Recommended reading - The Stand (1978):

The Stand

By Stephen King.

First published 1978.

Published by Doubleday.

Hardcover.

ISBN-10: 0385199570

ISBN-13: 978-0385199575

Description:

Stephen King’s apocalyptic vision of a world blasted by plague and tangled in an elemental struggle between good and evil remains as riveting – and eerily plausible – as when it was first published.

One of The Atlantic’s Great American Novels of the Past 100 Years! This edition includes all of the new and restored material first published in The Stand: The Complete and Uncut Edition.

A patient escapes from a biological testing facility, unknowingly carrying a deadly weapon: a mutated strain of super-flu that will wipe out 99 percent of the world’s population within a few weeks. Those who remain are scared, bewildered, and in need of a leader. Two emerge – Mother Abagail, the benevolent 108-year-old woman who urges them to build a peaceful community in Boulder, Colorado; and Randall Flagg, the nefarious “Dark Man,” who delights in chaos and violence. As the dark man and the peaceful woman gather power, the survivors will have to choose between them – and ultimately decide the fate of all humanity.

On this day in movie history - The Brink’s Job (1978):

The Brink’s Job

directed William Friedkin,

written by Walon Green,

based on the book Big Stick-Up at Brinks by Noel Behn,

was released in the United States on December 8, 1978.
Music by Richard Rodney Bennett.

Cast:

Peter Falk, Peter Boyle, Allen Garfield, Warren Oates, Gena Rowlands, Paul Sorvino, Sheldon Leonard, Gerard Murphy, Kevin O'Connor, Claudia Peluso, Patrick Hines, Malachy McCourt, Walter Klavun, Randy Jurgensen, John Brandon, Robert Prosky.

On this day in music history - Dog & Butterfly, by Heart (1978):

The album Dog & Butterfly,

by Heart,

was released on October 7, 1978.

On this day in movie history - Midnight Express (1978):

Midnight Express

directed by Alan Parker,

written by Oliver Stone,

based on the book by Billy Hayes and William Hoffer,

was released in the United States on October 6, 1978.
Music by Giorgio Moroder.

Cast:

Brad Davis, Irene Miracle, Bo Hopkins, Paolo Bonacelli, Paul L. Smith, Randy Quaid, Norbert Weisser, John Hurt, Kevork Malikyan, Yashaw Adem, Mike Kellin, Franco Diogene, Michael Ensign, Gigi Ballista, Peter Jeffrey, Michael Giannatos.

On this day in television history: Taxi (1978 - 1983):

Taxi

written by James L. Brooks, Stan Daniels, David Davis and Ed. Weinberger,

was released on September 12, 1978, and ran for five seasons, until June 15, 1983.
Theme music by Bob James.

Cast:

Judd Hirsch, Danny DeVito, Marilu Henner, Tony Danza, Andy Kaufman, Christopher Lloyd, J. Alan Thomas, Jeff Conaway, Carol Kane, Randall Carver, T.J. Castronovo, Rhea Perlman, Gene LeBell, Jimmy Lennon Sr., Al Rosen, Louise Lasser, Susan Kellermann, Vincent Schiavelli, Melanie Gaffin, Ed. Weinberger, David Mendenhall, Suzanne Kent, Ellen Regan, Andrea Marcovicci, Julia DeVito, Jack Gilford, Anne De Salvo, Jill Jaress, Marc Anthony Danza, Carmine Caridi, Wendell Wright, Talia Balsam, Michael Mann, Paula Victor, Ted Danson, Rebecca Holden, Bubba Smith, Fran Ryan, Charlayne Woodard, Mandy Patinkin, Arlene Golonka, Gail Edwards, Allan Arbus, Rita Taggart, William Bogert, Dee Wallace, Jeffrey Tambor, Joan Hackett, Ruth Gordon, Scott Brady, Amanda McBroom, Lenny Baker, Constance Forslund, John Dukakis, Nancy Steen, Liz Miller, Susan Sullivan, Priscilla Barnes, Julie Kavner, Beverly Ross, George Wendt, Martha Smith, Barry Nelson, Allen Garfield, Tom Selleck, Joanna Cassidy, Eileen Brennan, Bob Larkin, Tom Hanks, Gayle Hunnicutt, Keenan Wynn, Sherrie Wills, Jean Hayworth, Marcia Wolf, Penny Marshall, Tracey Walter, Scatman Crothers, Cathie Shirriff, Judith-Marie Bergan, Michael Saucedo, Howard Witt, Brad Kesten, Charles Bouvier, Sharon Madden, Elizabeth Hill, Wendy Jewell, Rose Marie Klespitz, Joyce Mandel, Marshall Jay Kaplan, Paul LeClair, Jim Brooks, Debra Satell.

On this day in movie history - The Driver (1978):

The Driver,

directed and written by Walter Hill,

was released in the United States on July 28, 1978.
Music by Dominic Frontiere.

Cast:
Ryan O'Neal, Bruce Dern, Isabelle Adjani, Ronee Blakley, Matt Clark, Felice Orlandi, Joseph Walsh, Rudy Ramos, Denny Macko, Frank Bruno, Will Walker, Sandy Brown Wyeth, Tara King, Richard Carey, Fidel Corona, Victor Gilmour, Nick Dimitri, Bob Minor, Angelo Lamonea, Patrick Burns, Karen Kleiman, Thomas Myers, Bill McConnell, Peter Jason, William Hasley, Allan Graf, Peter Paul Eastman, Raven Grey Eagle, Bob Harks, Orwin C. Harvey, Steve Moriarty, Nico Stevens, Leland Sun, Anna Young.

On this day in movie history - Hooper (1978):

Hooper,

directed by Hal Needham,

written by Thomas Rickman and Bill Kerby,

based on a story by Walt Green, Walter S. Herndon and James Best,

was released in the United States on July 28, 1978.
Music by Bill Justis.

Cast:
Burt Reynolds, Jan-Michael Vincent, Sally Field, Brian Keith, John Marley, Robert Klein, James Best, Adam West, Alfie Wise, Terry Bradshaw, Norman Grabowski, George Furth, Jim Burk, Don 'Red' Barry, Princess O'Mahoney, Robert Tessier, Richard Tyler, Tara Buckman, Hal Floyd, Ray Bickel, Rex Benson, R.G. Allen, Mark Montgomery, Linda McClure, Kent Lane, Christa Linder, Kris Goddard, Robert Hackman, John Marshall, Laura Lizer Sommers, Peter Craig, Soupy Sales, Roxanne Brewer, Alex Brown, William H. Burton Jr., Tom Cloud, Jadie David, David Ellis, Gary Epper, John Escobar, Len Glasgow, Raven Grey Eagle, Stefan Gudju, Freddie Hice, Buddy Joe Hooker, Hugh Hooker, Louise Johnson, Gary McLarty, Mary Moon, Bennie Moore, Dave Mungenast Sr., Sam Neville, Alan Oliney, Bob Orrison, Regis Parton, John Quijada, Ronnie Rondell Jr., Reid Rondell, Tim Rossovich, Fred Scheiwiller, Ron Stein, Charles A. Tamburro, Greg Topper, Jim Whitecloud, Walter Wyatt.

On this day in movie history - Heaven Can Wait (1978):

Heaven Can Wait,

directed by Warren Beatty and Buck Henry,

based on the play by Harry Segall,

was released in the United States on June 28, 1978.
Music by Dave Grusin.

Cast:
Warren Beatty, Julie Christie, James Mason, Jack Warden, Charles Grodin, Dyan Cannon, Buck Henry, Vincent Gardenia, Joseph Maher, Hamilton Camp, Arthur Malet, Stephanie Faracy, Jeannie Linero, Harry D.K. Wong, George J. Manos, Larry Block, Frank Campanella, Bill Sorrells, Dick Enberg, Dolph Sweet, R.G. Armstrong, Ed Peck, John Randolph, Richard O'Brien, Joseph F. Makel, Will Hare, Lee Weaver, Roger Bowen, Keene Curtis, William Larsen, Morgan Farley, William Bogert, Robert E. Leonard, Joel Marston, Earl Montgomery, Robert C. Stevens, Bernie Massa, Peter Tomarken, William Sylvester, Lisa Blake Richards, Charlie Charles, Nick Outin, Jerry Scanlan, Jim Boeke, Marvin Fleming, Deacon Jones, Les Josephson, Jack Snow, Curt Gowdy, Al DeRogatis, Benjie Bancroft, Arline Bletcher, Joe Corolla, Charlie Cowan, Garrett Craig, Paul D'Amato, Robert Fortier, Allan Graf, Bryant Gumbel, Jim Healy, Chick Hearn, Ray Pourchot, Nick Raymond, Elliott Reid, Roberto Rodriguez, Byron Webster.

On this day in movie history - The Cheap Detective (1978):

The Cheap Detective,

directed by Robert Moore,

written by Neil Simon,

was released in the United States on June 23, 1978.
Music by Patrick Williams.

Cast:
Peter Falk, Ann-Margret, Eileen Brennan, Sid Caesar, Stockard Channing, James Coco, Dom DeLuise, Louise Fletcher, John Houseman, Madeline Kahn, Fernando Lamas, Marsha Mason, Phil Silvers, Abe Vigoda, Paul Williams, Nicol Williamson, Emory Bass, Carmine Caridi, James Cromwell, Scatman Crothers, David Ogden Stiers, Vic Tayback, Carole Wells, John Calvin, Barry Michlin, Jonathan Banks, Lew Gallo, Lee McLaughlin, Zale Kessler, Jerrold Ziman, Wally K. Berns, Bella Bruck, Henry Sutton, Maurice Marks, Joe Ross, Dean Perry, George Rondo, Ronald L. Schwary, Louis H. Kelly, Charles Bastin, Armando Gonzales, Gary L. Dyer, Steven Fisher, Laurie Hagen, Lee Menning, Nancy Warren, Nancy Marlowe Coyne, Lynn Griffis, Paula Friel, Sheila Sisco, Lauren Simon, Cindy Lang, Martina Ritt, David Matthau, Gary Alexander, Michele Bernath, George Simmons, Joree Sirianni, Cornell Chulay, Edward Coch Jr., Bob Harks, Paul King, Murray Pollack, Arthur Tovey.

On this day in movie history - The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith (1978):

The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith

directed and written by Fred Schepisi,

was released in Australia on June 22, 1978.
Based on the novel by Thomas Keneally.
Inspired by the true 1900 Jimmy Governor murder case.

Music by Bruce Smeaton.

Cast:

Tommy Lewis, Freddy Reynolds, Ray Barrett, Jack Thompson, Angela Punch McGregor, Steve Dodd, Peter Carroll, Ruth Cracknell, Don Crosby, Elizabeth Alexander, Peter Sumner, Tim Robertson, Ray Meagher, Brian Anderson, Jane Harders, Julie Dawson, Jack Charles, Arthur Dignam, Robyn Nevin, Gregory Apps, Jillian Archer, John Bowman, Bryan Brown, Michael Carman, Bill Charlton, Liddy Clark, Aileen Corpus, Matthew Crosby, Marshall Crosby, Zona Dixon, Ian Gilmour, Ken Grant, Alan Hardy, Lauren Hutton, John Jarratt, Phemise Jonas, James Keneally, Thomas Keneally, Hagar Laikburner, Katie Lilley, Rose Lilley, Terry McDermott, Lorraine Mafi-Williams, Ray Marshall, Zac Martin, Justine Saunders, Alexandra Schepisi, Rob Steele, Richard Ussher, Wesley Williams, Barbara Wyndon, Mervyn Drake, Peter Farmer, Kevin Miles, Karlene Rogerson.

On this day in movie history - Document of the Dead (1980):

Document of the Dead,

directed and written by Roy Frumkes,

was released in Germany on June 21, 1981.
Documentary on the making of Dawn of the Dead (1978),

directed by George A. Romero.
Narrated by Susan Tyrrell and Nicole Potter.
Music by Rick Ulfik.

Cast:

Susan Tyrrell, Nicole Potter, George A. Romero, Richard P. Rubinstein, Michael Gornick, Carl Augenstein, Tom Savini, Ken Foree, Scott H. Reiniger, David Emge, John Amplas, Roy Frumkes, Christine Forrest, Gahan Wilson, Steve Bissette, Joe Kane, Gregory Lamberson, Ben Barenholtz, Dave Bartholomew, Pasquale Buba, Butchie   Butchie, Diane Donati, Jimmy 'Killer' Evans, George Haeck, Dave Hawkins, 'Sidecar' John Helbig, Jeanie Jefferies, Tom Kapusta, Katherine Kolbert, Leonard Lies, Doug Mertz, Sukey Raphael, Rudy Ricci, John Rice, Cindy Roman, Lenny Roman, Gaylen Ross, Donna Siegel, Nick Tallo, Danny Vail, Larry Vaira, Sara Venable, Susan Vermazen.

Born on this day – Irwin Allen:

Irwin Allen

Photographed on the set of The Swarm (1978)

Director

Producer

June 12, 1916 – November 2, 1991

On this day in movie history - Damien: Omen II (1978):

Damien: Omen II,

directed by Don Taylor and Mike Hodges,

written by Stanley Mann and Mike Hodges,

based on a story by Harvey Bernhard,

was released in the United States on June 9, 1978.
Music by Jerry Goldsmith.

Cast:
William Holden, Lee Grant, Jonathan Scott-Taylor, Robert Foxworth, Nicholas Pryor, Lew Ayres, Sylvia Sidney, Lance Henriksen, Elizabeth Shepherd, Lucas Donat, Allan Arbus, Fritz Ford, Meshach Taylor, John J. Newcombe, John Charles Burns, Paul Cook, Diane Daniels, Robert E. Ingham, William B. Fosser, Corney Morgan, Russell P. Delia, Judith Dowd, Thomas O. Erhart Jr., Sorin Serene Pricopie, Robert J. Jones Jr., Rusdi Lane, Charles Mountain, Cornelia Sanders, Felix Shuman, James Spinks, Owen Sullivan, William J. Whelehan, Ian Hendry, Gus Kaprales, Leo McKern.