Year 1977 Fun Facts, Trivia, and History

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

What Happened During the Year 1977?

What are some fun facts, trivia, and history events from the year 1977? 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 1977? What about famous birthdays, marriages, and deaths that year, as well as the cost of living? Finally, what was the year 1977 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 1977:

1. President Jimmy Carter and Panama's General Omar Torrijos signed the Panama Canal Treaty, which gave Panama control of the waterway after 1999.
2. The 800-mile-long Trans-Alaska Pipeline System was completed. Wired.com tells us that “The Alaskan pipeline, built to help slake America's insatiable thirst for oil, was designed to move oil from the fertile fields of the North Slope to Valdez, Alaska's northernmost ice-free port.”
3. The Supreme Court refused to hear the appeals of “Watergate wrongdoers” H.R. Haldeman, John Ehrlichman, and John Mitchell. All three men eventually went to prison for obstruction of justice, conspiracy, and perjury.
4. The Supreme Court also resolved a boundary dispute between New Hampshire and Maine, ruled that lawyers could advertise their professional services, and ruled that “states are not required to spend Medicaid funds on elective abortions.”
5. President Carter raised the minimum wage from $2.30 to $3.35 an hour, effective on January 1, 1981. He also pardoned nearly all Vietnam War draft evaders.
6. NASA launched Voyager I and Voyager II from the Kennedy Space Center to study the outer solar system.
7. The Great Lakes Blizzard blanketed Buffalo, New York, and the Great Bakersfield Dust Storm ravaged the southern San Joaquin Valley in California. Then, nearly all of New York City had a 25-hour blackout after a lightning storm left both “the Big Apple” and Westchester County without power.
8. Atlantic City made history when it became the first location in the U.S.—outside of Nevada—to have legalized casino gambling.
9. Residents of Dover, Massachusetts, reported sightings of the “Dover Demon,” an alien creature with “a watermelon head, glowing eyes, and no facial features.”
10. In 1977, it snowed in Miami for the first time, San Francisco had the strongest earthquake since 1966, and the legendary disco nightclub, Studio 54, opened at 254 West 54th Street in midtown Manhattan.
11. In January, Apple Computer was officially incorporated, with Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak listed as the co-founders. In June, Apple II computers went on sale for $1,298 apiece, which is equivalent to $5,809 in 2021.
12. The Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth was celebrated throughout the UK with large-scale parties, parades, and fireworks.
13. British Airways launched regular supersonic Concorde service between London and New York.
14. Here are some sports facts from 1977: The Oakland Raiders won the Super Bowl, the Montreal Canadiens clinched the Stanley Cup, and the Portland Trail Blazers were the NBA champions.
15. MLB shortstop Ernie Banks was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
16. Mary Shane became the first female “play-by-play broadcaster” for an MLB team (the Chicago White Sox).
17. Al Capp’s satirical comic strip, Li'l Abner, ended its 43-year run in newspapers.
18. At the 49th Academy Awards, which honored the best films of 1976, Rocky won an Oscar for Best Picture, and John G. Avildsen (Rocky) won an Oscar for Best Director. Likewise, Peter Finch (Network) won an Oscar for Best Actor, and Faye Dunaway (Network) won an Oscar for Best Actress. Finally, Harlan County, USA won an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature, and Black and White in Color (Côte d'Ivoire) won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
19. Singer and cultural icon Elvis Presley passed away at his Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee. Dubbed the “King of Rock and Roll,” Presley apparently died of a heart attack, “likely brought on by his addiction to prescription barbiturates.”
20. Jay Leno made his first appearance on the Tonight Show (NBC) with Johnny Carson. Back in 1977, few people realized that Leno would become the Tonight Show host in 1992.
21. Consumer products introduced in 1977 include Atari video music, Cookie Crisp cereal, Cracklin’ Oat Bran cereal, Juicy Juice, Opium perfume, Post-it Notes, SlimFast diet shakes, and the Xerox 9700 high-end laser printer.
22. Companies and brands that were established in 1977 include American Eagle Outfitters, Camp Beverly Hills, Highmark, The Jewelry Exchange, Mission Foods, the Oracle Corporation, and The Vitamin Shoppe.
23. Did you know that three future U.S. presidents tied the knot in 1977? George W. Bush married teacher Laura Welch, Donald Trump married model Ivana Zelníčková, and Joe Biden married teacher Jill Jacobs.
24. Famous people who passed away in 1977 include Bing Crosby, Charlie Chaplin, Elvis Presley, Ethel Waters, Groucho Marx, Guy Lombardo, Joan Crawford, Maria Callas, Ruth Graves Wakefield, Vladimir Nabokov, and Zero Mostel.
25. At the 50th Scripps National Spelling Bee, 13-year-old John Paola of Glenshaw, Pennsylvania correctly spelled the word “cambist.”

This article teaches you fun facts, trivia, and history events from the year 1977. 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 game. Enjoy your reading!

Table of Contents

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

1. Grocery Prices in the Year 1977
2. History Facts From the USA and World
3. Sports Facts and Trivia From 1977
4. Influential People From 1977
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 1977-78
10. Most Popular Movies
11. Ten Best Horror Films
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 1977

1. Grocery Prices in the Year 1977

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

1. Applesauce (Mott's): Two 25-ounce jars for $1.00
2. Bacon: 99 cents for a one-pound package
3. Bananas: Five pounds for $1.00
4. Beef (London broil): $1.79 a pound
5. Bisquick: 97 cents for a 40-ounce box
6. Bread: 36 cents for a 16-ounce loaf
7. Cake (Sara Lee, pound): 87 cents for an 11-ounce package
8. Cake mix (Betty Crocker): 35 cents for an 18.5-ounce box
9. Cheese (Kraft, Velveeta): 99 cents for a one-pound package
10. Chicken (Perdue, oven roaster): 69 cents a pound
11. Cocoa (Swiss Miss): 89 cents for a 12-ounce package
12. Coffee (Maxwell House, instant): $2.99 for a 10-ounce jar
13. Cookies (Keebler, Fudge Stripes): 79 cents for a 12-ounce package
14. Crackers (Sunshine, Krispy saltines): Two 16-ounce packages for $1.00
15. Eggs: 82 cents a dozen
16. Fish (Starkist, tuna, chunk light): Two 6.5-ounce cans for $1.00
17. French fries (Birds Eye): 29 cents for a 10-ounce package
18. Grapefruit (red): Five for 99 cents
19. Ham (semi-boneless): $1.69 a pound
20. Hot dogs (Hebrew National): $1.39 for a 12-ounce package
21. Juice (Ocean Spray, cranberry, frozen): Four six-ounce cans for $1.00
22. Juice (Tropicana, orange, frozen): Six 6-ounce cans for $1.00
23. Ketchup (Heinz): 89 cents for a 32-ounce bottle
24. Lemons: Six for 49 cents
25. Maple syrup (Vermont Maid): $1.29 for a 36-ounce bottle
26. Margarine: Two 16-ounce packages for $1.00
27. Mayonnaise (Kraft): 79 cents for a quart jar
28. Milk: $1.50 a gallon
29. Oranges (navel): 12 large oranges for $1.00
30. Peas (Birds Eye, frozen): 33 cents for a 10-ounce package
31. Potatoes: 89 cents for a 10-pound bag
32. Preserves (Smuckers, grape jelly): $1.00 for a three-pound jar
33. Spaghetti (Muellers): Two 16-ounce packages for $1.00
34. TV dinner (Morton): 39 cents for a 10-ounce package
35. Tea bags (Lipton): 99 cents for a 100-count box
36. Waffles (Eggo, frozen): 79 cents for a 17-ounce package
37. Yogurt (Light n’ Lively): Four eight-ounce cups for $1.00

2. History Facts From the USA and World

1. President: Jimmy Carter (D-Georgia)
2. Vice President: Walter Mondale (D-Minnesota)
3. Chief Justice of the Supreme Court: Warren E. Burger (Minnesota)
4. Speaker of the House of Representatives: Tip O'Neill (D-Massachusetts)
5. Senate Majority Leader: Robert Byrd (D-West Virginia)
6. The 95th Congress was in session. There were 435 representatives, including 292 Democrats and 143 Republicans. According to History.House.gov, “The Democrats retained control of Congress and won the presidency in the 1976 elections. Thomas P. ‘Tip’ O’Neill of Massachusetts succeeded Speaker Carl Albert of Oklahoma following his retirement in 1977. But despite their one-party control of the federal government, Democrats failed to pass President Jimmy Carter’s comprehensive energy program. The 95th Congress (1977–1979) produced only stop-gap energy legislation.”
7. On January 3, Apple Computer was officially incorporated, with Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak listed as the co-founders.
8. On January 4, Mary Shane became the first female “play-by-play broadcaster” for an MLB team (the Chicago White Sox).
9. On January 19, it snowed in Miami for the first time in history.
10. On January 19, MLB shortstop Ernie Banks was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
11. On January 20, Jimmy Carter was sworn in as the 39th U.S. president, and Walter Mondale was sworn in as the 42nd vice president.
12. On January 21, President Carter pardoned nearly all Vietnam War draft evaders.
13. From January 28 to February 1, the Great Lakes Blizzard blanketed Buffalo, New York as well as southern Ontario, Canada. Wind gusts ranged from 46 to 69 mph, and snow totals were as high as 100 inches in some areas.
14. On February 8, a 5.0 earthquake struck San Francisco, the strongest one since 1966.
15. On March 1, the United States extended its territorial waters by 200 miles.
16. On March 15, the U.S. House of Representatives began a 90-day test of televising its sessions.
17. On April 21, residents of Dover, Massachusetts reported sightings of the “Dover Demon,” an alien creature with “a watermelon head, glowing eyes, and no facial features.”
18. On April 26, Studio 54, a legendary disco nightclub, opened at 254 West 54th Street in midtown Manhattan.
19. On May 23, the Supreme Court refused to hear the appeals of “Watergate wrongdoers” H.R. Haldeman, John Ehrlichman, and John Mitchell. All three men eventually went to prison for obstruction of justice, conspiracy, and perjury.
20. On May 28, the Beverly Hills Supper Club in Southgate, Kentucky was destroyed by fire, killing 165 diners and employees inside.
21. On May 29, A.J. Foyt won the Indianapolis 500 for the fourth time.
22. On May 31, the 800-mile-long Trans-Alaska Pipeline System was completed. Wired.com tells us that “The Alaskan pipeline, built to help slake America's insatiable thirst for oil, was designed to move oil from the fertile fields of the North Slope to Valdez, Alaska's northernmost ice-free port.” Wired.com adds that “The pipeline was an engineering marvel, considering the terrain that had to be negotiated: Three mountain ranges and numerous rivers and streams stood between all those thirsty SUVs and their sustenance. The project, which was privately funded, cost $8 billion.”
23. On June 2, Atlantic City became the first location in the U.S.—outside of Nevada—to have legalized casino gambling.
24. On June 9, the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth was celebrated throughout the UK with large-scale parties, parades, and fireworks.
25. On June 10, Apple II computers went on sale for $1,298 apiece, which is equivalent to $5,809 in 2021.
26. On June 10, James Earl Ray, the convicted assassin of Martin Luther King, escaped from Brushy Mountain State Prison in Petros, Tennessee. He was recaptured on June 13.
27. On June 20, the Supreme Court ruled that “states are not required to spend Medicaid funds on elective abortions.”
28. On June 27, the Supreme Court ruled, 5-4, that lawyers could advertise their professional services.
29. On July 13-14, nearly all of New York City had a 25-hour blackout after a lightning storm left both “the Big Apple” and Westchester County without power.
30. On July 24, Bernard Thevenet of France won the 64th Tour de France.
31. On August 4, President Carter signed legislation that established the U.S. Department of Energy.
32. On August 20, NASA launched Voyager II from the Kennedy Space Center to study the outer solar system.
33. On September 7, President Carter and Panama's General Omar Torrijos signed the Panama Canal Treaty, which gave Panama control of the waterway after 1999.
34. On November 1, President Carter raised the minimum wage from $2.30 to $3.35 an hour, effective on January 1, 1981.
35. On November 8, Ed Koch became the Mayor of New York, an office that he would hold until 1989.
36. On November 9, George Foster (Cincinnati Reds) won the National League’s MVP award.
37. On November 13, Al Capp’s satirical comic strip, Li'l Abner, ended its 43-year run in newspapers.
38. On November 16, Rod Carew (Minnesota Twins) won the American League’s MVP award.
39. On November 22, British Airways launched regular supersonic Concorde service between London and New York City.
40. From December 19-21, the Great Bakersfield Dust Storm ravaged the southern San Joaquin Valley in California, resulting in three deaths and over $40 million in damages.

3. Sports Facts and Trivia From 1977

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

Scroll to Continue

8 Instances When Comic Books Were Inspired by Classic Literature

Top 10 Strongest Level 7 Digimon in the TCG

Top 10 Option Cards in the Digimon TCG

1. Kentucky Derby: Seattle Stew
2. NBA Champions: Portland Trail Blazers
3. NCAA Basketball Champs: Marquette
4. NCAA Football Champs: Notre Dame
5. Orange Bowl: Ohio State over Colorado
6. Rose Bowl: USC over Michigan
7. Stanley Cup Champs: Montreal Canadiens
8. Sugar Bowl: Pittsburgh over Georgia
9. Super Bowl: Oakland Raiders
10. U.S. Open Golf: Hubert Green
11. U.S. Open Tennis (men/women): Guilermo Vilas/Christine Marie Evert
12. Wimbledon (men/women): Bjorn Borg/Virginia Wade
13. World Series Champions: New York Yankees

4. Influential People From 1977

From world leaders to pioneers to innovators, who were the most influential people in 1977?

1. A.J. Foyt: He won the Indianapolis 500 for the fourth time.
2. Alex Haley: He won a Pulitzer Prize for his novel, Roots.
3. Anwar Sadat: He was the third president of Egypt and Time magazine’s “Man of the Year.”
4. Bertil Ohlin and James Edward Meade: Nobel laureates in economics.
5. Bette Davis: She was the first woman to receive the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award.
6. Billy Martin: He was the manager of the New York Yankees five different times.
7. Ed Koch: He was elected mayor of New York City, an office that he would hold until 1989.
8. Elvis Presley, a singer and cultural icon, passed away at his Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee. Dubbed the “King of Rock and Roll,” Presley apparently died of a heart attack, “likely brought on by his addiction to prescription barbiturates.”
9. Ernie Banks: He was an MLB shortstop who was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
10. Faye Dunaway: She won an Oscar for Best Actress (Network).
11. George H.W. Bush: He ended his term as the 11th director of the CIA.
12. Ilya Prigogine: Nobel laureate in chemistry.
13. Jay Leno: He made his first appearance on the Tonight Show (NBC) with Johnny Carson. Back in 1977, few people realized that Leno would become the Tonight Show host in 1992.
14. Jimmy Carter: He was inaugurated as the 39th U.S. president.
15. John G. Avildsen: He won an Oscar for Best Director (Rocky).
16. John Madden: He was the coach of the Oakland Raiders.
17. John Paola: He won the 50th Scripps National Spelling Bee by correctly spelling the word “cambist.”
18. Mary Shane: She became the first female “play-by-play broadcaster” for an MLB team (the Chicago White Sox).
19. Mary Tyler Moore: Her Emmy award-winning sitcom, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, aired its last episode.
20. Peter Finch: He won an Oscar for Best Actor (Network).
21. Philip W. Anderson, Nevill Francis Mott, and John Hasbrouck Van Vleck: Nobel laureates in physics.
22. Queen Elizabeth: Her Silver Jubilee was celebrated throughout the UK with large-scale parties, parades, and fireworks.
23. Roger Guillemin, Andrew Schally, and Rosalyn Yalow: Nobel laureates in physiology or medicine.
24. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak: The co-founders of Apple Computer.
25. Vicente Aleixandre: Nobel laureate in literature.

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

1. In 1977, 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 1977, the most popular baby names for girls were Jennifer, Melissa, Amy, Jessica, and Heather. Today, the most popular names include Olivia, Emma, Amelia, Ava, and Sophia.
3. The average life expectancy at birth in the U.S. was 73.26 years.
4. Fashion icons in 1977 were Barbara Bach, Carol Burnett, Jacqueline Bisset, Angie Dickinson, Diane Keaton, Mary Tyler Moore, Dolly Parton, Bernadette Peters, Diana Ross, Jane Seymour, and Donna Summer.
5. Dorothy Benham (Minnesota) was crowned Miss America.
6. Kimberley Tomes (Texas) became Miss USA.
7. Time magazine’s Man of the Year was Anwar Sadat, the third president of Egypt.
8. The cost of a Super Bowl ad was $125,000.
9. Consumer products introduced in 1977 include Atari video music, Cookie Crisp cereal, Cracklin’ Oat Bran cereal, Juicy Juice, Opium perfume, Post-it Notes, SlimFast diet shakes, and the Xerox 9700 high-end laser printer.
10. Toots Shor, an American restauranter, passed away. He owned Toots Shor’s Restaurant, which was a gathering place for New York celebrities during the 1940s and 1950s.
11. The first Apple computer went on sale for $1,298.
12. Violent crime in the U.S. per 1,000 people: 50.8
13. Property crime in the U.S. per 1,000 people: 46.0
14. Movie ticket: $2.21
15. Daily newspaper: 20 cents
16. 1977 Toyota Corolla: $2,870
17. Men’s dress shirt: $10.00-$14.00 each
18. Men’s jeans: $13.00-$18.00 a pair
19. Boy’s corduroy slacks: $3.75-$9.75 a pair
20. Women’s blouse: $9.75-$20.00 apiece
21. Women’s cardigan sweater: $15.00-$32.00 each
22. Joy dish detergent: 69 cents for a 22-ounce bottle
23. Bounty paper towels: 49 cents for a 100-count roll
24. Duraflame log: 89 cents apiece
25. Bayer aspirin: 89 cents for a 100-count bottle
26. Q-Tips: 79 cents for a 400-count box
27. Zest soap: 35 cents for a six-ounce bar
28. Waldorf toilet tissue: 59 cents a roll
29. Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo: $1.29 for an 11-ounce bottle
30. Kenmore gas range: $199.00
31. Unemployment: 6.4%
32. Inflation rate: 6.5%
33. Average household income: $15,000
34. Average cost of a new house: $49,300
35. Average monthly rent: $240.00
36. Cost for a gallon of gas: 65 cents
37. Cost for a first-class stamp: 13 cents
38. Consumer price index: 60.6
39. Dow Jones high for the year: 999
40. Dow Jones low for the year: 800

6. Entertainment News

1. On January 23, Roots—a television miniseries based on Alex Haley's novel of the same name—premiered on ABC.
2. On January 29, at the 34th Golden Globe Awards, Rocky won a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Drama, and A Star Is Born won a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Comedy or Musical.
3. On January 30, over 100 million viewers watched the final installment of the ABC miniseries, Roots.
4. On February 5, the General Mills Radio Adventure Theater debuted on CBS Radio.
5. On March 2, Jay Leno made his first appearance on the Tonight Show (NBC) with Johnny Carson. Back in 1977, few people realized that Leno would become the Tonight Show host in 1992.
6. On March 2, actress Bette Davis was the first woman to receive the American Film Institute’s Life Achievement Award.
7. On March 28, At the 49th Academy Awards, which honored the best films of 1976, Rocky won an Oscar for Best Picture, and John G. Avildsen (Rocky) won an Oscar for Best Director. Likewise, Peter Finch (Network) won an Oscar for Best Actor, and Faye Dunaway (Network) won an Oscar for Best Actress. Finally, Harlan County, USA won an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature, and Black and White in Color (Côte d'Ivoire) won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
8. On April 17, the musical, I Love My Wife, opened at the Barrymore Theater in NYC for 864 performances.
9. On April 18, Alex Haley received the Pulitzer Prize for his novel, Roots.
10. On April 20, the film, Annie Hall, starring Woody Allen and Diane Keaton, was released. (At the 50th Academy Awards, which honored the best films of 1977, Annie Hall won four Oscars, including Best Picture.)
11. On May 2, a revival of Rodgers & Hammerstein's musical, The King & I, opened at Uris Theater in NYC for 695 performances.
12. On May 25, the final episode of the sitcom, The Brady Bunch, aired on ABC.
13. On May 25, the original Star Wars—directed by George Lucas and starring Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford—was released.
14. On May 31, the musical revue, Beatlemania, opened at the Winter Garden Theater in NYC for 920 performances.
15. On June 5, at the 31st Tony Awards, The Shadow Box won a Tony for Best Play, and Annie won a Tony for Best Musical. Likewise, Al Pacino (The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel) won a Tony for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play, and Julie Harris (The Belle of Amherst) won a Tony for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play.
16. On June 12, the musical, Pippin,’ closed at the Imperial Theater in NYC after 1,944 performances.
17. On June 26, Elvis Presley sang in Indianapolis for the last performance of his career.
18. On July 7, The Spy Who Loved Me, the 10th James Bond film, premiered in London. It starred Roger Moore and Barbara Bach.
19. On August 7, the musical, Shenandoah, closed at the Alvin Theater in NYC after 1,050 performances.
20. On August 16, singer and cultural icon Elvis Presley passed away at his Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee. Dubbed the “King of Rock and Roll,” Presley apparently died of a heart attack, “likely brought on by his addiction to prescription barbiturates.”
21. On September 11, at the 29th Primetime Emmy Awards, The Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS) won an Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series, and Upstairs, Downstairs (PBS) won an Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series. Carroll O’Connor (All in the Family, CBS) won an Emmy for Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Comedy Series, and Bea Arthur (Maude, CBS) won an Emmy for Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Comedy Series.
22. On September 24, the romantic comedy/drama, Loveboat, debuted on ABC.
23. On October 15, Debbie Boone’s, You Light Up My Life, went #1 and stayed there for 10 weeks.
24. On December 12, Saturday Night Fever, a film starring John Travolta, premiered in New York City.
25. On December 31, the musical, Bubbling Brown Sugar, closed at the ANTA Theater in NYC after 766 performances.

7. 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 1977 has been made available courtesy of NobelPrize.com.

• Chemistry: Ilya Prigogine
• Economic Sciences: Bertil Ohlin and James Edward Meade
• Literature: Vicente Aleixandre
• Peace: Amnesty International
• Physics: Philip W. Anderson, Nevill Francis Mott, and John Hasbrouck Van Vleck
• Physiology or medicine: Roger Guillemin, Andrew Schally, and Rosalyn Yalow

8. Best-Selling Fiction and Non-Fiction Books

This book trivia from 1977 has been made available courtesy of PublishersWeekly.com.

Fiction:

1. The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien and Christopher Tolkien

2. The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough

3. Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach

4. The Honourable Schoolboy by John Le Carre

5. Oliver's Story by Erich Segal

6. Dreams Die First by Harold Robbins

7. Beggarman, Thief by Irwin Shaw

8. How To Save Your Own Life by Erica Jong

9. Delta of Venus: Erotica by Anaïs Nin

10. Daniel Martin by John Fowles

Nonfiction:

1. Roots by Alex Haley

2. Looking Out for #1 by Robert Ringer

3. All Things Wise and Wonderful by James Herriot

4. Your Erroneous Zones by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

5. The Book of Lists by David Wallechinsky, Irving Wallace, and Amy Wallace

6. The Possible Dream: A Candid Look at Amway by Charles Paul Conn

7. The Dragons of Eden by Carl Sagan

8. The Second Ring of Power by Carlos Castaneda

9. The Grass ls Always Greener over the Septic Tank by Erma Bombeck

10. The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson

9. Most Popular Television Shows From 1977-78

This TV trivia from 1977-79 has been made available courtesy of Nielsen.com.

1. Laverne & Shirley (ABC)

2. Happy Days (ABC)

3. Three's Company (ABC)

4. 60 Minutes (CBS)

5. Charlie's Angels (ABC)

6. All in the Family (CBS)

7. Little House on the Prairie (NBC)

8. Alice (CBS)

9. M*A*S*H (CBS)

10. One Day at a Time (CBS)

10. Most Popular Movies

This motion picture trivia has been made available courtesy of BoxOfficeMojo.com.

1. Star Wars
2. The Deep
3. The Spy Who Loved Me
4. Oh, God!
5. Exorcist II: The Heretic
6. The Turning Point
7. Looking for Mr. Goodbar
8. Saturday Night Fever
9. Close Encounters of the Third Kind

11. Ten Best Horror Films

This film trivia from 1977 has been made available courtesy of IMDB.com.

1. Eraserhead
2. Suspiria
3. Martin
4. House
5. Murder to the Tune of the Seven Black Notes
6. The Hills Have Eyes
7. Equus
8. Shock
9. Bad
10. Rabid

12. Biggest Pop Music Artists

Popular music artists and groups from 1977 include Barbra Streisand, Barry Manilow, Barry White, the Bee Gees, the Commodores, Daryl Hall & John Oates, Debby Boone, Donna Summer, the Eagles, Earth, Wind & Fire, Fleetwood Mac, Heatwave, KC & the Sunshine Band, Linda Ronstadt, Lou Rawls, Natalie Cole, Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, the Steve Miller Band, Stevie Wonder, and Thelma Houston.

13. Top 40 Songs for the Year

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

1. Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright): Rod Stewart

2. I Just Want to Be Your Everything: Andy Gibb

3. Best of My Love: Emotions

4. Love Theme (From A Star Is Born): Barbra Streisand

5. Angel In Your Arms: Hot

6. I Like Dreamin': Kenny Nolan

7. Don't Leave Me This Way: Thelma Houston

8. (Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher: Rita Coolidge

9. Undercover Angel: Alan O'Day

10. Torn Between Two Lovers: Mary MacGregor

11. I'm Your Boogie Man: K.C. and The Sunshine Band

12. Dancing Queen: Abba

13. You Make Me Feel Like Dancing: Leo Sayer

14. Margaritaville: Jimmy Buffet

15. Telephone Line: Electric Light Orchestra

16. What'cha Gonna Do?: Pablo Cruise

17. Do You Wanna Make Love: Peter McCann

18. Sir Duke: Stevie Wonder

19. Hotel California: Eagles

20. Got to Give It Up, Pt. 1: Marvin Gaye

21. Gonna Fly Now (the theme from Rocky): Bill Conti

22. Southern Nights: Glen Campbell

23. Rich Girl: Daryl Hall and John Oates

24. When I Need You: Leo Sayer

25. Hot Line: The Sylvers

26. Car Wash: Rose Royce

27. You Don't Have to Be a Star (To Be In My Show): Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr.

28. Fly Like An Eagle: Steve Miller Band

29. Don't Give Up On Us: David Soul

30. On and On: Stephen Bishop

31. Feels Like the First Time: Foreigner

32. Couldn't Get It Right: The Climax Blues Band

33. Easy: The Commodores

34. Right Time of the Night: Jennifer Warnes

35. I've Got Love On My Mind: Natalie Cole

36. Blinded By the Light: Manfred Mann's Earth Band

37. Looks Like We Made It: Barry Manilow

38. So Into You: Atlanta Rhythm Section

39. Dreams: Fleetwood Mac

40. Enjoy Yourself: The Jacksons

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 35 of the most popular foods from the 1970s:

1. Ambrosia salad
2. Beef Bourguignon
3. Black Forest cake
4. Campbell’s Chunky Soup
5. Carrot cake
6. Cheese balls
7. Chex Mix
8. Country Captain (A curried chicken and rice dish that is popular in the South.)
9. Crepes Suzette
10. Cup Noodles
11. Deviled eggs
12. Fajitas
13. Fondue
14. Frozen yogurt
15. Granola bars
16. Hamburger Helper
17. Honey Nut Cheerios
18. Hunt’s Manwich
19. Jell-O 1-2-3
20. Jell-O salads
21. Macaroni salad
22. Mississippi mud pie
23. Pasta primavera
24. Perrier
25. Pineapple upside-down cake
26. Poke cake
27. Pumpkin bread
28. Quiche Lorraine
29. Snapple
30. Spaghetti-Os
31. SPAM
32. Strawberry pie
33. TV dinners
34. Tab (soft drink)
35. Wacky cake

15. Famous Birthdays

Here are some of the famous people who were born in 1977:

1. Brittany Murphy: Movie actress
2. Buddy Valastro: Chef
3. Chris Martin: Pop singer
4. Danny Dyer: TV actor
5. Jason Aldean: Country singer
6. Jason Earles: TV actor
7. Jerry Trainor: TV actor
8. John Green: Young adult author
9. John Mayer: Rock singer
10. Kerry Washington: Movie actress
11. Matt Bomer: TV actor
12. Orlando Bloom: Movie actor
13. Tom Brady: Football player
14. Tom Hardy: Movie actor
15. Vince Carter: Basketball player

16. Notable Weddings

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

1. On February 18, British actor Peter Sellers married actress Lynne Frederick.
2. On February 20, professional tennis player Arthur Ashe married photographer Jeanne Moutoussamy.
3. On April 7, businessman Donald Trump married Czech model Ivana Zelníčková.
4. On June 8, NBA player Bill Russell married former Miss USA Dorothy Anstett.
5. On June 14, English model Twiggy Lawson married actor Michael Witney.
6. On June 17, future U.S. President Joe Biden married teacher Jill Jacobs.
7. On July 7, American Bandstand host Dick Clark married Kari Wigton.
8. On July 8, NFL coach Mike Ditka married Diana Trantham.
9. On August 5, actress Julie Newmar married lawyer J. Holt Smith.
10. On September 3, actress Barbara Eden married Charles Donald Fegert.
11. On September 24, radio personality Rush Limbaugh married radio advertising executive Roxy McNeely.
12. On October 6, professional boxer George Foreman married Cynthia Lewis.
13. On October 21, actor Peter Boyle married Loraine Alterman.
14. On November 5, future U.S. President George W. Bush married Laura Welch.
15. On November 26, Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm married businessman Arthur Hardwick Jr.

17. Famous People Who Died

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

1. Alice Paul: Civil rights leader
2. Allison Hayes: Movie actress
3. Andy Devine: Movie actor
4. Bing Crosby: Pop singer
5. Charlie Chaplin: Movie actor
6. Eddie Rochester Anderson: TV actor
7. Elvis Presley: Rock singer
8. Ethel Waters: Jazz singer
9. Fannie Lou Hamer: Civil rights leader
10. Freddie Prinze: Comedian
11. Grace Williams: Composer
12. Groucho Marx: Movie actor
13. Guy Lombardo: Entertainer
14. Howard Hawks: Director
15. Jean Hagen: Movie actress
16. Joan Crawford: Movie actress
17. Lee Miller: Photographer
18. Maria Callas: Opera singer
19. Michael Hogan: Screenwriter
20. Roberto Rosselini: Director
21. Ruby Smith: Blues singer
22. Ruth Graves Wakefield: Chef and entrepreneur
23. Sebastian Cabot: TV actor
24. Vladimir Nabokov: Novelist
25. Zero Mostel: Stage actor

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

Here are the U.S. automobile production figures for 1977:

1. Chevrolet: 2,543,153
2. Ford: 1,840,427
3. Oldsmobile: 1,135,803
4. Pontiac: 850,620
5. Buick: 845,234
6. Plymouth: 546,132
7. Dodge: 526,254
8. Mercury: 521,909
9. Chrysler: 399,297
10. Cadillac: 358,488
11. Lincoln: 191,355
12. AMC: 182,005
13. Excalibur: 237
14. Avanti II: 146

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. IBM
9. General Electric
10. Chrysler
11. ITT Industries
12. Amoco
13. Shell Oil
14. U.S. Steel
15. Atlantic Richfield
16. DuPont
17. Conoco
18. AT&T
19. Procter & Gamble
20. Tenneco Automotive

20. American Companies and Brands Established During 1977

1. American Eagle Outfitters: A lifestyle, clothing, and accessories retailer that is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
2. Camp Beverly Hills: An American clothing brand that was created by Jeffrey Stein and John Lasker.
3. Highmark: A non-profit health care company that is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Today, Highmark has over six million members in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and West Virginia.
4. The Jewelry Exchange: An American diamond importer that operates 15 locations across the U.S.
5. Mission Foods: A manufacturer of tortillas and tortilla-related products that is headquartered in Irving, Texas.
6. Oracle Corporation: A computer technology company located in Austin, Texas.
7. Rejuvenation: A manufacturer and direct marketer of light fixtures and hardware.
8. Save-A-Lot: A discount grocery store chain that operates 1,300 locations across 36 states.
9. UnitedHealth Group: A health care and insurance company that is based in Minnetonka, Minnesota.
10. The Vitamin Shoppe: A New Jersey-based retailer of nutritional supplements. Today, The Vitamin Shoppe has 785 locations throughout the U.S. and Canada.

References:

• Died in 1977 | Famous Birthdays
  Died in 1977
• FORTUNE 500: 1977 Archive Full List 1-100
  
• https://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1977.htm
  Top 100 Songs for the year 1977 from the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 charts.
• 10 Best Horror Films of 1977 - IMDb
  10 Best Horror Films of 1977
• Historical Events in 1977 - On This Day
  Historical events from year 1977. Learn about 694 famous, scandalous and important events that happened in 1977 or search by date or keyword.
• What Happened in 1977 inc. Pop Culture, Prices Significant Events, Key Technology and Inventions
  1977 Prices including Wages, Houses and Gas, Toys, Fashions and Furniture, Events include New York City Blackout, Apple II Computer goes on sale, Alaskan Oil Pipeline opens, Roman Polanski is arrested ...
• Popular 1970s Food That Deserves a Comeback | Taste of Home
  This collection of quiche, carrot cake and cheese logs should prove that 70s food is so worth making today.
• 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.
• Food Timeline: 1976 to 1980 - Food History Events
  1976 - 1980 Food Timeline - Events in the History of Food: Inventions and Patents, Births and Deaths, Creations, Discoveries, Firsts, Introductions
• https://www.boxofficemojo.com/year/1977/
  
• 1977 History, Trivia and Fun Facts
  1977 History, Pop Culture, Trivia and Fun Facts.
• Historic Prices: 1977 | Morris County Library
  Historic prices in Morris County history.

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