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.
152 On This Day Articles
On This Day July 29 1983 – Krull Premiered in Theaters
On this day July 29 1983, Krull premiered in theaters blending science fiction, fantasy, and swashbuckling adventure into one of the most visually ambitious films of the decade. Set on a distant planet under siege by a dark beast and his army of slayers, the
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On This Day July 29 1983 – Friday Night Videos Premiered on NBC
On this day July 29 1983, Friday Night Videos premiered on NBC and gave millions of Americans their first taste of a music video countdown show on network television. Arriving at a time when MTV was still a cable exclusive and not available in many
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On This Day July 26 1983 – Alpha by Asia Was Released
On this day July 26 1983, Asia released Alpha in the U.S., the band's second studio album and the follow up to their hugely successful self titled debut. After dominating the charts with hits like Heat of the Moment, expectations were incredibly high for the
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On This Day July 25 1983 – Kill ‘Em All by Metallica Was Released
On this day July 25 1983, Kill 'Em All was released, marking the explosive debut of Metallica and the birth of a new force in heavy metal. With its raw energy, aggressive speed, and no-holds-barred attitude, the album helped lay the groundwork for the thrash
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On This Day July 24 1983 – George Brett’s Pine Tar Incident Shocked Baseball Fans
On this day July 24 1983, one of the most infamous moments in Major League Baseball history occurred during a game between the Kansas City Royals and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Royals third baseman George Brett hit a dramatic two run home
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On This Day July 22 1983 – Mr. Mom Premiered in Limited Theaters
On this day July 22 1983, Mr. Mom premiered in limited theaters, introducing audiences to a heartfelt and humorous take on role reversal in the modern family. Directed by Stan Dragoti and written by John Hughes, the film starred Michael Keaton as Jack Butler, a
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On This Day July 22 1983 – Jaws 3 D Premiered in Theaters
On this day July 22 1983, Jaws 3 D premiered in theaters and attempted to take the iconic shark franchise into a new dimension. Directed by Joe Alves, the third installment shifted the action to SeaWorld in Florida, where a massive great white terrorized a
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On This Day July 22 1983 – The Wicked Lady Premiered in Theaters
On this day July 22 1983, The Wicked Lady premiered in theaters in the United States. A remake of the 1945 British film, this lavish period drama starred Faye Dunaway as Lady Barbara Skelton, a cunning noblewoman who secretly lives a double life as a
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On This Day July 21, 1983 – Coldest Temperature Ever Recorded at Vostok Station, Antarctica
On this day July 21, 1983, the coldest natural temperature ever recorded on Earth was measured at Vostok Station, a remote Russian research base in Antarctica. The temperature dropped to an astonishing minus 89.2 degrees Celsius, or minus 128.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Located near the center
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On This Day July 21 1983 – Shonen Knife Released Their Third Album Burning Farm
On this day July 21 1983, Shonen Knife released their third album, Burning Farm . The release marked a major turning point for the all female Japanese trio, bringing their raw, joyful punk pop sound to a wider underground audience and kicking off a cult
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On This Day July 30 1982 – Night Shift Premiered in Theaters
On this day July 30 1982, Night Shift premiered in theaters and marked the arrival of Ron Howard as a promising comedy director. The film starred Henry Winkler and introduced audiences to a then rising Michael Keaton in a breakout performance that set the stage
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On This Day July 30 1982 – The Last American Virgin Premiered in Theaters
On this day July 30 1982, The Last American Virgin premiered in theaters and stood apart from its teen comedy peers with an unexpectedly raw and emotional conclusion. Loosely based on the Israeli film Lemon Popsicle, this American remake followed three high school friends navigating
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On This Day July 30 1982 – Tex Premiered in Theaters
On this day July 30 1982, Tex premiered in theaters, bringing to the screen a thoughtful and grounded coming of age drama adapted from the novel by S. E. Hinton. The film starred Matt Dillon as Tex McCormick, a sixteen year old struggling to navigate
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On This Day July 30 1982 – Forced Vengeance Premiered in Theaters
On this day July 30 1982, Forced Vengeance premiered in theaters, showcasing Chuck Norris in a hard hitting martial arts action role set against the neon soaked backdrop of Hong Kong. In the film, Norris plays Josh Randall, a tough but loyal security expert who
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On This Day July 30 1982 – Fast Times at Ridgemont High Soundtrack Released
On this day July 30 1982, the soundtrack for Fast Times At Ridgemont High was released, capturing the musical spirit of early 80s teen life and helping define the sound of an entire generation. This double album served not just as a companion to the
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On This Day July 29 1982 – Jerry Lawler Slapped Andy Kaufman on Late Night with David Letterman
On this day July 29 1982, professional wrestler Jerry Lawler shocked audiences when he slapped comedian Andy Kaufman in the face during a live taping of Late Night with David Letterman. The unexpected confrontation left both the studio and home audiences stunned as Kaufman threw
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On This Day July 28 1982 – An Officer And A Gentleman Premiered In Theaters
On this day July 28 1982, An Officer And A Gentleman premiered in theaters introducing audiences to a powerful romantic drama centered on Navy aviation officer trainees. The film follows Richard Gere as the determined Zack Mayo and Louis Gossett Jr as his demanding drill
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On This Day July 24 1982 – Eye of the Tiger by Survivor Hit Number One in the US
On this day July 24 1982, Eye of the Tiger by Survivor hit number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. Written specifically as the theme for Rocky III, the song quickly became an anthem of determination, strength, and rising against the odds. Its opening
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On This Day July 24 1982 – Jack and Diane by John Mellencamp Was Released
On this day July 24 1982, John Mellencamp released Jack and Diane, the standout track from his breakthrough album American Fool . The song quickly captured the hearts of listeners with its small town American story about two teenagers trying to hold onto a moment
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On This Day July 23 1982 – Vic Morrow and Two Children Tragically Killed During Twilight Zone Filming
On this day July 23 1982, tragedy struck on the set of Twilight Zone: The Movie when actor Vic Morrow and two young child actors, Myca Dinh Le and Renee Shin-Yi Chen, were killed during a nighttime shoot in Santa Clarita, California. The three were
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On This Day July 23 1982 – The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas Premiered in Theaters
On this day July 23 1982, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas premiered in theaters, bringing the hit Broadway musical to the big screen with a star powered cast and a mix of country charm and comedy. Starring Burt Reynolds and Dolly Parton, the film
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On This Day July 23 1982 – The World According to Garp Premiered in Theaters
On this day July 23 1982, The World According to Garp premiered in theaters, introducing movie audiences to a bold and unconventional story adapted from John Irving’s bestselling novel. Starring Robin Williams in one of his earliest dramatic roles, the film followed the life of
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On This Day July 23 1982 – Zapped Premiered in Theaters
On this day July 23 1982, Zapped premiered in theaters, delivering a wild teen comedy that mixed science fiction with high school hijinks. Starring Scott Baio and Willie Aames, the film followed a nerdy student who accidentally gains telekinetic powers after a lab experiment goes
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On This Day July 23 1982 – The Challenge Premiered in Theaters
On this day July 23 1982, The Challenge premiered in theaters, bringing East meets West action to the big screen in a gritty martial arts thriller. Starring Scott Glenn and directed by John Frankenheimer, the film told the story of an American boxer who becomes
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