1960, Cars: Ford Taunus (P3) 17 M

In 1960 Ford-Werke GmbH (Ford of Germany) introduced the new Ford Taunus 17 M. It was the third newly designed German Ford to be launched after the war and for this reason it was from inception known within the company as Ford Project 3 (P3) or the Ford Taunus P3. The new car was nicknamed by the press as the “Badewanne” (Bath tub). Unlike the first post-war models with a North American design, the Taunus P3 was designed by German born Uwe Bahnsen.

Ford Taunus 17M 2-doors

The Taunus 17 M was available as a two-door, four-door saloon and a three-door “Turnier” station wagon. Coach built two-door cabriolets and coupé’s were offered by Karl Deutsch in Cologne, only about 150 were produced. There were three different engine sizes offered, being the 1498 cc, the 1698 cc and, from 1961, a new larger 1757 cc engine. Power outputs initially ranged from 55 PS (40 kW; 54 hp) to 60 PS (44 kW; 59 hp). All engines were petrol powered L4 water-cooled units.

Ford Taunus 17M Turnier

669,731 cars were produced during a four year production run (1960-1964).

Ford Taunus 17M Cabrio by Karl Deutsch (Cologne)

French Ad

German Ad 1

German Ad 2

German Ad 3

German Ad 4

German Ad 5

German Ad 6

Belgian Brochure
English Brochure
German Brochure

1977, Music: Baccara

The Spanish female duo Baccara had two hits in 1977, "Yes Sir, I Can Boogie", which reached number one across much of Europe and a successful follow-up "Sorry, I'm a Lady".

Baccara was formed in 1977 by Spanish artists Mayte Mateos and María Mendiola. Mayte Mateos, a graduated teacher from the Royal Spanish Academy for Arts, Drama and Dance in Madrid met Maria Mendiola at the Spanish Television's Ballet Company. In 1976 the two left the Ballet Company and formed the variety act “Venus”. The duo were spotted by Leon Deane, manager of the German subsidiary of record company RCA. He invited them to Hamburg where they met Dutch producer/composer Rolf Soja. Soja was the driving force behind Baccara. He developed their stage performance, recruited their instrumental support, and wrote together with Frank Dostal their first single "Yes Sir, I Can Boogie".

In 1978 their song "Parlez-vous français?" was selected as Luxembourg's entry in that year's Eurovision Song Contest. The duo finished in 7th place.

1976, Film: Network

"Network",  an American film, was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1976. The film, about a fictional television network, Union Broadcasting System (UBS), and its struggle with poor ratings, was written by Paddy Chayefsky and directed by Sidney Lumet. The main cast are Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Peter Finch and Robert Duvall.

Chayefsky's script was partly based on the on-air suicide of television news reporter Christine Chubbuck in Sarasota, Florida two years earlier. The anchorwoman suffered from depression and shot herself on camera on July 15, 1974.

William Holden and Peter Finch

The film tells the story of Howard Beale (Peter Finch), the long-time anchor of the UBS Evening News. One day news division president Max Schumacher (William Holden) tells him that he has just two more weeks on the air because of declining ratings. The two old friends get drunk and lament the state of their industry. The following day, Beale announces on live television that he will commit suicide during next Tuesday's broadcast...

Faye Dunaway

Awards

• Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role: Peter Finch (1977)
• Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role: Faye Dunaway (1977)
• Academy Awards for Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Beatrice Straight (1977)
• Academy Award for Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen: Paddy Chayefsky (1977)
• BAFTA Film Award for Best Actor: Peter Finch (1978)

Trailer

1975, Television: The Good Life

With the arrival of the '70s, young people rejected the urban rat race in favour of a simpler life. It was the time when some of them abandoned the cities to live in the country, experimenting with communal living, independent farming and self-sufficiency. The same period saw the first flowering of the green movement.

This trend was the inspiration for “The Good Life”, a British sitcom produced by the BBC that ran from 1975-1978. The show followed the exploits of two unlikely social revolutionaries, Tom and Barbara Good, who reject their comfortable middle-class lifestyles and Tom's advertising career, turn over their typical suburban garden to vegetables, chickens, a pig and a goat, and strive for a self-sufficient life. Tom and Barbara's decision astonishes and alarms their conservative neighbours Margo and Jerry Leadbetter...

Richard Briers and Felicity Kendal

Main cast

• Richard Briers as Tom Good
• Felicity Kendal as Barbara Good
• Penelope Keith as Margo Leadbetter (née Sturgess)
• Paul Eddington as Jeremy "Jerry" Leadbetter
• Reginald Marsh as Andrew/Sir

Penelope Keith, Richard Briers, Paul Eddington and Felicity Kendal

Opening Credits

1974, News: The Sacred Heart College Fire in Heusden-Berkenbos

On Wednesday, January 23, 1974, 23 schoolboys perish in a blaze in Heusden-Berkenbos, Belgium. The schoolboys died during the night in a fire that burned out a dormitory of a Roman Catholic boarding school in this small town in north-east Belgium. 47 other young boys escaped from the building. The blaze may have been caused by a youngster smoking in bed and falling asleep. Most of the victims were in their beds and did not wake up before the flames caught them. The dormitory building was one of a group of brick concrete and glass buildings at the School of the Sacred Heart which the St. Francis Brothers operate. The fire broke out on the top floor where the boys slept in cubicles separated from each other by partitions. When the fire brigade arrived at the college the whole third floor of the dormitory was in flames.

Dormitory after the fire

Memorial service

Jambers (Dutch), wrong date!

1973, Cars: Car of the Year, Audi 80

The Audi 80 won the Car of the year award in 1973 with 114 points. Audi still just a parallel manufacturer to VW, launched its 80 in 1972, almost one year earlier than its counterpart, the Passat (B1 platform). A close second with 109 points was the compact Renault 5. The Alfa Romeo Alfetta was third with 95 points.

Audi 80 L

Audi 80 GL

The 80 succeeded the Audi F103 produced by Volkswagen AG from 1965-1972, the first car with Audi label since WW II. Volkswagen acquired Auto Union AG (Audi – DKW – Horch – Wanderer) from Daimler-Benz AG in 1964 and dropped the DKW name in favour of the Audi label.

second place: Renault 5

The Audi 80 was available as either a two-door or a four-door saloon with a choice of two petrol engines, 1.3- and 1.5-litre L4. In certain markets a five-door "Avant" (estate) was offered, effectively a re-badged Volkswagen Passat with Audi front panels.

third place: Alfa Romeo Alfetta

The Audi 80 with B1 platform was dropped from the European market in 1978, after a production of 1,103,766 units.

Advertisment 1973 (German)

Advertisment 1973 (German)

 Brochure 1972 (Finland)

1972, Fashion: Bell-bottoms

Bell-bottoms became very popular during the 1970s. Bell-bottoms or flared trousers and sometimes called hip-huggers or elephant bells when made in denim, are trousers that become wider from the knees downward.

Sears 1972

Sears 1973

1974

1974

Sylvie Vartan 1973

ABBA 1974