From Microsoft to Monty Python to the Magnificent Marble Machine, explore the year 1975 with these exciting and fun facts about 1975
What Happened in 1975?
1975 was an eventful year.
Gerald Ford was president.
The Vietnam War ended when Communist forces invaded Saigon, and South Vietnam surrendered.
Margaret Thatcher became the first female leader of the British Conservative Party.
The Suez Canal in Egypt reopened after being closed for eight years.
NASA launched Viking I, and it landed on Mars.
Those are some basic facts about 1975, but they don’t tell the whole story.
Now, let’s explore the year with these fun facts about 1975.
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1975 Fun Facts
1975 was full of flashy fashion, notable movies and music, and unforgettable moments in sports.
1. Michael and Jennifer Were the Top Baby Names
Michael was the top boy’s name in 1975. Rounding out the top five names for boys were Jason, Christopher, James, and David.
Jennifer was the top name for girls, but you would also find many babies named Amy, Heather, Melissa, and Angela.
2. Microsoft Is Born
Today, Microsoft is a company worth around 2.5 trillion dollars.
In 1975, Microsoft was just the brainchild of its two founders: Bill Gates and Paul Allen.
The two childhood friends named their company after what they worked with: microprocessors and software.
Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard, and Allen quit his job in Boston to move to Albuquerque, New Mexico and launch their company in April 1975.
Three years later, Microsoft was worth over 1 million dollars.
3. Wally Amos Makes His Cookies Famous
Talent scout Wally Amos turned to baking in 1975 to relieve stress.
He opened a bakery on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood.
Amos’s contacts in the music business were his first investors (most notably Marvin Gaye).
His specialty? Bite-sized chocolate chip cookies from a family recipe.
The little cookies were a success! Soon, Wally Amos was known to everyone as “Famous Amos”!
4. “Love Will Keep Us Together” Was the Top Song
The Captain and Tennille had the number-one song in the year 1975.
This husband and wife duo rode that success into a TV show that would debut the following year.
Other top songs from 1975 include “Rhinestone Cowboy” by Glen Campbell and “Philadelphia Freedom” by Elton John.
Further down the list, “Lady Marmalade” by Patti LaBelle camped out at #9.
In October of 1975, Queen released the song “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
Although it was an immediate smash in Britain and Australia, it never hit number 1 in the US.
5. We All Became Afraid of Sharks
What film score can you recognize with just two notes?
John Williams’s score of Jaws, a movie about a man-eating shark, builds tension with just two short notes.
The movie was directed by Steven Spielberg and starred Roy Schneider, Richard Dreyfuss, and Robert Shaw.
Jaws was the top-grossing movie of all time when it came out in the summer of 1975 (until Star Wars dethroned it a few years later).
Jaws was far and away the winner of the year. It had a massive margin over the film in the number two spot: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
Over in Europe, a British film, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, made a much smaller splash when it debuted in 1975 at a British film festival.
The movie grew a faithful following and is now considered one of the best comedies ever.
6. Boxing Has Its Most Iconic Fight: “Thrilla in Manilla”
Mohammad Ali beats Joe Frazier III in one of the most brutal and skilled fights in boxing history.
This particular fight was the final of three to decide the world’s heavyweight champion.
Mohammad Ali beat Frazier in the 14th round. Millions around the globe watched the fight on HBO and Pay-Per-View.
7. Men Relaxed in Leisure Suits
Leisure suits were all the rage in the 1970s, and 1975 was no exception.
What was a 1975 leisure suit? It had a shirt/jacket with a pointed collar, buttons up the front, and front flap pockets (almost like a safari jacket).
The pants matched the color of the shirt. In 1975, the pants were bell-bottoms.
You could find leisure suits in every color of the rainbow. You could even find them in patterns.
Most leisure suits of the time were made with polyester.
8. Soccer Phenom David Beckham Was Born
1975 was a banner year for celebrity birthdays.
Angelina Jolie, Sia, Tobey Maguire, Drew Barrymore, Bradley Cooper, 50 Cent, and Tiger Woods are among the many celebrities born that year.
9. You Could Mail a Letter with a 10 Cent Stamp
Prices were lower in 1975.
You could buy a gallon of gas for $0.57.
Eggs cost $0.77, and a gallon of milk was $1.57.
The average cost of a new home was around $11,000.
10. Wheel of Fortune Begins Its Dynasty
Wheel of Fortune debuted as a daytime game show in January 1975.
The original hosts were Chuck Woolery and Susan Stafford.
Pat Sajak came on as host in 1981, and Vanna White joined him in 1982.
Wheel of Fortune wasn’t the only game show in 1975; game shows were extremely popular.
The Price Is Right, The Magnificient Marble Machine, and Match Game were popular game shows in 1975.
Top 10 Fun Facts of 1975
1975 was a memorable year.
Rediscover this amazing year of history with these fun facts about 1975.