On April 12, 1981 Space Shuttle Columbia Was Launched For the First Time
Other Notable Birthdays
Beverly Cleary (Writer)
April 12, 1916 - March 25, 2021
Birthplace: McMinnville, Oregon
Passed Away in Her Carmel, California Retirement Home at Age 104
* Unknown Cause of Death
One of the Most Successful Authors of All-Time With Over 91 Million Copies Sold
1927 - Alvin Sargent (Screenwriter)
April 12, 1927 - May 9, 2019
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Passed Away at Age 92 From Natural Causes
Fun Fact!
Alvin Sargent Won 2 Academy Awards For Best Adapted Screenplay
Julia (1977)
Ordinary People (1980)
Tom Clancy (Novelist)
April 12, 1947 - October 1, 2013
Birthplace: Baltimore, MD
Passed Away on October 1, 2013 at Age 66 From Heart Failure
* Had Bypass Surgery 6 Years Earlier
Fun Fact!
Tom Clancy Had 17 Best Sellers, Including Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger
* Over 100 Million Books Sold
David Cassidy (Singer)
April 12, 1950 - November 21, 2017
Birthplace: New York City
Passed Away at Age 67 From Kidney and Liver Failure
* Cassidy Admitted He Had a Drinking Problem
Became a Teen Idol From His Role as Keith Partridge in the Partridge Family
Shannen Doherty (Actress)
April 12, 1971 - July 13, 2024
Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee
Passed Away at Age 53 From Breast Cancer
* Diagnosed in 2015
Best Known For Playing Brenda Walsh in Beverly Hills 90210
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Passed Away
(On This Day)
Franklin D. Roosevelt (Former U.S. President)
January 30, 1882 - April 12, 1945
Birthplace: Hyde Park, New York
Passed Away at Age 63 From a Massive Intracerebral Hemorrhage
* Died While in Office
The 32nd President of the United States
Term: 1933 - 1945
Fun Fact!
Because of World War II Franklin D. Roosevelt is the Only President to Serve More Than 2 Terms
Joe Louis (Boxer)
May 13, 1914 - April 12, 1981
Birthplace: LaFayette, Alabama
Passed Away at Age 66 From Cardiac Arrest
* Considered the Greatest and Most Influential Boxers of All-Time
Fun Fact!
Joe Louis Holds the Record For Longest Reign as a Champion (1937 - 1949)
* Also Holds the Record With 25 Title Defenses
Sugar Ray Robinson (Boxing)
May 3, 1921 - April 12, 1989
Birthplace: Ailey, Georgia
Passed Away at Age 67 From Heart Disease
* Was Also Diagnosed With Alzheimer’s Disease
Considered Pound for Pound the Greatest Boxer of All-Time
Charlie Murphy (Actor and Comedian)
July 12, 1959 - April 12, 2017
Birthplace: New York City
Passed Away At Age 57 From Leukemia
* Best Known For His Roles on The Chappelle Show
Gilbert Gottfried (Actor and Comedian)
February 28, 1955 - April 12, 2022
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York
Passed Away at Age 66 From Ventricular Tachycardia (Fast Heart Rate)
* Best Known as the Voice of Iago in Aladdin
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80s Movies
(Released On This Day)
1980 - Mad Max
Director: George Miller
Starring: Mel Gibson as "Mad" Max Rockatansky, Joanne Samuel, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Steve Bisley, Tim Burns and Roger Ward
Budget: N/A
Box Office: $100 Million (Worldwide)
1985 - Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
Director: Alan Metter
Starring: Sarah Jessica Parker, Helen Hunt, Lee Montgomery, Jonathan Silverman, Ed Lauter and Shannen Doherty
Budget: $4.9 Million
Box Office: $6.3 Million
1985 - LadyHawke
Director: Richard Donner
Starring: Matthew Broderick, Rutger Hauer, and Michelle Pfeiffer
Budget: $20 Million
Box Office: $18.4 Million
1985 - Cat’s Eye
Director: Lewis Teague
Starring: Drew Barrymore, James Woods, Alan King, Robert Hays and Candy Clark
Budget: $7 Million
Box Office: $13.1 Million
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80s Television
(On This Day)
1983 - Final Episode of Ace Crawford, Private Eye
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 5
Starring Tim Conway
1984 - Duck Trouble Premiered on NBC
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 13
Starring Jim Carrey
1986 - Soul Train Aired Its 500th Episode
Dance Songs
"Do It To Me Good (Tonight)" by Michael Henderson
"Another Night" by Aretha Franklin
"I'm Not Gonna Let You (Get The Best Of Me)" by Colonel Abrams
Performers
Zapp ("Computer Love" & "Itchin' For Your Twitchin'")
Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam ("All Cried Out")
Meli'sa Morgan ("Do Me Baby" & "Do You Still Love Me?")
Soul Train Line Dance
"Crush On You" (The Jets)
Scramble Word
“William Gray” (Prince Song)
1986 - Oprah Winfrey Hosted Saturday Night Live
Musical Guest: Joe Jackson
1987 - 21 Jump Street Premiered on FOX
Seasons: 5
Episodes: 103
Starring Johnny Depp, Richard Grieco and Holly Robinson
1988 - Final Episode of My Sister Sam
Seasons: 2
Episodes: 44
Staring Pam Dawber From Mork & Mindy
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80s Music
(Albums Released On This Day)
1980 - One Eighty
Ambrosia (4th Album)
Billboard Charts: #25
1982 - American Fool
John Cougar (5th Album)
Hit #1 on the US Billboard 200 Charts
* Featuring “Hurts so Good” and “Jack & Diane”
1983 - Murmur
R.E.M. (Debut Album)
Billboard Charts: #36
1984 - Grace Under Pressure
Rush (10th Album)
Billboard Charts: #10
1988 - Even Worse
“Weird Al” Yankovic (5th Album)
Billboard Charts: #27
* Featuring “Fat”
1988 - Lap of Luxury
Cheap Trick (10th Album)
Billboard Charts: #16
Singles Released
1988 - “Dirty Diana”
Michael Jackson
#1 Song in America from July 2 - 8
* Also Hit #1 in Belgium
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80s Sports
(On This Day)
1980 - Cecil Cooper and Don Money Hit Grand Slams For the Milwaukee Brewers Against the Boston Red Sox
* The Brewers Beat the Red Sox 18 - 1 at County Stadium in Milwaukee
Attendance: 16,962
Fun Fact!
Don Money Was 4-time All-Star (1974, 1976, 1977, 1978) With the Milwaukee Brewers
1980 - The US Olympic Committee Pushed to Boycott of the Summer Olympic in Moscow Because of the Soviet Union's Invasion of Afghanistan
* The United States Ended Up Boycott the Olympics
1980 - The Wild Samoans Beat Ivan Putski and Tito Santana For the WWF Tag Team Championship
1981 - Tom Watson (USA) -8 Won the Masters
1987 - Larry Mize (USA) -3 Defeated Seve Ballesteros (Spain) and Greg Norman (Australia) on the 2nd Hole of Playoffs to Win the Masters
1988 - Frank Robinson Was Named Manager of the Baltimore Orioles
* Replaced Cal Ripken, Sr.
The Orioles Lost a Major League Record 0 - 21 to Start the Season
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In Other 80s News
1980 - Terry Fox (Amputee) Began His Marathon of Hope Run
* First Amputee to Finish the New York Marathon
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#1 Songs in America
(April 12th)
1980 - "Another Brick in the Wall, Part II
Pink Floyd
3/22 - 4/18
1981 - "Kiss on My List"
Hall & Oates
4/11 - 5/1
1982 - "I Love Rock 'n' Roll"
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
3/20 - 5/7
1983 - "Billie Jean"
Michael Jackson
3/5 - 4/22
1984 - "Footloose
Kenny Loggins
3/31 - 4/20
1985 - "One More Night"
Phil Collins
3/30 - 4/12
1986 - "Rock Me Amadeus"
Falco
3/28 - 4/18
1987 - "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now"
Starship
4/4 - 4/17
1988 - "Get Out of Dreams, Get Into My Car"
Billy Ocean
4/9 - 4/22
1989 - "The Look"
Roxette
4/8 - 4/14
Click Here For More Music Fun Facts and Awards
1986 - Soul Train Aired its 500th Episode
Debut: October 2, 1971
Final Episode: March 25, 2006
In Other News
(On April 12th)
1945 - President Franklin D. Roosevelt Died While in Office From a Massive Intracerebral Hemorrhage
* Vice President Harry S. Truman Became President
1955 - The Polio Vaccine Was Developed by Dr. Jonas Salk
* Declared Safe and Effective
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Soul Train's 500th Episode
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CBS Employees Shot
1987 - Larry Mize Beat Seve Ballesteros (Spain) and Greg Norman (Australia) on the 2nd Hole of Playoffs to Win the 51st Masters
Winning Prize: $162,000
Runner Up Prize: $79,200
Location: Augusta, Georgia
Fun Fact!
The 1987 Masters Was Larry Mize’s First and Only Major Championship
1983 - Harold Washington Was Elected as the First Black Mayor of Chicago
Headlines
(April 12th)
1981 - Tom Watson Beat Johnny Miller and Jack Nicklaus by 2-Strokes to Win the 45th Masters
Winning Prize: $60,000
Runner Up Prize: $30,500
Location: Augusta, Georgia
The First Masters With Bentgrass Greens
* Used to be Bermuda and Ryegrass
Fun Fact!
Tom Watson is an 8x Major Champion
The Masters (1977, 1981)
U.S. Open (1982)
The Open Championship (1975, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983)
Happy 80s Birthdays
1940 - Herbie Hancock (Keyboardist) "Rockit"
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois
1946 - Ed O’Neil (Actor) Married with Children
Birthplace: Youngstown, Ohio
1947 - Alex Briley (Singer) Village People (G.I.)
Birthplace: Harlem, New York
1947 - Dan Lauria (Actor) The Wonder Years
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York (Jack Arnold)
1947 - David Letterman (Talk Show Host)
Birthplace: Indianapolis, Indiana
1956 - Andy Garcia (Actor) The Untouchables
Birthplace: Havana, Cuba
1961 - Charles Mann (Football)
Birthplace: Sacramento, California
1966 - Lorenzo White (Football)
Birthplace: Hollywood, Florida
Fun Fact!
David Letterman Appeared on Many Game Shows in the 70s
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1987 - 21 Jump Street Premiered on FOX
Seasons: 5
Episodes: 103
Starring Johnny Depp, Richard Grieco and Holly Robinson
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Space Shuttle Columbia
April 12th in 80s History
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1992 - Euro Disneyland Opened in Paris
* Now Called Disneyland Paris
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On April 12, 1982 3 CBS Employees Were Shot to Death in a New York City Parking Lot When They Stumbled Upon an Abducted Woman on the Rooftop of a Parking Lot