1977: A Madman Turns 40: 2017- Day 41

 

  You literally cannot turn on your TV without running into one- it's award season, folks!

     40 years ago today, the 3rd Annual People's Choice Awards were held. Airing on CBS, the host was Dick Van Dyke.

      Honoring the best in Pop Culture, fans got to vote for their favorites from the year prior. Believe me, the Winner's List seems like a Who's Who of the 70s:

FAVORITE ALL-AROUND MALE ENTERTAINER Bob Hope

FAVORITE FEMALE TV PERFORMER Mary Tyler Moore

FAVORITE TV VARIETY PROGRAM Carol Burnett Show

FAVORITE MALE MUSICAL PERFORMER John Denver

FAVORITE MOTION PICTURE ACTRESS Barbra Streisand

FAVORITE OVERALL NEW TV PROGRAM Charlie's Angels

FAVORITE ALL-AROUND FEMALE ENTERTAINER Carol Burnett

FAVORITE MOTION PICTURE One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

FAVORITE FEMALE PERFORMER IN A NEW TV PROGRAM Farrah Fawcett

FAVORITE MALE TV PERFORMER Telly Savalas

FAVORITE TV DRAMATIC PROGRAM Starsky & Hutch

FAVORITE TV COMEDY PROGRAM Happy Days

FAVORITE TV SPECIAL Olympics

FAVORITE FEMALE MUSICAL PERFORMER Olivia Newton-John

FAVORITE MALE PERFORMER IN A NEW TV PROGRAM Robert Conrad & Dick Van Dyke

FAVORITE MOTION PICTURE ACTOR John Wayne


FAVORITE NEW SONG "Beth" "Disco Duck"
 (List taken from Wikipedia.)

Farrah Fawcett won big at the People's Choice.
Her program, Charlie's Angels won best New Show,
while Farrah took home Best Female Performer in a New Show.

Let's look at a few things that I took note of. The favorite TV special was the Olympics held in Montreal. 4 years prior in Munich, members of the Israeli National Team were held hostage and killed by Palestinian terrorists. Extra efforts by the Olympic Committee sought really hard to make the 1976 games a positive experience. But the events of Munich still overshadowed the proceedings with added security measures still in place at today's game. 

   The Favorite New Song was a tie! Beth by Kiss and Disco Duck by Rick Dees! First of all, I find it ironic that the baddest rock band on the planet's most popular song is a sappy love song that laments having band practice with the fellas! I don't know what's worse for Kiss- that song or having to share the People's Choice Award with Disco Duck. (On another note- I don't hate Disco Duck. I actually feel bad for DD because I think people make fun of him. He's just a poor innocent duck trying to get down and boogie!)

Original Cover to Disco Duck.

  I'm very surprised that Happy Days won best comedy program. I would have thought All in the Family or MASH had that honor locked in for the duration of their perspective runs.

   Lastly, I see that Mary Tyler Moore won the best female TV performer. This one is just ironic as Mrs. Moore recently passed away within the past few days. It guess that's kind of a bittersweet fact. 

Mary Tyler Moore arriving for
the People's Choice Awards.

     Well, that's about all I've got time for today. But I'll be back examining more awards in the coming weeks as  both the Grammys and Oscars are coming soon. Until Tomorrow, enjoy the live action rendition of 'Beth' performed as only Kiss could do it at the 1977 People's Choice Awards.