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October 17, 1973

October 17, 1973, was a Wednesday. It was 51 years and 19 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Libra.

Song charts

Top songs

These songs were on top of the music charts in the United States and the United Kingdom on October 17, 1973:

  • United States: "Angie" by The Rolling Stones
  • United Kingdom: "Eye Level" by Simon Park Orchestra

The Billboard Hot 100 on October 17, 1973

These songs were dominating the music charts:

  • Half-Breed - Cher
  • Ramblin Man - The Allman Brothers Band
  • Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye
  • Higher Ground - Stevie Wonder
  • Angie - The Rolling Stones
Play the top singles from 1973
A Spotify playlist of songs from the year 1973. Take a trip back to the days of Stevie Wonder, David Bowie, Deep Purple, the Doobie Brothers and Elton John.
The Cheerleaders

Top movie

The movie "The Cheerleaders" was at the top of the box office on this day.

Facts

This date occurred 18,647 days ago. Approximately 622 months have passed. It was the 290th day of 1973, in week 42. The decade was the seventies. People who were born on October 17, 1973, are now 51 years old and belong to the Generation X generation. We have gone through approximately 207 seasons of weather since this date.

Take me back to October 17, 1973

Let's take a walk down memory lane.

The date is October 17, 1973, and it's a Wednesday. Babies who are born today will have the star sign Libra. It is "Hump Day", so many are beginning to think about the weekend ahead.

The summer is long gone. Temperatures have become much cooler, and the evenings are beginning to get darker. There is a fresh, earthy scent in the air, and fallen leaves have carpeted driveways, lawns, pathways, and sidewalks. In America, the song "Angie" by The Rolling Stones is at the top of the singles charts, while "Eye Level" by Simon Park Orchestra is the number-one song in the UK.

Richard Nixon is the President of the United States, and the movie The Cheerleaders 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 "All in the Family", "Soul Train", "Sanford and Son", and "The Bob Newhart Show".

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 1973, so radio stations are playing songs from artists such as The Rolling Stones, Tony Orlando & Dawn, Sweet, Elton John, Roberta Flack, Carly Simon, Marvin Gaye and Jim Croce. If you were to travel back to this day, notable figures such as Oskar Schindler would be still alive.

People are playing video games such as "Pong", "Space Race", and "Gotcha". Children and teenagers are watching television shows such as "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood", "The Banana Splits", "The Pink Panther Show", and "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids". Children are playing with toys such as Clackers, Nerf Balls, the Rock Flowers dolls, and Uno (card game).

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on October 17, 1973, will have the star sign Libra.
  • Zodiac Element: Air.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1973 was the year of the Ox (Yin Wood).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 11.
  • Native American Zodiac: October 17, 1973 falls under the Raven.
  • Birthstone: A person during the month of October will have the birthstones Tourmaline and Opal.
  • Birth flower (October): The Marigold and the Cosmos.
News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on October 17, 1973.

  • Yom Kippur War.

    Yom Kippur War

    The Yom Kippur War was being fought between Israel and a coalition of Arab states.
  • The kung fu craze.

    The kung fu craze

    Following the success of the Hong Kong martial arts film "Five Fingers of Death" in March of 1973, multiple kung fu movies went on to reach the top of the US box office that year.
  • 1973-74 stock market crash.

    1973-74 stock market crash

    Between January 1973 and December 1974, the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost over 45% of its value. The UK stock market fared even worse, with the FT 30 dropping by over 70%.
  • Hitchhiking is declining.

    Hitchhiking is declining

    Although hitchhiking is still pretty common, it is beginning to decline due to people's falling trust in strangers, lower air travel prices, an increase in highways, and more affordable cars.
  • The US military is withdrawing from the Vietnam War.

    The US military is withdrawing from the Vietnam War

    During 1973, the war in Vietnam was still ongoing. However, by this stage, the US was steadily withdrawing its military from the country. Between 1972 and 1973, the number of US troops in Vietnam fell from 24,200 to 50. Although a peace agreement was signed at the start of 1973, it was quickly broken by both sides.
  • Who were the best NBA players in 1973?

    Who were the best NBA players in 1973?

    The best NBA players in 1973 were Dave Cowens, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, John Havlicek, Spencer Haywood, Nate Archibald and Jerry West.
  • Best soccer players.

    Best soccer players

    In 1973, the best soccer players were Johan Cruyff, Dino Zoff, Gerd Müller, Franz Beckenbauer, Billy Bremner, Kazimierz Deyna, Eusébio, Gianni Rivera, Gunter Netzer and Ralf Edström.
  • The Sting.

    The Sting

    "The Sting" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1973.
  • Roberta Flack - "Killing Me Softly with His Song"

    Roberta Flack - "Killing Me Softly with His Song"

    "Killing Me Softly with His Song" by Roberta Flack won a Grammy for 1973's Song of the Year.
  • 1973 in movies.

    1973 in movies

    Movies released in 1973 included The Sting, The Exorcist, American Graffiti, Papillon, The Way We Were, Charlotte's Web, Magnum Force, Last Tango in Paris, Live and Let Die, Robin Hood, Paper Moon, The Wicker Man, The Legend of Hell House and Badlands.
  • John Sirica.

    John Sirica

    John Sirica was named Time Person of the Year in 1973. Sirica was the judge who ordered US President Richard Nixon to hand over the Watergate-related recordings.
  • 1973 in music.

    1973 in music

    The Billboard Charts in 1973 were dominated by Marvin Gaye, Carly Simon, Dawn & Tony Orlando, Eddie Kendricks, Elton John, Roberta Flack, Paul McCartney and Wings, Clint Holmes, Billy Preston, Cher, Jim Croce and Diana Ross.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.

Personality traits

Check out our personality summary for people who were born on October 17, 1973.

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 October 17, 1973.

  • September 19, 1973: Singer Gram Parsons dies of a drugs overdose.
  • September 20, 1973:
    • American singer Jim Croce is killed in a plane crash.
    • Battle of the Sexes: 90 million people tune in to watch female tennis player Billie Jean King defeating Bobby Riggs at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas.
  • September 22, 1973: Golf: The United States wins the 1973 Ryder Cup at Muirfield in East Lothian, Scotland.
  • September 28, 1973: The ITT building in New York is bombed by a left-wing militant organization due to the company's involvement in the 1973 Pinochet coup in Chile.
  • October 6, 1973:
    • Soccer: Liam Brady makes his debut for Arsenal.
    • The Yom Kippur War begins when a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria launches a surprise attack on Israel.
  • October 9, 1973: Elvis and Priscilla Presley are divorced after six years of marriage.
  • October 10, 1973: Spiro T. Agnew resigns as the Vice President of the United States and pleads "No Contest" to one felony charge of tax fraud.
  • October 15, 1973: Soccer: Brian Clough and Peter Taylor resign from Derby County.
  • This date: October 17, 1973
  • October 19, 1973: OAPEC announces that it will be placing an oil embargo on the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the Netherlands.
  • October 20, 1973: US Attorney General Elliot Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelshaus are fired by President Richard Nixon after they refuse to fire special prosecutor Archibald Cox.
  • October 24, 1973: The first episode of Kojak is aired.
  • October 25, 1973: A ceasefire brings the Yom Kippur War to an end.
  • October 31, 1973: Three Provisional IRA prisoners escape Mountjoy Prison in Dublin by helicopter.
  • November 8, 1973:
    • John Paul Getty III's kidnappers mail his severed ear to a newspaper in a bid to convince his oil tycoon grandfather to pay a ransom.
    • The animated film "Robin Hood" is released in movie theaters.
  • November 14, 1973: United Kingdom: Princess Anne marries Captain Mark Phillips.

1970s fashion

Photographs of 1970s fashion and hairstyles.

1970s fashion

Television shows

TV series on October 17, 1973

People in October 1973 were watching the following TV series:

TV shows from October 1973.

The Six Million Dollar Man
The Six Million Dollar Man
Barnaby Jones
Barnaby Jones
Last of the Summer Wine
Last of the Summer Wine
M*A*S*H
M*A*S*H
The Bob Newhart Show
The Bob Newhart Show
Ghost Story
Ghost Story
The Waltons
The Waltons
Maude
Maude
The Rookies
The Rookies
Emergency!
Emergency!
Sanford and Son
Sanford and Son
Upstairs, Downstairs
Upstairs, Downstairs

Cars in 1973

1974 saw the introduction of cars such as the Ford Mustang (second generation), the Mitsubishi Lancer, the Toyota Starlet, the Chevrolet Chevelle Laguna, the Buick Regal, and the Volkswagen Passat.

Cars in 1973.

Children TV shows

Cartoons and children's TV shows in October 1973

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

Star Trek: The Animated Series
Star Trek: The Animated Series
Bailey's Comets
Bailey's Comets
The Addams Family
The Addams Family

Super Friends
Super Friends
Inch High, Private Eye
Inch High, Private Eye
Speed Buggy
Speed Buggy
Yogi's Gang
Yogi's Gang
Schoolhouse Rock!
Schoolhouse Rock!
Lassie's Rescue Rangers
Lassie's Rescue Rangers
The Adventures of Black Beauty
The Adventures of Black Beauty
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids
Toys

Toys in 1973

Children were playing with the following toys and games:

Evel Knievel Stunt Cycle
Evel Knievel Stunt Cycle
Baby Alive (doll)
Baby Alive (doll)
Shrinky Dinks
Shrinky Dinks
Magnavox Odyssey
Magnavox Odyssey
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
Video games

Video games

Popular video games that people were playing in October 1973.

Gotcha 1973
Gotcha
Space Race 1973
Space Race
Pong 1972
Pong

Were you born on October 17, 1973?

If you were born on this date, then it is unlikely that you will remember anything from the year 1973.

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 October 17, 1979, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

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

Evel Knievel

Evel Knievel

Stunt performer Deceased
Born on October 17, 1938
He turned 35 on this day in 1973.

Norm Macdonald

Norm Macdonald

Comedian Deceased
Born on October 17, 1959
He turned 14 on this day in 1973.

Ziggy Marley

Ziggy Marley

Musician
Born on October 17, 1968
He turned 5 on this day in 1973.

Wyclef Jean

Wyclef Jean

Singer
Born on October 17, 1969
He turned 4 on this day in 1973.

Nancy Sullivan

Nancy Sullivan

Actress
Born on October 17, 1969
She turned 4 on this day in 1973.

Chris Kirkpatrick

Chris Kirkpatrick

NSYNC
Born on October 17, 1971
He turned 2 on this day in 1973.

Eminem

Eminem

Rap singer
Born on October 17, 1972
He turned 1 on this day in 1973.

Simon Harris

Simon Harris

Irish politician
Born on October 17, 1986
He was born exactly 13 years after this date.

Charles Oliveira

Charles Oliveira

Brazilian MMA fighter
Born on October 17, 1989
He was born exactly 16 years after this date.

USA

US President

Richard Nixon was the President of the United States on October 17, 1973.

UK

UK Prime Minister

Edward Heath was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Ireland

Irish Taoiseach

Liam Cosgrave was the Taoiseach of Ireland.

Conception

Conception dates

Conception estimates for this date.

  • A baby that was born on October 17, 1973 was most likely conceived around January 24, 1973.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on October 17, 1973 is close to July 10, 1974.

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Stats for October 17, 1973

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about October 17, 1973:

  • 18,647 days have passed since this date.
  • 2,663 weeks have passed.
  • 1,611,104,400 seconds have passed since October 17, 1973.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 1,879,621,800 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 831,329,870,400 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 268,517,400 times.
  • You have taken approximately 138,554,978 steps. That's roughly 61,580 miles.
  • 19,333,253 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1973?

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