Featured

The biggest blockbuster the year you graduated high school: Boomer edition Baby Boomers graduated high school between 1964 and 1982. Those years trace an extraordinary arc in American cinema, from the last gasp of the old Hollywood studio system through the counterculture disruption of the late 1960s to the birth of the modern summer blockbuster. The films at the top of the box office during Boomer graduation years are not just commercial records. They are cultural documents. Box office data comes from Box Office Mojo, Wikipedia and History Facts. Find your graduation year below. Class of 1964: “Mary Poppins” Featuring Julie Andrews in her film debut, this one was the last movie Walt Disney personally supervised before his death. History Facts confirms it was the top-grossing film of 1964, earning over $102 million domestically across its theatrical run. Class of 1965: “The Sound of Music” Released in March 1965, it grossed $163 million domestically and remains the highest-grossing musical of all time when adjusted for inflation, according to CBS News. Class of 1966: “Hawaii” Based on James Michener’s novel, this epic starring Julie Andrews and Max von Sydow topped the domestic box office for 1966, according to Wikipedia’s annual records. Class of 1967: “The Graduate” Mike Nichols directed Dustin Hoffman in a film that defined an entire generation’s ambivalence about inheriting their parents’ world. History Facts confirms it was the top earner of 1967. Class of 1968: “Funny Girl” Barbra Streisand’s film debut earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress. History Facts confirms it was the year’s top-grossing film. Class of 1969: “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” Paul Newman and Robert Redford as outlaws who make everything look effortless. Box Office Mojo says it topped the annual domestic chart for 1969. Class of 1970: “Love Story” “Love means never having to say you’re sorry” entered the cultural vocabulary immediately. History Facts confirms Love Story was the top-grossing film of 1970. Class of 1971: “Fiddler on the Roof” Topol starred in Norman Jewison’s adaptation of the Broadway musical. According to History Facts, it was the year’s top earner. Class of 1972: “The Godfather” Francis Ford Coppola spent $6 million and changed American cinema permanently. Box Office Mojo affirms The Godfather was the highest-grossing film of 1972, earning $134 million domestically. Class of 1973: “The Exorcist” A film about demonic possession that made audiences physically ill and became one of the most profitable horror films ever made. History Facts confirms it topped the 1973 annual chart. Class of 1974: “Blazing Saddles” Mel Brooks deconstructed the Western with a cast that included Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder and Harvey Korman. History Facts confirms Blazing Saddles was the top-grossing film of 1974. Class of 1975: “Jaws” Steven Spielberg invented the modern summer blockbuster on a budget of $9 million. Box Office Mojo Jaws grossed $260 million domestically, a record at the time. Class of 1976: “Rocky” Sylvester Stallone wrote the screenplay in three days and starred in a film made for $1 million that grossed $117 million domestically. Wikipedia confirms Rocky was the top-grossing film of 1976. Class of 1977: “Star Wars” George Lucas spent $11 million and earned $221 million domestically in the film’s first release, according to Wikipedia. Class of 1978: “Grease” John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, a musical set in the 1950s, released at the peak of the disco era. History Facts confirms Grease was the top-grossing film of 1978. Class of 1979: “Kramer vs. Kramer” A quiet, devastating film about divorce and custody that grossed $106 million domestically, according to Wikipedia. Class of 1980: “The Empire Strikes Back” The sequel that many consider the best film in the Star Wars franchise grossed $209 million domestically, according to Wikipedia. The bottom line Seventeen graduation years, from Julie Andrews to Darth Vader, from prestige pictures to summer blockbusters. The Boomer graduation box office tells the story of Hollywood’s reinvention in real time. Which one was yours? Ask us! What questions do you have about content, strategy, pop culture, lifestyle, wellness, history or more? We may use your question in an upcoming article! Ask us a question Related: The most controversial song the year you were born: Gen X edition The most controversial songs of the ’60s: Do you agree? Like MediaFeed’s content? Be sure to follow us. This article was syndicated by MediaFeed.co. These 10 Hollywood stars made unforgettable comebacks How families really pay for senior care — and why so many feel unprepared 10 wild movie fan theories that make too much sense Before cup holders & touchscreens: Vintage photos of the real American pickup

Autos 2 hours ago

Before cup holders & touchscreens: Vintage photos of the real American pickup

by Nourhan Sandouk

Vintage Photos of The Real American Pickup

Long before crew cabs, touchscreen navigation, and heated seats, the American pickup was the rough workhorse.

Take a ride back through this collection of vintage pickup truck photos.

Image Credit: Carol M. Highsmith/ Library of Congress

White Vintage Pickup

A vintage pickup truck in a small town in Tehama County, California.

Image Credit: Carol M. Highsmith/ Library of Congress

Yellow Vintage Pickup Truck

Yellow Vintage pickup truck on the Hopson Plantation site in Mississippi’s Delta region.

Image Credit: Library of Congress

American Farmers’ Pickup Truck

Farmers loading a mower onto a truck in New Mexico.

Image Credit: Library of Congress

W.H. Mann & Co Pickup Truck

Pickup truck loading crates of chicken at W.H. Mann & Co.

Image Credit: Camilo J. Vergara/iStock

Cans Pickup Truck

A pickup truck carrying cans and bottles.

Image Credit: Library of Congress

LA Pickup Truck

A pickup with a note on it “ We pick up any scrap metal appliance’.

Image Credit: Library of Congress

Blacksmith Shop Pickup

Tenant farmer loading Pomp’s plow into truck.

Local Groceries Pickup

Fruits and vegetables pickup truck.

Related:

Ask us! What questions do you have about content, strategy, pop culture, lifestyle, wellness, history or more? We may use your question in an upcoming article!

Ask us a question

Like MediaFeed’s content? Be sure to follow us.

This article was syndicated by MediaFeed.co

Share this post:

Nourhan Sandouk

You might be interested in …

Autos December 7, 2025

This week in car history: Mitsu is born & the last American-made Studebaker rolls out

by Ricardo Ramirez

This week in car history: Dec 7-13 Each week in automotive history tells a story of innovation, ambition, and the shifting tides of industry. December 7 through 13 is no exception, offering a glimpse into […]

Featured October 11, 2018

Here’s where you can get a free flu vaccine

by Hanna Horvath

Flu season is upon us, and it can turn shared office spaces and classrooms into war zones from October until the new year. The flu is easy to get — you can contract it from […]

Slideshow November 18, 2025

Chile’s glowing peaks can reset your awe & energy

by Nourhan Sandouk

Licancabur Volcano Licancabur is an active stratovolcano on the border of Chile and Bolivia, known for its near-perfect conical shape and the world’s highest crater lake. The volcano is reflected in the nearby Laguna Verde, […]