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May 20th, 1972

May 20th, 1972, was a Saturday. It was Day 141 of 1972. The decade was the Seventies.

51 years and 16 days have passed since May 20th, 1972.

The zodiac star sign for this date is Taurus.

Birthdays

Born on May 20th, 1972.

People who were born on this exact date.

Song charts

Top songs.

These songs were on top of the music charts in the United States and the United Kingdom on May 20th, 1972.

  • United States: The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - Roberta Flack
  • United Kingdom: Amazing Grace - Royal Scots Dragoon Guards

The Billboard Hot 100 on May 20th, 1972.

A list of songs that were dominating the music charts on this date:

  • The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - Roberta Flack
  • Oh Girl - The Chi-lites
  • I'll Take You There - The Staple Singers
  • I Gotcha - Joe Tex
  • Look What You Done For Me - Al Green
Play the top hits from 1972.
A Spotify playlist of songs from 1972. Take a trip back to the days of Elton John, Lou Reed, Al Green and Don McLean.
The Godfather

Top movie.

The top movie on this date was "The Godfather".

Take me back to May 20th, 1972!

Let's take a walk down memory lane.

The date is May 20th, 1972, and it's a Saturday. Anyone born today will have the star sign Taurus. People are currently enjoying their weekend.

The summer of 1972 has finally arrived. The weather has warmed up, and the evenings are brighter than usual. In America, the song The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face by Roberta Flack is at the top of the singles charts. Over in the UK, Amazing Grace by Royal Scots Dragoon Guards is the number-one hit song.

Richard Nixon is the President of the United States, and the movie The Godfather is at the top of the box office. Edward Heath is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. In fashion, the hippie look from the 1960s is still popular. Clothing items such as tie dye shirts, bell-bottoms, midi skirts, gauchos and Mexican blouses are being worn by women. Meanwhile, men are wearing dark satin shirts, ethnic-looking tunics, bell bottom jeans, tweed sports jackets and turtlenecks.

It's 1972, so radio stations are playing songs from artists such as Don McLean, Harry Nilsson, Hot Butter, Neil Young, The Moody Blues, Roberta Flack, Bill Withers and Johnny Nash. If you were to travel back to this day, notable figures such as Jackie Robinson, Janet Munro, Harry S. Truman, and Lyndon B. Johnson would all still be alive. On TV, people are watching popular shows such as "Columbo", "The Main Chance", "The Mary Tyler Moore Show", and "The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour".

Children and teenagers are watching television shows such as "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!", "The Brady Bunch", "Sabrina the Teenage Witch", and "The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show". Popular toys at the moment include Etch A Sketch, Clackers, Crissy (doll), and VertiBird (toy helicopter).

News

News topics, nostalgic fads, and pop culture events.

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on May 20th, 1972.

  • The Co-ed Killer is targeting students in California.

    The Co-ed Killer is targeting students in California.

    Between May of 1972 and April of 1973, serial killer Edmund Kemper (aka the "Co-ed Killer") was targeting female college students in California.

  • Music cassette tapes are becoming popular.

    Music cassette tapes are becoming popular.

    Audio cassettes started becoming widespread from about 1972 onward. Although they lacked the sound quality of vinyl records, they were far more convenient and portable.

  • Color TV surpasses black-and-white.

    Color TV surpasses black-and-white.

    Sales of color TV sets were beginning to surpass sales of the older black-and-white models. By this stage, almost all of the popular daytime networks were broadcasting in color.

  • The US is winding down its involvement in the Vietnam War.

    The US is winding down its involvement in the Vietnam War.

    During 1972, the war in Vietnam was still ongoing. However, the US had greatly reduced their presence in the country. Between 1971 and 1972, the number of US troops in Vietnam fell from 156,800 to 24,200. Instead of keeping soldiers on the ground, the US shifted its focus to providing air support while negotiators in Paris tried to hammer out a peace agreement.

  • Who were the best NBA players in 1972?

    Who were the best NBA players in 1972?

    The best NBA players in 1972 were Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, John Havlicek, Spencer Haywood, Jerry West and Walt Frazier.

  • Best soccer players.

    Best soccer players.

    In 1972, the best soccer players were Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Müller, Günter Netzer, Johan Cruyff, Piet Keizer, Kazimierz Deyna, Gordon Banks, Barry Hulshoff, Włodzimierz Lubański and Bobby Moore.

  • The Godfather.

    The Godfather.

    "The Godfather" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1972.

  • Roberta Flack - "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"

    Roberta Flack - "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"

    "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" by Roberta Flack would go on to win a Grammy for 1972's Song of the Year.

  • 1972 in movies.

    1972 in movies.

    Movies released in 1972 included The Godfather, The Poseidon Adventure, "What's Up, Doc?", Behind the Green Door, Deliverance, Super Fly, Cabaret, The Getaway, Fritz the Cat, The Legend of Boggy Creek, Jeremiah Johnson, Blacula and Silent Running.

  • Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger.

    Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger.

    US President Richard Nixon and his National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger were both named Time Person of the Year in 1972. Nixon and Kissinger had made history by traveling to China to "open up a dialogue."

  • 1972 in music.

    1972 in music.

    The Billboard Charts in 1972 were dominated by Don McLean, Roberta Flack, Gilbert O'Sullivan, America, Joe Tex, Looking Glass and Al Green.

  • Have a nice day!

    Have a nice day!

    The smiley face and phrases such as "Have a nice day!" and "Have a happy day!" were being plastered onto t-shirts, mugs, and badges.

  • Bell-bottoms.

    Bell-bottoms.

    Bell-bottoms (flares) were in fashion.

  • Wallpaper.

    Wallpaper.

    Wallpaper was extremely common in people's homes throughout the 1970s and 1980s. It wasn't until the mid-late 1980s that "modernism" started to creep in.

  • Office workers are using typewriters.

    Office workers are using typewriters.

    Although personal computers began to emerge during the 1970s, typewriters were still the norm for most office workers.

  • The Volkswagen Beetle.

    The Volkswagen Beetle.

    The Volkswagen Beetle was one of the most common cars on the road. Sales of the vehicle increased following the release of the 1968 film The Love Bug (and its subsequent spin-offs).

  • The Hippie movement.

    The Hippie movement.

    The hippie counterculture reached its peak during the late 1960s and early 1970s. The movement, which sprung up in opposition to the Vietnam War, was centered around peace, psychedelic music, sexual liberation, bright colors, and drugs such as LSD and marijuana.

  • Lava lamps are all the rage.

    Lava lamps are all the rage.

    Sales of lava lamps increased in the late 1960s. It wasn't until the second half of the 1970s that they started to go out of fashion.

  • The afro hairstyle is at its peak in popularity.

    The afro hairstyle is at its peak in popularity.

    The afro hairstyle took off during the 1960s and early 1970s. Public figures such as Angela Davis, Pam Grier, Jimi Hendrix, and the Jackson 5 were among those who sported the style.

  • The push-button telephone.

    The push-button telephone.

    Push-button telephones were beginning to replace the older rotary-style landlines.

Information

Facts.

Basic facts and information about this date:

  • This date fell on a weekend.
  • 51 years and 16 days have passed since May 20th, 1972.
  • Week Number: This date occurred during Week 20 of 1972.
  • Leap Year: 1972 was a leap year, which means that it contained 366 days instead of 365 (with an extra day in February).
  • Age: People born on May 20th, 1972, are now 51 years old.
  • Generation: People born in 1972 belong to the Generation X generation.
  • Unix Timestamp: The Unix Timestamp for this date is 75164400.

Personality traits.

Check out our personality summary for people who were born on May 20th, 1972.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

View Personality Summary

Events

Around this time.

Notable events that happened close to May 20th, 1972.

  • April 21st, 1972: Bill Withers releases the song "Lean on Me".
  • May 2nd, 1972: 91 people are killed by a fire at the Sunshine Mine in Idaho.
  • May 2nd, 1972: FBI director J. Edgar Hoover dies from a heart attack at the age of 77.
  • May 4th, 1972: Woody Allen's comedy movie "Play It Again, Sam" is released in movie theaters.
  • May 5th, 1972: 115 people die when Alitalia Flight 112 crashes near Palermo in Italy.
  • May 6th, 1972: FA Cup Final 1972: A goal from Allan Clarke helps Leeds United secure a 1-0 victory over Arsenal.
  • May 7th, 1972: Serial killer Ed Kemper murders hitchhikers Mary Ann Pesce and Anita Mary Luchessa near Alameda, California.
  • May 7th, 1972: The Los Angeles Lakers win the 1972 NBA Finals after they defeat the New York Knicks 4-1.
  • May 13th, 1972: 115 people are killed in Osaka, Japan, when a fire breaks out at a nightclub.
  • May 15th, 1972: Democratic presidential candidate George Wallace is shot five times in an assassination attempt in Laurel, Maryland.
  • This date: May 20th, 1972
  • May 22nd, 1972: US president Richard Nixon visits Moscow.
  • May 26th, 1972: The United States and the USSR sign the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty.
  • May 30th, 1972: 26 people are killed in a terrorist attack at Lod Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel.
  • May 31st, 1972: Football: Ajax win the European Cup after two goals from Cruyff helps them to defeat Internazionale 2-0.
  • June 9th, 1972: The Black Hills flood: 238 people are killed by floods in South Dakota.
  • June 14th, 1972: The film "Conquest of the Planet of the Apes" is released.
  • June 15th, 1972: The co-founder of the Red Army Faction, Ulrike Meinhof, is arrested in Germany.
  • June 16th, 1972: 108 people are killed in France when two passenger trains collide with the debris of a collapsed tunnel.
  • June 17th, 1972: Watergate scandal: Five White House operatives are arrested for burglarizing the offices of the Democratic National Committee.
  • June 18th, 1972: West Germany win the UEFA Euro 1972 Final with a 3-0 victory over the Soviet Union.
  • June 18th, 1972: 118 people are killed when British European Airways Flight 548 crashes in Surrey shortly after taking off.
Zodiac info

Horoscope, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Zodiac and birthstone information.

NEW! Check out our personality summary image for this birth date.

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on May 20th, 1972, will have the star sign Taurus.
  • Zodiac Element: Earth.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1972 was the year of the Rat (Yang Wood).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 8.
  • Native American Zodiac: May 20th, 1972 falls under the Beaver.
  • Birthstone: A person during the month of May will have the birthstone Emerald.
  • Birth flower (May): The Lily of the Valley and the Hawthorn.

Photos of 1970s fashion.

Photographs of 1970s fashion and hairstyles.

Photos of 1970s fashion.

Television shows

TV shows in 1972.

Television shows that people were watching in May 1972.

TV shows from May, 1972.

The Rookies
The Rookies
American police series.

Emergency!
Emergency!
TV series about a fire department in LA.

Sanford and Son
Sanford and Son
American sitcom starring Redd Foxx and Demond Wilson.

Upstairs, Downstairs
Upstairs, Downstairs
British drama series about the aristocratic Bellamy family and their household staff.

Soul Train
Soul Train
American music program that was dedicated to funk, soul and R&B music.

McMillan & Wife
McMillan & Wife
TV show about a San Francisco police commissioner and his wife Sally.

The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
Variety show starring pop singers Sonny Bono and Cher.

The Two Ronnies
The Two Ronnies
British comedy sketch show starring Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett.

All in the Family
All in the Family
American sitcom about the life of a working-class father and his family.

Alias Smith and Jones
Alias Smith and Jones
American Western series about two outlaws called Hannibal Heyes and Jedediah "Kid" Curry.

The Partridge Family
The Partridge Family
Musical sitcom starring Shirley Jones.

The Odd Couple
The Odd Couple
Starring Tony Randall as Felix Unger and Jack Klugman as Oscar Madison.

The Mary Tyler Moore Show
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Sitcom about a career-oriented woman who moves to Minneapolis after separating from her partner.

The Flip Wilson Show
The Flip Wilson Show
Variety show hosted by Flip Wilson.

McCloud
McCloud
A New Mexico deputy marshall gets assigned to Manhattan's 27th Precinct.

The Brady Bunch
The Brady Bunch
Sitcom about a large family with six children.

Medical Center
Medical Center
American medical drama series starring James Daly, Chad Everett and Audrey Totter.

Marcus Welby, M.D.
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Medical drama television program.

Room 222
Room 222
American comedy-drama series about a history class in an LA school.

The Main Chance
The Main Chance
British TV series about a solicitor who moves from London to Leeds.

Hee Haw
Hee Haw
American variety show that featured country music and humor.

Here's Lucy
Here's Lucy
Sitcom starring Lucille Ball.

Adam-12
Adam-12
Police drama series that was set in LA.

Hawaii Five-O
Hawaii Five-O
Police drama series.

Columbo
Columbo
Crime drama television series starring Peter Falk as Columbo.

Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Sketch comedy program starring Dan Rowan and Dick Martin.

Steptoe and Son
Steptoe and Son
British sitcom starring Harry H. Corbett and Wilfrid Brambell.

Cars in 1972.

1972 saw the introduction of cars such as the Honda Civic, the Chevrolet LUV, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, the BMW 5 Series, the Ford Thunderbird (sixth generation) and the Renault 5.

Cars in 1972.

Children TV shows

Kids' TV shows on May 20th, 1972.

Cartoons and TV shows that children and teenagers were watching on this day in 1972.

The Electric Company
The Electric Company

Help!... It's the Hair Bear Bunch!
Help!... It's the Hair Bear Bunch!

Archie's TV Funnies
Archie's TV Funnies

The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show
The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show

All in the Family
All in the Family

Sabrina the Teenage Witch
Sabrina the Teenage Witch

Groovie Goolies
Groovie Goolies

Josie and the Pussycats
Josie and the Pussycats

The Clangers
The Clangers

Sesame Street
Sesame Street

The Brady Bunch
The Brady Bunch

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!
Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!

Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines
Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines

The Pink Panther Show
The Pink Panther Show

The Banana Splits
The Banana Splits

Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood

Skippy the Bush Kangaroo
Skippy the Bush Kangaroo

JOT the Dot
JOT the Dot

Underdog
Underdog

The Bugs Bunny Show
The Bugs Bunny Show

My Three Sons
My Three Sons

Captain Kangaroo
Captain Kangaroo

Lassie
Lassie

Toys

Popular toys and games in 1972.

Toys and games that were popular on this date in 1972.

Big Jim (action figure)
Big Jim (action figure)

Uno (card game)
Uno (card game)

The Rock Flowers dolls
The Rock Flowers dolls

Weebles
Weebles

VertiBird (toy helicopter)
VertiBird (toy helicopter)

G.I. Joe Adventure Team
G.I. Joe Adventure Team

Nerf Balls
Nerf Balls

Frisbee
Frisbee

Crissy (doll)
Crissy (doll)

Clackers
Clackers

Battleship (game)
Battleship (game)

Lite-Brite
Lite-Brite

Twister mat
Twister mat

Suzy Homemaker
Suzy Homemaker

Operation
Operation

Motorific (slot car toys)
Motorific (slot car toys)

Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots
Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots

Army men
Army men

The Easy-Bake Oven
The Easy-Bake Oven

Etch A Sketch
Etch A Sketch

Troll doll
Troll doll

Were you born on this date?

If you were born on this date, then it is unlikely that you will remember anything from the year 1972.

This is because humans find it difficult to retrieve memories of their early childhood.

If you are looking for some childhood nostalgia, then you should check out May 20th, 1978, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays.

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on May 20th.

David Proval

Actor.
Born on May 20th, 1942
He turned 30 on this day in 1972.

Cher

Singer.
Born on May 20th, 1946
She turned 26 on this day in 1972.

Angela Goethals

Actress.
Born on May 20th, 1977
He was born exactly 5 years after this date.

Iker Casillas

Spanish soccer player.
Born on May 20th, 1981
He was born exactly 9 years after this date.

Petr Cech

Czech soccer player.
Born on May 20th, 1982
He was born exactly 10 years after this date.

Jack Gleeson

Actor.
Born on May 20th, 1992
He was born exactly 20 years after this date.

USA

US President.

Richard Nixon was the President of the United States on May 20th, 1972.

UK

UK Prime Minister.

Edward Heath was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Ireland

Irish Taoiseach.

Jack Lynch was the Taoiseach of Ireland.

Conception

Conception dates.

Conception estimates for this date.

  • A baby that was born on May 20th, 1972 was most likely conceived around August 28th, 1971.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on May 20th, 1972 is close to February 10th, 1973.

Post a comment about this date.

Have something to say about this date? Was it your birthday? Or perhaps you have a memory of it?

All comments are moderated before they are published. We may edit comments to correct misspellings and grammar. We may also remove or redact personal information.

How old was I?

Enter your date of birth below to find out how old you were on May 20th, 1972.
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Stats for May 20th, 1972

Time difference & statistics.

Here are some fun statistics about May 20th, 1972.

  • A total of 18,643 days have passed since this date.
  • 2,663 weeks have passed.
  • 1,610,755,200 seconds have passed since the May 20th, 1972.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beated approximately 1,879,214,400 times.
  • Since May 20th, 1972, the Earth has travelled approximately 831,149,683,200 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 268,459,200 times.
  • If you were born on this day, you have taken approximately 138,524,947 steps. That's about 61,567 miles!
  • Since this date, 19,329,062 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere!
  • How many years ago was 1972?

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