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1931 - India's First Talking Film Alam Ara Premiered in Theaters
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March 14th in 80s History
1987 - "Jacob's Ladder" by Huey Lewis and the News Became the #1 Song in America
* #1 Song in America from March 14 - 20
Fun Fact!
Huey Lewis and the News Was Formed in San Francisco in the 1970's
1981 - 8th Seeded Kansas St. Defeated the #1 Seed Oregon St. 50 - 48 in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament
* Kansas Beat Illinois 57 - 52 in the Sweet 16
Lost 82 - 68 to North Carolina in the Elite 8
1985 - The NCAA Basketball Tournament Began
#1 Seeds
East: Georgetown
Southeast: Michigan
West: St. John’s
Midwest: Oklahoma
1987 - The New York Mets and the Boston Red Sox Got Into a Spring Training Brawl After Darryl Strawberry Charged the Mound Towards Red Sox Pitcher Al Nipper
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In Other 80s News
(On This Day)
1980 - LOT Flight 7 Crashed During Final Approach Near Warsaw, Poland Killing 87 People, Including a 14-Man American Boxing Team
1982 - The South African Government Bombed the Headquarters of the African National Congress in London
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1981 - "9 to 5" by Dolly Parton Became the #1 Song in America For the 2nd Time
#1 Song in America from February 21 - 27 and March 14 - 20
Fun Fact!
9 to 5 Was the 2nd Highest Grossing Movie From 1980
#1 Empire Strikes Back
1986 - Gung Ho Premiered in Theaters
Director: Ron Howard
Starring: Michael Keaton, Gedde Watanabe, George Wendt and Mimi Rogers
Other Notable Dates
(On March 14th)
1794 - Eli Whitney Was Granted a Patent For the Cotton Gin
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1977 - Three's Company Premiered on ABC
Seasons: 8
Episodes: 172
* #2 Show in America in 1978 & 1979
Fun Fact!
John Ritter Won an Emmy Award in 1984 For Most Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series For His Role as Jack Tripper on Three's Company
Crossroads
#1 Songs in America
(March 14th)
1980 - "Crazy Little Thing Called Love"
Queen
2/23 - 3/21
1981 - "9 to 5"
Dolly Parton
3/14 - 3/20
1982 - "Centerfold"
J. Geils Band
2/6 - 3/19
1983 - "Billie Jean"
Michael Jackson
3/5 - 4/22
1984 - "Jump"
Van Halen
2/25 - 3/30
1985 - 'Can't Fight This Feeling"
REO Speedwagon
3/9 - 3/29
1986 - "Kyrie"
Mister Mister
3/1 - 3/14
1987 - "Jacob's Ladder"
Huey Lewis and the News
3/14 - 3/20
1988 - "Never Gonna Give You Up"
Rick Astley
3/12 - 3/25
1989 - "Lost in Your Eyes"
Debbie Gibson
3/4 - 3/24
Click Here For More Music Fun Facts and Awards
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Happy 80s Birthdays
1933 - Michael Caine (Actor) Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Birthplace: Rotherhithe, London, England
1939 - Raymond J. Barry (Actor) Born on the 4th of July
Birthplace: Hempstead, New York
1945 - Walter Parazaider (Saxophone) Chicago
Birthplace: Maywood, Illinois
1948 - Billy Crystal (Actor)
Birthplace: New York City
1950 - Rick Dees (Radio Personality) "Disco Duck"
Birthplace: Jacksonville, Florida
1959 - Laila Robins (Actress) Plains, Trains and Automobiles
Birthplace: St. Paul, Minnesota
1959 - Tamara Tunie (Actress) Wall Street
Birthplace: Mckeesport, Pennsylvania
Fun Fact!
Bill Crystal Played Jodie Dallas on the Sitcom Soap From 1977 to 1981
* The Character Was a Homosexual Man Who Used to Sleep With Women
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Other Notable Birthdays
S. Truett Cathy (American Businessman)
March 14, 1921 - September 8, 2014
Birthplace: Eatonton, Georgia
Passed Away at Age 93 of Diabetes Complications
* Cathy Served in the U.S. Army During World War II
The Founder of Chick-fil-A
Quincy Jones (Record Producer)
March 14, 1933 - November 3, 2024
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois
Passed Away at Age 91 From Prostate Cancer
* Produced Michael Jackson’s Off the Wall (1979) Thriller (1982) and Bad (1987) Albums
Jones Won 28 Grammy Awards and Nominated For 7 Academy Awards
Kirby Puckett (Baseball)
March 14, 1960 - March 6, 2006
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois
Passed Away on March 6, 2006 at Age 45 From a Massive Hemorrhagic Stroke
Position: Outfield
All-Star: 10
Gold Glove: 6
MVP: 1 (1991)
Elected to the Pro Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001 (First Ballot)
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Passed Away
(On This Day)
Peter Graves (Actor)
March 18, 1926 - March 14, 2010
Birthplace: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Passed Away at Age 83 From a Heart Attack
* Played Captain Clarence Oveur in the 1980 Film Airplane!
Stephen Hawking (Physicist)
January 8, 1942 - March 14, 2018
Birthplace: Oxford, England
Passed Away Peacefully in His Home at Age 76
* The Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge From 1979 to 2009
Becoming a Lucian Professor is Viewed as One of the Most Prestigious Academic Posts in the World
Jake Phelps (Skateboarder)
September 24, 1962 - March 14, 2019
Birthplace: San Francisco, California
Passed Away in His San Francisco Home at Age 56 From a Fentanyl Overdose
* Was Cremated With His Skateboard
The Editor-In-Chief of Thrasher Magazine
Scott Hall (Wrestler)
October 20, 1958 - March 14, 2022
Birthplace: St. Mary’s County, Maryland
Passed Away at Age 61 From a Heart Attack Caused by a Blood Clot During Hip Surgery
* Scott Hall is also Known as Razor Ramon
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80s Movies
(Released On This Day)
1980 - Defiance
Director: John Flynn
Starring: Jan-Michael Vincent, Art Carney and Theresa Saldana
Budget: N/A
Box Office N/A
1986 - Gung Ho
Director: Ron Howard
Starring: Michael Keaton, Gedde Watanabe, George Wendt and Mimi Rogers
Budget: $13 Million
Box Office $36.6 Million
1986 - Crossroads
Director: Walter Hill
Starring: Ralph Macchio, Joe Seneca and Jami Gertz
Budget: N/A
Box Office $5.8 Million
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80s Television
(On This Day)
1987 - The 13th People’s Choice Awards Aired on CBS
Host: Dick Van Dyke
Favorite All Around Male Entertainer: Bill Cosby
Favorite All Around Female Entertainer: Barbara Mandrell and Cybill Shepherd
1988 - Eisenhower and Lutz Premiered on CBS
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 13
Starred Scott Bakula and Patricia Richardson
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80s Music
(Albums Released On This Day)
1980 - On Through the Night
Def Leppard (Debut Album)
Billboard Charts: #51
1982 - Europe
Europe (Debut Album)
* Reached #8 in Sweden
1984 - Body and Soul
Joe Jackson (7th Album)
Billboard Charts: #20
1985 - Rhythm of the Night
DeBarge (4th Album)
Billboard Charts: #19
* #3 in R&B
1986 - Rrröööaaarrr
Voivod (2nd Album)
1987 - Smooth Sailin’
The Isley Brothers (24th Album)
Billboard Charts: #64
* #5 in R&B
1988 - From Langley Park to Memphis
Prefab Sprout (3rd Album)
* Reached #5 in the UK
1988 - Viva Hate
Morrissey (Debut Album)
Billboard Charts: #48
* Hit #1 in the UK
1989 - Extreme
Extreme (Debut Album)
Billboard Charts: #80
1989 - Road to Riches
Kool G Rap & DJ Polo
* Reached #29 in R&B
1989 - Spell
Deon Estus (Debut Album)
Billboard Charts: #89
* Estus is the Former Bassist for Wham!
In Other 80s Music News
1980 - Quincy Jones Received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
1981 - Eric Clapton Had To Cancel His US Tour Because of Bleeding Ulcers
1983 - Bon Jovi Formed Its Band in Sayreville, New Jersey
Other Notable Music Dates
1990 - Michael Jackson Was Awarded the 1980s Artist of the Decade at the Soul Train Music Awards
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80s Sports
(On This Day)
1981 - The 9th Seeded Saint Joseph's Defeated the #1 Seed DePaul 49 - 48 in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament
* Beat Boston College 41 - 41 in the Sweet 16
Lost 78 - 46 to Indiana in the Elite 8
Headlines
(March 14th)
1980 - Def Leppard Released Their Debut Album On Through the Night
Billboard Charts: 51
1990 - Michael Jackson Was Awarded the 1980s Artist of the Decade at the Soul Train Music Awards
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Fun Fact!
The First US Patent Was Given to Samuel Hopkins From Vermont For His Potash System
* A System For Fertilization
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"9 to 5" Became the #1 Song in America
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On March 14, 1986 Crossroads Starring Ralph Macchio, Joe Seneca and Jami Gertz Premiered in Theaters