing Saddles
2. Towering Inferno
3. The Trial of Billy Jack
4. Young Frankenstein
5. Earthquake
6. The Godfather: Part II
7. Airport 1975
8. The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams
9. The Longest Yard
10. Murder on the Orient Express

10. Horror Movies From 1974

Horror films for the year included Abby, The Antichrist, Bad Ronald, The Bat People, The Beast Must Die, Beyond the Door, Black Christmas, Blood for Dracula, Blue Eyes of the Broken Doll, Chosen Survivors, Deathdream, Demoniacs, Deranged, The Devil’s Plaything, Don’t Open the Door, Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell, Frightmare, The Gardener, The Ghost Galleon, Horror High, The House of Seven Corpses, Madhouse, Moonchild, Persecution, Seizure, Sugar Hill, Symptoms, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, The Thirsty Dead, and Vampyres.

11. Biggest Pop Music Artists

Popular music artists from the year 1974 include Al Green, Aretha Franklin, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Barry White, Bobby Womack, Chicago, Diana Ross, Eddie Kendricks, Elton John, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Grand Funk Railroad, Helen Reddy, The Jackson 5, Jim Stafford, John Denver, John Lennon, Kool & the Gang, The O'Jays, Olivia Newton-John, Paul McCartney, Roberta Flack, Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, The Spinners, Stevie Wonder, The Stylistics, and The Temptations.

The Way We Were: Barbra Streisand

12. Top 40 Songs for the Year

This music trivia from 1974 has been made available courtesy of MusicOutfitters.com.

1. The Way We Were: Barbra Streisand

2. Seasons In the Sun: Terry Jacks

3. Love's Theme: Love Unlimited Orchestra

4. Come and Get Your Love: Redbone

5. Dancing Machine: The Jackson 5

6. The Loco-Motion: Grand Funk Railroad

7. T.S.O.P. (The Sound of Philadelphia): MFSB

8. The Streak: Ray Stevens

9. Bennie and the Jets: Elton John

10. One Hell of a Woman: Mac Davis

11. Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do): Aretha Franklin

12. Jungle Boogie: Kool and The Gang

13. Midnight At the Oasis: Maria Muldaur

14. You Make Me Feel Brand New: The Stylistics

15. Show and Tell: Al Wilson

16. Spiders and Snakes: Jim Stafford

17. Rock On: David Essex

18. Sunshine On My Shoulders: John Denver

19. Sideshow: Blue Magic

20. Hooked On a Feeling: Blue Swede

21. Billy, Don't Be a Hero: Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods

22. Band On the Run: Paul McCartney and Wings

23. The Most Beautiful Girl: Charlie Rich

24. Time In a Bottle: Jim Croce

25. Annie's Song: John Denver

26. Let Me Be There: Olivia Newton-John

27. Sundown: Gordon Lightfoot

28. (You're) Having My Baby: Paul Anka

29. Rock Me Gently: Andy Kim

30. Boogie Down: Eddie Kendricks

31. You're Sixteen You're Beautiful (And You're Mine): Ringo Starr

32. If You Love Me (Let Me Know): Olivia Newton-John

33. Dark Lady: Cher

34. Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me: Gladys Knight and The Pips

35. Feel Like Makin' Love: Roberta Flack

36. Just Don't Want to Be Lonely: The Main Ingredient

37. Nothing from Nothing: Billy Preston

38. Rock Your Baby: George McCrae

39. Top of the World: The Carpenters

40. The Joker: The Steve Miller Band

13. Food and Beverage Trivia

Here are some popular foods and beverages from 1974:

1. Black Forest cake
2. Brandy Alexander (brandy, crème de cacao, and heavy cream)
3. Carrot cake
4. Cheese balls and logs
5. Chex Mix
6. Crepes
7. Deviled eggs
8. Fajitas
9. Fondue
10. Freshen Up Gum
11. Golden Cadillac (Galliano liqueur, crème de cacao, and heavy cream or coconut milk)
12. Grasshopper (a mint-flavored after-dinner drink)
13. Hamburger Helper
14. Harvey Wallbanger (Galliano liqueur, vodka, and orange juice)
15. Hawaiian cuisine
16. Jell-O salads
17. Jello 1-2-3
18. Koogle peanut butter spread
19. Libbyland dinners
20. Mug-O-Lunch
21. Pasta primavera
22. Pina Colada (rum, cream of coconut or coconut milk, and pineapple juice)
23. Pink Lady (classic gin-based cocktail)
24. Pink Squirrel (A frozen ice cream drink generally made with vanilla ice cream, clear Crème de Cacao, and Crème de Noyaux.)
25. Post Pink Panther Flakes
26. Quiche
27. Snack Mate cheese spreads
28. Space Dust Sizzling Candy
29. Spam casseroles
30. Swanson TV dinners
31. Tab (a diet cola soft drink that was created and produced by the Coca-Cola Company)
32. Tequila sunrise (tequila, orange juice, and grenadine syrup)
33. Tiramisu (Tiramisu is a coffee-flavoured Italian dessert.)
34. Tom Collins (gin, lemon juice, syrup, and carbonated water)
35. Watergate salad (FoodNetwork.ca tells us that “We have Kraft to thank for Watergate Salad, a sweet ‘salad’ consisting of canned pineapple, whipped cream, marshmallows and the company’s pistachio pudding that was often served for dessert.”)

14. Weddings and Divorces

Marriages of interest:

1. On January 14, U.S. Senator Bill Bradley married professor Ernestine Schlant.
2. On February 10, NBA player Julius Erving wed model Turquoise Brown.
3. On February 16, MLB player Mike Schmidt married Donna Wightman.
4. On February 23, future Florida Governor Jeb Bush wed Columba Bush.
5. On April 12, actress Sissy Spacek married art director Jack Fisk.
6. On June 7, actor Richard Harris wed actress Ann Turkel.
7. On July 4, singer Barry White married R&B singer Glodean James.
8. On August 7, actress Faye Dunaway wed Peter Wolf.
9. On August 19, lyricist Tim Rice married Jane McIntosh.
10. On September 14, singer and composer Quincy Jones wed actress Peggy Lipton.

Divorces:

1. On May 6, actress Maggie Smith divorced actor Robert Stephens.
2. On June 26, actress Elizabeth Taylor divorced actor Richard Burton.

15. Famous People Who Were Born in 1974

1. Alex Jones: Radio host
2. Amy Adams: Movie actress
3. Brooke Elliott: TV actress
4. David Harbour: TV actor
5. Derek Jeter: Baseball player
6. Duff Goldman: Chef
7. Elizabeth Banks: Movie actress
8. Hrithik Roshan: Movie actor
9. Jimmy Fallon: TV show host
10. Joaquin Phoenix: Movie actor
11. Kate Moss: Model
12. Leonardo DiCaprio: Movie actor
13. Mark Paul Gosselaar: TV actor
14. Misha Collins: TV actor
15. Penelope Cruz: Movie actress
16. Ryan Seacrest: TV show host
17. Sarah Paulson: TV actress
18. Shaunie O’Neal: TV producer
19. Steve Nash: Basketball player
20. Victoria Beckham: Pop singer

16. Well-Known People Who Died

1. January 31: Samuel Goldwyn (an American film magnate who founded MGM)
2. February 21: Tim Horton (a Canadian hockey player and co-founder of Tim Hortons, a fast food restaurant chain)
3. March 16: Daniel Frank Gerber (an American manufacturer of baby food)
4. March 19: Anne Klein (an American fashion designer and businesswoman who founded Anne Klein & Company)
5. April 17: Frank McGee (an American journalist who is “best known for his work with NBC from the late 1950s into the early 1970s”)
6. April 30: Agnes Moorehead (an American actress who played Endora on the TV series Bewitched)
7. May 13: Denny Shute (an American professional golfer who won three championships during the 1930s)
8. May 24: Duke Ellington (an American composer, pianist, and bandleader “who composed thousands of scores over his 50-year career”)
9. May 31: Adelle Davis (an American nutritionist and author who is considered to be "the most famous nutritionist in the early to mid-20th century")
10. June 28: Frank Sutton (an American actor who is best remembered for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Vince Carter in the CBS sitcom Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.)
11. July 9: Earl Warren (a former Governor of California and the 14th U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice from 1953-69)
12. July 24: James Chadwick (an English physicist who won the 1935 Nobel Prize in Physics for his discovery of the neutron)
13. August 26: Charles Lindbergh (an American aviator who was the first to fly solo across the Atlantic)
14. September 8: Robert Cox (the last surviving member of Keystone Kops, who were “fictional, humorously incompetent policemen featured in silent film slapstick comedies”)
15. September 21: Jacqueline Susann (an American author who wrote Valley of the Dolls)
16. September 21: Walter Brennan (an American actor who played in the TV sitcom the Real McCoys from 1957-62)
17. October 13: Ed Sullivan (an American television host who is remembered as “the creator and host of the television variety program Toast of the Town,” which was later renamed the Ed Sullivan Show)
18. December 14: Walter Lippmann (an American journalist who authored the book Public Opinion)
19. December 16: Helen Hicks (an American golfer, Hicks was one of 13 women to launch the LPGA)
20. December 26: Jack Benny (an American entertainer “who transitioned from playing the violin on the vaudeville circuit to a highly popular comedic career in radio, television, and film.”)

17. America’s Largest Corporations

These FORTUNE 500 facts have been made available courtesy of Money.CNN.com. Money.CNN tells us that “Since 1955, when the first FORTUNE 500 was created, more than 1,800 companies have appeared on the list. Many of these companies have changed names over this period, owing to mergers, acquisitions, and bankruptcies. Other companies have gone private, or simply changed their names.”

Here were America’s biggest corporations back in 1974:

1. General Motors
2. Exxon Mobil
3. Ford Motor
4. Chrysler
5. General Electric
6. Texaco
7. Mobil
8. IBM
9. ITT Industries
10. Gulf Oil
11. ChevronTexaco
12. AT&T
13. U.S. Steel
14. CBS
15. Amoco
16. DuPont
17. General Telephone & Electronics
18. Shell Oil
19. Goodyear
20. RCA

18. Companies and Brands Launched in 1974

1. Alamo Rent a Car: A car rental agency
2. Arista Records: An American record label now owned by Sony Music Entertainment.
3. Burke Corporation: A company that “manufactures pizza toppings and other fully cooked meat products for use in the restaurant, foodservice, and prepared foods industries.”
4. Carquest: An automotive parts distribution network
5. Comcast Spectator: A Philadelphia-based sports and entertainment company
6. Foot Locker: A sportswear and footwear retailer
7. Kendall-Jackson: A vineyard and winery
8. Northern Power Systems: A company that designs, manufactures, and sells wind turbines.
9. Tech Data: A company that specializes in IT products and services.
10. Tuesday Morning: An off-price retailer “specializing in domestic and international, designer and name-brand closeout merchandise.”

References:

• Food Timeline: 1971 to 1975 - Food History Events
  1971 - 1975 Food Timeline - Events in the History of the Culinary Arts: Inventions and Patents, Births and Deaths, Discoveries, Restaurants, Agriculture
• Timeline 1974
  
• What Happened in 1974 inc. Pop Culture, Prices Significant Events, Key Technology and Inventions
  1974 Prices including Wages, Houses and Gas, Toys, Fashions and Furniture, Events include Global Recession Deepens, Richard Nixon resigns over Watergate, IRA bombing campaign on mainland Britain...
• Money Income in 1974 and Selected Social and Economic Characteristics
  This report presents statistics on household money income and selected social and economic characteristics of households for the United States for 1974.
• Famous People Who Died in 1974 - On This Day
  Famous deaths in 1974. Learn about 340 historical figures, notable people and celebrities who died in 1974 like Charles Lindbergh, Duke Ellington and Coco the Clown.
• The Numbers - Top-Grossing Movies of 1974
  Top-Grossing Movies of 1974
• FORTUNE 500: 1974 Archive Full List 1-100
  
• 15 Foods You Only Ate if You Grew Up in the ’70s
  From Hamburger Helper to JELL-O salad, we found 15 popular foods that you will totally remember from the '70s.
• You Know You're From the '70s When You Crave . . . | Food Network Canada
  From cheese fondue to Hawaiian pizza to quiche, take a trip down memory lane with these 10 dishes that were popular in the 1970s.
• Born in 1974 | Famous Birthdays
  Discover the most famous people born in 1974 including Leonardo DiCaprio, Jimmy Fallon, FGTeeV Duddy, Lil Kim, Misha Collins and many more.
• 1974 History, Trivia and Fun Facts
  1974 History, Pop Culture, Trivia and Fun Facts.
• 1974 | Morris County Library
  Historic prices in Morristown, as printed in the Daily Record, for the year 1974.
• https://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1974.htm
  Top 100 songs for the year 1974 from the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 charts.

© 2020 Gregory DeVictor

Comments

Gregory DeVictor (author) from Pittsburgh, PA on August 07, 2020:

Liz, thank you for the comment. I was surprised to learn that the World Trade Center opened in 1974, and that Arista Records was founded as well.

Liz Westwood from UK on August 07, 2020:

This is a fascinating trip down memory lane. This was thrst FIFA world cup that I recall watching on tv. Shocking to see how many years ago it was.

Gregory DeVictor (author) from Pittsburgh, PA on August 06, 2020:

Heidi, thank you for the comment.

Heidi Thorne from Chicago Area on August 06, 2020:

Was in high school then. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!