At A Glance

17 October 1978 at a glance

Day of the week
17 October 1978 was a Tuesday.
Kent Music Report No. 1
The Kent Music Report No. 1 was “Are You Old Enough?” by Dragon.
Top Film of 1978
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1978 was Grease.
Best-Selling Vehicle of 1978
Australia's top-selling new vehicle in 1978 was the Holden Kingswood.
Star sign
The star sign for 17 October is Libra.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 17 October 1978 fell in the Year of the Horse.
Birthstone
The birthstone for October is Opal.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 17 October 1978 was Waning Gibbous.

On this day: 17 October

  • 1973 OPEC imposes an oil embargo against countries they deem to have helped Israel in the Yom Kippur War.
  • 1975 'Salem's Lot, an American vampire novel by Stephen King, is published.
  • 1979 Mother Teresa is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
  • 1979 The Department of Education Organization Act creates the U.S. Department of Education.
  • 1980 As part of the Holy See–United Kingdom relations a British monarch makes the first state visit to the Vatican.

Famous people born on 17 October

  • Eminem, American rapper, producer, and actor (born 1972)
  • Norm Macdonald, Canadian actor, comedian, producer, and screenwriter (1959–2021)
  • Rita Hayworth, American actress, singer and dancer (1918–1987)
  • Matthew Macfadyen, English actor (born 1974)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Choose your country: the charts, news and leaders change to match.

Events of 1978 in Australia

A selection from Wikipedia's '1978 in Australia'. Not a complete list.

  • 1 January – Another Vietnamese refugee boat arrives at night, from a camp off the Malaysian coast.
  • 3 January – Bela Csidei, a prominent Sydney businessman, is alleged in the Darwin Magistrates' Court to have been involved in growing marijuana in the Northern Territory.
  • 14 March – Stephen Matthews, aged 20, swept from the Natural Bridge off Albany, by a King Wave. Rescued by whale ship, the Cheynes II. First recorded survival of someone swept into the sea at The Gap and Natural Bridge.
More events of 1978 →Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Life in Australia in 1978

Prime Minister

Malcolm Fraser

Monarch

Queen Elizabeth II

Petrol (per litre)

$0.12

Loaf of Bread

$0.50

Average House

$36,000

Weekly Wage

$185.00

Or

Browse by Year

The 1940s
1940194119421943194419451946194719481949
The 1950s
1950195119521953195419551956195719581959
The 1960s
1960196119621963196419651966196719681969
The 1970s
1970197119721973197419751976197719781979
The 1980s
1980198119821983198419851986198719881989
The 1990s
1990199119921993199419951996199719981999
The 2000s
2000200120022003200420052006200720082009
The 2010s
2010201120122013201420152016201720182019
The 2020s
20202021202220232024

Famous Faces Born in the 1970s

Well-known people born in the same decade as you, not on your birthday.

Heath Ledger4 April 1979ActorView their day →Patrick Brammall30 March 1976ActorView their day →Rose Byrne24 July 1979ActressView their day →Isla Fisher3 February 1976Actress & authorView their day →Sam Worthington2 August 1976ActorView their day →Toni Collette1 November 1972Actress & musicianView their day →Joel Edgerton23 June 1974ActorView their day →Natalie Imbruglia4 February 1975Singer & actressView their day →

Sources: Wikidata and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

About The Day You Were Born

Ever wondered what was happening in the world when you took your first breath? Our birthday lookup tool reveals the fascinating history of your special day.

About The Birthday Chronicle and where our data comes from →