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1982 - Starcade Premiered on WTBS
Seasons: 3
Episodes: 133
The First TV Show Featuring Arcade Games
On December 27, 1983 The Police Opened Their First of 4 Sold Out Concerts and Wembley Stadium
Other Notable Dates
(On This Day)
1927 - The Boat Show Opened at the Ziegfeld Theater on Broadway
* Considered the First American Musical
Created by Kern and Hammerstein
1932 - Radio City Music Hall Opened in New York City
On December 27, 1983 Regis Philbin Ambushed David Letterman During The Morning Show
#1 Songs in America
(December 27th)
1980 - "(Just Like) Starting Over"
John Lennon
12/27 - 1/30
1981 - "Physical"
Olivia Newton-John
11/21 - 1/29
1982 - "Maneater"
Daryl Hall and John Oates
12/18 - 1/14
1983 - "Say Say Say"
Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson
12/10 - 1/20
1984 - "Like a Virgin"
Madonna
12/22 - 2/1
1985 - "Say You Say Me"
Lionel Richie
12/21 - 1/17
1986 - "Walk Like an Egyptian"
The Bangles
12/20 - 1/16
1987 - "Faith"
George Michael
12/12 - 1/8
1988 - "Every Rose Has It's Thorn"
Poison
12/24 - 1/13
1989 - "Another Day in Paradise"
Phil Collins
12/23 - 1/19
Click Here For More Music Fun Facts and Awards
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December 27th in 80s History
The Police
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"(Just) Like Starting Over" Became the #1 Song in America
Happy 80s Birthdays
1941 - Nolan Richardson (Basketball Coach) Arkansas
Birthplace: El Paso, Texas
1944 - Mick Jones (English Guitarist) Foreigner
Birthplace: Portsmouth, Hampshire, England
1947 - Ax (Wrestler) Demolition
Birthplace: Brownsville, Pennsylvania
1948 - Gerard Depardieu (Actor)
Birthplace: Châteauroux, France
1950 - Terry Bozzio (Drummer) Missing Persons
Birthplace: San Francisco, California
1966 - Eva LaRue (Model)
Birthplace: Long Beach, California
Fun Fact!
Eva LaRue Received a Daytime Emmy Award Nomination For "Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series" For All My Children
* Won an Daytime Emmy Award in 2020 For Her Guest Appearance on The Young and the Restless
1988 - Child Actress Heather O’Rourke Passed Away at Age 12 From Congenital Stenosis of the Intestine
* Played Carol Anne in Poltergeist
Did You Know?
Poltergeist is a German Term For "Noisy Ghost"
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1983 - Pope John Paul II Visited Mehmet Ali Ağca in Prison to Forgive Him For Shooting Him at St. Peter's Square
* Ağca Was Released From Prison in 2020
Ağca Called the Pope "The Masked Leader of the Crusades"
Other Notable Birthdays
John Amos (Actor)
December 27, 1939 - August 21, 2024
Birthplace: Newark, New Jersey
Passed Away at Age 84 From Congestive Heart Failure
* Received an Emmy Nomination in 1977 For His Role as Older Kunta Kinte on Roots
Best Known For Playing James Evans on Good Times and Cleo McDowell in Coming to America
Fun Fact!
John Amos Played Running Back at Colorado State
* Signed a Free Agent Contract in 1964 with the Denver Broncos But Was Released Because of a Hamstring Injury
Heather O’Rourke (Actor)
December 27, 1975 - February 1, 1988
Birthplace: San Diego, California
Passed Away at Age 12 From Congenital Stenosis of the Intestine
* Complicated by Septic Shock
Played Carol Anne in the 1982 Film Poltergeist
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Passed Away
(On This Day)
George Roy Hill (Director)
December 20, 1921 - December 27, 2002
Birthplace: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Passed Away at Age 81 From Parkinson’s Disease
* Directed the Films Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) and The Sting (1973) Starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford
Won an Academy Award For Best Director For The Sting and Nominated For Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Dave Henderson “Hendu” (Baseball)
July 21, 1958 - December 27, 2015
Birthplace: Merced, California
Passed Away at Age 57 From a Heart Attack
MLB Seasons: 14
Position: Outfield
All-Star: 1991
World Series Champion: 1989 (Oakland A's)
Drafted in the First Round (26th Overall) of the 1977 Major League Baseball Draft by the Seattle Mariners
Fun Fact!
In 1986 Dave Henderson (Boston Red Sox) Hit One of the Most Dramatic Home Runs in Playoff History Against the California Angels
Carrie Fisher (Actress)
October 21, 1956 - December 27, 2016
Birthplace: Burbank, California
Passed Away at Age 60 From Cardiac Arrest
* Stopped Breathing While on a Flight From London to Los Angeles
Played Princess Leia in Star Wars
Greg Gumbel (Sportscaster)
May 3, 1946 - December 27, 2024
Birthplace: New Orleans, Louisiana
Passed Away at Age 78 From Pancreatic Cancer
* Died in His Davie, Florida Home
The First African-American Announcer to Call Play-by-Play of a Major Sports Championship in the United States When He Announced Super Bowl XXXV in 2001
Baltimore Ravens 34
New York Giants 7
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80s Movies
(Released On This Day)
No 80s Movies Released On This Day
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80s Television
(On This Day)
1982 - Starcade Premiered on WTBS
Seasons: 3
Episodes: 133
1983 - Final Episode of Just Our Luck
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 13
Network: ABC
Starring T.K. Carter and Richard Gilliand
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80s Music
(Albums Released On This Day)
No 80s Albums Released On This Day
Singles Released
1988 - “The Living Years”
Mike + The Mechanics
* #1 Song in America from March 25 - 31
Also Hit #1 in Canada, Ireland, Australia and Japan
In Other 80s Music News
1983 - The Police Played Their First of 4 Sold Out Concerts at Wembley Stadium
1985 - Simon Le Bon (Duran Duran) Married Yasmin Porvaneh (Model)
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80s Sports
(On This Day)
1981 - The Buffalo Bills Beat the New York Jets 31 - 27 in the AFC Wild Card Game
Location: Shea Stadium in New York
Spread
Jets -3
O/U 33.0
Frank Lewis (Bills) 7 Receptions, 150 Yards and 2 Touchdowns
1981 - The New York Giants Beat the Philadelphia Eagles 27 - 21 in the NFC Wild Card Game
Location: Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia
Spread
Eagles -7
O/U 31.5
Rob Carpenter (Giants) 161 Yards Rushing
1983 - The San Diego Clippers Beat the Houston Rockets 110 - 95 in Houston to Snap Their 29-Game Road Losing Streak
Attendance: 10,679
* Terry Cummings (Clippers) 28 pts. 19 rebounds
1983 - The Detroit Pistons Scored 140 Points Against the Portland Trail Blazers
* The Pistons Beat the Blazers 140 - 100 in Detroit
Attendance: 10,124
1985 - Mike Tyson TKO’d Mark Young in the First Round to Improve His Record to 15 - 0
1987 - Steve Largent Set an NFL Record With His 752nd Career Reception
* Finished His Career with 819 Catches
Jerry Rice Currently Holds the Record with 1,549
1987 - The Denver Broncos (4) and San Diego Chargers (5) Combined for 9 Turnovers
* The Broncos Shutout the Chargers 24 - 0 at Mile High Stadium in Denver
Spread
Broncos -11
O/U 39.0
1987 - The San Francisco 49ers Shutout the Los Angeles Rams 48 - 0 at Candlestick Park on Sunday Night Football
* Jerry Rice (49ers) 2 Touchdowns
Spread
49ers -9.5
O/U 43.0
1987 - Gayle Sierens Became the First Woman to Do the Play-By-Play Announcing For an NFL Football Game During the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos Game
* The Chiefs Beat the Seahawks 41 - 20 at Arrowhead Stadium
Spread
Seahawks -6
O/U 42.0
Herman Heard (Chiefs) 107 Yards Rushing and a Touchdown
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<- December 26th December 28th ->
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Headlines
(December 27th)
1980 - “(Just Like) Starting Over” by John Lennon Hit #1 on the U.S. Billboard Charts
* #1 Song in America from December 27 - January 30
Also Hit #1 in the UK, Canada, Spain, Austria, Ireland, Switzerland and Australia
Regis Philbin