Summer of 1974: A look back - CNN

Summer rewind: Looking back at 1974

By Emanuella Grinberg, CNN

Updated 1734 GMT (0134 HKT) July 21, 2014

The summer of 1974 stands out in American history with the culmination of the Watergate scandal, leading President Richard Nixon to announce his decision to resign August 9. Click through the gallery for more world events and pop culture landmarks in 1974 that helped define the decade.
Photos: Photos: Summer of 1974
Summer of 1974 – The summer of 1974 stands out in American history with the culmination of the Watergate scandal, leading President Richard Nixon to announce his decision to resign August 9. Click through the gallery for more world events and pop culture landmarks in 1974 that helped define the decade.
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French aerialist Philippe Petit dazzled onlookers below as he walked across a tightrope suspended between the World Trade Center's twin towers on August 7 in New York. Petit's long road to this feat was documented in James Marsh's 2008 documentary "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1155592/" target="_blank">Man on a Wire</a>."
Photos: Photos: Summer of 1974
Summer of 1974 – French aerialist Philippe Petit dazzled onlookers below as he walked across a tightrope suspended between the World Trade Center's twin towers on August 7 in New York. Petit's long road to this feat was documented in James Marsh's 2008 documentary "Man on a Wire."
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Streaking, or the act of running naked through a public place, became popular on college campuses in the 1960s and continued into the 1970s in what the press called an "epidemic."
Photos: Photos: Summer of 1974
Summer of 1974 – Streaking, or the act of running naked through a public place, became popular on college campuses in the 1960s and continued into the 1970s in what the press called an "epidemic."
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"CBS Evening News" anchor Walter Cronkite was voted "the most trusted and objective newscaster on television" in 1974 in a national opinion poll. As anchor of the "Evening News" from 1962 to 1981, "Uncle Walter" was the face of network, bringing Americans some of the biggest news events of the latter half of 20th century.
Photos: Photos: Summer of 1974
Summer of 1974 – "CBS Evening News" anchor Walter Cronkite was voted "the most trusted and objective newscaster on television" in 1974 in a national opinion poll. As anchor of the "Evening News" from 1962 to 1981, "Uncle Walter" was the face of network, bringing Americans some of the biggest news events of the latter half of 20th century.
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American tennis pro Chris Evert's Grand Slam streak began at the 1974 French Open in June and continued for 13 consecutive seasons. The next month, she won her first singles championship at Wimbledon.
Photos: Photos: Summer of 1974
Summer of 1974 – American tennis pro Chris Evert's Grand Slam streak began at the 1974 French Open in June and continued for 13 consecutive seasons. The next month, she won her first singles championship at Wimbledon.
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The Oakland Athletics' journey to their third World Series in a row continued in the summer of 1974, culminating in a Game 5 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Photos: Photos: Summer of 1974
Summer of 1974 – The Oakland Athletics' journey to their third World Series in a row continued in the summer of 1974, culminating in a Game 5 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
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L.A. Dodger Steve Garvey was named the National League Most Valuable Player in 1974, the same year he made his debut at the All-Star Game.
Photos: Photos: Summer of 1974
Summer of 1974 – L.A. Dodger Steve Garvey was named the National League Most Valuable Player in 1974, the same year he made his debut at the All-Star Game.
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<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/21/showbiz/1974-terrible-music-great-movies/index.html">1974 is considered one of the best years in movies</a>, thanks to the ascendance of counterculture directors including Roman Polanski, whose hit "Chinatown" opened June 20.
Photos: Photos: Summer of 1974
Summer of 1974 – 1974 is considered one of the best years in movies, thanks to the ascendance of counterculture directors including Roman Polanski, whose hit "Chinatown" opened June 20.
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Martin Scorsese's groundbreaking hit, "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore," about a single mother's attempt to build a life, hit theaters May 30. As CNN's Todd Leopold writes, "Alice" and other films of 1974 "<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/21/showbiz/1974-terrible-music-great-movies/index.html">reinforced the confusion of the times</a>."
Photos: Photos: Summer of 1974
Summer of 1974 – Martin Scorsese's groundbreaking hit, "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore," about a single mother's attempt to build a life, hit theaters May 30. As CNN's Todd Leopold writes, "Alice" and other films of 1974 "reinforced the confusion of the times."
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In 2006, CNN.com <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/04/19/eye.ent.worstsong/index.html">conducted an unscientific survey</a> to find the worst song of all time, and 1974 stood out as an exceptionally bad year for song production. Supporting this theory is the fact that Paul McCartney & Wings' "Band on the Run," which was released in December 1973, was still dominating the top 10 in the summer of 1974.
Photos: Photos: Summer of 1974
Summer of 1974 – In 2006, CNN.com conducted an unscientific survey to find the worst song of all time, and 1974 stood out as an exceptionally bad year for song production. Supporting this theory is the fact that Paul McCartney & Wings' "Band on the Run," which was released in December 1973, was still dominating the top 10 in the summer of 1974.
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The 1970s did not exactly usher in a new wave of groundbreaking television. One exception was Garry Marshall's nostalgia vehicle "Happy Days," a hit among viewers, who made it one of NBC's most-watched shows during the summer of 1974.
Photos: Photos: Summer of 1974
Summer of 1974 – The 1970s did not exactly usher in a new wave of groundbreaking television. One exception was Garry Marshall's nostalgia vehicle "Happy Days," a hit among viewers, who made it one of NBC's most-watched shows during the summer of 1974.
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On other networks, long-running television series such as NBC's "Columbo" dominated the airwaves. Even in summer reruns, viewers eagerly tuned in to see Peter Falk's beloved homicide detective solve crimes in a reverse whodunit format.
Photos: Photos: Summer of 1974
Summer of 1974 – On other networks, long-running television series such as NBC's "Columbo" dominated the airwaves. Even in summer reruns, viewers eagerly tuned in to see Peter Falk's beloved homicide detective solve crimes in a reverse whodunit format.
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CBS coasted through 1974 on the success of "All in the Family," which broke ground for its depiction of a working-class family whose constant bickering stood in stark contrast to the peaceable families of 1960s television. The series debuted in 1971 and was still one of the network's top-rated shows in the summer of 1974.
Photos: Photos: Summer of 1974
Summer of 1974 – CBS coasted through 1974 on the success of "All in the Family," which broke ground for its depiction of a working-class family whose constant bickering stood in stark contrast to the peaceable families of 1960s television. The series debuted in 1971 and was still one of the network's top-rated shows in the summer of 1974.
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Books released earlier in the year such as Peter Benchley's "Jaws" remained popular reads into the summer.
Photos: Photos: Summer of 1974
Summer of 1974 – Books released earlier in the year such as Peter Benchley's "Jaws" remained popular reads into the summer.
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"Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy," the first novel of John LeCarre's Karla Trilogy, debuted in June 1974.
Photos: Photos: Summer of 1974
Summer of 1974 – "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy," the first novel of John LeCarre's Karla Trilogy, debuted in June 1974.
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The beloved Rubik's cube was invented in 1974 by Hungarian professor Erno Rubik. It would take a few years for it to land in American toy stores and become one of the most iconic toys of the 1980s.
Photos: Photos: Summer of 1974
Summer of 1974 – The beloved Rubik's cube was invented in 1974 by Hungarian professor Erno Rubik. It would take a few years for it to land in American toy stores and become one of the most iconic toys of the 1980s.
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Story highlights

  • Historians view the 1970s as a transitional era in the United States
  • In 1974, Americans were weary from the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal
  • Ahead of them was disco and the "Me" decade
By the time the summer of 1974 rolled around, America was ready for a break.
The Vietnam War had ended for the United States the year prior, but the emotional and psychological toll at home had just begun. The lifting of the 1973 oil embargo in March 1974 eased economic tensions and allowed Americans to hit the open roads once again.
And, let's not forget the Watergate scandal. By the summer of 1974, the fate of most of the president's men had been decided, and the Supreme Court had rejected President Richard Nixon's claims of executive privilege, paving the way for his resignation August 9.
It was a time of weariness and confusion, which was reflected in the music and films of 1974. But it also was a period of transition for America as the progressive values that emerged in the 1960s around political awareness and women's rights continued to flourish. A shift in pop culture also was under way, from Beatlemania and Flower Power to disco and what Tom Wolfe dubbed the "Me" decade.
Browse through the gallery above for a look back at the summer of 1974.
Do you remember life in the 1970s? Share your memories in the comments!