1980s - February 1st in 80s History

Other Notable Birthdays

Clark Gable (Actor)
February 1, 1901 - November 16, 1960
Passed Away at Age 59 from a Heart Attack
Best Known For Playing Rhett Butler in Gone With the Wind

* Gone With the Wind Won 8 Academy Awards

Ben Weider (Entrepreneur)
February 1, 1923 - October 17, 2008
Passed Away at Age 85 (Unknown Cause) in His Hometown of Montreal
Co-Founded the International Federation of Bodybuilding & Fitness With Brother Joe

Don Everly (Singer)
February 1, 1937 - August 21, 2021
Passed Away at Age 84 (unknown Cause)

Member of The Everly Brothers

Sherman Hemsley (Actor)
February 1, 1938 - July 24, 2012
Passed Away at Age 74 from a Mass in the Lungs
Nominated For an Emmy Award For His Role as George Jefferson

Rick James (Singer)
February 1, 1948 - August 6, 2004
Passed Away at Age 56 from Cardiac Failure
"Super Freak"

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Passed Away
(On This Day)

Herb Caen (Journalist)
Passed Away on February 1, 1997 at Age 80 (Unknown Cause) in His San Francisco Home
Writer For the San Francisco Chronicle

Don Cornelius (TV Personality)
Passed Away on February 1, 2012 at Age 75 from a Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound to the Head
Creator of Soul Train

Wade Wilson (Football)
Passed Away on February 1, 2019 at Age 60 of Complications from Type 1 Diabetes

Played Quarterback in the NFL For 17 Years (1981 - 1998)

Dustin Diamond (Actor)
Passed Away on February 1, 2021 at Age 44 from Lung Cancer
Played Screech on Saved by the Bell

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80s Movies
(Released On This Day)

1980 - American Gigolo
Director: Paul Schrader
Starring: Richard Gere, Lauren Hutton and Hector Elizondo
Budget: $4.8 Million
Box Office: $52.7 Million

1980 - Caligula
Directors: Tinto Brass, Giancarlo Lui and Bob Guccione
Starring: Malcolm McDowell, Teresa Ann Savoy, Helen Mirren, Peter O'Toole and John Gielgud
Budget: $17.5 Million
Box Office: $23.4 Million
* Released in Italy (1979)

1980 - Fatso
Director: Anne Bancroft
Starring: Dom DeLuise, Ron Carey and Candice Azzara
Budget: N/A
Box Office: $7.6 Million

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80s Television
(On This Day)

1980 - Final Episode of Love of Life (Soap Opera)
Seasons: 29
Episodes: 7,316
Network: CBS

1982 - Late Night with David Letterman Premiered on NBC
Seasons: 11
Episodes: 1,819

Switched to CBS in 1993 to Host the Late Show with David Letterman

1984 - The Lifetime Network Channel Was Launched
* The Lifetime Network Lost $36 Million in Its First 2 Seasons
Started Turning a Profit in 1986 After They Branded Themselves as “Talk Television”

1986 - Final Episode of Inspector Gadget (Animation)
Seasons: 2
Episodes: 86
Network: Syndication

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80s Music

(Albums Released On This Day)

1981 - Atomkraft? Nein, Danke!
Earthstar (3rd Album)

1983 - Frontiers
Journey (8th Album)
Billboard Charts: #2
* Featuring “Separate Ways”

1986 - War Games
Grave Digger (3rd Album)

1989 - The Great Radio Controversy
Tesla (2nd Album)

Billboard Charts: #18

Singles Released

1980 - “Call Me”
Blondie
#1 Song in America from April 19 - May 30
* Also hit #1 in the UK and Canada

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80s Sports

(On This Day)

1982 - The AFC Beat the NFC 16 - 13 in the NFL Pro Bowl
MVPs: Kellen Winslow (Chargers) and Lee Roy Selmon (Buccaneers)
Coaches: Don Shula (Dolphins) and John McKay (Buccaneers)
Location: Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii
Attendance: 49,521

Payouts

Winning Team: $5000

Losing Team: $2500

1984 - David Stern Was Announced as the New Commissioner of the NBA

* Commissioner Until 2014

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<- January 31st February 2nd ->

Back To The 80s Home Page

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#1 Songs in America

(February 1st)

1980 - "Rock With You"
Michael Jackson
1/19 - 2/15
1981 - "The Tide is High"
Blondie
1/31 - 2/6
1982 - "I Can't Go For that"
Daryl Hall & John Oates
1/30 - 2/5
1983 - "Down Under"
Men at Work
1/15 - 2/4
1984 - "Owner of a Lonely Heart"
Yes
1/21 - 2/3
1985 - "Like a Virgin"
Madonna
12/22 - 2/1
1986 - "That's What Friends Are For"
Dionne & Friends
1/18 - 2/14
1987 - "At This Moment"
Bill Vera and the Beaters
1/24 - 2/6
1988 - "Need You Tonight"
INXS

1/30 - 2/5
1989 - "Two Hearts"
Phil Collins
1/21 - 2/3

Click Here For More Music Fun Facts and Awards

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Other Notable Dates

(On February 1st)

1964 - “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” by the Beatles Became the #1 Song in America
* Also Hit #1 in the UK, West Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Australia and New Zealand
The Beatles First #1 Song

1986 - The Final Episode of Inspector Gadget (Animation) Aired

* Ran 2 Seasons with 86 Episodes

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