On This Day During the 80s
Travel back through the 1980s and discover what happened on this day in music, movies, television, pop culture and more.
450 On This Day Articles
On This Day March 22 1985 – Friday the 13th A New Beginning Premiered in Theaters
On this day March 22 1985 Friday the 13th A New Beginning premiered in theaters. Directed by Danny Steinman the fifth installment in the iconic horror franchise starred Melanie Kinnaman John Shepard and Shavar Ross with Tom Morga portraying Jason Voorhees. Following the events of
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On This Day March 22 1985 – The Last Dragon Premiered in Theaters
On this day March 22 1985 the martial arts cult classic The Last Dragon premiered in theaters. Directed by Michael Schultz the film starred Taimak as Leroy Green alongside Vanity Julius J. Carry III Chris Murney Keshia Knight Pulliam and Faith Prince. Blending martial arts
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On This Day March 21 1985 – Eye to Eye Premiered on ABC
On this day March 21 1985 the crime drama series Eye to Eye premiered on ABC. The show followed a former cop turned private investigator who teamed up with a photographer to solve cases in Los Angeles. Despite its intriguing premise Eye to Eye struggled
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On This Day March 20 1985 – Canadian Paraplegic Rick Hansen Began His Wheelchair Journey Around the Globe
On this day March 20 1985 Canadian athlete and activist Rick Hansen began his historic Man in Motion World Tour a wheelchair journey around the globe to raise awareness and funds for spinal cord injury research. Hansen traveled through 34 countries covering more than 40000
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On This Day March 20 1985 – The Coca-Cola Company Purchased Tandem Productions and Embassy Television for 485 Million Dollars
On this day March 20 1985 The Coca-Cola Company made a major move into the entertainment industry by purchasing Tandem Productions and Embassy Television for 485 million dollars. The acquisition gave Coca-Cola control over some of the most popular television shows of the time including
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On This Day March 19 1985 – The Final Episode of Alice Aired
On this day March 19 1985 the long-running sitcom Alice aired its final episode after nine seasons and 202 episodes. The series starred Linda Lavin as Alice Hyatt a single mother working as a waitress at Mel’s Diner while pursuing her dream of becoming a
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On This Day March 18 1985 – Safe at Home Premiered on WTBS
On this day March 18 1985 the sitcom Safe at Home premiered on WTBS. The series ran for three seasons with a total of 96 episodes bringing lighthearted family comedy to audiences. Though not as widely remembered as other 80s sitcoms Safe at Home developed
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On This Day March 18 1985 – Peter Gabriel Released the Birdy Soundtrack
On this day March 18 1985 Peter Gabriel released the soundtrack album for the film Birdy. The album featured atmospheric and experimental instrumental music marking Gabriel’s first venture into film scoring. Birdy reached number 162 on the Billboard charts and included reworked instrumental versions of
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On This Day March 17 1985 – Richard Ramirez Committed His First Two Murders in Los Angeles
On this day March 17 1985 serial killer Richard Ramirez also known as The Night Stalker committed his first two known murders in Rosemead Park and Monterey Park in Los Angeles. These attacks marked the beginning of his brutal crime spree that terrorized California throughout
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On This Day March 16 1985 – Associated Press Newsman Terry Anderson Was Taken Hostage in Beirut Lebanon
On this day March 16 1985 Associated Press correspondent Terry Anderson was kidnapped in Beirut Lebanon by Hezbollah militants backed by Iran. Anderson who was covering the ongoing Lebanese Civil War was ambushed and taken captive while returning from a tennis game. Anderson remained a
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On This Day March 15 1985 – Lost in America Premiered in Theaters
On this day March 15 1985 the comedy film Lost in America premiered in theaters. Directed by and starring Albert Brooks the film also featured Julie Hagerty and Donald Biggs in a satirical take on the American dream. The movie followed a married couple who
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On This Day March 15 1985 – Sylvester Premiered in Theaters
On this day March 15 1985 the drama film Sylvester premiered in theaters. Directed by Tim Hunter the film starred Melissa Gilbert Richard Farnsworth and Michael Schoeffling in an inspiring story about perseverance and determination. The film followed a young woman who rescues a neglected
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On This Day March 15 1985 – Everybody’s Crazy by Michael Bolton Was Released
On this day March 15 1985 Michael Bolton released his fourth studio album Everybody’s Crazy. At this stage in his career Bolton was focused on hard rock and AOR before transitioning into the softer ballads that would later define his success. Everybody’s Crazy reached number
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On This Day March 15 1985 – Mr. Belvedere Premiered on ABC
On this day March 15 1985 the family sitcom Mr. Belvedere premiered on ABC. Starring Christopher Hewett as the wise and witty British butler Lynn Belvedere the show followed his adventures as he adjusted to life with the Owens family in suburban America. The series
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On This Day March 14 1985 – Rhythm of the Night by DeBarge Was Released
On this day March 14 1985 DeBarge released their fourth studio album Rhythm of the Night. The album showcased a more pop-oriented sound while still maintaining the group's signature R&B style helping them reach a wider audience. Rhythm of the Night peaked at number 19
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On This Day March 11 1985 – Mikhail Gorbachev Became the Leader of the Soviet Union
On this day March 11 1985 Mikhail Gorbachev became the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union making him the country's de facto leader. Gorbachev would go on to introduce major reforms including glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) which aimed to modernize
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On This Day March 11 1985 – Dream into Action by Howard Jones Was Released
On this day March 11 1985 Howard Jones released his second studio album Dream into Action. The album continued his synth-pop success featuring a mix of upbeat electronic tracks and introspective lyrics that resonated with fans. Dream into Action peaked at number 10 on the
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On This Day March 11 1985 – Behind the Sun by Eric Clapton Was Released
On this day March 11 1985 Eric Clapton released his ninth solo studio album Behind the Sun. The album marked a shift in Clapton’s sound incorporating more polished production and synthesizers while still maintaining his blues-rock roots. Behind the Sun reached number 34 on the
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On This Day March 11 1985 – First and Last and Always by The Sisters of Mercy Was Released
On this day March 11 1985 The Sisters of Mercy released their debut album First and Last and Always. The album became a cornerstone of gothic rock blending dark atmospheric sounds with driving basslines and haunting vocals from frontman Andrew Eldritch. First and Last and
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On This Day March 9 1985 – Cant Fight This Feeling by REO Speedwagon Became the Number One Song in America
On this day March 9 1985 Cant Fight This Feeling by REO Speedwagon reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 where it remained for three weeks until March 29. The power ballad became one of the band’s biggest hits showcasing their ability to blend
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On This Day March 8 1985 – Mask Premiered in Theaters
On this day March 8 1985 the drama film Mask premiered in theaters. Starring Cher and Eric Stoltz the movie told the true story of Rocky Dennis a teenager with craniodiaphyseal dysplasia a rare bone disorder that caused severe facial deformities. The film focused on
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On This Day March 8 1985 – The Night I Fell in Love by Luther Vandross Was Released
On this day March 8 1985 Luther Vandross released his fourth studio album The Night I Fell in Love solidifying his place as one of the greatest voices in R&B. The album blended smooth ballads and upbeat grooves showcasing Vandross’s signature vocal style and impeccable
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On This Day March 7 1985 – We Are the World by USA for Africa Was Released
On this day March 7 1985 the charity single We Are the World was released to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia. Written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie the song brought together some of the biggest names in music including Stevie Wonder Bruce
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On This Day March 6 1985 – Mike Tyson Made His Professional Boxing Debut
On this day March 6 1985 Mike Tyson stepped into the ring for his professional boxing debut at just 18 years old. Facing off against Hector Mercedes Tyson wasted no time showcasing his power and aggression knocking out his opponent in the first round. This
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