Happy 80s Birthdays
1943 - Robert DeNiro (Actor)
Birthplace: New York City
1953 - Kevin Rowland (Singer) Dexys Midnight Runners
Birthplace: Wednesfield, Wolverhampton, England
1958 - Belinda Carlisle (Singer) Go-Go’s
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California
1960 - Sean Penn (Actor)
Birthplace: Santa Monica, California
1961 - Larry B. Scott (Actor) Revenge of the Nerds (Lamar)
Birthplace: New York City
1969 - Donnie Wahlberg (Singer) New Kids on the Block
Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts
1969 - Kelvin Mercer (Rapper) De La Soul
Birthplace: New York City
1969 - Christian Laettner (Basketball)
Birthplace: Angola, New York
Fun Fact!
As a Kid in Malibu, Sean Penn Used to Make Short Films With Friends and Neighbors Emilio Estevez and Charlie Sheen
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Other Notable Birthdays
Mae West (Actress)
August 17, 1893 - November 22, 1980
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York
Passed Away at Age 87 From a Stroke
* West Became a Rock n’ Roll Singer Later in Her Career
One of the First Sex Symbols in Cinema
Sib Hashian (Drummer)
August 17, 1949 - March 22, 2017
Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts
Passed Away at Age 67 From a Heart Attack
* Collapsed During a Set on a Cruise Ship
The Drummer For Boston
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Passed Away
(On this Day)
Yvonne Craig (Actress)
May 16, 1937 - August 17, 2015
Birthplace: Taylorville, Illinois
Passed Away at Age 78 From Breast Cancer
* The Cancer Had Spread to Her Liver
Played Batgirl on the 1960’s TV Show Batman
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80s Movies
(Released On This Day)
1984 - Sheena
Director: John Guillermin
Starring: Tanya Roberts, Ted Wass and Donovan Scott
Budget: $25 Million
Box Office: $5.7 Million
1984 - Tightrope
Director: Richard Tuggle
Starring: Clint Eastwood, Genevieve Bujold, Dan Hedaya, Alison Eastwood, Jenny Beck, Rod Masterson and Marco St. John
Budget: N/A
Box Office: $48.1 Million
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80s Television
(On This Day)
1989 - FM Premiered on NBC
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 13
Starring Robert Hays From the Film Airplane
Click Here For More TV Fun Facts and Awards
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80s Music
(Albums Released On This Day)
1984 - W.A.S.P.
W.A.S.P. (Debut Album)
Billboard Charts: #74
* #6 in Finland
1987 - Substance (Compilation Album)
New Order
Billboard Charts: #36
* #3 in the UK
1987 - Franks Wild Years
Tom Waits (9th Album)
Billboard Charts: #115
1988 - Move Somethin'
2 Live Crew (2nd Album)
Billboard Charts: #68
1989 - The Death of a Dictionary
Public Affection (Debut Album)
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80s Sports
(On This Day)
1980 - Texas Rangers Outfielder Al Oliver Hit 3 Home Runs Against the Detroit Tigers
* The Rangers Beat the Tigers 12 - 6 at Tiger Stadium on a Sunday Afternoon
Attendance: 42,117
1980 - George Brett Went 4 - 4 to Raise His Batting Average to .401
* Brett Finished the Season at .390
Won the 1980 American League MVP
1982 - The Game at Wrigley Field Between Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs Was Suspended After 18-Innings Due to Darkness
* The Game was Continued the Next Day
The Cubs Beat the Dodgers 2 - 1 in 21 Innings
1984 - Pete Rose Got 2 Hits and 2 RBI's in His First Game as a Player-Manager For the Cincinnati Reds
1986 - The Boston Red Sox Traded Rey Quinones and Mike Trujillo to the Seattle Mariners For Spike Owen and Dave Henderson
1987 - Muhammed Ali Was Elected to the Ring Magazine Hall of Fame
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Other Notable Dates
(On August 17th)
1978 - Double Eagle II Became the First Balloon to Cross the Atlantic Ocean
* Took 137 Hours to go from Presque Isle, Maine to Paris, France
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1984 - Sheena Premiered in Theaters
Director: John Guillermin
Starring: Tanya Roberts, Ted Wass and Donovan Scott
With a $25 Million Dollar Budget the Film Was a Huge Bust Grossing Only $5.7 Million Dollars
1985 - The Hormel Strike Began in Austin, Minnesota
* 1500 Meat Workers Went on Strike From August 17, 1985 to September 13, 1986 Because of Too Many Injuries and Pay Cuts
Longest Strike in Minnesota History
Pete Rose
The Compact Disc Began Mass Production
Headlines
(August 17th)
1982 - The First Mass Production of Compact Discs Began in Langenhagen, Germany
* Released in the United States on March 2, 1983
Fun Fact!
Bruce Springsteen's 1984 Album “Born in the USA” Was the First CD Sold in the United States
* The Top Selling Album From 1985
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August 17th in 80s History
1984 - Tightrope Premiered in Theaters
Director: Richard Tuggle
Starring: Clint Eastwood, Genevieve Bujold, Dan Hedaya, Alison Eastwood, Jenny Beck, Rod Masterson and Marco St. John
Did You Know?
Clint Eastwood Was Having Affairs With Many Actresses From the Film
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#1 Songs in America
(August 17th)
1980 - "Magic"
Olivia Newton-John
8/2 - 8/29
1981 - "Endless Love"
Diana Ross and Lionel Richie
8/15 - 10/16
1982 - "Eye of the Tiger"
Survivor
7/24 - 9/3
1983 - "Every Breath You Take"
The Police
7/9 - 9/2
1984 "Ghostbusters"
Ray Parker, Jr.
8/11 - 8/31
1985 - "Shout"
Tears for Fears
8/3 - 8/23
1986 - "Papa Don't Preach"
Madonna
8/16 - 8/29
1987 - "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"
U2
8/8 - 8/21
1988 - "Roll With It"
Steve Winwood
7/30 - 8/26
1989 - "Right Here Waiting"
Richard Marx
8/12 - 9/1
Click Here For More Music Fun Facts and Awards
Fun Fact!
The Very First Strike in America Was the Jamestown Polish Craftsmen Strike of 1619
* The Skilled Craftsmen That Produce Pitch, Tar, and Turpentine Used For Shipbuilding Fought the Right to Vote and Won
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On August 17, 1984 Pete Rose Got 2 Hits and 2 RBI's in His First Game as Player-Manager for the Cincinnati Reds
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