1978

Year 1978 () was a (link displays the 1978 ).

January

 * - The Copyright Act of takes effect, making sweeping changes to.
 * -, a passenger jet, crashes into the ocean near , killing 213.


 * - A in  supports the policies of.
 * - The Hungarian (also known as  Crown) is returned to  from the, where it was held since.
 * - is born in, making his birth the southernmost in history.
 * -, a critic of the n government, is assassinated.  Riots erupt against 's government.
 * - - The body of former U.S. Vice President  lies in state in the Capitol Rotunda, following his death from cancer.
 * - The finds the  government guilty of mistreating prisoners in, but not guilty of.
 * - Federal Appeals Court Judge is appointed  Director.
 * - declares the ambassador of.
 * - becomes the first nation to ban s that are thought to damage earth's protective.
 * - satellite  burns up in Earth's atmosphere, scattering debris over.
 * -, the "Vampire of Sacramento", is arrested.
 * - s in the USA kill 90.

February

 * - film director  skips  and flees to, after pleading guilty to charges of engaging in  with a 13-year-old girl.
 * -, , The begins in the village of Sakkipara.
 * - proceedings are broadcast on  for the first time.
 * - Flight 314, a -200, crashes in, killing 44 of the 50 people onboard.
 * - Sixteen couples wed in.
 * - mobilizes its troops, due to an apparent n attack.
 * - The lifts a ban on works by,  and.
 * - A bomb explodes outside the in, , killing two garbagemen, a policeman and several others.  Many believe that  is responsible.
 * - 's prime minister and 3 black leaders agree on the transfer to black majority rule.
 * - Serial killer is captured in.
 * - The first   is created in.
 * - Electrical workers in find the remains of the  in the middle of the city.

March

 * - 's remains are stolen from Cosier-sur-Vevey,.
 * - ' is launched on a rendezvous with ', with the first cosmonaut from a Soviet satellite (Remek).
 * - admits that its troops are fighting with the aid of n soldiers against n troops in.
 * - attacks.
 * - The  publishes an article about 's book The Cloning of Man, about a supposed.
 * - In a feat unmatched before or since, claim 5 spots in the Billboard Hot 100 as writers. Their own ', ' and , 's Emotion and 's (Love Is) Thicker Than Water.
 * - P.v. Maltzahn is born in Essen, Germany.
 * - American publisher  is shot and paralyzed in.
 * -  lands.
 * - :  kill 34 is.
 * - i forces invade in.
 * - Former Premier  is kidnapped by the ; 5 bodyguards are killed.
 * - The oil tanker runs aground on the coast of.
 * -, , is sentenced to death by hanging for ordering the of a political opponent.
 * - of the  dies after falling off a tight-rope between two hotels in.
 * - The tanker splits in two off, spilling 50,000 metric tons of crude oil.
 * -  (435 U.S. 349}: The hands down a 5-3 decision in  a controversial case involving involuntary  and judicial.

April

 * - of  tows a fake  to.
 * - Philippine College of Commerce, through a presidential decree, was converted to.
 * - U.S. President decides to postpone production of the neutron bomb - a weapon which kills people with radiation but leaves buildings relatively intact.  The World Health Organization was formed.
 * - Regular radio broadcasts of proceedings start.
 * - becomes the first non-American  manufacturer to open a plant in the United States, commencing production of the Rabbit, the North American version of the, in  with a unionized  workforce. (The plant will close in 1992.)
 * - : thousands of Georgians demonstrate against the attempt by the authorities to change the constitutional status of the.
 * - In, 15,000 former members of the resistance movement demonstrate against.
 * - The U.S. Senate votes 68-32 to turn the over to nian control on,.
 * - Izhar Cohen & the Alphabeta win the for  with their song "A-Ba-Ni-Bi".
 * - The is held at National Heroes Stadium in .   unites 2 opposing political leaders at this concert, bringing peace to the civil war ridden streets of the city.
 * - President  is killed during a military coup;  succeeds him.
 * - The Democratic Republic of is proclaimed, under pro-communist leader.

May

 * - activist  is murdered in.
 * - of the  gets his 3,000th major league hit.
 * - opens a  field in the.
 * - In, the body of , the Italian president of the Christian Democrats, is found in a parked car.
 * - - A group of lead by  oust  in the ; 10 local soldiers are killed.   Denard forms a new government.
 * - In, rebels occupy the city of , the mining centre of the province of .  The Zairean government asks the U.S., France and Belgium to restore order.
 * - Students of the riot in ; the army stops the riot.
 * - 's coffin is found 10 miles from the cemetery it was stolen from, near Lake Geneva.
 * - Soviet dissident is sentenced to 7 years hard labor for distributing counterrevolutionary material.
 * - - Belgian and French paratroopers fly to Zaire to aid the fight against the rebels.
 * -, 53, becomes the first woman to run across the U.S.; her trek took 69 days.
 * - Exiled leaders and  return to the.
 * - A bomb explodes in the security section of, wounding a security guard (the first attack).
 * - In, Resorts International, the first legal in the eastern , opens.
 * - : wins his third race, and the first for car owner.
 * - is found dead in the, allegedly shot when trying to escape.

June

 * - The starts in.
 * - voters approve, which slashes property taxes nearly 60%.
 * - extends the priesthood and temple blessings to "all worthy males," ending a general policy of excluding blacks from the priesthood and temples since 1849 (see ).
 * - Serial killer, the "Son of Sam," is sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.
 * - King marries 26-year-old.
 * - Cricketer becomes the first man in the history of the game to score a century and take eight wickets in one innings of a Test match.
 * - A magnitude 6.5 hits, 's second largest city, killing 45 people, injuring hundreds and damaging some of the city's Byzantine landmarks.
 * - A shootout between members and the  leaves 1 civilian and 3 IRA men dead.
 * -, a satellite of , is discovered.
 * - is named.
 * - President  is killed.
 * - Gay & Lesbian Solidarity March held in, to mark 10th Anniversary of the ; Which would become known as the  the following year and be held annually; later incorporating a festival.
 * - defeats  3-1 after  to win the.
 * - The bombing by nationalists causes destruction in.
 * - U.S. scientific satellite is launched.
 * - : The bars s in college admissions but affirms the constitutionality of programs which give advantages to minorities.
 * - begins a massive offensive in.

July

 * - The become independent from the.
 * - More than 200 tourists die in an explosion of a tanker-truck at a campsite in,.
 * - becomes the first human born from, in the.
 * - : Two Puerto Rican pro-independence activists are killed in a police ambush.

August

 * - The open in, ,.
 * - dies at age 80.
 * - United States President declares a federal emergency at.
 * - : The is signed between  and the.
 * -, the City of Peace and Future Man in Europe, is founded in Italy.
 * -  (, Maxie Anderson, Larry Newman), becomes the first to cross the  when it lands in Miserey near, 137 hours after leaving.
 * - The in  (477 dead).
 * - Gunmen open fire on an Israeli airline bus in.
 * - In, , nearly 400 are killed when arsonists set fire to a crowded theater.
 * - The goes on public display for the first time in 45 years.
 * - U.S. Army Sergeant Walter Robinson "walks" across the in 11 hours 30 minutes, using homemade water shoes.
 * - (Albino Cardinal Luciani) succeeds  as the 263rd.

September

 * - : and  begin the peace process at Camp David, Maryland.
 * - In, the tip of an umbrella poisons n , probably on orders of Bulgarian intelligence; he dies 4 days later.
 * - Iranian Army troops open fire on rioters in - 122 dead, 4,000 wounded.
 * - General officially assumes the post of.
 * - The are signed between  and.
 * - Police in the of  launch a massive  hunt, when 13 year old newspaper boy  is shot dead after disturbing a.
 * - General assumes the post of  Governor of.
 * -, a Boeing 727, collides with a small private airplane and crashes in , ; 144 are killed.
 * - The last  movement fighter is discovered and killed in.
 * - dies after only 33 days of papacy.

October

 * - attacks.
 * - The defeat the  5-4 at  to clinch the  after being 14 games out of first place only two months earlier.  The Yankees would eventually go on to defeat the  and  and win the.
 * - Wranslide in : the Wran government is re-elected with an increased majority.
 * - 's sets the current world  of 317.60  at Blowering Dam, Australia.
 * - A massive short circuit in 's electrical system ends the satellite's scientific mission.
 * - U.S. President signs a bill that authorizes the minting of the.
 * - becomes president of.
 * -  succeeds  as the 264th .  He is the first  pope in history.
 * - The clinch their 22nd  championship, defeating the  7-2 in  and winning the  4 games to 2.
 * - Smallpox Eradicated
 * - Egyptian President and Israeli Prime Minister  win the  for their progress toward achieving a Middle East accord.

November

 * - gains its independence from the.
 * - Rioters sack the British Embassy in.
 * - is re-elected to the Indian parliament.
 * - incident: In,  leads his  cult in a mass  that claims 918 lives in all, 909 of them at  itself, including over 270 children.
 * - The first U.S. march occurs in.
 * - In, Mayor and City Supervisor  are  by former Supervisor.
 * - Publication of  is suspended due to labor problems until,.

December

 * - The passenger train derails at Shipman, Virginia, killing six, injuring 60.
 * - succeeds the murdered  as 's first woman mayor (she serves until, ).
 * - The officially restores the country's democratic government.
 * - : Six men rob a Lufthansa cargo facility in 's.
 * - Two million demonstrate against the Shah in.
 * - The first enters circulation.
 * - becomes the first major American city to go into default since the, under Mayor.
 * - The pivotal Third Plenum of the 11th National Congress of the is held in, with Deng Xiaoping reversing Mao-era policies to pursue a program for.
 * - Serial killer finally confesses to his lawyers that he raped and killed 33 boys/men after months of denial to authorities. The confession surprised the entire city of, as Gacy was a family man that was adored by people all over town.
 * - launches a major offensive against the  of.
 * - The Constitution is approved in a referendum, officially ending 40 years of military.

Undated

 * The, a stealthy serial killer, is on the prowl in.
 * Artificial is invented.
 * claims he has participated in a creation of a in his book In His Image.
 * legalized in for first time.
 * begins construction on Subway

Computer and video games

 *  (2006): The first half of the game is set in 1978; the second half is set in 2006.

January-February

 * -, Northern Irish footballer
 * -, Japanese seiyuu (voice actress)
 * -, British model
 * -, South Korean actress
 * -, French driver
 * -, American football player
 * -, member of the
 * -, American guitarist and singer
 * -, American guitarist and Christian singer
 * -, American football player
 * -, American runner
 * -, American actor
 * -, Italian professional road racing cyclist
 * -, American actress
 * -, Italian goalkeeper (football)
 * -, Scottish footballer
 * -, American actor
 * -, American actor
 * -, American actor
 * -, Estonian politician
 * -, American basketball player
 * -, Lithuanian basketball player
 * -, American poker player
 * -, Broadway actor and Muppeteer
 * -, child kidnapping victim (missing since )
 * -, British model
 * -, German actress
 * -, Canadian hockey player (d. )
 * -, English radio presenter
 * -, lead singer of
 * -, Georgian and er
 * -, Austrian Olympic skier
 * -, Georgian and er
 * -, Austrian Olympic skier

March-April

 * -, American actor
 * -, American actor
 * -, Czech hockey player
 * -, Canadian model and actress
 * -, Italian rugby union footballer
 * -, American musician
 * -, Ivory Coast footballer
 * -, American actor
 * -, lead singer and guitarist (Coheed and Cambria)
 * -, Ukrainian dancer
 * -, Dutch swimmer
 * -, Swedish biathlete
 * -, American dancer
 * -, American football player
 * -, American actress
 * -, American football player
 * -, English footballer
 * -, French footballer
 * -, American rapper


 * -, British actor
 * -, South African rugby player
 * -, American baseball player
 * -, German swimmer
 * -, American NFL quarterback.
 * -, English musician
 * -, Portuguese footballer
 * -, English singer
 * -, Canadian singer
 * -, American television and movie actor
 * -, Indian actress
 * -, American actress
 * -, Scottish rugby player
 * -, Japanese gravure idol
 * -, Canadian actor
 * -, drummer of the Finnish band
 * -, American drummer (The Used)
 * -, lead singer and guitarist (The Von Bondies)
 * -, Spanish athlete

May-June

 * -, American sports announcer
 * -, Russian bodybuilder
 * -, American author
 * -, American supermodel and actress
 * -, United Arab Emirates hijacker (d. )
 * -, French supermodel and actress
 * -, Iranian weightlifter
 * -, American actor
 * -, Japanese singer, writer, and fashion designer
 * -, American basketball player
 * -, baseball player
 * -, French Canadian actress
 * -, Canadian footballer
 * -, American actor
 * -, Portuguese footballer
 * -, German actress
 * -, Canadian-born musician
 * -, English model
 * -, American model and professional basketball player
 * -, musician
 * -, patient who had


 * -, American voice actress
 * -, English singer and guitarist ( and )
 * -, American actress, journalist, and television presenter
 * -, British musician
 * -, German football player
 * -, American actor
 * -, country musician
 * -, German basketball player
 * -, Australian politician
 * -, Canadian actress
 * -, British filmmaker
 * -, American football player
 * -, English race car driver
 * -, Finnish musician
 * -, Argentine football player
 * -, Bollywood actor
 * -, American football player
 * -, 2006 WWE Diva Search Winner
 * -, Latin baseball player
 * -, English pop singer Lolly and TV presenter
 * -, lead singer of the

July-August

 * -, American actress
 * -, personality
 * -, New Zealand rugby union footballer
 * -, Korean-born actress
 * -, German singer and winner of
 * -, American actor
 * -, Irish rugby player
 * -, American baseball player
 * -, American singer
 * -, import car
 * -, Northern Irish footballer
 * -, Singapore singer
 * -, American football player


 * -, American football player
 * -, TV presenter
 * -, Polish footballer
 * -, American race car driver
 * -, American supermodel
 * -, French director
 * -, Taiwanese singer
 * -, English model and porn star
 * -, American actor
 * -, American singer
 * -, French actress
 * -, American bassist
 * -, former Norwegian singer
 * -, English actor
 * -, American football player
 * -, Irish footballer
 * -, American basketball player
 * -, American musician
 * -, Dominican player
 * -, American actor
 * -, Chechen-American human rights activist
 * -, American drummer
 * -, Canadian actress

September-October

 * -, American actor
 * -, Canadian actor
 * -, Mixed Heritage Model
 * -, American football player
 * -, Australian singer
 * -, American actor
 * -, American singer
 * -, English rugby union footballer
 * -, Canadian baseball player
 * -, Israeli pop music singer
 * -, Australian footballer
 * -, American screenwriter, director, actor
 * -, Dutch archer
 * -, English model
 * -, Norwegian singer
 * -, American professional wrestler and model


 * -, Japanese singer
 * -, American singer
 * -, American actress
 * -, Japanese actor
 * -, Irish Gaelic footballer
 * -, musician
 * -, American basketball player
 * -, American basketball player
 * -, American musician
 * -, English snooker player (d. )
 * -, American radio host and actor
 * -, American actor
 * -, German singer
 * -, Indian cricketer
 * -, American football player
 * -, Scottish footballer
 * -, American football player
 * -, American professional wrestler
 * -, English footballer
 * -, Singaporean musician
 * -, American singer
 * -, American football player

November-December

 * -, Indian actress
 * -, American actress
 * -, Belgian actress
 * -, Iranian football player
 * -, American actor and singer
 * -, American rapper
 * -, Czech adult model
 * -, Indian actress
 * -, American musician. Bassist for the rock band
 * -, Taiwanese actress (d. )
 * -, American actress
 * -, American ice hockey player
 * -, American baseball player
 * -, American football player
 * -, Northern Irish footballer
 * -, Canadian jazz musician & singer
 * -, Norwegian singer
 * -, American singer
 * -, English actor
 * -, American actress
 * -, Japanese singer and musician
 * -, Puerto Rican porn actress
 * -, Polish Mexican actress
 * -, American author
 * -, American singer
 * -, Mexican actor


 * -, American guitarist
 * -, Canadian-born singer and songwriter
 * -, English baseplayer
 * -, Finnish ice hockey player
 * -, American actress
 * -, American actor
 * -, baseball player
 * -, American actor
 * -, freestyle skateboarder and TV/radio personality
 * -, Cofounder of
 * -, Turkish composer
 * -, Romanian actress
 * -, professional football player
 * -, American actor
 * -, British actor
 * -, American baseball player
 * -, Canadian ice hockey player
 * -, American actress
 * -, American screenwriter and actor
 * -, Cameroon footballer
 * -, a drunk driving accident survivor and a promoter of non-drunk driving
 * -, Bosnian rapper
 * -, American football player
 * -, Venezuelan player
 * -, Canadian swimmer, model, and actress
 * -, Turkish footballer
 * -, Japanese volleyball player
 * -, Peruvian actress, dancer, and model
 * -, American singer

January - March

 * -, screenwriter and author (b. )
 * -, U.S Vice President and Senator (b. )
 * -, baseball manager (b. )
 * -, English athlete (b. )
 * -, Austrian-born mathematician (b. )
 * -, English cricketer (b. )
 * -, American musician (b. )
 * -, American actor (b. )


 * -, American chemist and headmaster of Harvard University (b. )
 * -, Swedish writer, laureate (b. )
 * -, Russian composer (b. )


 * -, American author (b. )
 * -, French mathematician (b. )
 * -, fifth (b. )
 * -, American-born medical scientist (b. )

April - June

 * -, English singer (b. )
 * -, baseball player (b. )


 * -, Armenian composer (b. )
 * -, former (b. )
 * -, twelfth (b. )
 * -, Norwegian violinist, composer and teacher (b. )
 * -, American gangster (b. )


 * -, British chemist, laureate (b. )
 * -, French writer (b. )
 * -, American actor and writer (b. )

July - September

 * -, Brazilian novelist (b. )
 * -, English snooker and billiards player (b. )
 * -, Italian aviator (b. )


 * -, Mexican composer (b. )
 * - (heart attack) (b. )
 * - (heart failure), musician (b. )
 * -, Scottish poet (b. )
 * -, British writer and illustrator (b. )
 * -, American architect and designer (b. )
 * -, Kenyan statesman
 * -, French actor (b. )
 * -, English actor (b. )


 * -, English drummer (drug overdose) (b. )
 * -, Canadian film studio founder (b. )
 * -, Swedish race car driver (racing accident) (b. )
 * -, Bulgarian dissident (assassinated) (b. )
 * -, German aircraft engineer (b. )
 * -, baseball player (murdered) (b. )
 * -, actor, voice of (b. )
 * -, Swedish physicist, laureate (b. )
 * - (b. )

October - December

 * -, Australian singer (b. )
 * -, Belgian singer (b. )
 * -, American athlete (b. )
 * -, American groupie and girlfriend of (b. )
 * -, American singer (b. )


 * -, Italian artist and designer (b. )
 * -, American artist and illustrator (b. )
 * -, American anthropologist (b. )


 * -, (b. )
 * -, American filmmaker (b. )
 * -, American chemist, laureate (b. )
 * -, (b. ),

Unknown dates

 * , American physician (b. )
 * , Bengali composer and singer (b. )
 * , American leader and  candidate for vice-president in 1964 (b. ?)

Nobel prizes

 * - and
 * - and
 * - and
 * - and
 * - and