On This Day November 21st in 80s History

1980 - The MGM Grand in Las Vegas Caught Fire, Making it the Worst Disaster in Nevada History
* 87 People Killed and Over 650 Injured

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On November 21, 1980 REO Speedwagon Released Their 9th Album, Hi Infedelity Featuring "Take It On the Run" and "Keep On Loving You"

Happy 80s Birthdays

1945 - Goldie Hawn (Actress) Wildcats, Overboard
Birthplace: Washington, D.C.
1948 - George Zimmer (Businessman) The Men’s Wearhouse
Birthplace: New York City
1950 - Gary Phil (Guitarist) Boston and Sammy Hagar
Birthplace: Chicago, IL
1952 - Lorna Luft (Actress) Grease 2 (Paulette)
Birthplace: Santa Monica, CA
1955 - Cedric Maxwell (Basketball)
Birthplace: Kinston, NC
1956 - Cynthia Rhodes (Dancer and Actress) Staying Alive, Flashdance, Dirty Dancing
Birthplace: Nashville, TN
1960 - Brian McNamara (Actor) Short Circuit, Arachnaphobia
Birthplace: Long Island, NY
1960 - Brian Ritchie (Bassist) Violent Femmes
Birthplace: Milwaukee, WI
1963 - Nicollette Sheridon (Actress) Knots Landing
Birthplace: Worthing, Sussex, England
1964 - Olden Polynice (Basketball)
Birthplace: Port-au-Prince, Haiti
1965 - Danielle von Zerneck (Actress) La Bamba (Donna)
Birthplace: Hollywood, CA
1965 - Björk (Singer)
Birthplace: Reykjavík, Iceland
1966 - Troy Aikman (Football) #1 Overall Pick (Cowboys 1988)
Birthplace: West Covina, CA
1969 - Ken Griffey, Jr. (Baseball) #1 Overall Pick (Mariners 1987)
Birthplace: Donora, PA
1975 - Cherie Johnson (Actress) Punky Brewster (Cherie)
Birthplace: Pittsburgh, PA

Fun Facts!

Lorna Luft is the Daughter to Judy Garland and Half Sister to Liza Minnelli

Cynthia Rhodes Was Married to Richard Marx From 1989 to 2014

Breeders Cup Classic

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80s Movies

(Released On This Day)

1980 - The Apple
Director: Menahem Golan
Starring: Catherine Mary Stewart, Allan Love, Grace Kennedy, George Gilmour, Joss Ackland, Vladek Sheybal and Ray Shell
Budget: $10 Million

Box Office: N/A

1984 - Falling in Love
Director: Ulu Grosbard
Starring: Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, Dianne Wiest, David Clennon, Jane Kaczmarek, George Martin, Victor Argo and Harvey Keitel
Budget: $12 Million

Box Office: $11.1 Million

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80s Television

(On This Day)

1980 - The Mystery of “Who shot J.R.” Was Finally Revealed
* Kristin Shepard (Sue Ellen Ewing's Sister) was the Shooter

1985 - Final Episode of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (Animation)

Seasons: 2

Episodes: 131

1987 - Candice Bergen Hosted Saturday Night Live
Musical Guest: Cher

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80s Music

(Albums Released On This Day)

1980 - Foolish Behaviour
Rod Stewart (10th Album)
Billboard Charts: #12

* #4 in the UK

“She Will Dance With Me” (From the Album) Was the 3rd Music Video Played on MTV

1980 - Gaucho
Steely Dan (7th Album)
Billboard Charts: #9

1980 - Hi Infidelity
REO Speedwagon (9th Album)
Hit #1 on the US Billboard 200 Charts

* Also Hit #1 in Canada

Featuring "Take It On the Run" and "Keep On Loving You"

1983 - Seven and the Ragged Tiger
Duran Duran (3rd Album)
Billboard Charts: #8

* Hit #1 in the UK and Netherlands

Featuring “The Reflex”

1983 - Under a Blood Red Sky (Live Album)
U2
Billboard Charts: #28

* Hit #1 in New Zealand

1984 - Francesco Zappa
Frank Zappa (41st Album)

1985 - Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention
Frank Zappa (44th Album)
Billboard Charts: #153

1988 - Isn't Anything
My Bloody Valentine (Debut Album)
* Reached #61 in the UK

#1 in UK Indie

1988 - Now That's What I Call Music XIII (UK Series)
Various Artists
* Hit #1 in the UK

1989 - Kenny G Live (Live Album)
Kenny G
Billboard Charts: #16
* Over 4 Million Copies Sold in the US

1989 - Presto
Rush (13th Album)
Billboard Charts: #16

Reached #16 on the US Billboard 200 Charts

1989 - Rabies
Skinny Puppy (5th Album)
* Reached #88 in Canada

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80s Sports

(On This Day)

1982 - Darrell Waltrip Won the NASCAR Sprint Cup

1987 - At Age 56, Bill Shoemaker Won The Breeders Cup Classic Aboard Ferdinand at Hollywood Park
* Nosed Out Alysheba
Trainer: Charlie Whittingham
Owner: Elizabeth A. Keck

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<- November 20th November 22nd ->

Back To The 80s Home Page

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Other Notable Birthdays

Stan Musial (Baseball) Stan the Man
November 21, 1920 - January 19, 2013
Birthplace: Donora, PA

Passed Away in His Home at Age 92 From Natural Causes

All Star: 24

Batting Titles: 7
3x NL MVP (1943, 1946, 1948)
* Played All 22 Seasons With the St. Louis Cardinals
Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969

Harold Ramis (Actor)
November 21, 1944 - February 24, 2014
Birthplace: Chicago, IL

Passed Away at Age 69 From Autoimmune Inflammatory Vasculitis

Played Egon in the 1984 Film Ghostbusters

Reggie Lewis (Basketball)
November 21, 1965 - July 27, 1993
Birthplace: Baltimore, MD

Passed Away at Age 27 From a Sudden Cardiac Death While Playing Basketball

First Round Pick by the Boston Celtics in 1987

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Passed Away

(On This Day)

Mel Ott (Baseball)
March 2, 1909 - November 21, 1958

Birthplace: Gretna, LA

Passed Away at Age 49 in an Auto Accident
All Star: 12
7x Home Run Leader

* Played All 22 Seasons with the New York Giants
Elected to the Pro Baseball Hall of Fame in 1951 (3rd Ballot)

Bill Bixby (Actor)
January 22, 1934 - November 21, 1993

Birthplace: San Francisco, CA

Passed Away at Age 59 From Prostate Cancer

Played David Banner on the TV Series, The Incredible Hulk From 1977 to 1982

David Cassidy (Singer and Actor)
April 12, 1950 - November 21, 2017

Birthplace: New York City

Passed Away at Age 67 From Liver Failure

Cassidy Admitted Publicly He Had a Drinking Problem

Headlines

(November 21st)

1980 - The Mystery of “Who shot J.R.” Was Finally Revealed
* Kristin Shepard (Sue Ellen Ewing's Sister) Was the Shooter

The Highest Rated TV Episode in History at the Time With Over 83 Million Viewers

On November 21, 1985 the Final Episode of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Aired

On November 21, 1987 Bill Shoemaker Won the Breeders Cup Classic Aboard Ferdinand

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Fun Wrestling Facts

(Most Hated Wrestler Award)

1980 - Larry Zbyszko
Runner Up: Greg Valentine

1981 - Ken Patera
Runner Up: Don Muraco

1982 - Ted DiBiase
Runner Up: Blackjack Mulligan

1983 - Greg Valentine
Runner Up: Masked Superstar

1984 - Roddy Piper
Runner Up: Kevin Sullivan

1985 - Roddy Piper
Runner Up: Chris Adams

1986 - Paul Orndorff
Runner Up: Ric Flair

1987 - Ric Flair
Runner Up:André the Giant

1988 - André the Giant
Runner Up: Barry Windham

1989 - Randy Savage
Runner Up: Terry Funk

Click Here For More Pro Wrestling Fun Facts and Awards

1981 - “Physical” by Olivia Newton-John Became the #1 Song in America
* #1 Song in America from November 21 - January 29

Also Hit #1 in Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, Australia and New Zealand

Fun Fact!
“Physical” Was the Longest Running #1 Song From the 1980's

REO Speedwagon

1987 - “Mony Mony” by Billy Idol Became the #1 Song in America
* #1 Song in America from November 21 - 27

Also Hit #1 in Canada

Masters of the Universe

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Other Notable Dates

(On This Day)

1789 - North Carolina Became the 12th U.S. State
* The Populations Was 380,000, Over 10 Million Today

1902 - The First Night Professional Football Game was Played
* The Philadelphia Football Athletics Beat the Kanaweola Athletic Club of Elmira, New York 39 - 0