Year 1978 Fun Facts, Trivia, and History

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

What Happened During the Year 1978?

What are some fun facts, trivia, and history events from the year 1978? 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 1978? What about famous birthdays, marriages, and deaths that year, as well as the cost of living? Finally, what was the year 1978 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 1978:

1. President Carter decided to postpone production of the controversial neutron bomb, since the proposed venture was “straining the Western alliance and creating sharp divisions within his administration.”
2. President Carter signed the Humphrey–Hawkins Full Employment Act into law, which adjusted “the government's economic goals to include full employment, growth in production, price stability, and balance of trade and budget.”
3. The president also signed a bill that restored U.S. citizenship to Jefferson Davis, “an American politician who served as president of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865.”
4. The oil shock of 1978-79 began in December 1978 when OPEC “raised oil prices by 18% and agreed on a 14.5% petroleum price increase for 1979.”
5. By a vote of 68 to 32, the Senate ratified the Neutrality Treaty, which stated that “the United States could use its military to defend the Panama Canal against any threat to its neutrality, thus allowing perpetual U.S. usage of the Canal.” By another vote of 68 to 32, the Senate ratified The Panama Canal Treaty, which stated that “the Panama Canal Zone would cease to exist on October 1, 1979, and the Canal itself would be turned over to the Panamanians on December 31, 1999.”
6. In January, the Great Blizzard of 1978 devastated the Ohio Valley and caused 51 deaths in Ohio alone. Then, in February, a blizzard ravaged both New England and the New York metropolitan area, killing about 100 people and causing over $500 million in damage.
7. From 1953 until 1978, the National Hurricane Service only used female names to designate Atlantic hurricanes. As a result, many weathermen began to use “sexist cliches” to describe the behavior of the storms, which offended both female meteorologists and feminists. Starting in 1979, hurricanes had both male and female names, and Hurricane Bob was the first Atlantic hurricane to be identified with a masculine name.
8. In 1978, NASA unveiled the first group of women astronauts, and the Women's Army Corp (WAC) disbanded after 35 years.
9. The price of gold topped $200 an ounce for the first time in history, and the first Susan B. Anthony dollar went into circulation.
10. California voters approved Proposition 13, which slashed property taxes by nearly 60%.
11. Cleveland, Ohio became the first major American city since the Great Depression to go into default.
12. Abolitionist Harriet Tubman became the first African-American woman to be honored on a U.S. postage stamp.
13. Sweden became the first country in the world to ban aerosol sprays that contained chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) as the propelling agent.
14. China lifted a ban on the writings of Aristotle, William Shakespeare, and Charles Dickens, as “the end of censorship was foreshadowing other important reforms.”
15. Bob Barnaby created WordStar, which was one of the first popular word processing systems for personal computers. WordStar retained a loyal following even after Microsoft Word surpassed it in sales.
16. The first spam email was sent by Gary Thuerk, a marketing manager who was promoting a new model of computer. Thuerk sent the correspondence out to about 600 prospects via ARPANET, and “complaints started coming in almost immediately.”
17. The Dallas Cowboys won the Super Bowl, the Washington Bullets were the NBA champs, and the Montreal Canadiens clinched the Stanley Cup.
18. MLB legends Eddie Mathews, Addie Joss, and Larry MacPhail were all inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
19. The first Garfield comic strip appeared in 41 newspapers throughout the U.S.
20. At the 50th Academy Awards, Annie Hall won four Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director (Woody Allen), and Best Actress (Diane Keaton). On the other hand, Star Wars won six Oscars, including Best Film Editing, Best Visual Effects, and Best Art Direction. Finally, Madame Rosa (France) won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
21. The news magazine, 20/20, premiered on ABC, and the all-night Larry King Show made its national radio debut on the Mutual Broadcasting System.
22. In 1978, Golda Meir, Harvey Milk, Hubert H. Humphrey, Pope John Paul VI, Jack Warner, and Norman Rockwell all passed away.
23. Consumer products that were introduced in 1978 include 2000 Flushes, Burger King specialty sandwiches, Cabbage Patch kids, Coors Light, Dry Idea, Huggies, and the LaserDisc player.
24. Companies and brands that were established in 1978 include Banana Republic, Ben & Jerry’s, the Bombay Company, Grease Monkey, Home Depot, Monster Cable, Pelle Pelle, and Raw Books.
25. At the 51st Scripps National Spelling Bee, the winner was Peg McCarthy of Topeka, Kansas, who correctly spelled the word “deification.”

This article teaches you fun facts, trivia, and history events from the year 1978. 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.

Table of Contents

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

1. Grocery Prices in the Year 1978
2. History Facts From the USA and World
3. Sports Facts Perfect for a Trivia Quiz
4. Influential People From 1978
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 1978-79
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 1978

1. Grocery Prices in the Year 1978

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

1. Apples (Granny Smith): 29 cents a pound
2. Bacon: $1.89 for a one-pound package
3. Beef (sirloin steak): $1.49 a pound
4. Bread (rye): 79 cents for a two-pound loaf
5. Cake (Pepperidge Farm, layer): $1.19 for a 17-ounce package
6. Cake mix (Betty Crocker): 59 cents for a 18.5-ounce box
7. Cereal (Cheerios): 69 cents for a 15-ounce box
8. Cheese (Borden, American singles): $1.49 for a 16-ounce package
9. Cherries (Bing): 69 cents a pound
10. Eggs: 59 cents a dozen
11. Fish (Chicken of the Sea, tuna): 59 cents for a 6.5-ounce can
12. Folgers coffee: $1.90 for a one-pound can
13. Grapes: 69 cents a pound
14. Ground beef: 98 cents a pound
15. Ham (smoked, rump cut): $1.09 a pound
16. Hot dogs (Toban’s, kosher): $1.69 for a one-pound package
17. Juice (Minute Maid, frozen, orange): 79 cents for a 12-ounce can
18. Land O’Lakes butter: $1.33 for a one-pound package
19. Lettuce (iceberg): 48 cents for a large head
20. Margarine: 59 cents for a one-pound package
21. Marshmallows (Ann Page): 49 cents for a 16-ounce package
22. Milk: $1.33 a gallon
23. Mustard (Gulden’s, spicy brown): 26 cents for an eight-ounce jar
24. Onions: Five pounds for $1.00
25. Oranges: 10 for 99 cents
26. Peaches: Three pounds for $1.00
27. Pickles (B&G): 99 cents for a quart jar
28. Pie (Mrs. Smith’s, apple): 99 cents for a 26-ounce package
29. Pineapple: 29 cents a pound
30. Pork & beans (Campbell’s): Four 16-ounce cans for $1.00
31. Pork roast: $1.33 a pound
32. Pot roast: 79 cents per pound
33. Potato chips (Wise): 69 cents for an eight-ounce bag
34. Potatoes: 98 cents for a five-pound bag
35. Roasting chickens: 98 cents a pound
36. Soda (C&C cola): Six 12-ounce cans for 69 cents
37. Sweet potatoes: 14 cents a pound
38. Tomatoes: 49 cents a pound
39. Watermelon: 10 cents a pound
40. Yogurt (Light & Lively): Three 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 1, after 30 years on the force and more than eight years as the police chief, Edward M. Davis retired from the Los Angeles Police Department.
8. On January 6, the United States returned the Holy crown of Hungary—also known as the Crown of Saint Stephen—to the people of Hungary. (For safekeeping purposes, the U.S. had kept the Crown at Fort Knox since World War II.)
9. On January 13, NASA unveiled the first group of women astronauts. The six candidates were Shannon W. Lucid, Margaret Rhea Seddon, Kathryn D. Sullivan, Judith A. Resnik, Anna L. Fisher, and Sally K. Ride.
10. On January 14-15, the body of former Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey “lied in state at the Capitol Rotunda, following his death from cancer.”
11. On January 19, the last Volkswagen Beetle manufactured in Germany left VW’s plant in Emden. (Beetle production would continue in Latin America until 2003.)
12. On January 23, Sweden became the first country in the world to ban aerosol sprays that contained chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) as the propelling agent.
13. On January 25-27, the Great Blizzard of 1978 devastated the Ohio Valley and caused 51 deaths in Ohio alone.
14. On January 30, MLB legends Addie Joss and Larry MacPhail were both elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
15. On February 1, abolitionist Harriet Tubman became the first African-American woman to be honored on a U.S. postage stamp.
16. On February 5-7, a blizzard ravaged both New England and the New York metropolitan area, killing about 100 people and causing over $500 million in damage.
17. On February 6, the first Home Depot store opened in Marietta, Georgia.
18. On February 11, China lifted a ban on the writings of Aristotle, William Shakespeare, and Charles Dickens, as “the end of censorship was foreshadowing other important reforms.”
19. On February 16, the first computer bulletin board system (CBBS) was created in Chicago.
20. On March 4, the Chicago Daily News—founded in 1875—published its last issue.
21. On March 28, Daryl Gates became the 49th chief of the Los Angeles Police Department.
22. On April 7, President Carter decided to postpone production of the controversial neutron bomb, since the proposed venture was “straining the Western alliance and creating sharp divisions within his administration.”
23. On April 17, 63,500,000 shares were traded on the New York Stock Exchange—setting a record.
24. On April 16, by a vote of 68 to 32, the Senate ratified the Neutrality Treaty, which stated that “the United States could use its military to defend the Panama Canal against any threat to its neutrality, thus allowing perpetual U.S. usage of the Canal.”
25. On April 18, by another vote of 68 to 32, the Senate ratified The Panama Canal Treaty, which stated that “the Panama Canal Zone would cease to exist on October 1, 1979, and the Canal itself would be turned over to the Panamanians on December 31, 1999.”
26. On April 28, the Women's Army Corp (WAC) was disbanded after 35 years.
27. On May 3, the first spam email was sent by Gary Thuerk, a marketing manager who was promoting a new model of computer. Thuerk sent the correspondence to about 600 prospects via ARPANET, and “complaints started coming in almost immediately.”
28. On May 26, Resorts International, the first legal casino in the eastern United States, opened for business.
29. On May 29, the cost of a first-class postage stamp increased to 15 cents.
30. On June 6, California voters approved Proposition 13, which slashed property taxes by nearly 60%.
31. On June 19, the first Garfield comic strip appeared in 41 newspapers throughout the U.S. It focused "on the life of a lazy and often sarcastic cat named Garfield."
32. On July 28, the price of gold topped $200 an ounce for the first time.
33. On August 7, MLB legends Eddie Mathews, Addie Joss, and Larry MacPhail were all inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
34. On October 4, Pier 39, a tourist attraction, opened on Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco.
35. On October 10, President Carter signed a bill that authorized the minting of the Susan B. Anthony dollar.
36. On October 14, President Carter signed legislation that allowed the home brewing of beer in the United States.
37. On October 17, President Carter signed a bill that restored U.S. citizenship to Jefferson Davis, “an American politician who served as president of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865.”
38. On October 17, the New York Yankees won their 22nd World Series by defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers, 7-2, and winning the series 4 games to 2.
39. On October 27, President Carter signed the Humphrey–Hawkins Full Employment Act, which adjusted “the government's economic goals to include full employment, growth in production, price stability, and balance of trade and budget.”
40. On November 27, San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and City Supervisor Harvey Milk were both assassinated by former Supervisor Dan White.
41. On December 4, Dianne Feinstein became San Francisco’s first female and Jewish mayor.
42. On December 5, baseball legend Pete Rose signed a four-year, $32 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, and became the highest-paid MLB player.
43. On December 13, the first Susan B. Anthony dollar went into circulation.
44. On December 15, Cleveland, Ohio became the first major American city to go into default since the Great Depression.
45. On December 17, OPEC “raised oil prices by 18% and agreed on a 14.5% petroleum price increase for 1979, to be implemented quarterly.”

3. Sports Facts Perfect for a Trivia Quiz

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

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Top 10 Borrel Monsters in "Yu-Gi-Oh"

Top 10 Green Draw Creatures in Magic: The Gathering

1. Kentucky Derby: Argentina
2. NBA Champions: Washington Bullets
3. NCAA Football Champs: Kentucky
4. Orange Bowl: Arkansas over Oklahoma
5. Rose Bowl: Washington over Michigan
6. Stanley Cup Champs: Montreal Canadiens
7. Sugar Bowl: Alabama over Ohio State
8. Super Bowl: Dallas Cowboys
9. U.S. Open Golf: Andy North
10. U.S. Open Tennis (men/women): Jimmy Connors/Christine Marie Evert
11. Wimbledon (men/women): Bjorn Borg/Martina Navratilova
12. World Series Champions: New York Yankees

4. Influential People From 1978

From world leaders to pioneers to innovators, who were the most influential people in 1978?

1. Addie Joss, Larry MacPhail, and Eddie Mathews: Three MLB legends who were inducted into the Baseball of Fame.
2. Anwar Sadat: The President of Egypt and Nobel Prize winner.
3. Aristotle, William Shakespeare, and Charles Dickens: Their writings were no longer banned in China.
4. Bob Barnaby: He created WordStar, which was one of the first popular word processing systems for personal computers. WordStar retained a loyal following even after Microsoft Word surpassed it in sales.
5. Cardinal Albino Luciani: He became Pope Paul VI, the 263rd head of the Roman Catholic Church. (He also died unexpectedly after 34 days in office.)
6. Cardinal Karol Wojtyla: After the sudden death of Pope Paul VI, he became Pope John Paul II, the 264th head of the Roman Catholic Church.
7. Carol Burnett: Her Emmy award-winning variety show, The Carol Burnett Show, aired for the last time on CBS.
8. Diane Keaton: She won the Best Actress Oscar (Annie Hall).
9. Dianne Feinstein: She became the first female and Jewish mayor of San Francisco.
10. Giuseppe Verdi: His opera, Otello, was broadcast on Live from the Metropolitan Opera, a PBS television series that presented live performances of operas from the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. This was “the first complete television broadcast of the opera in the U.S. since the historic 1948 one.”
11. Harriet Tubman: She became the first African-American woman to be honored on a U.S. postage stamp.
12. Jim Davis: He created the popular Garfield comic strip.
13. Jimmy Carter: The 39th U.S. president.
14. John Madden: The Oakland Raiders’ coach who became the 13th coach to win 100 NFL games.
15. John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John: They were popular music artists who also starred in the 1978 version of the musical comedy Grease.
16. Joseph Califano: He was the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare under President Jimmy Carter.
17. Judge William H. Webster: President Carter appointed him as the new director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
18. Larry King: His all-night talk show made its national radio debut on the Mutual Broadcasting System, and also became an increasingly popular program.
19. Max Robinson: He became the first African-American anchor on a network news broadcast (ABC World News Tonight).
20. Menachem Begin: The Israeli Prime Minister and Nobel Prize winner.
21. Pete Rose: He signed a four-year, $32 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, and became the highest-paid MLB player.
22. Richard Dreyfuss: He won the Best Actor Oscar (Annie Hall).
23. Sally K. Ride, Shannon W. Lucid, Margaret Rhea Seddon, Kathryn D. Sullivan, Judith A. Resnik, and Anna L. Fisher: They were NASA’s first group of women astronauts.
24. The Bee Gees: Their album, Saturday Night Fever, went #1 for 24 weeks.
25. Woody Allen: He won the Best Director Oscar (Annie Hall).

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

1. In 1978, 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 1978, the most popular baby names for girls were Jennifer, Melissa, Jessica, Amy, 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 73.36 years.
4. Fashion icons in 1978 were Kim Basinger, Candice Bergen, Jacqueline Bisset, Carol Burnett, Angie Dickinson, Farrah Fawcett, Kate Jackson, Olivia Newton-John, Dolly Parton, Diana Ross, Jane Seymour, and Donna Summer.
5. Susan Perkins (Ohio) was crowned Miss America.
6. Judi Anderson (Hawaii) became Miss USA.
7. The cost of a Super Bowl ad was $162,000.
8. Consumer products introduced in 1978 include 2000 Flushes, Burger King specialty sandwiches, Cabbage Patch kids, Coors Light, Dry Idea, Huggies, the LaserDisc and LaserDisc player, Simon (game), Speak & Spell (toy), and the Trapper Keeper.
9. France ended its price controls on bread, and Sweden banned aerosol cans.
10. Violent crime in the U.S. per 1,000 people: 51.4
11. Property crime in the U.S. per 1,000 people: 46.4
12. Movie ticket: $2.34
13. 1978 Honda Civic: $4,299.00
14. Men’s necktie: $2.00-$8.50 each
15. Men’s painter’s pants: $6.98 a pair
16. Men’s Wrangler jeans: $5.98 a pair
17. Men’s sport shirts: $2.99-$3.99 apiece
18. Women’s summer shorts: $2.98 a pair
19. Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil: Three 25’ rolls for $1.00
20. Tide: $1.99 for a three-pound box
21. Clorox bleach: 59 cents for a 64-ounce jug
22. General Electric dishwasher: $169.95
23. GE food processor: $14.99
24. Unemployment: 6.0%
25. Inflation rate: 7.59%
26. Median household income: $15,064.00
27. Average cost of a new house: $62,500
28. Average monthly rent: $260
29. Dow Jones high for the year: 893
30. Dow Jones low for the year: 807

6. Entertainment News

1. On January 21, the Bee Gees’ album, Saturday Night Fever, went #1 for 24 weeks.
2. On January 28, at the 35th Golden Globe Awards, The Turning Point won a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Drama, and The Goodbye Girl won a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Comedy or Musical.
3. On January 30, the Larry King Show made its national radio debut on the Mutual Broadcasting System. (By early 1980, King's “increasingly popular all-night program was being carried by around 200 stations and was credited with attracting many new affiliates to the [Mutual] network.”)
4. On March 4, the Chicago Daily News—founded in 1875—published its last issue.
5. On March 10, the Incredible Hulk (1978-82), starring Bill Bixby as David Banner, premiered on CBS.
6. On March 29, the comedy series, The Carol Burnett Show, aired its final installment on CBS. It starred Carol Burnett, Vicki Lawrence, Harvey Korman, Tim Conway, and Lyle Waggoner.
7. On April 1, the final broadcast of The Bob Newhart Show aired on NBC.
8. On April 2, the primetime soap opera, Dallas, debuted on CBS and ran for 14 seasons. The series “revolves around an affluent and feuding Texas family, the Ewings, who own the independent oil company, Ewing Oil, and the cattle-ranching land of Southfork.”
9. On April 3, at the 50th Academy Awards, which honored the best motion pictures of 1977, Annie Hall won an Oscar for Best Picture, and Woody Allen (Annie Hall) won an Oscar for Best Director. Likewise, Richard Dreyfuss (The Goodbye Girl) won an Oscar for Best Actor, and Diane Keaton (Annie Hall) won an Oscar for Best Actress. Finally, Star Wars won an Oscar for Best Original Score, and Star Wars also won an Oscar for Best Sound.
10. On April 3, Larry King moved his radio show from Miami to Washington, DC.
11. On April 17, the Pulitzer Prize was awarded to Carl Sagan for his book, The Dragons of Eden.
12. On May 9, the musical revue—Ain’t Misbehavin’—opened at the Longacre Theater in NYC for 1,604 performances.
13. On May 30, at the 31st Cannes Film Festival, The Tree of Wooden Clogs, directed by Ermanno Olmi, won the Palme d’Or.
14. On June 4, at the 32nd Tony Awards, Da won a Tony for Best Play, and Ain’t Misbehavin’ won a Tony for Best Musical. Likewise, Barnard Hughes (Da) won a Tony for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play, and Jessica Tandy (The Gin Game) won a Tony for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play.
15. On June 6, the news magazine, 20/20, debuted on ABC, and would still be on the air in 2021.
16. On June 16, the film Grease—a musical comedy based on the 1971 Broadway show with the same title—was released. It starred John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.
17. On June 19, the musical comedy, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, opened at the 46th Street Theater in NYC for 1,577 performances.
18. On July 10, the newscast, World News Tonight, premiered on ABC, and would still be on the air in 2021. In 1978, it featured Max Robinson, the first black anchor on a network newscast.
19. On September 1, the final episode of the police drama, Colombo, aired on NBC.
20. On September 1, the horror film, Dawn of the Dead, was released in Torino.
21. On September 12, the sitcom, Taxi, debuted on ABC. It starred Judd Hirsch, Jeff Conaway, and Danny DeVito.
22. On September 17, at the 30th Primetime Emmy Awards, All in the Family (CBS) won an Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series, and The Rockford Files (NBC) won an Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series. Carroll O’Connor (All in the Family) won an Emmy for Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Comedy Series, and Jean Stapleton (All in the Family) won an Emmy for Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Comedy Series.
23. On September 29, the final episode of the daytime soap, For Richer, For Poorer, was broadcast on NBC.
24. On September 29, the comedy-drama series, Flying High, premiered on NBC.
25. On October 4, the film adaption of Ira Levin’s novel, The Boys from Brazil, was released. It starred Gregory Peck and Laurence Olivier.
26. On October 25, the horror film, Halloween, starring Donald Pleasence and Jamie Lee Curtis, was released.
27. On November 3, the sitcom, Different Strokes, debuted on NBC.
28. On November 15, Harold Pinter’s play, Betrayal, premiered in London.
29. On December 8, The Deer Hunter, a film starring Robert DeNiro, Christopher Walken, and Meryl Steep, was released in Los Angeles.
30. On December 10, Superman: The Movie, starring Christopher Reeve, Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman, and Margot Kidder, debuted at the Uptown Theater in Washington, DC.

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 1978 has been made available courtesy of NobelPrize.com.

• Chemistry: Peter D. Mitchell
• Economic Sciences: Herbert A. Simon
• Literature: Isaac Bashevis Singer
• Peace: Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat
• Physics: Arno Penzias, Robert Woodrow Wilson, and Pyotr Kapitsa
• Physiology or medicine: Daniel Nathans, Werner Arber, and Hamilton O. Smith

8. Best-Selling Fiction and Non-Fiction Books

This book trivia from 1978 has been made available courtesy of PublishersWeekly.com.

Fiction:

1. Chesapeake by James A. Michener

2. War and Remembrance by Herman Wouk

3. Fools Die by Mario Puzo

4. Bloodlines by Sidney Sheldon

5. Scruples by Judith Krantz

6. Evergreen by Belva Plain

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

8. The Holcroft Covenant by Robert Ludlum

9. Second Generation by Howard Fast

10. Eye of the Needle by Ken Follett

Nonfiction:

1. If Life Is a Bowl of Cherries, What Am I Doing in the Pits? by Erma Bombeck

2. Gnomes by Wil Huygen and Rien Poortvliet

3. The Complete Book of Running by James Fixx

4. Mommie Dearest by Christina Crawford

5. Pulling Your Own Strings by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

8. RN: The Memoirs of Richard Nixon by Richard Nixon

7. A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous Fourteenth Century by Barbara Tuchman

8. Faeries by Brian Froud and Alan Lee

9. In Search of History: A Personal Adventure by Theodore H. White

10. The Muppet Show Book by The Muppet People

9. Most Popular Television Shows From 1978-79

This TV trivia from 1978-79 has been made available courtesy of Nielsen.com.

1. Laverne & Shirley (ABC)
2. Three's Company (ABC)
3. Mork & Mindy (ABC)
4. Happy Days (ABC)
5. Angie (ABC)
6. 60 Minutes (CBS)
7. M*A*S*H (CBS)
8. The Ropers (ABC)
9. All In The Family (CBS)
10. Taxi (ABC)

10. Most Popular Movies

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

1. Grease
2. National Lampoon’s Animal House
3. Close Encounters of the Third Kind
4. Every Which Way but Loose
5. Heaven Can Wait
6. Jaws 2
7. Saturday Night Fever
8. Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
9. Superman
10. Lord of the Rings

11. Ten Best Horror Films

This film trivia from 1978 has been made available courtesy of IMDB.com.

1. Dawn of the Dead
2. Halloween
3. Invasion of the Body Snatchers
4. Martin
5. I Spit on Your Grave
6. Piranha
7. Damien: Omen II
8. The Toolbox Murders
9. Magic
10. Jaws 2

12. Biggest Pop Music Artists

Here are some of the popular music artists and groups from 1978:

1. Andy Gibb
2. Barbra Streisand
3. Barry Manilow
4. Billy Joel
5. Daryl Hall & John Oates
6. Debby Boone
7. Dolly Parton
8. Donna Summer
9. Earth, Wind & Fire
10. Evelyn Champagne King
11. Fleetwood Mac
12. Foreigner
13. George Benson
14. George Duke
15. Heatwave
16. Jefferson Starship
17. John Travolta
18. KC & the Sunshine Band
19. Linda Ronstadt
20. Olivia Newton-John
21. Paul McCartney & Wings
22. Quincy Jones
23. Roberta Flack
24. Rod Stewart
25. Smokey Robinson
26. Stevie Wonder
27. Teddy Pendergast
28. The Bee Gees
29. The Commodores
30. The Rolling Stones

13. Top 40 Songs for the Year

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

1. Shadow Dancing: Andy Gibb
2. Night Fever: The Bee Gees
3. You Light Up My Life: Debby Boone
4. Stayin' Alive: The Bee Gees
5. Kiss You All Over: Exile
6. How Deep Is Your Love: The Bee Gees
7. Baby Come Back: Player
8. (Love Is) Thicker Than Water: Andy Gibb
9. Boogie Oogie Oogie: A Taste Of Honey
10. Three Times a Lady: The Commodores
11. Grease: Frankie Valli
12. I Go Crazy: Paul Davis
13. You're the One That I Want: John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John
14. Emotion: Samantha Sang
15. Lay Down Sally: Eric Clapton
16. Miss You: The Rolling Stones
17. Just the Way You Are: Billy Joel
18. With a Little Luck: Wings
19. If I Can't Have You: Yvonne Elliman
20. Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah): Chic
21. Feels So Good: Chuck Mangione
22. Hot Child In the City: Nick Gilder
23. Love Is Like Oxygen: The Sweet
24. It's a Heartache: Bonnie Tyler
25. We Will Rock You / We Are the Champions: Queen
26. Baker Street: Gerry Rafferty
27. Can't Smile Without You: Barry Manilow
28. Too Much, Too Little, Too Late: Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams
29. Dance With Me: Peter Brown
30. Two Out of Three Ain't Bad: Meat Loaf
31. Jack and Jill: Raydio
32. Take a Chance On Me: Abba
33. Sometimes When We Touch: Dan Hill
34. Last Dance: Donna Summer
35. Hopelessly Devoted to You: Olivia Newton-John
36. Hot Blooded: Foreigner
37. You're In My Heart (The Final Acclaim): Rod Stewart
38. The Closer I Get to You: Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway
39. Dust In the Wind: Kansas
40. Magnet and Steel: Walter Egan

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 50 of the most popular foods from the 1970s:

1. Ambrosia salad
2. Bacon-wrapped SPAM bites
3. Beef Bourguignon
4. Black Forest cake
5. Campbell’s Chunky Soup
6. Carrot cake
7. Cheese balls
8. Cheeseburger macaroni
9. Chex Mix
10. Chicken Aloha
11. Crepes Suzette
12. Cup Noodles
13. Deviled eggs
14. Fajitas
15. Fondue
16. Frozen yogurt
17. Garden-fresh chef salad
18. Golden Grahams
19. Granola bars
20. Hamburger Helper
21. Hawaiian meatballs
22. Honey Nut Cheerios
23. Hunt’s Manwich
24. Jell-O 1-2-3
25. Jell-O salads
26. Layered lettuce salad
27. Macaroni salad
28. Mississippi mud pie
29. Munchkins donut hole treats
30. Old English trifle
31. Orange salad
32. Pasta primavera
33. Perrier
34. Pina colada grilled pineapple
35. Pineapple upside-down cake
36. Poke cake
37. Polynesian kabobs
38. Pumpkin bread
39. Quiche Lorraine
40. Rainbow gelatin cubes
41. SPAM and eggs
42. Snapple
43. Spaghetti-Os
44. Spicy goulash
45. Strawberry pie
46. Strawberry-banana crepes
47. TV dinners
48. Tab (soft drink)
49. Wacky cake
50. Watergate salad

15. Famous Birthdays

Here are some of the famous people who were born in 1978:

1. Anthony Mackie: Movie actor
2. Dianna Williams: Reality star
3. Ian Somerhalder: TV actor
4. James Franco: Movie actor
5. January Jones: TV actress
6. Josh Dallas: Movie actor
7. Katherine Heigl: Movie actress
8. Katie Holmes: TV actress
9. Katie Price: Model
10. Kenan Thompson: TV actor
11. Kobe Bryant (1978-2020): Basketball player
12. Lauren German: Movie actress
13. Mandana Mani: Fashion designer
14. Matthew Davis: TV actor
15. Matthew Morrison: TV actor
16. Rachel McAdams: Movie actress
17. Tamera Mowry: TV actress
18. Tia Mowry: TV actress
19. Tom Ellis: TV actor
20. Usher: R&B singer

16. Notable Weddings

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

1. On February 14, country singer Roger Miller married Mary Arnold.
2. On March 28, actor Jeremy Irons married actress Sinéad Cusack.
3. On April 15, novelist Danielle Steel married William George Toth.
4. On May 8, singer Donny Osmond married Debra Glenn.
5. On May 28, NBA legend Jerry West married cheerleader Karen Bua.
6. On May 29, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke married school teacher Anna Friedmann.
7. On June 4, broadcaster Howard Stern married Alison Berns.
8. On June 4, Oscar-winning actor Robin Williams married Valerie Velardi.
9. On July 6, country singer Tammy Wynette married record producer George Richey.
10. On August 2, Canadian singer and songwriter Neil Young married American waitress Pegi Morton.
11. On August 11, actress Charo married producer Kjell Rasten.
12. On August 23, actress Kate Jackson married actor Andrew Stevens.
13. On September 2, British musician George Harrison married American record-label marketer Olivia Arias.
14. On September 2, singer Gloria Estefan married musician and producer Emilio Estefan.
15. On September 30, actress Meryl Streep married sculptor Don Gummer.
16. On October 7, country singer and songwriter Merle Haggard married singer Leona Williams.
17. On October 20, journalist Ben Bradlee married fellow journalist Sally Quinn.
18. On November 4, actress Fran Drescher married writer and director Peter Marc Jacobson.
19. On December 17, actor Mark Hamill married dental hygienist Marilou York.
20. On December 31, best-selling author Michael Crichton married lawyer Kathleen St. Johns.

17. Famous People Who Died

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

1. Carlos Chavez: Composer
2. Charles Boyer: Movie actor
3. Charles James: Fashion designer
4. Chill Wills: Movie actor
5. Golda Meir: World leader
6. Hannah Hoch: Photographer
7. Harvey Milk: Civil rights leader
8. Hubert H. Humphrey: Former Vice-President of the United States
9. Jack Warner: Entrepreuner
10. Louis Prima: Jazz singer
11. Mark Robson: Director
12. Mel Street: Country singer
13. Michael Wilson: Screenwriter
14. Norman Rockwell: Painter
15. Pope John Paul VI: Religious leader
16. Robert Shaw: Movie actor
17. Rose Reid: Fashion designer
18. Will Geer: TV actor
19. William Grant Still: Composer
20. Zara Cully: TV actress

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

Here are the U.S. automobile production figures for 1978:

1. Chevrolet: 2,375,436
2. Ford: 1,923,665
3. Oldsmobile: 1,015,805
4. Pontiac: 900,380
5. Buick: 803,187
6. Mercury: 635,051
7. Plymouth: 501,129
8. Dodge: 467,720
9. Chrysler: 354,029
10. Cadillac: 349,684
11. Lincoln: 169,620
12. AMC: 137,860
13. Excalibur: 263
14. Avanti II: 165

19. America’s Largest Corporations

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

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

20. American Companies and Brands Established During 1978

1. America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses is a discount provider of eye examinations, eyeglasses, and contact lenses.
2. Ampm is a chain of convenience stores with locations in Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington, as well as in the countries of Costa Rica and Brazil.
3. Banana Republic is a clothing and accessories retailer.
4. Ben and Jerry’s is a Vermont-based company that manufactures ice cream.
5. The Bombay Company is a furniture and home accessories retailer.
6. Grease Monkey is “an independent franchiser of automotive service centers” that offer oil changes and preventative maintenance.
7. The Home Depot is the largest home improvement retailer in the United States.
8. Marco’s Pizza is an American restaurant chain and interstate franchise headquartered in Toledo, Ohio.
9. Monster Cable is a manufacturer of audio and video cables. “It also produces speakers, headphones, power strips, mobile accessories, and audio devices for automobiles.”
10. Pelle Pelle is an urban fashion brand created by Marc Buchanan.
11. Pitt Ohio Express “is a privately-owned transportation and supply chain management company based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
12. Raw Books is a publishing company that specializes in comics and graphic novels.
13. Shoe Carnival is a family footwear retailer.
14. Telepictures is a television show and filmmaking company.
15. Tiger Electronics is a toy manufacturer best known for its handheld LCD games.

References:

• Breakdown: Why hurricane names used to only be named after women
  Today the list of hurricane names consist of both men and women names but this wasn’t always the case. From approximately 1953 to 1979, U.S. tropical systems were only named after women.
• 1978 | Morris County Library
  Automobiles New Honda Civic, 4,299.00 Plymouth, Voyager Van, 6,419.00 Pontiac, Sunbird, Sport Hatch, 2,470.00 Used 1977, Buick Regal, 1,300.00 1976, Toyota Corolla, 2,600.00 1973, AMC Gremlin, 1,750.00 Clothing Boy's swim suit, 2.88-4.99/each Girl's
• Celebrities Born in 1978 | Famous Birthdays
  Celebrities born in 1978 including Kobe Bryant, Ian Somerhalder, James Corden, Usher, Jensen Ackles and many more.
• Died in 1978 | Famous Birthdays
  Died in 1978
• What Happened in 1978 inc. Pop Culture, Prices Significant Events, Key Technology and Inventions
  1978 Prices including Wages, Houses and Gas, Toys, Fashions and Furniture, Events include Camp David Peace Treaty, Japanese car Imports increase sales due to price of Gas, Amoco Cadiz runs aground, , ...
• FORTUNE 500: 1978 Archive Full List 1-100
  
• https://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1978.htm
  Top 100 Songs for the year 1978 from the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 charts.
• Popular 1970s Food That Deserves a Comeback | Taste of Home
  
• 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.
• 10 Best Horror Films of 1978 - IMDb
  10 Best Horror Films of 1978
• Top 1978 Movies at the Domestic Box Office
  This chart contains the total domestic box office for movies released in 1978.
• Historical Events in 1978 - On This Day
  Historical events from year 1978. Learn about 699 famous, scandalous and important events that happened in 1978 or search by date or keyword.
• 1978 History, Trivia and Fun Facts
  1978 History, Pop Culture, Trivia and Fun Facts.
• 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

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