’60s and ’70s Spooky Films
This 1960 Hitchcock thriller stars Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh.
What is Psycho? The popular horror film has sparked sequels and spin-offs, including a 2013 television series.
This powdered gelatin product was a mainstay of 1960s aspics, like the iconic Perfection Salad.
What is Jell-O? The 1964 edition of The Joy of Cooking devoted an entire chapter to Jell-O salads, but the popularity of gelatin aspics declined by the mid-1970s.
Henry Ford first sold this car model in October 1908.
What is Model T? The original Model T cost around $825 and could reach speeds of 40 mph.
On April 4, 1975, this company was co-founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen.
What is Microsoft? The company is still around today and helped popularize personal computers during the 1980s and ’90s.
It can be creepy to become separated from your group in this outdoor, natural maze that crops up during the fall harvest season.
What is corn maze? The maze is cut through tall corn stalks and can go on for acres
Jonathan Haze stars as Seymour in this 1960 horror-comedy about a flower shop.
What is Little Shop of Horrors? The movie reused old film sets, and the entire film was shot in a matter of days.
This ooey-gooey, dippable cheese became a popular favorite after it was featured in the Switzerland exhibit of the 1964 New York World’s Fair.
What is fondue? The Swiss traditionally eat this treat with crusty bread and a side of wine or tea.
In October 1990, this country was reunited after 45 years of division between the east and west.
What is Germany? The fall of the Berlin Wall and reunification of Germany are celebrated on “Unity Day” every October 3.
Who is Paul Simon?
In the original series that aired from 1959 to 1964, Rod Serling brought creepy sci-fi to the small screen in this TV series.
What is The Twilight Zone? The website IMDB.com describes the series in this way: “Ordinary people find themselves in extraordinarily astounding situations, which they each try to solve in a remarkable manner.” Some episodes can raise the hair on your skin.
The tagline of this scary film of 1975 claims, “You’ll never go in the water again!”
What is Jaws? This movie is considered the first summer blockbuster due to the record crowds that turned up to see its initial release.
This Hormel canned meat product gained popularity during the 1960s as a breakfast side dish and in sandwiches.
What is Spam? The meat product became a staple for troops serving in World War II, and its popularity spread across the globe
This Florida tourist attraction first opened in October 1971 with a theme park, golf courses, and resorts
What is Walt Disney World? Magic Kingdom is the oldest of Walt Disney World’s theme parks, having since been joined by Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom.
On April 30, 1975, the conflict in this country came to an end after decades of fighting.
What is Vietnam? North and South Vietnam were reunited after the fall of Saigon in 1975.
These Halloween houses with warped mirrors can scare young children.
What are funhouses? People typically enter these houses through creepy mouths and encounter spooky scenes throughout the house
This actress and daughter of Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis stars in Halloween, one of the most iconic ’70s horror flicks.
Who is Jamie Lee Curtis? She reprised her role as Laurie in the 2018 Halloween film.
Sales of this donut-shaped cake pan soared in the late 1960s and early ’70s, after the “Tunnel of Fudge” cake recipe won second place in the 1966 Pillsbury Bake-Off.
What is the Bundt pan? The pan was invented in the 1950s, but sales were dismal until Ella Helfrich devised her Tunnel of Fudge recipe using a Bundt pan.
It was October 1957 when this motto first appeared on U.S. paper currency.
What is “In God We Trust”? The motto had been used on coins since the days of the Civil War
In 1975, she became the first woman elected to lead Britain’s Conservative Party.
Who is Margaret Thatcher? She replaced Edward Heath as the leader of the Conservative Party and earned herself the nickname “The Iron Lady.”
He wrote a scary poem about a raven that spoke.
Who is Edgar Allan Poe? The most remembered and quoted line from “The Raven” is “Quoth the Raven, ‘Nevermore.’”
1968’s Rosemary’s Baby stars this actress and daughter of director John Farrow.
Who is Mia Farrow? The film is considered her breakout role and helped launch her film career
During the 1960s, Swedish meatballs became a wildly popular appetizer, and the most popular gravy choice was this canned soup.
What is cream of mushroom? During the 1960s, Scandinavian design and food were very popular in America.
Released in October 1992, the film A River Runs Through It centers on the Maclean brothers and their love of this type of sport fishing.
What is fly fishing? As part of his training for the role, Brad Pitt learned to fly fish––from the top of a Los Angeles rooftop!
This athlete became the first Black man to win Wimbledon in July 1975.
Who is Arthur Ashe? He won over 50 tournaments in his career and is remembered as a courageous legend; the U.S. Open’s home court is even named in his honor.
One of the creepiest real-life events was the radio show where this host announced an alien invasion.
Who is Orson Welles? Played on the eve of Halloween in 1938, it was an adaptation of H.G. Wells’ book The War of the Worlds.