On this day

December 24, 1974

Revisit the music, news, notable people, and historical moments connected to this date.

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Headlines from December 24, 1974

Trinity Church Is Selling 10 Properties

By Carter B. Horsley

Trinity Episcopal Ch, NYC, is offering 10 of its 24 commercial properties in Lower Manhattan for sale because they are financially burdensome; total asking price for properties, which may be sold individually or as pkg, is $14,655-million; ch spokesman says vacancy rate in its commercial bldgs has climbed to 13%, from less than 1% few yrs ago; real-estate holdings provide ch with 75% of its annual income; properties for sale listed; map of Lower Manhattan depicting salable properties and other real-estate owned by ch (L)

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I.T.T. Shifts on Avis

By Unknown Author

The International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation reversed its stand yes terday and offered to accept a Justice Department plan for the divestiture of its remaining 52 per cent interest in Avis, Inc. The change came less than a week after the Government raised the possibility of undoing I.T.T.'s merger with the Hartford Fire Insurance Company. Page 25.

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LATE CITY EDITION

By Unknown Author

Weather: Partly cloudy today; cold tonight. Cloudy, Colder tomorrow. Temperature range: today 40–49; Monday 35–47. Details on Page 40.

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Music on My Birthday

Billboard 200

The Top 50 albums for the chart week of December 18, 1974, covering December 24, 1974.

  1. 1
    Album cover for Greatest Hits by Elton John

    Greatest Hits

    Elton John

    Last week
    1
    Peak
    1
    Weeks
    5
  2. 2
    Album cover for It's Only Rock 'N Roll by The Rolling Stones

    It's Only Rock 'N Roll

    The Rolling Stones

    Last week
    2
    Peak
    1
    Weeks
    8
  3. 3
    Album cover for WarChild by Jethro Tull

    WarChild

    Jethro Tull

    Last week
    4
    Peak
    3
    Weeks
    9
  4. 4
    Album cover for Serenade by Neil Diamond

    Serenade

    Neil Diamond

    Last week
    5
    Peak
    4
    Weeks
    9
  5. 5
    Album cover for Verities & Balderdash by Harry Chapin

    Verities & Balderdash

    Harry Chapin

    Last week
    7
    Peak
    5
    Weeks
    16

Notable Births

Thure Lindhardt

1974Thure Lindhardt, Danish actor[†]

Thure Frank Lindhardt is a Danish actor, educated at the drama school at Odense Theatre in 1998.

Paal Nilssen-Love

1974Paal Nilssen-Love, Norwegian drummer and composer[†]

Paal Nilssen-Love is a Norwegian drummer and composer in the jazz, free jazz and free improvisation genres.

Marcelo Salas

1974Marcelo Salas, Chilean footballer[†]

José Marcelo Salas Melinao, nicknamed Matador, El Fenómeno and Shileno, is a Chilean former footballer who played as a striker. Salas is considered the best striker in the history of Chile. He stood out during the 1990s and 2000s in clubs such as Universidad de Chile, River Plate, Lazio and Juventus. He was the captain of the Chile national team and the top scorer – scoring 45 goals in total: 37 goals for the Chile national football team and 8 goals with the Chile Olympic football team.

Ryan Seacrest

1974Ryan Seacrest, American radio host and television personality, and producer[†]

Ryan John Seacrest is an American television presenter and producer. Seacrest is the host of Wheel of Fortune, having hosted since replacing long-time host Pat Sajak in September 2024. Seacrest co-hosted and served as executive producer of Live with Kelly and Ryan, and has hosted other media including American Idol, American Top 40, and On Air with Ryan Seacrest. He became co-host of Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve in 2005, and became the sole host following Clark's death in 2012.

1974J.D. Walsh, American actor, director, and producer[†]

John Douglas Walsh is an American actor, writer, producer, and improv comedy leader. He is best known for his role as Gordon on Two and a Half Men. He wrote, produced and directed the show Battleground.

Historical Events

Cyclone Tracy

1974Cyclone Tracy devastates Darwin, Australia.[†]

Severe Tropical Cyclone Tracy was a small but destructive tropical cyclone that devastated the city of Darwin, in the Northern Territory of Australia, in December 1974. The small but developing easterly storm was originally expected to pass clear of the city, but it turned towards it early on 24 December. After 10:00 p.m. ACST, damage became severe, with wind gusts reaching 217 km/h before instruments failed. The anemometer in Darwin Airport control tower had its needle bent in half by the strength of the gusts.

Historical Context for December 24, 1974

In 1974, the world population was approximately 3,996,416,096 people[†]