Headlines
(December 16th)
1983 - The Iron Sheik Beat Bob Backlund to Win the WWF Heavyweight Championship
* The Iron Sheik Lost the Belt to Hulk Hogan on January 23, 1983
Happy 80s Birthdays
1937 - Joyce Bulifant (Actress) Airplane
1944 - Jeffrey Kanew (Director) Revenge of the Nerds
1949 - Billy Gibbons (Singer and Guitarist) ZZ Tops
1951 - Robben Lee Ford (Guitarist) Top 100 Guitarist
1955 - Xander Berkeley (Actor) Fabulous Baker Boys
1961 - Shane Black (Screenwriter) Lethal Weapon
1962 - William “Refrigerator” Perry (Football)
1964 - Billy Ripken (Baseball)
Fun Fact!
In 2002 William “Refrigerator” Perry Fought Manute Bol in Celebrity Boxing
1989 - Appeals Court Judge, Robert Smith Vance Was Assassinated by a Mail Bomb Sent by Walter Leroy Moody, Jr.
* Walter Leroy Moody, Jr. Was Also Charged With the Murder of Robert E. Robinson (Black Civil-Rights Attorney) in Savannah, Georgia Who Had Been Killed In a Separate Explosion At His Office
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On December 16, 1983 D.C. Cab Starring Adam Baldwin and Mr. T Premiered in Theaters
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D.C. Cab
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1988 - Rain Man Premiered in Theaters
Starring Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise
Won an Academy Award For Best Picture
* Dustin Hoffman Won Best Actor
Did You Know?
Dustin Hoffman Wanted Off the Set Because He Thought He Was Doing a Horrible Job
Broadcast News
Other Notable Dates
(On December 16th)
1773 - The Boston Tea Party Took Place in the Boston Harbor
* Colonists Dumped Hundreds of Crates of Tea to Protest England’s Tea Act
1777 - Virginia Became the First State to Ratify the Articles of Confederation
* The First Frame of US Government
1811 - Four Major Earthquakes Hit Madrid, Missouri
* The Magnitudes Ranged from 7.2 - 8.2
1905 - The Rugby "Match of the Century" Was Played Between Wales and New Zealand at Cardiff Arms Park (Wales)
* Wales Won 3 - 0
December 16th in 80s History
1983 - Two of a Kind Premiered in Theaters
* Starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John
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Other Notable Birthdays
Ben Cross (Actor)
December 16, 1947 - August 18, 2020
Passed Away of Cancer at Age 72
Played Harold Abrahams in the 1981 Film, Chariots of Fire
Mike Flanagan (Baseball)
December 16, 1951 - August 24, 2011
Passed Away at Age 59 from a Self-Inflicted Shotgun Wound to the Head
* Suffered from Depression
Played 19- Years in the Major Leagues, Mostly With the Baltimore Orioles
Won the American League Cy Young Award in 1983 and World Series in 1983
Cliff Robinson (Basketball)
December 16, 1966 - August 29, 2020
Passed Away at Age 53 from Lymphoma
Played 18 Seasons in the NBA Mostly With the Portland Trail Blazers
* Won the 6th Man Award in 1993
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Passed Away
(On This Day)
Moses Gunn (Actor)
Passed Away on December 16, 1993 at Age 64 from Asthma Complications
* Nominated for a Tony Award in 1976 (The Poison Tree)
Played Carl on the Hit TV Series, Good Times
John Spencer (Actor)
Passed Away on December 16, 2005 at Age 58 from a Heart Attack
* Won an Emmy Award (2002) for His Role as Leo McGarry on The West Wing
Played Jerry in the 1983, Film, WarGames
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80s Movies
(Released On This Day)
1981 - Quest For Fire
Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud
Starring: Everett McGill, Rae Dawn Chong, Ron Perlman and Nameer El-Kadi
Budget: $12 Million
Box Office: $55.2 Million
* Sarah Monzani and Michèle Burke Won and Academy Award For Best Makeup
1983 - D.C. Cab
Director: Joel Schumaker
Starring: Adam Baldwin, Charlie Barnett, Irene Cara, Anne De Salvo, Max Gail, José Pérez, Paul Rodriguez, Gary Busey and Mr. T
Budget: $7 Million
Box Office: $16 Million
1983 - Uncommon Valor
Director: Ted Kotcheff
Starring: Gene Hackman, Fred Ward, Reb Brown, Randall "Tex" Cobb, Patrick Swayze, Harold Sylvester, Tim Thomerson and Robert Stack
Budget: N/A
Box Office: $30.5 Million
1983 - Two of a Kind
Director: John Herzfeld
Starring: John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John
Budget: $14 Million
Box Office: $23.6 Million
1987 - Broadcast News
Director: James L. Brooks
Starring: William Hurt, Albert Brooks, Holly Hunter, John Cusack, Joan Cusack and Jack Nicholson
Budget: $15 Million
Box Office: $67.3 Million ($51 Million Domestic)
1988 - Rain Man
Director: Barry Levinson
Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Tom Cruise and Valeria Golina
Budget: $25 Million
Box Office: $354.8 Million ($172 Million Domestic)
Academy Awards
Best Picture
Dustin Hoffman (Best Actor)
Barry Levinson (Best Director)
Ronald Bass and Barry Morrow (Best Screenplay)
1988 - Dangerous Liaisons
Director: Stephen Frears
Starring: Glenn Close, John Malkovich, Michelle Pfeiffer, Swoosie Kurtz, Mildred Natwick, Peter Capaldi, Keanu Reeves and Uma Thurman
Budget: $14 Million
Box Office: $34.7 Million
Academy Awards
Christopher Hampton (Best Original Screenplay)
James Acheson (Best Costume Design)
Stuart Craig and Gérard James (Best Art Direction)
1988 - Purple People Eater
Director: Linda Shayne
Starring: Neil Patrick Harris, Ned Beatty, Shelley Winters, Dustin Diamond, Peggy Lipton, Thora Birch and Dustin Diamond
Budget: N/A
Box Office: N/A
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80s Television
(On This Day)
1982 - Christmas Comes to Pac-Land (Animation) Aired on ABC
1987 - A Muppet Family Christmas Aired on ABC
1989 - Andie McDowell Hosted the Season 15 Finale of Saturday Night Live
Musical Guest: Tracy Chapman
The Last Episode of the 80s
1989 - Final Episode of The Karate Kid (Animation)
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 13
Network: NBC
1989 - Final Episode of Rude Dog (Animation)
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 13
Network: CBS
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Other Notable TV Dates
(On This Day)
1975 - One Day at a Time Premiered on CBS
Seasons: 9
Episodes: 209
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Albums Released
(On This Day)
1986 - Electric Cafe
Kraftwerk (9th Album)
1986 - Live?!*@Like a Suicide (EP)
Guns N' Roses
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80s Sports
(On This Day)
1983 - Yogi Berra Was Named New York Yankees Manager For the 2nd Time
1983 - The Iron Sheik Beat Bob Backlund For the WWF Heavyweight Championship
Location: Madison Square Garden
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<- December 15th December 17th ->
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The Iron Sheik Won the WWF Heavyweight Championship
#1 Songs in America
(December 16th)
1980 - "Lady"
Kenny Rogers
11/15 - 12/26
1981 - "Physical"
Olivia Newton-John
11/21 - 1/29
1982 - "Mickey"
Toni Basil
12/11 - 12/17
1983 - "Say Say Say"
Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson
12/10 - 1/20
1984 - "Out of Touch"
Daryl Hall and John Oates
12/8 - 12/21
1985 - "Broken Wings"
Mister Mister
12/7 - 12/20
1986 - "The Way It Is"
Bruce Hornsby & the Range
12/13 - 12/19
1987 - "Faith"
George Michael
12/12 - 1/8
1988 - "Look Away"
Chicago
12/10 - 12/23
1989 - "We Didn't Start the Fire"
Bill Joel
12/9 - 12/22
Click Here For More Music Fun Facts and Awards
1960 - A United and a TWA Airplane Collided Over Staten Island, New York
* Killed All 128 People Aboard Both Aircrafts and 6 on the Ground
On December 16, 1987 Broadcast News Starring William Hurt, Albert Brooks, Holly Hunter, John Cusack, Joan Cusack and Jack Nicholson Premiered in Theaters