Happy 80s Birthdays
1938 - Carl Gottlieb (Screenwriter) Johnny Dangerously
1950 - Brad Dourif (Actor) Mississippi Burning
1956 - Rick Martel (Wrestler)
1960 - Thomas Ian Griffith (Actor) Karate Kid Part III
1963 - Vanessa Williams (Singer) Miss America (1984)
1964 - Bonnie Blair (Speed Skater)
Fun Fact!
In 1984 Vanessa Williams Became the First African-American to Win Miss America
* Also Had the #1 Song in America in 1992 “Save the Best For Last"
Other Notable Dates
(On March 18th)
1850 - American Express was Founded by Henry Wells and William Fargo in Buffalo, New York
* Started as an Express Mail Business
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Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays in a Blue Bonnet Commercial
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1982 - Singer Teddy Pendergrass Was Paralyzed From the Chest Down After a Car Accident in Philadelphia
1988 - Gilda Radner Made Her Last TV Appearance on The Garry Shandling Show
* Passed Away at Age 42 on May 20th From Ovarian Cancer
Asia
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The Greatest American Hero Premiered on ABC
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#1 Songs in America
(March 18th)
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 - "Sara"
Starship
3/15 - 3/21
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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March 18th in 80s History
On March 18, 1981 Asia Released Their Debut Album Featuring "Heat of the Moment"
Other Notable Birthdays
Grover Cleveland (Former U.S. President)
March 18, 1837 - June 24, 1908
Passed Away at Age 71 From a Heart Attack
* His Last Words Were “I Have Tried So Hard To Do Right”
The 22nd and 24th President of the United States
Rudolph Diesel (German Engineer)
March 18, 1858 - September 29, 1913
Passed Away at Age 55 From Murder or Suicide (Unknown)
Invented the Diesel Engine
Peter Graves (Actor)
March 18, 1926 - March 14, 2010
Passed Away at Age 83 From a Heart Attack
Played Captain Clarence Oveur on Airplane!
Irene Cara (Singer)
March 18, 1959 - November 25, 2022
Passed Away at Age 63 From Heart Disease
Best Known For the Hit Songs "Fame" and Flashdance "What a Feeling"
Jeff LaBar (Guitarist)
March 18, 1963 - July 14, 2021
Passed Away at Age 58 (Unknown Cause)
* His Wife Found Him Unconscious
Guitarist For Cinderella
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Passed Away
(On This Day)
Robin Harris (Comedian)
August 30, 1953 - March 18, 1990
Passed Away at Age 36 From a Heart Attack
Best Known For “Bebe’s Kids”
John Phillips (Singer)
August 30, 1935 - March 18, 2001
Passed Away at Age 65 From Heart Failure
Leader of the Mamas and the Papas
Chuck Berry (Singer)
October 18, 1926 - March 18, 2017
Passed Away at Age 90 From Cardiac Arrest
Best Known For the Hit Song “Johnny Be Good”
M. Emmet Walsh (Actor)
March 22, 1935 - March 19, 2024
Passed Away at Age 88 From Cardiac Arrest
Best Known For Playing the Doctor in Fletch
* Also the Coach of the Swim Team in Back to School
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80s Movies
(Released On This Day)
1983 - High Road to China
Director: Brian G. Hutton
Starring: Tom Selleck and Bess Armstrong
Budget: $15 Million
Box Office: $28.4 Million
1988 - D.O.A.
Directors: Annabel Jankel and Rocky Morton
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Meg Ryan, Daniel Stern, Charlotte Rampling and Jane Kaczmarek
Budget: N/A
Box Office: $12.7 Million
1988 - The Milagro Beanfield War
Director: Robert Redford
Starring: Ruben Blades, Richard Bradford, Sônia Braga, Julie Carmen, James Gammon, Melanie Griffith, John Heard, Carlos Riquelme, Daniel Stern, Chick Vennera, and Christopher Walken
Budget: $22 Million
Box Office: $13.8 Million
1988 - Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach
Director: Alan Myerson
Starring: Bubba Smith, David Graf, Michael Winslow, Leslie Easterbrook, Marion Ramsey, Janet Jones, Lance Kinsey, Matt McCoy, G. W. Bailey and George Gaynes
* Steve Guttenberg (Mahoney) Couldn't be in the Movie Because He Had scheduling Conflicts With Three Men and a Baby
Budget: $14 Million
Box Office: $54.5 Million
1988 - Stars and Bars
Director: Pat O’Connor
Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Harry Dean Stanton, Joan Cusack, Keith David and Martha Plimpton
Budget: N/A
Box Office: $7.5 Million
1988 - Pound Puppies (Animation)
Director: Pierre DeCelles
Starring: Brennan Howard, B.J. Ward and Tony Longo (Voices)
Budget: N/A
Box Office: $586,000
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80s Television
(On This Day)
1981 - The Greatest American Hero Premiered on ABC
Seasons: 3
Episodes: 45
Considered One the Greatest TV Intros of All-Time
1981 - The 8th Daytime Emmys Aired on CBS
Hosts: Army Archerd and John Forsythe
Favorite All-Around Male Entertainer: Burt Reynolds
Favorite All-Around Female Entertainer: Barbara Mandrell
1985 - Safe at Home Premiered on WTBS
Seasons: 3
Episodes: 96
1989 - Final Episode of Murphy’s Law
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 13
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80s Music
(Albums Released On This Day)
1980 - Dreams
Grace Slick (2nd Solo Album)
Billboard Charts: #32
1982 - Asia
Asia (Debut Album)
Hit #1 in the US Billboard 200 Charts
Also Hit #1 in Canada
* Featuring “Heat of the Moment”
1985 - Birdy (Soundtrack)
Peter Gabriel
Billboard Charts: #162
Singles Released
1985 - "Everybody Wants to Rule the World"
Tears for Fears
#1 Song in America from June 8 - 21
* Also Hit #1 in Canada and New Zealand
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80s Sports
(On This Day)
1981 - The Buffalo Sabres Set an NHL Record With 9 Goals in One Period Against the Toronto Maple Leafs
1985 - Baseball Commissioner Peter Ueberroth Reinstated Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle After They Were Banned From Major League Baseball After Accepting Jobs With Atlantic City Casinos
1981 - The Greatest American Hero Premiered on ABC
Ran 3 Seasons With 75 Episodes
Considered One of the Greatest Intros of All-Time
* The Theme Song "Believe it or Not" Was Sung by Joey Scarbury
Headlines
(March 18th)
1980 - Elvis Presley's Autopsy Was Subpoenaed During the Trial of Dr. George Nichopoulous
* Dr. Nichopoulos Was Found Guilty of Over-Prescribing Drugs to Elvis Presley