Week of March 15, 1974 - Mr. Pop Culture History

Week of March 15, 1974
President Nixon says he won’t step down, declaring that the Presidency had
been weakened by the surrender of confidential White House tapes and
documents. The President said that a resignation would weaken the office even
further.
Special Watergate prosecutor Leon Jaworski subpoenas documents from
President Nixon. It was the first subpoena by Jaworski’s office since July, when
former special prosecutor Archibald Cox subpoenaed tapes of nine presidential
conversations. Nixon refused to comply and had Cox fired.
Seven Arab nations lift the five-month old oil embargo against the United States,
but Libya and Syria will continue the embargo. Also, OPEC says they will raise
prices. The average price per barrel last year was $2.50 and this year, is
expected to hit around $11.60.
Three die by bombs and two express trains are ambushed in a fresh wave of
violence in Northern Ireland. The attacks followed an announcement by the Irish
Republican Army that it was stepping up attacks against British security forces.
In London, Princess Anne and her husband, Mark
Phillips, escape injury when a man pumped a number of
bullets into their car as it was traveling to Buckingham
Palace from Trafalgar Square. Both escaped injury.
Princess Anne is the daughter of Queen Elizabeth II.
Julie Nixon Eisenhower says that President Nixon will hold
more news conferences – perhaps as often as once a
week. “It’s something he has always know he should do,
because he’s very good on his feet, but he didn’t want to
take the time” she said.
In sports - Washington Redskin Duane Thomas is free
on bond after jumping on the hood of a car after
seeing his wife and three children in it. Witnesses said
Thomas pounded on the windshield with a baseball
bat while riding on the hood as the motorist drove off.
The driver abandoned the car and ran away. Thomas
told the police he wanted the driver to let his wife and
kids out of the car. The driver was not identified.
Race driver Peter Revson (36) is killed in a flaming

Week of March 15, 1974
crash during practice runs for the South African Grand Prix. Revson was an heir
to the Revlon cosmetics fortune. His younger brother was killed in a racetrack
accident in Denmark in 1967. The same year, he was injured in an accident and
was quoted as saying - “I always drive with butterflies in my stomach.”
At the urging of his family to get his mind off the disappearance of his son,
Stephen Malenda of Mentor Ohio went fishing. Unfortunately, he hooked what
turned out be his son. “I said, oh god, what have I got? Timmy? I pulled him up
and saw his face. There was blood on it. I started hollering and screaming. I left
the rod there and went to get help.” Timmy had been missing since January 25.
In Atlanta, 25 men, wearing dresses and wigs - hold up a store and leave in four
waiting taxicabs. The men made off with sunglasses, panty hose, beverages and
ice. The store clerk said one of them offered to sell him a picture of the Madonna
and before leaving, wrote the clerk a check for $546.80. While giving the clerk a
check, he said he would be the next president of the United States. Police found
the men at the home of Ken Stephens and charged him with inciting to riot,
creating turmoil, operating a dive, abusive language and carrying a pistol without
a license. 19 others were rounded up and arrested at the same location.
Passing - Chet Huntley (62) famed NBC newscaster of
abdominal cancer.
Passing - actor Edward Platt (58). Best
known as the CONTROL chief on TV’s
Get Smart. Found dead in his apartment
in Santa Monica, CA of a heart attack.
At the mart - Planter’s Peanuts - 12oz can - .78 ... Kimbie
Disposable Diapers 30 count Box - $1.54 ... Hi C drinks
46oz can - all flavors - .46 ... A jar of Ragu Spaghetti
Sauce w/meat - .79
At the store - Levi’s 501’s for guys - $8.88 ... Levi’s Denim
Bells for guys - $10.26 ... Levi’s Denim jackets for
guys - $11.42 ...
Playing in Las Vegas –
Andy Williams, Lennon Sisters – Caesars
Bobby Gentry – Desert Inn
Sandler & Young – Flamingo
Milton Berle, Frank Sinatra Jr. – Frontier

Week of March 15, 1974
Dean Martin – Grand
Liberace – Hilton
Burt Bacharach/Mike Curb Congregation – Riviera
Wayne Newton – Sands
Jerry Lewis and Mel Torme – Sahara
Cyd Charisse - Thunderbird
Music news - Elvis Presley (39) gives his first
concert in Memphis in 13 years. In a glittering white
jumpsuit he told the audience - “Hello Memphis, it’s
good to be home.”
The Grand Ole Opry is performed at the famed
Ryman auditorium in Nashville for the last time. On
hand in front of 4000 fans - President Nixon along with Roy Acuff and a slough of
stars. The President played the piano and did a yo-yo act. From Nixon: “Your
music does make America better - it is good for Americans to hear it. We come
away better for having heard it.”
Stevie Wonder says he plans to move to Africa and work with charities helping
underprivileged children, particularly the blind.
The Smothers Brothers launch their local Los
Angeles comeback at the Troubadour, but their
performance provoked nonstop heckling from a
smashed customer, who refused to be silenced and
who eventually took a swing at Ken Fritz, the
Brothers’ manager. It was non-other than John
Lennon, who also cut two women with thrown glass.
Eventually, Lennon had been ejected from the club.
During the evening, Lennon could be heard singing
with the Smothers Brothers on “The Legend of John
Henry” and threw-out one-liners, enough for Tom
Smothers to remark – “this is sure a test.” Others tried to quiet Lennon including
companion Harry Nilsson.
Hollywood news – 31 members of a Hollywood TV film crew are killed when their
chartered plane crashes into a mountain near Bishop, California. The crew was
with the David Wolper Company and had just finished shooting an episode for his
ABC-TV series “The Primal Man” ironically titled “The Struggle For Survival.”
Bestsellers - “Burr” - Gore Vidal, “The First Deadly Sin” - Lawrence Sanders,
“The Joy Of Sex” - Alex Comfort, “The Secret Life Of Plants” - Peter Tompkins.

Week of March 15, 1974
Television news – Singer-compose Mac Davis will star in
a weekly music-variety hour this summer on NBC.
First tabloid TV show is being proposed. “Flash!!!, is being
developed by Planet Earth Productions a new company
based at Samuel Goldwyn Studios. The series will star
former news anchor Alex Dreir in a video version of tabloid
papers such as the National Enquirer. Planet Earth says it
has arranged for several tabloid newspapers to lend an
assist. The half-hour pilot will be produced this spring.

Week of March 15, 1974
TV Rankings - The Waltons, All In The Family, Sanford And Son, Barnaby Jones,
Sonny & Cher, Mannix, MASH, Hawaii Five-O, Ironside, Cannon, Kojak, The Six
Million Dollar Man, Maude, Gunsmoke, Glen Campbell Special Pilot-Marriage
Times Four, Happy Days, Mary Tyler Moore, Apple’s Way, Here’s Lucy.
Saturday Night TV - CBS - All In The Family, MASH, Mary
Tyler Moore, Bob Newhart Show, Carol Burnett Show ...
NBC - Pilots - Twice In A Lifetime, Night Games ... ABC -
The Partridge Family, ABC Theater
NBC Pilots - each 90 minutes ... “Twice In A Lifetime”
starring Ernest Borgnine, Arte Johnson and Della Reese.
A Comedy about an ex-Navy cook who buys his own
tugboat .... “Night Games” - Barry Newman, Henry Darrow
and Stefanie Powers - Pilot for Petrocelli.
In syndication tonight - Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert - Ike
& Tina Turner host.
Monday night television -
CBS – Gunsmoke, Here’s Lucy, Salute to James Cagney
NBC – The Magician, NBC Monday Night at the Movies, Tonight Show
ABC – The Rookies, Movie, Wide World of Entertainment
PBS – Uncle Sam Requests The Pleasure Of
The Magician – A diabolical toy maker uses tries to use real bombs in his plane
toys. The Rookies – Willie becomes ill after giving mouth-to-mouth to an ex-con.
American Film Institute Salute To James Cagney – Frank Sinatra hosts. Also
appearing – Jack Lemmon, Doris Day, Frank Gorshin, Charlton Heston, Gov.
Ronald Reagan, Cicely Tyson and John Wayne.

Week of March 15, 1974
Charlie Brown Special on Tuesday.
WLS-TV is one of the first Chicago TV stations transmitting from the new
Sears Tower.

Week of March 15, 1974
Pop music this week in 1974 –
“Seasons In The Sun” - Terry Jacks, “Hooked On A
Feeling” - Blue Suede, “Bennie And The Jets” - Elton
John, “Boogie Down” - Eddie Kendricks, “Jet” - Paul
McCartney & Wings, “Rock On” - David Essex,
“Sunshine On My Shoulder” - John Denver,
“Mockingbird” - Carly Simon & James Taylor, “Eres Tu
(Touch The Wind)” - Mocedades, “Dark Lady” - Cher,
“Come And Get Your Love” - Redbone, “Oh My My” -
Ringo Starr, “The Lord’s Prayer” -
Sister Janet Mead.
Top Albums - “The Way We Were” - Barbra Streisand, “Planet
Waves’ - Bob Dylan, “Greatest Hits” - John Denver, “Court And
Spark” - Joni Mitchell, “Tales From topographic Oceans” - Yes,
“Hotcakes” - Carly Simon, “Tubular Bells” - Mike Oldfield,
“Goodbye Yellowbrick Road’ - Elton John, “Band On The Run” -
Paul McCartney & Wings, “You Don’t Mess Around With Jim” -
Jim Croce.
At the movies –
The Exorcist - Ellen Burstyn, Jason Miller, Linda Blair
Magnum Force - Clint Eastwood ad Dirty Harry
Billy Two Hats - Gregory Peck, Desi Arnaz Jr.
Sleeper - Woody Allen, Diane Keaton
The Last Detail - Jack Nicholson
Man On A Swing - Cliff Robertson, Joel Gray.
Serpico
American Graffiti
Chariots of the Gods
Mame
Walking Tall
Blazing Saddles

Week of March 15, 1974