Other Major Events From The 80’s
During the 80’s we also saw the collapse of the traditional communism and the end of the cold war. Communism was crumbling as shown by the collapse of the Berlin wall and the breakup up of what was the USSR towards the end of the 80’s. and leading to a unified Germany.
The 80’s additionally signaled an upward thrust of conservatism in political and cultural lifestyles, due to Margaret Thatcher in the UK and Ronald Reagan in the USA.
Argentina attacked and took over the Falkland Islands in 1982 but was crushed by the United Kingdom.
As China was continuing to expand it was becoming more liberal and suffered internal unrest towards the end of the 80’s. Student’s protested in Tiananmen Square on June 4th 1989 and the authorities used force to silence the protests
Famine in Ethiopia was broadcast to the world on television screens in 1984 – 1985 and the pain and suffering caused the western world to find new ways to unite and help including the Live Aid concert and many of the most big stars at the time contributed their time and talents and performed for free all over the world , This has proved to be one of the most successful campaigns ever to create awareness and raise money by those who have the power to connect with TV viewers around the world.
Many South American Countries return to democracy after a period of dictatorships
The combining of politics and Sport was prominent in both 1980 and 1984 Olympics, As Boycotts by the world’s major powers were implemented.
Sports In The 1980s
Baseball
In the baseball strike of 1981 the strike came to an end, with the players winning wining the strike in negotiations, only to lose fans through their actions of striking and issues with from drugs/alcohol used by the players.
Basketball
The eighties saw several new stars emerge, such as: Larry Bird, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Hakeem Olajuwon and Michael Jordan, which, through their popularity and skill drew fans back to the games .
Association Football (Soccer)
24 teams fight for the World Cup in 1982
Soccer Hooliganism and the Heysel Stadium Disaster, which resulted in 39 deaths, gave English Football a bad name the Hooliganism continued through to the mid 90’s
American Football
Miami Hurricanes win college national championships
California Teams The Raiders and San Francisco 49ers Dominate The NFL
The 80’s was the era of the quarterback and perhaps the best of them was Joe Montana
The 1985 Chicago Bears with running back Walter Payton were considered to be one of the best teams of all time.
Ice Hockey
New York Islanders Dominated The first half of the 80s
Wayne Gretzky, The Great One, and Mark Messier teamed up to help the Edmonton Oilers dominate the second half of the 1980’s
Television During the Decade
The 1980s was a decade that helped define the television industry. Shows were now “pushing the envelope” more than ever with shows like Married, With Children, but other programs presented undeniable contrast with family-friendly issues and themes. The Cosby Show began in the middle of the decade, and it enjoyed several years as the top television program because it was an amusing and realistic depiction of family life during the generation. It also put to rest the stereotype of poor African-American families that shows in the past only helped to promote. Heathcliff Huxtable, the father on The Cosby Show, was an obstetrician and his wife, Claire, was a successful lawyer.
TV Shows 1980s
Married with Children 1987 to 1997.
Baywatch 1989 to 1999.
Chips 1977 to 1983.
Dukes Of Hazzard 1979 to 1985.
Highway to Heaven 1984 to 1989.
Hill Street Blues 1981 to 1987.
Knight Rider 1982 to 1986.
The Benny Hill Show 1969 to 1989.
Fame 1982 to 1987.
Cagney & Lacey 1982 to 1988.
Dallas 1978 to 1991.
Matlock 1986 to 1992.
MacGyver 1985 to 1992.
Little House on the Prairie 1974 to 1983.
Doctor Who 1963 to 1989.
Columbo 1968 to 2003.
The A Team 1983 to 1987.
Laverne & Shirley 1976 to 1983.
The Cosby Show 1984 to 1992.
Happy Days 1974 to 1984.
Cheers 1982 to 1993.
Taxi 1978 to 1983.
Benson 1979 to 1986.
Growing Pains 1985 to 1992.
Other TV shows that started in the decade which are nonetheless memorable and famous nowadays include Cheers, The Golden Girls, Miami Vice, and Family Ties. Along with The Simpsons, lots of those shows were available as DVDs for people who lived via the technology and need to enjoy a sense of nostalgia via way of means of experiencing them again.
John Lennon is shot in front of his New York apartment
MTV (Music Television) is launched
Floppy shirts, Backcombed hair, Padded shoulders, big hairdos and white stilettoes
The Simpsons Is First Seen On Tracey Ullman Show April 5th 1987
Michael Jackson releases the Thriller album.
The Eighties also saw a number of cable networks created that viewers are still enjoy today. The Weather Channel – went live in 1982 as a cable network that broadcast the weather 24 hours a day. The CNN, the Cable News Network, was also created as television’s first 24-hour news network. It created a trend that continues and was copied, which is why you have the option of several 24-hour cable news networks to choose from. Rupert Murdoch created the Fox Network in the 1980s to challenge the major networks at the time – NBC, CBS, and ABC. Even though many people dismissed the idea of Fox being a major competitor, it has since created several popular and award-winning shows in its 20+ years of existence. Music Television (MTV) was a major network in the decade allowing viewers choose from a large number of music-based television channels.
Some of the Most Well-Known Movie Stars of the 80’s
Clint Eastwood
Burt Reynolds
Harrison Ford
Michael J Fox
Eddie Murphy
Tom Cruise
Dudley Moore
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Popular Musicians
Bucks Fizz
The Jam
Olivia Newton-John
ABBA
Chicago
Lionel Richie
Black Sabbath
The Police
Tina Turner
David Bowie
Queen
Whitney Houston
Culture Club
Bruce Springsteen
U2