1971 Facts, Fun Trivia and History

1971 Facts, Fun Trivia and History

Quick Facts from 1971

  • World Changing Event: Television and radio cigarette ads were banned in America.
  • The Top Song was Joy To The World by Three Dog Night
  • The Movies to Watch include Willard, Big Jake, Billy Jack, Fiddler on the Roof and The Last Picture Show
  • The Most Famous Person in America was probably Warren Beatty.
  • Notable books include Rules for Radicals: A Pragmatic Primer for Realistic Radicals by Saul D. Alinsky and The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty.
  • Price of Hess fire truck in 1971: $1.69
    Monopoly Board Game: $3.99
    G.I. Joe action figure: $6.49 to $8.29
  • The Funny Guys were Monty Python’s Flying Circus
    The Funny Guy was George Carlin
    The Funny Lady was Carol Burnett
  • Flintstones-based Fruity Pebbles, Ice Cream Pebbles, and Cocoa Pebbles breakfast cereals were introduced by Post Foods.

Top Ten Baby Names of 1971

Jennifer, Michelle, Lisa, Kimberly, Amy, Michael, James, David, John, Robert

The Sex Symbols, Hotties, and Fashion Icons

Dyan Cannon, Veronica Carlson, Catherine Deneuve, Goldie Hawn, Peggy Lipton, Ann-Margret, Caroline Munro, Ingrid Pitt, Diana Ross, Tannia Rubiano, Tina Turner, Raquel Welch

Sex Symbols, Leading Men, and Hollywood Hunks

Richard Roundtree, Jim Morrison, Mick Jagger, Warren Beatty, Sean Connery, Elvis Presley

“The Quotes”

‘Wrong, sir! Wrong! Under section 37B of the contract signed by him, it states quite clearly that all offers shall become null and void if – and you can read it for yourself in this photostatic copy – “I, the undersigned, shall forfeit all rights, privileges, and licenses herein and herein contained,” et cetera, et cetera…”Fax mentis incendium gloria cultum,” et cetera, et cetera…”Memo bis punitor delicatum!” It’s all there, black and white, clear as crystal! You stole fizzy lifting drinks. You bumped into the ceiling, which now has to be washed and sterilized, so you get nothing!
You lose!
Good day sir!’
-Gene Wilder, as Willy Wonka

“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

“Is it live, or is it Memorex? “
– Memorex

“You deserve a break today.”
– McDonald’s

“Marsha, Marsha, Marsha!”
– Maureen McCormick as Jan Brady in The Brady Bunch

“My wife, I think I’ll keep her.”
– Geritol

“Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.”
– State Farm Insurance

“My bologna has a first name. It’s O-s-c-a-r. My bologna has a second name. It’s M-e-y-e-r.”

“Try it, you’ll like it.”
– Alka Seltzer

“I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered at the White House, with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone.”
– President John F. Kennedy, to 49 Nobel Laureates invited for dinner at the White House. 

Time Magazine’s Man of the Year

Richard Nixon

Miss America

Phyllis George (Denton, TX)

Miss USA

Michele McDonald (Pennsylvania)

The Scandals and Crimes

Ex-Beatle George Harrison plagiarized the Chiffons’ He’s So Fine with his hit My Sweet Lord.

On November 24, 1971, an unidentified man (Dan “D.B.” Cooper) hijacked a plane in the northwest United States, obtained $200,000 in ransom money), and parachuted into the night, never to be heard from again.

Charles Manson (who DID NOT audition for the Monkees) and three of his followers were convicted of killing Sharon Tate and six others in 1969.

Airplane Celebrity Death: Audie Murphy

Rock and Roll Deaths: Duane Allman (motorcycle crash), Jim Morrison (pretty young for the official “heart failure”, some suggest it was the massive amount of drugs in his system)

US Politics

After the Watergate scandal broke, Richard Nixon still won the 1972 election by winning 49 out of 50 states for a whopping 520 electoral votes.

1971 Pop Culture Facts & History

Ray Tomlinson invented internet-based email.

The first Starbucks opened at the Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington.

Taco Bell was started in Downey, California, and founded by Glen Bell.

Century 21 Real Estate LLC opened its doors in Orange County, California.

Golf is the only sport that has been played on the moon, because on February 6th, 1971, Alan Shepard hit a golf ball.

Gillette introduced the Trac II razor, the first double-blade shaving tool.

The Intel 4004 was the first microprocessor.

Based on an earlier cooker called the ‘Beanery,’ the Crock-Pot sold its first of over 100 million in 1971.

Cost of a Superbowl ad in 1971: $72,000

1st Appearances & 1971’s Most Popular Christmas Gifts, Toys and Presents

Weebles, Landslide, Big Jim action figures, Space Hoppers, Klackers, Etch-A-Sketch in New HOT PINK or COOL BLUE frames, Uno

Best Film Oscar Winner

Patton (presented in 1971)

East End Show

No Sex Please, We’re British (Play) Opened on June 3, 1971, and closed on January 16, 1987

Popular and Best-selling Books From 1971

A Theory of Justice by John Rawls
The Betsy by Harold Robbins
Blackmark by Archie Goodwin and Gil Kane
The Complete Stories by Flannery O’Connor
The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth
The Drifters by James A. Michener
The Exorcist by William P. Blatty
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson
Go Ask Alice by Beatrice Sparks?
In the Shadow of Man by Jane Goodall
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell
Message From Malaga by Helen MacInnes
Love Story by Erich Segal
The New Left: The Anti-Industrial Revolution by Ayn Rand
The Other by Tom Tryon
Our Bodies, Ourselves by Boston Women’s Health Book Collective
The Pagan Rabbi by Cynthia Ozick
The Passions of the Mind by Irving Stone
QB VII by Leon Uris
Rabbit Redux by John Updike
Wheels by Arthur Hailey
The Winds of War by Herman Wouk

1971 Most Popular TV Shows

1. All in the Family (CBS)
2. The Flip Wilson Show (NBC)
3. Marcus Welby, M.D. (ABC)
4. Gunsmoke (CBS)
5. Sanford and Son (NBC)
6. Mannix (CBS)
7. Funny Face (CBS)
8. Adam 12 (NBC)
9. The Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS)
10. Here’s Lucy (CBS)

1971 Billboard Number One Songs

December 26, 1970January 22, 1971:
My Sweet Lord – George Harrison

January 23February 12:
Knock Three Times – Dawn

February 13March 19:
One Bad Apple – The Osmonds

March 20April 2:
Me and Bobby McGee – Janis Joplin

April 3April 16:
Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me) – The Temptations

April 17May 28:
Joy To The World – Three Dog Night

May 29July 11:
Brown Sugar – The Rolling Stones

June 12July 18:
Want Ads – The Honey Cone

June 19July 23:
It’s Too Late – Carole King

July 24July 30:
Indian Reservation (The Lament Of The Cherokee Reservation Indian) – The Raiders

July 31August 6:
You’ve Got a Friend – James Taylor

August 7September 3:
How Can You Mend A Broken Heart – The Bee Gees

September 4September 10:
Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey – Paul McCartney & Linda McCartney

September 11October 1:
Go Away Little Girl – Donny Osmond

October 2 – November 5:
Maggie May – Rod Stewart

November 6November 19:
Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves – Cher

November 20December 3:
Theme From Shaft – Isaac Hayes

December 4December 24:
Family Affair – Sly & The Family Stone

December 25, 1971 – January 14, 1972:
Brand New Key – Melanie

Sports

World Series Champions: Pittsburgh Pirates
Superbowl V Champions: Baltimore Colts
NBA Champions: Milwaukee Bucks
Stanley Cup Champs: Montreal Canadiens
U.S. Open Golf Jack Nicklaus
U.S. Tennis: (Men/Ladies) Stan Smith/Billie Jean King
Wimbledon (Men/Women): John Newcombe
NCAA Football Champions: Nebraska
NCAA Basketball Champions: UCLA
Kentucky Derby: Canonero II

More 1971 Facts & History Resources:

Most Popular Baby Names (BabyCenter.com)
Born in 1971 (OverTheHill.com)
Popular and Notable Books (popculture.us)
Broadway Shows that Opened in 1971X
1971 Calendar, courtesy of Time and Date.com
Fact Monster
1970s, Infoplease.com World History
1971 in Movies (according to IMDB)
Retrowaste Vintage Culture
1971 in Review (UPI)
1970s Slang
1970 US Census Fast Facts
Wikipedia 1971