Pick a Day

Music History Events: Movies

June 28, 1978 The C.W. McCall hit "Convoy" is adapted into a movie of the same name, which opens in theaters. Kris Kristofferson plays the main character, a trucker who goes by "Rubber Duck."

June 16, 1978 The movie adaptation of the hit Broadway musical Grease, starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, opens in US theaters, becoming the smash hit of the year.More

April 28, 1978 The movie FM, about a radio station with a motley collection of DJs, debuts in theaters. Linda Ronstadt, Jimmy Buffett and REO Speedwagon all appear in the film, and Steely Dan does the theme song. FM is the basis for the TV series WKRP in Cincinnati, which appears later in the year.

April 26, 1978 The Last Waltz, director Martin Scorsese's acclaimed documentary of The Band's star-studded last concert, opens in theaters. The film features performances by Neil Young, Eric Clapton, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Neil Diamond, The Staple Singers and Dr. John.More

March 22, 1978 A Beatles parody special called The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash, airs on ABC. The special stars various members of the Monty Python troupe.More

December 14, 1977 At the peak of the disco era, the film Saturday Night Fever opens in theaters. The soundtrack contains two previous #1 hits and four new ones.More

October 1, 1977 #1 on the Hot 100 is "Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band" by Meco. It's a 15-minute song made up of Star Wars music set to a disco beat. There's even an R2-D2 bleeping solo.More

May 25, 1977 George Lucas' space opera Star Wars debuts in theaters, accompanied by an instantly iconic score from John Williams. More

December 8, 1976 An updated version of the musical drama A Star is Born debuts in movie theaters, starring Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson, and featuring the Academy Award-winning chart-topper "Evergreen."More

September 26, 1975 The Rocky Horror Picture Show opens in Westwood, California. Featuring a young Meat Loaf along with Tim Curry and Susan Sarandon, the movie tanks but later becomes a cult classic, with audience members shouting back at the screen and bringing toast, toilet paper, and other assorted items to enhance the viewing experience.More

March 28, 1975 At an Elvis Presley concert at the Hilton in Las Vegas, Barbra Streisand goes backstage and offers Elvis the lead role in her upcoming film A Star Is Born. Elvis is interested, but on the advice of his manager Colonel Parker, he demands too much money and top billing, so Kris Kristofferson is chosen for the role instead.

March 19, 1975 The movie version of The Who's rock opera Tommy premieres in America.More

December 15, 1974 Young Frankenstein opens in theaters. When members of Aerosmith take a break from recording the Toys in the Attic album and see the film, they laugh hysterically at the scene where Igor (Marty Feldman) tells Dr. Frankenstein (Gene Wilder) to "walk this way," and the doctor imitates Igor's walk. Returning to the studio, they have the title to the track they've been working on.More

December 10, 1974 The Rankin/Bass animated holiday special The Year Without A Santa Claus airs on ABC.More

May 4, 1974 The Sting soundtrack, featuring Marvin Hamlisch's adaptations of Scott Joplin's ragtime piano tunes, hits #1 in America, where it stays for five weeks. More

April 22, 1974 The Who begin filming the movie version of Tommy, with Tina Turner's turn as the Acid Queen filmed first. The task of producing the complex soundtrack drives Pete Townshend to another nervous breakdown.

December 25, 1973 The Sting, a crime caper starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford as con men in 1930s Chicago, debuts in theaters. With Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer" as its theme, the film's soundtrack goes to #1 and revives the ragtime genre.More

August 11, 1973 The first big oldies revival kicks off in earnest as George Lucas' new film, American Graffiti, opens in theaters. Set in 1962, the film creates a wave of nostalgia for songs from the '50s and early '60s.More

August 7, 1973 The film adaptation of Jesus Christ Superstar is released, based on the 1971 Broadway rock opera of the same name. Jesus is apparently a tenor.

February 8, 1973 The Jamaican cult classic film The Harder They Come is released in the US.More

August 4, 1972 The movie Super Fly is released, along with a soundtrack by Curtis Mayfield that becomes a soul music landmark, taking on the drug culture portrayed in the film with vivid commentary.More

March 24, 1972 The Godfather opens in theaters. Musically significant because the character Johnny Fontane is supposedly based on Frank Sinatra, and because "Godfather of..." becomes a common musical honorific.More

April 15, 1971 The Beatles win their only Oscar, taking Best Original Song Score for their movie Let It Be.

May 13, 1970 The Beatles documentary Let It Be makes its theatrical debut. It is the last Beatles movie.

May 11, 1970 The soundtrack for the movie Woodstock is released, featuring recordings from the festival. Those who were there realize it didn't sound nearly as good as they remembered it.

June 11, 1969 Glen Campbell stars opposite John Wayne in the movie True Grit. His role of Texas Ranger La Boeuf is played by Matt Damon in the 2010 remake.

November 6, 1968 The Monkees movie Head is released. The studio that commissioned the film expected something light and funny, but got a trippy commentary on the manipulation of The Monkees, complete with a scene where the group jumps to their death off a bridge. The film bombs when it is released, but later becomes a cult classic.

July 17, 1968 The Beatles' fourth film, the animated fantasy Yellow Submarine, premieres in London. Although the four band members in the picture are voiced by professional actors, the band itself makes a cameo in the finale, leading movie audiences through the song "All Together Now."

April 6, 1968 The Graduate soundtrack hits #1 in America thanks to Simon & Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson," which tops the Hot 100 less than two months later.More

December 22, 1967 The Graduate, starring Anne Bancroft and newcomer Dustin Hoffman, premieres in US theaters. It spawns a hit soundtrack featuring songs from Simon & Garfunkel, including "Mrs. Robinson."