Year 1975 Fun Facts, Trivia, and History

What Happened During the Year 1975?

What are some fun facts, trivia, and history events from the year 1975? What were the top news stories in the U.S. and around the world, and what major events took place in the business and financial sectors? How much did a gallon of gas cost, and what happened in science, technology, sports, and in the entertainment industry?

Back in 1975, what were the biggest food and fashion trends, and what were the most popular baby names and Christmas gifts? Likewise, who won the Nobel Peace Prize, and how much did a first-class stamp or a gallon of milk cost? What about famous birthdays and deaths that year, and what were the best-selling books?

From world leaders to pioneers to innovators, who were the most influential people in 1975? What was the median household income, the average life expectancy, and how much did a new house or car cost? Finally, what was 1975 best known for, and was it a good or bad year overall? Let's find out.

Here is a summary of the top news stories and history events that happened in 1975:

1. The 1973-75 recession was caused by OPEC’s oil, exorbitant gas prices, heavy government spending on the Vietnam War, and a Wall Street stock crash in 1973-74. It was also the longest economic downturn in the U.S. since the Great Depression. Unemployment peaked at 9.0%, 2.3 million jobs were lost, and “the dollar had an average inflation rate of 10.08% per year between 1973 and 1975, producing a cumulative price increase of -17.47%.” Nevertheless, the American economy began to emerge from the recession during March 1975. Industrial production started to improve, the unemployment and inflation rates began to fall, and consumer confidence even showed a slight increase.
2. On April 30, 1975, U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War came to an end. Diplomacy.State.gov explains that “the South Vietnamese capital of Saigon fell to the North Vietnamese Army, effectively ending the Vietnam War. In the days before, U.S. forces evacuated thousands of Americans and South Vietnamese from Saigon. American diplomats were on the frontlines, organizing what would be the most ambitious helicopter evacuation in history.”
3. Watergate players John Mitchell, H. R. Haldeman, and John D. Ehrlichman were sentenced to 2½-8 years for conspiracy and obstruction of justice.
4. The U.S. House of Representatives passed a $21.3 billion “anti-recession tax-cut bill,” and President Ford announced that he would seek the 1976 Republican presidential nomination.
5. Construction began on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS), which was being built to carry “billions of barrels of North Slope oil to the port of Valdez.”
6. Chrysler Corporation offered the first car rebates, in order to stimulate sales after the auto industry went into a deep decline during the 1973-75 recession.
7. The California Agricultural Labor Relations Act (CALRA)—which established collective bargaining for agricultural workers—became law.
8. The U.S. House of Representatives voted to restore citizenship to General Robert E Lee, a Confederate general “who led the South's attempt at secession during the Civil War.”
9. Jimmy Hoffa, who served as the president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), disappeared in suburban Detroit. (Hoffa was legally declared dead in 1982.)
10. The Department of the Interior designated grizzly bears as an endangered species.
11. The 1975 Conservative party leadership election was held in Great Britain, and the Conservatives chose Margaret Thatcher as their new leader. Thatcher “won the title after successfully challenging the leadership of former Prime Minister Edward Heath, making her the first woman in that role.”
12. British voters decided to remain in the Common Market, London had its first recorded snowfall in June, and the Moorgate tube crash in London killed 43 people and injured 74 others.
13. Here are some sports facts from 1975: The Pittsburgh Steelers won the Super Bowl, the Philadelphia Flyers clinched the Stanley Cup, and the Cincinnati Reds were the World Series Champs.
14. MLB legends Ralph Kiner and William Johnson were both inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
15. MLB Commissioner Bowie Kuhn was reelected to another seven-year term.
16. Microsoft was founded as a partnership between Bill Gates and Paul Allen to develop and sell computer software.
17. Ernő Rubik applied for a patent for his "Magic Cube" invention, which later became known as a “Rubik's Cube.”
18. At the 47th Academy Awards, which honored the best films of 1974, The Godfather Part II won an Oscar for Best Picture, and Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather Part II) won an Oscar for Best Director. Likewise, Art Carney (Harry and Tonto) won an Oscar for Best Actor, and Ellen Burstyn (Alice Doesn’t Love Here Anymore) won an Oscar for Best Actress.
19. The morning news magazine, Good Morning America, debuted on ABC, and the soaps, As the World Turns and The Edge of Night, switched from live to pre-taped broadcasts.
20. The musical, A Chorus Line, premiered at the Shubert Theater in New York City for 6,137 performances. In 1976, the show received nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Direction of a Musical, and Best Choreography. A Chorus Line also received a special Tony Award in 1984 for becoming Broadway’s longest-running musical.
21. Saturday Night Live, the late-night comedy and variety show, premiered on NBC with George Carlin as host. Currently in its 47th season, Saturday Night Live is now streaming on Peacock—NBCUniversal’s video streaming service—in addition to its coast-to-coast live television broadcasts.
22. Consumer products introduced in 1975 included Betamax, Big Red gum, Country Time lemon-flavored drink mixes, Famous Amos chocolate cookies, Freshen Up chewing gum, Miller Lite, the Terrible Towel, and Warheads candy.
23. In 1975, Angelina Jolie, Kate Winslet, Drew Barrymore, Tiger Woods, Rich Dollaz, Cheyenne Jackson, and Bradley Cooper were all born.
24. American companies and brands introduced during 1975 include Bisquitville, Book Soup, Chili’s, Earth Fare, Family Express, Kronos Foods, Microsoft, Mysterious Press, and Supercuts.
25. At the 48th Scripps National Spelling Bee, the winner was 14-year-old Tosteson Garcia of Puerto Rico, who correctly spelled the word “incisor.”

This article teaches you fun facts, trivia, and history events from the year 1975. Find out about popular TV shows and movies, best-selling books, food and fashion trends, sports facts, pop music artists and songs, famous birthdays, economic and tech news, as well as unusual news events to get the right mix of questions and answers for your 1970s-themed trivia quiz.

Table of Contents

Here is a sneak preview of what this article is about:

1. Grocery Prices in the Year 1975
2. History Facts and Events From the USA and World
3. Sports Facts and Trivia
4. 1970s Slang Words and Expressions
5. Miscellaneous Fun Facts, Trivia, and Pop Culture Trends
6. Entertainment News
7. Nobel Prize Winners
8. Best-Selling Fiction and Non-Fiction Books
9. Most Popular Television Shows From 1975-76
10. Most Popular Movies
11. Horror Films From the Year 1975
12. Biggest Pop Music Artists
13. Top 40 Songs for the Year
14. Food and Beverage Trivia
15. Famous Birthdays
16. Notable Weddings
17. Famous People Who Died
18. U.S. Automobile Production Figures for the Year
19. America’s Largest Corporations
20. American Companies and Brands Established During 1975

1. Grocery Prices in the Year 1975

These 1975 grocery prices have been made available courtesy of the Morris County Public Library and ThePeopleHistory.com.

1. Apples (McIntosh): Three pounds for 59 cents
2. Bacon: $1.29 for a one-pound package
3. Bananas: 19 cents a pound
4. Beans (Campbell’s, baked): 24 cents for a one-pound can
5. Beef (ground chuck): 99 cents a pound
6. Beef (sirloin steak): $1.29-$1.39 a pound
7. Bread: 32 cents for a 22-ounce loaf
8. Butter (Hotel Bar): 70 cents for a one-pound package
9. Cake mix (Betty Crocker): 55 cents for an 18.5-ounce box
10. Celery: 38 cents a stalk
11. Cheese (American): 99 cents a pound
12. Chicken (roasters): 49 cents a pound
13. Coffee (Chock Full O’Nuts): 99 cents for a one-pound can
14. Crackers (Nabisco premium saltines): 49 cents for a one-pound box
15. Cranberries: 29 cents a pound
16. Eggs: 59 cents a dozen
17. Grapefruit: 79 cents for a five-pound bag
18. Grapes: 69 cents a pound
19. Ham (cooked): 79 cents a pound
20. Jelly: 59 cents for a 12-ounce jar
21. Juice (Del Monte, pineapple-grapefruit): 45 cents for a 32-ounce can
22. Ketchup (Heinz): 59 cents for a 26-ounce bottle
23. Mayonnaise (Kraft): 69 cents for a quart jar
24. Milk: $1.57 per gallon
25. Onions: Eight cents a pound
26. Oranges (Florida): 79 cents for a five-pound bag
27. Pot pie (Banquet, frozen): 99 cents for four eight-ounce packages
28. Potatoes: 99 cents for a 20-pound bag
29. Pot roast: 79 cents a pound
30. Soup (Campbells): $1.00 for five 10.75-ounce cans
31. SPAM: 79 cents for a 12-ounce can
32. Strawberries: 29 cents a pound
33. Sugar: $2.49 for a five pound bag
34. Sweet corn: 10 ears for 79 cents
35. Turkey: 43 cents a pound

2. History Facts and Events From the USA and World

1. In 1975, Gerald Ford (R-Michigan) was President of the United States, and Nelson Rockefeller (R-New York) was the Vice-President.
2. William E. Burger (Minnesota) was the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.
3. Carl Albert (D-Oklahoma) was the Speaker of the House, and Mike Mansfield (D-Montana) was the Senate Majority Leader.
4. The 93rd Congress (1973-75) was in session, and there were 243 Democrats and 192 Republicans. History.House.gov tells us that “The 93rd Congress responded to unilateral presidential actions with the War Powers Resolution, a new federal budget process, campaign reforms, and the Freedom of Information Act. Congressional investigations implicated Nixon in widespread misconduct after a break-in at the Democratic Party’s Watergate complex offices in Washington, but Nixon resigned before the House filed articles of impeachment against him.”
5. On January 1, H. R. Haldeman—Nixon’s White House Chief of Staff—was convicted of Watergate crimes.
6. On January 1, Americans could freely own and trade gold once again. (The limitation on gold ownership in the U.S. was repealed after President Ford signed a bill in 1974 “to permit United States citizens to purchase, hold, sell, or otherwise deal with gold in the United States or abroad.”)
7. On January 12, Chrysler Corporation offered the first car rebates. The New York Times reports that “In the first significant attempt to reduce prices to stimulate car sales since the automobile industry went into its deep decline, the Chrysler Corporation plans to announce a system of rebates ... that will save buyers of certain new Chrysler cars from $200 to $400.”
8. On January 23, former Pittsburgh Pirates slugger Ralph Kiner was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
9. On January 30, Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture Ernő Rubik applied for a patent for his "Magic Cube" invention, which later became known as a Rubik's cube.
10. On February 10, William "Judy" Johnson was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. According to BaseballHall.org, “From 1971-74, Johnson served on the Hall of Fame’s Committee on the Negro Baseball Leagues. After stepping down from the Committee, he was elected to the Hall in 1975.”
11. On February 11, the 1975 Conservative party leadership election was held in Great Britain, and the Conservatives chose Margaret Thatcher as their new leader. Thatcher “won the title after successfully challenging the leadership of former Prime Minister Edward Heath, making her the first woman in that role."
12. On February 21, Watergate players John Mitchell, H. R. Haldeman, and John D. Ehrlichman were sentenced to 2½-8 years for conspiracy and obstruction of justice.
13. On February 27, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a $21.3 billion “anti-recession tax-cut bill.”
14. On February 28, a tube crash in London at Moorgate station killed 43 people and injured 74 others.
15. On March 9, construction began on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS), which was being built to carry “billions of barrels of North Slope oil to the port of Valdez.”
16. On March 22, the Walt Disney Shopping Village opened at Lake Buena Vista in Orlando.
17. On April 4, Microsoft was founded as a partnership between Bill Gates and Paul Allen to develop and sell computer software. Today, Microsoft is a “technology corporation that produces computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services. Its best known software products are the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems, the Microsoft Office suite, and the Internet Explorer web browsers.”
18. On April 21, American Bill Rogers won the men’s section of the Boston Marathon, and Liane Winter of West Germany won the women’s section.
19. On April 30, U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War came to an end. Diplomacy.State.gov explains that “the South Vietnamese capital of Saigon fell to the North Vietnamese Army, effectively ending the Vietnam War. In the days before, U.S. forces evacuated thousands of Americans and South Vietnamese from Saigon. American diplomats were on the frontlines, organizing what would be the most ambitious helicopter evacuation in history.”
20. On May 7, President Ford announced an end to the Vietnam War.
21. On June 2, London had its first recorded snowfall in June.
22. On June 5, the California Agricultural Labor Relations Act (CALRA)—which established collective bargaining for agricultural workers—became law.
23. On June 6, British voters decided to remain in the Common Market.
24. On June 18, NBC Radio’s news syndicate began operating. According to the New York Times, “The enterprise, using the resources of NBC News, will provide subscribing stations with a 50‐minute block of national and world news every hour of the day, leaving the remaining time for local news coverage by the stations themselves.”
25. On June 29, 8.10” of rain fell in Litchville, North Dakota, setting a 24-hour state record.
26. On July 8, President Ford announced that he would seek the 1976 Republican presidential nomination.
27. On July 13, 8.5” of rain fell in Dover, Delaware, setting a state record.
28. On July 16, MLB Commissioner Bowie Kuhn was reelected to another seven-year term.
29. On July 20, Bernard Thevenet of France won the 62nd Tour de France.
30. On July 29, President Ford became the first U.S. president to visit the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz.
31. On July 30, Jimmy Hoffa, who served as the president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), disappeared in suburban Detroit. (Hoffa was legally declared dead in 1982.)
32. On August 2, the temperature reached 104°F in Providence, Rhode Island, setting a state record.
33. On August 2, the temperature reached 107°F in Chester/New Bedford, Massachusetts, setting a state record.
34. On September 1, New York City’s transit fare increased from 35 cents to 50 cents.
35. On September 5, Lynette Fromme, “a follower of jailed cult leader Charles Manson, attempted to assassinate U.S. President Gerald Ford, but was thwarted by a Secret Service agent.”
36. On September 14, Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton became the first American-born saint.
37. On September 22, President Ford “survived a second assassination attempt, this time by Sara Jane Moore of San Francisco.”
38. On October 15, Iceland moved its international boundary from 50 to 100 miles.
39. On October 20, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that teachers could spank their students after first giving them a warning.
40. On October 21, the Coast Guard Academy allowed the first women to enroll.
41. On November 4, MLB player Jim Palmer (Baltimore Orioles) won his second Cy Young Award. Then, on November 12, MLB player Tom Seaver (New York Mets) won his third Cy Young Award. (So, how do you get a Cy Young award? M.MLB.com tells us that “Named for the winningest pitcher in baseball history, the Cy Young Award is voted upon by the Baseball Writers' Association of America prior to the beginning of the postseason. From 1956 to 1966, the award was given to one pitcher, but has been given to one pitcher per league since 1967.”)
42. On November 20, Ronald Reagan announced that he would seek the 1976 Republican presidential nomination.
43. On December 11, the price for a first-class postage stamp increased from 10 cents to 13 cents.
44. On December 16, MLB team owner Bill Veeck purchased 80% of the Chicago White Sox from John Allyn.
45. On December 22, President Ford signed the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) into law. The primary goals of the EPCA are to “increase energy production and supply, reduce energy demand, provide energy efficiency, and give the executive branch additional powers to respond to disruptions in energy supply.”

3. Sports Facts and Trivia

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

1. Kentucky Derby: Foolish Pleasure
2. NBA Champions: Golden State Warriors
3. NCAA Basketball: UCLA
4. NCAA Football Champs: Oklahoma
5. Orange Bowl: Notre Dame over Alabama
6. Rose Bowl: USC over Ohio State
7. Stanley Cup Champs: Philadelphia Flyers
8. Sugar Bowl: Nebraska over Florida
9. Super Bowl: Pittsburgh Steelers
10. U.S. Open Golf: Lou Graham
11. U.S. Open Tennis (men/women): Manuel Orantes/Christine Marie Evert
12. Wimbledon (men/women): Arthur Ashe/Billie Jean King
13. World Series Champions: Cincinnati Reds

4. 1970s Slang Words and Expressions

Here are some of the most popular slang words and expressions from the 1970s:

1. Bad: Good, great
2. Boogie: Dance
3. Bummer: Too bad
4. Chill: Relax
5. Copacetic: OK, no problem
6. Dork: Nerd
7. Dream on: A response to someone who is being unrealistic
8. Dude: A generic term for a guy
9. Fab: Short for fabulous
10. Far out: Very cool in a weird way
11. Freak out: To become frightened
12. Funky: Cool in an eccentric way
13. Gig: A temporary job
14. Go bananas: Go crazy
15. Going around: Dating
16. Good vibes: Positive energy
17. Groovy: Cool in a hip way
18. Keep on truckin’: Don’t stop now
19. Nifty: Cool in a neat way
20. Out of sight: Cool in an impressive way
21. Pad: Where someone lives
22. Psych: To trick someone
23. Putz: A klutzy or dorky person
24. Right on: Yes, I agree
25. Rip off: Something that is poor quality
26. Space cadet: An airhead or goofy person
27. Take a chill pill: Calm down
28. The lowdown: The truth or the real story
29. To the max: Take something to the extreme
30. Trippin': Acting crazy

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

1. In 1975 the most popular baby names for boys were Michael, Jason, Christopher, David, and James. Today, the most popular names include Liam, Noah, Oliver, Elijah, and William.
2. In 1975, the most popular baby names for girls were Jennifer, Amy, Melissa, Heather, and Angela. Today, the most popular names include Olivia, Emma, Amelia, Ava, and Sophia.
3. The average life expectancy at birth in the U.S. was 72.86 years.
4. Fashion icons in 1975 were Jacqueline Bisset, Carol Burnett, Diahann Carroll, Angie Dickinson, Margaux Hemingway, Mary Tyler Moore, Suzanne Pleshette, Diana Ross, and Donna Summer.
5. Shirley Clothran (Texas) was crowned Miss America.
6. Summer Bartholomew (California) became Miss USA.
7. The cost of a Super Bowl ad was $107,000.
8. Consumer products introduced in 1975 included Betamax, Big Red gum, Country Time lemon-flavored drink mixes, Famous Amos chocolate cookies, Freshen Up chewing gum, Miller Lite, the Terrible Towel, and Warheads candy.
9. On January 1, the private ownership of gold was legalized in the United States.
10. On January 2, the Department of the Interior designated grizzly bears as an endangered species.
11. On May 2, Apple Records, a record label founded by the Beatles, shut down several subdivisions.
12. On July 9, a 4.6 magnitude earthquake took place in western Minnesota. It was also felt in northern Iowa, southeastern North Dakota, and eastern South Dakota.
13. On July 10, Cher filed for divorce from Gregg Allman 10 days after they married.
14. On July 22, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to restore citizenship to General Robert E Lee.
15. On August 11, the U.S. vetoed the “proposed admission” of North and South Vietnam to the United Nations.
16. Foster Grant sunglasses: $5.00
17. Chevrolet Caprice: $4,819
18. Movie ticket: $2.03
19. Postage stamp: 13 cents
20. Public college tuition: $1,809
21. Private college tuition: $3,776
22. Violent crime per 1,000 people: 53.0
23. Property crime per 1,000 people: 48.1
24. Unemployment peaked at 9.0% in May.
25. Inflation rate: 9.13%
26. Average income per year: $14,100
27. Average cost of a new house: $39,300
28. Average monthly rent: $200
29. Average cost of a new car: $4,250
30. Average cost of a gallon of gas: 44 cents

6. Entertainment News

1. On January 6, AM America premiered on ABC with Bill Beutel as host.
2. On January 5, Charlie Smalls' musical, The Wiz, opened at the Majestic Theater in NYC for 1672 performances.
3. On January 6, the game show, Wheel of Fortune, debuted on NBC.
4. On January 15, comedian Phyllis Diller received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
5. On January 18, The Jeffersons, a sitcom that was a spinoff from All in the Family, premiered on CBS.
6. On January 23, the sitcom, Barney Miller, debuted on ABC.
7. On January 26, Edward Allbee’s play, Seascape, opened in NYC.
8. On February 18, at the 2nd Annual American Music Awards, John Denver was voted the Favorite Male Artist - Pop/Rock, Olivia Newton-John was voted the Favorite Female Artist - Pop/Rock, and Gladys Knight & the Pips was voted the Favorite Band, Duo or Group.
9. On March 3, the 1st People’s Choice Awards honored the best in popular culture in 1974. At the ceremonies, The Sting was voted the Favorite Motion Picture, Barbra Streisand was voted the Favorite Motion Picture Actress, and John Wayne was voted the Favorite Motion Picture Actor.
10. On March 10, The Rocky Horror Picture Show opened at the Belasco Theater NYC for 45 performances.
11. On March 13, Bernard Slade’s romantic comedy play, Same Time, Next Year, opened in NYC.
12. On March 26, Ken Russell's film, Tommy, based on the rock opera by The Who, opened in London.
13. On April 8, at the 47th Academy Awards, which honored the best films of 1974, The Godfather Part II won an Oscar for Best Picture, and Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather Part II) won an Oscar for Best Director. Likewise, Art Carney (Harry and Tonto) won an Oscar for Best Actor, and Ellen Burstyn (Alice Doesn’t Love Here Anymore) won an Oscar for Best Actress.
14. On April 20, at the 29th Tony Awards, Equus won a Tony for Best Play, and The Wiz won a Tony for Best Musical. Likewise, John Dexter (Equus) won a Tony for Best Direction of a Play, George Faison (The Wiz) won a Tony for Best Choreography, and Carl Toms (Sherlock Holmes) won a Tony for Best Scenic Design.
15. On April 23, Harold Pinter’s play, No Man’s Land, opened in London.
16. On May 5, the Pulitzer Prize was awarded to Michael Shaara for his historical novel—Killer Angels.
17. On May 11, Natalie Cole released her debut album—Inseparable.
18. On May 19, at the 27th Primetime Emmy Awards, Mary Tyler Moore (CBS) received an Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series, and Upstairs, Downstairs (PBS) received an Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series. Likewise, Tony Randall (The Odd Couple) received an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, and Valerie Harper (Rhoda) received an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.
19. On May 26, Glen Campbell released his single—Rhinestone Cowboy.
20. On June 11, Nashville, a film directed by Robert Altman and starring Ned Beatty and Ronee Blakley, was released.
21. On June 20, Jaws, a film directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Roy Scheider, debuted.
22. On June 25, Barry White’s, Can’t Get Enough of Your Love Baby, was released.
23. On July 7, the soap, Ryan’s Hope, premiered on ABC, where it would air for 13 years.
24. On August 5, Stevie Wonder signed a $13M contract with Motown.
25. On September 1, the western drama, Gunsmoke, went off the air after 20 seasons and 635 episodes.
26. On September 29, WGPR, the first black-owned television station in the U.S., began broadcasting in Detroit.
27. On September 29, the game show, Three For Money, premiered on NBC.
28. On October 11, Saturday Night Live, the late-night comedy and variety show, premiered on NBC with George Carlin as host. Currently in its 47th season, Saturday Night Live is now streaming on Peacock—NBCUniversal’s video streaming service—in addition to its coast-to-coast live television broadcasts.
29. On October 19, the musical, A Chorus Line, premiered at the Shubert Theater in New York City for 6,137 performances. In 1976, the show received nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Direction of a Musical, and Best Choreography. A Chorus Line also received a special Tony Award in 1984 for becoming Broadway’s longest-running musical.
30. On October 21, Elton John received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
31. On October 22, the musical revue, Me and Bessie, opened at the Ambassador Theater in NYC for 453 performances.
32. On November 3, the morning news magazine, Good Morning America, debuted on ABC.
33. On November 19, the film, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, directed by Milos Forman and starring Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher, was released.
34. On November 28, the soaps, As the World Turns and The Edge of Night, switched from live to pre-taped broadcasts.
35. On December 8, the musical, Raisin, closed at the 46 Street Theater in NYC after 847 performances.

7. Nobel Prize Winners

This Nobel Prize information from 1975 has been made available courtesy of NobelPrize.com.

• Chemistry: Vladimir Prelog and John Cornforth
• Economic Sciences: Leonid Kantorovich and Tjalling Koopmans
• Literature: Eugenio Montale
• Peace: Andrei Sakharov
• Physics: Aage Bohr, James Rainwater, and Ben Roy Mottelson
• Physiology or medicine: Howard Temin, Renato Dulbecco, and David Baltimore

8. Best-Selling Fiction and Non-Fiction Books

This book trivia from 1975 has been made available courtesy of PublishersWeekly.com.

Fiction:

1. Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow

2. The Moneychangers by Arthur Hailey

3. Curtain by Agatha Christie

4. Looking for Mister Goodbar by Judith Rossner

5. The Choirboys by Joseph Wambaugh

6. The Eagle Has Landed by Jack Higgins

7. The Greek Treasure: A Biographical Novel of Henry and Sophia Schliemann by Irving Stone

8. The Great Train Robbery by Michael Crichton

9. Shogun by James Clavell

10. Humboldt's Gift by Saul Bellow

Nonfiction:

1. Angels: God's Secret Agents by Billy Graham

2. Winning Through Intimidation by Robert Ringer

3. TM: Discovering Energy and Overcoming Stress by Harold H. Bloomfield

4. The Ascent of Man by Jacob Bronowski

5. Sylvia Porter's Money Book by Sylvia Porter

6. Total Fitness in 30 Minutes a Week by Laurence E. Morehouse and Leonard Gross

7. The Bermuda Triangle by Charles Berlitz with J. Manson Valentine

8. The Save-Your-Life Diet by David Reuben

9. Bring on the Empty Horses by David Niven

10. Breach of Faith: The Fall of Richard Nixon by Theodore H. White

9. Most Popular Television Shows From 1975-76

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

1. All in the Family (CBS)
2. Rich Man, Poor Man (ABC)
3. Laverne & Shirley (ABC)
4. Maude (CBS)
5. The Bionic Woman (ABC)
6. Phyllis (CBS)
7. Sanford and Son (NBC)
8. Rhoda (CBS)
9. The Six Million Dollar Man (ABC)
10. ABC Monday Night Movie (ABC)
11. Happy Days (ABC)

10. Most Popular Movies

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

1. Jaws
2. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
3. Shampoo
4. Dog Day Afternoon
5. The Return of the Pink Panther
6. Three Days of the Condor
7. Funny Lady
8. The Other Side of the Mountain
9. Tommy
10. The Apple Dumpling Gang

11. Horror Films From the Year 1975

This film trivia from 1975 has been made available courtesy of IMDB.com.

1. Jaws
2. Shivers
3. Deep Red
4. The Rocky Horror Picture Show
5. Race with the Devil
6. Alucarda
7. Trilogy of Terror
8. Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom
9. The Devil’s Rain
10. Who Can Kill a Child?

12. Biggest Pop Music Artists

Here are some of the most popular music artists from the year 1975:

1. Barry Manilow
2. Barry White
3. Bruce Springsteen
4. Captain & Tennille
5. The Carpenters
6. David Bowie
7. The Doobie Brothers
8. Earth, Wind & Fire
9. Elton John
10. Gladys Knight & the Pips
11. Helen Reddy
12. Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
13. The Isley Brothers
14. John Denver
15. Kool & the Gang
16. Linda Ronstadt
17. Neil Sedaka
18. Olivia Newton-John
19. Paul McCartney & Wings
20. The Pointer Sisters
21. Smokey Robinson
22. The Spinners
23. Stevie Wonder
24. The Temptations
25. Tony Orlando & Dawn

13. Top 40 Songs for the Year

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

1. Love Will Keep Us Together: The Captain and Tennille

2. Rhinestone Cowboy: Glen Campbell

3. Philadelphia Freedom: Elton John

4. Before the Next Teardrop Falls: Freddy Fender

5. My Eyes Adored You: Frankie Valli

6. Shining Star: Wind and Fire

7. Fame: David Bowie

8. Laughter In the Rain: Neil Sedaka

9. One of These Nights: Eagles

10. Thank God I'm a Country Boy: John Denver

11. Jive Talkin': The Bee Gees

12. The Best of My Love: Eagles

13. Lovin' You: Minnie Riperton

14. Kung Fu Fighting: Carl Douglas

15. Black Water: The Doobie Brothers

16. Ballroom Blitz: The Sweet

17. (Hey, Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song: B.J. Thomas

18. He Don't Love You (Like I Love You): Tony Orlando and Dawn

19. At Seventeen: Janis Ian

20. Pick Up the Pieces: The Average White Band

21. The Hustle: Van McCoy and The Soul City Symphony

22. Lady Marmalade: Labelle

23. Why Can't We Be Friends: War

24. Love Won't Let Me Wait: Major Harris

25. Boogie On Reggae Woman: Stevie Wonder

26. Wasted Days and Wasted Nights: Freddy Fender

27. Fight the Power (Pt. 1): The Isley Brothers

28. Angie Baby: Helen Reddy

29. Jackie Blue: The Ozark Mountain Daredevils

30. Fire: The Ohio Players

31. Magic: Pilot

32. Please Mr. Postman: The Carpenters

33. Sister Golden Hair: America

34. Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds: Elton John

35. Mandy: Barry Manilow

36. Have You Never Been Mellow: Olivia Newton-John

37. Could It Be Magic: Barry Manilow

38. Cat's In the Cradle: Harry Chapin

39. Wildfire: Michael Murphy

40. I'm Not Lisa: Jessi Colter

14. Food and Beverage Trivia

EatThis.com tells us that “In a yearbook consisting entirely of food, the 1970s would be a colorful entry. It was a decade marked by health consciousness, packaged goods, French cuisine, and global awareness.” During the 1970s, we saw everything from green goddess dressing and Jell-O salads to Hamburger Helper and lo mein.

Here are over 50 of the most popular foods from the 1970s:

1. Alpen cereal
2. Beef Bourguignon
3. Betty Crocker French Toastwiches
4. Black Forest cake
5. Blue Nun
6. California rolls
7. Campbell’s Chunky Soup
8. Carrot cake
9. Cheese balls
10. Cheese fondue
11. Chex Mix
12. Chicken tikka masala
13. Crepes Suzette
14. Cup Noodles
15. Deviled eggs
16. Egg McMuffin
17. Fajitas
18. Fondue
19. Freshen Up gum
20. Frozen yogurt
21. General Tso’s chicken
22. Golden Grahams
23. Granola bars
24. Hamburger Helper
25. Happy Meal
26. Hawaiian cuisine
27. Honey Nut Cheerios
28. Hunt’s Manwich
29. Jell-O 1-2-3
30. Jell-O salads
31. Jelly Belly jelly beans
32. Libbyland frozen dinners
33. Mississippi mud pie
34. Mug-o-Lunch
35. Munchkins donut hole treats
36. Pasta primavera
37. Perrier
38. Poke cake
39. Pop Rocks
40. Post Pink Panther flakes
41. Quarter Pounder
42. Quiche Lorraine
43. Ring Pops
44. Snack Mate pasteurized cheese spreads
45. Snapple
46. Space Dust candy
47. Spaghetti-Os
48. SPAM and eggs
49. Subway BMT
50. Tab
51. TV dinners
52. Twix
53. Wacky cake
54. Watergate salad

15. Famous Birthdays

Here are some of the famous people who were born in 1975:

1. Allen Iverson: Basketball player
2. Angelina Jolie: Movie actress
3. Anthony McPartlin: TV show host
4. Bethany Gaskin: YouTube star
5. Bradley Cooper: Movie actor
6. Charlize Theron: Actress and producer
7. Chelsea Handler: Comedian, actress, writer, television host, producer, and activist
8. Cheyenne Jackson: Stage actor
9. Christina Hendricks: Actress and former model
10. Danni Boatwright: Actress, TV host, model, and beauty queen
11. Danny Cooksey: Actor, voice actor, and singer
12. David Beckham: Soccer player
13. Drew Barrymore: Movie actress
14. Fergie: Pop singer
15. Jamie Oliver: Chef
16. Jesse Tyler Ferguson: TV actor
17. Kate Gosselin: Reality star
18. Kate Winslet: Movie actress
19. Katie Hopkins: Reality star
20. Mark Ronson: Music producer
21. Mel B: Pop singer
22. Michael Buble: Jazz singer
23. Rich Dollaz: Entrepreneur
24. Tiger Woods: Golfer
25. Travis Barker: Drummer

16. Notable Weddings

These marriage facts have been made available courtesy of OnThisDay.com.

1. On January 21, actress Zsa Zsa Gabor married toy inventor Jack Ryan.
2. On February 21, Cincinnati Reds catcher Johnny Bench married Vickie Chesser.
3. On March 29, molecular biologist Peter Agre married Mary Macgill.
4. On April 2, actress Jane Curtin married television producer Patrick Lynch.
5. On May 6, actor Sean Connery married Micheline Roquebrune.
6. On June 30, singer and actress Cher married musician Gregg Allman.
7. On August 23, actress Maggie Smith married playwright Beverley Cross.
8. On September 1, broadcasting pioneer Roone Arledge married Ann Fowler.
9. On September 13, novelist Danielle Steel married Danny Zugelder.
10. On September 20, British comic actor Dudley Moore married American actress Tuesday Weld.
11. On October 10, actress Elizabeth Taylor remarried actor Richard Burton.
12. On October 11, future U.S. President Bill Clinton married future U.S. Senator and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham.
13. On November 8, NBA legend Larry Bird married high school sweetheart Janet Condra.
14. On December 6, U.S. Senator Bob Dole married former Senator Elizabeth Hanford.
15. On December 30, director Martin Scorsese married teacher and author Julia Cameron.

17. Famous People Who Died

This information has been made available courtesy of TheFamousPeople.com.

1. Anna Roosevelt Halsted: Writer and editor
2. Aristotle Onassis: Business magnate
3. Audrey Williams: Musician and songwriter
4. Avery Brundage: Sports administrator
5. Bernard Herrmann: Composer and conductor
6. Casey Stengel: Baseball manager
7. Charles Revson: Businessman
8. Jimmy Hoffa: Labor leader
9. Josephine Baker: Actress
10. Julian Huxley: Biologist
11. Larry Fine: Comedian
12. Lefty Grove: Baseball pitcher
13. Leroy Anderson: Classical composer and conductor
14. Louis Jordan: Musician and actor
15. Moe Howard: Actor
16. Moms Mabley: Comedian
17. Ozzie Nelson: Actor
18. Richard Conte: Actor
19. Rod Sterling: Screenwriter and TV producer
20. Steve Prefontaine: Long-distance runner
21. Susan Hayward: Actress
22. T-Bone Walker: Guitarist
23. Thornton Wilder: Playwright
24. Tim Buckley: Singer, songwriter, banjoist, and guitarist
25. Walker Evans: Journalist and photographer

18. U.S. Automobile Production Figures for the Year

Here are the U.S. automobile production figures for 1975:

1. Chevrolet: 1,755,773
2. Ford: 1,569,608
3. Oldsmobile: 631,795
4. Pontiac: 531,922
5. Buick: 481,768
6. Plymouth: 454,105
7. Mercury: 404,650
8. Dodge: 377,462
9. Cadillac: 264,732
10. Chrysler: 251,549
11. AMC: 241,501
12. Lincoln: 101,843
13. Imperial: 8,830
14. Checker: 450
15. Avanti II: 125
16. Excalibur: 90

19. America’s Largest Corporations

This corporate trivia has been made available courtesy of Money.CNN.com.

1. Exxon Mobil
2. General Motors
3. Ford Motor
4. Texaco
5. Mobil
6. ChevronTexaco
7. Gulf Oil
8. General Electric
9. IBM
10. ITT Industries
11. Chrysler
12. U.S. Steel
13. Amoco
14. Shell Oil
15. AT&T
16. Conoco
17. DuPont
18. Atlantic Richfield
19. CBS
20. Occidental Petroleum
21. Bethlehem Steel
22. Union Carbide
23. Goodyear Tire & Rubber
24. Tenneco Automotive
25. ConocoPhillips

20. American Companies and Brands Established During 1975

1. Biscuitville is a privately-held, fast-food restaurant chain that operates 62 locations in North Carolina and Virginia.
2. Book Soup is an independent bookstore located at 8818 Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, California.
3. Chili’s is a casual dining restaurant chain that has 1,606 locations worldwide.
4. Earth Fare is a health and wellness supermarket chain with 20 locations in eight states.
5. Family Express is a privately-held convenience store chain that operates 70 locations across northern and central Indiana.
6. Guemsey’s is an auction house based in New York City.
7. Kronos Foods is a Chicago-based food service company which is the largest manufacturer of gyros in the world.
8. Microsoft is an American technology corporation that “produces computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services. Its best known software products are the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems, the Microsoft Office suite, and the Internet Explorer web browsers.”
9. Mysterious Press is a publishing company headquartered in New York City that specializes in mystery fiction.
10. News Media Corporation is a family-owned newspaper corporation that publishes 65 different newspaper titles in eight states across the U.S.
11. Penfield is an outdoor clothing brand known for its down-filled jackets.
12. Rainy Day Books is an independent bookstore that is located in Fairway, Kansas, a wealthy suburb of Kansas City.
13. A Room of One’s Own is an independent bookstore located at 2717 Atwood Avenue in Madison, Wisconsin.
14. Streetlight Records is a chain of record shops that is based in Santa Cruz, California.
15. Supercuts—a hair salon franchise with over 2,500 locations across the United States—was founded by Geoffrey M. Rappaport and Frank E. Emmett. The company’s first location was in Albany, New York.

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
• 15 Foods '70s Kids Will Totally Remember
  From Hamburger Helper to JELL-O salad, we found 15 popular foods that you will totally remember from the '70s.
• Foods we fell in love with in the 1970s | lovefood.com
  The 1970s was the decade of cool cereals, slimming snacks and show-off dinner parties. When Generation X were children, the Egg McMuffin came out, cheese fondue was fashionable, Watergate salad became a family favourite and Blue Nun was the drink of
• Cool 1970s Slang: Words and Sayings From the Disco Era
  These 1970s slang words and phrases are as cool as disco itself. Check out some of the most groovy savings from this unique time in history.
• Horror Movies from 1975 - IMDb
  Horror Movies from 1975
• The Numbers - Top-Grossing Movies of 1975
  Top-Grossing Movies of 1975
• https://www.ranker.com/list/companies-founded-in-1975/reference
  List of the top or longest running businesses/companies/firms founded, started or launched in 1975; incl. corporations and public/private enterprises.
• Born in 1975 | Famous Birthdays
  Famous people born in 1975 including Travis Barker, Angelina Jolie, Sia, DJ Khaled, David Beckham and many more.
• Famous People Who Died in 1975
  Discover the most famous people who died in 1975. The list includes people like Jimmy Hoffa, K. Kamaraj, Francisco Franco, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Haile Selassie and many more.
• FORTUNE 500: 1975 Archive Full List 1-100
  
• https://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1975.htm
  Top 100 songs for the year 1975 from the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 charts.
• What Happened in 1975 - Significant Events, Prices, 1975 Top Movies, TV and Music
  1975 News Events include Events include Suez Canal reopens, Vietnam War ends, Unemployment Rate in the US reaches 9.2%, Britains inflation rate 25%, Cod War, ...
• Historical Events in 1975 - On This Day
  Historical events from year 1975. Learn about 683 famous, scandalous and important events that happened in 1975 or search by date or keyword.
• Popular 1970s Food That Deserves a Comeback | Taste of Home
  
• 1975 | Morris County Library
  Automobiles New Maverick, 3,625.00 VW Rabbit, 2,999.00 Toyota Corolla, 2,711.00 Used Mustang Fastback, 1972, 2,490.00 Pontiac Ventura, 1973, 2,197.00 Plymouth Duster, 1971, 1,797.00 8 track car tape player, KMart, 24.88-38.88/each Oil change, include
• 13 Long-Lost Foods from the '70s That Will Stoke Your Nostalgia
  Step into our food time machine and revisit these culinary gems from the '70s era that you'll definitely want to bring back.
• Popular 1970s Food That Deserves a Comeback | Taste of Home
  

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2021 Gregory DeVictor

Comments

Gregory DeVictor (author) from Pittsburgh, PA on October 23, 2021:

Mary, thanks for the comment. I agree, it was an outstanding year.

Mary Norton from Ontario, Canada on October 23, 2021:

Thank you for bringing me back to memory lane. These are facts and events am so familiar with. What a great year that was