Who could forget Kojak?  Starting in 1973 and running to 1978, Kojak starred Telly Savalas as the title character, New York City Police Department Detective Lieutenant Theodopolus "Theo" Kojak.

Above is a side-by-side of Telly Savalas and Nancy Childers' grandson, Vincint, striking his Kojak pose. This is what happens after dad decides to be the barber :)

"Who loves ya baby"

And how about this wonderful TV show, Charlie's Angels. These girls could take on the greatest of ciminals, and look good doing it! Charlie's Angels ran from 1976 to 1981, with the original lineup including Farrah Fawcett, Jaclyn Smith, and Kate Jackson, as the angels. Future angels included Cheryl Ladd, Shelley Hack, and Tanya Roberts.

The top grossing movie of 1979 was Kramer vs. Kramer (December 1979), raking in $106,260,000 in the U.S. box office. This movie tells the story of a couple's divorce, its impact on their young son, and the subsequent evolution of their relationship and views on parenting. This theme is still relevent in our current era. Kramer vs. Kramer won five awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (for Hoffman), Best Supporting Actress (for Streep), and Best Adapted Screenplay.

One of the most hilarious movies of our generation, The Jerk (December 1979), was Steve Martin's breakout film. While most of the humor in this movie was stupid humor, we laughed until we had tears in our eyes. Who can forget about Navin's special purpose or his incredible lack of rhythm? A classic "rags to riches", but back to rags (somewhat) plot, shows what happens when an idiot falls backwards into a fortune. "All I need is..."

The most iconic SiFi movie of nearly any generation, Star Wars (1977). This George Lucas movie took the world by a storm, and launched his brilliant career. We've shared this great movie experience with our kids, and many of us with our grand kids as well. A timeless movie franchise.

Another great SiFi franchise was Star Trek with Star Trek: The Motion Picture premiring in 1979.  Many of us remember watching the Gene Roddenberry Start Trek television series in the late 1960s and were excited when this big screen production was released.

And one more from the SiFy genre, Alien (May 1979). This terrifying movie was released right as we were graduating. Ridley Scott shocked us with a horrifying creature, called a Xenomorph, that seemed unstoppable, unless you're Ripley, played by Sigourney Weaver. This movie franchise continues to this day, with Sigourney Weaver reviving the character Ripley in many of the sequals.

Another movie that came out shortly after we graduated was The Amityville Horror (July 1979). This movie scared many of us half to death! The film follows a young couple who purchase a home haunted by combative supernatural forces. Several documentaries have been made based on the actual events that took place at this house, and whether or not it was actually haunted.  The Amityville Horror was the 2nd highest grossing movie of 1979 in the U.S., taking in $86,432,520.

Pop Hits

Le Freak – Chic
Too Much Heaven – Bee Gees
Do Ya Think I’m Sexy? – Rod Stewart
I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor
Tragedy – Bee Gees
What A Fool Believes – The Doobie Brothers
Knock on Wood – Amii Stewart
Heart of Glass – Blondie
Reunited – Peaches & Herb
Hot Stuff – Donna Summer
Love You Inside Out – Bee Gees
June 16 – July 29:
Hot Stuff – Donna Summer
June 30 – July 13:
Ring My Bell – Anita Ward
July 14 – August 17:
Bad Girls – Donna Summer
Good Times – Chic
My Sharona – The Knack
Sad Eyes – Robert John
Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough – Michael Jackson
Rise – Herb Alpert
Pop Muzik – M
Heartache Tonight – The Eagles
Still – The Commodores
No More Tears (Enough Is Enough) – Barbra Streisand & Donna Summer
Babe – Styx
Escape (The Pina Colada Song) – Rupert Holmes

Rock Hits

Highway To Hell - AC/DC
All My Love - LED ZEPPELIN
Dance the Night Away - VAN HALEN
Roxanne - THE POLICE
Sultans of Swing - DIRE STRAITS
I Want You To Want Me - CHEAP TRICK
The Logical Song - SUPERTRAMP
Old Time Rock and Roll - BOB SEGER
Heartache Tonight - EAGLES
Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin' - JOURNEY
The Devil Went Down to Georgia - CHARLIE DANIELS BAND
Shattered - ROLLING STONES
Dirty White Boy - FOREIGNER
Beautiful Girls - VAN HALEN
My Sharona - THE KNACK
Head Games - FOREIGNER
Babe - STYX
Walking On the Moon - THE POLICE
What a Fool Believes - DOOBIE BROTHERS
Let's Go - THE CARS
I Need a Lover - JOHN COUGAR
Roller - APRIL WINE
Everytime I Think of You - BABYS

Highway Song - BLACKFOOT
Dream Police - CHEAP TRICK
Big Shot - BILLY JOEL
Gone Gone Gone - BAD COMPANY
Spooky - ATLANTA RHYTHM SECTION
Flirtin' With Disaster - MOLLY HATCHET
It's All I Can Do - THE CARS

R&B / Soul

What You Won't Do for Love - Bobby Caldwell
Lost in Music - Sister Sledge
Cruisin' - Smokey Robinson
Street Life - The Crusaders
On the Radio - Donna Summer
After the Love Has Gone - Earth, Wind & Fire
Working My Way Back to You - The Spinners
We Are Family - Sister Sledge
Please Don't Go - KC and The Sunshine Band
The Boss - Diana Ross
This Time Baby - Jackie Moore
Sail On - Commodores
In the Stone - Earth, Wind & Fire
Send One Your Love - Stevie Wonder
Can't Let Go - Earth, Wind & Fire
Still - Commodores
You Can't Change That - Raydio
Heaven Must Have Sent You - Bonnie Pointer
Star - Earth, Wind & Fire
Don't Let Go - Isaac Hayes
Ego Tripping Out - Marvin Gaye

The Family - Nina Simone
I Call Your Name - Switch
Was That All It Was - Jean Carn
Deja Vu - Dionne Warwick
Memory Lane - Minnie Riperton
You Can Be a Star - Luther Davis Group

Country & Western

Tulsa Time - Don Williams
Lady Lay Down - John Conlee
I Really Got the Feeling - Dolly Parton
Why Have You Left the One You Left Me For - Crystal Gayle
Every Which Way but Loose - Eddie Rabbitt
I Don't Want to Be Right - Barbara Mandrell
Where Do I Put Her Memory - Charley Pride
Don't Take It Away - Conway Twitty
She Believes in Me - Kenny Rogers
Nobody Likes Sad Songs - Ronnie Milsap
Amanda - Waylon Jennings
Shadows in the Moonlight - Anne Murray
You're the Only One - Dolly Parton
Suspicions - Eddie Rabbitt
Coca-Cola Cowboy - Mel Tillis
I May Never Get to Heaven - Conway Twitty
You're My Jamaica - Charley Pride
Just Good Ol' Boys - Moe Bandy and Joe Stampley
It Must Be Love - Don Williams
Last Cheater's Waltz - T. G. Sheppard
All the Gold in California - The Gatlin Brothers
You Decorated My Life - Kenny Rogers
Come with Me - Waylon Jennings
Broken Hearted Me - Anne Murray
I Cheated Me Right Out of You - Moe Bandy
Happy Birthday Darlin' - Conway Twitty