December 20th in 80s History

On December 20, 1985 World Youth Day Was Established by Pope John Paul II

Headlines

(December 20th)

1980 - NBC Aired the Game Between the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins Without Announcers
* NBC Reported That 60% of the Viewers Supported the Decision To Go Without Announcers

Other Notable Birthdays

George Roy Hill (Director)
December 20, 1921 - December 27, 2002
Passed Away at Age 81 from Parkinson’s Disease
Directed the Films, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) and The Sting (1973)
* Both Films Starred Paul Newman and Robert Redford

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Passed Away
(On This Day)

Dawn Steel (Studio Executive)
Passed Away on December 20, 1997 at Age 51 from Brain Cancer
In 1987 Became the First Woman to Run a Major Hollywood Studio

* Columbia Pictures

Brittany Murphy (Actress)
Passed Away on December 20, 2009 at Age 32 from Pneumonia

* Also Had Severe Iron-Deficiency Anemia and a Range of Over-the-Counter and Prescription Medications in Her System

Best Known For Playing Tai in the 1995 Film, Clueless

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80s Movies

(Released On This Day)

1989 - Born on the 4th of July
Director: Oliver Stone
Starring: Tom Cruise, Kyra Sedgwick, Raymond J. Barry, Jerry Levine, Frank Whaley and Willem Dafoe
Budget: $17.8 Million

Box Office: $161 Million

Academy Awards

Best Director: Oliver Stone Won
Best Film Editing: David Brenner and Joe Hutshing

1989 - Roger & Me
Director: Michael Moore
Starring: Michael Moore
Budget: $140,000

Box Office: $7 Million

Michael Moore’s Directorial Debut

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80s Television

(On This Day)

1980 - David Carradine Hosted Saturday Night Live
Musical Guest: Linda Ronstadt and Cast of The Pirates of Penzance

1986 - William Shatner Hosted Saturday Night Live
Musical Guest: Lone Justice

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80s Music

(Albums Released On This Day)

No 80s Albums Released On This Day

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80s Sports

(On This Day)

1980 - New York Jets and Miami Dolphins Played a Game Without Announcers
* The Jets Beat the Dolphins 24 - 17 at the Orange Bowl in Miami on a Saturday Afternoon
Spread

Dolphins -6

O/U 40.0

NBC Reported that 60% of the Viewers Supported the Decision to Go Without Announcers

1982 - The San Diego Chargers and the Cincinnati Bengals Combined For 1,102 Yards of Offense on Monday Night Football
* The Chargers Beat the Bengals 50 - 34 at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego
Spread

Chargers -3

O/U 50.0

Dan Fouts (Chargers) 435 Yards Passing
Wes Chandler (Chargers) had 260 Yards Receiving
Ken Anderson (Bengals) 416 Yards Passing

1983 - Guy Lafleur Scored His 500th Career NHL Goal

1985 - Howard Cosell Retired From Television

1986 - Seattle Seahawks Running Back, Curt Warner Rushed For 192 Yards With 3 Touchdowns Against the Denver Broncos
* The Seahawks Beat the Broncos 41 - 16 at the Kingdome in Seattle on a Saturday Evening
Spread

Seahawks -3.5

O/U 44.0

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<- December 19th December 21st ->

Back To The 80s Home Page

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Born of the 4th of July

On December 20, 1989 Born on the 4th of July Starring Tom Cruise Premiered in Theaters

World Youth Day

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1984 - Jonelle Matthews, a 12-Year Old Girl Disappeared in Greeley, Colorado
* Her Remains Were Discovered in 2019 Nearly 15 Miles From Her Home
The Cause of Death Was a Gunshot Wound to the Head
Her Killer Steven Pankey Was Sentenced to Life in Prison After His Arrest in 2020

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Happy 80s Birthdays

1945 - Peter Criss (Drummer) KISS
1946 - Dick Wolf (TV Producer) Miami Vice
1948 - Alan Parsons (Songwriter)
1949 - Cecil Cooper (Baseball)
1952 - Jenny Agutter (Actress) An American Werewolf in London
1954 - Michael Badalucco (Actor) Raging Bull
1955 - David Breashears (Mountaineer) Mt. Everest Climber
1956 - Blanche Baker (Actress) Sixteen Candles (Ginny Baker)
1956 - Anita Ward (Singer)
1957 - Joyce Hyser (Actress) Just One of the Guys
1965 - Rich Gannon (Football)
1966 - Chris Robinson (Singer) The Black Crowes

Fun Fact!

Cecil Cooper Was a 5x All-Star (1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1985) With the Milwaukee Brewers
RBI Leader (1980, 1983)
* Played His First 6 Seasons With the Boston Red Sox

Cecil Cooper Hitting an RBI Single in Game 4 of the 1982 World Series

"Walk Like an Egyptian" Became the #1 Song in America

On December 20, 1989 the United States Invaded Panama

Other Notable Dates

(On This Day)

1803 - The Louisiana Purchase was Completed at a Ceremony Held in New Orleans
* The US Purchased the Louisiana Territory from France for $15 Million Dollars
$18 per Square Mile

1860 - South Carolina Became the First State that Attempted to Secede from the United States

1946 - It’s a Wonderful Life Premiered in New York City
Starring James Stewart
Considered One of the Greatest Films of All-Time

1968 - The Zodiac Killer Killed David Faraday (17) and Betty Lou Jenson (16) and in Vallejo, California
* Known to be His First Victims

1971 - Doctors Without Borders was Founded by Bernard Kouchner in Paris, France

1974 - The Godfather Part II Premiered in Theaters
Won Best Picture
* The Godfather Part I also Won Best Picture
Francis Ford Copolla (Best Director)
Robert DeNiro (Best Supporting Actor)

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On December 20, 1989 Roger & Me Directed by Roger Moore Premiered in Theaters

* Directorial Debut

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1986 - “Walk Like an Egyptian” by The Bangles Hit #1 on the US Billboard Charts
* #1 Song in America from December 20 - January 16

Also Hit #1 in Canada, Spain, West Germany, Netherlands and Australia

1984 - A Freight Train Carrying Over 1 Million Liters of Gasoline Derailed in Todmorden, England
* Known as The Summit Tunnel Fire
The Largest Transportation Tunnel Fires in History