1978

Events in 1978 63

• 1888 – 1978 Giorgio de Chirico Metaphysical Art · Italy Giorgio de Chirico (July 10, 1888 – November 20, 1978) was an Italian painter who founded the Metaphysical Art movement. His eerily empty piazzas and mysterious shadows profoundly influenced the Surrealists.
• 1892 – 1978 Jack Warner (1892-1978) Died 9 September 1978, aged 86 Warner was a co-founder and longtime president of Warner Bros., one of Hollywood's major studios during its golden age. He died in Los Angeles.
• 1894 – 1978 Norman Rockwell (1894-1978) Died 8 November 1978, aged 84 Rockwell was an American painter and illustrator best known for his decades of cover art for The Saturday Evening Post depicting idealized scenes of everyday American life. He died at his home in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.
• 1897 – 1978 Gene Tunney (1897-1978) Died 7 November 1978, aged 81 Tunney was a world heavyweight boxing champion best remembered for twice defeating Jack Dempsey, including the famous "Long Count" bout of 1927. He died in Greenwich, Connecticut.
• 1897 – 1978 Pope Paul VI (1897-1978) Died 6 August 1978, aged 80 Born Giovanni Battista Montini, he led the Catholic Church through the closing sessions of the Second Vatican Council and its turbulent aftermath. He died at the papal summer residence of Castel Gandolfo.
• 1898 – 1978 Golda Meir (1898-1978) Died 8 December 1978, aged 80 Meir served as Prime Minister of Israel from 1969 to 1974, the country's first and to date only female head of government. She died in Jerusalem after a long battle with lymphoma.
• 1898 – 1978 Willy Messerschmitt (1898-1978) Died 15 September 1978, aged 80 Messerschmitt was a German aircraft designer whose company produced the Bf 109 and Me 262, mainstays of the Luftwaffe during the Second World War. He died in Munich.
• 1899 – 1978 Charles Boyer (1899-1978) Died 26 August 1978, aged 78 Boyer was a French leading man of Hollywood's golden age, nominated for four Academy Awards including for "Gaslight". He died by suicide two days after the death of his wife of 44 years.
• 1903 – 1978 Edgar Bergen (1903-1978) American ventriloquist whose dummy Charlie McCarthy made him a radio star, and father of Candice Bergen.
• 1903 – 1978 Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978) Died 1 May 1978, aged 74 Khachaturian was a Soviet Armenian composer best known for the "Sabre Dance" from his ballet "Gayane" and his Spartacus ballet score. He died in Moscow.
• 1905 – 1978 Karl Wallenda (1905-1978) Died 22 March 1978, aged 73 Wallenda was the founder of the high-wire circus troupe The Flying Wallendas. He fell to his death while attempting to walk a cable strung between two hotel towers in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
• 1906 – 1978 Kurt Gödel (1906-1978) Died 14 January 1978, aged 71 Gödel was one of the most significant logicians in history, best known for his incompleteness theorems proving inherent limits to formal mathematical systems. He died in Princeton, New Jersey, of self-starvation brought on by paranoid delusions.
• 1911 – 1978 Hubert Humphrey (1911-1978) Died 13 January 1978, aged 66 Humphrey served as US Vice President under Lyndon Johnson and was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1968, losing narrowly to Richard Nixon. He died of bladder cancer shortly after returning to the Senate.
• 1912 – 1978 Pope John Paul I (1912-1978) Died 28 September 1978, aged 65 Born Albino Luciani, he was elected pope on 26 August 1978 and died suddenly 33 days later, giving him one of the shortest papal reigns in Church history. His sudden death prompted a second conclave within the same year.
• 1913 – 1978 Gig Young (1913-1978) American actor, Oscar winner for They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
• 1915 – 1978 Dan Dailey (1915-1978) American dancer and actor, Betty Grable's partner in 1940s Fox musicals.
• 1927 – 1978 Robert Shaw (1927-1978) Died 28 August 1978, aged 51 The English actor and novelist was widely known for playing shark hunter Quint in "Jaws" and for roles in "From Russia with Love" and "The Sting". He died of a heart attack while driving in Ireland.
• 1928 – 1978 Bob Crane (1928-1978) Died 29 June 1978, aged 49 Crane was an American actor best known for starring in the television sitcom "Hogan's Heroes". He was found bludgeoned to death in his apartment in Scottsdale, Arizona, in a murder that remains officially unsolved.
• 1939 – 1978 Claude François (1939-1978) Died 11 March 1978, aged 39 François was one of France's biggest pop stars of the 1960s and 70s, co-writer of the song that became "My Way". He died of electrocution while adjusting a lamp in his bathtub.
• 1944 – 1978 Ronnie Peterson The SuperSwede Renowned for his incredible car control and speed; finished as runner-up twice before his death.
• 1946 – 1978 Keith Moon (1946-1978) Died 7 September 1978, aged 32 Moon was the drummer of the English rock band The Who, known for his explosive and unorthodox playing style. He died in London of an overdose of medication prescribed to treat alcoholism.
• 1958 – 1978 The Miracles American soul vocal group Detroit group led by Smokey Robinson, Motown's first million-sellers and among the label's finest songwriters.
• 1969 – 1978 State secretary in the economics ministry Under Brandt and then Schmidt, for eight years A Social Democrat who spent his career moving between government and industry.
• 1970 – 1978 Euwe serves as FIDE President Longest-serving FIDE president Max Euwe served as president of FIDE for eight years and was instrumental in organizing the Fischer-Spassky match in 1972.
• 1978 Deng Xiaoping's reforms — China opens to the world "To get rich is glorious" — the greatest economic transformation in history After Mao's death, Deng Xiaoping gradually took power and launched sweeping economic reforms from 1978 — introducing market mechanisms, opening special economic zones, and welcoming foreign investment. China's economy grew at an average of nearly 10% per year for the next four decades, lifting 800 million people out of poverty — the largest poverty reduction in human history.
• 1978 – 1980 John Farrar writes for Olivia Newton-John "You're the One That I Want", "Suddenly" Former Shadows member John Farrar went on to write and produce major hits for Olivia Newton-John, including "You're the One That I Want" (from "Grease", 1978) and "Suddenly" (from "Xanadu", 1980) — one of the more unexpected legacies of the Shadows' rotating line-up.
• 1978 – present Gianluigi Buffon Gigi 2006 World Cup winner and widely considered one of the greatest goalkeepers ever.
• 1978 Northeastern blizzard of 1978 A noreaster buries New England under record snow, killing about 100 people and stranding thousands of cars on Route 128.
• 1978 Leon Spinks beats Muhammad Ali Olympic champion Spinks, in only his eighth professional fight, takes the heavyweight title from Ali on a split decision.
• 1978 La Mon restaurant bombing An IRA incendiary bomb at a hotel near Belfast kills 12 people.
• 1978 First GPS satellite launched Navstar 1, the first Global Positioning System satellite, is launched from Vandenberg.
• 1978 Iditarod 1978 Winner: Dick Mackey — by one second The most controversial finish in Iditarod history. Dick Mackey beat Rick Swenson by just one second — the closest finish ever. Swenson protested but the result stood.
• 1978 – present Pretenders British-American rock band Chrissie Hynde's band — Brass in Pocket, Back on the Chain Gang and I'll Stand by You.
• 1978 Naomi Uemura reaches the North Pole solo First person to reach the North Pole alone Japanese explorer Naomi Uemura departed Ellesmere Island by dog sled and became the first person to reach the North Pole solo and unsupported. The 700-kilometre trek took nearly two months across shifting sea ice.
• 1978 – present Didier Drogba The Titan Chelsea legend and twice African Footballer of the Year; famous for his clutch performances in finals.
• 1978 Amoco Cadiz oil spill Supertanker wreck causes one of the largest oil spills in history The supertanker Amoco Cadiz ran aground off the coast of Brittany after its steering failed in a storm, spilling its entire cargo of 1.6 million barrels of crude oil. The spill devastated over 300 kilometres of French coastline and remains one of the largest in history.
• 1978 Kidnapping and murder of Aldo Moro Red Brigades abduct and kill Italy's former prime minister The Marxist Red Brigades kidnapped former Italian Prime Minister Aldo Moro in Rome, killing his five bodyguards. He was held for 55 days and murdered after the Italian government refused to negotiate, one of the defining crises of Italy's "Years of Lead".
• 1978 US Senate ratifies Panama Canal Treaties Treaties set course for handover of canal to Panama The US Senate narrowly ratified the Torrijos-Carter Treaties, which set a schedule for transferring control of the Panama Canal from the United States to Panama by the end of 1999. The votes ended decades of dispute over the canal's sovereignty.
• 1978 Elvis Costello releases This Year's Model With the Attractions His first album with the Attractions.
• 1978 The Police release Roxanne First single on A&M Banned by the BBC, it becomes a hit a year later.
• 1978 1978 World Snooker Championship Reardon Title 6 Winner: Ray Reardon; Runner-up: Perrie Mans. Score: 25–18.
• 1978 Bob Marley's One Love Peace Concert Kingston Joins the hands of rival leaders Michael Manley and Edward Seaga on stage.
• 1978 – present Xavier Rudd Australian Multi-Instrumentalist, Singer-Songwriter & Indigenous Rights Advocate Xavier Rudd is an Australian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist renowned for his one-man-band live performances, blending slide guitar, didgeridoo, stomp box, and percussion. Raised in the surf town of Torquay, Victoria, he built a career on themes of nature, spirituality, and Aboriginal rights, becoming one of Australia's most distinctive touring artists. Since his 2002 debut, he has released over a dozen albums, several performed with his backing band the United Nations, and has used his platform to advocate for environmental protection and Indigenous land rights.
• 1978 1978 FIFA World Cup Confetti over Argentina Argentina won their first title on home soil amidst a flurry of ticker tape. Winner: Argentina.
• 1978 Dire Straits Debut album — June 9, 1978 The Dire Straits debut album was released on June 9, 1978, recorded at Basing Street Studios in London for just £12,500. It featured "Sultans of Swing" and reached number 5 in the UK and number 2 in the US, becoming double platinum in both countries.
• 1978 Some Girls Fourteenth album — June 9, 1978 Some Girls was released on June 9, 1978, the Stones' response to punk and disco. Their biggest commercial success, it reached number 1 in the US and number 2 in the UK. It included "Miss You" and "Beast of Burden".
• 1978 Grease released Musical film starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John opens Paramount Pictures released the film adaptation of the stage musical "Grease", starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. It became the highest-grossing film of 1978 and one of the best-selling movie musicals ever made.
• 1978 Garfield comic strip debuts Jim Davis introduces the lasagna-loving cat Cartoonist Jim Davis launched "Garfield" in 41 US newspapers, centered on a cynical, food-obsessed cat and his owner Jon Arbuckle. It went on to become one of the most widely syndicated comic strips in the world.
• 1978 – present Frank Lampard Super Frank Chelsea's all-time leading scorer and one of the most prolific goalscoring midfielders in history.
• 1978 First IVF baby Louise Brown born, UK Louise Brown, born in Oldham, England on July 25, 1978, was the world's first baby conceived through in vitro fertilisation (IVF).
• 1978 US Open 1978 — first at Flushing Meadows Men: Jimmy Connors · Women: Chris Evert First US Open at the new USTA National Tennis Center, Flushing Meadows, New York.
• 1978 Year of Three Popes Vatican sees two conclaves within two months After Pope Paul VI died in August, Cardinal Albino Luciani was elected Pope John Paul I but died just 33 days later, one of the shortest papacies in history. A second conclave in October elected Karol Wojtyla as Pope John Paul II, the first non-Italian pope in 455 years.
• 1978 Double Eagle II crosses the Atlantic First successful manned balloon crossing of the Atlantic Ocean A crew of three Americans flew the helium balloon Double Eagle II from Presque Isle, Maine, to a field near Paris, completing the first successful transatlantic balloon flight. The 137-hour journey ended over a century of failed attempts.
• 1978 – 2020 Kobe Bryant The Black Mamba 5-time NBA champion with the Lakers; famous for his "Mamba Mentality" and scoring prowess.
• 1978 Camp David Accords Egypt and Israel agree a framework for peace Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin negotiated for thirteen days at the US presidential retreat with President Jimmy Carter mediating. The resulting accords led directly to the 1979 Egypt-Israel peace treaty, the first between Israel and an Arab state.
• 1978 September Insurrection in Nicaragua Sandinista-led uprising spreads against the Somoza dictatorship Following the assassination of opposition journalist Pedro Joaquín Chamorro earlier in the year, Sandinista guerrillas and civilian insurgents launched a wave of uprisings in Nicaraguan cities against the regime of Anastasio Somoza. The National Guard's brutal suppression deepened popular support for the revolution that toppled Somoza the following year.
• 1978 Muhammad Ali becomes three-time heavyweight champion Ali defeats Leon Spinks in New Orleans rematch Muhammad Ali defeated Leon Spinks by unanimous decision to reclaim the world heavyweight boxing title, becoming the first man to win the championship three times. The bout drew one of the largest live gates in boxing history to that point.
• 1978 Election of Pope John Paul II Karol Wojtyla becomes first Polish pope A conclave elected Cardinal Karol Wojtyla of Poland as pope, the first non-Italian pontiff since 1523. He would go on to become one of the most influential popes of the 20th century, serving for nearly 27 years.
• 1978 Jonestown massacre Over 900 members of the Peoples Temple die in mass murder-suicide Cult leader Jim Jones ordered followers at his Jonestown settlement in Guyana to drink cyanide-laced punch after members of his group murdered US Congressman Leo Ryan and others at a nearby airstrip. It remains the largest single loss of American civilian life in a deliberate act prior to 9/11.
• 1978 Assassinations of Harvey Milk and George Moscone San Francisco supervisor and mayor shot by former colleague Former city supervisor Dan White shot and killed Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk at San Francisco City Hall. Milk, one of the first openly gay elected officials in the United States, became a lasting symbol of the gay rights movement after his death.
• 1978 Spanish Constitution of 1978 adopted Spain enshrines democracy after Franco Spanish voters approved a new constitution by referendum, establishing a parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy after decades of dictatorship under Francisco Franco. King Juan Carlos I signed it into law before the Cortes Generales.
• 1978 Superman: The Movie released Christopher Reeve stars in landmark superhero film Directed by Richard Donner and starring Christopher Reeve, the film was among the first big-budget adaptations of a comic book superhero and set the template for the genre. Its tagline promised audiences would "believe a man can fly".
• 1978 Vietnam invades Cambodia Vietnamese forces launch full-scale invasion to topple the Khmer Rouge Following years of border clashes and Khmer Rouge atrocities, Vietnam launched a full invasion of Cambodia on 25 December 1978. The offensive drove the Khmer Rouge from power within two weeks, ending its genocidal rule but triggering a decade-long Vietnamese occupation.