1978 Trivia, History and Fun Facts

1978 Trivia, History and Fun Facts

Quick Facts from 1978:

• World Changing Event: Louise Brown, the first “test-tube baby,” was born healthy in Oldham General Hospital, UK.
• The Top Song was Night Fever by The Bee Gees
• The Movies to Watch include Grease, Every Which Way But Loose, Superman, and Heaven Can Wait
• The Most Famous Person in America was probably Muhammad Ali
• Notable books include: Eye of the Needle by Ken Follett and The World According to Garp by John Irving
• 1200 Watt hairdryer: $9.99
  Price of a postage stamp in 1978: 15 cents
• US Life Expectancy: Males: 69.6 years, Females: 77.3 years
• The Funny Late Night Host: Johnny Carson
• The Big Pay Day: Marlon Brando was paid a record $3.7 million and 11.75% of the gross profits for 13 days’ work on Superman.

“Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life son”
– John Vernon in National Lampoon’s Animal House

“Za Plane! Za Plane Boss!”
-Tattoo (Hervé Villechaize), Fantasy Island

“Nanoo Nanoo!”
Robin Williams as Mork (from Ork)

“Toga! Toga!”
“Food Fight”
– John Belushi as John “Bluto” Blutarsky, in National Lampoon’s Animal House

“We’re from France”
-The Coneheads, on Saturday Night Live

“Here’s to good friends.”
– Lowenbrau beer

There has been some debate about 3M’s Post-it notes. The product was used in a marketing campaign in 1978 as ‘Post N Peel’, and sold nationally in 1980 as ‘Post-it Notes.’ New products are in ‘test mode’ all the time. We say 1980.

12-year-old Brooke Shields starred in Pretty Baby, a film about a whorehouse.

The Twinkie Defense appeared. Dan White killed Harvey Milk and George Moscone. The jury agreed that he had diminished mental capacity from eating too many twinkies.

Jim Jones got  909 followers to commit suicide (including many children) by drinking poisoned Kool-Aid in his Jonestown commune. This is how the term “Drink The Kool Aud” came into being.

The Unabomber sent his first bomb to Professor Buckley Crist at Northwestern University. Result: slight injury to officer Terry Markman.

A computer “testing malfunction” caused the United State’s Defense System to go from an “at ease” DEFCON 1 to a “fire up the missiles” DEFCON 5.

Both Mama Cass and Keith Moon died in Harry Nilsson’s London apartment, 4 years apart – 1974 and 1978.

There is a “WELCOME TO CLEVELAND” sign on a rooftop in the flight path of a Milwaukee airport. It has been causing confusion to passengers since 1978. Mark Gubin, the creator, said: “Living in the world is not a dress rehearsal. You better have fun with it.”

Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler made it to the top of Mount Everest, the first to do so without supplementary oxygen.

The first Test Tube Baby, Louis Brown was born.

Home Depot was founded in Atlanta, Georgia.

According to Charmin makers Procter & Gamble, a 1978 survey found that Mr. Whipple was the third best-known American, behind former President Richard Nixon and evangelist Billy Graham. (And ahead of then-president Jimmy Carter.)

Aveda shampoo was invented by Horst Rechelbacher.

Actor John Cazale only ever appeared in 5 movies over a period of 6 years (1972-1978) and all 5 films were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. He died while filming his last movie, The Deer Hunter.

Star Wars broke the US Weekend Box Office record twice, first in the 11th weekend of its initial 1977 run and then again on the first weekend of its 1978 re-issue. Jaws 2 held the record for one month in between so it both took the record from AND lost the record to the same film.

Actor Marlon Brando was paid $3.7 million and a percentage of the profits for twelve shooting days playing Jor-El, Superman’s father, in the superhero flick Superman. For ten minutes of screen time, Brando earned $14 million. Christopher Reeves, who played Superman, reportedly earned $250,000. Christopher Reeves also got third billing behind Marlon Brando and Gene Hackman

The Pizza Planet truck from the Toy Story series is a 1978 Toyota Gyoza Mark VII Lite Hauler.

Over 98% of Cadillacs sold in 1978 were equipped with a vinyl roof.

On Prince’s debut album, For You, released in 1978, he wrote, arranged, composed, produced and performed the album all by himself, at twenty years old.

September by Earth, Wind & Fire was not originally released on a standard album but was instead first featured as a bonus track on their 1978 compilation: The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 1.

At the 1978 Asian Games, North and South Korea’s national football (soccer) teams both made it to the grand finals, only to end the match 0–0 in overtime, forcing the two teams to share Gold.

On June 8, 1978, Larry Bird signed a five-year, $3.25 million contract with the Boston Celtics making him the highest-paid rookie in sports history at the time.

During a 1978 Monday Night Football game, Howard Cosell commented on a delicious new snack he was eating, thus stadium nachos went mainstream.

The “1st & Ten” graphics system for drawing lines on TVs to create an on-field marker to help TV viewers identify NFL first down distances was conceived and patented in 1978 by David W. Crain. It also won two Emmys.

Cost of a Superbowl ad in 1978: $162,000

1979 Billboard Number One Songs:
December 24, 1977 – January 13, 1978:
How Deep Is Your Love – Bee Gees

January 14 – February 3:
Baby Come Back – Player

February 4 – March 3:
Stayin’ Alive – Bee Gees

March 4 – March 17:
(Love Is) Thicker Than Water – Andy Gibb

March 18 – May 12:
Night Fever – Bee Gees

May 13 – May 19:
If I Can’t Have You – Yvonne Elliman

May 20 – June 2:
With A Little Luck – Wings

June 3 – June 9:
Too Much, Too Little, Too Late – Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams

June 10 – June 16:
You’re The One That I Want – John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John

June 17 – August 4:
Shadow Dancing – Andy Gibb

August 5 – August 11:
Miss You – The Rolling Stones

August 12 – August 25:
Three Times A Lady – Commodores

August 26 – September 8:
Grease – Frankie Valli

September 9 – October 27:
Boogie Oogie Oogie – A Taste of Honey

October 28 – November 3:
Hot Child In The City – Nick Gilder

November 4 – November 10:
You Needed Me – Anne Murray

November 11 – December 1:
MacArthur Park – Donna Summer

December 2 – December 8:
You Don’t Bring Me Flowers – Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond

December 9 – January 5, 1979:
Le Freak – Chic