Top Gun Premiered in Theaters
1981 - "Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes Became the #1 Song in America
* #1 Song in America from May 16 - June 19 and June 27 - July 24
Also Hit #1 in France, Italy, Spain, West Germany, Norway, Switzerland, Australia and South Africa
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"With or Without You"
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1986 - Top Gun Premiered in Theaters
* Starring Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer
Top Gun Was the Highest Grossing Movie From 1986
1988 - The Final Episode of Cagney & Lacey Aired
* Ran 7 Seasons with 125 Episodes (Plus 4 TV Movies)
Tyne Daly (Lacey) and Sharon Gless (Cagney) Combined to Win 6 Emmy Awards For Most Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series
Daly (4)
Gless (2)
Headlines
(May 16th)
1980 - Fame Premiered in Theaters
* Starring Irene Cara
Fun Fact!
The Original Name of the Film Was “Hot Lunch” But Had to be Changed Because There Was a Porno Film With the Same Title
Other Notable Birthdays
Liberace (Entertainer)
May 16, 1919 - February 4, 1987
Passed Away at Age 67 of AIDS Related Pneumonia
Liberace Was the Highest Paid Entertainer in the 70s
Billy Martin (Baseball)
May 16, 1928 - December 25, 1989
Passed Away at Age 61 In a Car Accident
* Name the New York Yankees Manager 5 Times (1975, 1979, 1983, 1985, 1988)
Fun Fact!
Billy Martin Coached the Oakland A's From 1980 - 1982 and Marketed as "Billy Ball"
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Passed Away
(On This Day)
Andy Kaufman (Comedian and Actor)
January 17, 1949 - May 16, 1984
Passed Away at Age 35 From a Rare Form of Cancer
Nominated For 2 Golden Globe Awards For His Role as Latka Gravas on Taxi
Sammy Davis Jr. (Entertainer)
December 8, 1925 - May 16, 1990
Passed Away at Age 64 From Throat Cancer
Sammy Davis Jr. Was Part of the ""Rat Pack"
Jim Hensen (Puppeteer)
September 24, 1936 - May 16, 1990
Passed Away at Age 53 From Bacterial Pneumonia
Creator of The Muppets
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80s Movies Released
(On This Day)
1980 - Fame
Director: Alan Parker
Starring: Irene Cara, Barry Miller, Lee Curreri, and Gene Anthony Ray
Budget: $8.5 Million
Box Office: $42 Million
1980 - The Long Riders
Director: Walter Hill
Starring: James Keach, Stacy Keach, David Carradine, Robert Carradine, Keith Carradine, Dennis Quaid, Randy Quaid, Christopher Guest and Nicholas Guest
Budget: $8 Million
Box Office: $15.7 Million
1983 - Deadly Eyes
Director: Robert Clouse
Starring: Sam Groom, Scatman Crothers and Sara Botsford
Budget: N/A
Box Office: N/A
1986 - Top Gun
Director: Tony Scott
Starring: Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, Val Kilmer and Anthony Edwards
Budget: $15 Million
Box Office: $356 Million ($176 Million Domestic)
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80s Television
(On This Day)
1983 - Michael Jackson Did the Moonwalk on National Television During the Motown 25th Anniversary Special
1985 - Final Episode of Street Hawk
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 13
Network: ABC
1986 - Season 9 Finale of Dallas Aired
Episode: “Blast From the Past”
* Bobby Ewing Was Revealed to be Alive and Showering at Pam's House (Ex-Wife)
1986 - Final Episode of Charlie & Co.
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 18
Network: ABC
Starred Flip Wilson, Gladys Knight and Jaleel White
1986 - Final Episode of the Misfits of Science
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 16
Network: NBC
Starred Courteney Cox
1987 - Garry Shandling Hosted Saturday Night Live
Musical Guest: Los Lobos
1988 - Final Episode of Cagney & Lacey
Seasons: 7
Episodes: 125 (Plus 4 TV Movies)
Network: CBS
Fun Fact!
Sharon Gless and Tyne Daly Won a Combined 6 Emmy Awards for Most Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series
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80s Music
(On This Day)
1980 - Freedom of Choice
Devo (3rd Album)
Billboard Charts: #22
Featuring “Whip It”
1980 - Paul McCartney II
Paul McCartney (2nd Solo Album)
Billboard Charts: #3
* Hit #1 in the UK
1983 - Piece of Mind
Iron Maiden (4th Album)
Billboard Charts: #14
1983 - Ring of Changes
Barclay James Harvest (12th Album)
* Reached #4 in Germany
1988 - The First of a MillionKisses
Fairground Attraction (Debut Album)
* Reached #2 in the UK
1988 - You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 1 (Live Album)
Zappa
1989 - Blind Man’s Zoo
10,000 Maniacs (4th Album)
Billboard Charts: #13
1989 - Slowly We Rot
Obituary (Debut Album)
1989 - Youngest in Charge
Special Ed (Debut Album)
Billboard Charts: #73
Singles Released
1982 - “Hard to Say I’m Sorry”
Chicago
#1 Song from September 11 - 24
* Also Hit #1 in Canada, Ireland and Switzerland
1984 - “When Doves Cry”
Prince
#1 Song in America from July 7 - August 10
* Also Hit #1 in Canada and Australia
1987 - “Alone”
Heart
#1 Song in America from July 11 - 31
* Also Hit #1 in Canada
In Other 80s Music News
1983 - Anna Vissi (Greek Singer) Married Nikos Karvelas (Composer)
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80s Sports
(On This Day)
1980 - The Los Angeles Lakers Won the NBA Championship
* Beat the Philadelphia 76ers 123 - 107 in Philadelphia (Game 6)
Series: 4-2
MVP: Magic Johnson
Head Coach: Paul Westhead
1981 - Jorge Velasquez Won the Preakness Stakes Aboard Pleasant Colony
Trainer: John B. Campo
Owner: Buckland Farm
* Pleasant Colony Won the Kentucky Derby but Finished 3rd at Belmont
1981 - Houston Astros Shortstop Craig Reynolds Hit 3 Triples Against the Chicago Cubs
* The Astros Beat the Cubs 6 - 1 at Wrigley Field in Chicago
Attendance: 43,726
1982 - The New York Islanders Swept the Vancouver Canucks to Win their 3rd Straight Stanley Cup Finals
Series: 4 - 0
MVP: Mike Bossy (Islanders)
Head Coach: Al Arbour
1983 - New York Mets Outfielder Darryl Strawberry Hit His First Major League Home Run
Pitcher: Lee Tunnell
1983 - Kentucky Derby Winner Shining Halo Was on the Cover of Sports Illustrated
Title: "A SHINING HALO"
1984 - Chicago White Sox Catcher Carlton Fisk Hit For the Cycle Against the Kansas City Royals
* The Royals Beat the White Sox 7 - 6 at Comiskey Park in Chicago
Attendance: 21,669
1984 - Philadelphia Phillies Pitcher Steve Carlton Hit a Grand Slam Off Los Angeles Dodgers Pitcher Fernando Valenzuela
* Phillies Beat the Dodgers 7 - 2 at Dodger Stadium
Attendance: 48,938
1985 - Michael Jordan Was Named NBA Rookie of the Year
1985 - The Philadelphia Flyers Beat the the Quebec Nordiques 4 Games to 2 to Advance to the Stanley Cup Finals
1985 - The Edmonton Oilers Beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4 gAmes to 2 to Advance to the Stanley Cup Finals
The Oilers Beat the Flyers 4 Games to 1 in the Finals
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In Other 80s News
(On This Day)
1988 - The United States Surgeon General C. Everett Koop Said Nicotine is as Addictive as Heroin and Cocaine
1983 - Michael Jackson Did the Moonwalk on Motown’s 25th Anniversary Special
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In Other News
(On May 16th)
1770 - The 14-Year-old Marie Antoinette Married 15-Year-Old Louis-Auguste
* Louis Auguste Became the King of France
1866 - The First Nickel (5 Cent Coin) Was Established in the US
1929 - The First Academy Awards Were Held at a Private Dinner at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
* Wings Won Best Picture
270 People Attended the Event That Lasted 15 Minutes
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On May 16, 1987 "Whit or Without You" by U2 Became the #1 Song in America
Also Hit #1 in Canada, Ireland and Poland
#1 Songs in America
(May 16th)
1980 - "Call Me"
Blondie
4/19 - 5/30
1981 - "Bette Davis Eyes"
Kim Carnes
5/16 - 6/19
1982 - "Ebony and Ivory"
Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder
5/15 - 7/2
1983 - "Beat It"
Michael Jackson
4/30 - 5/20
1984 - "Hello"
Lionel Richie
5/12 - 5/25
1985 - "Crazy For You"
Madonna
5/11 - 5/17
1986 - "West End Girls"
Pet Shop Boys
5/10 - 5/16
1987 - "With or Without You"
U2
5/16 - 6/5
1988 - "Anything For You"
Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine
5/14 - 5/27
1989 - "Like a Prayer"
Madonna
5/13 - 5/19
Click Here For More Music Fun Facts and Awards
1984 - Comedian and Actor Andy Kaufman Passed Away at the Age of 35 From a Rare Type of Lung Cancer
* Best Known For Playing Latka Gravas on the Hit TV Show Taxi From 1978 to 1983
May 16th in 80s History
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Happy 80s Birthdays
1944 - Danny Trejo (Actor) Lock Up
1949 - Rick Reuschel (Baseball)
1953 - Peter Onorati (Actor) Scrooged
1953 - Richard Page (Bassist) Mr. Mister
1955 - Debra Winger (Actress) Urban Cowboy
1955 - Jack Morris (Baseball)
1958 - Don Fullilove (Actor) Back to the Future
1959 - Mare Winningham (Actress) St. Elmo’s Fire
1961 - Kevin McDonald (Actor) The Kids in the Hall
1964 - John Salley (Basketball)
1965 - Krist Novoselic (Bassist) Nirvana
1966 - Janet Jackson (Singer)
1966 - Thurman Thomas (Football)
1968 - Ralph Tresvant (Singer) New Edition
1969 - Tracey Gold (Actress) Growing Pains
1970 - Gabriela Sabatini (Tennis)
Fun Fact!
Mare Winningham Won 2 Emmy Awards For Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries For Amber Waves (1980) and George Wallace (1997)
* Kurt Russell Also Starred in George Wallace
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