1980s Movies
This movie featured an alien who wanted to phone home.
What is E.T.?
He served as U.S. president for most of the decade.
Who is Ronald Reagan?
This wall separated East and West Berlin—until its fall in 1989.
What is the Berlin Wall?
This sitcom about the Huxtable family became one of the decade’s biggest hits.
What is the Cosby Show?
Bright, neon versions of these stretchy pants were a fashion staple.
What are leggings?
In Back to the Future, this actor played Marty McFly.
Who is Michael J. Fox?
This British princess became a global fashion and compassion icon.
Who is Princess Diana?
The 1986 explosion of this nuclear plant became a global disaster.
What is Chernobyl?
This animated series featured heroes shouting “By the power of Grayskull!”
What is He-Man?
Kids collected these colorful, fragrant toy animals with belly symbols.
What are Care Bears?
"No one puts baby in the corner" came from this 1987 film.
What is Dirty Dancing?
He founded Microsoft and helped launch the PC revolution.
Who is Bill Gates?
This U.S. spacecraft tragically exploded shortly after takeoff in 1986.
What is the Challenger (space shuttle)?
This music video network, launched in 1981, began with “Video Killed the Radio Star.”
What is MTV?
This toy puzzle cube became an international obsession.
What is the Rubik’s Cube?
This 1984 movie starring Bill Murray taught that crossing the streams is bad.
What is Ghostbusters?
This South African leader was imprisoned during the ’80s but would later become president.
Who is Nelson Mandela?
This country hosted the 1980 Summer Olympics, which the U.S. boycotted.
What is the Soviet Union?
This game console from Nintendo introduced Mario to millions.
What is Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)?
This sugary cereal’s mascot could “magically” turn invisible.
Who is Count Chocula?
Harrison Ford returned as a fedora-wearing archaeologist in this 1981 adventure film.
What is Raiders of the Lost Ark?
Known as the “Iron Lady,” she was the UK’s prime minister.
Who is Margaret Thatcher?
This conflict between Britain and Argentina occurred in 1982.
What is the Falklands War?
This show followed a team of ex‑soldiers who “loved it when a plan came together.”
What is the A Team?
These small, furry robotic toys hit the market with a name combining “cute” and “electronic.”
What are Cabbage Patch Kids?