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1981 - An 18-Year Old Boy Was Stabbed and Killed at Disneyland's Tomorrowland by a 28-Year Old Man After the Teen Pinched His Girlfriend
* There Has Been 26 Deaths at Disneyland Since it Opened in 1955
The Final Episode of Different Strokes Aired
Headlines
(March 7th)
1980 - Coal Miner’s Daughter Premiered in Theaters
Director: Michael Apted
Starring: Sissy Spacek
Sissy Spacek Won an Academy Award For Best Actress For Her Role as Real Life Country Singer, Loretta Lynn
Fun Fact!
Sissy Spacek Has Been Nominated For 6 Academy Awards
On March 7, 1983 The Final Episode of Square Pegs Starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Amy Linker Aired
Fun Fact!
Sarah Jessica Parker Made Her Film Debut in Somewhere Tomorrow (1983)
Happy 80s Birthdays
1940 - Daniel J. Travanti (Actor) Hill Street Blues
Birthplace: Kenosha, Wisconsin
1946 - Peter Wolf (Singer) J. Geils Band
Birthplace: New York City
1952 - Ernie Isley (Guitarist) The Isley Brothers
Birthplace: Cincinnati, Ohio
1952 - Lynn Swan (Football)
Birthplace: Alcoa Tennessee
1956 - Bryan Cranston (Actor)
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California
1959 - Tom Lehman (Golf)
Birthplace: Austin, Minnesota
1960 - Joe Carter (Baseball)
Birthplace: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
1960 - Ivan Lendl (Tennis)
Birthplace: Ostrava, Czechoslovakia
1962 - Taylor Dayne (Singer)
Birthplace: New York City
1964 - Wanda Sykes (Actress and Comedian)
Birthplace: New York City
1965 - Steve Beuerlein (Football)
Birthplace: Hollywood, California
Fun Fact!
Bryan Cranston Won 4 Emmy Awards (2008, 2009, 2010, 2014) For Most Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series For His Role as Walter White on Breaking Bad
* Also Played the Dad (Hal) on Malcolm in the Middle and Tim Whatley on Seinfeld
#1 Songs in America
(March 7th)
1980 - "Crazy Little Thing Called Love"
Queen
2/23 - 3/21
1981 - "I Love a Rainy Night"
Eddie Rabbit
2/28 - 3/13
1982 - "Centerfold"
J. Geils Band
2/6 - 3/19
1983 - "Billie Jean"
Michael Jackson
3/5 - 4/22
1984 - "Jump"
Van Halen
2/25 - 3/30
1985 - "Careless Whisper"
Wham!
2/16 - 3/8
1986 - "Kyrie"
Mister Mister
3/1 - 3/14
1987 - "Livin' on a Prayer"
Bon Jovi
2/14 - 3/13
1988 - "Father Figure"
George Michael
2/27 - 3/11
1989 - "Lost in Your Eyes"
Debbie Gibson
3/4 - 3/24
Click Here For More Music Fun Facts and Awards
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1986 - The Final Episode of Diff’rent Strokes Aired
Seasons: 8
Episodes: 189
Fun Fact!
Alan Thicke Wrote and Sang the Theme Song to Diff'rent Strokes
* Also Wrote the Theme Song For The Facts of Life
In Other 80s News
(On This Day)
1986 - Divers From the USS Preserver Located the Crew Cabin of the Space Shuttle Challenger on the Ocean Floor
1989 - Iran and the United Kingdom Broke Diplomatic Relations After an Argument Over the Novel The Satanic Verses Written by Salman Rushdie’s
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Other Notable Dates
(On March 7th)
1876 - Alexander Graham Bell Received a Patent For the "Telephone
Fun Fact!
Both of Alexander Graham Bell’s Mom and Wife Were Deaf
* His Research on Hearing and Speech Influenced His Life Work
1965 - Over 600 Civil Rights Marchers Were Brutally Attacked by State and Local Police in Selma, Alabama
* Known as “Bloody Sunday”
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Square Pegs
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Other Notable Birthdays
Joseph Nicéphore Niépce (Inventor)
March 7, 1765 - July 5, 1833
Birthplace: Chalon-sur-Saône, France
Passed Away at Age 68 From a Stroke
* Invented Photography
Made the World's Oldest Surviving Photographic Image in the 1820’s
Willard Scott (Weatherman)
March 7, 1934 - September 4, 2021
Birthplace: Alexandria, Virginia
Passed Away at Age 68 From a Stroke
* Spent 65 Years as the Weatherman For NBC
Willard Scott Created and Played the Original Ronald McDonald
Franco Harris (Football)
March 7, 1950 - December 20, 2022
Birthplace: Fort Dix, New Jersey
Passed Away in His Sleep at His Sewickley, Pennsylvania Home at Age 72 From Unknown Causes
NFL Seasons: 13
Position: Running Back
Pro Bowl: 9
First Team All-Pro: 1977
Super Bowl Champion: 4 (IX, X, XIII, XIV) Pittsburgh Steelers
Super Bowl MVP: IX
Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990 (First Ballot)
Fun Fact!
Franco Harris is Best Known For The Immaculate Reception in the 1972 AFC
Championship Game Against the Oakland Raiders
Steelers 13 Raiders 7
J.R. Richard (Baseball)
March 7, 1950 - August 4, 2021
Birthplace: Vienna, Louisiana
Passed Away at Age 71 From Covid-19
MLB Seasons: 10 (Houston Astros)
Position: Pitcher
Career Wins: 107
Losses: 71
ERA: 3.15
All-Star: 1980
Strikeout Leader: 2 (1978, 1979)
Hall of Famers Johnny Bench and Dale Murphy Said J.R. Richard Was the Toughest Pitcher They Had Ever Faced
* J.R. Richards Career Was Cut Short After Suffering a Stroke Before a Game in 1980
John Heard (Actor)
March 7, 1946 - July 21, 2017
Birthplace: Washington, D.C.
Passed Away at Age 71 From Cardiac Arrest
* Found Dead in a Palo Alto Hotel
Best Known For Playing Kevin McAllister in the 1990 Film Home Alone
Fun Fact!
John Heard's Father Worked For the Office of Secretary of Defense
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Passed Away
(On This Day)
1988 - Divine (Drag Queen)
October 19, 1945 - March 7, 1988
Birthplace: Baltimore, Maryland
Passed Away at Age 42 of an Enlarged Heart
* Born Harris Glenn Milstead
Divine Means The Act of Creation
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80s Movies
(Released On This Day)
1980 - Coal Miner’s Daughter
Director: Michael Apted
Starring: Sissy Spacek, Tommy Lee Jones, Levon Helm and Beverly D'Angelo
Budget: $15 Million
Box Office: $67.1 Million
1986 - Highlander
Director: Russell Mulachy
Starring: Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Clancy Brown and Roxanne Hart
Budget: $19 Million
Box Office: $12.9 Million
1986 - Nomads
Director: John McTiernan
Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Lesley-Anne Down and Anna Maria Monticelli
Budget: N/A
Box Office: $2.3 Million
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80s Television
(On This Day)
1981 - Bill Murray Hosted Saturday Night Live
Musical Guest: Delbert McClinton
Bill Murray Hosted the Show For the First Time Since Leaving the Show as a Regular Cast Member in 1980
1983 - Final Episode of Square Pegs
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 20
Network: CBS
Starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Amy Linker
1983 - The Nashville Network (TNN) Was Launched
* Now Paramount Network
1983 - Small & Frye Premiered on CBS
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 6
1986 - Final Episode of Diff’rent Strokes
Seasons: 8
Episodes: 189
Network: NBC (Season 1-7)
ABC (Season 8)
1988 - Probe Premiered on ABC
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 8
1989 - Anything But Love Premiered on ABC
Seasons: 4
Episodes: 56
Starring Richard Lewis and Jamie Lee Curtis
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80s Music
(Albums Released On This Day)
1980 - The Psychedelic Furs
The Psychedelic Furs (Debut Album)
Billboard Charts: #140
1980 - The Coal Miner’s Daughter (Soundtrack)
Various Artists
Billboard Charts: #40
* #2 on the Country Charts
1980 - Nobody’s Hero
Stiff Little Fingers (2nd Album)
* Reached #8 in the UK
1983 - The Hurting Album
Tears for Fears (Debut Album)
Billboard Charts: #73
* Hit #1 in the UK
1988 - Past Masters (Compilation Album)
The Beatles
Billboard Charts: #149
1989 - Girl You Know It’s True
Milli Vanilli (2nd Album)
Hit #1 on the US Billboard 200 Charts
* Also Hit #1 in Canada
The Duo's First US Release
Singles Released
1983 - "Blue Monday"
New Order
1985 - “We Are the World”
USA for Africa
#1 Song in America from April 13 - May 10
* Also Hit #1 in Canada, UK, France Italy, Spain, Belgium, Ireland, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, Netherlands, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa
Raised over $63 Million Dollars For the Famine in Ethiopia
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80s Sports
(On This Day)
1982 - The NCAA Tournament Selection Was Televised Live For First Time
Network: ESPN
North Carolina and Freshman Michael Jordan Won The National Championship
1986 - Wayne Gretzky Broke His Own Record With His 136th Assist of the Season
1987 - Mike Tyson Beat James “Bonecrusher” Smith by Unanimous Decision (12 Rounds) to Win the WBA Heavyweight Championship and Retain the WBC
1988 - Michigan Wolverine's One Handed Pitcher Jim Abbott Won the 58th James E Sullivan Award
* Given to "The Most Outstanding Amateur Athlete”
Fun Fact!
Jim Abbott (New York Yankees) Pitched a No-Hitter on September 4, 1993 Against the Cleveland Indians
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1985 - “We Are the World” by USA for Africa Was Released To Help Raise Money For the Famine in Ethiopia
* Raised Over $65 Million Dollars
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March 7th in 80s History