Headlines
(May 31st)
1980 - "Funkytown" by Lipps Inc. Became the #1 Song in America
* #1 Song in America from May 31 - June 27
Also Hit #1 in Canada, France, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Norway, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand and Israel
Fun Fact!
"Funkytown" Was Certified as Double Platinum With Over 8 Million Copies Sold Worldwide
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1985 - Fletch Premiered in Theaters
Director: Michael Ritchie
Starring: Chevy Chase, Dana Wheeler-Nicholson, Geena Davis, George Wendt and Kareem abdul-Jabbar
Fun Fact!
Chevy Chase Appeared in 3 Movies That Reached Top 15 in the 1985 Box Office
Spies Like Us
Fletch
European Vacation
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Fletch Premiered in Theaters
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In Other News
(On May 31st)
1790 - The Copyright Act of 1790 Was Signed Into Law by President George Washington
* The First Copyright Statute
1971 - For the First Time Memorial Day Was Celebrated on the Last Monday of May
* Replaced the Traditional May 30th
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<- May 30th June 1st ->
Back To The 80s Home Page
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1987 - Edmonton Oilers Beat the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 7 to Win the Stanley Cup Finals
Winning Coach: Glen Sather
MVP: Ron Hextall (Flyers) Losing Team
Considered One of the Greatest Finals of All-Time
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1986 - Barry Bonds Recorded His First Major League Hit
Bonds Led Off the Game Off With a Double off Dodgers Pitcher, Rick Honeycutt
* The Pirates Beat the Dodgers 4 - 0 at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh on a Saturday Night
1987 - Edmonton Oilers Beat the Philadelphia Flyers 3 - 1 in Game 7 to Win the Stanley Cup Finals
MVP: Ron Hextall (Flyers) Losing Team
Winning Coach: Glen Sather
Did You Know?
A Philadelphia Fan Fan Took a Swing at Coach Sather After Game 4
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In Other 80s News
(On This Day)
1985 - The United States-Canada Tornado in Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York Killed 76 People
#1 Songs in America
(May 31st)
1980 - "Funkytown"
Lipps Inc.
5/31 - 6/27
1981 - "Bette Davis Eyes"
Kim Carnes
5/16 - 6/19
1982 - "Ebony and Ivory"
Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder
5/15 - 7/2
1983 - "Flashdance... What a Feeling"
Michael Sembello
5/28 - 7/8
1984 - "Let's Hear It for the Boy"
Deniece Williams
5/26 - 6/8
1985 - "Everything She Wants"
Wham!
5/25 - 6/7
1986 - "Greatest Love of All"
Whitney Houston
5/17 - 6/6
1987 - "With or Without You"
U2
5/16 - 6/5
1988 - "One More Try"
George Michael
5/28 - 6/17
1989 - "Forever Your Girl"
Paula Abdul
5/20 - 6/2
Click Here For More Music Fun Facts and Awards
May 31st in 80s History
1983 - The Philadelphia 76ers Swept the Los Angeles Lakers 4 - 0 to Win the NBA Championship
Head Coach: Billy Cunningham
MVP: Moses Malone
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Happy 80s Birthdays
1930 - Clint Eastwood (Actor)
Birthplace: San Francisco, California
1943 - Joe Namath (Football)
Birthplace: Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania
1943 - Sharon Gless (Actress) Cagney & Lacey
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California
1949 - Tom Berenger (Actor) Platoon
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois
1950 - Gregory Harrison (Actor) North Shore
Birthplace: Avalon, California
1960 - Chris Elliott (Actor) Get a Life
Birthplace: New York City
1961 - Lea Thompson (Actress) Back to the Future
Birthplace: Rochester, Minnesota
1962 - Corey Hart (Singer)
Birthplace: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
1964 - Darryl DMC McDaniels (Rapper) Run-D.M.C.
Birthplace: New York City
1965 - Brooke Shields (Actress) The Blue Lagoon
Birthplace: New York City
Fun Fact!
Sharon Gless Won 2 Emmy Awards For Most Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series in 1986 and 1987 For Her Role as Sgt. Christine Cagney in the TV Series, Cagney & Lacey
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Other Notable Birthdays
John Ringling (Circus Promoter)
May 31, 1866 - December 2, 1936
Birthplace: McGregor, IA
Passed Away at Age 70
* Unknown Cause of Death
Co-Founded Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus With His Brother Charles
Don Ameche (Actor)
May 31, 1908 - December 6, 1993
Birthplace: Kenosha, Wisconsin
Passed Away at Age 85 From Prostate Cancer
* Best Known For Playing Mortimer Duke in 1983 Film Trading Places
Won an Academy Award For Best Supporting Actor For His Role as Art Selwyn the 1985 Film Cocoon
Vickie Sue Robinson (Singer)
May 31, 1954 - April 27, 2000
Birthplace: Harlem, New York
Passed Away at Age 45 From Cancer
* Unknown Type of Cancer
Best Known For the 1976 Song “Turn the Beat Around”
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Passed Away
(On This Day)
Jack Dempsey (Boxer)
June 24, 1895 - May 31, 1983
Birthplace: Manassa, Colorado
Passed Away at Age 87 From Heart Failure
* The Heavyweight Champion From 1919 to 1926
Ranked #10 in Ring Magazine's Top 100 Heavyweights and #7 Hardest Hitter
Orlando Woolridge (Basketball)
December 16, 1959 - May 31, 2012
Birthplace: Bernice, Louisiana
Passed Away at Age 52 From Heart Disease
NBA Seasons: 14
Position: Small Forward
The 6th Overall Pick in the 1981 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls
College: Notre Dame
Jean Stapleton (Actress)
January 19, 1923 - May 31, 2013
Birthplace: New York City
Passed Away in Her Manhattan Apartment at Age 90
* Unknown Cause of Death
Won 3 Primetime Emmy Awards (1971, 1972, 1978) For Her Role as Edith On All in the Family
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80s Movies
(Released On This Day)
1985 - Fletch
Director: Michael Ritchie
Starring: Chevy Chase, Dana Wheeler-Nicholson, Geena Davis, George Wendt and Kareem abdul-Jabbar
Budget: $8 Million
Box Office: $59 Million
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80s Television
(On This Day)
1983 - Final Episode of Bring “Em Back Alive
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 17
Network: CBS
Starring Cindy Morgan, Caddyshack
1985 - Final Episode of AfterMASH
Seasons: 2
Episodes: 31
Network: CBS
Spinoff from M*A*S*H
1986 - The Indianapolis 500 Aired Live For the First Time on Television
Network: ABC
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80s Music
(Albums Released On This Day)
1980 - Ready an’ Willing
Whitesnake (3rd Album)
Billboard Charts: #90
1983 - Wrap Your Arms Around Me
Agnetha Fältskog (First English Speaking Solo Album)
Billboard Charts: #102
* Hit #1 in Sweden, Norway, Belgium, Finland and Denmark
Fun Fact!
Agnetha Fältskog Was the Lead Singer For the Swedish Band, ABBA
1986 - The Final (Compilation Album)
Wham!
* Reached #2 in the UK
1988 - The World’s Greatest Entertainer
Doug E. Fresh (2nd Album)
Billboard Charts: #8
1988 - By All Means Necessary
Boogie Down Productions (2nd Album)
Billboard Charts: #75
Singles Released
1982 - ‘Eye of the Tiger”
Survivor
#1 Song in America from July 24 - September 3
* Also Hit #1 in the UK, Canada, Ireland, Norway, Finland, Australia, South Africa and Japan
The Theme Song For the 1982 Film, Rocky III
Fun Fact!
“Another One Bites the Dust” by Queen Was Supposed to be the Theme Song For Rocky III Until Queen Denied Them Permission
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80s Sports
(On This Day)
1983 - The Philadelphia 76ers Swept the Los Angeles (4 - 0) to Win NBA Championship
1986 - Bobby Rahal Won the Indianapolis 500
Winning Team: Trusports