1969 In Review

1969 In Review: Top Songs, Movies TV Shows, Sporting Events And More

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The 1960s were a massive time of change here in the United State. From the early part of the decade where innocence was shattered with the assassination of a President to the love-ins and everything in between.. It certainly was a decade of ups and downs and one that would end with us putting a man on the moon.

As you’re going back in time, think about some of the things in our lives today that you don’t see appearing here because…. they didn’t exist yet. Things like the top selling computers, tablets, laptops, microwaves, cable provider, wireless company, music video of the year etc.

Let us know some of the things that come to mind below.

For more great memories from any of the years that made up the decade, click a year below and we’ll transport you back in time to see everything you may remember or have forgotten… far out, funky and solid baby!

TOP 10 BABY NAMES

GIRLS BOYS
1 Lisa Michael
2 Michelle David
3 Jennifer James
4 Kimberly John
5 Melissa Robert
6 Amy William
7 Angela Christopher
8 Mary Mark
9 Tammy Brian
10 Laura Richard

TOP SONGS

GRAMMY WINNERS

Record of the Year: Paul Simon & Roy Halee (producers) & Simon & Garfunkel for “Mrs. Robinson”
Album of the Year: Al De Lory (producer) & Glen Campbell for By the Time I Get to Phoenix
Song of the Year: Bobby Russell (songwriter) for “Little Green Apples” performed by Roger Miller / O.C. Smith
Best New Artist: José Feliciano
Pop
Best Contemporary-Pop Vocal Performance, Female
Dionne Warwick for “Do You Know the Way to San Jose?”
Best Contemporary-Pop Vocal Performance, Male
Jose Feliciano for “Light My Fire”
Best Contemporary-Pop Performance – Vocal Duo or Group: Simon & Garfunkel for “Mrs. Robinson”
Best Contemporary Pop Performance, Chorus: Alan Copeland (choir director) for “Mission Impossible/Norwegian Wood Medley” performed by the Alan Copeland Singers
Best Pop Instrumental Performance: Mason Williams for “Classical Gas”
Best R&B Performance, Female: Aretha Franklin for “Chain of Fools”
Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male: Otis Redding for “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” (posthumously)
Best Rhythm & Blues Performance by a Duo or Group, Vocal or Instrumental: The Temptations for “Cloud Nine”
Best Rhythm & Blues Song: Otis Redding & Steve Cropper (songwriters) for “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” performed by Otis Redding
Best Comedy Performance: Bill Cosby for To Russell, My Brother, Whom I Slept With
Best Country Vocal Performance, Female: Jeannie C. Riley for “Harper Valley PTA”
Best Country Vocal Performance, Male: Johnny Cash for “Folsom Prison Blues”
Best Country Performance, Duo or Group – Vocal or Instrumental: Flatt & Scruggs for “Foggy Mountain Breakdown”
Best Country Song: Bobby Russell (songwriter) for “Little Green Apples” performed by Roger Miller / O.C. Smith

TOP MOVIES

1 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid – $102,308,900
2 The Love Bug $50,576,808
3 Midnight Cowboy $44,785,053
4 Easy Rider $41,728,598
5 Hello, Dolly $33,208,099
6 Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice $31,897,253
7 Paint Your Wagon $31,678,778
8 True Grit $31,132,592
9 Cactus Flower $25,889,208
10 Goodbye, Columbus $22,939,805

ACADEMY AWARD WINNERS

WINNER IN CAPS
Best Picture: Midnight Cowboy
Best Actor:
JOHN WAYNE in “True Grit”, Richard Burton in “Anne of the Thousand Days”, Dustin Hoffman in “Midnight Cowboy”, Peter O’Toole in “Goodbye, Mr. Chips”, Jon Voight in “Midnight Cowboy”
Best Actress:
MAGGIE SMITH in “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie”, Genevieve Bujold in “Anne of the Thousand Days”, Jane Fonda in “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?”, Liza Minnelli in “The Sterile Cuckoo”, Jean Simmons in “The Happy Ending”
Best Supporting Actor:
GIG YOUNG in “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?”, Rupert Crosse in “The Reivers”, Elliott Gould in “Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice”, Jack Nicholson in “Easy Rider”, Anthony Quayle in “Anne of the Thousand Days”
Best Supporting Actress:
GOLDIE HAWN in “Cactus Flower”, Catherine Burns in “Last Summer”, Dyan Cannon in “Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice”, Sylvia Miles in “Midnight Cowboy”, Susannah York in “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?”
Best Director:
JOHN SCHLESINGER for “Midnight Cowboy”, Costa-Gavras for “Z”, George Roy Hill for “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”, Arthur Penn for “Alice’s Restaurant”, Sydney Pollack for “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?”

TOP TV SHOWS

1. Laugh-in
2. Gunsmoke
3. Bonanza
4. Mayberry, RFD
5. Family Affair
6. Here’s Lucy
7. Red Skelton Hour
8. Marcus Welby
9. Walt Disney
10. Doris Day Show
11. Bill Cosby
12. Jim Nabors Hour
13. Carol Burnett Show
14. Dean Martin Show
15. My Three Sons
16. Ironside
17. Johnny Cash Show
18. Beverly Hillbillies
19. Hawaii Five-0
20. Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour

EMMY AWARD WINNERS

Outstanding Dramatic Series: Marcus Welby, M.D. (ABC)
Outstanding Continued Performance By an Actor in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Series: Robert Young, Marcus Welby, M.D.
Outstanding Continued Performance By an Actress in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Series: Susan Hampshire, The Forsyte Saga
Outstanding Performance By an Actor in a Supporting Role in Drama: James Brolin, Marcus Welby, M.D.
Outstanding Performance By an Actress in a Supporting Role in Drama: Gail Fisher, Mannix
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Drama: Paul Bogart, CBS Playhouse: Shadow Game
Outstanding Writing Achievement in Drama: Richard Levinson and William Link, My Sweet Charlie
Outstanding Dramatic Program: Hallmark Hall of Fame: A Storm in Summer (NBC)
Outstanding Single Performance By an Actor in a Leading Role: Peter Ustinov, Hallmark Hall of Fame: A Storm in Summer
Outstanding Single Performance By an Actress in a Leading Role: Patty Duke, My Sweet Charlie
Outstanding New Series: Room 222 (ABC)
Outstanding Comedy Series: My World and Welcome to It (NBC)
Outstanding Continued Performance By an Actor in a Leading Role in a Comedy Series: William Windom, My World and Welcome to It
Outstanding Continued Performance By an Actress in a Leading Role in a Comedy Series: Hope Lange, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir
Outstanding Performance By an Actor in a Supporting Role in Comedy: Michael Constantine, Room 222
Outstanding Performance By an Actress in a Supporting Role in Comedy: Karen Valentine, Room 222
Outstanding Variety or Musical Series: The David Frost Show (Syndicated)
Outstanding Variety or Musical Program Variety and Popular Music: Annie, The Women in the Life of a Man (CBS)
Classical Music NET Festival: Cinderella, National Ballet of Canada (NET)
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy, Variety or Music: Dwight A. Hemion, Kraft Music Hall: The Sound of Burt Bacharach (NBC)
Outstanding Writing Achievement in Comedy, Variety or Music: Gary Belkin, Peter Bellwood, Herb Sargent, Thomas Meehan and Judith Viorst, Annie, The Women in the Life of a Man
Outstanding Achievement in Sports Programming: The NFL Games (CBS)
Outstanding Achievement in Children’s Programming: Sesame Street (NET)

WHAT HAPPENED IN SPORTS

Kentucky Derby (95th running) – Majestic Prince

College Football: #1 – Texas
Heisman Trophy Winner: Steve Owens FB Oklahoma
Rose Bowl: Ohio State 27 – USC 16
Orange Bowl: Penn State 15 – Kansas 14
Cotton Bowl: Texas 36 – Tennessee 13
Sugar Bowl: Arkansas 16 – Georgia 2

NBA Basketball:
NBA Championship: Boston Celtics win 4 games to 3 over the L.A. Lakers – Jerry West of the Lakers was series MVP
Boston Coach: Bill Russell
L.A. Coach: Butch van Bredakolff
MVP: Wes Unseld

NCAA National Champions:
UCLA

Baseball:
World Series: The amazin’ New York Mets beat the Baltimore Orioles 4 games to 11
Baltimore Coach: Earl Weaver
New York Coach: Gil Hodges

National League
MVP: Willie McCovey (SF)
Rookie of the Year: Ted Sizemore (L.A.)

American League
MVP: Harmon Killebrew (MIL)
Rookie of the Year: Lou Piniella (KC)

TOP NEWS STORIES

The first draft lottery since WWII was held in New York City. See the movie 29th street for more details

John Lennon married Yoko Ono, not to be outdone, Paul McCartney married well, he married Linda Eastman

Advanced Micro Devices, CompuServe, Cracker Barrel, DHL Express, Doubletree, Econo Lodge, The Gap, KinderCare,
Long John Silver’s, PepsiCo, Red Robin, Samsung, Target and Wendy’s were all launched in the year.

Aboard Apollo 11, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Buzz Aldrin become the first humans on the moon

Over 350,000 slobs attended Woodstock, leaving shit and more shit behind without ever caring to clean it up. Many of those assholes are running our country today or in positions of power, still leaving their pile of shit for everyone else to clean.

Illinois’ Judith Anne Ford was crowned Miss America

The Philippines celebrated as one of their own – Gloria Diaz reps Earth being crowned Miss Universe That chick with three nipples from the Fifth Element was not impressed.

The U.S. begins to withdraw troops from Viet Nam for the first time

The Isle of Wight Festival attracted an audience of approximately 150,000

The AMC AMX was named “Best Engineered Car of the Year”

The Beatles recorded their final album together, Abbey Road

The ARPANET (which would later become the internet) sent its first communications on October 29th, 1969.

The U.S. Air Force closed its Project Blue Book concluding there was no evidence of UFO’s.

Boing’s 747 was put into service

Milwaukee Wisconsin’s Golda Meir became the Prime Minister of Israel

PBS was established (Public Broadcasting Service)

After 147 years, the last issue of The Saturday Evening Post was published

The first in vitro fertilization of a human egg was performed in Cambridge, England

DDT was banned for use in residential areas, before then, people followed ‘the science’ and thought it was the cat’s meow

North Viet Nam’s Ho Chi Minh dies

An explosion on the deck of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise killed 27 and injured 314 crewmen

Richard Nixon became the 37th President of the U.S.A. taking over the mess LBJ made. Nixon, not to be outdone, made his own messes.

The first Concorde flight took place. Mach 2 speed was a reality

Before shooting became all the rage at rap concerts, hippies were stabbing people at concerts like in Altamont CA where a Hell’s Angel stabbed a concert-goer

Stonewall riots in New York City launched the Gay Rights Movement

Senator Edward M. Kennedy pleads guilty to leaving the scene of fatal accident at Chappaquiddick, Mass. where Mary Jo Kopechne mysteriously drowned. Kennedy received a two month suspended sentence enjoying that ‘privilege’ of being ‘connected’

Mariner 7 sends back pictures to Earth of Mars as it passed within 2,200 miles of the planet

Atlanta International Pop Festival on 4th July attracts 100,000

7-11 opened their first store in Canada

Ford introduced the Lincoln Continental Mark III (Cannon’s car) for limited production to compete with Cadillac

Sick bastard Charles Manson’s cult of freaks slaughtered a pregant Sharon Tate and four others.

Hurricane Camille caused 256 deaths and left 68 people missing from Mississippi to West Virginia

250,000 Vietnam War protesters gathered in Washington for the largest anti-war rally in U.S. History and left a big mess because they weren’t programmed to be ‘green’ yet. That was the next year for Earth Day’s beginning.

The US Congress doubled the President’s salary from 100K to 200K

Nissan introduced the Datsun 240 Z

The FCC banned all cigarette advertising on television and radio. See Mad Men for more details.

CELEBRITY BIRTHS

Jennifer Aniston, Renée Zellweger, Anne Heche, Ice Cube, Jennifer Lopez, Matthew Perry, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Wendy Wilson, Matthew McConaughey, Sean Combs (P. Diddy), Jakob Dylan

President: Richard Nixon
Vice President: Spiro T. Agnew

Population: 202,676,946
Life expectancy: 70.5 years

Federal spending: $183.64 billion
Federal debt: $365.8 billion
Average Income – $9,433 or
Median Household Income – $8,389
Consumer Price Index: 36.7
Unemployment: 3.6%
Federal Minimum Wage – $1.60
Cost of a stamp – $0.06
Cost of a gallon of milk – $1.35
Cost of a loaf of bread – $0.23
Cost of a gallon of gas – $0.35
Cost of a home: $25,600

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