What Happened in 1973 – Trivia, Movies, Songs, Sports, Born In
Trivia, Movies, Songs, Sports, Celebrities Born In 1973, News, Fun Facts and more.
Ever wonder, “What Happened in 1973?”
Well if you if you are planning a birthday party, trivia game night, wedding anniversary event, class reunion or just curious about 1973 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 1973, so you can create trivia game questions or activities based on 1973. If you need games for a 1973 birthday party, bookmark this page as we will be creating games soon, but in the meantime check out our Born in 1973 – Birthday Party Game Pack.
1973 Items – Page Topics Listed in Order
1973 History & News, 1973 Fun Facts
1973 Top Movies, Notable Quotes, Top 40 Songs of 1973, Sports
Celebrities Born in 1973, Top TV Shows of 1973, Saturday Morning Cartoons
What Did Things Cost in 1973, and we have a 1973 Calendar too.
1973 History & News
- Paris Peace Accords – Brings a end to the Vietnam War.
- Gasoline prices soar as OPEC limits oil to countries supporting Israel.
- The Bahamas gains independence from Great Britain, ending 325 years of British rule.
- Because of high inflation and gas prices the UK goes to a 3 day work week.
- Watergate hearings begin and President Richard Nixon states, “I am not a crook.”
- The Yom Kippur War pits Egypt & Syria against Israel. The war ends 18 days later with a ceasefire.
- Oglala Lakota Native Americans occupy Wounded Knee for 71 days to highlight Indian injustices.
- The Endangered Species Act of 1973 is passed to protect species from extinction.
- United States first space station Skylab was launched.
- The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) was created.
- Vice President Spiro T. Agnew resigns from office.
- Time Man of the Year: John Sirica
Interesting & Fun Facts about 1973
- Shrinky Dinks are invented by Betty Morris and 1st Sold in Wisconsin.
- Tonight Show host Johnny Carson makes a fictitious joke about a toilet paper shortage. Viewers respond by going out and buying extra toilet paper that actually resulted in a toilet paper shortage!
- KISS plays their first show at the Coventry Pub in Queens, New York. Fewer than 10 people showed up and they earned $50.
- Battle of the Sexes Tennis Match pitted Billie Jean King (29) against Bobby Riggs (55). King easily won the match in 3 sets.
- Hip Hop is born August 1973 – At a Bronx, NYC block party Clive Campbell, aka DJ Kool Herc, scratches and stretches popular music tracks and unknowingly creates a new music genre.
- Burger Chef launches the Fun Meal (Burger, dessert & toy), later McDonald’s would own this segment with the Happy Meal.
- Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon is released. The album ended the year ranked as the #11 album in sales. However, Dark Side of the Moon would remain on Billboards chart for at least 724 and maybe as many as 741 consecutive weeks (found varying facts, but until 1988) and be noted as one of the greatest rock albums of all time. As of Jan. 2023, the album has charted on Billboard for 966 weeks.
- Secretariat wins the triple crown, becoming the first horse to do so since 1948.
- Style – Afros, long straight hair, and muttonchop sideburns were trendy.
- Clothes – Bell Bottoms, Polyester Clothes (Shirts, Pants, Suits), Denim, Bold plaids, paisleys and tie-dye were in fashion.
- Outdoor clothing company Patagonia is created by rock climber Yvon Chouinard in Ventura, California.
- Baby Alive Doll that eats, drinks, and wets itself is introduced by Hasbro.
- NASA launches the Mariner 10 Mercury probe spacecraft.
- Led Zeppelin had over $200,000 in cash stolen from a safe deposit box while on tour in NYC.
- The iconic Sydney Opera House with it’s unique angles opens in Sydney, Australia.
- The Sears Tower (now Willis Tower) opens in Chicago and becomes the world tallest building for 25 years.
- The song “You’re So Vain” by Carly Simon was released in late 1972 and hit No. 1 in January of 1973. The song sparked a decades long mystery as to who the song was about. In 2015, Carly noted verse two is about Warren Beatty, but the rest is a mystery.
- The first handheld mobile phone (weighing 4.4 lbs.) was demonstrated by Martin Cooper of Motorola in NYC.
- New York’s World Trade Center Twin Towers open after 14 years being proposed by David Rockefeller.
- The Oldsmobile Toronado becomes the first car with a passenger airbag sold to the public.
- The Exorcist becomes a horror blockbuster and the first horror film to be nominated for an Academy Award.
- Female White House staffers are allowed to wear pants because the energy crisis. Prior to this change female staffers had to wear skirts, but the energy crisis resulted in the lowering of building temperatures to save money and pants were now acceptable!
- 1973 Soap Box Derby winner, 14 year old Jimmy Gronen, striped off title after his racecar is found to have an electromagnet in the nose.
- Choreographer Bob Fosse becomes the only person to have won Oscar, Emmy, and Tony awards in the same year (1973).
- NASA sends two spiders, Arabella and Anita, into space to see if they still spin webs without gravity. The answer… Yes – The created finer and more complex webs in space than on earth.
- Notable bands formed in 1973 – AC/DC, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Bad Company, Journey, Kansas, KC and the Sunshine Band, Kiss (some say late 1972 other 1973), and Quiet Riot.
- Word factoid first used – Norman Mailer uses the term to define something that is not necessarily true, but repeated so often believe it to be true.
- David Winfield is drafted by (4 Teams in 3 different sports) the MLB San Diego Padres, NBA Atlanta Hawks, ABA Utah Stars, NFL Minnesota Vikings. He choose to play baseball and later inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
- Worst financial decision of 1973 – Basketball Hall of Famer Spencer Haywood took $100,000 instead of 10% stake in Nike. as of January 2023, 10% of Nike would be worth just over $19 billion!
World Population – 3,913,000,000
Top Movies 1973 – US Box Office in millions
This list represents the earnings of movies that were released in 1973, based on our research. We did find some differing facts on earnings, but these were in most Top 10 rankings we reviewed.
1. The Exorcist $232.9
2. The Sting $159.6
3. American Graffiti $115
4. Papillion $53.3
5. Live and Let Die $35.4
6. Robin Hood $32.1
7. Paper Moon $30.9
8. Serpico $29.8
9. Enter the Dragon $25
10. Jesus Christ Superstar $24.5
Other notable films of 1973
• The Three Musketeers
• High Plains Drifter
• Walking Tall
- Academy Award for Best Picture 1973 – The Godfather
- Best Actor 1973 – Marlon Brando for The Godfather
- Best Actress 1973 – Liza Minnelli for Cabaret
Since the Oscars for movies released in 1973 are given out in 1974, we want to include which films won the following Academy Awards.
- Academy Award for Best Picture 1974 – The Sting
- Best Actor 1974 – Jack Lemmon for Save the Tiger
- Best Actress 1974 – Glenda Jackson for A Touch of Class
Notable Quotes from 1973
“People have got to know whether or not their Presidents is a crook. ell, I’m not a crook. I’ve earned everything I’ve got.”
– President Richard Nixon
“My brain? But that’s my second favorite organ!”
– Woody Allen, in Sleeper
“It ain’t over ’til it’s over”
– Yogi Berra said it the 1973 National League pennant race
New Advertising & Jingles
“Have it Your Way”
– Burger King – Ref. AdAge, note that some say the jingle came out in 1974
Learn more about our Born in 1973 Birthday Party Games.
Top 40 Songs of 1973
Ratings are based on Hot 100 Charts from Nov. 25, 1972 – Nov. 17, 1973 ranking by Billboard
1. “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree” Tony Orlando and Dawn
2. “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” Jim Croce
3. “Killing Me Softly with His Song” Roberta Flack
4. “Let’s Get It On” Marvin Gaye
5. “My Love” Paul McCartney & Wings
6. “Why Me” Kris Kristofferson
7. “Crocodile Rock” Elton John
8. “Will It Go Round in Circles” Billy Preston
9. “You’re So Vain” Carly Simon
10. “Touch Me in the Morning” Diana Ross
11. “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia” Vicki Lawrence
12. “Playground in My Mind” Clint Holmes
13. “Brother Louie” Stories
14. “Delta Dawn” Helen Reddy
15. “Me and Mrs. Jones” Billy Paul
16. “Frankenstein” The Edgar Winter Group
17. “Drift Away” Dobie Gray
18. “Little Willy” Sweet
19. “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” Stevie Wonder
20. “Half-Breed” Cher
21. “That Lady” The Isley Brothers
22. “Pillow Talk” Sylvia Robinson
23. “We’re an American Band” Grand Funk Railroad
24. “Right Place Wrong Time” Dr. John
25. “Wildflower” Skylark
26. “Superstition” Stevie Wonder
27. “Loves Me Like a Rock” Paul Simon
28. “The Morning After” Maureen McGovern
29. “Rocky Mountain High” John Denver
30. “Stuck in the Middle with You” Stealers Wheel
31. “Shambala” Three Dog Night
32. “Love Train” The O’Jays
33. “I’m Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby” Barry White
34. “Say, Has Anybody Seen My Sweet Gypsy Rose” Tony Orlando and Dawn
35. “Keep on Truckin'” Eddie Kendricks
36. “Danny’s Song” Anne Murray
37. “Dancing in the Moonlight” King Harvest
38. “Monster Mash” Bobby ‘Boris’ Pickett
39. “Natural High” Bloodstone
40. “Diamond Girl” Seals and Crofts
Other Notable Songs and Facts from 1973
#47 “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love” by The Spinners, #49 “Midnight Train to Georgia” by Gladys Knight & the Pips, #53 “Your Mama Don’t Dance” by Loggins and Messina, #68 “Reelin in the Years” by Steely Dan, #98 “It Never Rains in Southern California” by Albert Hammond, #100 “Papa Was a Rollin Stone” by The Temptations.
“Papa Was a Rollin Stone” by the Temptations, “I Am Woman” by Helen Reddy, and “Me & Mrs. Jones” by Billy Paul all peaked at No. 1 in December of 1972, but because of a gap in tracking (which removed a week of sales data in the rankings) only “Me & Mrs. Jones” (#15) ranked in the End of Year Top 40 of 1973, “Papa Was a Rollin Stone” was #100 and “I Am Woman” did not rank for either ’72 or ’73.
In 1973, Pink Floyd released the album “The Dark Side Of The Moon” this album went on to be the #1 album of the 1970s and one of the top 5 albums of all time. The album end the year ranked as the #11 album of the year in sales. However, Dark Side of the Moon would remain on Billboards chart for 741 consecutive weeks (Some say 736 weeks) until 1988 and be noted as one of the greatest rock albums of all time.
Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii event takes place on January 14th. The 1 hour show is broadcast live via satellite and the first broadcast of this type featuring a single performer.
1973 Year in Sports
- Football – Super Bowl VII – Miami Dolphins defeated Washington Redskins 14-7
- Horse Racing – Kentucky Derby – Secretariat
- Ice Hockey – Stanley Cup – Montreal Canadians defeated Chicago Blackhawks 4 games to 2
- NBA Finals – New York Knicks defeated Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 1 games
- ABA Finals – Indiana Pacers defeated Kentucky Colonels 4 games to 3 games
- Golf – U.S. Open – Johnny Miller
- Tennis
Wimbledon Championships – Men’s Jan Kodes, Women’s Billie Jean King
US Open – Men’s John Newcombe, Women’s Margaret Court - Baseball – World Series – Oakland Athletics defeated New York Mets 4 games to 3 games.
- Tour De France – Luis Ocana of Spain.
- George Foreman knocks-out (previously undefeated 29-0) Joe Frazier in the 2nd round of the Sunshine Showdown in Jamaica become the 3rd youngest heavyweight champion.
- 12-year-old Carolyn King becomes the first girl to play Little League, breaking the boys only rule. Soon after Little League Baseball revoked the Ypsilant-American charter and were banned from play. Then in 1975 LLB dropped the boys only rule.
1973 NCAA
- Football
Orange Bowl: January 1, 1973 – Nebraska defeated Notre Dame 40 – 6
Rose Bowl: January 1, 1973 – Univ. Southern California defeated Ohio State 42 – 17
Sugar Bowl : Moved to NYE December 31, 1972 – Oklahoma defeated Penn State
Cotton Bowl: January 1, 1973 – Texas defeated Alabama - Men’s Division 1 Basketball – UCLA defeats Memphis State St. 87 – 66 – For UCLA’s 7th National Championship
Celebrities Born in 1973
Check out these famous people born in 1973. Some of these celebs will surprise you because they look so young and others you might say, “I thought they were older.”
Heidi Klum
Pharrell Williams
Mario Lopez
Kristen Wiig
Tyra Banks
Neil Patrick Harris
More Celebrities and Famous People Born in 1973
- Akon – Singer/Rapper
- Kate Beckinsale
- David Blaine – Magician
- Sergey Brin – Co-founder of Google
- Steve Burns – Blues Clues
- Neve Campbell
- Dave Chappelle
- Holly Marie Combs
- Carson Daly
- Oscar De La Hoya – Boxer
- Michael Ealy
- Edge – Professional Wrestler
- Kevin Feige – Producer, MCU
- Noel Fielding – Great British Baking Show, Comedian
- Brian Austin Green
- Kathryn Hahn
- Lena Headey – Game of Thrones
- Nick Lachey
- Juliette Lewis
- Andrew Lincoln – The Walking Dead
- Seth MacFarlane
- Rachel Maddow
- James Marsden
- David Muir – Journalist / News Anchor
- Seth Myers
- Nas – Rapper
- Terrell Owens – Football Player
- Larry Page – Co-founder of Google
- Jim Parsons
- Sean Paul
- Portia de Rossi
- Monica Seles – Tennis Player
- Tori Spelling
- Ichiro Suzuki – Baseball Player
- Paul Walker – Passed Away in 2013
Top Baby Names of 1973
- Girls Names – Jennifer, Amy, Michelle, Kimberly, Lisa
- Boys Names – Michael, Christopher, Jason, James, David
Check out our Baby Shower name game – 100 Years of Baby Name Trivia.
Most Popular TV Shows of 1973
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 1972 – 1973 Season
1. All in the Family 33.3
2. Sanford and Son 27.6
3. Hawaii Five-O 25.2
4. Maude 24.7
T5. Bridget Loves Bernie 24.2
T5. The NBC Sunday Mystery Movie
T7. The Mary Tyler Moore Show 23.6
T7. Gunsmoke
9. The Wonderful World of Disney 23.5
10. Ironside 23.4
11. Adam-12 23.3
12. The Flip Wilson Show 23.1
13. Marcus Welby, M.D. 22.9
14. Cannon 22.4
15. Here’s Lucy 21.9
16. The Bob Newhart Show 21.8
17. ABC Tuesday Movie of the Week 21.5
18. Monday Night Football 21
T19. The Partridge Family 20.6
T19. The Waltons 20.6
T19. Medical Center 20.6
Top TV Shows of 1973 – 1974 Season
1. All in the Family 31.2
2. The Waltons 28.1
3. Sanford and Son 27.5
4. M*A*S*H 25.7
5. Hawaii Five-O 24.0
6. Maude 23.5
7. Kojak 23.3
T7. The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
9. The Mary Tyler Moore Show 23.1
T9. Cannon
11. The Six Million Dollar Man 22.7
12. The Bob Newhart Show 22.3
T12. The Wonderful World of Disney
14. The NBC Sunday Mystery Movie 22.2
15. Gunsmoke 22.1
16. Happy Days 21.5
17. Good Times 21.4
T17. Barnaby Jones 21.4
19. Monday Night Football 21.2
T19. CBS Friday Night Movie
M*A*S*H premieres on CBS in September of 1972, and came in as the #46 most popular show of the 72-73 season. Which was not a very strong showing. However it was moved to Saturday night in it’s sophomore season, become a top ten hit, and remained a ratings hit until it’s record setting farewell episode in 1983.
Popular Saturday Morning Cartoons in 1973
- Scooby Doo, Where are You?
- Josie and the Pussycats
- The Bugs Bunny Show
- Super Friends
- Speed Buggy
- Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids
- The Jetsons
- Pink Panther
- Sigmund and the Sea Monsters
- The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show
- Inch High, Private Eye
- The Addams Family
- The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan (was on Sunday on CBS)
- Schoolhouse Rock – debuts on ABC between shows – This was after “Multiplication Rock” was released in 1972.
What did things cost in 1973
Check out this 1973 prices for food, gas, and even gold. Know that these are average prices for an item in the US during the year, based on our research. Keep in mind that gas, milk, eggs, and bacon prices can vary up to 20% during the year and by region. When possible we used US Govt. Economic data.
- Stamp $0.08
- Loaf of Bread $0.29
- Gallon of Milk $1.29
- Dozen Eggs $0.78
- Bacon 1 lb. $1.16
- Gallon of Gas $0.39
- Oreos $0.59
- Movie Ticket $1.76
- Minimum Wage $1.60
- One Ounce of Gold $114.50 (End of 1973)
- New Car $4,052
- Cost of a 30 second Super Bowl ad in 1973 $103,500
Most likely if you are here researching What Happened in 1973, you are getting ready to plan a big event like a birthday celebration for a spouse or close friend. We hope that our 1973 trivia, fun facts, top movies, top 40 songs of 1973 and other information was helpful and interesting. And if you want a
If you are hosting a birthday party for someone Born in 1973, be sure to check out these party supplies that will help make your event extra special and our 50th Birthday Party Games for those Born in 1973.
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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
Kid's Birthday Party Games
My 1st Birthday • Who Knows the Birthday Girl • Who Knows the Birthday Boy • Who Knows the Birthday Star
Birthday Bingo • Birthday Charades & Pictionary • Birthday Left Right Story
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
1973 Calendar
Want to know on what day of the week someone was born, an anniversary or just need to check out a specific date from 1973? Then check out our 12 month 1973 calendar.
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