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1981 - An 18-Year Old Boy Was Stabbed and Killed at Disneyland's Tomorrowland by a 28-Year Old Man After the Teen Pinched His Girlfriend
* ​There Has Been 26 Deaths at Disneyland Since it Opened in 1955

The Final Episode of Different Strokes Aired

Headlines

(March 7th)​


1980 - Coal Miner’s Daughter Premiered in Theaters
Director:  Michael Apted
Starring:  Sissy Spacek

Sissy Spacek Won an Academy Award For Best Actress For Her Role as Real Life Country Singer, Loretta Lynn


Fun Fact!

Sissy Spacek Has Been Nominated For 6 Academy Awards

1985 - “We Are the World” by USA for Africa Was Released To Help Raise Money For the Famine in Ethiopia

* Raised Over $65 Million Dollars

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​​​​​​​​​​March 7th in 80s History

Other Notable Birthdays


Joseph Nicéphore Niépce (Inventor)
March 7, 1765 - July 5, 1833
Birthplace:  Chalon-sur-Saône, France
Passed Away at Age 68 From a Stroke
* Invented Photography
Made the World's Oldest Surviving Photographic Image in the 1820’s

Willard Scott (Weatherman)
March 7, 1934 - September 4, 2021
Birthplace:  Alexandria, Virginia
Passed Away at Age 68 From a Stroke
* ​Spent 65 Years as the Weatherman For NBC

Franco Harris (Football)
March 7, 1950 - December 20, 2022
​Birthplace:  Fort Dix, New Jersey
Passed Away in His Sleep at His Sewickley, Pennsylvania Home at Age 72
* Unknown Cause of Death
Best Known For The Immaculate Reception
Pro Bowls:  9
Super Bowl Champion:  4 (Super Bowl IX MVP)

Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990 (First Ballot)

J.R. Richard (Baseball)
March 7, 1950 - August 4, 2021
Birthplace:  Vienna, Louisiana
Passed Away at Age 71 From Covid-19
Strikeout Leader:  2 (1978, 1979)

Career Was Cut Short After Suffering a Stroke Before a Game in 1980


Fun Fact!

Hall of Famers Johnny Bench and Dale Murphy Said J.R. Richard Was the Toughest Pitcher They Had Ever Faced

John Heard (Actor)
March 7, 1946 - July 21, 2017
Birthplace:  Washington, D.C.
Passed Away at Age 71 From Cardiac Arrest
* Best Known For Playing the Dad (Kevin McAllister) in Home Alone​


Fun Fact!

John Heard's Father Worked For the Office of Secretary of Defense


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Passed Away
(On This Day)

1988 - Divine (Drag Queen)
October 19, 1945 - March 7, 1988
Birthplace:  Baltimore, Maryland
Passed Away at Age 42 of an Enlarged Heart​
* Divine Means The Act of Creation


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80s Movies
(Released On This Day)

1980 - Coal Miner’s Daughter
Director:  Michael Apted
Starring:  Sissy Spacek, Tommy Lee Jones, Levon Helm and Beverly D'Angelo

Budget:  $15 Million
Box Office:  $67.1 Million


1986 - Highlander
Director:  Russell Mulachy
Starring:  Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Clancy Brown and Roxanne Hart

Budget:  $19 Million
Box Office:  $12.9 Million


1986 - Nomads
Director:  John McTiernan
Starring:  Pierce Brosnan, Lesley-Anne Down and Anna Maria Monticelli

Budget:  N/A
Box Office:  $2.3 Million


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80s Television
(On This Day)

1981 - Bill Murray Hosted Saturday Night Live
Musical Guest:  Delbert McClinton

Bill Murray Hosted the Show For the First Time Since Leaving the Show as a Regular Cast Member in 1980

1983 - Final Episode of Square Pegs
Seasons:  1
Episodes:  20
Network:  CBS

Starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Amy Linker​


1983 - The Nashville Network (TNN) Was Launched
* Now Paramount Network

1983 - Small & Frye Premiered on CBS
Seasons:  1
Episodes:  6


1986 - Final Episode of Diff’rent Strokes
Seasons:  8
Episodes:  189
Network:  NBC (Season 1-7)
ABC (Season 8)


1988 - Probe Premiered on ABC
Seasons:  1
Episodes:  8


1989 - Anything But Love Premiered on ABC​
Seasons:  4
Episodes:  56​

Starring Richard Lewis and Jamie Lee Curtis​​​​


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80s Music

(Albums Released On This Day)


1980 - The Psychedelic Furs
The Psychedelic Furs (Debut Album)
Billboard Charts:  #140


1980 - The Coal Miner’s Daughter (Soundtrack)
Various Artists
Billboard Charts:  #40

* #2 on the Country Charts

1980 - Nobody’s Hero
Stiff Little Fingers  (2nd Album)
* Reached #8 in the UK

1983 - The Hurting Album
Tears for Fears (Debut Album)
Billboard Charts:  #73

* Hit #1 in the UK

1988 - Past Masters (Compilation Album)
The Beatles
Billboard Charts:  #149


1989 - Girl You Know It’s True
Milli Vanilli (2nd Album)
Hit #1 on the US Billboard 200 Charts

* Also Hit #1 in Canada

The Duo's First US Release

Singles Released


1983 - "Blue Monday"
New Order

1985 - “We Are the World”
USA for Africa
#1 Song in America from April 13 - May 10
* Also Hit #1 in Canada, UK, France Italy, Spain, Belgium, Ireland, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, Netherlands, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa

Raised over $63 Million Dollars For the Famine in Ethiopia


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80s Sports

(On This Day)


1982 - The NCAA Tournament Selection Was Televised Live For First Time

Network:  ESPN

North Carolina and Freshman Michael Jordan Won The National Championship

1986 - Wayne Gretzky Broke His Own Record With His 136th Assist of the Season

1987 - Mike Tyson Beat James “Bonecrusher” Smith by Unanimous Decision (12 Rounds) to Win the WBA Heavyweight Championship and Retain the WBC


​1988 - Michigan Wolverine's One Handed Pitcher Jim Abbott Won the 58th James E Sullivan Award
* Given to "The Most Outstanding Amateur Athlete”

Fun Fact!
Jim Abbott (New York Yankees) Pitched a No-Hitter on September 4, 1993 Against the Cleveland Indians

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1986 - The Final Episode of Diff’rent Strokes Aired
Seasons:  8
Episodes:  189


Fun Fact!

Alan Thicke Wrote and Sang the Theme Song to Diff'rent Strokes
* Also Wrote the Theme Song For The Facts of Life

In Other 80s News

(On This Day)


1986 - Divers From the USS Preserver Located the Crew Cabin of the Space Shuttle Challenger on the Ocean Floor

1989 - Iran and the United Kingdom Broke Diplomatic Relations After an Argument Over the Novel The Satanic Verses Written by Salman Rushdie’s


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Back To The 80s Homepage


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On March 7, 1983 The Final Episode of Square Pegs Starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Amy Linker​ Aired


Fun Fact!

Sarah Jessica Parker Made Her Film Debut in Somewhere Tomorrow (1983)

​​​​Happy 80s Birthdays

1940 - Daniel J. Travanti (Actor)  Hill Street Blues
Birthplace:  Kenosha, Wisconsin
1946 - Peter Wolf (Singer)  J. Geils Band
Birthplace:  New York City
1952 - Ernie Isley (Guitarist)  The Isley Brothers
Birthplace:  Cincinnati, Ohio
1952 - Lynn Swan (Football)
Birthplace:  Alcoa Tennessee
1956 - Bryan Cranston (Actor)
Birthplace:  Los Angeles, California
1959 - Tom Lehman (Golf)
Birthplace:  Austin, Minnesota
1960 - Joe Carter (Baseball)
Birthplace:  Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
1960 - Ivan Lendl (Tennis)
Birthplace:  Ostrava, Czechoslovakia
1962 - Taylor Dayne (Singer)
Birthplace:  New York City
1964 - Wanda Sykes (Actress and Comedian)
Birthplace:  New York City
1965 - Steve Beuerlein (Football)
Birthplace:  Hollywood, California


Fun Fact!

​Bryan Cranston Won 4 Emmy Awards (2008, 2009, 2010, 2014) For Most Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series For His Role as Walter White on Breaking Bad

* Also Played the Dad (Hal) on Malcolm in the Middle and Tim Whatley on Seinfeld​​

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Other Notable Dates

(On March 7th)


1876 - Alexander Graham Bell Received a Patent for the "Telephone

Fun Fact!
Both of Alexander Graham Bell’s Mom and Wife Were Deaf
* His Research on Hearing and Speech Influenced His Life Work


1965 - Over 600 Civil Rights Marchers Were Brutally Attacked by State and Local Police in Selma, Alabama
* Known as “Bloody Sunday”


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Square Pegs

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#1 Songs in America

(March 7th)


1980 - "Crazy Little Thing Called Love"
Queen
2/23 - 3/21

1981 - "I Love a Rainy Night"
Eddie Rabbit
2/28 - 3/13

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 - "Careless Whisper"
Wham!
2/16 - 3/8

1986 - "Kyrie"
Mister Mister
3/1 - 3/14

1987 - "Livin' on a Prayer"
Bon Jovi
2/14 - 3/13

1988 - "Father Figure"
George Michael

2/27 - 3/11
1989 - "Lost in Your Eyes"
Debbie Gibson
3/4 - 3/24


Click Here For More Music Fun Facts and Awards

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