The big films of the year were Cabaret, The Poseidon Adventure, Deliverance and The Godfather, with the latter winning the best picture Oscar.
The big singles of the year were Don McLean's American Pie, Neil Young's Heart of Gold and Harry Nilsson's Without You. Christmas number one was Little Jimmy Osmond's Long Haired Lover From Liverpool.
On television Newsround, Mastermind, MASH, Emmerdale Farm and Are You Being Served made their debut.
Notable births included Welsh boxer Joe Calzaghe, British Olympic rowing champion James Cracknell, Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher and actor Jude Law.
Notable deaths included former FBI director J. Edgar Hoover, former British king Edward VIII, former US President Harry Truman and American poet Ezra Pound.
1972 Star Fact: On January 23, 1972, in New Delhi, 100 people died after drinking methanol at a wedding, thinking it was an alcoholic beverage. It was sold to the wedding organisers by a bootlegger.
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