1984 Facts, History and Fun Trivia |
Quick Facts from 1984:
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| Top Ten Baby Names of 1984: Jennifer, Jessica, Ashley, Amanda, Sarah, Michael, Chris, Topher, Matthew, Joshua, David |
| Fashion Icons and Sex Symbols: Loni Anderson, Catherine Bach, Kim Basinger, Jacqueline Bisset, Linda Blair, Christie Brinkley, Phoebe Cates, Joan Collins, Lydia Cornell, Sybil Danning, Bo Derek, Farrah Fawcett, Melanie Griffith, Daryl Hannah, Kathy Ireland, Grace Jones, Nastassja Kinski, Jessica Lange, Heather Langenkamp, Kelly LeBrock, Heather Locklear, Madonna, Kelli Maroney, Dolly Parton, Paulina Porizkova, Victoria Principal, Helen Slater, Suzanne Somers, Brinke Stevens, Catherine Mary Stewart, Heather Thomas, Mary Woronov |
| Leading Men and Hollywood Heartthrobs: Mel Gibson, Michael Hutchence, Christopher Reeve, Patrick Swayze, Robert Redford |
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“The Quotes:” “I’ll be back.” |
| Time Magazine’s Man of the Year: Peter Ueberroth |
| Miss America: Vanessa Williams (9/17/83-7/23/84) (Millwood, NJ) Suzette Charles (7/23/84-9/15/84) (Mays Landing, NJ) |
| Miss USA: Mai Shanley (New Mexico) |
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The Scandals:
Singer Marvin Gaye (April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984)was shot and killed by his father on the day before his 45th birthday. |
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Pop Culture Facts & History: Michael Dell started selling Dell Computers, targeting small businesses and households instead of the high-end consumers like his competitors (IBM, Apple, Compaq). Molecular biologist Alec Jeffreys developed DNA testing. The Boston Beer Company, makers of Samuel Adams Beer, was founded. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles first appeared in comic books. In 1987, the first TMNT cartoons appeared. American Kim Coberly Hula-Hooped for 72 hours in October 2004. The lowest PGA score of 63 was played by Gary Player Cost of a Superbowl ad in 1984: $368,000 |
| Doomsday Clock: 3 minutes to midnight, according to the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists. 1984: “U.S.-Soviet relations reach their iciest point in decades. Dialogue between the two superpowers virtually stops. “Every channel of communications has been constricted or shut down; every form of contact has been attenuated or cut off. And arms control negotiations have been reduced to a species of propaganda,” a concerned Bulletin informs readers. The United States seems to flout the few arms control agreements in place by seeking an expansive, space-based anti-ballistic missile capability, raising worries that a new arms race will begin.” |
| The Habit: Playing Trivial Pursuit, listening to sex therapist and expert Dr. Ruth Westheimer (born June 4, 1928), watching Robin Leach’s LifeStyles of the Rich and Famous. |
| 1st Appearances & 1984’s Most Popular Christmas Gifts, Toys and Presents: Cabbage Patch Kids (again), Trivial Pursuit (specialty editions), Transformers |
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Do They Know It’s Christmas was released. Adam Clayton (U2) |
| Popular and Best-selling Books From 1984: “…And Ladies of the Club” by Helen Hooven Santmyer The Aquitaine Progression by Robert Ludlum The Butter Battle Book by Dr. Seuss First Among Equals by Jeffrey Archer First Lady from Plains by Rosalynn Carter The Fourth Protocol by Frederick Forsyth Full Circle by Danielle Steel Heretics of Dune by Frank Herbert The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cosneros Iacocca: an Autobiography by Lee Iacocca with William Novak In Search of Excellence by Thomas J. Peters and Robert H. Waterman Jr. The Kennedys: an American Drama by Peter Collier and David Horowitz The Life and Hard Times of Heidi Abromowitz by Joan Rivers Lincoln by Gore Vidal Love and War by John Jakes Loving Each Other by Leo Buscaglia Mayor by Edward I. Koch with William Rauch Money by Martin Amis Motherhood: the Second Oldest Profession by Erma Bombech Neuromancer by William Gibson The Sicilian by Mario Puzo The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub Thinner by Stephen King The Wasp Family by Iain Banks The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundra Who Killed the Robins Family? by Thomas Chastain |
| Best Film Oscar Winner: Terms of Endearment (presented in 1984) |
| The Big Movies: (according to boxofficemojo) 1. Beverly Hills Cop 2. Ghostbuster 3. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom 4. Gremlins 5. The Karate Kid 6. Police Academy 7. Footloose 8. Romancing The Stone 9. Star Trek III: The Search For Spock 10. Splash |
| 1984 Most Popular TV shows: 1. Dynasty (ABC) 2. Dallas (CBS) 3. The Cosby Show (NBC) 4. 60 Minutes (CBS) 5. Family Ties (NBC) 6. The A-Team (NBC) 7. Simon & Simon (CBS) 8. Murder, She Wrote (CBS) 9. Knots Landing (CBS) 10. Falcon Crest (CBS) |
1984 Billboard Number One Songs January 21 – February 3: February 4 – February 24: February 25 – March 20: March 31 – April 20: April 21 – May 11: May 12 – May 25: May 26 – June 8: June 9 – June 22: June 23 – July 6: July 7 – August 10: August 11 – August 31: September 1 – September 21: September 22 – September 28: September 29 – October 12: October 13 – November 2: November 3 – November 16: November 17 – December 7: December 8 – December 21: December 22, 1984 – February 1, 1985: |
| Sports: World Series Champions: Detroit Tigers Superbowl XVIII Champions: Los Angeles Raiders NBA Champions: Boston Celtics Stanley Cup Champs: Edmonton Oilers U.S. Open Golf Fuzzy Zoeller U.S. Tennis: (Men/Ladies) John McEnroe/Martina Navratilova Wimbledon (Men/Women): John McEnroe/Martina Navratilova NCAA Football Champions: BYU NCAA Basketball Champions: Georgetown Kentucky Derby: Swale |
Vanessa Williams, the first black Miss America loses her crown, because of some ‘artsy’ nude photos taken several years earlier, were published in Penthouse magazine… It was also the first time a male (George Burns) appeared on the cover. Since an underage Traci Lords was the centerfold, no one is actually allowed to own this particular issue either. Vanessa went on to become one of the most successful Miss Americas ever.
