Timeline January 1973

Events in January 1973 20

• 1893 – 1973 Edward G. Robinson (1893-1973) Died 26 January 1973, aged 79 Romanian-born American actor Edward G. Robinson, famed for gangster roles including Little Caesar, died in Los Angeles shortly after being awarded an honorary Academy Award. He was one of the defining stars of early Hollywood sound cinema.
• 1908 – 1973 Lyndon B. Johnson 36th President — Great Society, Vietnam War Lyndon B. Johnson (Aug 27, 1908 – Jan 22, 1973) was the 36th President 1963-1969. He passed landmark civil rights legislation and the Great Society programmes, but was consumed by the Vietnam War and chose not to seek re-election.
• 1973 Australian Open 1973 Men: John Newcombe · Women: Margaret Court
• 1973 Hanafi massacre at donated home Abdul-Jabbar had donated a Washington DC home to the Hanafi Muslim community; on 18 January 1973, Nation of Islam assailants kill seven people there including children. The tragedy deepens his resolve but haunts him personally.
• 1973 1973: Jackie Stewart Tyrrell Stewart won his third and final title, retiring at the end of the season. His teammate François Cevert was killed in practice at the final race at Watkins Glen.
• 1973 American Debut with Pavarotti Made her American debut as Mimi in Puccini's La Boheme at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, starring alongside Luciano Pavarotti.
• 1973 Conversion to Buddhism Embraced the practice of Nichiren Buddhism, becoming a devoted member of the Soka Gakkai International. Buddhism would profoundly influence his music and worldview for the rest of his life.
• 1973 – present Denmark Joins EC/EU Western Anchor A defining moment in modern Danish history as the country integrated with European markets.
• 1973 Jolene Released Jolene, which became one of the most recognisable songs in popular music history. Written about a red-haired bank teller who flirted with Carl Dean, the song reached number one on the country charts and has been covered by artists across every genre.
• 1973 Return to Japan Returned to Japan in ill health, mentally and physically exhausted. The Japanese art world received her unsympathetically — one collector recalled thinking of her as a 'scandal queen'. She continued writing surrealistic novels and poetry but struggled with severe depression.
• 1973 – 1977 Secretary of State Served as the 56th US Secretary of State from 1973 to 1977, the first naturalised citizen to hold the post. Practised shuttle diplomacy in the Middle East following the 1973 Arab-Israeli War.
• 1973 – 1974 The Three Musketeers Won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy for her performance as Constance Bonacieux in The Three Musketeers (1973), reprising the role in The Four Musketeers (1974).
• 1973 Tres Hombres and La Grange Released Tres Hombres, featuring the song La Grange, inspired by a notorious brothel outside La Grange, Texas. The album went gold and established ZZ Top's national reputation.
• 1973 UK joins EEC Britain enters European Community The United Kingdom joined the European Economic Community on 1 January 1973, beginning Britain's decades-long European chapter.
• 1973 Bruce Springsteen releases Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. Debut album A wordy debut that sells poorly.
• 1973 Rainbow Concert comeback 13 January 1973 Performed a comeback concert at the Rainbow Theatre in London, organised by Pete Townshend — his first significant public performance in over two years, released as an album in September 1973.
• 1973 Elvis Presley's Aloha from Hawaii concert broadcast First concert by a solo artist broadcast live globally via satellite Elvis Presley performed a concert in Honolulu that was broadcast live by satellite to television audiences across Asia and Oceania, and later worldwide. It was one of the most watched broadcasts by an individual entertainer in television history.
• 1973 Roe v. Wade decided US Supreme Court establishes constitutional right to abortion The US Supreme Court ruled 7-2 that the Constitution protects a woman's right to choose to have an abortion, striking down many state restrictions. The decision shaped American law and politics for nearly five decades until it was overturned in 2022.
• 1973 Paris Peace Accords signed Agreement ends direct US military involvement in Vietnam The United States, North Vietnam, South Vietnam, and the Viet Cong signed the Paris Peace Accords, ending direct American combat involvement in the Vietnam War. A ceasefire took effect and prisoners of war were exchanged, though fighting between North and South Vietnam continued until 1975.
• 1973 United States ends military conscription Selective Service draft calls halted as Vietnam War winds down The United States Department of Defense announced the end of the draft, moving to an all-volunteer military force. The change followed years of protest against conscription during the Vietnam War.