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December 20, 1974

December 20, 1974, was a Friday. It was 50 years and 1 day ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Sagittarius.

On This Day

What happened on this date?

Notable events that occurred on December 20, 1974:

  • The Godfather Part II is released.
Song charts

Top songs

These songs were on top of the music charts in the United States and the United Kingdom on December 20, 1974:

  • United States: "Cat's In The Cradle" by Harry Chapin
  • United Kingdom: "Lonely This Christmas" by Mud

The Billboard Hot 100 on December 20, 1974

These songs were dominating the music charts:

  • Kung Fu Fighting - Carl Douglas
  • When Will I See You Again - The Three Degrees
  • I Can Help - Billy Swan
  • Cat's In The Cradle - Harry Chapin
  • Angie Baby - Helen Reddy
Play the top songs from 1974
A Spotify playlist of songs from the year 1974. Take a trip back to the days of Dolly Parton, Barry White, ABBA, Eric Clapton and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Death Wish

Top movie

The top movie on this day was "Death Wish".

Facts

This date was 18,264 days ago. Approximately 609 months have passed. It was the 354th day of 1974, in week 51. The decade was the seventies. The start of 1975 was just 11 days away. People born on this day are currently 50 years old and belong to the Generation X generation. 203 seasons of weather have come and gone since then.

Comments

Discussion about this date:

Joshua Coleman

Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too was released that day.
Posted on Feb 15, 2024 20:49


Submit a comment

Take me back to December 20, 1974

Let's take a walk down memory lane.

It is Friday, December 20, 1974. Babies who are born today will have the star sign Sagittarius. People have "that Friday feeling" and are excited for the weekend.

Christmas Day of 1974 is fast approaching and the excitement is building. Department stores are packed with Christmas shoppers, and people are meeting up with friends that they haven't seen in a while. In America, the song "Cat's In The Cradle" by Harry Chapin is at the top of the singles charts, while "Lonely This Christmas" by Mud is the number-one song in the UK. Gerald Ford is the President of the United States, and the movie Death Wish is at the top of the box office.

Harold Wilson is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Because it's 1974, the music charts are being dominated by the likes of Carl Douglas, ABBA, Mud, the Steve Miller Band, George McCrae and Terry Jacks. In fashion, the hippie look from the 1960s and early 1970s has disappeared. The disco look is beginning to take off. Women are wearing t-shirts, khaki pants, mood rings, kimonos and flare jumpsuits. Meanwhile, men are wearing velvet sports coats, slogan t-shirts, flannel, frilly shirts, jeans and khaki chinos.

The films "The Godfather Part II" and "The Towering Inferno" are being shown in movie theaters at the moment. If you were to travel back to this day, notable figures such as Eamon de Valera would be still alive. On TV, people are watching popular shows such as "Hawaii Five-O", "All in the Family", "Emergency!", and "The Bob Newhart Show".

Meanwhile, gamers are playing titles such as "Pong", "Space Race", "Gotcha", and "Tank". Children and teenagers are watching television shows such as "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids", "Schoolhouse Rock!", "Bailey's Comets", and "Happy Days". Popular toys at the moment include Twister mat, Clackers, Crissy (doll), and Risk board game.

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on December 20, 1974, will have the star sign Sagittarius.
  • Zodiac Element: Fire.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1974 was the year of the Tiger (Yang Fire).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 8.
  • Native American Zodiac: December 20, 1974 falls under the Owl.
  • Birthstone: A person during the month of December will have the birthstones Tanzanite, Zircon and Turquoise.
  • Birth flower (December): The Narcissus and the Holly.
News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on December 20, 1974.

  • Christmas 1974 is days away.

    Christmas 1974 is days away

    Christmas 1974 was just days away. The decorations were up, festive music was playing on the radio, people were buying last-minute presents for their loved ones, and stores were packed with shoppers. Schools, colleges, and non-retail businesses were also beginning to close for the holiday season.
  • Who were the best NBA players in 1974?

    Who were the best NBA players in 1974?

    The best NBA players in 1974 were Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, John Havlicek, Rick Barry, Walt Frazier and Gail Goodrich.
  • 1974 in movies.

    1974 in movies

    Movies released in 1974 included Blazing Saddles, The Towering Inferno, The Trial of Billy Jack, Young Frankenstein, Earthquake, The Godfather Part II, Airport 1975, The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams, The Longest Yard, Foxy Brown, Murder on the Orient Express and Benji.
  • Best soccer players.

    Best soccer players

    In 1974, the best soccer players were Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer, Kazimierz Deyna, Paul Breitner, Johan Neeskens, Grzegorz Lato, Gerd Müller, Robert Gadocha, Billy Bremner and Ralf Edström.
  • Roller skates.

    Roller skates

    The popularity of roller skates exploded during the second half of the 1970s.
  • The Godfather Part II.

    The Godfather Part II

    "The Godfather Part II" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1974.
  • Disco music.

    Disco music

    Disco music became mainstream during the latter half of the 1970s. Nightclub-goers often wore extravagant outfits. Furthermore, dances such as the "Hustle", the "Bump" and the "Penguin" also became popular.
  • King Faisal.

    King Faisal

    The King of Saudi Arabia, King Faisal, was named Time Person of the Year in 1974 due to his role in the 1973–74 oil crisis.
  • Barbra Streisand - "The Way We Were"

    Barbra Streisand - "The Way We Were"

    "The Way We Were" by Barbra Streisand won a Grammy for 1974's Song of the Year.
  • The Vietnam War is in its final stages.

    The Vietnam War is in its final stages

    The war in Vietnam was still ongoing. However, the US military had withdrawn. Meanwhile, North Vietnamese forces continued to win battles and make inroads into the south.
  • 1974 in music.

    1974 in music

    The Billboard Charts in 1974 were dominated by Barbra Streisand, Elton John, The Jackson 5, The Steve Miller Band, Terry Jacks, Ray Stevens, The Stylistics, Dionne Warwick and The Spinners.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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).
  • 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.

Personality traits

Check out our personality summary for people who were born on December 20, 1974.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

View Personality Summary

Events

What happened around this time?

Notable events that happened close to December 20, 1974.

  • November 20, 1974: UK politics: Labour MP John Stonehouse attempts to fake his own death in Miami, Florida.
  • November 21, 1974: 21 people are killed when two pubs in Birmingham are bombed by the Provisional IRA.
  • November 23, 1974: Massacre of the Sixty: 60 former government officials are executed by the new provisional government in Ethiopia.
  • December 1, 1974: 92 people are killed when TWA Flight 514 crashes near Dulles International Airport in Virginia.
  • December 4, 1974: Laurie Lynn Partridge (17) goes missing in Spokane, Washington.
  • December 7, 1974: The first ever episode of "The Late Late Toy Show" is aired in Ireland.
  • December 12, 1974: Democrat Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter announces that he will be running for the 1976 United States presidential election.
  • December 13, 1974: North Vietnam forces launch the Spring Offensive.
  • December 19, 1974: Nelson Rockefeller is sworn in as the new Vice President of the United States.
  • This date: December 20, 1974
  • December 23, 1974: Mary Rachel Trlica (17), Lisa Renee Wilson (14), and Julie Ann Moseley (9) go missing while Christmas shopping at the Seminary South Shopping Center in Fort Worth, Texas.
  • December 24, 1974: Cyclone Tracy hits Darwin, Australia.
  • December 27, 1974: 21-year-old Joanne Elaine Coughlin goes missing from Youngstown, Ohio.
  • January 1, 1975: John N. Mitchell, H. R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman are found guilty of the Watergate cover-up.
  • January 6, 1975:
    • Soccer: Brian Clough becomes the new manager of Nottingham Forest.
    • The first episode of Wheel of Fortune is aired.
  • January 12, 1975:
    • Super Bowl IX: The Pittsburgh Steelers defeat the Minnesota Vikings at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans.
    • Ted Bundy abducts Caryn Eileen Campbell from a hotel in Snowmass, Colorado.
  • January 14, 1975: 17-year-old Lesley Whittle is kidnapped in Shropshire, England.
  • January 18, 1975: The first episode of "The Jeffersons" is aired.

1970s fashion

Photographs of 1970s fashion and hairstyles.

1970s fashion

Television shows

TV series on December 20, 1974

People in December 1974 were watching the following TV series:

TV shows from December 1974.

Police Woman
Police Woman
The Rockford Files
The Rockford Files
Kolchak: The Night Stalker
Kolchak: The Night Stalker
Harry O
Harry O
Little House on the Prairie
Little House on the Prairie
Good Times
Good Times
Happy Days
Happy Days
Kojak
Kojak
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

Cars in 1974

1974 saw the introduction of cars such as the Volkswagen Golf, the Dodge Ramcharger, the Audi 50, the Volvo 200 Series, the Renault 7, and the Ford Elite.

Cars in 1974.

Children TV shows

Kids TV shows on December 20, 1974

Cartoons and TV shows that children and teenagers were watching on this day in 1974:

Land of the Lost
Land of the Lost
Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch
Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch
Valley of the Dinosaurs
Valley of the Dinosaurs

Hong Kong Phooey
Hong Kong Phooey
The New Adventures of Gilligan
The New Adventures of Gilligan
Bagpuss
Bagpuss
Happy Days
Happy Days
The Addams Family
The Addams Family
Super Friends
Super Friends
Bailey's Comets
Bailey's Comets
Inch High, Private Eye
Inch High, Private Eye
Toys

Popular toys and games in 1974

Toys and games that were popular in 1974:

Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Connect Four
Connect Four
Magna Doodle
Magna Doodle
Risk board game
Risk board game
Shrinky Dinks
Shrinky Dinks
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)
Video games

Video games

Popular video games that people were playing in December 1974.

Tank 1974
Tank
Gotcha 1973
Gotcha
Space Race 1973
Space Race
Pong 1972
Pong

Were you born on December 20, 1974?

If you were born on this date, then it is unlikely that you will remember anything from the year 1974.

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 December 20, 1980, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

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

John Spencer

John Spencer

Actor Deceased
Born on December 20, 1946
He turned 28 on this day in 1974.

Paul Ritter

Paul Ritter

English actor Deceased
Born on December 20, 1966
He turned 8 on this day in 1974.

Ashley Cole

Ashley Cole

Soccer player
Born on December 20, 1980
He was born exactly 6 years after this date.

Jonah Hill

Jonah Hill

Actor
Born on December 20, 1983
He was born exactly 9 years after this date.

Lucy Pinder

Lucy Pinder

Model
Born on December 20, 1983
She was born exactly 9 years after this date.

Gia Allemand

Gia Allemand

Model and Reality TV star Deceased
Born on December 20, 1983
She was born exactly 9 years after this date.

JoJo

JoJo

Singer
Born on December 20, 1990
She was born exactly 16 years after this date.

Jorginho

Jorginho

Soccer player
Born on December 20, 1991
He was born exactly 17 years after this date.

Dylan Wang

Dylan Wang

Chinese actor
Born on December 20, 1998
He was born exactly 24 years after this date.

Kylian Mbappé

Kylian Mbappé

Soccer player
Born on December 20, 1998
He was born exactly 24 years after this date.

USA

US President

Gerald Ford was the President of the United States on December 20, 1974.

UK

UK Prime Minister

Harold Wilson 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 December 20, 1974 was most likely conceived around March 29, 1974.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on December 20, 1974 is close to September 12, 1975.

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Stats for December 20, 1974

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about December 20, 1974:

  • 18,264 days have passed since this date.
  • 2,609 weeks have passed.
  • 1,578,009,600 seconds have passed since December 20, 1974.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 1,841,011,200 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 814,252,953,600 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 263,001,600 times.
  • You have taken approximately 135,708,826 steps. That's roughly 60,315 miles.
  • 18,936,115 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1974?

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