Notorious killers of the 1970s

By Ryan Bergeron, CNN
Updated 10:51 AM EDT, Wed October 17, 2018
The Manson Family murders of Sharon Tate, the pregnant wife of filmmaker Roman Polanski, and others in the summer of 1969 shocked and captivated America, setting the tone for one of the most violent decades in the country
Photos: Crimes and cults of the '70s
The Manson Family murders of Sharon Tate, the pregnant wife of filmmaker Roman Polanski, and others in the summer of 1969 shocked and captivated America, setting the tone for one of the most violent decades in the country's history as covered in the "Crimes and Cults" episode of CNN's "The Seventies." Here, Charles Manson is escorted to his arraignment on conspiracy-murder charges in connection with the case.
PHOTO: AP
A beardless Charles Manson, sporting a shaved head in 1971. "The very name
Photos: Crimes and cults of the '70s
A beardless Charles Manson, sporting a shaved head in 1971. "The very name 'Manson' has become a metaphor for evil, catapulting him to almost mythological proportions," according to the late Vincent Bugliosi, the district attorney responsible for prosecuting Manson.
PHOTO: AFP/Getty Images
U.S. Secret Service agents lead away Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, a member of Charles Manson
Photos: Crimes and cults of the '70s
U.S. Secret Service agents lead away Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, a member of Charles Manson's "family," after she allegedly pointed a .45-caliber pistol at Presisdent Gerald Ford on the grounds of the California State Capitol in 1975. According to Jeff Guinn, author of "Manson," her first words after the being wrestled to the ground were, "Can you believe the gun didn't go off?" Fromme was paroled in 2009.
PHOTO: AP
Less than three weeks after President Ford
Photos: Crimes and cults of the '70s
Less than three weeks after President Ford's encounter with "Squeaky" Fromme, political activist Sarah Jane Moore becomes the only woman ever to fire a shot at a president. Ford was unharmed. She plead guilty to attempted assassination and served 32 years in jail before being paroled in 2007. At the time, CBS News anchor Walter Cronkite expressed concern about presidential security, wondering "will it take another assassination in our lifetime to finally force some action?"
PHOTO: AP
San Francisco
Photos: Crimes and cults of the '70s
San Francisco's "Zodiac Killer" was blamed for at least five murders but took credit for as many as 37 in boastful letters sent to the police, some containing swatches of bloody clothing as proof. This is a copy of a cryptogram sent to the San Francisco Chronicle by someone claiming to be the killer.
PHOTO: San Francisco Chronicle/AP
Homicide inspectors David Toschi, left, and William Armstrong go through a "Zodiac Killer" victim
Photos: Crimes and cults of the '70s
Homicide inspectors David Toschi, left, and William Armstrong go through a "Zodiac Killer" victim's clothes looking for clues. "In the '70s there was a certain kind of killer who had the skill to get away with murder long enough to assemble the body count where they would be classified as serial killers," said James Alan Fox, the author of "Mass Killing." The Zodiac Killer has never been caught.
PHOTO: Susan Ehmer/The San Francisco Chronicle/AP
David Brooks, 18, right, squats on the beach with a law enforcement official as police search for bodies in High Island, Texas, in 1973. Brooks was implicated with Elmer Wayne Henley and Dean Corll, in the murders of at least 24 young men in a mass slaying case. "Dean Corill would pick up kids, and once he had them in his house, he would incapacitate them and put them on what he called his "death board" and rape and kill them," according to Stephen G. Michaud, author of "The Only Living Witness." Corll died in 1973.
Photos: Crimes and cults of the '70s
David Brooks, 18, right, squats on the beach with a law enforcement official as police search for bodies in High Island, Texas, in 1973. Brooks was implicated with Elmer Wayne Henley and Dean Corll, in the murders of at least 24 young men in a mass slaying case. "Dean Corill would pick up kids, and once he had them in his house, he would incapacitate them and put them on what he called his "death board" and rape and kill them," according to Stephen G. Michaud, author of "The Only Living Witness." Corll died in 1973.
PHOTO: AP
After a four-year moratorium following Furman v. Georgia (1972), the U.S. Supreme Court reaffirmed the constitutionality of the death penalty in Gregg v. Georgia (1976). Gary Gilmore was the first person to be put to death after that decision, on January 17, 1977. Here, reporters view the chair where Gilmore sat when he was executed by firing squad. According to author James Alan Fox, Gilmore
Photos: Crimes and cults of the '70s
After a four-year moratorium following Furman v. Georgia (1972), the U.S. Supreme Court reaffirmed the constitutionality of the death penalty in Gregg v. Georgia (1976). Gary Gilmore was the first person to be put to death after that decision, on January 17, 1977. Here, reporters view the chair where Gilmore sat when he was executed by firing squad. According to author James Alan Fox, Gilmore's last words were, "Let's do it."
PHOTO: AP
A police mug shot showing New York City serial killer David Berkowitz, known as the "Son of Sam" and the "44 Caliber Killer." Berkowitz killed six people and wounded seven others between 1976 and 1977, mostly young women and couples in secluded locations. At the time of his arrest, he claimed a demon spoke to him through a neighbor
Photos: Crimes and cults of the '70s
A police mug shot showing New York City serial killer David Berkowitz, known as the "Son of Sam" and the "44 Caliber Killer." Berkowitz killed six people and wounded seven others between 1976 and 1977, mostly young women and couples in secluded locations. At the time of his arrest, he claimed a demon spoke to him through a neighbor's dog. He is currently serving consecutive life sentences totaling more than 300 years.
PHOTO: Hulton Archive/Getty Images
John Wayne Gacy
Photos: Crimes and cults of the '70s
John Wayne Gacy's police arrest photo from Dec. 21, 1978. Gacy was convicted of killing 33 young men and boys between 1972 and 1978. Before his arrest, Gacy had been active in the Democratic Party and had dressed as a clown to entertain children at parties. While on death row, Gacy took up painting. His pictures of clowns sold for between $200 and $20,000. Gacy was executed in 1994 by lethal injection.
PHOTO: Tim Boyle/Des Plaines Police Department/Getty Images
Between 1977 and 1978, the naked bodies of nine women were found on the sides of various roads in the hills of California. The police attributed the murders to "the Hillside Strangler," who turned out to be a pair of killers -- Angelo Buono, pictured, and his cousin Kenneth Bianchi. On CNN
Photos: Crimes and cults of the '70s
Between 1977 and 1978, the naked bodies of nine women were found on the sides of various roads in the hills of California. The police attributed the murders to "the Hillside Strangler," who turned out to be a pair of killers -- Angelo Buono, pictured, and his cousin Kenneth Bianchi. On CNN's "The Seventies," author James Alan Fox notes "we've seen this time and time again --- pairs of killers who urge each other on, and together they are extremely vicious and violent."
PHOTO: AP
Theodore "Ted" Bundy, left, makes a point to members of his defense team at his trial in Miami in June 1979. Bundy raped and killed at least 16 young women in the early to mid-1970s, and was convicted of three Florida slayings, including that of a 12-year-old girl. He later confessed to killing more than 30 women and girls. "He was handsome, he was very involved with politics, he was educated, he was in law school. It didn
Photos: Crimes and cults of the '70s
Theodore "Ted" Bundy, left, makes a point to members of his defense team at his trial in Miami in June 1979. Bundy raped and killed at least 16 young women in the early to mid-1970s, and was convicted of three Florida slayings, including that of a 12-year-old girl. He later confessed to killing more than 30 women and girls. "He was handsome, he was very involved with politics, he was educated, he was in law school. It didn't seem like the glassy-eye lunatic that many Americans believed serial killers would be," according to author James Alan Fox.
PHOTO: AP
Larry Flynt, owner of Hustler magazine, lies on a stretcher in Atlanta, April 14, 1978, as attendants prepare to load him on board a hospital plane. Flynt was shot by serial killer and white supremacist Joseph Paul Franklin for publishing pornographic photos of a black man with a white woman. The injury left Flynt permanently paralyzed from the waist down. Franklin was convicted of six murders and claimed responsibility for as many as 22. He was executed in November 2013.
Photos: Crimes and cults of the '70s
Larry Flynt, owner of Hustler magazine, lies on a stretcher in Atlanta, April 14, 1978, as attendants prepare to load him on board a hospital plane. Flynt was shot by serial killer and white supremacist Joseph Paul Franklin for publishing pornographic photos of a black man with a white woman. The injury left Flynt permanently paralyzed from the waist down. Franklin was convicted of six murders and claimed responsibility for as many as 22. He was executed in November 2013.
PHOTO: AP
Portrait of American religious leader Jim Jones, the founder of the People
Photos: Crimes and cults of the '70s
Portrait of American religious leader Jim Jones, the founder of the People's Temple, and his wife, Marceline Jones, seated in front of their adopted children and next to his sister-in-law, right, with her three children. In 1977, Jones relocated the People's Temple from San Francisco, California, to Jonestown, Guyana. He led the mass suicide of over 900 followers on November 18, 1978, before dying of a gunshot wound later that day.
PHOTO: Don Hogan Charles/New York Times Co/Getty Images
Bodies lie around the compound of the People
Photos: Crimes and cults of the '70s
Bodies lie around the compound of the People's Temple in Guyana on November 18, 1978, after the over 900 members of the cult died from drinking cyanide-laced Kool Aid, victims of the largest mass suicide in modern history. Jeff Guinn, author of "Manson," said on CNN's "The Seventies," "we will never know how many people voluntarily drank the poison. But other people were either coerced, brainwashed, or took it against their will. They were murdered."
PHOTO: David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images
The bloodied body of mafia chieftain Carmine "Lilo" Galante, his final cigar still in his mouth, lies on the floor of a backyard garden in a Brooklyn restaurant July 12, 1979. Galante was gunned down along with an associate and the restaurant
Photos: Crimes and cults of the '70s
The bloodied body of mafia chieftain Carmine "Lilo" Galante, his final cigar still in his mouth, lies on the floor of a backyard garden in a Brooklyn restaurant July 12, 1979. Galante was gunned down along with an associate and the restaurant's owner. The killers allowed Galante's two bodyguards to leave unharmed. The murder is believed to have been part of a power struggle among New York's organized crime families.
PHOTO: Robert Karp/AP

Story highlights

Decade began with Manson Family murder trial and ended with Jonestown massacre

Serial killers, crimes and cults inspired fear in the '70s

Watch HLN’s “Very Scary People” Sundays at 9 p.m.

(CNN) —  

If the ‘60s helped spread a message of living in harmony in America, the ‘70s brought one of living in fear.

A dark example of that shift is Charles Manson and his “family,” which began forming during 1967’s Summer of Love but closed out that decade with the brutal murders of Sharon Tate, Leno and Rosemary LaBianca and four others.

Here are seven of the most notorious crime sprees, serial killings and mass murders that shocked America in the 1970s:

Manson Family

Charles Manson and three of his followers were found guilty of the murders of Tate, the LaBiancas and four others on January 25, 1971. The killers were originally given the death penalty, but California later abolished it, reducing their sentences to life. Being locked away, however, did not stop the threat of Manson’s mayhem. His followers still believed in his “Helter Skelter” message and tried to impress him with their own violent acts.

The most noteworthy came on September 5, 1975, when Manson Family member Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme pulled a gun on President Gerald Ford in a failed assassination attempt. As Time magazine wrote in “The Girl Who Almost Killed Ford,” it was a chilling reminder that not even those with Secret Service protection are safe from violence in America:

Squeaky Fromme’s mad act in a Sacramento park with a .45 in her small hand had an immediate, sobering effect on the 1976 presidential election campaign. All too clearly, every candidate could visualize a similar attack being launched against himself. The incident was also a vivid and sickening reminder of one of the most disturbing paradoxes of America: the fact that such a liberal and free society should somehow generate a sprinkling of warped souls who for dark reasons of their own seek to work out their frustrations by destroying political leaders.

Zodiac Killer

The Manson Family murders sent a shockwave through Hollywood, but during that same time another killer was terrorizing the San Francisco Bay Area. The Zodiac Killer ushered in a new era of serial killer: one who was smart enough to get away with murder but at the same time wanted the publicity. The Zodiac Killer became famous for his series of cryptograms and coded letters that he sent to the press. In the letters, the killer admitted to murders, threatened more killings and was believed to have given hints at his true identity. Zodiac was believed to have killed at least five people during the late ‘60s but could be responsible for more since he was never captured. Police looked into several possible suspects, but no one has ever been identified as the Zodiac Killer or charged in the killings linked to him.

John Wayne Gacy

While California grappled with its cults and unsolved mysteries, a serial killer with an eye for young men plagued Chicago. John Wayne Gacy, also known as the “Killer Clown,” would go down as one of the most notorious serial killers in history. In 1978, Gacy confessed to murdering 33 teenage boys and young men, but he could be responsible for more. Many of his murders took place in his own home, where he would sexually assault and strangle the young men to death. Almost all his victims were buried in a crawl space underneath his house. Gacy spent 14 years on death row, eventually being executed on May 10, 1994.

Ted Bundy

While Gacy targeted young men, other serial killers went after young women in the ‘70s. The man who should have incited the most fear may have seemed the least suspicious of them all – Ted Bundy. As Time wrote in “The Case of the Chi Omega Killer” on July 16, 1979, Bundy did not conform to the typical psychopath stereotypes:

The defendant is an unlikely looking murder suspect. He is handsome, articulate and composed, a former law student who, in his blue suit, is almost indistinguishable from the defense lawyers clustered around him. Nonetheless, Bundy is suspected by police of being one of the worst mass murderers in U.S. history, responsible for a trail of up to 36 young women victims, spanning four years and four states.

Bundy was convicted of killing two women in the Chi Omega sorority in Tallahassee, Florida, and was sentenced to death. Before his execution in 1989, Bundy confessed to killing 36 women, but many believe he was responsible for the deaths of 100 or more.

David Berkowitz: ‘Son of Sam’

The killing spree of “Son of Sam” in New York was publicized around the world. Beginning in the summer of 1976, six people were killed and seven others wounded by a .44-caliber gun. The murder weapon was the main link police had for the crimes until April 1977 when Berkowitz left his first letter near the scene of a crime. The letter is the first time Berkowitz uses the name “Son of Sam.” Berkowitz wrote more letters as “Son of Sam,” taunting police about future murders that followed that summer. His victims were usually young women with long dark hair, reports of which caused many New Yorkers to panic, according to the Time article “Son of Sam Is Not Sleeping.”

Terrified parents in the area are now insisting that their daughters wear their long hair up, bleach it, or have their dates at home. Some girls have decided not to date until the killer is caught, and others are adopting unusual evening wear: loose sweaters and large caps to disguise themselves as males. “I’m scared,” said one Queens girl. “I used to kiss my boyfriend in front of the house, Now I run in.”

Berkowitz was arrested on August 10, 1977, and was sentenced to six life sentences, which he is currently serving.

’Hillside Strangler’

Not long after the capture of “Son of Sam,” fear began to spread on the other side of the country, in Los Angeles. From October 1977 to February 1978, the bodies of 10 women were found in a hilly area above the city. With no leads, the media began attributing the victims to the “Hillside Strangler.” It was only after Kenneth Bianchi was arrested in the killings of two women in Washington that he confessed to the “Hillside Strangler” murders and implicated his cousin, Angelo Buono, as his partner in crime. Bianchi and Buono were both sentenced to life in prison without parole. Buono died from a heart attack in 2002. Bianchi remains in prison.

Jim Jones

Jim Jones was the founder of the Peoples Temple religious movement and ringleader of the biggest mass murder-suicide in history. On November 18, 1978, Jones led more than 900 people to their deaths as they drank cyanide-laced Kool-Aid in Guyana. As Time noted in “The Lure of Doomsday,” the event would become a dark bookmark for the decade:

The Jonestown story, like some Joseph Conrad drama of fanaticism and moral emptiness, has gone directly into popular myth. It will be remembered as an emblematic, identifying moment of the decade: a demented American psychopomp in a tropical cult house, doling out cyanide with Kool-Aid. Jonestown is the Altamont of the ‘70s cult movement. Just as Altamont began the destruction of the sweet, vacuous aspirations of Woodstock, Jonestown has decisively contaminated the various vagabond zealotries that have grown up, nourished and sometimes turned sinister.

Pop culture and politics collided on December 21, 1970, when the King of Rock
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Pop culture and politics collided on December 21, 1970, when the King of Rock 'n' Roll, Elvis Presley, visited President Richard Nixon in the White House Oval Office. The '70s may have been many things, but boring sure wasn't one of them. Check out 70 of the most unforgettable moments of the decade. For more, watch the CNN Original Series "The Seventies."
PHOTO: National Archive/Newsmakers/Getty Images
The Apollo 13 spacecraft was intended to be the third landing on the moon, but the NASA crew aborted its mission after an oxygen tank exploded on board. The astronauts landed in the South Pacific on April 17, 1970. Here, lunar module pilot Fred W. Haise Jr. is about to be hoisted up to a recovery helicopter from the USS Iwo Jima.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Apollo 13 returns safely to Earth —  
The Apollo 13 spacecraft was intended to be the third landing on the moon, but the NASA crew aborted its mission after an oxygen tank exploded on board. The astronauts landed in the South Pacific on April 17, 1970. Here, lunar module pilot Fred W. Haise Jr. is about to be hoisted up to a recovery helicopter from the USS Iwo Jima.
PHOTO: NASA/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Four students died and nine others were wounded on May 4, 1970, when members of the Ohio National Guard opened fire on students protesting the Vietnam War at Kent State University in Ohio. In this Pulitzer Prize-winning photo, taken by Kent State photojournalism student John Filo, Mary Ann Vecchio can be seen screaming as she kneels by the body of slain student Jeffrey Miller.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Kent State massacre —  
Four students died and nine others were wounded on May 4, 1970, when members of the Ohio National Guard opened fire on students protesting the Vietnam War at Kent State University in Ohio. In this Pulitzer Prize-winning photo, taken by Kent State photojournalism student John Filo, Mary Ann Vecchio can be seen screaming as she kneels by the body of slain student Jeffrey Miller.
PHOTO: John Filo/AP
The "Fab Four," pictured here in 1970, released their final album, "Let It Be," on May 8, 1970. The album came one month after Paul McCartney announced the group
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
The Beatles call it quits —  
The "Fab Four," pictured here in 1970, released their final album, "Let It Be," on May 8, 1970. The album came one month after Paul McCartney announced the group's breakup.
PHOTO: Hans J. Hoffmann/ullstein bild/Getty Images
In one moment, Bobby Orr became a hockey legend. On May 10, 1970, Orr scored an overtime goal in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals, giving the Boston Bruins their first championship since 1941. In 1971, Orr signed the first million-dollar contract in NHL history -- $200,000 a year for five years -- and in 1979 he became the youngest NHL Hall of Famer when he was inducted at the age of 31.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
'Flying Bobby' —  
In one moment, Bobby Orr became a hockey legend. On May 10, 1970, Orr scored an overtime goal in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals, giving the Boston Bruins their first championship since 1941. In 1971, Orr signed the first million-dollar contract in NHL history -- $200,000 a year for five years -- and in 1979 he became the youngest NHL Hall of Famer when he was inducted at the age of 31.
PHOTO: Ray Lussie/Boston Herald American/AP
Gay rights activists Foster Gunnison and Craig Rodwell lead a gay rights march in New York on June 28, 1970, then known as Gay Liberation Day. The march was held on the first anniversary of the police raid of the Stonewall Inn, a popular gay bar in New York
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Gay rights movement gains popularity —  
Gay rights activists Foster Gunnison and Craig Rodwell lead a gay rights march in New York on June 28, 1970, then known as Gay Liberation Day. The march was held on the first anniversary of the police raid of the Stonewall Inn, a popular gay bar in New York's Greenwich Village. The raid led to demonstrations and protests by the gay community. The Stonewall riots helped bring together the gay community in New York, and by 1971 gay rights groups had formed in almost all of the major cities in America.
PHOTO: Fred W. McDarrah/Getty Images
The
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
'Hey! Ho! Let's go!' —  
The '70s ushered in a new musical movement that put a premium on speed, simplicity and raw power. Bands like the Ramones, pictured, and the Sex Pistols put to waste the trippy, hippie music of the '60s, replacing it with short, fast songs filled with attitude and angst. It could only be called one thing: punk.
PHOTO: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Indira Gandhi, the only woman to ever hold the office of Prime Minister of India, won a second term in a landslide victory in March 1971. She would be re-elected to a fourth term in 1980, but she was assassinated by two of her bodyguards in 1984.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Indira Gandhi re-elected —  
Indira Gandhi, the only woman to ever hold the office of Prime Minister of India, won a second term in a landslide victory in March 1971. She would be re-elected to a fourth term in 1980, but she was assassinated by two of her bodyguards in 1984.
PHOTO: Fox Photos/Getty Images
A crowd in Orlando waits for Walt Disney World
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Disney World opens —  
A crowd in Orlando waits for Walt Disney World's Main Street to open in October 1971. The park cost an estimated $400 million to build and now attracts around 25 million visitors annually. When Disney World opened in 1971, the price for admission was $3.50. A single-day ticket now is $105 for anyone over 10 years old.
PHOTO: AP Photo
On January 30, 1972, British soldiers opened fire against protesters in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, who were marching against British rule. Thirteen people were killed on the scene, and more than a dozen were injured. After the shooting, recruitment and support for the Irish Republican Army skyrocketed. Three decades of violence known as The Troubles followed, and almost 3,000 people died.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
'Bloody Sunday' —  
On January 30, 1972, British soldiers opened fire against protesters in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, who were marching against British rule. Thirteen people were killed on the scene, and more than a dozen were injured. After the shooting, recruitment and support for the Irish Republican Army skyrocketed. Three decades of violence known as The Troubles followed, and almost 3,000 people died.
PHOTO: Popperfoto/Getty Images
Richard Nixon became the first U.S. President to visit China. His trip in February 1972 was an important step in building a relationship between the two countries.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Nixon in China —  
Richard Nixon became the first U.S. President to visit China. His trip in February 1972 was an important step in building a relationship between the two countries.
PHOTO: Fotosearch/Getty Images
Associated Press photographer Nick Ut photographed terrified children running from the site of a napalm attack during the Vietnam War in June 1972. A South Vietnamese plane accidentally dropped napalm on its own troops and civilians. Nine-year-old Kim Phuc, center, ripped off her burning clothes while fleeing. The image communicated the horrors of the war and contributed to the growing anti-war sentiment in the United States. After taking the photograph, Ut took the children to a hospital.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
'Napalm Girl' —  
Associated Press photographer Nick Ut photographed terrified children running from the site of a napalm attack during the Vietnam War in June 1972. A South Vietnamese plane accidentally dropped napalm on its own troops and civilians. Nine-year-old Kim Phuc, center, ripped off her burning clothes while fleeing. The image communicated the horrors of the war and contributed to the growing anti-war sentiment in the United States. After taking the photograph, Ut took the children to a hospital.
PHOTO: Nick Ut/AP
In July 1972, in the midst of the Vietnam War, actress Jane Fonda visited the North Vietnamese city of Hanoi and criticized the U.S. role in the war, leading many to call her "anti-American." Earlier this year, Fonda called the trip an "incredible experience" but expressed some regret. "It hurts me, and it will to my grave, that I made a huge, huge mistake that made a lot of people think I was against the soldiers," Fonda said during an appearance in Frederick, Maryland.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
'Hanoi Jane' —  
In July 1972, in the midst of the Vietnam War, actress Jane Fonda visited the North Vietnamese city of Hanoi and criticized the U.S. role in the war, leading many to call her "anti-American." Earlier this year, Fonda called the trip an "incredible experience" but expressed some regret. "It hurts me, and it will to my grave, that I made a huge, huge mistake that made a lot of people think I was against the soldiers," Fonda said during an appearance in Frederick, Maryland.
PHOTO: AFP/Getty Images
In any other year it might sound strange, but in 1972 one of the most popular films of the year was a porno. "Deep Throat" was one of the first pornographic films to receive mainstream attention, and it made $3 million in its first six months of release. It also took on an additional layer of cultural significance when the secret informant in the Watergate scandal went by the pseudonym "Deep Throat."
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Porn goes mainstream —  
In any other year it might sound strange, but in 1972 one of the most popular films of the year was a porno. "Deep Throat" was one of the first pornographic films to receive mainstream attention, and it made $3 million in its first six months of release. It also took on an additional layer of cultural significance when the secret informant in the Watergate scandal went by the pseudonym "Deep Throat."
PHOTO: Bryanston Pictures
American Bobby Fischer, right, and Russian Boris Spassky play their last game of chess together in Reykjavik, Iceland, on August 31, 1972. Fischer defeated Spassky to become the World Chess Champion, ending a Soviet win streak that dated to 1948.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Cold War chess championship —  
American Bobby Fischer, right, and Russian Boris Spassky play their last game of chess together in Reykjavik, Iceland, on August 31, 1972. Fischer defeated Spassky to become the World Chess Champion, ending a Soviet win streak that dated to 1948.
PHOTO: J.W. Green/Getty Images
On September 5, 1972, the Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany, were in the throes of a hostage crisis. Two Israeli athletes had been killed and nine taken hostage by members of Black September, a Palestinian terrorist movement demanding the release of political prisoners by the Israeli government. Hours later, all nine hostages, five terrorists and one police officer were dead.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Terror at the Olympics —  
On September 5, 1972, the Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany, were in the throes of a hostage crisis. Two Israeli athletes had been killed and nine taken hostage by members of Black September, a Palestinian terrorist movement demanding the release of political prisoners by the Israeli government. Hours later, all nine hostages, five terrorists and one police officer were dead.
PHOTO: Kurt Strumpf/AP
The Miami Dolphins, coached by Don Shula, win Super Bowl VII in January 1973 and become the only NFL team in history to win a championship with an undefeated record.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
The perfect season —  
The Miami Dolphins, coached by Don Shula, win Super Bowl VII in January 1973 and become the only NFL team in history to win a championship with an undefeated record.
PHOTO: AP
"The Godfather," directed by Francis Ford Coppola, took home several Academy Awards in March 1973, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. The film was based on the best-selling novel by Mario Puzo and starred, from left, James Caan, Marlon Brando, Al Pacino and John Cazale. Brando won the Oscar for Best Actor.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
'I'll make him an offer he can't refuse' —  
"The Godfather," directed by Francis Ford Coppola, took home several Academy Awards in March 1973, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. The film was based on the best-selling novel by Mario Puzo and starred, from left, James Caan, Marlon Brando, Al Pacino and John Cazale. Brando won the Oscar for Best Actor.
PHOTO: Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images
Secretariat races toward the finish line, blowing away the field in record time to win the Belmont Stakes in June 1973. With the victory, Secretariat became the first horse to win the Triple Crown since Citation in 1948. The Triple Crown was won two other times in the
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
The Triple Crown —  
Secretariat races toward the finish line, blowing away the field in record time to win the Belmont Stakes in June 1973. With the victory, Secretariat became the first horse to win the Triple Crown since Citation in 1948. The Triple Crown was won two other times in the '70s, by Seattle Slew in 1977 and Affirmed in 1978. In 2015, American Pharoah became the first horse to take the Triple Crown in 37 years.
PHOTO: Bill Meurer/NY Daily News Archive/Getty Images
In 1973, the Sears Tower opened in Chicago, overtaking the World Trade Center as the tallest building in the world. The tower, now known as the Willis Tower, is the second-tallest building in the United States today.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Chicago's record-setting giant —  
In 1973, the Sears Tower opened in Chicago, overtaking the World Trade Center as the tallest building in the world. The tower, now known as the Willis Tower, is the second-tallest building in the United States today.
PHOTO: Paul Slade/Paris Match/Getty Images)
Martial-arts actor Bruce Lee, seen here training in a scene from the film "Enter the Dragon," dies in July 1973 just days before the movie
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Bruce Lee dies —  
Martial-arts actor Bruce Lee, seen here training in a scene from the film "Enter the Dragon," dies in July 1973 just days before the movie's release. He was 32. The film would cement Lee's legend and bring martial arts to the forefront of pop culture.
PHOTO: Warner Brothers/Getty Images
U.S. Vice President Spiro T. Agnew addresses the media on August 8, 1973, saying he would not resign while being investigated on charges of tax fraud, bribery and conspiracy. However, Agnew resigned in October 1973 after pleading no contest to a single count of income-tax evasion. He was the second vice president to resign in U.S. history.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Scandal in the Nixon administration —  
U.S. Vice President Spiro T. Agnew addresses the media on August 8, 1973, saying he would not resign while being investigated on charges of tax fraud, bribery and conspiracy. However, Agnew resigned in October 1973 after pleading no contest to a single count of income-tax evasion. He was the second vice president to resign in U.S. history.
PHOTO: AP
From the time of their completion in 1973 until their destruction in the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, The World Trade Center
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
The 'Twin Towers' —  
From the time of their completion in 1973 until their destruction in the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, The World Trade Center's twin towers stood as an iconic part of the New York City skyline.
PHOTO: Peter J. Eckel/AP
In a nationally televised tennis match on September 20, 1973, Bobby Riggs, a former No. 1 tennis player, took on Billie Jean King, one of the top female tennis players at the time. Earlier in the year, Riggs put out a challenge to all female tennis players, saying no woman could beat him. King beat Riggs 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 and claimed a $100,000 prize.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
'Battle of the Sexes' —  
In a nationally televised tennis match on September 20, 1973, Bobby Riggs, a former No. 1 tennis player, took on Billie Jean King, one of the top female tennis players at the time. Earlier in the year, Riggs put out a challenge to all female tennis players, saying no woman could beat him. King beat Riggs 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 and claimed a $100,000 prize.
PHOTO: TSN Archives/Getty Images
"The Exorcist," based off the best-selling novel by William Peter Blatty about a demonically possessed 12-year-old girl, was released in December 1973. It went on to become one of the most popular films of all time. It was the first horror film to be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar, and Blatty won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
'The Exorcist' hits theaters —  
"The Exorcist," based off the best-selling novel by William Peter Blatty about a demonically possessed 12-year-old girl, was released in December 1973. It went on to become one of the most popular films of all time. It was the first horror film to be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar, and Blatty won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
PHOTO: Universal History Archive/Getty Images
By 1973, Clive Sinclair had introduced a series of pocket calculators that changed the industry, making calculators small and light enough to fit in your pocket. They were not only much smaller and thinner than their competitors, but also much cheaper, making their advanced technology available to the masses.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
The pocket calculator —  
By 1973, Clive Sinclair had introduced a series of pocket calculators that changed the industry, making calculators small and light enough to fit in your pocket. They were not only much smaller and thinner than their competitors, but also much cheaper, making their advanced technology available to the masses.
PHOTO: Getty Images
Cars in Brooklyn, New York, line up for gas in January 1974. In October 1973, an oil embargo imposed by members of OPEC led to skyrocketing gas prices and widespread fuel shortages.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Energy crisis —  
Cars in Brooklyn, New York, line up for gas in January 1974. In October 1973, an oil embargo imposed by members of OPEC led to skyrocketing gas prices and widespread fuel shortages.
PHOTO: Allan Tannenbaum/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images
Hank Aaron breaks Babe Ruth
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Hammerin' Hank —  
Hank Aaron breaks Babe Ruth's career home run record, hitting home run No. 715 at Atlanta's Fulton County Stadium in April 1974. Aaron finished his career with 755 home runs, a record that stood until Barry Bonds broke it in 2007.
PHOTO: Harry Harrris/AP
Russian dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov, left, tapes a TV special in Canada, where he defected in June 1974. Soon after, Baryshnikov moved to the United States and started working with the New York City Ballet and the American Ballet Theatre. In 1979, he earned an Academy Award nomination for his supporting role in the film "The Turning Point."
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Baryshnikov defects —  
Russian dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov, left, tapes a TV special in Canada, where he defected in June 1974. Soon after, Baryshnikov moved to the United States and started working with the New York City Ballet and the American Ballet Theatre. In 1979, he earned an Academy Award nomination for his supporting role in the film "The Turning Point."
PHOTO: Dina Makarova/AP
U.S. President Richard Nixon gestures in the doorway of a helicopter on August 9, 1974, after leaving the White House following his resignation over the Watergate scandal. Nixon
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Nixon resigns —  
U.S. President Richard Nixon gestures in the doorway of a helicopter on August 9, 1974, after leaving the White House following his resignation over the Watergate scandal. Nixon's resignation marked the end to one of the biggest political scandals in U.S. history, which began in 1972 after a break-in at the Democratic National Committee's headquarters at the Watergate complex. Five men were arrested for the burglary, and the FBI and Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein were able to trace them back to Nixon and the White House.
PHOTO: Bill Pierce/LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images
Reporters Bob Woodward, right, and Carl Bernstein sit in the newsroom of the Washington Post newspaper in May 1973. Woodward and Bernstein
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Power of the press —  
Reporters Bob Woodward, right, and Carl Bernstein sit in the newsroom of the Washington Post newspaper in May 1973. Woodward and Bernstein's reporting on the Watergate scandal led to President Nixon's resignation and won them a Pulitzer Prize. In 1976, Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman would portray the pair in the film adaptation of their book "All the President's Men."
PHOTO: AP
Beverly Johnson made history in August 1974 when she became the first African-American model to appear on the cover of Vogue magazine in the United States.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Cover girl —  
Beverly Johnson made history in August 1974 when she became the first African-American model to appear on the cover of Vogue magazine in the United States.
PHOTO: Gems/Redferns/Getty Images
Muhammad Ali watches heavyweight champion George Foreman fall to the canvas during their title bout in Kinshasa, Zaire, in October 1974. Ali
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Muhammad Ali watches heavyweight champion George Foreman fall to the canvas during their title bout in Kinshasa, Zaire, in October 1974. Ali's upset victory over the undefeated Foreman won him back the titles he was stripped of in 1967 for refusing induction into the U.S. Army.
PHOTO: AP
From 1975-1979, Pol Pot -- seen here at far left -- led the Khmer Rouge communist movement in Cambodia. During his reign, at least 1.7 million people -- nearly a quarter of Cambodia
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Cambodian genocide —  
From 1975-1979, Pol Pot -- seen here at far left -- led the Khmer Rouge communist movement in Cambodia. During his reign, at least 1.7 million people -- nearly a quarter of Cambodia's population -- died from execution, disease, starvation and overwork, according to the Documentation Center of Cambodia.
PHOTO: Kyodo New/AP
In April 1975, the fall of Saigon to the North Vietnamese effectively marked the end of the Vietnam War. Here, U.S. Marines guard civilians during evacuations at Tan Son Nhut airbase. The country became the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on July 2, 1976.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
The fall of Saigon —  
In April 1975, the fall of Saigon to the North Vietnamese effectively marked the end of the Vietnam War. Here, U.S. Marines guard civilians during evacuations at Tan Son Nhut airbase. The country became the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on July 2, 1976.
PHOTO: Dirck Halstead/Liaison/Getty Images
In the summer of 1975, Steven Spielberg had people flocking to the theaters instead of the beaches. The success of "Jaws" -- his first hit movie -- set up summer as the season for Hollywood
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Birth of the blockbuster —  
In the summer of 1975, Steven Spielberg had people flocking to the theaters instead of the beaches. The success of "Jaws" -- his first hit movie -- set up summer as the season for Hollywood's biggest and highest-grossing movies.
PHOTO: Universal Pictures/Getty Images
American tennis player Arthur Ashe became the first black man to win Wimbledon when he defeated Jimmy Connors in July 1975. Ashe retired from tennis in 1980 and became a spokesperson for HIV and AIDS after announcing he had contracted HIV from a blood transfusion. Ashe died on February 6, 1993, from AIDS-related pneumonia.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Arthur Ashe wins Wimbledon —  
American tennis player Arthur Ashe became the first black man to win Wimbledon when he defeated Jimmy Connors in July 1975. Ashe retired from tennis in 1980 and became a spokesperson for HIV and AIDS after announcing he had contracted HIV from a blood transfusion. Ashe died on February 6, 1993, from AIDS-related pneumonia.
PHOTO: Ed Lacey/Popperfoto/Getty Images
Commander of the Soviet crew of Soyuz, Alexei Leonov, left, and commander of the American crew of Apollo, Thomas Stafford shake hands July 17, 1975 in space, somewhere over Western Germany, after the Apollo-Soyuz docking maneuvers.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Commander of the Soviet crew of Soyuz, Alexei Leonov, left, and commander of the American crew of Apollo, Thomas Stafford shake hands July 17, 1975 in space, somewhere over Western Germany, after the Apollo-Soyuz docking maneuvers.
PHOTO: NASA
Saturday night television changed forever on October 11, 1975, when the sketch comedy show "Saturday Night Live" made its debut. Comedian George Carlin was the first host, joining a cast of young and upcoming comics known as "The Not Ready for Prime Time Players." "SNL" is now in its 40th year as one of the longest running shows in television history.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
'Not ready for Prime Time' —  
Saturday night television changed forever on October 11, 1975, when the sketch comedy show "Saturday Night Live" made its debut. Comedian George Carlin was the first host, joining a cast of young and upcoming comics known as "The Not Ready for Prime Time Players." "SNL" is now in its 40th year as one of the longest running shows in television history.
PHOTO: Warner Bros./Getty Images
English singer Elton John, one of the biggest artists of the
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Dazzling Elton —  
English singer Elton John, one of the biggest artists of the '70s, performed two sold-out shows at Los Angeles' Dodger Stadium in October 1975, performing for more than three hours each night. John, known for his flamboyant outfits and oversized sunglasses, was decked out for the occasion in a sequined Dodgers baseball uniform.
PHOTO: Terry O'Neill/Getty Images
It broke the sound barrier and cut flight times in half. On January 21, 1976, the first commercial Concorde flight took place from London to Paris, cruising at speeds of 1,350 mph. The Concordes
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
The Concorde takes off —  
It broke the sound barrier and cut flight times in half. On January 21, 1976, the first commercial Concorde flight took place from London to Paris, cruising at speeds of 1,350 mph. The Concordes' flights would be short lived, however, as fewer than 20 ever saw commercial use. The last commercial Concorde flight took place on October 24, 2003.
PHOTO: Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone/Getty Images
Fireworks at the Statue of Liberty light up the New York Harbor on July 4, 1976, as the country celebrates the bicentennial anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Patriotic events took place around the country that year.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Happy 200th birthday, America! —  
Fireworks at the Statue of Liberty light up the New York Harbor on July 4, 1976, as the country celebrates the bicentennial anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Patriotic events took place around the country that year.
PHOTO: AP
On September 22, 1976, a blonde bombshell dropped into America
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
'Angels' flying high —  
On September 22, 1976, a blonde bombshell dropped into America's homes with the debut of the television show "Charlie's Angels." Farrah Fawcett and co-stars Kate Jackson and Jaclyn Smith became an instant hit with audiences. To this day the show remains a lasting image of the 70s despite getting mixed reviews from critics.
PHOTO: Getty Images
In October 1976, Barbara Walters, seen at left with actress Barbra Streisand, became the first woman to co-anchor a major network evening newscast. ABC made history before she even went on air, signing Walters to a $1 million annual contract to make her the highest-paid journalist at that time. She only co-anchored the show for a year and a half, but she would go on to host ABC shows such as "20/20," "The View" and "Barbara Walters Specials" until her retirement in 2014.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Barbara becomes the news —  
In October 1976, Barbara Walters, seen at left with actress Barbra Streisand, became the first woman to co-anchor a major network evening newscast. ABC made history before she even went on air, signing Walters to a $1 million annual contract to make her the highest-paid journalist at that time. She only co-anchored the show for a year and a half, but she would go on to host ABC shows such as "20/20," "The View" and "Barbara Walters Specials" until her retirement in 2014.
PHOTO: ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images
Disco ruled the charts in the late
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Disco ruled the charts in the late '70s but found some unlikely superstars in the form of the Village People. Their name was inspired by New York's Greenwich Village, which had a large gay population at the time, and the group became known for their onstage costumes and suggestive lyrics. In 1978, their songs "Macho Man" and "Y.M.C.A." became massive hits and brought them mainstream success.
PHOTO: Jazz Archiv Hamburg/ullstein bild/Getty Images
Jimmy Carter embraces his wife, Rosalynn, in November 1976 after he was elected as the 39th President of the United States. Carter, a Democrat and former governor of Georgia, defeated incumbent Gerald Ford. During his time in office, Carter created the Department of Energy and Department of Education. Since leaving the office in 1980, he has remained active in fighting for human rights and ending disease around the world with his nonprofit organization, the Carter Center.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
From peanut farmer to President —  
Jimmy Carter embraces his wife, Rosalynn, in November 1976 after he was elected as the 39th President of the United States. Carter, a Democrat and former governor of Georgia, defeated incumbent Gerald Ford. During his time in office, Carter created the Department of Energy and Department of Education. Since leaving the office in 1980, he has remained active in fighting for human rights and ending disease around the world with his nonprofit organization, the Carter Center.
PHOTO: Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Cicely Tyson, left, and Maya Angelou star in the television miniseries "Roots." The series premiered in January 1977, airing for eight consecutive nights and attracting a record number of viewers. Based off Alex Haley
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
'Roots' premieres —  
Cicely Tyson, left, and Maya Angelou star in the television miniseries "Roots." The series premiered in January 1977, airing for eight consecutive nights and attracting a record number of viewers. Based off Alex Haley's novel, "Roots" told the story of an African boy sold into slavery in America and the following generations of his family. The show was viewed by more than half of the U.S. population in 1977, and it received 37 Emmy nominations.
PHOTO: ABC Photo Archives/ABC/Getty Images
May 25, 1977, was a historic day for sci-fi fans and moviegoers everywhere. George Lucas
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
'In a galaxy far, far away' —  
May 25, 1977, was a historic day for sci-fi fans and moviegoers everywhere. George Lucas' "Star Wars" opened in theaters, introducing the world to characters such as Luke Skywalker, Chewbacca, R2D2 and, of course, Darth Vader. The "Star Wars" franchise is still one of most lucrative and popular film series around today.
PHOTO: Universal History Archive/UIG/Getty Images
Serial Killer David Berkowitz, known as the Son of Sam, was arrested on August 10, 1977, after a series of shootings and murders that police believe began in the summer of 1976. Berkowitz was convicted of killing six people and wounding seven during his crime spree, which garnered large amounts of press coverage. He was known for targeting young women and sending cryptic, antagonizing letters to the New York police.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Son of Sam —  
Serial Killer David Berkowitz, known as the Son of Sam, was arrested on August 10, 1977, after a series of shootings and murders that police believe began in the summer of 1976. Berkowitz was convicted of killing six people and wounding seven during his crime spree, which garnered large amounts of press coverage. He was known for targeting young women and sending cryptic, antagonizing letters to the New York police.
PHOTO: Hulton Archive/Getty Images
In 1977, Apple Computers introduced the Apple II, which became one the first successful home computers. Co-founders Steve Jobs, pictured here, and Steve Wozniak formed the Apple Computer Company in 1976. Along with Bill Gates
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Apple plants the seed for the digital revolution —  
In 1977, Apple Computers introduced the Apple II, which became one the first successful home computers. Co-founders Steve Jobs, pictured here, and Steve Wozniak formed the Apple Computer Company in 1976. Along with Bill Gates' Microsoft, which was founded in 1975, Apple helped ignite the digital age we live in today.
PHOTO: Ralph Morse/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Image
In the middle of the summer of 1977, New York City experienced a power outage that caused much of the city to go dark. The blackout lasted two days, from July 13-14. As the city was in the midst of a financial crisis and the terror of the Son of Sam loomed over residents, many took to the streets and began looting. Police reported that looting in some areas of the city continued well into the daylight hours, and thousands of people were arrested.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
New York City goes dark —  
In the middle of the summer of 1977, New York City experienced a power outage that caused much of the city to go dark. The blackout lasted two days, from July 13-14. As the city was in the midst of a financial crisis and the terror of the Son of Sam loomed over residents, many took to the streets and began looting. Police reported that looting in some areas of the city continued well into the daylight hours, and thousands of people were arrested.
PHOTO: AP
Elvis Presley, the King of Rock
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
The King is dead —  
Elvis Presley, the King of Rock 'n' Roll, died August 16, 1977, at the age of 42. He was still touring and recording throughout the 1970s, but his unexpected death sealed his legacy as one of the greatest cultural icons of the 20th century.
PHOTO: Ronald C. Modra/Getty Images
The Atari 2600 was released in September 1977, bringing the world of video games into households everywhere. Packaged with two joystick controllers and one cartridge game, the Atari 2600 sold 250,000 units in 1977. By 1979, 1 million units were sold. What some believed at the time to be a fad has now turned into a billion-dollar-a-year industry.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Game on —  
The Atari 2600 was released in September 1977, bringing the world of video games into households everywhere. Packaged with two joystick controllers and one cartridge game, the Atari 2600 sold 250,000 units in 1977. By 1979, 1 million units were sold. What some believed at the time to be a fad has now turned into a billion-dollar-a-year industry.
PHOTO: Corbis
Reggie Jackson of the New York Yankees hits his third home run of the game on October 18, 1977, leading the Yankees to a World Series win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Jackson had a .357 batting average over the 27 World Series games throughout his career, earning him the nickname "Mr. October." Jackson and the Yankees would repeat as World Series champions the following year.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Mr. October —  
Reggie Jackson of the New York Yankees hits his third home run of the game on October 18, 1977, leading the Yankees to a World Series win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Jackson had a .357 batting average over the 27 World Series games throughout his career, earning him the nickname "Mr. October." Jackson and the Yankees would repeat as World Series champions the following year.
PHOTO: Louis Requena/MLB Photos/Getty Images
Disco music sweeps the nation with the 1977 film "Saturday Night Fever" starring John Travolta. Catapulted by a soundtrack containing five No. 1 singles -- including "Staying Alive" and "Night Fever" -- the film became a huge commercial success. The soundtrack stayed on top of the album charts for six months, and Travolta earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Disco fever —  
Disco music sweeps the nation with the 1977 film "Saturday Night Fever" starring John Travolta. Catapulted by a soundtrack containing five No. 1 singles -- including "Staying Alive" and "Night Fever" -- the film became a huge commercial success. The soundtrack stayed on top of the album charts for six months, and Travolta earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.
PHOTO: Paramount Pictures
Louise Brown became the world
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
A test tube produces life —  
Louise Brown became the world's first test-tube baby on July 25, 1978. Dr. Robert Edwards, left, and Patrick Steptoe, right, pioneered the process of in vitro fertilization, which injects a single sperm into a mature egg and then transfers the egg into the uterus of the woman. In 2010, Edwards won the Nobel Prize in Medicine for the development of in vitro fertilization, which has helped families conceive more than 5 million babies around the world.
PHOTO: Keystone/Getty Images
Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, left, joins hands with Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, right, on September 18, 1978, after the Camp David Accords were signed in Maryland. After 12 days of secret meetings, the two sides agreed upon a step toward peace. U.S. President Jimmy Carter, center, personally led the lengthy negotiations and discussions between the two parties.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Peace in the Middle East —  
Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, left, joins hands with Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, right, on September 18, 1978, after the Camp David Accords were signed in Maryland. After 12 days of secret meetings, the two sides agreed upon a step toward peace. U.S. President Jimmy Carter, center, personally led the lengthy negotiations and discussions between the two parties.
PHOTO: David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images
His name was Karol Jozef Wojtyla, but the world knew him as Pope John Paul II. Born in Poland, John Paul II was the first non-Italian Pope in more than in 400 years when he became Pope in 1978. He made his first public appearance on October 16, 1978, at St. Peter
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
The world welcomes a new Pope —  
His name was Karol Jozef Wojtyla, but the world knew him as Pope John Paul II. Born in Poland, John Paul II was the first non-Italian Pope in more than in 400 years when he became Pope in 1978. He made his first public appearance on October 16, 1978, at St. Peter's Square in the Vatican, and before his death in 2005 he was beloved for his commitment to human rights around the world.
PHOTO: Massimo Sambucetti/AP
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Bodies lie around the compound of the People
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
The Jonestown massacre —  
Bodies lie around the compound of the People's Temple in Jonestown, Guyana, on November 18, 1978. More than 900 members of the cult, led by the Rev. Jim Jones, died from cyanide poisoning; it was the largest mass-suicide in modern history.
PHOTO: David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images
In 1977, Harvey Milk was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, making him the first openly gay person to be elected to a public office. Milk started his political ambitions in San Francisco in the early
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Assassination of Harvey Milk —  
In 1977, Harvey Milk was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, making him the first openly gay person to be elected to a public office. Milk started his political ambitions in San Francisco in the early '70s, but he did not hold an office until he was appointed to the Board of Permit Appeals in 1976 by Mayor George Moscone. Milk's career was tragically cut short on November 27, 1978, when he and Moscone were assassinated.
PHOTO: AP
The sound barrier is broken once again in the
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Music goes mobile —  
The sound barrier is broken once again in the '70s, but this time at walking speed. Sony introduces the Walkman, the first commercially successful "personal stereo." Its wearable design and lightweight headphones gave listeners the freedom to listen to music privately while out in public. The product was an instant hit. The Walkman was a mark of coolness among consumers, setting a standard for future generations of personal devices like the Apple iPod.
PHOTO: Sony
The 1979 national championship game between Michigan State and Indiana State still ranks as the most-watched college basketball game of all time, thanks to two up-and-coming superstars: Michigan State
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Magic vs. Bird —  
The 1979 national championship game between Michigan State and Indiana State still ranks as the most-watched college basketball game of all time, thanks to two up-and-coming superstars: Michigan State's Earvin "Magic" Johnson, bottom, and Indiana State's Larry Bird. Johnson's Spartans won the NCAA title, but the two players' rivalry was only just beginning. During their pro careers in the NBA, Bird's Boston Celtics and Johnson's Los Angeles Lakers would meet in the NBA Finals three times in the '80s.
PHOTO: AP
On March 28, 1979, the worst nuclear accident in U.S. history took place in Pennsylvania when large amounts of reactor coolant and radioactive gases from the Three Mile Island power plant were released into the environment. Within days of the accident, 140,000 people evacuated their homes within a 20-mile radius of the plant. The accident brought widespread attention to reactor safety and large protests from anti-nuclear groups. Cleanup from the accident began in August 1979 and was not completed until December 1993.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Three Mile Island —  
On March 28, 1979, the worst nuclear accident in U.S. history took place in Pennsylvania when large amounts of reactor coolant and radioactive gases from the Three Mile Island power plant were released into the environment. Within days of the accident, 140,000 people evacuated their homes within a 20-mile radius of the plant. The accident brought widespread attention to reactor safety and large protests from anti-nuclear groups. Cleanup from the accident began in August 1979 and was not completed until December 1993.
PHOTO: Jarnnoux Patrick/Pars Match/Getty Images
Margaret Thatcher celebrates her first election victory, becoming Britain
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
The Iron Lady —  
Margaret Thatcher celebrates her first election victory, becoming Britain's first female Prime Minister on May 4, 1979. As leader of the Conservative Party, Thatcher served three terms as Prime Minister, holding the office until 1990. That made her the longest-serving British Prime Minister of the 20th century.
PHOTO: Central Press/Getty Images
Only moments after takeoff, an engine separated from American Airlines Flight 191, causing the plane to crash in a field near Chicago
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Deadliest day in U.S. aviation —  
Only moments after takeoff, an engine separated from American Airlines Flight 191, causing the plane to crash in a field near Chicago's O'Hare International Airport on May 26, 1979. All 271 people on board the plane -- and two people on the ground -- were killed, making it the worst aviation accident ever on U.S. soil.
PHOTO: AP
The Strategic Arms Limitation Talks, otherwise known as SALT, were a series of meetings and treaties designed at limiting and keeping track of the missiles and nuclear weapons carried by the United States and the Soviet Union. The first treaty was signed in 1972, and the second one was signed in 1979. Six months after the second signing, however, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, and the United States never ratified the SALT II agreement.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
SALT II —  
The Strategic Arms Limitation Talks, otherwise known as SALT, were a series of meetings and treaties designed at limiting and keeping track of the missiles and nuclear weapons carried by the United States and the Soviet Union. The first treaty was signed in 1972, and the second one was signed in 1979. Six months after the second signing, however, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, and the United States never ratified the SALT II agreement.
PHOTO: AP
Scandals shaped a large part of the
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
An 'American Hustle' —  
Scandals shaped a large part of the '70s political atmosphere, and the decade ended on a big one. During a two-year investigation, the FBI set up a sting operation dubbed "Abscam," videotaping politicians accepting bribes from a phony Arabian company in return for favors. The sting resulted in the conviction of six U.S. representatives, one senator, a mayor from New Jersey and members of the Philadelphia City Council. The operation was the inspiration for David O. Russell's 2013 film "American Hustle."
PHOTO: AP
Ted Bundy, one of the most notorious serial killers of all-time, stands trial in June 1979 for two of his many murders. Bundy received three death sentences for murders he committed in Florida, and he was executed on January 24, 1989. Bundy confessed to 30 murders before his death, but officials believe that number could be higher.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
From Boy Scout to murderer —  
Ted Bundy, one of the most notorious serial killers of all-time, stands trial in June 1979 for two of his many murders. Bundy received three death sentences for murders he committed in Florida, and he was executed on January 24, 1989. Bundy confessed to 30 murders before his death, but officials believe that number could be higher.
PHOTO: AP
In November 1979, 66 Americans were taken hostage after supporters of Iran
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
Iran hostage crisis —  
In November 1979, 66 Americans were taken hostage after supporters of Iran's Islamic Revolution took over the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran. All female and African-American hostages were freed, but President Carter could not secure the other 52 hostages' freedom. They were finally released after Ronald Reagan was sworn in as President 444 days later. Many feel the Iran hostage crisis cost Carter a second term.
PHOTO: Alain Mingam/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images
Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, or "Mother Teresa," won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for dedicating her life to helping the poor. Her foundation in Kolkata, India, "The Missionaries of Charity," took care of orphans, the sick and elderly. In 2003, she was beatified.
Photos: 70 historic moments from the 1970s
A living saint —  
Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, or "Mother Teresa," won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for dedicating her life to helping the poor. Her foundation in Kolkata, India, "The Missionaries of Charity," took care of orphans, the sick and elderly. In 2003, she was beatified.
PHOTO: Getty Images