At A Glance

17 December 1973 at a glance

Day of the week
17 December 1973 was a Monday.
UK Number One
The UK Number One single was “Merry Xmas Everybody” by Slade.
Top Film of 1973
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1973 was The Exorcist.
Star sign
The star sign for 17 December is Sagittarius.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 17 December 1973 fell in the Year of the Ox.
Birthstone
The birthstone for December is Turquoise.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 17 December 1973 was Waning Crescent.

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 1973 in the United Kingdom

A selection from Wikipedia's '1973 in the United Kingdom'. Not a complete list.

  • 1 March – Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon, one of rock's landmark and bestselling albums, is released in the UK. Sleeve design is by Hipgnosis.
  • 17 March – Elizabeth II opens the replacement London Bridge.
  • 6 July – The eighth James Bond film – Live and Let Die – is released in British cinemas, with the spy being played for the first time by 45-year-old The Saint star Roger Moore.

Life in 1973

Prime Minister

Edward Heath

Monarch

Elizabeth II

Pint of Beer

20p

Loaf of Bread

12p

Average House

£9,942

Weekly Wage

£40.92

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.

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

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