1986 - "Sledgehammer” by Peter Gabriel Became the #1 Song in America
* #1 Song in America from July 26 - August 1
Also Hit #1 in Canada
Fun Fact!
“Sledgehammer” is the Most Played Music Video of All Time
Tour de France
On July 26, 1987 Stephen Roche (Ireland) Made an Amazing Comeback Over Pedro Delgado (Spain) to Win the Tour de France
July 26th in 80s History
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Headlines
(July 26th)
1985 - National Lampoon’s European Vacation Premiered in Theaters
* Starring Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Dana Hill and Jason Lively
Did You Know?
European Vacation Changed the Cast of the Kids Because Anthony Michael-Hall Backed Out at the Last Minute to Star in the Film, Weird Science
1985 - Kiss of the Spider Woman Premiered in Theaters
* Starring William Hurt
William Hurt Won an Academy Award For Best Actor For His Role as Luis Molina
Happy 80s Birthdays
1943 - Mick Jagger (Singer) Rolling Stones
1943 - Peter Hyams (Director) Running Scared
1945 - Helen Mirren (Actress) White Nights
1949 - Roger Taylor (Drummer) Queen
1950 - Susan George (Actress) The Jigsaw Man
1959 - Kevin Spacey (Actor) See No Evil, Hear No Evil
1961 - Gary Cherone (Singer) Extreme
1964 - Sandra Bullock (Actress)
1965 - Jeremy Piven (Actor) Lucas, Say Anything...
1965 - Jim Lindberg (Singer) Pennywise
Fun Fact!
Jeremy Piven Won an Emmy Award 3 Years in a Row (2006, 2007, 2008) For His Role as Ari Gold on the HBO TV Series, Entourage
* Made His Film Debut as "Spike" in the 1986 Film, Lucas
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#1 Songs in America
(July 26th)
1980 - "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me"
Billy Joel
7/19 - 8/1
1981 - "The One That You Love"
Air Supply
7/25 - 7/31
1982 - "Eye of the Tiger"
Survivor
7/24 - 9/3
1983 - "Every Breath You Take"
The Police
7/9 - 9/2
1984 - "When Doves Cry"
Prince
7/7 - 8/10
1985 - "A View to Kill"
Duran Duran
7/13 - 7/26
1986 - "Sledgehammer"
Peter Gabriel
7/26 - 8/1
1987 - "Alone"
Heart
7/11 - 7/31
1988 - "Hold On To The Nights"
Richard Marx
7/23 - 7/29
1989 - "Toy Soldiers"
Maltika
7/22 - 8/4
Click Here For More Music Fun Facts and Awards
Kiss of the Spider Woman Premiered in Theaters
Other Notable Birthdays
Blake Edwards (Director)
July 26, 1922 - December 15, 2010
Passed Away at Age 88 From Pneumonia
Directed the 1979 Film, "10" Starring Bo Derek
Hoyt Wilhelm (Baseball)
July 26, 1922 - August 23, 2002
Passed Away at Age 80 From Heart Failure
Elected to the Pro Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985
Joe Jackson (Talent Manager)
July 26, 1928 - June 27, 2018
Passed Away at Age 89 From Pancreatic Cancerr
The Father of the Jackson Family
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Passed Away
(On This Day)
Max Winter (American Businessman)
June 29, 1903 - July 26, 1996
Passed Away at Age 93 (Unknown Causes)
The Founder and Owner of the Minnesota Vikings
Lupe Ontiveros (Actress)
September 17, 1942 - July 26, 2012
Passed Away at Age 69 From Liver Cancer
Played the Maid, Rosalita in the 1985 Film The Goonies
* Also Yolanda in Selena (1997)
Olivia de Havilland (Actress)
July 1, 1916 - July 26, 2020
Passed Away at Age 104 From Natural Causes
Won 2 Academy Awards For Best Actress
To Each His Home (1948)
The Heiress (1949)
Sinéad O'Connor (Irish Singer)
December 8, 1966 - July 26, 2023
Passed Away at Age 56 From Natural Causes
Her 1990 Hit Song "Nothing Compares 2 U" Hit #1 in Numerous Countries and Won the Billboard Song of the Year
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80s Movies
(Released On This Day)
1985 - National Lampoon’s European Vacation
Director: Amy Heckerling
Starring: Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Dana Hill, Jason Lively, Victor Lanoux and Eric Idle
Budget: $17 Million
Box Office: $49.3 Million
1985 - Kiss of the Spider Woman
Director: Héctor Babenco
Starring: William Hurt, Raul Julia and Sonia Braga
Budget: N/A
Box Office: $17 Million
1985 - The Heavenly Kid
Director: Cary Meadoway
Starring: Lewis Smith, Jane Kaczmarek, Jason Gedrick and Richard Mulligan
Budget: N/A
Box Office: $3.8 Million
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80s Television
(On This Day)
No 80s TV Debuts or Finales On This Day
Fun Fact!
Hill Street Blues Won 4 Emmy Awards in Row (1981, 1982, 1983, 1983) For Most Outstanding Drama
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80s Music
(Albums Released On This Day)
1981 - Bucks Fizz
Bucks Fizz (Debut Album)
Reached #4 in the UK
1982 - Love and Dancing (Remix)
The Human League
Billboard Charts: #135
1983 - Alpha
Asia (2nd Album)
Billboard Charts: #6
1983 - Good for Your Soul
Oingo Boingo (3rd Album)
Billboard Charts: #144
1985 - Mask of Smiles
John Waite (3rd Solo Album)
Billboard Charts: #36
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80s Sports
(On This Day)
1984 - Vida Blue Was Suspended For Cocaine
1987 - Catfish Hunter and Billy Williams Were Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame
* Ray Dandridge Was Elected by the Veterans Committee
1987 - Stephen Roche (Ireleand) Won the Tour de France
1988 - Mike Schmidt (Philadelphia Phillies) Set a National Record by Playing in His 2,155th Game at 3rd Base
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Other Notable Dates
(On July 26th)
1788 - New York Became the 11th US State
* Population Was 49,000, Now 9 Million
1951 - The Disney Animation Film Alice in Wonderland Premiered in London
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1989 - Cornell University Student, Robert T. Morris, Jr. Became the First Person to be Prosecuted Under the Computer Fraud Abuse Act for Releasing “The Morris Worm”
* The Worm Exploited Weak Passwords, Especially in Unix Users