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Tag: 1969

  • Pop Culture Trivia Quiz: What Happened In 1969?

    Pop Culture Trivia Quiz: What Happened In 1969?

    Pop Culture Trivia Quiz: What Happened In 1969?

    69 Trivia Questions for 1969 History

    (answers)

    1. 1969 Catchphrase: Who said, “If it weren’t for you meddling kids!”?

    2. What was the Biggest Number One Song of 1969?

    3. Who was the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl III?

    4. In 1969, what was the average life expectancy in the United States?

    5. What company used the slogan: “It’s the real thing”?

    6. Name the television game show host who used the catchphrase “Makin’ whoopee”?

    7. This event was billed as “An Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music”. What is that event better known as?

    8. Can you name the artist who performed the last act at Woodstock on Monday, August 18, 1969?

    9. How many people lived in the World in 1969?

    10. How many people lived in the United States in 1969?

    11. To the nearest quarter, what was the average movie theater ticket price in 1969?

    12. How much did a Loaf of Bread cost in 1969?

    13. How much was a dozen eggs in 1969?

    14. How much was a pound of pork chops in 1969?

    15. Who was the President of the United States in 1969?

    16. Name both actresses (it was a tie) to win the 1969 Academy Award for Best Actress.

    17. Lee Marvin’s Marvin’s Wand’rin Star kept The Beatles at number two in the UK with their single Let It Be. What 1969 film introduced the song?

    18. Name the Australian media mogul who purchased the largest-selling British Sunday newspaper, The News of the World, in 1969.

    19. Who won the Stanley Cup in 1969?

    20. True or False: Before 1969, the United States had $500, $1,000, $5,000 and $10,000 in circulation.

    21. Rock band Led Zeppelin released two albums in 1969. Name the titles of both albums.

    22. This Oscar-winning film was loosely based on the story of Wild West outlaws Robert LeRoy Parker and his partner Harry Longabaugh. Name the film.

    23. Hosted by The Rolling Stones, this concert was billed as a “Woodstock West”.

    24. This is the only X-rated film (Rated R today) ever to win Best Picture. Name that film.

    25. Where did The Beatles give their last public performance?

    26. This popular British surreal sketch comedy group ran for 45 episodes between 1969 and 1974 and released a series of popular movies.

    27. The United States Air Force studied unidentified flying objects from 1952 until they announced the project’s closing in late 1969. What was the name of that US Government study?

    28. What was the Top-Rated TV Show in the 1968/1969 season?

    29. The first episode of this daytime television show was possible because of the numbers 2 and 3 and the letters E, S, and W. Name that show.

    30. What television game show was NOT produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman: Jeopardy, He Said, She Said, or Match Game?

    31. On December 17, 1969, who married “Miss Vicky” on The Tonight Show, hosted by Johnny Carson?

    32. Who won the SuperBowl in 1969?

    33. Who was Super Bowl 3’s Most Valuable Player?

    34. On September 2, 1969, Chemical Bank installed WHAT at its branch in Rockville Centre, New York. It was the first of its kind in the United States.

    35. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1969?

    36. Who won the 1969 World Series?

    37. Can you name Major League Baseball’s first team outside the United States?

    38. What was the name of The Beatles’ 10th studio Album?
    HINT: It was also the name of an animated feature film.

    39. This cartoon showcased shorts starring what character from the opening credits of a series of live-action comedy films about a bungling detective Jacques Clouseau. Name the animated character.

    40. Who composed The Pink Panther Theme for the live-action films, and often in the cartoons?

    41. Which member of The Beatles was rumored to be replaced, possibly by “William Campbell”?

    42. How much did a gallon of gas cost in 1969?

    43. Name the Apollo 11’s lunar module that landed on the Moon’s surface. on July 20, 1969.

    44. What future 1970s Sex Symbol was a bachelorette on The Dating Game in 1969?

    45. Who replaced retiring United States Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren in 1969?

    46. Can you name the first professional soccer football player to score 1,000 goals in a career?

    47. Founded in 1701, this Ivy League University started admitting women. Name that institution.

    48. Who was the only undefeated world heavyweight boxing champion in history?

    49. This famous couple married in Gibraltar and had a honeymoon, “Bed-In for Peace,” in Amsterdam. Name that pair.

    50. This “jumbo jet” aircraft was first flown in 1969, and it is still in use today.

    51. You get one point for each Scooby-Doo character, for which you can give the first and last names…

    52. Can you name photographer Iain Macmillan’s most famous photograph, taken in 1969? It is one of the most iconic album covers of all time.

    53. Based on a 1964 Broadway show, this film follows the story of Dolly Levi, a strong-willed matchmaker who travels to Yonkers, New York. Name that comedy-musical.

    54. Two songs from Hello, Dolly! were featured in the 2008 Disney-Pixar film, WALL-E. Name one of them.

    55. Hello, Dolly! was based on a 1958 American film directed by Joseph Anthony. Can you name that comedy?

    56. This novel by Mario Puzo went on to become a major film franchise. Name that book.

    57. A member of The 27 Club, name the original Rolling Stones member who drowned in his swimming pool at his home in Sussex, England.

    58. In 1969, the Saturday morning cartoon The Wacky Races produced two spin-off shows. Name one of them.

    59. Alice Nelson, although unrelated, was the 7th member of this television household in California. Who played the role of this housekeeper on the show?

    60. Who was the first female prime minister of Israel?

    61. What was the highest-grossing film of 1969?

    62. This film helped John Wayne earn his first and only Academy Award as Reuben J. “Rooster” Cogburn. Name it.

    63. Name the prime-time variety brother who said, “Mom always liked you best.”?

    64. Which celebrity was NOT born in 1969: Dave Grohl, Jamie Foxx, Marilyn Manson, or Jesse L. Martin?

    65. Who was the Time Magazine Man and Woman of the Year in 1969?

    66. What cartoon mystery show debuted on (CBS) on September 13, 1969?

    67. What type of creature was the live-action Saturday morning character H.R. Pufnstuf?

    68. What popular syndicated talk show debuted in 1969?

    69. Name the Disney film based on the 1961 book Car, Boy, Girl by Gordon Buford.

    Trivia Team Bonus Questions:

    1. What was the second highest-grossing film 1969, earning over $50 million at the domestic box office?

    2. What was the name of Dudley Do-Right’s horse?

    3. Name the classic 1969 independent road drama film that featured Karen Black, Toni Basil, and Phil Spector in small roles.

    4. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1969?

    5. What popular country music/ comedy /variety show debuted on June 15, 1969?

    6. Who were the 1969 NBA Champions?

    7. Sisters Helen, Betty, and Dot Wiggin of Fremont, New Hampshire, recorded an album named Philosophy of the World, and some people say it was the worst album ever produced. Name the band.

    8. Who was the Pope in 1969?

    9. Name the television variety show that ended every episode with ” “Good night, Dick!”?

    10. Who was the American Vice-President in 1969?

    The Answers:

    69 Trivia Answers for 1969 History

    1. 1969 Catchphrase: Who said, “If it weren’t for you meddling kids!”?
    Various villains on Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!

    2. What was the Biggest Number One Song of 1969?
    Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In by The 5th Dimension

    3. Who was the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl III?
    Joe Namath (The New York Jets beat the Baltimore Colts, 16–7)

    4. In 1969, what was the average life expectancy in the United States?
    Men – 66.8 years, Women – 74.3 years.

    5. What company used the slogan: “It’s the real thing”?
    Coca-Cola

    6. Name the television game show host who used the catchphrase “Makin’ whoopee”?
    Bob Eubanks on The Newlywed Game (1966-1974)

    7. This event was billed as “An Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music”. What is that event better known as?
    Woodstock music festival

    8. Can you name the artist who performed the last act at Woodstock on Monday, August 18, 1969?
    Jimi Hendrix

    9. How many people lived in the World in 1969?
    The estimated world population in 1969 was 3,616,108,749 people.

    10. How many people lived in the United States in 1969?
    The population was an estimated 202,676,946 people.

    11. To the nearest quarter, what was the average movie theater ticket price in 1969?
    $1.50

    12. How much did a Loaf of Bread cost in 1969?
    23 cents

    13. How much was a dozen eggs in 1969?
    62 cents

    14. How much was a pound of pork chops in 1969?
    $1.12

    15. Who was the President of the United States in 1969?
    Lyndon B. Johnson (November 22, 1963 – January 20, 1969) and Richard Nixon (January 20, 1969 – August 9, 1974)

    16. Name both actresses (it was a tie) to win the Academy Award for Best Actress.
    Barbra Streisand and Katharine Hepburn both received 3030 votes.

    17. Lee Marvin’s Marvin’s Wand’rin Star kept The Beatles at number two in the UK with their single Let It Be. What 1969 film introduced the song?
    Paint Your Wagon

    18. Name the Australian media mogul who purchased the largest-selling British Sunday newspaper, The News of the World, in 1969.
    Rupert Murdoch

    19. Who won the Stanley Cup in 1969?
    In 1969, The Montreal Canadiens won over the St. Louis Blues (4 games to 0)

    20. True or False: Before 1969, the United States had $500, $1,000, $5,000 and $10,000 in circulation.
    True

    21. Rock band Led Zeppelin released two albums in 1969. Name the titles of both albums.
    Led Zeppelin and Led Zeppelin II

    22. This Oscar-winning film was loosely based on the story of Wild West outlaws Robert LeRoy Parker and his partner Harry Longabaugh. Name the film.
    Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

    23. Hosted by The Rolling Stones, this concert was billed as a “Woodstock West.”Altamont Speedway Free Festival

    24. This is the only X-rated film (Rated R today) ever to win Best Picture. Name that film.
    Midnight Cowboy

    25. Where did The Beatles give their last public performance?
    On the roof of Apple Records, London

    26. This popular British surreal sketch comedy group ran for 45 episodes between 1969 and 1974 and released a series of popular movies.
    Monty Python’s Flying Circus

    27. The United States Air Force studied unidentified flying objects from 1952 until they announced the project’s closing in late 1969. What was the name of that US Government study?
    Project Blue Book

    28. What was the Top-Rated TV Show in the 1968/1969 season?
    Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In (NBC)

    29. The first episode of this daytime television show was possible because of the numbers 2 and 3 and the letters E, S, and W. Name that show.
    Sesame Street

    30. What television game show was NOT produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman: Jeopardy, He Said, She Said, or Match Game?
    Jeopardy! was created by Merv Griffin.

    31. On December 17, 1969, who married “Miss Vicky” on The Tonight Show, hosted by Johnny Carson?
    Tiny Tim

    32. Who won the SuperBowl in 1969?
    Super Bowl III | On January 12, 1969 (1968 season), The New York Jets beat the Baltimore Colts (16–7) at Miami Orange Bowl.

    33. Who was Super Bowl 3’s Most Valuable Player?
    1969 MVP Super Bowl III Joe Namath, New York Jets

    34. On September 2, 1969, Chemical Bank installed WHAT at its branch in Rockville Centre, New York. It was the first of its kind in the United States.
    The first ATM (called the “Docuteller”)

    35. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1969?
    Portney’s Complaint by Philip Roth

    36. Who won the 1969 World Series?
    In 1969, The New York Mets won, beating the Baltimore Orioles (4 games to 1)

    37. Can you name Major League Baseball’s first team outside the United States?
    The Montreal Expos

    38. What was the name of The Beatles’ 10th studio Album?
    Yellow Submarine

    39. This cartoon showcased shorts starring what character from the opening credits of a series of live-action comedy films about a bungling detective Jacques Clouseau. Name the animated character.
    The Pink Panther

    40. Who composed The Pink Panther Theme for the live-action films, and often in the cartoons?
    Henry Mancini

    41. Which member of The Beatles was rumored to be replaced, possibly by “William Campbell”?
    Paul McCartney

    42. How much did a gallon of gas cost in 1969?
    $0.35 per gallon

    43. Name the Apollo 11’s lunar module that landed on the Moon’s surface. on July 20, 1969.
    Eagle

    44. What future 1970s Sex Symbol was a bachelorette on The Dating Game in 1969?
    Farrah Fawcett

    45. Who replaced retiring United States Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren in 1969?
    Warren E. Burger (September 17, 1907 – June 25, 1995)

    46. Can you name the first professional soccer football player to score 1,000 goals in a career?
    Pelé (Edson Arantes do Nascimento)

    47. Founded in 1701, this Ivy League University started admitting women. Name that institution.
    Yale University

    48. Who was the only undefeated world heavyweight boxing champion in history?
    Rocky Marciano (September 1, 1923 – August 31, 1969)

    49. This famous couple married in Gibraltar and had a honeymoon, “Bed-In for Peace,” in Amsterdam. Name that pair.
    John Lennon and Yoko Ono

    50. This “jumbo jet” aircraft was first flown in 1969, and it is still in use today.
    Boeing 747

    51. You get one point for each Scooby-Doo character, for which you can give the first and last names…
    Fred Jones, Daphne Blake, Velma Dinkley, and Norville “Shaggy” Rogers.

    52. Can you name photographer Iain Macmillan’s most famous photograph, taken in 1969? It is one of the most iconic album covers of all time.
    Abbey Road (Beatles’ album cover)

    53. Based on a 1964 Broadway show, this film follows the story of Dolly Levi, a strong-willed matchmaker who travels to Yonkers, New York. Name that comedy-musical.
    Hello, Dolly!

    54. Two songs from Hello, Dolly! were featured in the 2008 Disney-Pixar film, WALL-E. Name one of them.
    Put on Your Sunday Clothes and It Only Takes a Moment

    55. Hello, Dolly! was based on a 1958 American film directed by Joseph Anthony. Can you name that comedy?
    The Matchmaker

    56. This novel by Mario Puzo went on to become a major film franchise. Name that book.
    The Godfather

    57. A member of The 27 Club, name the original Rolling Stones member who drowned in his swimming pool at his home in Sussex, England.
    Brian Jones

    58. In 1969, the Saturday morning cartoon The Wacky Races produced two spin-off shows. Name one of them.
    (The Perils of) Penelope Pitstop and (Dick) Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines.

    59. Alice Nelson, although unrelated, was the 7th member of this television household in California. Who played the role of this housekeeper on the show?
    Ann B. Davis, on The Brady Bunch

    60. Who was the first female prime minister of Israel?
    Golda Meir (May 3, 1898 – December 8, 1978)

    61. What was the highest-grossing film of 1969?
    Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

    62. This film helped John Wayne earn his first and only Academy Award as Reuben J. “Rooster” Cogburn. Name it.
    True Grit (Wayne reprised his role for the 1975 sequel Rooster Cogburn.)

    63. Name the prime-time variety brother who said, “Mom always liked you best.”?
    Tommy Smothers on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1967-1969)

    64. Which celebrity was NOT born in 1969: Dave Grohl, Jamie Foxx, Marilyn Manson, or Jesse L. Martin?
    Jamie Foxx (born December 13, 1967)

    65. Who was the Time Magazine Man and Woman of the Year in 1969?
    “Middle Americans” (The Silent Majority)

    66. What cartoon mystery show debuted on (CBS) on September 13, 1969?
    Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?

    67. What type of creature was the live-action Saturday morning character H.R. Pufnstuf?
    A Dragon

    68. What popular syndicated talk show debuted in 1969?
    The Phil Donahue Show

    69. Name the Disney film based on the 1961 book Car, Boy, Girl by Gordon Buford.
    The Love Bug

    Trivia Team Bonus Questions:

    1. What was the second highest-grossing film 1969, earning over $50 million at the domestic box office?
    The Love Bug

    2. What was the name of Dudley Do-Right’s horse?
    Horse

    3. Name the classic 1969 independent road drama film that featured Karen Black, Toni Basil, and Phil Spector in small roles.
    Easy Rider

    4. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1969?
    Majestic Prince

    5. What popular country music/ comedy /variety show debuted on June 15, 1969?
    Hee Haw

    6. Who were the 1969 NBA Champions?
    For the 1968-69 Season, Champion Boston Celtics won 4 games to 3 over the Los Angeles Lakers

    7. Sisters Helen, Betty, and Dot Wiggin of Fremont, New Hampshire, recorded an album named Philosophy of the World, and some people say it was the worst album ever produced. Name the band.
    The Shaggs

    8. Who was the Pope in 1969?
    Pope Paul VI, from June 21, 1963 – August 6, 1978

    9. Name the television variety show that ended every episode with ” “Good night, Dick!”?
    Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In

    10. Who was the American Vice-President in 1969?
    Hubert Humphrey (January 20, 1965 – January 20, 1969) and Spiro Agnew (January 20, 1969 – October 10, 1973)

     

     
     
  • 1969 Top Ten Music Charts

    1969 Top Ten Music Charts

    1969’s Biggest Artists and Songs

    Jose Feliciano (1968 Best New Artist Grammy Winner, presented in 1969)
    Jose is best known for his instrumental version of The Door’s Light My Fire and 1970’s Feliz Navidad.
    Glen Campbell (Grammy for 1968 Album of the Year) Mrs. Robinson – Simon and Garfunkle (1968 Grammy for Record of the Year, presented in 1969)
    New Artists in the Pop Charts Included:
    Three Dog Night, Blood Sweat and Tears, Grand Funk Railroad, Crosby Stills and Nash, Janice Joplin, Funkadelic, Led Zeppelin, The Chi-Lites, Santana, Issac Hayes, Brooklin Bridge, Chicago, Kool and the Gang
    Take our 1969 Quiz!

    1969’s Retro Top 10 Hits

    1. Aquarius/ Let The Sunshine In – The 5th Dimension
    2. Good Morning Starshine – Oliver
    3. Time of the Season – The Zombies
    4. Everybody’s Talkin – Harry Nilsson
    5. Soulful Strut – Young-Holt Limited
    6. Love (Can Make You Happy) – Mercy
    7. Something In The Air – Thunderclap Newman
    8. Memphis Underground – Herbie Mann
    9. Am I The Same Girl – Barbara Acklin
    10. Backfield In Motion – Mel & Tim

    1969’s ‘One Hit Wonders’

    1. Mah Na Mah Na – Piero Umiliani
    2. In The Year 2525 – Zager and Evans
    3. Hot Smake and Sassafras – The Bubble Puppy
    4. White Bird – It’s A Beautiful Day
    5. Tracy – The Cufflinks
    6. Birthday – Underground Sunshine
    7. Something In The Air – Thunderclap Newman
    8. Can’t Find My Way Home – Blind Faith
    9. Israelites – Desmond Dekker and Aces
    10. Hello It’s Me – Nazz

    1969’s R&B/Soul Top 10 Hit List

    1. It’s Your Thing – The Isley Brothers
    2. I Can’t Get Next To You – The Temptations
    3. Mother Popcorn – James Brown
    4. My Cherie Amour – Stevie Wonder
    5. Too Busy Thinking About My Baby – Marvin Gaye
    6. Twenty-Five Miles – Edwin Starr
    7. Someday We’ll Be Together – The Supremes
    8. I’ll Bet You – Funkadelic
    9. Can I Change My Mind – Tyrone Davis
    10. Baby, I’m For Real – The Originals

    1969’s Pop Dance Top 10 Hit List

    1. Build Me Up Buttercup – The Foundations
    2. More Today Than Yesterday – Spiral Staircase
    3. Gimme Gimme Good Lovin’ – Crazy Elephant
    4. Grazing In The Grass – Friends of Distinction
    5. Old Brown Shoe – The Beatles
    6. Spinning Wheel – Blood Sweat and Tears
    7. Get Together – Youngbloods
    8. Take a Letter Maria – R.B. Greaves
    9. Get Back – The Beatles
    10. Proud Mary – Creedence Clearwater Revival

    1969’s Rock n Roll Top 10 Hit List

    1. Come Together – The Beatles
    2. Honkey Tonk Women – The Rolling Stones
    3. Touch Me – The Doors
    4. Good Times Bad Times – Led Zeppelin
    5. Bad Moon Rising – Creedence Clearwater Revival
    6. Spinning Wheel – Blood Sweat and Tears
    7. Green River – Creedence Clearwater Revival
    8. Going Up The Country – Canned Heat
    9. I Got A Line On You – Spirit
    10. Crossroads – Cream

    1969’s Bubblegum Top 10 Hit List

    1. Sugar Sugar – The Archies
    2. The Tra La La Song (One Banana Two banana) – The Banana Splits
    3. Crimson and Clover – Tommy James and the Shondells
    4. Hooked on a Feeling – B.J. Thomas
    5. Dizzy – Tommy Roe
    6. Listen To The Band – The Monkees
    7. Good Morning Starshine – Oliver
    8. Mah-Na-Mah-Na (Mahna Mahna) – Piero Umiliani
    9. Indian Giver – 1910 Fruitgum Company
    10. Smile A Little Smile For Me – The Flying Machine

    PCM’s 1969 Top 10 Hit List

    1. Build Me Up Buttercup – Foundations
    2. Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond
    3. Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye – Steam
    4. More Today Than Yesterday – Spiral Staircase
    5. Mah-Na-Mah-Na (Mahna Mahna) – Piero Umiliani
    6. Son Of A Preacher Man – Dusty Springfield
    7. My Way – Frank Sinatra
    8. Proud Mary – Creedence Clearwater Revival
    9. Something – the Beatles
    10. Sugar Sugar – Archies
  • The Number One Hits Of 1969

    The Number One Hits Of 1969

    The Number One Hits Of 1969:

    December 14, 1968 – January 31, 1969:
    Marvin Gaye – I Heard It Through the Grapevine
    February 1, 1969 – February 14, 1969:
    Tommy James & the Shondells – Crimson and Clover
    February 15, 1969 – March 14, 1969:
    Sly and the Family Stone – Everyday People
    March 15, 1969 – April 11, 1969:
    Tommy Roe – Dizzy
    April 12, 1969 – May 23, 1969:
    The 5th Dimension – Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In
    May 24, 1969 – June 27, 1969:
    The Beatles with Billy Preston – Get Back
    June 28, 1969 – July 11, 1969:
    Henry Mancini – Love Theme from ‘Romeo And Juliet’
    July 12, 1969 – August 22, 1969:
    Zager and Evans – In the Year 2525
    August 23, 1969 – September 19, 1969:
    The Rolling Stones – Honky Tonk Women
    September 20, 1969 – October 17, 1969:
    The Archies – Sugar, Sugar
    October 18, 1969 – October 31, 1969:
    The Temptations – I Can’t Get Next To You
    November 1, 1969 – November 7, 1969:
    Elvis Presley – Suspicious Minds
    November 8, 1969 – November 28, 1969:
    The 5th Dimension – Wedding Bell Blues
    November 29, 1969 – December 5, 1969:
    The Beatles – Come Together / Something
    December 6, 1969 – December 19, 1969:
    Steam – Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye
    December 20, 1969 – December 26, 1969:
    Peter, Paul & Mary – Leaving on a Jet Plane
    December 27, 1969 – January 2, 1970:
    Diana Ross & the Supremes – Someday We’ll Be Together

    (Data is compiled from various charts including Billboard’s “Pop,” “Airplay,” “R&B” and “Singles” Charts. “Hot 100” is the primary chart used starting October, 1958)

    Take our 1969 Quiz!
  • 1969 History, Facts and Trivia

    1969 History, Facts and Trivia

    1969 History, Facts and Trivia

    Quick Facts from 1969

    • World Changing Event: Neil A. Armstrong, Command Module pilot Michael Collins, and Lunar Module pilot Edwin “Buzz” E. Aldrin landed in the Sea of Tranquility on The Moon on July 20, 1969.
    • Other World-Changing Events: The Arpanet (the first internet) was created.
    • The Top Song was Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In by The 5th Dimension.
    • The Movies to Watch include Once Upon a Time in the West, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Love Bug, and Paint Your Wagon.
    • The Most Famous Person in America was probably Steve McQueen.
    • Notable books include The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, The Godfather by Mario Puzo, and My Friends the Wild Chimpanzees by Jane Goodall.
    • Price of an Aladdin Lunch Box, with Thermos in 1969: 99 cents
      Wendy’s Frosty: 35 cents
      Hasbro Lite Brite: $5.66
    • The Funny Late Night Host: Johnny Carson
      The Funny Guy was Don Rickles
      The Funny Lady was Phyllis Diller
    • The Crazy Conspiracy: The Moon Landing was faked, filmed in a studio in Arizona by famed director Stanley Kubrick.
    • Take our 1969 Quiz!

    Top Ten Baby Names of 1969

    Lisa, Michelle, Jennifer, Kimberly, Melissa, Michael, David, James, John, Robert

    Fashion Icons and Sex Symbols

    Jamee Becker, Dyan Cannon, Veronica Carlson, Julie Christie, Catherine Deneuve, Barbara Eden, Barbara Feldon, Jane Fonda, Goldie Hawn, Peggy Lipton, Ann-Margret, Elizabeth Montgomery, Caroline Munro, Ingrid Pitt, Diana Rigg, Elke Sommer, Tina Turner, Twiggy, Raquel Welch, Natalie Wood

    Leading Men, Sex Symbols and Hollywood Hunks

    Jim Morrison, Paul Newman, Robert Redford

    “The Quotes”

    “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
    – Neil Armstrong, upon stepping on the moon.

    “I’m walking here! I’m walking here!”
    – Dustin Hoffman, in Midnight Cowboy

    Time Magazine’s People of the Year

    Middle Americans

    Miss America

    Judith Ford (Belvidere, IL)

    Miss USA

    Wendy Dascomb (Virginia)

    The Scandals and War

    Senator Ted Kennedy was involved in the drunk driving ‘Chappaquiddick’ incident ending with the death of Mary Jo Kopechne.

    On Christmas Day, 1969, Francisco Macias Nguema executed 150 people with soldiers dressed as Santa Clause in the former Spanish colony of Equatorial Guinea, while Those Were the Days, My Friend by Mary Hopkin played in the background.

    El Salvador and Honduras had a brief war with each other after tension arose in a 1970 FIFA World Cup qualifier. This war became later known as the “Soccer War”. It was more complicated than that, but over 3,000 people died.

    The Manson “Family” committed a series of murders under the influence of Charles Manson’s Helter Skelter philosophy. One of the victims was Sharon Tate and her unborn child.

    Unsolved Mysteries

    Jim Sullivan recorded an album called U.F.O., which featured strange lyrics about leaving his family and being abducted by aliens. Sullivan disappeared six years later without a trace, the only piece of evidence being his abandoned car found on a desert road.

    Penn State student Betsy Aardsma was doing research in the campus library when she was stabbed in the chest. Because the wound was so small and the fact that she was wearing a red dress, paramedics thought that she had a seizure before she died. The case is still unsolved.

    On April 24, Paul McCartney announced that he was not dead, contrary to rumors.

    1969 Firsts

    Scooby-Doo aired its first episode on CBS.

    Monty Python’s Flying Circus first aired on BBC One.

    Sesame Street premiered on the NET (Later PBS) network.

    In 1963, Hall of Fame pitcher Gaylord Perry remarked, “They’ll put a man on the moon before I hit a home run.” On July 20, 1969, a few hours after Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon, Perry hit his first and only home run.

    Hee Haw premiered on CBS (1969 to 1971), later in syndication (1971 to 1993), and on TNN (1996 to 1997).

    Chemical Bank installed the first automatic teller machine in the United States in Rockville Centre, New York.

    Led Zeppelin, the first Led Zeppelin album, was released in the United States.

    Dave Thomas, in Columbus, Ohio, founded Wendy’s Hamburgers.

    The Godfather by Mario Puzo was released.

    Soft drink Capri Suns first went on sale.

    Woodstock

    On August 15, 1969, The Woodstock Music & Art Fair opened in upstate New York. Tickets were $18 in advance and $24 at the gate, and there was sufficient sound for the 500,000 attendees, but only about 1/2 paid for a ticket. It had 32 acts over three days, and there were two births and a few minor incidents, but overall, it was 3 Days of Love, Peace, and MNusic. You can usually find tickets on eBay for under $100.

    The Summer of 69 by Bryan Adams (1984)

    US Politics

    January 20, 1969 (Monday): First inauguration of Richard Nixon

    1969 Pop Culture Facts & History

    In 1969, Neiman Marcus listed a $10,000 kitchen computer in its Christmas Catalog, which came with a cookbook, apron, and a 2-week programming course. None were sold.

    Bambi Meets Godzilla is a two-minute short film by Marv Newland that features (spoiler alert) Bambi getting stepped on by Godzilla. It was later admitted into the Academy Film Archive in 2009.

    In 1963, San Francisco Giants manager Alvin Dark joked, “They’ll put a man on the moon before (Giants pitcher) Gaylord Perry hits a home run.” On July 20, 1969, less than an hour after Neil Armstrong’s historic moonwalk, Perry hit his first career homer.

    Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane was invited to the White House for a tea party in 1969 and planned to spike President Nixon’s tea with 600 micrograms of LSD. The plan was thwarted by White House security.

    Jimi Hendrix insisted on being the final performer at the 1969 Woodstock and was scheduled to perform on Sunday at midnight. He didn’t take the stage until 9 AM Monday and played for 2 hours to a relatively small audience. Some considered Jimi’s version of The Star-Spangled Banner at Woodstock controversial and disrespectful on August 16, 1969.

    The Beatles originally planned to have an album titled Everest. However, the band didn’t want to travel to Mount Everest for the album cover photo shoot. This lead album title changed to Abbey Road, which was the street right outside their studio.

    The Domino Pizza Logo has three dots because of how many stores they opened. In 2018, they had over 14,000 stores worldwide.

    About 300 1969 Dodge Chargers were destroyed during the filming of The Dukes of Hazzard (1979-1985) television series, averaging two Chargers per episode.

    About 90% of American Schoolchildren walked to school in 1969.

    On May 1, 1969, Fred Rogers appeared before the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee requesting funds to help support the growth of  National Public Television.

    Frank Zappa’s album Hot Rats was one of the first albums to use a 16-track recorder and among the first to record drums on multiple tracks, giving stereo drums, all of which helped achieve outstanding technical quality.

    Georges Perec wrote a novel called La Disparition, which completely lacked the letter ‘e.’ It has since been translated into a dozen languages maintaining this limitation, including an English version entitled A Void.

    Robert Crumb’s R-rated Fritz The Cat was the comic strip that all the tuned-in folks read.

    Illinois representative Charlotte Reid (R) was the first woman to wear pants to Congress. Women were officially forbidden to wear pants on the floor until 1993.

    David Paul Gregg patented the optical or laserdisc, although he came up with the idea in 1958.

    When Cubans hijacked Candid Camera host Allen Funt’s airplane, the passengers believed they were on a hidden camera TV show. He could not change their minds.

    The Iron Horse Ranch and Vineyards opened in Sebastopol, California.

    Near Bethel, New York, the first mega-concert, the Woodstock Music Festival, occurred on August 15-18. Claims of up to one million people came; it was more likely half that number, but still an incredible amount of people!

    The Beatles gave their last public performance of several tracks on the roof of Apple Records, in London.

    Donald and Doris Fisher opened their clothing store, The Gap, in San Francisco.

    The new North Face Sierra Parka was destined to be the clothing of choice for outdoors people. The company was named after the north-facing mountains of North America.

    American Astronaut Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon on June 20th. There was no comment from Mr. Gorsky.

    Cost of a Super Bowl ad in 1968: $55,000

    Frank Sinatra recorded his signature song, My Way, nearly three decades after he began his singing career.

    The American side of Niagara Falls was “shut off” briefly.

    In 1969, James Brown released five different songs about popcorn – The Popcorn, Mother Popcorn, Lowdown Popcorn, and Let a Man Come In and Do the Popcorn (parts 1 & 2)

    The 1969 3-D adult film The Stewardesses was the most profitable 3-D film ever released until James Cameron’s Avatar beat it in 2009.

    24 journalists came together to write the worst novel they could have, Naked Came The Stranger, to make fun of the US’s vulgar and declining literary culture. The book became a bestseller.

    You have probably heard this drumbeat, The Amen Break:

    Nobel Prize Winners

    Physics – Murray Gell-Mann
    Chemistry – Derek Harold Richard Barton, Odd Hassel
    Medicine – Max Delbrück, Alfred Hershey, Salvador Luria
    Literature – Samuel Beckett
    Peace – International Labour Organization
    Economics – Ragnar Frisch, Jan Tinbergen

    RIP

    Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones purchased an old house that belonged to A.A. Milne (author of the Winnie the Pooh books). The 100-acre wood was based on the estate. Brian Jones died in the pool in 1969. #27club

    An American teenager known as ‘Robert R.’ died in St. Louis, Missouri, of a baffling medical condition. In 1984, he was identified as the earliest confirmed HIV/AIDS fatality in North America.

    During the Production of the 1969 Film Shark!, Stuntman Jose Marco was attacked and killed by a Shark they thought was sedated. The Studio distributing the Film (Excelsior Pictures) used this to advertise it.

    Cold War

    The EC-121 shootdown incident occurred when North Korean jets shot down an American reconnaissance plane in international airspace killing 30 American citizens. America never retaliated.

    Doomsday Clock

    Ten minutes to midnight, according to the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists.
    1969: Nearly all of the world’s nations come together to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The deal is simple–the nuclear-weapon states vow to help the treaty’s non-nuclear weapon signatories develop nuclear power if they promise to forego producing nuclear weapons. The nuclear weapon states also pledge to abolish their own arsenals when political conditions allow for it. Although Israel, India, and Pakistan refuse to sign the treaty, the Bulletin is cautiously optimistic: “The great powers have made the first step. They must proceed without delay to the next one–the dismantling, gradually, of their own oversized military establishments.”

    1st Appearances & 1969’s Most Popular Christmas Gifts, Toys and Presents

    Tog’l, Upsy Downsys, Silly String, Astrolite, Toss Across, Big Wheels, Nerf Ball

    Best Film Oscar Winner

    Oliver! (presented in 1969)

    Broadway Shows

    1776 (Musical) Opened on March 16, 1969, and closed on February 13, 1972
     Oh! Calcutta! (Review) Opened on June 17, 1969, and closed on August 12, 1972
    Butterflies Are Free (Play) Opened on October 21, 1969, and closed on July 2, 1972

    Popular and Best-selling Books From 1969

    Ada or Ardor: A Family Chronicle by Vladimir Nabokov
    The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton
    Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert
    The Edible Woman, The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
    My Friends the Wild Chimpanzees by Jane Goodall
    The Godfather by Mario Puzo
    The House on the Strand by Daphne du Maurier
    I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
    The Inheritors by Harold Robbins
    The Love Machine by Jacqueline Susann
    My Book About Me (by Me, Myself) by Dr. Seuss
    Naked Came the Stranger by Penelope Ashe
    The Promise by Chaim Potok
    The Portnoy’s Complaint by Philip Roth
    Pretenders by Gwen Davi
    The Romantic Manifesto by Ayn Rand
    The Salzburg Connection by Helen MacInnes
    The Seven Minutes by Irving Wallace
    Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
    The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

    1969 Most Popular TV Shows

    1. Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In (NBC)
    2. Gunsmoke (CBS)
    3. Bonanza (NBC)
    4. Mayberry R.F.D. (CBS)
    5. Family Affair (CBS)
    6. Here’s Lucy (CBS)
    7. The Red Skelton Hour (CBS)
    8. Marcus Welby, M.D. (ABC)
    9. Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color (ABC)
    10. The Doris Day Show (CBS)

    1969 Billboard Number One Songs

    December 14, 1968 – January 31, 1969:
    I Heard It Through The Grapevine – Marvin Gaye

    February 1 – February 14:
    Crimson And Clover – Tommy James & the Shondells

    February 15 – March 14:
    Everyday People – Sly & The Family Stone

    March 15 – April 11:
    Dizzy – Tommy Roe

    April 12 – May 23:
    Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures) – The 5th Dimension

    May 24 – June 27:
    Get Back – The Beatles with Billy Preston

    June 28 – July 11:
    Love Theme From Romeo & Juliet – Henry Mancini

    July 12 – August 22:
    In The Year 2525 (Exordium & Terminus) – Zager & Evans

    August 23 – September 19:
    Honky Tonk Women – The Rolling Stones

    September 20 – October 17:
    Sugar, Sugar – The Archies

    October 18 – October 31:
    I Can’t Get Next to You – The Temptations

    November 1 – November 7:
    Suspicious Minds – Elvis Presley

    November 8 – November 28:
    Wedding Bell Blues – The 5th Dimension

    November 29 – December 5:
    Come Together – The Beatles

    December 6 – December 19:
    Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye) – Steam

    December 20 – December 26:
    Leaving On A Jet Plane – Peter, Paul & Mary

    December 27, 1969 – January 2, 1970:
    Someday We’ll Be Together – Diana Ross & The Supremes

    Sports

    World Series Champions: New York Mets
    Super Bowl III Champions: New York Jets
    NBA Champions: Boston Celtics
    Stanley Cup Champs: Montreal Canadians
    U.S. Open Golf Orville Moody
    U.S. Tennis: (Men/Ladies) Rod Laver/Margaret Smith Court
    Wimbledon (Men/Women): Rod Laver/Ann Jones
    NCAA Football Champions: Texas
    NCAA Basketball Champions: UCLA
    Kentucky Derby: Majestic Prince

    Leonard Tose bought the Philadelphia Eagles for $16,500,000, a record-high amount for a sports team at the time.

    More 1969 Facts & History Resources:

    Most Popular Baby Names (BabyCenter.com)
    Popular and Notable Books (popculture.us)
    Broadway Shows that Opened in 1969X
    1969 Calendar, courtesy of Time and Date.com
    Fact Monster
    50 Things That Shaped Our World in 1969
    1960s, Infoplease.com World History
    Nasa: Moon Landing
    1969 in Movies (according to IMDB)
    Retrowaste Vintage Culture
    1969 Television
    1960s Slang
    Wikipedia 1969
    Woodstock Music & Art Fair

  • 1969 Music – The 100 Most Popular Songs

    1969 Music – The 100 Most Popular Songs

    1969 Top 100 Music Hits Chart

    1. Build Me Up Buttercup – Foundations
    2. Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond
    3. Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye – Steam
    4. More Today Than Yesterday – Spiral Staircase
    5. Mah-Na-Mah-Na (Mahna Mahna) – Piero Umiliani
    6. Son Of A Preacher Man – Dusty Springfield
    7. My Way – Frank Sinatra
    8. Proud Mary – Creedence Clearwater Revival
    9. Something – The Beatles
    10. Sugar Sugar – Archies
    11. Stand By Your Man – Tammy Wynette
    12. Touch Me – The Doors
    13. Honky Tonk Women – Rolling Stones
    14. Bad Moon Rising – Creedence Clearwater Revival
    15. Hooked On A Feeling – B.J. Thomas
    16. I Can’t Get Next To You – Temptations
    17. Come Together – The Beatles
    18. Grazing In The Grass – Friends of Distinction
    19. Traces – Classics IV & Dennis Yost
    20. Hawaii 5-0 – Ventures
    21. It’s Your Thing – The Isley Brothers
    22. My Cherie Amour – Stevie Wonder
    23. Hot Fun In The Summertime – Sly and the Family Stone
    24. Someday We’ll Be Together – Diana Ross and the Supremes
    25. Everybody’s Talkin’ – Nilsson
    26. Suspicious Minds – Elvis Presley
    27. Everyday People – Sly & Family Stone
    28. Crimson and Clover – Tommy James and the Shondells
    29. Time of the Season – Zombies
    30. Down On The Corner – Creedence Clearwater Revival
    31. Twenty Five Miles – Edwin Starr
    32. Worst That Could Happen – Brooklyn Bridge
    33. Love’s Been Good To Me – Frank Sinatra
    34. Ruben James – Kenny Rogers & the First Edition
    35. A Boy Named Sue – Johnny Cash
    36. Gimme Gimme Good Lovin – Crazy Elephant
    37. You’ve Made Me So Very Happy – Blood, Sweat and Tears
    38. Give Peace A Chance – John Lennon
    39. Get Back – Beatles
    40. Wedding Bell Blues – The 5th Dimension
    41. Alice’s Rock and Roll Restaurant – Arlo Guthrie
    42. Stand! – Sly and the Family Stone
    43. Israelites – Desmond Dekker and the Aces
    44. Green River – Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR)
    45. Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday – Stevie Wonder
    46. Put A Little Love In Your Heart – Jackie DeShannon
    47. These Eyes – Guess Who
    48. I Can Hear Music – Beach Boys
    49. Memphis Underground – Herbie Mann
    50. Eli’s Coming – Three Dog Night
    51. Lay Lady Lay – Bob Dylan
    52. Jingo – Santana
    53. Leaving On A Jet Plane – Peter Paul and Mary
    54. The Boxer – Simon and Garfunkle
    55. I’ve Gotta Be Me – Sammy Davis, Jr
    56. Kick Out The Jams – MC5
    57. I’m Gonna Make You Love Me – Supremes and Temptations
    58. Kozmic Blues – Janis Joplin
    59. Crystal Blue Persuasion – Tommy James and the Shondells
    60. Something In The Air – Thunderclap Newman
    61. I Got a Line On You – Spirit
    62. Suite: Judy Blue Eyes – Crosby, Stills and Nash
    63. Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In – the 5th Dimension
    64. In The Ghetto – Elvis Presley
    65. Spinning Wheel – Blood Sweat and Tears
    66. Chelsea Morning – Judy Collins
    67. Listen To The Band – The Monkees
    68. Yesterday, When I Was Young – Roy Clark
    69. And When I Die – Blood, Sweat and Tears
    70. Commotion – CCR
    71. Pinball Wizard – The Who
    72. Am I The Same Girl – Barbara Acklin
    73. Hot Smoke and Sassafras – The Bubble Puppy
    74. Marrakesh Express – Crosby, Stills and Nash
    75. In The Year 2525 – Zager and Evans
    76. Love (Can Make You Happy) – Mercy
    77. Soulful Strut – Young-Holt Unlimited
    78. Going Up In The Country – Canned Heat
    79. Wedding Bell Blues – The 5th Dimension
    80. Crossroads – Cream
    81. Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love To Town – Kenny Rogers & The First Edition
    82. Baby, It’s You – Smith
    83. This Magic Moment – Jay and the Americans
    84. Good Morning Starshine – Oliver
    85. Smile A Little Smile For Me – The Flying Machine
    86. Fortunate Son – Creedence Clearwater Revival
    87. Volunteers – Jefferson Airplane
    88. I Started a Joke – The Bee Gees
    89. Dizzy – Tommy Roe
    90. Good Times Bad Times – Led Zeppelin
    91. Mendocino – Sir Douglas Quintet
    92. Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man – Bob Seger System
    93. One – Three Dog Night
    94. Badge – Cream
    95. Undone – Guess Who
    96. I’m Free – The Who
    97. Get Together – The Youngbloods
    98. Brother Love’s Travelling Salvation Show – Neil Diamond
    99. Backfield In Motion – Mel & Tim
    100. Laughing – The Guess Who
    Take our 1969 Quiz!
  • 25 Biggest Songs of the 1960s

    25 Biggest Songs of the 1960s

    Top 25 Songs of the 1960s

    The Twist by Chubby Checker is in a class by itself
    1. Hey Jude – The Beatles
    2. The Theme From ” A Summer Place” – Percy Faith
    3. Tossin’ and Turnin’ – Bobby Lewis
    4. I Want To Hold Your Hand – The Beatles
    5. I’m A Believer – The Monkees
    6. I Heard It Through The Grapevine – Marvin Gaye
    7. Aquarius/ Let The Sunshine In – The 5th Dimension
    8. Are You Lonesome To-night? – Elvis Presley
    9. In The Year 2525 – Zager & Evans
    10. It’s Now or Never – Elvis Presley
    11. I Can’t Stop Loving You – Ray Charles
    12. Love Is Blue – Paul Mauriat
    13. Big Girls Don’t Cry – The 4 Seasons
    14. Big Bad John – Jimmy Dean
    15. Sugar Shack – Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs
    16. Honey – Bobby Goldsboro
    17. To Sir With Love – Lulu
    18. Cathy’s Clown – The Everly Brothers
    19. People Got To Be Free – The Rascals
    20. Get Back – The Beatles
    21. The Ballad Of The Green Berets – SSgt. Barry Sadler
    22. Sherry – The 4 Seasons
    23. Can’t Buy Me Love – The Beatles
    24. Sugar, Sugar – The Archies
    25. (Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay – Otis Redding
    Take our 1960 Quiz!
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    Take our 1967 Quiz!
    Take our 1968 Quiz!
    Take our 1969 Quiz!
  • My Return Home from Vietnam

    My Return Home from Vietnam

    My Return Home from Vietnam

    When I returned from Vietnam in 1969, I made three decisions. One was going to Woodstock instead of the “New York City Soul Festival”, another was getting out of the navy when my enlistment expired, and yet another was moving back to Detroit.

    Upon arriving in Detroit, there were other decisions to make, enrolling in college and enlisting in the naval reserves to keep my pay grade and time in service just in case I decided to re-enlist regular navy again. I actually prepared for and thought seriously about enrolling in medical school, but was talked out of it. All good, I probably would have made a poor doctor anyway. So, being interested in art, I enrolled in the Arts and Crafts Art School and later transferred to Wayne State University under the GI Bill.

    I enrolled initially for a BA in fine arts and with a couple of friends, opened a small storefront art gallery on Woodward Avenue, called “The Gallery of IMO” and became the only artist selling his paintings out of the three members. Bill Riser, one of the other artists, introduced me to his brother Paul, who did musical arrangements for Motown.

    The early seventies were a unique period in time. One was because of the Black renaissance and the other because of the fantastic opportunities offered to freelance photographers back then. Photographic posters had become the new craze, and record companies were constantly looking for new talent. Professional commercial photographers seldom worked weekend, leaving great money-making opportunities for us nonprofessionals. I made five hundred dollars for a two hour job photographing the Detroit Fourth of July fireworks for the Detroit Free Press newspaper. I made a thousand dollars photographing Mercedes cars for the auto show display. And about two thousand dollars over time on poster contracts. It was then that I decided to switch my major to commercial photography. Bought my first Hasselblad camera and two lenses.

    I was doing very well freelancing and selling artwork on the GI bill and living with my mom, but I also needed a car and without a steady source of income, that would be impossible.

    During this time, I had printed and triple-matted several of my best photographs put them in my portfolio and commenced the job search, not really knowing much about the procedure other than showing my work. My portfolio must have weighed in at about forty pounds and wasn’t the best thing to handles on crowded public transportation like the Detroit DSR buses.

    After a week or two of lugging my portfolio from one business to another without much success, a friend recommended the J. L. Hudson department store that had it’s own photography studio as part of it’s advertising department.

    The Hudson store opened in 1891 and was eventually moved to Gratiot Avenue and Farmer Street, and encompassed an entire block, filling the space between Woodward Avenue and Farmer, Gratiot and Grand River Avenue. The store was a 25-story structure that was the world’s tallest department store until 1961. At one point, Hudson’s claimed it was also the second-largest store in the country in terms of square feet (two million), after Macy’s Herald Square in New York City. Hudson’s had it’s own cafeteria and even an infirmary. The Hudson’s photographic studio was located on the 19th floor.

    So, without even making an appointment, I walked into the store, took the employee elevator up to the 19th floor (customer elevators only went to the 14th floor) and luckily caught the manager, Mr. Syzdek during his lunch break. It was obviously an uneasy first meeting, but Mr. Syzdek was so impressed with my photographs and the way they were matted that he hired me on the spot.

    So, I became the FIRST Black photographer in the history of the J. L. Hudson’s department store history. A fact that even garnered a mention in the newspapers and didn’t escape the notice of the NAACP.

    Being single, my coworkers thought I’d be a good match for another Hudson employee. Portia was one of the young African American elevator operators. She was tall, thin and very pretty. So we started dating regularly right away. Portia wanted to be a model and we were a pretty good match… but Portia had one big problem. She liked to smoke marijuana, a lot of marijuana.

    This presented me with two problems. Besides weed being illegal in Detroit, it was also illegal in the military. Also, I never smoked the stuff myself. However, having perfected the art of rolling homemade cigarettes, I became pretty good at rolling joints. So good, that my talent was often requested at the parties we attended. At a Tina Turner “after-hours party”, I spent all night rolling joints. There was so much weed at that party that I was getting a buzz just from the secondhand smoke and all the time praying that the reserve unit wouldn’t schedule a urine test.

    People who say smoking weed isn’t harmful should meet a person like Portia. Her brain was almost toast. It was a good thing she operated the employee elevators and tot the customer ones. One day I got on the elevator and expected she’d take me up to the nineteenth floor where I worked. The doors shut and the elevator started moving upward very slowly, then very fast and eventually came to an abrupt stop. The doors opened and posted on a pole just to the left was a sign that read “21st Floor, Executive Offices”.

    When Hudson’s wanted to run an ad for African American newly weds, they use Portia and I as the models. The full page ad ran in the Sunday paper and on Monday, my phone rang off the hook with friends congratulating me.

    We went out to dinner one night at a local steak house. After getting our seats, I excused myself for a restroom break. As I exited the bathroom, I saw a guy sitting at our table having what seemed to be a romantic conversation with my Portia. Not wanting to cause a scene, I hesitated long enough for the guy to get up and leave. When I got to the table, Portia broke out in hysterical laughter. “What’s up?”, I said, trying to control my anger. “That guy just told me he was Fred Durrette, a photographer, and wanted me to pose for him in his apartment studio”.

    Portia and I eventually dissolved our relationship as it just wasn’t enjoyable. I was always concerned about being arrested with the nickel bag of grass I was taking to her house or even being busted by some undercover narc when trying to purchase it. Either way, it would end my military career.

    Fredric Durrette served one tour in Vietnam, retired as E8 in the navy submarine service after 23 years. Major hobbies are collecting old stuff from the 20s and restoring old racing bicycles. Worked as a commercial photographer at JL Hudsons in Detroit and continue photography as a hobby. Love Sade, sixties soul, seventies rock, and all jazz. Attended Woodstock in 69!

    Fredric Durrete’s pictures

  • 1960s Phrases

    1960s Phrases

    1960s Phrases

    Some phrases from the 1960s that no one uses anymore…..

    A Gas: A Lot of Fun
    Ankle Biter: A Baby or Small Child
    Ape: Gone Wild
    Bad: Awesome
    Bag: To Steal
    Ball: To party. Later meaning Intercourse
    Beat Feat: Leave in a hurry
    Blast: A great time
    Blitzed: Drunk
    Bogart: To hog something
    Book: Leave the area
    Bread: Money
    Bummed Out: Depressed
    Cat: A guy
    Choice: Something that is really cool
    Chop: To cut down verbally
    Cool Head: Nice Guy
    Copacetic: Everything is alright
    Crash: Go to bed
    Decked Out: Dressed up
    Dig: Do you understand?
    Dip Stick/Dork: What an idiot
    Dude: A geek
    Fab: Far out
    Flake: Useless person
    Fox: An outstanding looking girl/woman
    Fuzz/Pig: Police
    Gimme Some Skin: Shake hands
    Groovy/Gone: Really cool
    Hacked: Angry or disgusted
    Hairy: Out of control
    Jam: To leave the area
    Jazzed: Excited or elated
    Jesus Boots: Sandals
    Later: Goodbye
    Lay It On Me: Speak your peace
    Loaded: Intoxicated
    Make Out: Kissing session
    Moon: Drop your pants
    Neat/Nifty: Cool or nice
    Old Lady: Your mother
    Outta Sight: Fantastic
    Panty Waist: A mama’s boy
    Primo: First class
    Pin: To look hard at someone
    Primo: First class
    Rags: Clothes
    Rap: Talk
    Right On: I agree
    Scarf: Eat very fast
    Scratch: Money
    Skag: Ugly girl
    Sosh: Someone who is snobby
    Stuck Up: Conceited
    Teach: A Teacher
    The Most: Something that is amazing
    Thongs: Something you wore on your feet like sandals
    Twitchin: A word you used instead of Bitchin around your parents
    Wet Willie: When someone puts their wet finger in your ear
    Wicked: Term for admiration
    Zits: Pimples or acne

    Fredric Durrette served one tour in Vietnam, retired as E8 in the navy submarine service after 23 years. Major hobbies are collecting old stuff from the 20s and restoring old racing bicycles. Worked as a commercial photographer at JL Hudsons in Detroit and continue photography as a hobby. Love Sade, sixties soul, seventies rock, and all jazz. Attended Woodstock in 69!
    http://snakesafe.jalbum.net/

  • 1969 Oscars 41st Academy Awards

    1969 Oscars 41st Academy Awards

    1969 Oscars 41st Academy Awards

    Winners Announced: April 14, 1969
    Held at: Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles, California
    Host: no one
    Eligibility Year: 1968

    Cinematic Highlights and Achievements

    • Oliver! Steals the Show: This musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ novel surprised many by bagging six awards, including Best Picture.
    • Oliver! had 11 nominations, winning five awards.
    • Oliver! was the only G-rated film to win Best Picture.
    • Heat for Cool Hand Luke: Strother Martin coined the memorable line “What we’ve got here is failure to communicate” in this film. Although not a winner, the movie received nominations and became iconic.
    • Katharine Hepburn’s Double Act: Hepburn won Best Actress for her role in The Lion in Winter, sharing the honor with Barbra Streisand for Funny Girl—an Oscars first!

    Trivia and Noteworthy Moments

    • Host-less Night: For the first time in its history, the Academy Awards had no host, creating a more streamlined (but less comedic) atmosphere.
    • Political Activism: When Marlon Brando won Best Actor for The Godfather, he sent Native American activist Sacheen Littlefeather to decline the award as a protest against Hollywood’s portrayal of Native Americans in film.
    • Foreign Influence: The Best Director award went to Carol Reed for Oliver!, marking a triumph for British cinema in Hollywood.
    • Take our 1969 Quiz!

    1969 Oscar Nominees and Winners

    Best Picture:
    Oliver! – John Woolf, producer (WINNER)
    Funny Girl – Ray Stark, producer
    The Lion In Winter – Martin Poll, producer
    Rachel, Rachel – Paul Newman, producer
    Romeo and Juliet – John Brabourne and Anthony Havelock-Allan, producers
    Best Director:
    Carol Reed – Oliver! (WINNER)
    Stanley Kubrick – 2001: A Space Odyssey
    Gillo Pontecorvo – The Battle of Algiers
    Anthony Harvey – The Lion In Winter
    Franco Zeffirelli – Romeo and Juliet
    Best Actor:
    Cliff Robertson – Charly as Charlie Gordon (WINNER)
    Alan Arkin – The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter as John Singer
    Alan Bates – The Fixer as Yakov Bok
    Ron Moody – Oliver! as Fagin
    Peter O’Toole – The Lion In Winter as King Henry II of England
    Best Actress (tie):
    Katharine Hepburn – The Lion In Winter as Eleanor of Aquitaine (WINNER)
    Barbra Streisand – Funny Girl as Fanny Brice (WINNER)
    Patricia Neal – The Subject Was Roses as Nettie Cleary
    Vanessa Redgrave – Isadora as Isadora Duncan
    Joanne Woodward – Rachel, Rachel as Rachel Cameron
    Best Supporting Actor:
    Jack Albertson – The Subject Was Roses as John Cleary (WINNER)
    Seymour Cassel – Faces as Chet
    Daniel Massey – Star! as Noël Coward
    Jack Wild – Oliver! as Jack Dawkins (“The Artful Dodger”)
    Gene Wilder – The Producers as Leo Bloom
    Best Supporting Actress:
    Ruth Gordon – Rosemary’s Baby as Minnie Castevet (WINNER)
    Lynn Carlin – Faces as Maria Frost
    Sondra Locke – The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter as Mick Kelly
    Kay Medford – Funny Girl as Rose Stern Borach
    Estelle Parsons – Rachel, Rachel as Calla Mackie
    Best Story and Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen:
    The Producers – Mel Brooks (WINNER)
    2001: A Space Odyssey – Stanley Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke
    The Battle of Algiers – Franco Solinas and Gillo Pontecorvo
    Faces – John Cassavetes
    Hot Millions – Ira Wallach and Peter Ustinov
    Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium:
    The Lion in Winter – James Goldman based on his play (WINNER)
    The Odd Couple – Neil Simon based on his play
    Oliver! – Vernon Harris based on the play by Lionel Bart and Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
    Rachel, Rachel – Stewart Stern based on the novel A Jest of God by Margaret Laurence
    Rosemary’s Baby – Roman Polanski based on the novel by Ira Levin
    Best Documentary Feature:
    Journey into Self – Bill McGaw (WINNER)
    A Few Notes on Our Food Problem – U.S. Information Agency
    The Legendary Champions – William Cayton
    Other Voices – David H. Sawyer
    Young Americans – Robert Cohn and Alex Grasshoff
    Best Documentary Short Subject:
    Why Man Creates – Saul Bass (WINNER)
    The House That Ananda Built – Films Division, Government of India
    The Revolving Door – Vision Associates Production for the American Foundation Institute of Corrections
    A Space to Grow – Office of Economic Opportunity for Project Upward Bound
    A Way Out of the Wilderness – Dan E. Weisburd
    Best Live Action Short Subject:
    Robert Kennedy Remembered – Guggenheim Productions (WINNER)
    The Dove – Coe-Davis Ltd.
    Duo – National Film Board of Canada
    Prelude – Prelude Co.
    Best Short Subject – Cartoons:
    Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day – Walt Disney (posthumous award) (WINNER)
    The House That Jack Built – National Film Board of Canada
    The Magic Pear Tree – Murakami-Wolf Films
    Windy Day – Hubley Studios
    Best Original Score for a Motion Picture (Not a Musical):
    The Lion in Winter – John Barry (WINNER)
    The Fox – Lalo Schifrin
    Planet of the Apes – Jerry Goldsmith
    The Shoes of the Fisherman – Alex North
    The Thomas Crown Affair – Michel Legrand
    Best Score of a Musical Picture – Original or Adaptation:
    Oliver! – Johnny Green (WINNER)
    Finian’s Rainbow – Ray Heindorf
    Funny Girl – Walter Scharf
    Star! – Lennie Hayton
    The Young Girls of Rochefort – Adaptation: Michel Legrand; Song Score: Michel Legrand and Jacques Demy
    Best Song Original for the Picture:
    “The Windmills of Your Mind” from The Thomas Crown Affair – Music by Michel Legrand; Lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman (WINNER)
    “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang – Music and Lyrics by The Sherman Brothers: Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman
    “For Love of Ivy” from For Love of Ivy – Music by Quincy Jones; Lyrics by Bob Russell
    “Funny Girl” from Funny Girl – Music by Jule Styne; Lyrics by Bob Merrill
    “Star!” from Star! – Music by Jimmy Van Heusen; Lyrics by Sammy Cahn
    Best Sound:
    Oliver! – Shepperton Studio Sound Dept. (WINNER)
    Bullitt – Warner Bros.-Seven Arts Studio Sound Dept.
    Finian’s Rainbow – Warner Bros.-Seven Arts Studio Sound Dept.
    Funny Girl – Columbia Studio Sound Dept.
    Star! – Twentieth Century-Fox Studio Sound Dept.
    Best Foreign Language Film:
    War and Peace – U.S.S.R. (WINNER)
    The Boys of Paul Street – Hungary
    The Firemen’s Ball – Czechoslovakia
    The Girl with the Pistol – Italy
    Stolen Kisses – France
    Best Costume Design:
    Romeo and Juliet – Danilo Donati (WINNER)
    The Lion in Winter – Margaret Furse
    Oliver! – Phyllis Dalton
    Planet of the Apes – Morton Haack
    Star! – Donald Brooks
    Best Art Direction:
    Oliver! – Art Direction: John Box and Terence Marsh; Set Decoration: Vernon Dixon and Ken Muggleston (WINNER)
    2001: A Space Odyssey – Art Direction and Set Decoration: Anthony Masters, Harry Lange and Ernest Archer
    The Shoes of the Fisherman – Art Direction and Set Decoration: George W. Davis and Edward Carfagno
    Star! – Art Direction: Boris Leven; Set Decoration: Walter M. Scott and Howard Bristol
    War and Peace – Art Direction: Mikhail Bogdanov and Gennady Myasnikov; Set Decoration: G. Koshelev and V. Uvarov
    Best Cinematography:
    Romeo and Juliet – Pasqualino De Santis (WINNER)
    Funny Girl – Harry Stradling
    Ice Station Zebra – Daniel L. Fapp
    Oliver! – Oswald Morris
    Star! – Ernest Laszlo
    Best Film Editing:
    Bullitt – Frank P. Keller (WINNER)
    Funny Girl – Robert Swink, Maury Winetrobe and William Sands
    The Odd Couple – Frank Bracht
    Oliver! – Ralph Kemplen
    Wild in the Streets – Fred R. Feitshans Jr. and Eve Newman
    Best Special Visual Effects:
    2001: A Space Odyssey – Stanley Kubrick (WINNER)
    Ice Station Zebra – Hal Millar and Joseph McMillan Johnson
    Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award:
    Martha Raye
    Honorary Awards:
    Walter Matthau presented John Chambers his award for outstanding makeup achievement for Planet of the Apes
    Diahann Carroll presented Onna White her award for outstanding choreography achievement for Oliver!
    Oscar® and Academy Awards® and Oscar® design mark are the trademarks and service marks and the Oscar© statuette the copyrighted property, of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Pop Culture Madness is neither endorsed by nor affiliated with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
  • 1969 Grammy Award Winners

    1969 Grammy Award Winners

     

    1969 Grammy Award Winners

    Winners Announced: March 12, 1969
    Televised “Best On Record”: May 5, 1969
    Held at: Chicago, Los Angeles, Nashville & New York
    Opening/Closing: Rowan and Martin
    Eligibility Year: November 2, 1967 – November 1, 1968

    Musical Highlights and Achievements

    • By the Time I Get to Phoenix Emerges Victorious: Glen Campbell’s hit album won the Album of the Year, highlighting the influence of country-pop during this period.
    • Simon & Garfunkel’s Mrs. Robinson: The iconic song from The Graduate won Record of the Year.
    • Jazz Legend Gets Recognized: Duke Ellington won Best Original Jazz Composition for “In the Beginning God,” marking a significant win for the jazz community.

    Trivia and Noteworthy Moments

    • Comedy Duo: Rowan and Martin, popular for their sketch comedy show Laugh-In, served as the Opening and Closing act, adding humor to the proceedings.
    • A Night of Firsts: José Feliciano snagged Best New Artist, making history as the first artist to win that category with an album primarily sung in Spanish.
    • Cross-Genre Appreciation: The Grammys were diverse this year, with winners spanning from jazz and country to rock and folk, reflecting the eclectic musical tastes of the late ’60s.
    • Take our 1969 Quiz!

    1969 Grammy Winners

    Record of the Year:
    Mrs. Robinson – Simon and Garfunkel
    Album of the Year:
    By the Time I Get to Phoenix, Glen Campbell (Capitol)
    Song of the Year:
    Little Green Apples – Bobby Russell, songwriter
    Best New Artist of 1968:
    José Feliciano
    Best Contemporary Pop Vocal Performance, Male:
    Light My Fire – José Feliciano
    Best Contemporary Pop Vocal Performance, Female:
    Do You Know the Way to San Jose – Dionne Warwick
    Best Contemporary Pop Vocal Performance, Duo or Group:
    Mrs. Robinson – Simon and Garfunkel
    Best Contemporary Pop Performance, Chorus:
    Mission Impossible/Norwegian Wood (medley), Alan Copeland Singers
    Best Contemporary Pop Performance, Instrumental:
    Classical Gas – Mason Williams
    Best Rhythm and Blues Song:
    (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay – Otis Redding and Steve Cropper, songwriters
    Best Rhythm and Blues Vocal Performance, Male:
    (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay – Otis Redding
    Best Rhythm and Blues Vocal Performance, Female:
    Chain of Fools – Aretha Franklin
    Best Rhythm and Blues Performance By a Duo or Group, Vocal or Instrumental:
    Cloud Nine – The Temptations
    Best Instrumental Jazz Performance, Small Group or Soloist With Small Group:
    Bill Evans at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Bill Evans Trio
    Best Instrumental Jazz Performance, Large Group or Soloist With Large Group:
    And His Mother Called Him Bill – Duke Ellington
    Best Country Song:
    Little Green Apples – Bobby Russell, songwriter
    Best Country Vocal Performance, Male:
    Folsom Prison Blues – Johnny Cash
    Best Country Vocal Performance, Female:
    Harper Valley P.T.A. – Jeannie C. Riley
    Best Country Performance, Duo or Group Vocal or Instrumental:
    Foggy Mountain Breakdown – Flatt and Scruggs
    Best Sacred Performance:
    Beautiful Isle of Somewhere – Jack Hess
    Best Gospel Performance:
    The Happy Gospel of the Happy Goodmans, Happy Goodman Family
    Best Soul Gospel Performance:
    The Soul of Me – Dottie Rambo
    Best Folk Performance:
    Both Sides Now – Judy Collins
    Best Instrumental Arrangement:
    Classical Gas – Mike Post, arranger
    Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s):
    MacArthur Park – Jimmy L. Webb, arranger
    Best Instrumental Theme:
    Classical Gas – Mason Williams, composer
    Best Score From an Original Cast Show Album:
    Hair, Gerome Ragni, James Rado and Galt MacDermott, composers (RCA)
    Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special:
    The Graduate, Paul Simon and Dave Grusin, composers
    Best Classical Performance, Orchestra:
    Boulez Conducts Debussy, Pierre Boulez conducting New Philharmonia Orchestra
    Best Chamber Music Performance:
    Gabrieli, Canzoni for Brass, Winds, Strings and Organ, E. Power Biggs with Edward Tarr Ensemble and Gabrieli Consort; Vittorio Negri, conductor
    Best Classical Performance, Instrumental Soloist(s) (With or Without Orchestra):
    Horowitz on Television, Vladimir Horowitz
    Best Opera Recording:
    Mozart, Cosi fan tutte, Erich Leinsdorf conducting New Philharmonia Orchestra and Ambrosian Opera Chorus; solos: Price, Raskin, Troyanos, Milnes, Shirley and Flagello (RCA)
    Best Choral Performance (Other Than Opera):
    The Glory of Gabrieli, Vittorio Negri conducting Gregg Smith Singers and Texas Boys Choir; George Bragg directing Edward Tarr Ensemble with E. Power Biggs
    Best Classical Vocal Soloist Performance:
    Rossini Rarities, Montserrat Caballe; Carlo Felice Cillario conducting RCA Italiana Opera Orchestra and Chorus
    Best Comedy Recording:
    To Russell, My Brother, Whom I Slept With, Bill Cosby (Warner Bros.)
    Best Spoken Word Recording:
    Lonesome Cities, Rod McKuen (Warner Bros.-Seven Arts)
    Best Album Cover:
    Underground, John Berg and Richard Mantel, art directors (Columbia)
    Best Album Notes:
    Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison, Johnny Cash, annotator
  • The Concorde: Supersonic Passenger Airliner

    The Concorde: Supersonic Passenger Airliner

    The Launch of the Concorde Supersonic Passenger Airliner

    The Concorde was a joint venture between the British Aircraft Corporation (later British Aerospace, now BAE Systems) and the French company Aérospatiale (later Aerospatiale-Matra, now Airbus). The project began in the late 1950s, with both countries signing a treaty to cooperate on the development of a supersonic aircraft in 1962. The name “Concorde” was chosen as a symbol of the partnership between the two nations, meaning “agreement” or “union” in both English and French.

    The Concorde’s maiden flight took place on March 2, 1969, when the prototype 001 took off from Toulouse, France, with test pilots André Turcat and Brian Trubshaw at the controls. The aircraft’s sleek, delta-wing design and powerful engines allowed it to reach speeds of over 1,350 miles per hour (2,180 km/h), more than twice the speed of conventional jetliners. The Concorde’s cruising altitude was around 60,000 feet (18,300 meters), significantly higher than most commercial flights.

    After years of testing and development, the Concorde entered commercial service on January 21, 1976, with simultaneous inaugural flights by British Airways from London to Bahrain and by Air France from Paris to Rio de Janeiro. The aircraft’s supersonic speed enabled it to fly between London and New York in just under 3.5 hours, cutting the travel time of traditional jetliners by more than half.

    However, the Concorde faced several challenges during its years of operation, including high operating costs, environmental concerns over noise pollution and sonic booms, and limited demand due to its expensive fares. Only 14 of the aircraft were used commercially, operated by British Airways and Air France.

    The Concorde’s era came to an end in 2003, when both airlines retired their fleets, citing a downturn in the aviation industry following the September 11 attacks, increasing maintenance costs, and the end of Airbus support for the aircraft. Despite its retirement, the Concorde remains a symbol of technological innovation and an icon of supersonic travel.