At A Glance

17 December 1968 at a glance

Day of the week
17 December 1968 was a Tuesday.
Billboard Hot 100 No. 1
The Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 was “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” by Marvin Gaye.
Top Film of 1968
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1968 was 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Bestselling Novel of 1968
“Airport” by Arthur Hailey was No. 1 on Publishers Weekly's US fiction list for 1968.
Top-Rated TV Show
“Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In” (NBC) was No. 1 in the Nielsen ratings for the 1968–69 season.
Star sign
The star sign for 17 December is Sagittarius.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 17 December 1968 fell in the Year of the Monkey.
Birthstone
The birthstone for December is Turquoise.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 17 December 1968 was Waning Crescent.

On this day: 17 December

  • 1948 The Finnish Security Police is established to remove communist leadership from its predecessor, the State Police.
  • 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.

Famous people born on December 17

  • 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)

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

Events of 1968 in the United States

A selection from Wikipedia's '1968 in the United States'. Not a complete list.

  • January 30 – The Viet Cong of North Vietnam launch the Tet Offensive against South Vietnam, the United States and their allies.
  • February 11 – Madison Square Garden in New York City opens.
  • April 2 – The film 2001: A Space Odyssey premieres in Washington, D.C.
More events of 1968 →Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Life in the US in 1968

President

Lyndon B. Johnson

Gas (per gallon)

$0.34

Loaf of Bread

$0.23

Average House

$16,700

Weekly Wage

$122

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Famous Faces Born in the 1960s

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

Jeff Bezos12 January 1964Business magnateView their day →Sandra Bullock26 July 1964Actress & film producerView their day →Matthew McConaughey4 November 1969ActorView their day →Cindy Crawford20 February 1966ModelView their day →Tom Cruise3 July 1962Actor & film producerView their day →Nicole Kidman20 June 1967Actress & producerView their day →Woody Harrelson23 July 1961ActorView their day →Kyle Chandler17 September 1965ActorView their day →

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

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