1976 Trivia, Fun Facts and History
Quick Facts from 1976:
- World Changing Event: Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs founded Apple Computer, in Jobs’ parents garage, in Cupertino, California.
- The Top Song was Tonight’s The Night (Gonna Be Alright) by Rod Stewart
- Influential Songs include: Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, Do You Feel Like We Do by Peter Frampton and Summer by War
- The Movies to Watch include Rocky, King Kong, The Silver Streak, The Bad News Bears, Logan’s Run, Network, All the President’s Men and A Star is Born
- The Most Famous Person in America was probably Sylvester Stallone
- Notable books include: The Hite Report by Shere Hite and Interview With The Vampire by Anne Rice
- The prominence of casinos on Native American reservations can be traced back to a 1976 U.S. Supreme Court decision, which found that state laws (including anti-gambling laws) cannot be applied to reservations without specific approval from Congress.
- Beech-nut chewing gum: 10 cents/5 sticks
Minimum Wage in 1976: $2.30 per hour
Ear piercing: $6.00/pair - The Bald Guy: Telly Savalas
- The Funny Late Night Host: Johnny Carson
The Funny Lady was: Carol Burnett - The Crazy Conspiracy: Rock band Klaatu was really The Beatles.
- The Conversation: Did SETI actually get a radio signal from aliens in the Sagittarius region of space? #Wow #6EQUJ5
Top Ten Baby Names of 1976:
Jennifer, Amy, Melissa, Heather, Angela, Michael, Jason, Chris, Topher, David, James
The Hotties, Sex Symbols and Fashion Icons:
Adrienne Barbeau, Valerie Bertinelli, Lynda Carter, Charo, Britt Ekland, Farrah Fawcett, Kate Jackson, Beverly Johnson, Jessica Lange, Dolly Parton, Bernadette Peters, Diana Ross, Jacquelyn Smith, Suzanne Somers, Donna Summer, Yvette and Yvonne Sylvander, Lindsay Wagner, Mary Woronov
Sex Symbols, Hollywood Hunks and Leading Men:
Robert Redford, John Travolta, Burt Reynolds
“The Quotes:”
“Adrian!”
– Sylvester Stallone, in ‘Rocky’
“One of these days, I’m gonna get myself organized”
“You talkin’ to me?”
-Robert De Niro, as Travis Bickle, in ‘Taxi Driver’
“I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!”
– Peter Finch, in ‘Network’
“Is it safe?”
– Laurence Olivier, in ‘Marathon Man’
“Meow, meow, meow, meow…”
– Song from Meow Mix commercial
Time Magazine’s Man of the Year:
Jimmy Carter
Miss America:
Tawny Godin (Saratoga Springs, NY)
Miss USA:
Barbara Peterson (Minnesota)
The Scandals:
Movie Star Violent Death: Sal Mineo (stabbed)
Elizabeth Ray claimeds that her only duty for her $14,000 a year job was to have sex with congressman Wayne Hays.
Pop Culture News:
Apple Computer was formed by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak.
The first computer, reports say, sold for $666.66.
The ink-jet printer is invented.
Writer Tom Wolfe declared the ’70s the “Me Decade”
VHS released, wins the war with Betamax tapes, although most agree it was an inferior product.
Sweden’s most profitable corporation was pop group ABBA.
Cost of a Superbowl ad in 1976: $110,000
The Habit:
Listening to Peter Frampton’s Framptom Comes Alive album
1st appearances & 1976’s Most Popular Christmas gifts, toys and presents:
Stretch Armstrong, Raw Power (bicycle sound effect),
Best Film Oscar Winner:
One Flew Over the CooCoo’s Nest (presented in 1976)
Broadway Show – Oh! Calcutta! (Review) Opened on September 24, 1976 and Closed: August 6, 1989 (revival)
Popular and Notable Books From 1976:
1876 by Gore Vidal
A River Runs Through It by Norman Maclean
A Stranger in the Mirror by Sidney Sheldon
Bloodstar by Robert E. Howard and Richard Corbin
Chandler: Red Tide by Jim Steranko
Children of Dune by Frank Herbert
Curtain by Agatha Christie
The Deep by Peter Benchley
Dolores by Jacqueline Susann
The Hite Report by Shere Hite
Interview With The Vampire by Anne Rice
The Lonely Lady by Harold Robbins
The Missing Piece by Shel Silverstein
Roots – Alex Haley
Slapstick or Lonesome No More! by Kurt Vonnegut
Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie
Speedboat by Renata Adler
Storm Warning by Jack Higgins
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
Touch Not the Cat by Mary Stewart
Trinity by Leon Uris
Will You Please Be Quiet, Please? by Raymond Carver
1976 Most Popular TV shows:
1. Happy Days (ABC)
2. Laverne & Shirley (ABC)
3. M*A*S*H (CBS)
4. Charlie’s Angels (ABC)
5. The Big Event (NBC)
6. The Six Million Dollar Man (ABC)
7. Baretta (ABC)
8. One Day at a Time (CBS)
9. Three’s Company (ABC)
10. All in the Family (CBS)
1976 Billboard Number One Songs:
December 27, 1975 – January 2, 1976:
Let’s Do It Again – The Staple Singers
January 3 – January 9:
Saturday Night – Bay City Rollers
January 10 – January 16:
Convoy – C.W. McCall
January 17 – January 23:
I Write The Songs – Barry Manilow
January 24 – January 30:
Theme from Mahogany (“Do You Know Where You’re Going To – ) – Diana Ross
January 31 – February 6:
Love Rollercoaster – Ohio Players
February 7 – February 27:
50 Ways To Leave Your Lover – Paul Simon
February 28 – March 5:
Theme From S.W.A.T. – Rhythm Heritage
March 6 – March 12:
Love Machine (Part 1) – The Miracles
March 13 – April 2:
December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night) – The Four Seasons
April 3 – April 30:
Disco Lady – Johnnie Taylor
May 1 – May 7:
Let Your Love Flow – Bellamy Brothers
May 8 – May 14:
Welcome Back – John Sebastian
May 15 – May 21:
Boogie Fever – The Sylvers
May 22 – May 28:
Silly Love Songs – Wings
May 29 – July 9:
Love Hangover – Diana Ross
July 10 – July 23:
Afternoon Delight – Starland Vocal Band
July 24 – August 6:
Kiss And Say Goodbye – Manhattans
August 7 – September 3:
Don’t Go Breaking My Heart – Elton John & Kiki Dee
September 4 – September 10:
You Should Be Dancing – The Bee Gees
September 11 – September 17:
(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty – KC & The Sunshine Band
September 18 – September 24:
Play That Funky Music – Wild Cherry
September 25 – October 1:
Play That Funky Music – Wild Cherry
October 2 – October 8:
Play That Funky Music – Wild Cherry
October 9 – October 15:
A Fifth Of Beethoven – Walter Murphy & The Big Apple Band
October 16 – October 22:
Disco Duck (Part 1) – Rick Dees & His Cast Of Idiots
October 23 – – November 5:
If You Leave Me Now – Chicago
November 6 – November 12:
Rock’n Me – Steve Miller
November 13 – January 7, 1977:
Tonight’s The Night (Gonna Be Alright) – Rod Stewart
Sports:
World Series Champions: Cincinatti Reds
Superbowl X Champions: Pittsburgh Steelers
NBA Champions: Boston Celtics
Stanley Cup Champs: Montreal Canadiens
U.S. Open Golf Jerry Pate
U.S. Tennis: (Men/Ladies) Jimmy Connors/Christine Marie Evert
Wimbledon (Men/Women): Bjorn Borg/Chris Evert
NCAA Football Champions: Pittsburgh
NCAA Basketball Champions: Indiana
Kentucky Derby: Bold Forbes
Sports Highlights:
Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci earned the first “perfect 10’s” in the Olympics, seven all together.
Bruce Jenner, step dad to the Kardashians, won the Olympic decathlon.
