The stars everyone is crushing on in 2024
In March 1977, film director Roman Polanski was charged with engaging in sexual intercourse with a minor. He fled the US in 1978 just hours before he was due to be sentenced. Polanski remains a fugitive from justice.
Similarly, the death of Jimi Hendrix has raised many eyebrows since the guitarist was found unresponsive by an ambulance crew at his London apartment on September 18, 1970. The official cause of death was asphyxia due to aspiration of vomit. But suspicion has always surrounded the role the musician's girlfriend, Monika Dannemann, played in his demise, and there have even been allegations that Hendrix was murdered.
The sensational Tate–LaBianca murders of mid-1969 were brought back into sharp focus in 1970 with the trials of Charles Manson and members of the so-called Manson Family. Over 225 days the court heard of the dreadful crimes committed, which included the brutal slaying of Sharon Tate, the pregnant wife of Roman Polanski.
Singer-songwriter Gram Parsons, who founded the International Submarine Band and the Flying Burrito Brothers, died on September 19, 1973 of a drug overdose. Previously he'd expressed a wish to be cremated at Joshua Tree and have his ashes scattered over Cap Rock. However, his stepfather insisted Parsons be buried privately in New Orleans. In a bizarre turn of events, his body was stolen by friends and driven to Joshua Tree where they attempted to cremate their buddy by dousing the coffin in gasoline. Alerted by smoke the police arrived, and arrested the do-gooders. Parsons was finally laid to rest in Metairie, Louisiana.
On February 4, 1974, Patty Hearst, granddaughter of publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst, was kidnapped by intruders later identified as members of the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA). Subsequently demanding millions be donated to feed the poor, the SLA's next action was to rob a bank. Hearst—who later claimed she'd been brainwashed into participating in the heist—was filmed by a security camera clutching a rifle and apparently taking part in the robbery. The heiress was eventually arrested and put on trial. Found guilty of robbery and firearms charges, Hearst served two years in prison before her sentence was commuted by President Jimmy Carter in 1979. She was released on parole.
On August 29, 1977, nine days after his interment in a Memphis, Tennessee, mausoleum, three men—Raymond Green, Eugene Nelson, and Ronnie Adkins—attempted to steal the body of Elvis Presley. Quickly arrested, the trio were later released without charge due to lack of evidence. Presley's remains were transferred to the grounds of his Graceland home and reburied in October.
One of the most high-profile celebrity unions of the 1960s ended on June 26, 1974 when Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton divorced... only to tie the knot again in 1975! The curtain was finally brought down on their tempestuous relationship on July 29, 1976 when man and wife separated for good.
The death of comic genius Charlie Chaplin on Christmas Day 1977 was mourned by millions the world over. But the story of one of Hollywood's most revered and controversial figures took a bizarre twist on March 1, 1978 when his body was stolen from a Swiss cemetery. After a five-week investigation, police arrested two suspects—Roman Wardas, of Poland, and Gantscho Ganev, of Bulgaria—who on May 17 led them to Chaplin's body, concealed in a cornfield. The motive was financial, the pair planning to hold the body for ransom and exhort money from the Chaplin family. The "Little Tramp" was eventually reinterned, in a concrete tomb.
As Sonny & Cher, this pop and entertainment duo were one of the hottest double acts in the business. But while their stage and television persona reflected harmony and unanimity, life domestically was one of tumult and discord. Their 10-year marriage ended on a sour note on June 26, 1975.
Former world heavyweight boxing champion Sonny Liston died in mysterious circumstance probably on December 30, 1970: his body was actually discovered by his wife in their Las Vegas home on January 5, 1971. Cause of death was listed as a heroine overdose. But Liston's connections to the underworld led to some suggesting that he was murdered by drug dealers with whom he'd become involved after falling into debt.
In the mid-1970s, 'Chico and the Man' was one of the most-watched sitcoms on American television. One of its stars was stand-up comedian Freddie Prinze. While enjoying success professionally, Prinze's drug-fueled personal life was in free fall. His wife had already filed for divorce when on January 28, 1977 he put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger. He died the next day. While it was assumed he'd taken his own life, his death was eventually ruled "accidental" due to the influence of Quaaludes (methaqualone).
One of the most famous nightclubs in the world was Studio 54, located in New York's Midtown Manhattan. It opened in 1977 at the height of the disco music era and immediately became the venue of choice for celebrities, attracting the likes of David Bowie, Andy Warhol, Mick Jagger, Elizabeth Taylor, and Diana Ross, among many others. But Studio 54's scandalous reputation and its proprietors' less than honest bookkeeping led to major legal troubles in 1979, resulting in its final party in 1980.
The death of Nancy Spungen allegedly at the hands of Sex Pistols' bassist Sid Vicious made headline news around the world after her body was discovered in a New York hotel room on October 12, 1979. She died from a stab wound inflicted by a knife Vicious apparently owned. The musician was arrested and charged with her murder. Released on bail, Vicious, real name John Ritchie, died of a drug overdose before the case went to trial. It still hasn't been determined who killed Nancy Spungen.
Baseball hero Willie Mays found himself banned from the game in 1979 after taking a job at an Atlantic City casino. Though retired—and having recently been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame—Mays remained in the New York Mets organization as their hitting instructor. However, Major League Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn decreed that he could not be part of both baseball and a casino. Mays' contract was terminated, much to the consternation of Mets fans everywhere. The ban was eventually lifted in 1985.
'Deepthroat' was the first adult movie to achieve mainstream success. This despite the fact that is was deemed as obscene by some juries and banned in a number of US states. In 1976, the movie's producers and one of its stars, Harry Reems, were indicted for conspiracy to distribute obscenity across state lines. The case became a cause célèbre and concluded with all defendants found guilty and sentenced to minimal jail terms. The film's star, Linda Lovelace (real name Susan Boreham) later wrote that she was coerced and sexually assaulted during the production.
Actor Bob Crane was best known for his role as Colonel Robert E. Hogan in the television comedy series 'Hogan's Heroes' (1965–1971). After the show ended, Crane's career declined and his personal life took a decidedly darker and more unsavory turn after he met video equipment sales manager John Henry Carpenter. Together they began videotaping their joint sexual exploits with numerous women, allegedly without their consent. On June 29, 1978, Crane was found bludgeoned to death in his apartment. Carpenter was accused of his murder and tried. He was ultimately acquitted of all charges. Crane's murder remains unsolved.
Lori Maddox, also known as Lori Maddix, was just 14 years old when she began a relationship with Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page in 1972. A former child model, Maddox was one of the so-called "baby" groupies of the early 1970s, her name also associated with David Bowie. Her experiences during this period have been discussed in the Me Too movement and recollected in a number of books and online webzines.
The cancellation by rock band Queen of an appearance on a British television show led to one of the most infamous episodes in UK broadcasting history when punk band the Sex Pistols were drafted in at the last minute as a replacement. During a live broadcast of Thames Television's 'Today' program on December 1, 1976, the band's guitarist Steve Jones, goaded by host Bill Grundy, mouthed off a series of expletives that stunned the viewing public. The ensuing uproar occupied the British tabloid newspapers for days, with the Daily Mirror famously running the headline "The Filth and the Fury!"
In May 1979, former British politician and Liberal Party leader Jeremy Thorpe appeared in court on charges of conspiracy and incitement to murder his ex-boyfriend Norman Scott. Thorpe was eventually cleared on all counts, but the case and the publicity surrounding it effectively ended his career. Actor Hugh Grant portrayed the disgraced politician in the 2018 BBC television miniseries 'A Very English Scandal.'
Long before he found fame as Santa Claus and Buzz Lightyear, Tim Allen was arrested for possession of cocaine at the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International airport in Michigan on October 2, 1978. He spent 28 months in a federal prison.
John Lennon had gossip columnists licking their lips in 1973 after the former Beatle separated from Yoko Ono and began an affair with the couple's personal assistant, May Pang. The relationship lasted more than 18 months, during which the pair were photographed on numerous occasions out and about in Los Angeles. Lennon later described the fling as his "Lost Weekend."
The biggest and most widely publicized political scandal of the 1970s—indeed, the 20th century—was undoubtedly Watergate. The June 17, 1972 break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Washington, D.C. Watergate Building by Nixon campaign aides ultimately led to the US president resigning from office on August 8, 1974 by way of a nationally televised address from the Oval Office. The 1976 film 'All the President's Men' recalls the events that led to Nixon's downfall.
Known for his standout roles in 'Rebel Without a Cause' (1955) and 'Exodus' (1960), Sal Mineo was hot property in the 1950s and '60s. By the early 1970s, his star had faded somewhat. It's ironic then that just as his career had begun to turn around, Sal Mineo was murdered, stabbed to death on February 12, 1976 by a mugger later identified as Lionel Ray Williams. His killer evaded capture for two years, witnesses having described a white man with brown hair fleeing the scene. In fact, Williams was a man of color and was apprehended only after bragging about the fact that he'd killed a Hollywood actor.
In the mid-1970s, Aerosmith front man Steve Tyler and guitarist Joe Perry became known as the "Toxic Twins" due to their alarming substance abuse. Tyler and Perry ended up in rehab. Fortunately, both survived the ordeal, with Aerosmith enjoying even greater success in the 1980s and '90s.
For many months after her demise on July 29, 1974, rumors persisted that Cass Elliot, a former member of the Mamas & the Papas, had chocked to death on a ham sandwich. In fact, she succumbed to a heart attack in her sleep, in the London apartment of singer Harry Nilsson. On September 7, 1978, Keith Moon, drummer with British rock outfit The Who, died at the very same address—Flat 12, 9 Curzon Place, Mayfair, London.
Movie star Jane Fonda caused outrage in America in July 1972 when she visited Hanoi at the height of the Vietnam War. In one notorious photograph, she's pictured on a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft battery. The press soon dubbed her "Hanoi Jane."
In 1972, 'The Joy of Sex' was published. Written by British author Alex Comfort, the first edition featured a plain cover, though readers were reminded that it was illustrated. The sex manual spent 11 weeks at the top of The New York Times bestseller list. It was updated in 1988 but was met with controversy when a number of religious groups fought to keep the book out of public libraries.
Sources: (Time) (Los Angeles Times) (Variety) (Far Out Magazine) (Showbiz Cheatsheet) (Entertainment Weekly) (History) (CNN)
See also: History's most salacious sex scandals
Janis Joplin died of a heroine overdose on October 4, 1970, aged 27. She was found in her hotel room propped against a bedside table. At least that's according to the coroner's official report. But her friend Peggy Caserta recalled in her memoir, 'I Ran Into Some Trouble,' that the two had shared the same batch of drugs. Furthermore, the author was not convinced by the scene at the hotel.
'Charlie's Angels' was one of the most popular TV shows of the 1970s. But after the first season, one of its stars, Farrah Fawcett, dropped a bombshell by announcing she was quitting the series to pursue a movie career. Problem was she was contracted and her resignation triggered a highly publicized lawsuit against the actress by ABC and producer Aaron Spelling. An eventual settlement saw the actress being freed as a regular on the show, though she had to return in a number of guest appearances as her character Jill Munroe.
The 1970s was a decade with its fair share of celebrity scandal, rumor, and gossip. The 10 years from 1970 to 1979 saw plenty of big names from the worlds of sport, entertainment, and politics dragged into the mire, their reputations sullied either by decisions of their own making, or damaged through the actions of others. And in some cases, they achieved notoriety in the wake of violent crime. So, what were the most salacious celebrity scandals of the 1970s?
Click through and be reminded of the events everybody was talking about over 40 years ago.
Celebrity scandals and controversies of the 1970s
Rumor and wrongdoing in the decadent decade
CELEBRITY 1970s
The 1970s was a decade with its fair share of celebrity scandal, rumor, and gossip. The 10 years from 1970 to 1979 saw plenty of big names from the worlds of sport, entertainment, and politics dragged into the mire, their reputations sullied either by decisions of their own making, or damaged through the actions of others. And in some cases, they achieved notoriety in the wake of violent crime. So, what were the most salacious celebrity scandals of the 1970s?
Click through and be reminded of the events everybody was talking about over 40 years ago.