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1970
Nineteen Seventy
highlights
1970
Vice President: Spiro Agnew
Population of USA: 198,712,056 approx.
World population 3,692,492,000 approx.
Life expectancy: 70.5 years
Unemployment 3.8%
| Average Income | $ 9,350.00 |
| Minimum wage | $ 1.40 per hour |
| Cost of new house | $ 23,400.00 |
| A 3 bedroom “Country Ranch” with 10 acres and barn in Vallejo CA | $ 59,200.00 in 1970 |
| Cost of new car | $ 4,785.00 (Dodge Colt) |
| Cost of 1st class stamp | $ .05 |
| Cost of gallon of gas | $ .36 |
| Price of a dozen eggs | $ . 49 |
| Price of gallon of milk | $ 1.03 |
| Price of Miracle Whip | $ 1.09 (quart) |
| Price of a CB radio | $ 147.00 |
| Price of 8 track stereo | $ 38.99 |
NEWS of 1970
The Gallup poll of “most admired men” rate Nixon first, Billy Graham second and Spiro Agnew third.
The British Navy abolishes the “daily rum rations” ending a 283 year old tradition
Black lights and psychedelic posters are all the rage
Furry fuzzy feet rugs are in
The first episode of All My Children is broadcast on ABC
The first “unleaded” engines are introduced
The Magic-cube flash is introduced
Jeffrey MacDonald kills wife and children claiming “drugged out hippies did it”
The 1970 World Expo opens in Suita, Osaka Japan
USPO goes on strike in NY. Spreads to 210,000 employess across the nation and lasts 2 weeks (Nixon assigns National Guards to work in NY post offices)
The Concorde makes it’s maiden supersonic flight (700 mph)
NASA’s first satellite “Explorer I” re-enters Earth’s atmosphere after 12 years of being in space
First Quartz watches are introduced from Seiko starting at $1,250.00
Nixon signs the “Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act” banning cigarette ads from television starting January 1, 1971.
Apollo 13 (Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, Jack Swigert) is launched and has to return after 4 days due to an exploded oxygen tank.
The first EARTH DAY is celebrated in the USA
China launches it’s first satellite
The USA invades Cambodia to seek out Viet Cong. (yeah, that went well)
The Kent State Shooting takes place (4 students die and 9 wounded) in protest of the invasion of Cambodia.
Lubbock Texas is hit with a category F5 tornado hitting downtown (28 people die)
Thor Heyerdahl leaves on his papyrus boat “Ra II” to sail the Atlantic Ocean
Soviet Union launches a 2 man spacecraft “Soyuz 9” successfully
Nixon signs a measure lowering the voting age to 18
USA gets first female Generals Anna Mae Hays and Elizabeth P. Hoisington
Colorado State College changes it’s name to University of Northern Colorado
Three Rivers Stadium opens in Pittsburg PA
NBC anchor Chet Huntley retires from fulltime broadcasting
The USA sinks 418 containers of nerve gas off the Bahamas (in the Gulf Stream)
There is an assassination attempt on King Hussein of Jordan
September 13th, the first New York City Marathon is run.
The Wichita State University football team crashes in Colorado killing most of the players) on their way to Utah.
PBS begins broadcasting
Anwar Sadat is accepted as Egyptian President
Divorce is legalized in Italy
Fuji becomes independent.
The wreckage of the Confederate submarine “The Hunley” was discovered off the coast of S. Carolina by 22 yr old Dr. E. Lee Spence. (a pioneering underwater archaeologist) The Hunley was the first submarine in history to sink a ship in warfare.
Doonesbury by Gary Trudeau debuts in approx. 24 US newspapers.
Gay Gabelich drives a rocket powered “Blue Flame” to World Land Speed record in Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah (622.227 mph) the record stands for 13 years.
Charles de Gaulle Dies (president of France)
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma” Debuts on CBS television as a Thanksgiving special.
Automakers introduce new models :
The Datsun B-210
The Dodge Colt
The Gremlin
The Ford Pinto
PEOPLE BORN IN 1970
- Gabrielle Reece (champion Volleyball player and model)
- Heather Graham (Actress)
- Minnie Driver (Actress)
- Nicole Wood (Playboy Playmate)
- Queen Latifah (Actress and Singer) (play song from “Chicago” plays Mama Morton “When you’re good to Mama she’ll be good to you)
- Lara Flynn Boyle (Actress)
- Mariah Carey (Singer)
- Vince Vaughn (actor)
- Ricky Schroder (actor)
- Adriano Moraes (bull rider) one of the top grossing bull riders from Brazil
- Andre Agassi (tennis player)
- Uma Thurman (Actress)
- Tina Fay (Actress and comedian)
- Leah Remini (Actress)
- Chris O’Donnell (actor)
- Beck (Singer)
- Fred Durst (Singer)
- River Phoenix (died in 1993 @23 years old)
- Claudia Schiffer (model)
- Debbie Gibson (Singer)
- Macy Gray (gaggy Singer)
- Kelly Ripa (Actress and Regis’s sidekick)
- Matt Damon (actor)
- Kirk Cameron (actor turned tele-evangalist)
- Tonya Harding (ice skater who whacked Nancy Kerrigan)
- Sarah Silverman (Actress)
- Jennifer Connelly (Actress)
- Cowboy Troy (Black C&W Singer sidekick of Big & Rich)
Famous Deaths in 1970
Tammi Terrell (born in 1945) Singer
Gypsy Ross Lee (born 1911) Actress
Brian Piccolo (born 1943) football player who died “Brian’s song” was based on his life
Vince Lombardi (born 1913) Football coach (I have no idea what team he coached)
Louis Rich (born 1896) entrepreneur of the packaged meat
What’s on TV in 1970 (Debuts)
- The Flip Wilson Show
- The Mary Tyler Moore Show
- McCloud (starring Dennis Weaver)
- Night Gallery
- The Odd Couple
- The Partridge Family
EMMY Awards of 1970
Best Drama Marcus Welby
Best Actor Robert Young (Marcus Welby MD)
Best Actress Susan Hampshire (The Forsyte Saga)
Comedy
Best Comedy My World and Welcome to it.
Actor William Windom (My World and Welcome to it)
Actress Hope Lange (The Ghost & Mrs. Muir)
Best Variety Show The David Frost Show
TOP MOVIE $$Makers of 1970
Airport (Burt Lancaster, George Kennedy……..major star cameos)
The Arisocats (Disney)
Five Easy Pieces (Jack Nicholson)
The Great White Hope (James Earl Jones)
Little Big Man (Dustin Hoffman, Faye Dunaway, Chief Dan George)
Love Story (Ali MacGraw & Ryan O’Neal)
M*A*S*H* (Donald Sutherland, Elliot Gould, Tom Skerritt, Sally Kellerman)
Patton (George C. Scott)
| Best Picture | Midnight Cowboy |
| Best Actor | John Wayne “True Grit” |
| Best Supporting Actor | Gig Young “They shoot horses, don’t they?” |
| Best Actress | Maggie Smith “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” |
| Best Supporting Actress | Goldie Hawn “Cactus Flower” |
| Best Song | Raindrops keep falling on my head (Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid) |
| Honorary Award | Cary Grant (he had never won an Oscar) |
Top Box Office Stars
- Paul Newman
- Clint Eastwood
- Steve McQueen
- John Wayne
- Elliott Gould
- Dustin Hoffman
- Lee Marvin
- Jack Lemmon
- Barbra Streisand
- Walter Matthau
Up and coming Starts
- Donald Sutherland
- Liza Minnelli
- Goldie Hawn
- Jack Nicholson
- Genevieve Bujold
- Dyan Cannon
- Marlo Thomas
- Beau Bridges
- Peter Boyle
TOP 20 Billboard Songs of 1970
- Bridge over troubled water Simon & Garfunkel
- I’ll be there The Jackson 5
- Raindrops keep falling on my head B.J. Thomas
- Close to you The Carpenters
- My Sweet Lord George Harrison
- I think I love you The Partridge Family
- Ain’t no mountain high enough Diana Ross
- American Woman The Guess Who
- War Edwin Starr
- Let it Be The Beatles
- The tears of a clown Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
- Mama told me not to come Three Dog Night
- ABC The Jackson 5
- The love you save The Jackson 5
- Thank you for letting me be myself Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
- Everything is Beautiful Ray Stevens
- The long and winding road The Beatles
- Make it with you Bread
- Venus Shocking Blue
- Cracklin Rose Neil Diamond
GRAMMY Winners of 1970
| Song of the Year | Bridge over Troubled Water |
| Record of the Year | Simon & Garfunkel (Bridge over Troubled Water) |
| Album of the Year | Simon & Garfunkel (Bridge over Troubled Water) |
| Best New Artist | The Carpenters |
POP
| Vocal-Female | Dionne Warwick “I’ll Never Fall in Love again” |
| Vocal-Male | Ray Stevens “Everything is Beautiful” |
| Vocal-Group | Simon & Garfunkel “Bridge over Troubled Water” |
Other Popular songs of 1970
- Layla Derek and the Dominos
- Your Song Elton John
- Get up (feel like a sex machine) James Brown
- Lola The Kinks
- Who’ll stop the rain? CCR
- Fire and Rain James Taylor
- Paranoid Black Sabbath (ok, I just tossed it in for fun)
- All Right Now Free
- We’ve only just begun The Carpenters
- Which way you goin’ Billy? Poppy Family & Susan Jacks
- Lookin out my back door CCR
- Hey there lonely girl Eddie Holman
- The Rapper The Jaggers
- Gimmie dat ding Pipkins
- Evil Ways Santana
- My Belle Amie Tee Set
- Come and get it Bad Finger
- Instant Karma John Lenon & Yoko Ono
- Cecelia Simon & Garfunkel
- Rainy Night in Georgia Brook Benton
- In the summertime Mungo Jerry
- Indiana Wants me Dean Taylor
- Get Ready cuz here I come Rare Earth
- Band of Gold Freda Payne
- Hitchin a ride Vanity Fair
- Candida Dawn
- Easy Come, Easy Go Bobby Sherman
- Julie do you love me? Bobby Sherman
- Green eyed Woman Sugarloaf
- Ride Captain Ride Blues Image
- O-o-h child 5 Stairsteps
- Spirit in the Sky Norman Greenbaum
- 25 or 6 to 4 Chicago
- House of the Rising sun Frijid Pink
- Come Saturday morning Sandpipers
- Woodstock Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
- Look what they’ve done to my song New Seekers
- Yellow river Christie
- No time Guess who
- Love Grows Edison Lighthouse
Music Trivia for 1970
- Mac Davis Debuts
- ZZ Top Debuts
- Al Green Debuts
- Ringo Starr goes solo
- Eric Clapton leaves Derek & the Dominos and goes solo
- Queen is formed and Debuts in London
- January 14 – Diana Ross & Supremes perform final concert in Las Vegas
- January 26 – Mick Jagger is charged 200 pounds for cannabis possession
- February 14 – The Who “Live at Leeds” is recorded
- April 10 – Paul McCartney announces the Beatles have disbanded
- June 22 -Led Zeppelin perform in Iceland, classic “Immigration Song” is born
- August 24 -26 – Isle of Wright Festival takes place in England (Europe’s Woodstock) Jimi Hendrix, The Who, The Doors, Chicago, John Sebastian, Joan Baez, Emerson Lake & Palmer, and Jethro Tull all perform.
- September 9 – Elvis Presley begins first concert tour (in Phoenix AZ) since 1958
- September 18 – Jimi Hendrix dies of barbiturate overdose in London
- October 4 – Janis Joplin dies of heroin overdose
“October 23, 1956, is a day that will live forever in the annals of free men and nations. It was a day of courage, conscience and triumph. No other day since history began has shown more clearly the eternal unquenchability of man’s desire to be free, whatever the odds against success, whatever the sacrifice required.“
– John F Kennedy
Top 100 Songs For 1970
- Bridge over Troubled Water Simon & Garfunkel
- They Long to Be Close To You Carpenters, The
- American Woman Guess Who, The
- Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head B.J. Thomas
- War Edwin Starr
- Ain’t No Mountain High Enough Diana Ross
- I’ll be There Jackson 5, The
- Get Ready Rare Earth
- Let It Be Beatles, The
- Band of Gold Freda Payne
- Mama Told Me (Not To Come) Three Dog Night
- Everything Is Beautiful Ray Stevens
- Make It with You Bread
- Hitchin’ a Ride Vanity Fair
- ABC Jackson 5, The
- The Love You Save Jackson 5, The
- Cracklin’ Rose Neil Diamond
- Candida Dawn
- Thank You (Fallettin Me Be Mice Elf) Sly & the Family Stone
- Spill the Wine Eric Burdon & War
- O-o-h Child Five Stairsteps & Cubie
- Spirit in the Sky Norman Greenbaum
- Lay Down Melanie & The Edwin Hawkins Singers
- Ball of Confusion (World Is Today) Temptations, The
- Love on A Two Way Street Moments, The
- I Want You Back Jackson 5, The
- Which Way You Goin’ Billy? Poppy Family, The
- All Right Now Free
- Julie, Do Ya Love Me Bobby Sherman
- Green-eyed Lady Sugarloaf
- Signed Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours) Stevie Wonder
- Ride Captain Ride Blues Image
- Venus Shocking Blue
- Instant Karma (We All Shine On) John Lennon
- Patches Clarence Carter
- Lookin’ Out My Back Door Creedence Clearwater Revival
- Rainy Night in Georgia Brook Benton
- Something’s Burning Kenny Rogers & the First Edition
- Give Me Just A Little More Time Chairmen of the Board
- Love Grows (Where Rosemary Goes) Edison Lighthouse
- The Long and Winding Road Beatles, The
- Snowbird Anne Murray
- Reflections of My Life Marmalade
- Hey There Lonely Girl Eddie Holman
- The Rapper Jaggerz, The
- He Ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother Hollies, The
- Tighter, Tighter Alive & Kicking
- Come and Get It Badfinger
- Cecelia Simon & Garfunkel
- Love Land Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band
- Turn Back the Hands of Time Tyrone Davis
- Lola Kinks, The
- In The Summertime Mungo Jerry
- Indiana Wants Me R. Dean Taylor
- I Know I’m Losing You Rare Earth
- Easy Come, Easy Go Bobby Sherman
- Express Yourself Charles Wright & Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band
- Still Water (Love) Four Tops, The
- Make Me Smile Chicago
- House of the Rising Sun Frijid Pink
- 25 Or 6 To 4 Chicago
- My Baby Loves Lovin’ White Plains
- Love or Let Me Be Lonely Friends Of Distinction, The
- United We Stand Brotherhood Of Man, The
- We’ve Only Just Begun Carpenters, The
- Arizona Mark Lindsay
- Fire and Rain James Taylor
- Groovy Situation Gene Chandler
- Evil Ways Santana
- No Time Guess Who, The
- Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time) Delfonics, The
- The Wonder of You Elvis Presley
- Up around the Bend Creedence Clearwater Revival
- Why Can’t I Touch You Ronnie Dyson
- I Just Can’t Help Believing B.J. Thomas
- It’s A Shame Spinners, The
- For the Love of Him Bobbi Martin
- Mississippi Queen Mountain
- I Want To Take You Higher Ike & Tina Turner
- The Letter Joe Cocker
- Ma Belle Amie Tee Set
- The Bells Originals, The
- Yellow River Christie
- Somebody’s Been Sleeping 100 Proof & Aged in Soul
- Vehicle Ides of March, The
- Gimme Dat Ding Pipkins, The
- Lay a Little Lovin’ On Me Robin McNamara
- Up the Ladder to the Roof Supremes, The
- Travelin’ Band / Who’ll Stop the Rain Creedence Clearwater Revival
- Come Saturday Morning Sandpipers, The
- Psychedelic Shack Temptations, The
- Without Love (There Is Nothing) Tom Jones
- Are You Ready? Pacific Gas & Electric
- Woodstock Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
- I’ll Never Fall in Love Again Dionne Warwick
- Look What They’ve Done To My Song New Seekers, The
- Walk a Mile in My Shoes Joe South
- The Thrill Is Gone B.B. King
- It’s Only Make Believe Glen Campbell
- Call Me Aretha Franklin
1970 In Pictures
Gallery
1970
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