What Happened in 1971 – Trivia, Movies, Songs, Sports, Born In
Trivia, Movies, Songs, Sports, Celebrities Born In 1971, News, Fun Facts and more.
Ever wonder, “What Happened in 1971?”
Well if you if you are planning a birthday party, trivia game night, wedding anniversary event, class reunion or just curious about 1971 movies, music, tv, famous people born, news and fun facts; well you are in luck. Party Game Ideas has pulled together a list of fun and interesting things that happened in 1971, so you can create trivia games or activities based on 1971. If you need games for a 1971 birthday party, check out our Born in 1971 – Birthday Party Game Pack.
1971 Items – Page Topics Listed in Order
1971 History & News, 1971 Fun Facts
1971 Top Movies, Notable Quotes, Top 40 Songs of 1971, Sports
Celebrities Born in 1971, Top TV Shows of 1971, Saturday Morning Cartoons
What Did Things Cost in 1971
1971 History & News
- Unidentified man (Dan D.B. Cooper) hijacks a plane and gets $200,000 in ransom money. While the plane is in the air, the hijacker parachutes into the darkness of the night never to be seen again.
- Satchel Paige is the first black league player to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
- Cigarette advertisement ban on US television and radio stations takes effect in 1971.
- Apollo 14 and Apollo 15 are successful NASA human moon landings.
- 1971 World Ping Pong Championships – Friendly exchange between American and Chinese players help re-open Sino-American relations for the first time since the cold war.
- China is admitted to the United Nations.
- Soviet Union launches, Salyut 1, the first space station into a low earth orbit.
- Mariner 9 becomes the first spacecraft to orbit another planet.
- Great Britain starts using the decimal currency, giving up the pence and shilling system which had been used for 1,200 years.
- The voting age is lowered to 18 years old.
- Greenpeace was founded in Vancouver, Canada.
- The electronic age truly begins, Intel releases the first microprocessor.
- The Amtrak begins operations in the U.S.
- Federal Express starts delivering packages
- NASDAQ – Stock exchange opens for trading.
- Time Man of the Year: Richard Nixon
Interesting & Fun Facts about 1971
- Walt Disney World opens in Orlando, Florida.
- Email is invented by Ray Tomlinson.
- 1st Starbucks opens at the Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington.
- Cocoa Pebbles & Fruity Pebbles are introduced – They’re Yabba Dabba Good!
- TV Host Ed Sullivan hosts his final TV show on CBS.
- Nike Swoosh symbol is designed. Designer Carolyn Davidson is paid $35 for the now iconic image.
- The card game UNO is released.
- Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is released. Quaker Oats funded the film in exchange for producing the Wonka Bar candy bar tie-in.
- Barry Manilow writes a new State Farm Jingle “Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.”
- Jerry Springer is elected to Cincinnati City Council in 1971. 1977 he was chosen to serve as Cincinnati’s mayor by the City Council.
World Population – 3,761,000,000
Top Movies 1971 – US Box Office in millions
This list represents the earnings of movies that were released in 1971.
1. Fiddler on the Roof $40.5
2. Billy Jack $32.5
3. The French Connection $26.3
4. Summer of ’42 $20.5
5. Diamonds Are Forever $19.7
6. Dirty Harry $18
7. A Clockwork Orange $17
8. Carnal Knowledge $14.1
9. The Last Picture Show $13.1
10. Willard $9.3
- Academy Award for Best Picture – Patton
- Best Actor – George C. Scott for Patton
- Best Actress – Glenda Jackson for Women in Love
Notable Quotes from 1971
“I know what you’re thinking. Did he fire six shots or only five? Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement, I’ve kinda lost track myself. But being as this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you’ve got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya punk?”
– Clint Eastwood, as Harry Callahan, in Dirty Harry
“Marsha Marsha Marsha!”
– Maureen McCormick as Jan Brady in The Brady Bunch
New Advertising Jingles
“You deserve a break today”
– McDonald’s
“Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.”
– State Farm Insurance
Top Songs of 1971
Top 40 Hits of 71 – Ratings are based on Hot 100 Charts from Jan. 2, 1971 – Nov. 27, 1971 ranking by Billboard
1 “Joy to the World” Three Dog Night
2 “Maggie May”/”Reason to Believe” Rod Stewart
3 “It’s Too Late”/”I Feel the Earth Move” Carole King
4 “One Bad Apple” The Osmonds
5 “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart” Bee Gees
6 “Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian)” Paul Revere & the Raiders
7 “Go Away Little Girl” Donny Osmond
8 “Take Me Home, Country Roads” John Denver
9 “Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)” The Temptations
10 “Knock Three Times” Tony Orlando and Dawn
11 “Me and Bobby McGee” Janis Joplin
12 “Tired of Being Alone” Al Green
13 “Want Ads” Honey Cone
14 “Smiling Faces Sometimes” The Undisputed Truth
15 “Treat Her Like a Lady” Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose
16 “You’ve Got a Friend” James Taylor
17 “Mr. Big Stuff” Jean Knight
18 “Brown Sugar” The Rolling Stones
19 “Do You Know What I Mean” Lee Michaels
20 “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” Joan Baez
21 “What’s Going On” Marvin Gaye
22 “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey” Paul & Linda McCartney
23 “Ain’t No Sunshine” Bill Withers
24 “Signs” Five Man Electrical Band
25 “She’s a Lady” Tom Jones
26 “Superstar” Murray Head & The Trinidad Singers
27 “I’ve Found Someone of My Own” The Free Movement
28 “Amos Moses” Jerry Reed
29 “Temptation Eyes” The Grass Roots
30 “Superstar” The Carpenters
31 “My Sweet Lord” George Harrison
32 “Sweet and Innocent” Donny Osmond
33 “Put Your Hand in the Hand” Ocean
34 “Chick-A-Boom (Don’t Ya Jes’ Love It)” Daddy Dewdrop
35 “For All We Know” The Carpenters
36 “Help Me Make It Through the Night” Sammi Smith
37 “Rainy Days and Mondays” The Carpenters
38 “If You Could Read My Mind” Gordon Lightfoot
39 “Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves” Cher
40 “Never Can Say Goodbye” The Jackson 5
1971 Year in Sports
- Football – Super Bowl V – Baltimore Colts defeated Dallas Cowboys 16-13
- Horse Racing – Kentucky Derby – Canonero II
- Ice Hockey – Stanley Cup – Montreal Canadiens defeated Chicago Black Hawks 4 games to 3
- NBA Finals – Milwaukee Bucks defeated Baltimore Bullets 4 games to 0 games
- NBA 1971 – 1972 Season – The Los Angeles Lakers begin their record 33-game consecutive win streak. Nov. 5th, 1971
- Golf – U.S. Open – Lee Trevino
- Tennis
Wimbledon Championships – Men’s John Newcombe, Women’s Evonne Goolagong
US Open – Men’s Stan Smith, Women’s Billie Jean King - Baseball – World Series – Pittsburgh Pirates defeated Baltimore Orioles 4 games to 3 games.
- Tour De France – Eddy Merckx of Belgium wins his third straight Tour.
- Boxing – Fight of the Century – Muhammad Ali’s 31-fight winning streak is over. Joe Frasier defeats him at Madison Square Garden.
1971 NCAA
- Football
Orange Bowl: January 1, 1971 – Nebraska defeated LSU
Rose Bowl: January 1, 1971 – Stanford defeated Ohio State
Sugar Bowl : January 1, 1971 – Tennessee defeated Air Force
Cotton Bowl: January 1, 1971 – Notre Dame defeated Texas - Men’s Division 1 Basketball – UCLA defeats Villanova 68 – 62
Celebrities Born in 1971
Check out these famous people born in 1971. Some of these celebs will surprise you because they look so young and others you might say, “I thought they were older.”
Snoop Dogg
Amy Poehler
Winona Ryder
Mark Consuelos
Mark Wahlberg
Mary J. Blige
- Missy Elliot
- Amanda Holden
- Kelly Hyland
- Lil Jon
- Johnny Knoxville
- Jared Leto
- Loni Love
- Ricky Martin
- Ewan Mcgregor
- Idina Menzel
- Elon Musk
- Sandra Oh
- Jeremy Renner
- Denise Richards
- Kid Rock
- Jada Pinkett Smith
- Tupac Shakur (1971-1996)
- Chris Tucker
Top Baby Names of 1971
- Girls Names – Jennifer, Michelle, Lisa, Kimberly, Amy
- Boys Names – Michael, James, David, John, Robert
Most Popular TV Shows of 1971
We include the Top 20 TV shows for two seasons, since they are different. Interesting to see the shows shift in popularity over the course of one year.
Top TV Shows of 1970 – 1971 Season
1. Marcus Welby, M.D. 29.6
2. The Flip Wilson Show 27.9
3. Here’s Lucy 26.1
4. Ironside 25.7
5. Gunsmoke 25.5
6. ABC Movie of the Week 25.1
7. Hawaii Five-O 25.0
8. Medical Center 24.5
9. Bonanza 23.9
10. The F.B.I. 23.0
11. The Mod Squad 22.7
12. Adam-12 22.6
T13. Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In 22.4
The Wonderful World of Disney
15. Mayberry R.F.D. 22.3
16. Hee Haw 21.4
17. Mannix 21.3
18. The Men from Shiloh 21.2
19. My Three Sons 20.8
20. The Doris Day Show 20.7
Top TV Shows of 1971 – 1972 Season – based on Nielsen Media
1. All in the Family 34.0
2. The Flip Wilson Show 28.2
3. Marcus Welby, M.D. 27.8
4. Gunsmoke 26.0
5. ABC Movie of the Week 25.6
6. Sanford and Son 25.2
7. Mannix CBS 24.8
T8. Funny Face 23.9
Adam-12
T10. The Mary Tyler Moore Show 23.7
Here’s Lucy
12. Hawaii Five-O 23.6
13. Medical Center 23.5
14. The NBC Mystery Movie 23.2
15. Ironside 23.0
16. The Partridge Family 22.6
17. The F.B.I. 22.4
18. The New Dick Van Dyke Show 22.2
19. The Wonderful World of Disney 22.0
20. Bonanza
Popular Saturday Morning Cartoons in 1971
- Scooby Doo, Where are You!
- The Bugaloos
- Josie and the Pussycats
- The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show
- Jackson 5ive
- Harlem Globetrotters
- Archie’s TV Funnies
What did things cost in 1971
Check out this 1971 prices for food, gas, and even gold. Know that these tend to be average prices for an item in the US during the year. When possible we used US Govt. Economic data.
- Stamp $0.08
- Loaf of Bread $0.25
- Gallon of Milk $1.18
- Dozen Eggs $0.52
- Bacon 1 lb. $0.67
- Gallon of Gas $0.36
- Movie Ticket $1.65
- Minimum Wage $1.60
- One Ounce of Gold $44.60
- New Car $3,742
- Cost of a 30 second Super Bowl ad in 1971 $72,000
Most likely if you are here researching What Happened in 1971, you are getting ready to plan a big event like a birthday celebration for a spouse or close friend. We hope that our 1971 trivia, fun facts, top movies, top 40 songs of 1971 and other information was helpful and interesting.
If you are hosting a birthday party for someone Born in 1971, be sure to check out these party supplies that will help make your event extra special.
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Birthday Party Game Options
1961 - Birthday Games • 1962 - Birthday Games • 1963 - 60th Birthday Party Games• 1971 Birthday Games • 1972 - Birthday Games • 1973 - 50th Birthday Party Games • 1981 Birthday Games • 1982 Birthday Games • 1983 - 40th Birthday Party Game Pack • 1991 - Birthday Party Game Packs
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My 1st Birthday • Who Knows the Birthday Girl • Who Knows the Birthday Boy • Who Knows the Birthday Star
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Birthday Decorations
Back in 1971 Poster, Back in 1981 Poster
Funny & Joke - 40th Birthday Star Posters, 40th Birthday Gold Glitter Posters, 50th Birthday Posters, 60th Birthday Posters
Year Trivia, Fun Facts, Celebs Born in, What Happened In
1961 Trivia • 1962 Trivia • 1963 Trivia • 1971 Trivia • 1972 Trivia • 1973 Trivia • 1981 Trivia • 1982 Trivia • 1983 Trivia • 1984 Trivia • 1991 Trivia
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