On This Day December 4th in 80s History

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1981 - Falcon Crest Premiered on CBS
* Ran 9 Seasons with 227 Episodes
Top 10 in Ratings 4 Years in a Row From 1982 to 1985

Headlines

(December 4th)

1981 - On Golden Pond Premiered in Theaters

Academy Awards

Best Actor: Henry Fonda

Best Actress: Katharine Hepburn

Best Screenplay: Ernest Thompson

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Happy 80s Birthdays

1933 - Wink Martindale (Radio and TV Personality)
Birthplace: Jackson, TN
1949 - Jeff Bridges (Actor) Tron
Birthplace: Los Angeles, CA
1951 - Gary Rossington (Guitarist) Lynyrd Skynyrd
Birthplace: Jackson, FL
1951 - Patricia Wettig (Actress) St. Elsewhere
Birthplace: Milford, OH
1956 - Bernard King (Basketball)
Birthplace: Brooklyn, NY
1963 - Lee Smith (Baseball)
Birthplace: Jamestown, LA
1964 - Marisa Tomei (Actress) As the World Turns, A Different World
Birthplace: New York City
1964 - Chelsea Noble (Actress) Growing Pains
Birthplace: Cheektowaga, NY

Fun Fact!
Marisa Tomei Got Her Start as a Regular on the Daytime Soap, As the World Turns in 1983

Other Notable Dates

(December 4th)

1791 - The British Newspaper, The Observer Became the First to Publish a Sunday Newspaper

1881 - The First Edition of the Los Angeles Times Was Published

1906 - The First Black Greek Lettered Fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha Was Founded at Cornell University

1909 - The Montreal Canadiens Hockey Team Was Formed
* The Oldest Professional Hockey Team

1909 - The First Grey Cup (Canadian Football Championship) Was Played
* The University of Toronto Varsity Blues beat the Toronto Parkdale Canoe Club 26 - 6

1918 - President Woodrow Wilson Became the First President to Travel to Europe While in Office
* Went For World War I Peace Talks in Versailles

1964 - Police Arrested Over 800 Students at the University of California, Berkeley, Following Their Takeover of the Administration Building in Protest of the Boards Decision to Forbid Protests on UC Property

1969 - Black Panther Party Members, Fred Hampton and Mark Clark Were Shot and Killed During a Raid by 14 Chicago Police Officers

1978 - Dianne Feinstein Became the First Female Mayor of San Francisco
* Replaced George Moscone After He and Harvey Milk Were Murdered

1991 - Terry Anderson Was Released From Beirut After 7 Years in Captivity as a Hostage
* Was the Last and Longest Held American Hostage in Lebanon

Other Notable Birthdays

Dennis Wilson (Singer)
December 4, 1944 - December 28, 1983
Birthplace: Inglewood, CA

Drowned at Marina Del Ray at Age 39

* Had Been Drinking All Day

Member of The Beach Boys

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Passed Away
(On This Day)

Frank Zappa (Musician)
December 21, 1940 - December 4, 1993

Birthplace: Baltimore, MD

Passed Away at Age 52 From Prostate Cancer

Considered One of the Most Innovative and Diverse Musicians of His Generation

Robert Loggia (Actor)
January 3, 1930 - December 4, 2015

Birthplace: Staten Island, NY

Passed Away at Age 85 of Complications From Alzheimer’s
Played Frank Lopez in the 1983 Film Scarface

* Also Played Mr. MacMillian in Big (1988)

80s Movies

(Released On This Day)

1981 - On Golden Pond
Director: Mark Rydell
Starring: Henry Fonda, Katharine Hepburn, Jane Fonda and Dabney Coleman
Budget: $15 Million

Box Office: $119.3 Million

1981 - Reds
Director: Warren Beatty
Starring: Warren Beatty, Diane Keaton, Edward Herrmann, Jerzy Kosinski, Jack Nicholson, Paul Sorvino and Maureen Stapleton
Budget: $32 Million
Box Office: $40.4 Million

1985 - Young Sherlock Holmes
Director: Barry Levinson
Starring: Nicholas Rowe and Alan Cox
Budget: $18 Million
Box Office: $19 Million

1987 - Walker
Director: Alex Cox
Starring: Ed Harris, Richard Masur, René Auberjonois, Peter Boyle, Miguel Sandoval and Marlee Matlin
Budget: $6 Million
Box Office: $257,000

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80s Television

(On This Day)

1981 - Falcon Crest Premiered on CBS
Seasons: 9
Episodes: 227
* Top 10 in Ratings From 1982 to 1985

1981 - You Can't Do That on Television Premiered on Nickelodeon
Seasons: 10
Episodes: 144
* Originally Released in Canada in 1979

1982 - The Smothers Brothers Hosted Saturday Night Live
Musical Guest: Laura Branigan

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80s Music

(Albums Released On This Day)

1989 - Ninety

808 State (2nd Album)

In Other Music News

1980 - Duran Duran Signed a Contract With EMI After Touring as the Opening Act For Hazel O'Connor

1980 - Led Zeppelin Broke Up After the Death of Drummer John Bonham
* Bonham Passed Away on September 25, 1980 at the Age of 34 from Pulmonary Aspiration After Consuming 40 Shots of Vodka

1988 - Singer Roy Orbison Performed His Last Concert Before Dying of a Heart Attack on December 6, 1988
Venue: Acron, Ohio

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80s Sports
(On This Day)

1982 - Georgia Running Back, Herschel Walker Won the 48th Heisman Trophy Award
Runner Up: John Elway QB (Stanford)

1983 - New Jersey Devils Recorded Their First Shutout in Franchise History
* Beat the Minnesota Detroit Red Wings 6 - 0

1987 - Ivan Lendl Won His 3rd Straight ATP Masters Grand Prix Tennis Title
* Defeated Mats Wilander 6-2, 6 -2, 6-3
Venue: Madison Square Garden

1988 - The Minnesota Vikings Defense Scored a 58 and a 78 Yard Touchdowns Against the New Orleans Saints
* The Vikings Beat the Saints 45 - 3 at the Metrodome in Minnesota
Spread
Vikings -4
O/U 39.0

1988 - John Huston and Amy Benz Won the JCPenney Golf Classic

1988 - Eddie Murray Was Traded From the Baltimore Orioles to the Los Angeles Dodgers For Juan Bell, Brian Holton, Ken Howell and Cash

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Back To The 80s Home Page

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1981 - Reds Premiered in Theaters
Starring: Warren Beatty, Diane Keaton, Edward Herrmann, Jerzy Kosinski, Jack Nicholson, Paul Sorvino and Maureen Stapleton
Warren Beatty Won an Academy Award For Best Director

#1 Songs in America

(December 4th)

1980 - "Lady"
Kenny Rogers
11/15 - 12/26

1981 - "Physical"
Olivia Newton-John
11/21 - 1/29

1982 - "Truly"

Lionel Richie

11/27 - 12/10

1983 - "All Night Long"

Lionel Richie

11/12 - 12/9

1984 - "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go"
Wham!
11/17 - 12/7

1985 - "Separate Lives"
Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin
11/30 - 12/6