Other Notable Birthdays
Al Capone (Mob Boss)
January 17, 1899 - January 25, 1947
Passed Away at Age 48 of Complications from Syphilis
Al Capone’s 21st Birthday Was the Same Day Prohibition Went Into Effect
Betty White (Actress)
January 17, 1922 - December 31, 2021
Passed Away at Age 99 from a Stroke
Won 5 Primetime Emmy Awards
* Also Won a Daytime Emmy Award as the Host of Just Men! (Game Show)
Vidal Sasoon (Hairdresser)
January 17, 1928 - May 9, 2012
Passed Away at Age 84 from Leukemia
Made the Five-Point Cut Popular, Worn by Famous Movie Stars Such as Mia Farrow, Goldie Hawn, Cameron Diaz, Nastassja Kinski and Helen Mirren
Don Zimmer (Baseball)
January 17, 1931 - June 4, 2014
Passed Away at Age 83 from Heart and Kidney Failure
2x All- Star as a Player (Chicago Cubs)
* Won Manager of the Year in 1989 (Chicago Cubs)
Muhammad Ali (Boxer)
January 17, 1942 - June 3, 2016
Passed Away at Age 74 from Septic Shock
In 1999, Voted Sportsman of the Century by Sports Illustrated and the BBC
Andy Kaufman (Actor and Comedian)
January 17, 1949 - May 16, 1984
Passed Away at Age 35 from Lung Cancer
Played Latka Gravas on the TV Show Taxi from 1978 to 1983
* A Cast Member on the First Season of Saturday Night Live
Darrell Porter (Baseball)
January 17, 1952 - August 5, 2002
Passed Away at Age 50 from a Cocaine Overdose
1982 World Series MVP (St. Louis Cardnals)
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Passed Away
(On This Day)
Bobby Fischer (Chess Champion)
Passed Away on January 17, 2008 at Age 64 from Kidney Failure
Won His First of a Record 8 Chess Championships at Age 14 in 1958
Clyde Tombaugh (Astronomer)
Passed Away on January 17, 1997 at Age 90 (Unknown Cause)
Discovered the Former Planet Pluto
Richard Crenna (Actor)
Passed Away on January 17, 2003 at Age 76 from Pancreatic Cancer
Played Colonel Trautman in Rambo
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80s Movies
(Released On This Day)
1986 - Iron Eagle
Director: Sidney J. Furie
Starring: Louis Gossett Jr., Jason Gedrick, David Suchet, Larry B. Scott, Caroline Lagerfelt and Tim Thomerson
Budget: $18 Million
Box Office: $24.1 Million
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1986 - Heathcliff: The Movie
Director: Bruno Bianch
Starring: Mel Blanc, Donna Christie, Jeannie Elias, Marilyn Lightstone, Ted Zeigler, Stan Jones, Danny Mann, Peter Cullen and Danny Wells
Budget: N/A
Box Office: $2.6 Million
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80s Television
(On This Day)
1981 - Karen Black Hosted Saturday Night Live
Musical Guests: Cheap Trick and Stanley Clarke Trio
1981 - Walking Tall Premiered on CBS
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 7
1987 - Ohara Premiered on ABC
Seasons: 2
Episodes: 30
Starring Pat Morita
* Pat Morita Played Mr. Miyagi in The Karate Kid
80s Sports
(On This Day)
1982 - Ivan Lendl Won the ATP Masters Grand Prix
1986 - Tim Witherspoon Beat Tony Tubbs in a 15-Round Decision to to Win the WBA Heavyweight Championship
1988 - The Denver Broncos Beat the Cleveland Browns 38 - 33 in the AFC Championship Game to Advance to the Super Bowl
Location: Mile High Stadium in Denver
* Mark Jackson 4 (Broncos) 4 Catches 134 Yards 1 TD (80 Yards)
Spread
Broncos -4
O/U 45.0
The Broncos Lost to the Washington Redskins 42 - 10 in Super Bowl XXII
1988 - The Washington Redskins Beat the Minnesota Vikings 17 - 10 in the NFC Championship Game to Advance to the Super Bowl
Location: RFK Memorial Stadium
* Redskins Defense Recorded 8 Sacks
Spread
Redskins -3
O/U 45.0
The Redskins Beat the Denver Broncos 42 - 10 in Super Bowl XXII
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<- January 16th January 18th ->
January 17th in 80s History
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1987 - “Shake You Down” by Gregory Abbott Became the #1 Song in America
#1 Song in America from January 17 - 23
* Also Hit #1 in Spain
Gregory Abbott's Biggest Hit
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1988 - The Washington Redskins Beat the Minnesota Vikings 17 - 10 in the NFC Championship Game to Advance to the Super Bowl
* The Redskins Beat the Broncos 41 - 10 in Super Bowl XXII
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1988 - The Denver Broncos Beat the Cleveland Browns 38 - 33 in the AFC Championship Game to Advance to the Super Bowl
* The Game Known as "The Fumble"
#1 Songs in America
(January 17th)
1980 - "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)"
Rupert Jones
1/12 - 1/18
1981 - "(Just Like) Starting Over"
John Lennon
12/27 - 1/30
1982 - "Physical"
Olivia Newton-John
11/21 - 1/29
1983 - "Down Under"
Men at Work
1/15 - 2/4
1984 - "Say Say Say"
Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson
12/10 - 1/20
1985 - "Like a Virgin"
Madonna
12/22 - 2/1
1986 - "Say You Say Me"
Lionel Richie
12/21 - 1/17
1987 - "Shake You Down"
Gregory Abbott
1/17 - 1/23
1988 - "Got My Mind Set On You"
George Harrison
1/16 - 1/22
1989 - "My Prerogative"
Bobby Brown
1/14 - 1/20
Click Here For More Music Fun Facts and Awards
1986 - Troll
Director: John Carl Buechler
Starring: Noah Hathaway, Michael Moriarty, Shelley Hack, Jenny Beck, Sonny Bono and Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Budget: $1.1 Million
Box Office: $5.5 Million
1986 - The Clan of the Cave Bear
Director: Michael Chapman
Starring: Daryl Hannah, Pamela Reed, James Remar, Thomas G. Waites, John Doolittle and Curtis Armstrong
Budget: $18 Million
Box Office: $2 Million
Headlines
(January 17th)
1986 - Tim Witherspoon Beat Tony Tubbs to Win the WBA Heavyweight Championship
* 15 Round Decision
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1988 - The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh Premiered on The Disney Channel
Seasons: 4
Episodes: 50
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80s Music
(Albums Released On This Day)
No 80s Albums Released On This Day
Singles Released
1987 - At This Moment”
Billy Vera and the Beaters
#1 Song in America from January 24 - February 6
* Also Hit #1 in Canada
Fun Fact!
"At This Moment" Was Originally Released in 1981 and Re-Released in 1986 Because of the Popularity It Grew from Family Ties
* The Love Song Between Alex and Ellen (Married in Real Life)
Other Notable Dates
(January 17th)
1920 - Alcohol Prohibition Began in the United States, Known as the Volstead Act
* Lasted Until 1933
1969 - Black Panthers Members Bunchy Carter and John Huggins Were Killed During a Meeting in Campbell Hall at UCLA
1977 - Gary Gillmore Was Executed by Firing Squad in Utah
* Capital Punishment in the United States Had Been on a 10 - Year Hiatus
Shown in the Documentary Faces of Death
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"Shake You Down" Became the #1 Song in America
Happy 80s Birthdays
1931 - James Earl Jones (Actor) Voice of Darth Vader
1939 - Maury Povich (Talk Show Host)
1955 - Steve Javie (NBA Referee)
1956 - Paul Young (Singer)
1957 - Steve Harvey (Comedian)
1959 - Susanna Hoffs (Singer) The Bangles
1960 - John Crawford (Singer) Berlin
1960 - Chili Davis (Baseball)
1962 - Jim Carrey (Actor) Once Bitten, In Living Color
1964 - Andy Rourke (Bassist) The Smiths
Fun Fact!
Jim Carrey Carrey’s First Lead Role Was on the TV Series The Duck Factory (1984)