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1985 Pop Culture, History, and Memorable Moments1985 was a landmark year in pop culture, filled with iconic entertainment, groundbreaking achievements, and unforgettable trends. From blockbuster films to chart-topping music, the mid-’80s brought a unique energy that continues to influence culture today. Whether it was fashion trends, historical milestones, or technological advancements, 1985 remains a year that shaped the cultural landscape in remarkable ways. In entertainment, 1985 delivered some of the most beloved movies featuring characters and stories that have become staples of modern pop culture. Television brought drama and comedy into households with fan-favorite series, while the music world saw a mix of pop, rock, and emerging genres dominating the airwaves. Toys and games released in 1985 also captured the imagination of a generation, leaving a lasting legacy for collectors and fans. Beyond the arts, 1985 was a year of significant world events and technological progress. Advances in computing and science hinted at the digital future, while pivotal global moments captured headlines and shaped history. In sports, iconic victories and athletic feats brought people together, inspiring fans across the world. Ready to take a trip back to 1985? Test your knowledge with our trivia quiz and see how much you remember—or learn something new—about the year that brought us unforgettable moments in pop culture and beyond. Dive into the magic and nostalgia of 1985 today! What Happened In 1985? |
85 Trivia Questions For 1985 History(answers) 1. Name the highest-grossing film of 1985. 2. What was the second-highest-grossing film of 1985? 3. Who played the role of role as Colonel Sam Trautman in Rambo: First Blood Part II? 4. This film was based on Gregory Mcdonald’s popular novels and starred Chevy Chase. 5. What was the film’s name that starred Rosanna Arquette, Aidan Quinn and Madonna? 6. Who was the biggest musical artist of 1985? 7. Who was the biggest solo musical artist of the 1980s? 8. What was the Biggest Number One Song of 1985? 9. Disney released its first PG animated film in 1985. name that film! 10. Only three television shows have ranked number one in Nielson ratings. Can you name the Television show from the 1980s that achieved that goal? 11. Nerdy social outcast students Gary Wallace and Wyatt Donnelly of Shermer High School were the characters in this 1985 John Hughes film. Name the film. 12. Name the two stars of television’s Moonlighting. 13. In The Golden Girls, who was originally offered the role of Blanche? 14. Name the Rocky film that was released in 1985. 15. Who was the primary antagonist in Rocky IV? 16. This line of basketball shoes is produced by Nike, branded with a GOAT player. 17. Actress Nancy Walker played The Bounty paper towel commercials as who in 1970–1990. Name the character. 18. She-Ra: Princess of Power was a spin-off from what animated show? 19. Who was Jerrica Benton’s glamorous rock star alter ego? 20. What was Jerrica’s iconic phrase to activate Synergy’s holograms and become Jem? 21. Super Dimension Fortress Macross, Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross, and Genesis Climber Mospeada inspired this animated series. Name it. 22. The cartoon started as a series of children’s books by Dutch author Wil Huygen and illustrator Rien Poortvliet. 23. Who was the voice of David the Gnome on American TV? 24. These creatures were initially created as characters for greeting cards by artist Elena Kucharik for American Greetings. Name them. 25. This popular short series of animated musical films aired on ABC from 1973 to 1985. Name it. 26. Who was the President in 1985? 27. This 1985 film won the Academy Awards for Best Supporting actor and Best Visual Effects. Name that film. 28. Who directed Cocoon? 29. Name the popular plush bear with a cassette tape to tell his stories and adventures. 30. Played by John Lovitz, name the character who often said, “Yeah! That’s the ticket”! 31. Written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and produced by Quincy Jones, We Are The World was credited to what group of musicians? 32. Where was Live Aid Held? 33. What was Lion-O’s battle cry? 34. What controversial product did Coca-Cola introduce in 1985? 35. You get one point for each actor who played the seven “goonies” in The Goonies. 36. Who replaced Nicholas Colasanto, who played Coach Ernie Pantusso on Cheers, when he died of a heart attack in 1985? 37. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1985? 38. This 1985 film was a sequel to the 1984 action-adventure film Romancing the Stone. Name that film. 39. You get one point for each of the three featured actors you can name in Jewel of the Nile. 40. What was Princess Peach’s original name? 41. Who became the General Secretary of the Soviet Communist Party in 1985? 42. What was the most popular baby name for girls in the USA in 1985? 43. Dan Rather ended his newscasts with what word, starting in 1985? 44. What was the Top-Rated TV Show in the 1984/1985 season? 45. In 1985, what was the average life expectancy in the United States? 46. You get one point for each Rambo film in the franchise you can name. 56. Who won the World Series in 1985? 66. What was the most popular portable music device in the 1980s? 67. How many people lived in the World in 1985? 68. How many people lived in the United States in 1985? 69. This fictional character came from “20 Minutes into the Future”. Name him. 70. Who was People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive in 1985? 71. This 1985 American neo-noir crime thriller film took place in Lancaster, PA. Name that film. 72. Name the two stars of Witness. 73. Who were the Stanley Cup Champions in 1985? 74. The National Crime Prevention Council has had a mascot since the 1970s. Name that dog. 75. Now a Guardian of the Galaxy, this female character first appeared in The Avengers #257 comic book. Name her. 76. Who was the Pope in 1985? 77. Name the actress/singer who played May Day in the James Bond film A View to a Kill. 78. Who were the NBA Champions in 1985? 79. Who was the Vice-President in 1985? 80. This 1985 film was based on a 1982 novel of the same name. Name that film. 81. What team won the Super Bowl in 1985? 82. Introduced in 1985, this large-screen television technology is often seen in stadiums and outdoors at Times Square. What is it called? 83. Are they The Berenstain Bears or The Berenstein Bears? 84. What was the chart-topping hit by Huey Lewis and the News featured in Back To The Future? 85. Name the character in Back To The Future, played by Christopher Lloyd. Bonus Team Trivia Questions: 1. Name the actor who originally played the role of Marty McFly in Back To The Future Before Michael J. Fox 2. This character was initially created by Barbi Sargent, who was then a freelance artist for American Greetings and had a series of TV specials through the 1980s. Her merchandise is still popular. 3. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1985? 4. Name the elusive nemesis of the ACME Detective Agency. 5. The Melonheads (originally the Fearsome Five) are a group of fans of what NFL team? 6. The 1985 International Exhibition took place in Tsukuba, Japan. What was it nicknamed? 7. Name the DC Comics mystical anti-hero created by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette, and John Totleben. 8. You get one point for each of the six Wuzzles you can name. 9. Name the 1985 film that featured Bob Hope in his last credited film role. 10. Name Oprah Winfrey’s first feature film. 85 Trivia Answers For 1985 History1. Name the highest-grossing film of 1985. 2. What was the second-highest-grossing film of 1985? 3. Who played the role of role as Colonel Sam Trautman in Rambo: First Blood Part II? 4. This film was based on Gregory Mcdonald’s popular novels and starred Chevy Chase. 5. What was the film’s name that starred Rosanna Arquette, Aidan Quinn and Madonna? 6. Who was the biggest musical artist of 1985? 7. Who was the biggest solo musical artist of the 1980s? 8. What was the Biggest Number One Song of 1985? 9. Disney released its first PG animated film in 1985. name that film! 10. Only three television shows have ranked number one in Nielson ratings. Can you name the Television show from the 1980s that achieved that goal? 11. Nerdy social outcast students Gary Wallace and Wyatt Donnelly of Shermer High School were the characters in this 1985 John Hughes film. Name the film. 12. Name the two stars of television’s Moonlighting. 13. In The Golden Girls, who was originally offered the role of Blanche? 14. Name the Rocky film that was released in 1985. 15. Who was the primary antagonist in Rocky IV? 16. This line of basketball shoes is produced by Nike, branded with a GOAT player. 17. Actress Nancy Walker played The Bounty paper towel commercials as who in 1970–1990. Name the character. 18. She-Ra: Princess of Power was a spin-off from what animated show? 19. Who was Jerrica Benton’s glamorous rock star alter ego? 20. What was Jerrica’s iconic phrase to activate Synergy’s holograms and become Jem? 21. Super Dimension Fortress Macross, Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross, and Genesis Climber Mospeada inspired this animated series. Name it. 22. The cartoon started as a series of children’s books by Dutch author Wil Huygen and illustrator Rien Poortvliet. 23. Who was the voice of David the Gnome on American TV? 24. These creatures were initially created as characters for greeting cards by artist Elena Kucharik for American Greetings. Name them. 25. This popular short series of animated musical films aired on ABC from 1973 to 1985. Name it. 26. Who was the President in 1985? 27. This 1985 film won the Academy Awards for Best Supporting actor and Best Visual Effects. Name that film. 28. Who directed Cocoon? 29. Name the popular plush bear with a cassette tape to tell his stories and adventures. 30. Played by John Lovitz, name the character who often said, “Yeah! That’s the ticket”! 31. Written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and produced by Quincy Jones, We Are The World was credited to what group of musicians? 32. Where was Live Aid Held? 33. What was Lion-O’s battle cry? 34. What controversial product did Coca-Cola introduce in 1985? 35. You get one point for each actor who played the seven “goonies” in The Goonies. 36. Who replaced Nicholas Colasanto, who played Coach Ernie Pantusso on Cheers, when he died of a heart attack in 1985? 37. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1985? 38. This 1985 film was a sequel to the 1984 action-adventure film Romancing the Stone. Name that film. 39. You get one point for each of the three featured actors you can name in Jewel of the Nile. 40. What was Princess Peach’s original name? 41. Who became the General Secretary of the Soviet Communist Party in 1985? 42. What was the most popular baby name for girls in the USA in 1985? 43. Dan Rather ended his newscasts with what word, starting in 1985? 44. What was the Top-Rated TV Show in the 1984/1985 season? 45. In 1985, what was the average life expectancy in the United States? 46. You get one point for each Rambo film in the franchise you can name. 56. Who won the World Series in 1985? 66. What was the most popular portable music device in the 1980s? 67. How many people lived in the World in 1985? 68. How many people lived in the United States in 1985? 69. This fictional character came from “20 Minutes into the Future”. Name him. 70. Who was People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive in 1985? 71. This 1985 American neo-noir crime thriller film took place in Lancaster, PA. Name that film. 72. Name the two stars of Witness. 73. Who were the Stanley Cup Champions in 1985? 74. The National Crime Prevention Council has had a mascot since the 1970s. Name that dog. 75. Now a Guardian of the Galaxy, this female character first appeared in The Avengers #257 comic book. Name her. 76. Who was the Pope in 1985? 77. Name the actress/singer who played May Day in the James Bond film A View to a Kill. 78. Who were the NBA Champions in 1985? 79. Who was the Vice-President in 1985? 80. This 1985 film was based on a 1982 novel of the same name. Name that film. 81. What team won the Super Bowl in 1985? 82. Introduced in 1985, this large-screen television technology is often seen in stadiums and outdoors at Times Square. What is it called? 83. Are they The Berenstain Bears or The Berenstein Bears? 84. What was the chart-topping hit by Huey Lewis and the News featured in Back To The Future? 85. Name the character in Back To The Future, played by Christopher Lloyd. Bonus Team Trivia Questions: 1. Name the actor who originally played the role of Marty McFly in Back To The Future Before Michael J. Fox 2. This character was initially created by Barbi Sargent, who was then a freelance artist for American Greetings and had a series of TV specials through the 1980s. Her merchandise is still popular. 3. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1985? 4. Name the elusive nemesis of the ACME Detective Agency. 5. The Melonheads (originally the Fearsome Five) are a group of fans of what NFL team? 6. The 1985 International Exhibition took place in Tsukuba, Japan. What was it nicknamed? 7. Name the DC Comics mystical anti-hero created by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette, and John Totleben. 8. You get one point for each of the six Wuzzles you can name. 9. Name the 1985 film that featured Bob Hope in his last credited film role. 10. Name Oprah Winfrey’s first feature film. |
