Today in 80s history! What happened on April 2nd in the 80s? Find out what happened today in 80s Movies, 80s Music, 80s TV Shows, and 80s Sports! Also find out about celebrity birthdays for the legends, icons and characters we grew up with in the 80s!
📺 On this day in 1978, Dallas premiered on CBS
⭐ Starring:
Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy, Linda Gray, Victoria Principal, and more
📊 By the numbers:
• 14 seasons
• 357 episodes
• Ran: April 2, 1978 – May 3, 1991
🔥 Why it mattered:
• One of the biggest shows of the 80s
• “Who shot J.R.?” became a global TV event
🎶 80s kid memory:
When you heard that theme song… you knew it was time for bed
🤠 Fun fact:
It started as just a 5-part miniseries before becoming a television powerhouse
TODAY'S 80S BIRTHDAYS
Roddy Maude-Roxby (Actor, Plenty) - 96
April 2, 1930
Roshan Seth (Actor, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom) - 84
April 2, 1942
Linda Hunt (Actress, The Year of Living Dangerously) - 81
April 2, 1945
Reggie Smith (Baseball Player) - 81
April 2, 1945
Pamela Reed (Actress, The Best of Times, Kindergarten Cop) - 77
April 2, 1949
David Robinson (Drummer, The Cars) - 77
April 2, 1949
Gregory Abbott (Singer, “Shake You Down”) - 72
April 2, 1954
Donald Petrie (Director, Mystic Pizza) - 72
April 2, 1954
Keren Woodward (Singer, Bananarama) - 65
April 2, 1961
Pete Incaviglia (Baseball Player) - 62
April 2, 1964
Bill Romanowski (Football Player) - 60
April 2, 1966
Deon Richmond (Actor, The Cosby Show) - 48
April 2, 1978
Remembering
Buddy Ebsen (Actor, Barnaby Jones)
April 2, 1908 - July 6, 2003 (Age 95)
Don Sutton (Baseball Player)
April 2, 1945 - January 19, 2021 (Age 75)
Rodney King (Motorist)
April 2, 1965 - June 17, 2012 (Age 47)
TODAY IN 80S MUSIC
80s Music Released on April 2nd
Incognito
Celine Dion
8th French Album
Release Date: April 2, 1987
Canada: #1
TODAY IN 80S MOVIES
80s Movies Released On April 2nd
Some Kind of Hero (1982)
Release Date: April 2, 1982
Director: Michael Pressman
Starring: Richard Pryor, Margot Kidder and Ray Sharkey
Budget: $8 Million
Box Office: $23.6 Million
Silent Rage (1982)
Release Date: April 2, 1982
Director: Michael Miller
Starring: Chuck Norris, Toni Kalem, Ron Silver and Steven Keats
Budget: N/A
Box Office: $10.5 Million
Cat People (1982)
Release Date: April 2, 1982
Director: Paul Schrader
Starring: Nastassja Kinski, Malcolm McDowell, John Heard and Annette O'Toole
Budget: $12.5 Million
Box Office: $21 Million
Penitentiary II (1982)
Release Date: April 2, 1982
Director: Jamaa Fanaka
Starring: Leon Isaac Kennedy, Mr. T and Ernie Hudson
Budget: $365,000
Box Office: $3 Million
TODAY IN 80S TV
Strike Force
Event: Series Premiere
Network: ABC
First Episode Date: April 2, 1981
Last Episode Date: May 21, 1982
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 20
Automan
Event: Series Finale
Network: ABC
Final Episode Date: April 2, 1984
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 13
Starring: Desi Arnaz Jr.
Nothing in Common
Event: Series Premiere
Network: NBC
First Episode Date: April 2, 1987
Last Episode Date: June 3, 1987
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 7
TODAY IN 80S SPORTS
1980 - Wayne Gretzky Scores His 50th Goal
Event: NHL Milestone
Details: Gretzky became the first teenager in NHL history to score 50 goals in a season.
1982 - Billy Martin Stages Designated Hitter Protest
Event: Spring Training Baseball Protest
Details: Oakland A’s manager Billy Martin told pitcher Steve McCatty to bat with a toy bat in a spring training protest over designated hitter rules.
1983 - NCAA Men’s Final Four Begins in Albuquerque
Event: NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Final Four
Location: The Pit, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Details: NC State beat Georgia 67-60 and Houston beat Louisville 94-81 to set up the national title game.
1984 - Georgetown Wins the NCAA Championship
Event: NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship
Location: Kingdome, Seattle, Washington
Details: Georgetown defeated Houston 84-75. John Thompson became the first Black head coach to win the NCAA men’s tournament.
1986 - NCAA Adopts the 3-Point Shot
Event: College Basketball Rules Change
Details: The NCAA officially adopted the 3-point line for men’s basketball beginning with the 1986-87 season.
1987 - Dwight Gooden Enters Drug Rehab
Event: MLB Player News
Details: Mets ace Dwight Gooden entered rehab for cocaine addiction just before the start of the season.
1988 - NCAA Men’s Final Four Begins in Kansas City
Event: NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Final Four
Location: Kemper Arena, Kansas City, Missouri
Details: Kansas beat Duke 66-59 and Oklahoma beat Arizona 86-78 to advance to the championship game.
1989 - WrestleMania V
Event: WWF Pay-Per-View
Location: Trump Plaza, Atlantic City, New Jersey
Details: Hulk Hogan defeated Randy Savage to win the WWF Championship. Rick Rude also beat The Ultimate Warrior for the Intercontinental title.
1989 - Tennessee Wins the NCAA Women’s Championship
Event: NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship
Location: Tacoma Dome, Tacoma, Washington
Details: Tennessee defeated Auburn 76-60 to win the national title.
