Other Notable Birthdays
Elizabeth Montomery (Actress)
April 15, 1933 - May 18, 1995
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California
Passed Away at Age 62 From Liver Cancer
* Played Samantha on Bewitched
Willie Davis (Baseball)
April 15, 1940 - March 9, 2010
Birthplace: Mineral Springs, Arkansas
Passed Away at Age 69 From Natural Causes
Position: Outfield
All-Star: 2 (1971, 1973)
Gold Glove: 3 (1971, 1972, 1973)
World Series Champion: 2 (1963, 1965)
Played 19-Seasons in the Major Leagues, Mostly With the Dodgers
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Passed Away
(On This Day)
Abraham Lincoln (Former U.S. President)
February 12, 1809 - April 15, 1865
Birthplace: Hodgenville, Kentucky
Assassinated by John Wilkes Booth at Age 56
* Shot at Ford’s Theater in Washington D.C.
The 16th President of the United States
Joey Ramone (Singer)
May 19, 1951 - April 15, 2001
Birthplace: Queens, New York
Passed Away at Age 49 From Lymphoma
* Diagnosed in 1995
Lead Singer and the Founder of The Ramones
Clifton James (Actor)
May 29, 1920 - April 15, 2017
Birthplace: Spokane, Washington
Passed Away at Age 96 From Diabetes
* Best Known For Playing Charles Comiskey in the 1988 Film Eight Men Out and the Texas Tycoon in the Bad News Bears Breaking Training (1977)
R. Lee Ermey (Actor)
March 24, 1944 - April 15, 2018
Birthplace: Emporia, Kansas
Passed Away at Age 74 From Pneumonia
* Best Known For Playing Sergeant Hartman in the 1987 Film Full Metal Jacket
Liz Sheridan (Actress)
April 10, 1929 - April 15, 2022
Birthplace: Rye, New York
Passed Away at Age 93
* Unknown Cause of Death
Sheridan is Best Known For Playing Seinfeld's Mom the Nosey Neighbor on Alf
Whitey Herzog (Baseball)
November 9, 1931 - April 15, 2024
Birthplace: New Athens, IL
Passed Away at Age 92
* Unknown Cause of Death
Managed the St. Louis Cardinals From 1980 to 1990
World Series Champion: 1982
Fun Fact!
Whitey Herzog Won National League Manager of the Year in 1985
* Also Managed the Texas Rangers (1973) California Angels (1974) and the Kansas City Royals (1975 - 1979)
Elected to the Pro Baseball Hall of Fame in 2010 (Veterans Committee)
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80s Movies
(Released On This Day)
1983 - Flashdance
Director: Adrian Lyne
Starring: Jennifer Beals, Michael Nouri and Cynthia Rhodes
Budget: $7 Million
Box Office: $201.5 Million ($92 Million Domestic)
1983 - Liquid Sky
Director: Slava Tsukerman
Starring: Anne Carlisle and Paula E. Sheppard
Budget: $500,000
Box Office: $1.7 Million
Most Successful Independent Film From 1983
1983 - Lone Wolf McQuade
Director: Steve Carver
Starring: Chuck Norris and David Carradine
Budget: $5 Million
Box Office: $15 Million
1988 - Colors
Director: Dennis Hopper
Starring: Sean Penn, Robert Duvall, Don Cheadle, Damon Wayans, Trinidad Silva, Mario Lopez and Maria Conchita Alonso
Budget: $10 Million
Box Office: $46.6 Million
1988 - Appointment with Death
Director: Michael Winner
Starring: Peter Ustinov, Carrie Fisher and Hayley Mills
Budget: $6 Million
Box Office: $960,000
1988 - Brain Damage
Director: Frank Henenlotter
Starring: Rick Hearst, Jennifer Lowry and Gordon MacDonald
Budget: N/A
Box Office: N/A
1988 - The Moderns
Director: Alan Rudolph
Starring: Keith Carradine, Linda Fiorentino and John Lone
Budget: $3.5 Million
Box Office: $2 Million
1988 - Plain Clothes
Director: Martha Coolidge
Starring: Arliss Howard, Suzy Amis and George Wendt
Budget: $7.5 Million
Box Office: $289,000
1988 - Return to Snowy River
Director: Geoff Burrowes
Starring: Tom Burlinson, Sigrid Thornton and Brian Dennehy
Budget: $8.7 Million
Box Office: $13.6 Million
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80s Television
(On This Day)
1983 - The Paper Chase Premiered on Showtime
Seasons: 4
Episodes: 59
1985 - Lady Blue Premiered on ABC
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 14
Starrring Danny Aiello
1989 - Dolly Parton Hosted Saturday Night Live
* The “Sprockets Skit” Premiered
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80s Music
(On This Day)
1981 - What Cha’ Gonna Do For Me
Chaka Khan (3rd Album)
Billboard Charts: #17
* #3 in R&B
1985 - Feel the Fire
Overkill (Debut Album)
1985 - Horror Epics
The Exploited (4th Album)
1985 - As the Band Turns
Atlantic Starr (6th Album)
Billboard Charts: #17
* #3 in R&B
1986 - Love Zone
Billy Ocean (6th Album)
Billboard Charts: #6
* #1 R&B
Featuring “Going Gets Tough”
1987 - Death Before Dishonour
The Exploited (5th Album)
1989 - The Headless Children
W.A.S.P (4th Album)
Billboard Charts: #48
* #8 in the UK
Singles Released
1983 - “True”
Spandau Ballet
Reached #4 on the US Billboard Charts
* Hit #1 in the UK, Canada and Ireland
In Other 80s Music News
1989 - Loc-ed After Dark by Tone Loc Hit Became the #1 Album in America
#1 Album in America from April 15 - 21
* Featuring “Wild Thing”
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80s Sports
(On This Day)
1984 - Ben Crenshaw Won the Masters
1985 - Geoff Smith (England) Won the Boston Marathon For the Second Year in a Row
Female Winner: Lisa Larsen (USA)
Larsen is the Last American Woman to Win the Boston Marathon
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In Other 80s News
(On April 15th)
1983 - Tokyo Disney Opened in Japan
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In Other News
(On April 15th)
1817 - Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet and Laurent Clerc Founded the American School for the Deaf in Hartford Connecticut
* The First American School For Deaf Students
1861 - President Lincoln Called 75,000 Volunteers to Prepare For a Possible Civil War
1865 - President Lincoln Died the Day After Being Shot by Actor John Wilkes Booth
* Vice President Andrew Johnson Became President
1892 - General Electric Was Founded
1896 - The Closing Ceremonies of the First Olympic Games in Athens, Greece Closed
* USA Won the Most Gold Medals (11)
1912 - The RMS Titanic Sank in the North Atlantic After Hitting an Iceberg
* Over 1500 People Died
1947 - Jackie Robinson Became the First Black Player in Major League Baseball History
* Made His Debut For the Brooklyn Dodgers on Opening Day
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On April 15, 1989 The Hillsborough Stadium Disaster Took Place in South Yorkshire, England
* 96 People Were Crushed to Death
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1989 - "She Drives Me Crazy by The Fine Young Cannibals Became the #1 Song in America
* #1 Song in America from April 15 - 21
Also Hit #1 in Canada, Spain, Austria, Australia and New Zealand
Fun Fact!
The Fine Young Cannibals Were Formed in Birmingham, England in 1984
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Headlines
(April 15th)
1982 - Billy Joel Was in a Motorcycle Accident
* Spent Over a Month in the Hospital
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Colors
On April 15, 1988 Colors Starring Sean Penn, Robert Duvall and Don Cheadle Premiered in Theaters
The Hillsborough Stadium Disaster
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1983 - Flashdance Premiered in Theaters
Director: Adrian Lyne
Starring: Jennifer Beals, Michael Nouri and Cynthia Rhodes
Fun Fact!
Flashdance Was the 3rd Highest Grossing Movie From 1983
#1 Return of the Jedi
#2 Terms of Endearment
Flashdance Premiered in Theaters
#1 Songs in America
(April 15th)
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 - "We Are the World"
USA for Africa
4/13 - 5/10
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 - "She Drives Me Crazy"
Fine Young Cannibals
4/15 - 4/21
Click Here For More Music Fun Facts and Awards
1984 - Ben Crenshaw (-11) Won the 48th Masters
Course: Augusta National Golf Club
Location: Augusta, Georgia
Winning Prize: $108,000
Runner Up: Tom Watson (−9)
Runner Up Prize: $64,800
Fun Fact!
Ben Crenshaw is a 2x Major Champion
The Masters (1985, 1995)
Happy 80s Birthdays
1956 - Michael Cooper (Basketball)
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California
1959 - Thomas F. Wilson (Actor) Back to the Future “Bif”
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1959 - Emma Thompson (Actress)
Birthplace: London, England
1966 - Samantha Fox (Singer)
Birthplace: Mile End, London, England
Fun Fact!
Michael Cooper (Los Angeles Lakers) Won Defensive Player of the Year in 1987
NBA All-Defense First Team: 5
NBA Champion: 5
April 15th in 80s History