Today in 80s history! What happened on July 22nd 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!
TODAY'S 80S BIRTHDAYS
Danny Glover (Lethal Weapon, The Color Purple) - 80
July 22, 1946
Don Henley (The Eagles, "The Boys of Summer") - 79
July 22, 1947
George Clinton (Funk Legend, Atomic Dog) - 85
July 22, 1941
Willem Dafoe (Platoon, To Live and Die in L.A.) - 71
July 22, 1955
Keith Sweat (New Jack Swing Pioneer) - 65
July 22, 1961
Shawn Michaels (The Heartbreak Kid, WWF Legend) - 61
July 22, 1965
REMEMBERING
The Fabulous Moolah (Women's Wrestling Champion for Nearly Three Decades)
July 22, 1923 - November 2, 2007 (Age 84)
Terence Stamp (General Zod in Superman II)
July 22, 1938 - August 17, 2025 (Age 87)
Alex Trebek (Host of Jeopardy! from 1984)
July 22, 1940 - November 8, 2020 (Age 80)
Estelle Getty (Sophia on The Golden Girls)
July 25, 1923 - July 22, 2008 (Age 84)
TODAY IN 80S MUSIC
80s Music Released on July 22nd
No major 80s album releases for today in the 80s!
1989 - Martika Hit #1 with "Toy Soldiers"
Event: Billboard Hot 100 Milestone
Details: Martika began a two-week run at #1 on the chart dated July 22, 1989. It was her only chart-topper, and the song found a second life years later when Eminem sampled it for "Like Toy Soldiers."
TODAY IN 80S MOVIES
80s Movies Released On July 22nd
Jaws 3-D (1983)
Release Date: July 22, 1983
Director: Joe Alves
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Bess Armstrong, Louis Gossett Jr. and Lea Thompson
Budget: $18 Million
Box Office: $88 Million Worldwide
Note: The Brody boys battle a 35-foot great white loose in SeaWorld, in glorious 1983-vintage 3-D. Look for Lea Thompson in her film debut, two years before Back to the Future.
Summer School (1987)
Release Date: July 22, 1987
Director: Carl Reiner
Starring: Mark Harmon, Kirstie Alley and Courtney Thorne-Smith
Note: Mark Harmon's slacker gym teacher gets stuck teaching remedial English to a class of misfits, including horror superfans Chainsaw and Dave. Peak 80s summer comedy.
Caddyshack II (1988)
Release Date: July 22, 1988
Director: Allan Arkush
Starring: Jackie Mason, Dyan Cannon, Robert Stack, Randy Quaid, Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd
Budget: $20 Million
Box Office: $11.8 Million
Note: The sequel nobody asked for. Rodney Dangerfield passed, Bill Murray passed, and the gopher couldn't save it.
Big Top Pee-wee (1988)
Release Date: July 22, 1988
Director: Randal Kleiser
Starring: Paul Reubens, Kris Kristofferson, Penelope Ann Miller and Valeria Golino
Note: Pee-wee Herman joined the circus in his follow-up to Big Adventure, released the same day as Caddyshack II. A rough day for comedy sequels.
TODAY IN 80S TV
No 80s TV News for today in the 80s!
TODAY IN 80S SPORTS
1984 - Seve Ballesteros Won the Open at St Andrews
Event: The Open Championship, St Andrews
Team: Seve Ballesteros
Opponent: Bernhard Langer and Tom Watson
Result: Ballesteros won by two strokes
Details: Seve birdied the 18th at the Old Course and delivered his iconic fist-pumping celebration, one of golf's most famous images. It was his second Open title and denied Tom Watson a third straight.
TODAY IN 80S TOYS & GAMES
1985 - Hang-On Raced Into American Arcades
Details: Sega's motorcycle racer Hang-On made its North American debut on July 22, 1985. Players steered by leaning the actual bike-shaped cabinet, kicking off the "body-sensation" arcade era that gave us Out Run and After Burner.
TODAY IN OTHER 80S NEWS
No other 80s news today in the 80s!
