#1 Songs in America
(April 19th)
1980 - "Call Me"
Blondie
4/19 - 5/30
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 - "Kiss"
Prince
4/19 - 5/2
1987 - "I Knew You Were Waiting"
Aretha Franklin and George Michael
4/18 - 5/1
1988 - "Get Out of Dreams, Get Into My Car"
Billy Ocean
4/9 - 4/22
1989 - "She Drives Me Crazy"
Fine Young Cannibals
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Other Notable Birthdays
Dudley Moore (Actor)
April 19, 1935 - March 27, 2002
Passed Away at Age 62 From Pneumonia
Nominated For an Academy Award For His Role as Arthur (1981)
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Passed Away
(On This Day)
Walter Mondale (Former U.S. Vice President)
January 5, 1928 - April 19, 2021
Passed Away on April 19, 2021 at Age 93 (Natural Causes)
42nd Vice President (1977 - 1981)
* To President Jimmy Carter
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80s Movies
(Released On This Day)
No 80s Movies Released On This Day
Fun Fact!
Red Dawn (1984) Was the First PG-13 Movie
Click Here For More 80s Movie Fact and Awards
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80s Television
(On This Day)
1985 - The Best Times Premiered on CBS
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 6
1985 - Final Episode of Off the Rack
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 7
Network: ABC
1986 - Tony Danza Hosted Saturday Night Live
Musical Guest: Laurie Anderson
1986 - Final Episode of Benson
Seasons: 7
Episodes: 158
Network: ABC
Fun Fact!
In 1985 Robert Guillaume Won an Emmy Award for Most Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series for His Role as Benson
* Guillaume Served in the US Army Before Pursuing Acting
Did You Know?
Benson Was a Spinoff From Soap
1986 - Final Episode of The Red Foxx Show
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 13
Network: ABC
1987 - The Simpsons Premiered as a Cartoon Short on The Tracey Ullman Show
1987 - Duet Premiered on Fox
Seasons: 3
Episodes: 54
1987 - Bionic Six (Animation) Premiered in Syndication
Seasons: 2
Episodes: 65
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80s Music
(Albums Released On This Day )
1982 - Big Science
Laurie Anderson (Debut Album)
Billboard Charts: #24
1989 - Good to be Back
Natalie Cole (11th Album)
Billboard Charts: #59
1989 - Buzz Factory
Screaming Trees (4th Album)
In Other 80s Music News
1980 - Brian Johnson Joined AC/DC as Their New Frontman
* Former Frontman Bon Scott Passed Away from Alcohol Poisoning
1980 - "Call Me" by Blondie Hit #1 on the US Billboard Charts
#1 Song in America from April 19 - May 30
* Also Hit #1 in the UK and Canada
Fun Fact!
“Call Me” was Made Popular from the 1980 Film American Gigolo
* The Song Hit #1 on Two Separate Occasions
1986 - "Kiss" by Prince Hit #1 on the US Billboard Charts
#1 Song in America from April 19 - May 2
* Also Hit #1 in the UK
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80s Sports
(On This Day)
1981 - Oakland A's Won Their 11th Game in a Row to Start the Season
* The A’s Lost to the Mariners the Next Game of the Doubleheader
Started the Season 17 - 1
1982 - The 76th Boston Marathon
First Place: Alberto Salazar (USA) 2:08:52
Female: Charlotte Teske (West Germany)
1982 - Runner, Rosie Ruiz Was Arrested For Cocaine
* Best Known For Cheating Marathons
1986 - Michael Spinks Beat Larry Holmes For the Heavyweight Championship
* 15 Round Split Decision
Location: Las Vegas Hilton
1987 - Milwaukee Brewers Scored 5 Runs in 9th Inning Against the Texas Rangers to Win Their 12th Straight Game to Start the Season
* Dale Sveum Hit a Walk Off 2-Run Homer
1989 - New York Mets, Kevin Elster Set a Shortstop Record With 73 Straight Games Without an Error
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In Other 80s News
(On This Day)
1982 - The Arcade Game Dig Dug Was Released in Japan
1984 - The "Advance Australia Fair" Was Proclaimed as Australia's National Anthem
* Green and Gold Were Voted the National Colors
1985 - White Supremacist Survivalist Group The Covenant, The Sword and the Arm of the Lord Were Surrounded by 200 Agents in Arkansas
* They Surrendered 2 Days Later
On April 19, 1986 the Final Episode of Benson Aired
* Ran 7 Seasons with 158 Episodes
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English Bodybuilder Dorian Yates Won 6 Consecutive Mr. Olympia's From 1992 to 1997
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Headlines
(April 19th)
1980 - "Call Me" by Blondie Became the #1 Song in America
* #1 Song in America from April 19 - May 30
Also Hit #1 in the UK and Canada
Made Popular From the 1980 Film American Gigolo Starring Richard Gere
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Happy 80s Birthdays
1937 - Elinor Donahue (Actress) Days of Our Lives
1946 - Tim Curry (Actor) Annie
1953 - Rod Morgenstein (Drummer) Dixie Dregs
1954 - Bob Rock (Record Producer) Metallica
1958 - Steve Antin (Actor) The Goonies
1958 - Stevie B (Singer)
1960 - Frank Viola (Baseball)
1961 - Spike Owen (Baseball)
1962 - Al Unser Jr. (Race Car Driver)
1962 - Dorian Yates (Bodybuilder)
1965 - Suge Knight (Record Producer) Death Row Records
Fun Facts!
Frank Viola (Minnesota Twins) Won the 1988 AL Cy Young Award
* Also Won the 1987 World Series MVP
1986 - Michael Spinks Beat Larry Holmes in a 15 Round Decision to Retain the Heavyweight Championship
* Lost the Title to Mike Tyson on June 27, 1987 in His Last Professional Boxing Match
Spinks Finished His Career 31 - 1
1986 - "Kiss" by Prince Became the #1 Song in America
* #1 Song in America from April 19 - May 2
Also Hit #1 in the UK
"Kiss" Was Ranked #85 on the Rolling Stone List of The 500 Greatest Songs of All-Time
"Call Me" by Blondie Hit #1 on the US Billboard Charts
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April 19th in 80s History
1989 - A Gun Turret Exploded on the USS Iowa
* Killed 47 Sailors
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1987 - The Simpsons Premiered as a Short on The Tracey Ullman Show
* Still on the Air
The Simpsons is the Longest Running Sitcom in American History
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In Other News
(On April 19th)
1775 - The American Revolutionary War Began
* Lexington and Concord Was the First Battle With an American Victory
1943 - Swiss Chemist, Albert Hoffman Became the First Person to Take LSD
1956 - Actress Grace Kelly Married Prince Rainier of Monaco
1995 - Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols Set Off the Oklahoma City Bombing
* 168 Killed
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Benson