On this day in television history - Space 1999 (1977):

Space 1999

Season 2. Episode 16.

Episode entitled: The Beta Cloud.

Released January 9, 1977.

Directed by Robert Lynn.

Written by Pip Baker, Jane Baker.

Series created by Gerry Anderson and Sylvia Anderson.

Music by Derek Wadsworth.

Cast: Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, Catherine Schell, Tony Anholt, Nick Tate, Zienia Merton, David Prowse, John Hug, Albin Pahernik, Joe Dunne, Roy Everson, Harry Fielder, Robert Reeves.

On this day in television history - Space 1999 (1977):

Space 1999

Season 2. Episode 15.

Episode entitled: A Matter of Balance.

Released January 2, 1977.

Directed by Charles Crichton.

Written by Pip Baker, Jane Baker.

Series created by Gerry Anderson and Sylvia Anderson.

Music by Derek Wadsworth.

Cast: Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, Catherine Schell, Tony Anholt, Lynne Frederick, Stuart Wilson, John Hug, Nicholas Campbell, Brian Osborne, Jenny Cresswell, Robert Reeves, Terry Richards.

On this day in movie history - Opening Night (1977):

Opening Night

directed and written by John Cassavetes,

was released in the United States on December 25, 1977.
Music by Bo Harwood.

Cast:

Gena Rowlands, John Cassavetes, Ben Gazzara, Joan Blondell, Paul Stewart, Zohra Lampert, Laura Johnson, John Tuell, Ray Powers, John Finnegan, Louise Lewis, Fred Draper, Katherine Cassavetes, Lady Rowlands, Carol Warren, Briana Carver, Angelo Grisanti, Meade Roberts, Eleanor Zee, David Rowlands, Sharon Van Ivan, Jimmy Christie, James Karen, Jimmy Joyce, Sherry Bain, Sylvia Davis Shaw, Peter Lampert, Josh Becker, Peter Bogdanovich, Seymour Cassel, Robert Dassanowsky, Peter Falk, Jana Howard, Ronisue Kiser, William Kramer, Patrick Labyorteaux, Robert Leader, Naomi Stevens.

On this day in movie history - The Incredible Melting Man (1977 movie & book):

The Incredible Melting Man

directed and written by William Sachs,

released in New York City, on December 23, 1977.

Music by Arlon Ober.

Cast:

Alex Rebar, Burr DeBenning, Myron Healey, Michael Alldredge, Ann Sweeny, Lisle Wilson, Cheryl Smith / Rainbeaux Smith, Julie Drazen, Stuart Edmond Rodgers, Chris Witney, Edwin Max, Dorothy Love, Janus Blythe, Jonathan Demme, Westbrook Claridge, DeForest Covan, Samuel W. Gelfman / Sam Gelfman, Bonnie Inch, Mickey Lolich, Keith Michl, Leigh Mitchell, Don Walters, Newell Alexander, Rosemary Alexander / Rosemary Lovell, Dave Hull, Jennifer Mulaire, Rob Bottin, Jim Inch, Robert J. Koster.

Recommended reading:

The Incredible Melting Man

By Phil Smith.

Published by New English Library.

Published 1978.

Paperback.

ISBN 13: 9780450038617

ISBN 10: 0450038610

ASIN: 0450038610

Description:

Three astronauts had returned safely from the Mars Landing.

Two were dead and Steve West was on the run.

On the run from the quarantine hospital which had been treating him … from the authorities who has to conceal his escape at all costs … from his friend Ted Nelson … and from the dreadful organism which had taken possession of his flesh, turning him into a fiendish nightmare but leaving his mind intact to cringe from the murderous horror he had become.

On this day in movie history - The Gauntlet (1977):

The Gauntlet

directed by Clint Eastwood,

written by Michael Butler and Dennis Shryack,

was released in the United States on December 21, 1977.
Music by Jerry Fielding.

Cast:

Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, Pat Hingle, William Prince, Bill McKinney, Michael Cavanaugh, Carole Cook, Mara Corday, Doug McGrath, Jeff Morris, Samantha Doane, Roy Jenson, Dan Vadis, Carver Barnes, Robert Barrett, Teddy Bear, Mildred Brion, Ron Chapman, Don Circle, James W. Gavin, Thomas H. Friedkin, Darwin Lamb, Roger Lowe, Fritz Manes, John Quiroga, Josef Rainer, Art Rimdzius, Al Silvani, Michael L. Cooley, Marneen Fields, Dennis Jenkins, Mike Mangiaruca, Butch Price, Terry D. Seago, Steve Wargo, Tom Willett.

On this day in movie history - The Goodbye Girl (1977):

The Goodbye Girl

directed by Herbert Ross,

written by Neil Simon,

was released in the United States on November 30, 1977.
Music by Dave Grusin.
Song Goodbye Girl written and performed by David Gates.

Cast:

Richard Dreyfuss, Marsha Mason, Quinn Cummings, Paul Benedict, Barbara Rhoades, Theresa Merritt, Michael Shawn, Patricia Pearcy, Nicol Williamson, Robert Costanzo, Kristina Hurrell, Raymond J. Barry, Powers Boothe.

On this day in movie history - Close Encounters of the Third Kind (movie & books):

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

directed and written by Steven Spielberg,

was released in the United States on November 16, 1977.
Music by John Williams.

Cast:

Richard Dreyfuss, François Truffaut, Teri Garr, Melinda Dillon, Bob Balaban, J. Patrick McNamara, Warren J. Kemmerling, Roberts Blossom, Philip Dodds, Cary Guffey, Shawn Bishop, Adrienne Campbell, Justin Dreyfuss, Lance Henriksen, Merrill Connally, George DiCenzo, Amy Douglass, Alexander Lockwood, Gene Dynarski, Mary Gafrey, Norman Bartold, Josef Sommer, Michael J. Dyer, Roger Ernest, Carl Weathers, F.J. O'Neil, Phil Dodds, Randy Mark Herman, Hal Barwood, Matthew Robbins, David Anderson, Richard L. Hawkins, Craig Shreeve, Bill Thurman, Roy E. Richards, Gene Rader, Eumenio Blanco, Daniel Nunez, Chuy Franco, Luis Contreras, James Keane, Dennis McMullen, Cy Young, Tom Howard, Richard Stuart, Bob Westmoreland, Matt Emery, Galen Thompson, John Dennis Johnston, John Ewing, Keith Atkinson, Robert Broyles, Kirk Raymond, Bennett Wayne Dean Sr., Danyi Deats, Jenny Inge Devaney. Basil Hoffman, J. Allen Hynek, Monty Jordan, Shay McLean, Dejah Moore, Carl Neal, Monty O'Grady, Julia Phillips, Murray Pollack, Stephen Powers, David Rambow, Howard K. Smith.

Recommended reading:

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

By Steven Spielberg.

Published 1978.

ISBN-10: 0440114330

ISBN-13: 978-0722180808

Back cover description:

Watch the skies …

Close Encounter of the First Kind:

Sighting of an Unidentified Object.

Close Encounter of the Second Kind:

Physical evidence after UFO sighting.

Close Encounter of the Third Kind:

Actual contact between human observers and UFO occupants.

All over the world, millions of reliable witnesses – including respected scientists – have been reporting UFO sightings for the past thirty years. Experts everywhere concede the overwhelming probability of intelligent life elsewhere in the Universe. From these indisputable facts, Steven Spielberg, brilliant young director of Jaws, has created the most beautiful, frightening and significant motion picture adventure of all time.

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Close Encounters of the Third Kind Fotonovel

By Steven Spielberg.

Published 1978.

ISBN-10: 0440109795

ISBN-13: 978-0440109792

Back cover description:

Close Encounter of the First Kind:

Sighting of a UFO.

Close Encounter of the Second Kind:

Physical evidence.

Close Encounter of the Third Kind:

Contact.

Mankind is off on the greatest adventure in the history of our planet.

And nothing will ever be the same.

For now there is no denying the inescapable conclusion:

We are not alone.

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Close Encounters of the Third Kind Diary

By Bob Balaban.

Published 1978.

ISBN-10: 0931550009

ISBN-13: 978-0931550003

Back cover description:

“I loved it. This is a book I would like to have written myself. I could kick myself for not keeping my own diary.” – Richard Dreyfuss.

Bob Balaban plays Francois Truffaut’s interpreter in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Since all journalists and writers were barred during the shooting of the movie, his diary is the only on the spot account of both the making of the movie and, more importantly, the off-screen lives of the people involved in this fantastic project.

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Close Encounters of the Third Kind:

The Ultimate Visual History

By Michael Klastorin.

Published 2017.

ISBN-10: 0062692992

ISBN-13: 978-0062692993

Back cover description:

Celebrate the fortieth anniversary of director Steven Spielberg’s sci-fi classic Close Encounters of the Third Kind with this fully authorized behind-the-scenes book exploring the creation, production, and legacy of this iconic film.

Created in conjunction with Sony Pictures and Amblin Entertainment, Close Encounters of the Third Kind: The Visual History details the complete creative journey behind the making of the film and examines its cultural impact.

Featuring rare and never-before-seen imagery from the archives, the book brings together a stunning collection of on-set photography, concept art, storyboards, and more to create a complete visual narrative of the film’s journey to the big screen. It also features a wealth of insightful commentary from the film’s key contributors, including exclusive new interviews with director Steven Spielberg, star Richard Dreyfuss, and composer John Williams.

The book also features a wealth of special inserts and interactive elements, including script pages featuring notes from Spielberg, concept sketches of the film’s UFOs and aliens, and much, much more.

Comprehensive, compelling, and filled with unseen treasures, Close Encounters of the Third Kind: The Ultimate Visual History is a fitting tribute to an unforgettable film.

On this day in music history - Heroes, by David Bowie (1977)

Heroes

Song by David Bowie,
released October 14, 1977.

On this day in music history - Bat Out of Hell, by Meat Loaf (1977):

Bat Out of Hell

Album by Meat Loaf,

released October 11, 1977.

Written by Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman.

Cover art by Richard Corben.

Track List:

Bat Out of Hell; You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth; Heaven Can Wait; All Revved Up with No Place to Go; Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad; Paradise by the Dashboard Light (Meat Loaf with Ellen Foley); For Crying Out Loud.

On this day in movie history - Rolling Thunder (1977):

Rolling Thunder

directed by John Flynn,

written by Paul Schrader and Heywood Gould,

based on a story by Paul Schrader,

was released in the United States on October 7, 1977.
Music by Barry De Vorzon.
Song San Antone performed by Denny Brooks.

Cast:

William Devane, Tommy Lee Jones, Linda Haynes, Carol Sowa, James Best, Dabney Coleman, Luke Askew, Lawrason Driscoll, Lisa Blake Richards, Randy Hermann, James Victor, Charles Escamilla, Pete Ortega, Cassie Yates, Jordan Gerler, Jacque Burandt, Paul A. Partain, James N. Harrell, Jane Abbott, Jerry Brown, Anthony Castillo, Rudy T. Gonzales, Robert K. Guthrie, Ray Gutierrez, Michael Nakamura, James Conner, Cheyenne Rivera, Robert Raymond Reyes, Arturo R. Tamez Jr., Bob Tisdale, Autry Ward, West Ward, William Vance White, Michael R. Witte, Alan Wong, Janet Quist.