At A Glance

17 December 1971 at a glance

Day of the week
17 December 1971 was a Friday.
UK Number One
The UK Number One single was “Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)” by Benny Hill.
Top Film of 1971
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1971 was The French Connection.
Star sign
The star sign for 17 December is Sagittarius.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 17 December 1971 fell in the Year of the Pig.
Birthstone
The birthstone for December is Turquoise.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 17 December 1971 was New Moon.

On this day: 17 December

  • 1950 The F-86 Sabre's first mission over Korea.
  • 1957 The United States successfully launches the first Atlas intercontinental ballistic missile at Cape Canaveral, Florida.
  • 1960 Troops loyal to Emperor Haile Selassie in Ethiopia crush the coup that began December 13, returning power to their leader upon his return from Brazil. Haile Selassie absolves his son of any guilt.
  • 1969 Project Blue Book: The United States Air Force closes its study of UFOs.
  • 1989 Fernando Collor de Mello defeats Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the second round of the Brazilian presidential election, becoming the first democratically elected President in almost 30 years.

Famous people born on 17 December

  • Sarah Paulson, American actress (born 1974)
  • Milla Jovovich, Ukrainian-American actress (born 1975)
  • Bill Pullman, American actor (born 1953)
  • Pope Francis, Argentinian Pope of the Catholic Church (1936–2025)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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Events of 1971 in the United Kingdom

A selection from Wikipedia's '1971 in the United Kingdom'. Not a complete list.

  • 3 February – Tyneside-set British crime film Get Carter starring Michael Caine premièred (in Los Angeles).
  • 14 June – The first Hard Rock Cafe opened near Hyde Park Corner in London.
  • 25–27 June – The first Reading Festival "of jazz and progressive music" took place.
More events of 1971 →Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Life in 1971

Prime Minister

Edward Heath

Monarch

Elizabeth II

Pint of Beer

17p

Loaf of Bread

11p

Average House

£5,632

Weekly Wage

£30.90

Or

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Famous Faces Born in the 1970s

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

Matthew Rhys8 November 1974ActorView their day →Hannah Waddingham28 July 1974ActressView their day →Andy Burnham7 January 1970PoliticianView their day →Christopher Nolan30 July 1970FilmmakerView their day →Lucy Davis17 February 1973ActressView their day →Tom Hardy15 September 1977ActorView their day →Christian Bale30 January 1974ActorView their day →Kelly Macdonald23 February 1976ActressView their day →

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

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