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August 17, 1972

August 17, 1972, was a Thursday. It was 52 years, 2 months, and 19 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Leo.

Song charts

Top songs

These songs were on top of the music charts in the United States and the United Kingdom on August 17, 1972:

  • United States: "Alone Again (naturally)" by Gilbert O'Sullivan
  • United Kingdom: "School's Out" by Alice Cooper

The Billboard Hot 100 on August 17, 1972

These songs were dominating the music charts:

  • Alone Again (Naturally) - Gilbert O'Sullivan
  • Brandy (You're A Fine Girl) - Looking Glass
  • (If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want To Be Right - Luther Ingram
  • Daddy Don't You Walk So Fast - Wayne Newton
  • Where Is The Love - Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway
Play the top singles 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 movie "The Godfather" was at the top of the box office on this day.

Facts

This date occurred 19,073 days ago. Approximately 636 months have passed. It was the 230th day of 1972, in week 33. The decade was the seventies. People who were born on August 17, 1972, are now 52 years old and belong to the Generation X generation. 1972 was a leap year, which means that it had an extra day in February. We have gone through approximately 212 seasons of weather since this date.

Take me back to August 17, 1972

Let's take a walk down memory lane.

The date is August 17, 1972, and it's a Thursday. Babies who are born today will have the star sign Leo. The summer of 1972 is in full swing. The weather is warm, and the evenings are brighter than usual. Most schools and colleges are now finished until August or September.

In America, the song "Alone Again (naturally)" by Gilbert O'Sullivan is at the top of the singles charts, while "School's Out" by Alice Cooper is the number-one song in the UK. 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.

On television, people are watching popular shows such as "What's My Line?", "Gunsmoke", "Hee Haw", and "Emergency!". 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. Kids and teenagers are watching TV shows such as "Underdog", "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!", "Sabrina the Teenage Witch", and "Help!... It's the Hair Bear Bunch!". Children are playing with toys such as Frisbee, Nerf Balls, G.I. Joe Adventure Team, and Weebles.

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on August 17, 1972, will have the star sign Leo.
  • Zodiac Element: Fire.
  • 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: August 17, 1972 falls under the Salmon.
  • Birthstone: A person during the month of August will have the birthstone Peridot.
  • Birth flower (August): The Gladiolus and the Poppy.
News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on August 17, 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.

Personality traits

Check out our personality summary for people who were born on August 17, 1972.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

View Personality Summary

Events

What happened around this time?

News stories, pop culture trends, and other events that happened around August 17, 1972.

  • July 21, 1972: Bloody Friday: The Provisional IRA detonate 22 bombs in Northern Ireland.
  • July 24, 1972: Lance Reventlow dies in a plane crash.
  • July 26, 1972: The horror film "Blacula" is released.
  • July 30, 1972: The survival film "Deliverance", starring Jon Voight and Burt Reynolds, is released in movie theaters.
  • August 10, 1972: Paul McCartney and his wife Linda are arrested for possession of cannabis in Gotenborg, Sweden.
  • August 11, 1972: The last American ground combat unit leaves Vietnam.
  • This date: August 17, 1972
  • August 22, 1972: The International Olympic Committee suspends Rhodesia due to its racist policies.
  • September 4, 1972: The first episode of the American game show "The Price Is Right" is broadcast on television.
  • September 5, 1972: The Munich massacre occurs when eleven members of the Israeli Olympic team are killed by a Palestinian group called Black September.
  • September 12, 1972: The American sitcom "Maude", starring Beatrice Arthur, begins airing on CBS.
  • September 14, 1972:
    • Serial killer Edmund Kemper murders 15-year-old dance student Aiko Koo.
    • The first episode of The Waltons is aired on CBS.

1970s fashion

Photographs of 1970s fashion and hairstyles.

1970s fashion

Television shows

TV series on August 17, 1972

People in August 1972 were watching the following TV series:

TV shows from August 1972.

The Rookies
The Rookies
Emergency!
Emergency!
Sanford and Son
Sanford and Son
Upstairs, Downstairs
Upstairs, Downstairs
Soul Train
Soul Train
McMillan & Wife
McMillan & Wife
The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
The Two Ronnies
The Two Ronnies
All in the Family
All in the Family
Alias Smith and Jones
Alias Smith and Jones
The Partridge Family
The Partridge Family
The Odd Couple
The Odd Couple

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

Cartoons and children's TV shows in August 1972

Children and teenagers were watching the following cartoons and TV series:

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 Funky Phantom
The Funky Phantom
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
Toys

Toys in 1972

Children were playing with the following toys and games:

Kenner SSP Racers
Kenner SSP Racers
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)

Were you born on August 17, 1972?

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 August 17, 1978, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on August 17.

Robert De Niro

Robert De Niro

Actor
Born on August 17, 1943
He turned 29 on this day in 1972.

David Koresh

David Koresh

Cult leader Deceased
Born on August 17, 1959
He turned 13 on this day in 1972.

Sean Penn

Sean Penn

Actor
Born on August 17, 1960
He turned 12 on this day in 1972.

Scott Halberstadt

Scott Halberstadt

Actor
Born on August 17, 1976
He was born exactly 4 years after this date.

Thierry Henry

Thierry Henry

French soccer player
Born on August 17, 1977
He was born exactly 5 years after this date.

James Tindale

James Tindale

Geordie Shore
Born on August 17, 1990
He was born exactly 18 years after this date.

Austin Butler

Austin Butler

Actor
Born on August 17, 1991
He was born exactly 19 years after this date.

Paige

Paige

Wrestler
Born on August 17, 1992
She was born exactly 20 years after this date.

Lil Pump

Lil Pump

Rapper
Born on August 17, 2000
He was born exactly 28 years after this date.

The Kid Laroi

The Kid Laroi

Australian singer
Born on August 17, 2003
He was born exactly 31 years after this date.

USA

US President

Richard Nixon was the President of the United States on August 17, 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 August 17, 1972 was most likely conceived around November 25, 1971.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on August 17, 1972 is close to May 10, 1973.

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Stats for August 17, 1972

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about August 17, 1972:

  • 19,073 days have passed since this date.
  • 2,724 weeks have passed.
  • 1,647,910,800 seconds have passed since August 17, 1972.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 1,922,562,600 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 850,321,972,800 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 274,651,800 times.
  • You have taken approximately 141,720,329 steps. That's roughly 62,987 miles.
  • 19,774,930 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1972?

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