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1987 - The Food and Drug Administration Approved the Drug AZT For AIDS Treatment
* The First Successful Treatment For AIDS
Headlines
(March 20th)
1981 - The Postman Always Rings Twice Premiered in Theaters
Director: Bob Rafelson
Starring: Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange
1985 - Canadian Paraplegic Rick Hansen Began His Wheelchair Journey Around the Globe to Support Spinal Cord Injury Research
NWA Championship
On March 20, 1985 Libby Riddles Became the First Woman to Win the 1,135-Mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Alaska
1982 - "I Love Rock 'n' Roll' by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts Became the #1 Song in America
* #1 Song in America from March 20 - May 7
Also Hit #1 in Canada, Netherlands, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa
Fun Fact!
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts Formed in Los Angeles in 1979
Other Notable Birthdays
Mister Rogers (TV Host)
March 20, 1928 - February 27, 2003
Birthplace: Latrobe, Pennsylvania
Passed Away at Age 74 From Stomach Cancer
* Diagnosed in 2002
The Host of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood From 1968 to 2001
William Hurt (Actor)
March 20, 1950 - March 13, 2022
Birthplace: Washington, D.C.
Passed Away at Age 71 From Prostate Cancer
* Diagnosed in May 2018
Won an Academy Award For Best Actor in 1985 For His Role as Luis Molina in Kiss of the Spider Woman
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Passed Away
(On This Day)
Kenny Rogers (Country Singer)
August 21, 1938 - March 20, 2020
Birthplace: Houston, Texas
Passed Away at Age 81 in Hospice Care
* Diagnosed With Bladder Cancer in 2017
One of the Best Selling Artist of All-Time With Over 100 Million Albums Sold
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80s Movies
(Released On This Day)
1981 - Omen III: The Final Conflict
Director: Graham Baker
Starring: Sam Neill, Rossano Brazzi, Don Gordon, Lisa Harrow and Barnaby Holm
Budget: $5.5 Million
Box Office: $20.4 Million
1981 - The Postman Always Rings Twice
Director: Bob Rafelson
Starring: Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange
Budget: $12 Million
Box Office: $44.2 Million
1981 - Amy
Director: Vincent McEveety
Starring: Jenny Agutter, Barry Newman, Kathleen Nolan and Chris Robinson
Budget: N/A
Box Office: N/A
1983 - My Breakfast with Blassie
Directors: Linda Lautrec, Johnny Legend and Mark Shepard
Starring: Andy Kaufman and Freddie Blassie
Budget: N/A
Box Office: N/A
1987 - Hollywood Shuffle
Director: Robert Townsend
Starring: Robert Townsend and Keenan Ivory Wayans
Budget: $100,000
Box Office: $5.2 Million
1987 - Burglar
Director: Hugh Wilson
Starring: Whoopi Goldberg, Bob Goldthwait, G. W. Bailey and Lesley Ann Warren
Budget: N/A
Box Office: $16.3 Million
1987 - Street Smart
Director: Jerry Schatzberg
Starring: Christopher Reeve, Morgan Freeman, Kathy Baker and Mimi Rogers
Budget: $6 Million
Box Office: $1.1 Million
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#1 Songs in America
(March 20th)
1980 - "Crazy Little Thing Called Love"
Queen
2/23 - 3/21
1981 - "9 to 5"
Dolly Parton
3/14 - 3/20
1982 - "I Love Rock 'n' Roll
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
3/20 - 5/7
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
Happy 80s Birthdays
1931 - Hal Linden (Actor) Barney Miller
Birthplace: The Bronx, New York
1945 - Pat Riley (Basketball Coach)
Birthplace: Rome, New York
1948 - John de Lancie (Actor) Days of Our Lives
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1948 - Bobby Orr (Hockey)
Birthplace: Parry Sound, Canada
1957 - Spike Lee (Director) Do the Right Thing
Birthplace: Atlanta, Georgia
1958 - Holly Hunter (Actress) Raising Arizona
Birthplace: Conyers, Georgia
1958 - Rickey Jackson (Football)
Birthplace: Pahokee, Florida
1959 - Sting (Wrestler)
Birthplace: Omaha, Nebraska
1963 - Kathy Ireland (Supermodel)
Birthplace: Glendale, California
Fun Fact!
Spike Lee is Considered the Most Die Hard New York Knicks Fan
* Has Been a Courtside Season Ticket Holder For Decades
Fun Fact!
The First Self-Propelling Wheelchair Was Built In 1655 by Stephan Farffler, a 22-Year-Old Paraplegic Watchmaker
* The First Electric Wheelchair Was Built in 1953 by Canadian Inventor George Klein to Help Assist World War II Veterans
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Other Notable Dates
(On March 20th)
1760 - The Great Boston Fire
* 349 Buildings Destroyed
1854 - The Republican Party Was Founded
* Organized in Ripon, Wisconsin
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Dog Sled Champion
"I Love Rock 'n' Roll Became the #1 Song in America
On March 20, 1984 Harley Race Beat Ric Flair For the NWA Heavyweight Championship
March 20th in 80s History
Fun Fact!
The Food and Drug Administration Was Formed in 1906
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80s Television
(On This Day)
1982 - Robert Urich Hosted Saturday Night Live
Musical Guest: Mink De Ville
1984 - Shaping Up Premiered on ABC
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 5
Starring Leslie Nielson and Jennifer Tilly
1985 - The Coca-Cola Company Purchased Tandem Productions and Embassy Television For $485 Million Dollars
1986 - All is Forgiven Premiered on NBC
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 9
Featuring David Alan-Grier
1987 - The Charmings Premiered on ABC
Seasons: 2
Episodes: 21
1987 - Final Episode of Capitol (Soap Opera)
Seasons: 5
Episodes: 1293
Network: CBS
1989 - Heartland Premiered on CBS
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 10
1989 - Live-in Premiered on CBS
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 9
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80s Music
(Albums Released On This Day)
1981 - Time Tells No Lies
Praying Mantis (Debut Album)
Reached #16 in the UK
1986 - Rapture
Anita Baker (2nd Album)
Billboard Charts: #11
* Hit #1 R&B
Won a Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
1989 - Another Place in Time
Donna Summer (14th Album)
Billboard Charts: #53
1989 - Shine (EP)
Mother Love Bone
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80s Sports
(On This Day)
1983 - Martina Navratilova Defeated Chris Evert Lloyd 6-2, 6-0 to Win Her Fiirst of 5 Straight WTA Tour Championships
1984 - Harley Race Beat Ric Flair For the NWA Heavyweight Championship
Location: Wellington, New Zealand
* Flair Won the Title Back 3 Days Later
1985 - Libby Riddles Became the First Woman to Win the 1,135-Mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Alaska
* The Race is From Anchorage to Nome
1986 - The #11 Seed LSU Beat #2 Seed Georgia Tech 70 - 64 in the Sweet 16 Round of the NCAA Tournament
LSU Beat #1 Seed Kentucky 59 - 57 in the Elite 8
* Lost 88 - 77 to #1 Seed Louisville in the Final Four
1989 - MLB Announced the Cincinnati Reds Manager Pete Rose Was Under Investigation For Gambling on Baseball
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In Other 80s News
(On This Day)
1985 - The Coca-Cola Company Purchased Tandem Productions and Embassy Television For $485 Million Dollars
1986 - Chaos Ensued After New York City Passed Its First Lesbian and Gay Rights to Legislation
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