1972 – Top Songs, Movies TV Shows, Sporting Events And More
1972 and everything that went into it here on The Beat Chicago’s Backspin
The 1970’s were a whirlwind of change. From the hangover of the late 60’s to the lull and depression of the early part of the 70’s to the “ok, let’s loosen up and have some fun” attitude of the middle to latter part of the decade, it certainly was a decade of ups and downs that would lead to a never-ending party known as the 1980’s.
Check out everything that was from this decade, year by year. From the sporting events to world events, the top TV shows, songs, movies and more.
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… who loves ya baby!
TOP SONGS OF 1972
1. “American Pie” – Don McLean
2. “Alone Again (Naturally)” – Gilbert O’Sullivan
3. “Without You” – Nilsson
4. “Brand New Key” – Melanie
5. “I Gotcha” – Joe Tex
6. “Daddy Don’t You Walk So Fast” – Wayne Newton
7. “Let’s Stay Together” – Al Green
8. “The First Time Ever I Saw You Face” – Roberta Flack
9. “Brandy (You’re A Fine Girl)” – Looking Glass
10. “Lean On Me” – Bill Withers
GRAMMY WINNERS IN 1972
Album of the Year: The Concert for Bangladesh
Best New Artist: America
Best Pop Duo or Group: “Where Is the Love,” Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway
Best Pop Female Vocal: “I Am Woman,” Helen Reddy
Best Pop Male Vocal: Without You,” Nilsson
Record of the Year: “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” Roberta Flack
Song of the Year: “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”
TOP MOVIES OF 1972
1. The Godfather $86,691,000
2. The Poseidon Adventure $42,000,000
3. Cabaret $28,000,000
4. Deliverance $22,600,000
5. What’s Up, Doc? $21,900,000
6. Jeremiah Johnson $20,250,000
7. The Getaway $18,000,000
8. Lady Sings the Blues $9,665,000
9. Everything You Always Wanted to Know… $8,828,000
10. Sounder $8,726,000
OTHER RELEASES
Heat / Last Tango in Paris / Play It Again, Sam / Sleuth / The Candidate / The Heartbreak Kid
The Ruling Class
ACADEMY AWARD WINNERS IN 1972
Winners in CAPS
Best Picture
“THE GODFATHER”, “Cabaret”, “Deliverance”, “The Emigrants”, “Sounder”
Actor:
MARLON BRANDO in “The Godfather”, Michael Caine in “Sleuth”, Laurence Olivier in “Sleuth”, Peter O’Toole in “The Ruling Class”, Paul Winfield in “Sounder”
Actress:
LIZA MINNELLI in “Cabaret”, Diana Ross in “Lady Sings The Blues”, Maggie Smith in “Travels With My Aunt”, Cicely Tyson in “Sounder”, Liv Ullmann in “The Emigrants”
Supporting Actor:
JOEL GREY in “Cabaret”, Eddie Albert in “The Heartbreak Kid”, James Caan in “The Godfather”, Robert Duvall in “The Godfather”, Al Pacino in “The Godfather”
Supporting Actress:
EILEEN HECKART in “Butterflies Are Free”, Jeannie Berlin in “The Heartbreak Kid”, Geraldine Page in “Pete ‘n’ Tillie”, Susan Tyrrell in “Fat City”, Shelley Winters in “The Poseidon Adventure”
Director:
BOB FOSSE for “Cabaret”, John Boorman for “Deliverance”, Francis Ford Coppola for “The Godfather”, Joseph L. Mankiewicz for “Sleuth”, Jan Troell for “The Emigrants”
TOP TV SHOWS IN 1972
All in the Family / Sanford and Son / Hawaii Five-O / Maude / Bridget Loves Bernie / The NBC Sunday Mystery Movie /The Mary Tyler Moore Show / Gunsmoke / The Wonderful World of Disney / Ironside / Adam 12 / The Flip Wilson Show / Marcus Welby M.D. / Cannon / Here’s Lucy / The Bob Newhart Show / ABC Tuesday Movie / NFL Monday Night Football
The Partridge Family / The Waltons
EMMY AWARD WINNERS IN 1972
Best Drama – The Waltons
Best Actor – Richard Thomas, The Waltons
Best Actress – Michael Learned, The Waltons
Supporting Actor – Scott Jacoby, Wednesday Movie of the Week: That Certain Summer
Supporting Actress – Ellen Corby, The Waltons
Best Comedy – All in the Family
Best Actor – Jack Klugman, The Odd Couple
Best Actress – Mary Tyler Moore, The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Supporting Actor – Ted Knight, The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Supporting Actress – Valerie Harper, The Mary Tyler Moore Show
BIGGEST SPORTS NEWS OF 1972
Kentucky Derby Winner: Riva Ridge – Trainer: R. Turcotte – Jockey: L. Laurin
Football:
Superbowl VII: Miami 14 – WASHINGTON 7
Pro MVP: Larry Brown, Washington, RB
College Football: #1 USC
Heisman Trophy: Johnny Rodgers, Nebraska, FL
Rose Bowl: USC 42, Ohio St. 17
Orange Bowl: Nebraska 40, Notre Dame 6
Cotton Bowl: Texas 17, Alabama 13
Sugar Bowl: Oklahoma 14, Penn St. 0
Baskteball:
NBA Championship: L.A. Lakers Vs. New York Knickerbockers
Winner: L.A. Lakers in 5
L.A. Coach: Bill Sharman
New York Coach: Red Holzman
MVP: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Milwaukee, (C) Average Points Per Game: 34.8
NCAA National Champions: UCLA – 30W 0L (Undefeated) / Coach: John Wooden
World Series
Oakland A’s Vs. Cincinatti Reds
Oakland in 7
Oakland Coach: Dick Williams
Cincinatti Coach: Sparky Anderson
National League
MVP: Johnny Bench, Cin (C)
Rookie of the Year: Jon Matlack, NY (P)
American League
MVP: Dick Allen, Chi (1B)
Rookie of the Year: Carlton Fisk, Bos (C)
TOP NEWS STORIES IN 1972
Men’s fashion includes cuffed or flared bell bottoms
HBO launches first channel
The Equal Rights Amendment which provided for the legal equality of the sexes passed by the U.S. Senate
Einstein’s theory of relativity is validated
First time an artificial heart is used
The last U.S. ground troops withdraw from Viet Nam
Jonathan Livingston Seagull is a best seller (Richard Bach)
Dr. Adkins starts a diet revolution with his new book
The Peter Principal by Laurence Peter is popular at the book store and dinner talk
I’m Ok You’re Ok self help book makes a hit
“Glitter Rock” is introduced by David Bowie
Digital watches make their debut
China sends Pandas to Washington
Atari kicks off the first generation of video games with the release of PONG, the first game to achieve commercial success
Bobby Fisher beats Russian Boris Spassky for world chess title
Frank Sinatra is called to testify about Mafia
TV program The Waltons wins Emmy award
Volkswagen Beetle is most popular car, over 15 million sold
Sanford and Son with Redd Foxx and Demond Wilson premiers
M*A*S*H starts it’s long TV run, starring Alan Alda, Loretta Swit
Deliverance with Burt Reynolds opens at the movie theaters
Governor Wallace Is Shot In Laurel MD. And Paralyzed
Nixon And Brezhnev Sign Two SALT Agreements
11 Israelis Are Killed By Palestinian Terrorists At Munich Olympics
Break-In At Democratic Headquarters In Watergate Towers, Five Caught
Nixon Wins by A Landslide 47 Million To 29 Million
Fiber optic is introduced to the world
Richard Nixon puts Space Shuttle program in motion
Washington Post Connects Watergate With Committee To Elect Nixon
Kissinger Secretly Negotiating With North Vietnamese In Paris
President: Richard M. Nixon
Vice President: Spiro T. Agnew
Population: 209,896,021
Life expectancy: 71.2 years
Dow-Jones
High: 1036
Low: 921
Federal spending: $230.68 billion
Federal debt: $435.9 billion
Inflation: 4.3%
Consumer Price Index: 41.8
Unemployment: 5.9%
Cost of a new home: $30,500.00
Cost of a new car: $
Median Household Income: $9,697.00
Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.10
Cost of a gallon of regular gas: $0.36
Cost of a dozen eggs: $0.52
Cost of a gallon of Milk: $1.20