On November 23, 1980 A 6.9 Earthquake Hit Southern Italy

Known as the Irpinia Earthquake
* Over 2500 killed and 8000 injured

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Steve Landesberg (Actress)
November 23, 1936 - December 20, 2010

Birthplace:  The Bronx, NY

Passed Away at Age 74 From Colon Cancer

Played Detective Arthur P. Dietrich on the TV Series, Barney Miller


Luis Tiant (Baseball)

November 23, 1940 - October 8, 2024
Birthplace:  Marionao, Cuba

Passed Away at Age 83 (Unknown Cause)

* Played 19-Seasons in the Major Leagues

Wins:  229

Losses:  172

A 4x 20-Game Winner​


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Passed Away

(On This Day)


Bo Diaz (Baseball)
March 23, 1953 - November 23, 1990

Birthplace:  Cúa, Miranda, Venezuela

Passed Away at Age 37 After a Satellite Dish Fell On His Neck

Elected to the All-Star Team in 1981 and 1987

Larry Hagman (Actor)
September 21, 1931 - November 23, 2012

Birthplace:  Fort Worth, TX

Passed Away at Age 81 From Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Played J.R. Ewing on the a the Hit TV Series, Dallas​​​

Headlines

(November 23rd)


1981 - President Reagan Signed the National Security Decision Directive 17 (NSDD-17) Giving the CIA the Right to Recruit and Support Contra Rebels in Nicaragua​

1981 - Pedro Morales Beat Don Muraco For the WWF Intercontinental Championship
Venue:  Madison Square Garden in New York


Fun Fact!
Pedro Morales Became the First Wrestler to Win the WWE Triple Crown of Championships

Heavyweight Champion (1971)
Intercontinental Champion (1980, 1981)
Tag Team Champion
(1980)

* With Partner Bob Backlund

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1991 - Randy "Macho Man Savage" Was Bitten by a Cobra Snake During a Match Against Jake "The Snake" Roberts

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The "Bounty Bowl"

Scrooged Premiered In Theaters

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Happy 80s Birthdays


1930 - Jack McKeon (Baseball)
Birthplace:  South Amboy, NJ
1944 - James Toback (Director)  The Pick-up Artist
Birthplace:  New York City
1954 - Bruce Hornsby (Singer)
Birthplace:  Williamsburg, VA
1959 - Maxwell Caulfield (Actor)  Grease 2
Birthplace:  Belper, Derbyshire, England
1961 - John Schnatter (Businessman)  Papa John’s
Birthplace:  Jefferson, IA


Fun Facts!


Papa John’s Was Founded on October 2, 1984 in Jefferson, Indiana
* The First Location Was in the Back of His Father’s Tavern and the Oven in the Broom Closet


Bruce Hornsby Played Basketball in High School and Was Voted Most Likely to Succeed

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1988 - Scrooged Premiered in Theaters
* Starring Bill Murray and Karen Allen

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(Released On This Day)


1988 - Cocoon: The Return
Director:  Daniel Petrie
Starring:  Don Ameche, Wilford Brimley, Courteney Cox, Hume Cronyn, Jack Gilford, Barret Oliver, Maureen Stapleton, Elaine Stritch, Jessica Tandy, Gwen Verdon, Tahnee Welch and Steve Guttenberg
Budget:  $17.5 Million

Box Office:  $25 Million

1988 - Hanna's War
Director:  Menahem Golan
Starring:  Ellen Burstyn, Maruschka Detmers, Anthony Andrews, Donald Pleasence and David Warner
Budget:  $20 Million

Box Office:  $139,000 (US)

1988 - Scrooged
Director:  Richard Donner
Starring:  Bill Murray, Karen Allen, John Forsythe, Carol Kane, Robert Mitchum, Michael J. Pollard, Alfre Woodard and Bobcat Goldthwait
Budget:  $32 Million

Box Office:  $60.3 Million

1988 - Buster
Director:  David Green
Starring:  Phil Collins, Julie Walters, Larry Lamb, Sheila Hancock, Stephanie Lawrence, Michael Attwell, Ralph Brown, Anthony Quayle and Martin Jarvis
Budget:  N/A

Box Office:  $540,000

1988 - Full Moon in Blue Water
Director:  Peter Masterson
Starring:  Gene Hackman, Teri Garr, Elias Koteas and Burgess Meredith
Budget:  N/A

Box Office:  $450,000


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80s Television

(On This Day)


1985 - Final Episode of Hollywood Beat

SeasonS:  1

​1985 - Paul Reubens hosted Saturday Night Live as Pee-wee Herman
Musical Guest:  Queen Ida & the Bon Temps Zydeco Band


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80s Music

(Albums Released On This Day)


1981 - A Collection of Great Dance Songs (Compilation Album)
Pink Floyd
Billboard Charts:  #31

1981 - For Those About to Rock We Salute You
AC/DC (8th Album)
Hit #1 on the US Billboard 200 Charts

* Over 4 Million Copies Sold in the US

1983 - Who's Greatest Hits (Compilation Album)
The Who
Billboard Charts:  #94

1987 - Now That's What I Call Music 10 (UK series)
Various Artists
* Hit #1 in the UK

1988 - Eazy-Duz-It
Eazy-E (Debut Album)
Billboard Charts:  #41

1988 - Ancient Dreams
Candlemass (3rd Album)
Billboard Charts:  #174


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80s Sports

(On This Day)


1980 - The Edmonton Eskimos Beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 48 - 10 in the Canadian Football League's 68th Grey Cup
Offensive MVP:  Warren Moon
Defensive MVP:  Dale Potter
Location:  Exhibition Stadium in Toronto
Attendance:  54,661

1981 - Pedro Morales Beat Don Muraco to Win the WWF Intercontinental Championship

1986 - Martina Navratilova Won the WTA Championship

1987 - Steffi Graf Won the WTA Championship

1988 - Wayne Gretzky Scored His 600th Career Goal

1988 - New York Yankees Signed Steve Sax

1989 - The “Bounty Bowl”
* Dallas Cowboys Coach Jimmy Johnson Alleged That Philadelphia Eagles Coach Buddy Ryan Had Taken Out a "Bounty" on Two Former Players, Kicker Luis Zendejas and Quarterback Troy Aikman


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<- November 22nd            November 24th ->


Back To The 80s Home Page


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On November 23, 1989 Dallas Cowboys Alleged the Philadelphia Eagles Coach Buddy Ryan Took Out a "Bounty" on Kicker Luis Zendejas and Quarterback Troy Aikman

#1 Songs in America

(November 23rd)


1980 - "Lady"
Kenny Rogers
11/15 - 1/26

1981 - "Physical"
Olivia Newton-John
11/21 - 12/29

1982 - "Up Where We Belong"

Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes

11/6 - 11/26

1983 - "All Night Long"

Lionel Richie

11/12 - 12/9

1984 - "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go"
Wham!
11/17 - 12/7

1985 - "We Built This City"
Starship
11/16 - 11/29

1986 - "Human"

Human League

11/22 - 11/28

1987 - "Mony Mony"
Billy Idol
11/21 - 11/27

1988 - "Bad Medicine"
Bon Jovi
11/19 - 12/2

1989 - "When I See You Smile"

Bad english

11/11 - 11/24


Click Here For More Music Fun Facts and Awards

Fun Book Facts!

(Top Selling Fiction Novels)


1980 - The Covenant

Author:  James A. Michener

1981 - Noble House

Author:  James Clavell

1982 - E.T., The Extraterrestrial

Author:  William Kotzwinkle

1983 - Return of the Jedi

Author:  James Kahn

1984 - The Talisman

Authors:  Stephen King and Peter Straub

1985 - The Mammoth Hunters

Author  Jean M. Auel

1986 - It

Author:  Stephen King

1987 - The Tommyknockers

Author:  Stephen King

1988 - The Cardinal of the Kremlin

Author:  Tom Clancy

1989 - Clear and Present Danger

Author:  Tom Clancy


More 80s Novel Fun Facts and Awards

1985 - Paul Reubens Hosted Saturday Night Live as Pee-wee Herman

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​​​​​​​​November 23rd in 80s History

Earthquake Hit Southern Italy

In Other News

(On November 23rd)


554 BC - Thespis Became the First Known Actor to Portray a Character on Stage