Sweets
This peanut-buttery candy’s popularity in the early ’80s is attributed to the film E.T.
What are Reese’s Pieces? Although the candy was introduced in 1978, it wasn’t
popular until a beloved on-screen alien munched on them in 1982.
Rumours have it that Lindsey Buckingham played lead guitar
for this iconic ’70s band.
Who is Fleetwood Mac? Buckingham is known for his unique style of fingerpicking.
1995: With this U.S. president in attendance, the presidents of
Bosnia, Croatia, and Serbia signed the Dayton Peace Agreement in Paris.
Who is Bill Clinton? The agreement ended the Bosnian War
and established a framework for peace
In 1976, this letter A author published Sleeping Murder, a Miss Marple mystery.
Who is Agatha Christie? Christie’s mystery novels include characters like Detective
Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, a ghost hunter.
Opened in 1988, this Andrew Lloyd Webber musical still holds the record for
Broadway’s longest-running show
What is The Phantom of the Opera? The show ran for nearly 14,000 performances
and closed in 2023.
Known for their wafer candies, this company introduced candy conversation hearts in 1866.
What is Necco? Spangler Candy Company bought the Necco and Sweethearts
brands in 2018 and continues to produce the wafers and candy hearts.
Billy Gibbons is the lead guitarist of this 1980s end-ofthe-
alphabet group.
Who is ZZ Top? Gibbons also sings lead vocals on
many of the band’s blues-influenced tunes.
1989: The Exxon Valdez oil spill occurred.
Who is George H. W. Bush? The spill and subsequent
cleanup affected Prince William Sound.
In the 1980s, her vampire novels, like Queen of the Damned, were popular spooky reads.
Who is Anne Rice? One of her most popular works, Interview with the Vampire,
was adapted to a recent TV series.
A long-running Broadway favorite is this tale of the (literal) king of the jungle, which
opened in 1997.
What is The Lion King? The Broadway show features original songs from the
Disney film, written by Sirs Tim Rice and Elton John.
In the early 1970s, this gelatin product brand popularized no-bake cheesecakes
What is Jell-O? A 1972 ad featured their no-bake pudding cheesecake as a perfect
summer recipe; it became the year’s most popular dessert.
This Queen guitarist is known for hits like “Bohemian Rhapsody” and for a 1980s
collaboration with Eddie Van Halen.
Who is Brian May? May has a degree in physics and a doctorate in astrophysics,
making him a genius of both music and science.
1983: The Strategic Defense Initiative was announced to the
American public.
Who is Ronald Reagan? In a public address, he asked scientists to create a
defense system against nuclear weapons.
Arthur Hailey’s 1971 novel Wheels covers this industry.
What is the automobile industry (cars)? Arthur Hailey also wrote about hotels and
airports. Many of his works were bestsellers
This Broadway musical based on a lengthy book by Victor Hugo opened in 1987.
What is Les Misérables? The first Broadway production of
the show, at the Broadway Theatre, ran for 16 years.
The 1970s and ’80s saw a chocolate craze, including a trend toward this flowing
chocolate fountain dessert.
What is chocolate fondue? At the same time, cheese fondue gained popularity
Blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan collaborated with this musician on ’80s hits like
“Modern Love.”
Who is David Bowie? SRV, as he is sometimes known, helped reset Bowie’s image
with his bluesy riffs.
He presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Dr. Jonas Salk and
posthumously to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Who is Jimmy Carter? Carter’s remarks at the time noted Salk’s lifesaving work
and King’s humanitarian efforts
This Woodward and Bernstein book has been called “the work that
brought down a presidency and launched a thousand reporting careers.”
What is All the President’s Men? The book details the
Watergate scandal and was adapted to a film starring Robert Redford
and Dustin Hoffman
In 1972, The Museum of the City of New York hosted a tribute
concert celebrating this composer, whose works include Carousel
and Oklahoma!
Who is Richard Rodgers? The tribute was held at the
Imperial Theatre and featured performances by alumni of Rodgers’
shows, including Tony Randall, Helen Gallagher, and Celeste Holm
This retro dessert consisting of layered cake, fruit, and
pudding had a resurgence in the 1980s, particularly in Great
Britain.
What is a trifle? The old-fashioned dessert was
rebranded as a modern, easy-to-assemble confection.
This incredible, unconventional guitarist is often remembered for his iconic rendition
of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Woodstock.
Who is Jimi Hendrix? Hendrix played a right-handed guitar but held it upside-down.
1970: He was president during the first observance of Earth Day.
Who is Richard Nixon? This observance led to the creation
of the EPA and OSHA, as well as the Clean Air and Water Acts.
His The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series is popular sci-fi from the 1980s.
Who is Douglas Adams? Adams’ books are regarded as great works of satire and
science fiction.
In 1980, a revival of this show at the Majestic Theatre introduced new audiences to
the story of a magical village in the Scottish Highlands.
What is Brigadoon? The story was also adapted into a 1954 film starring Gene
Kelly and Van Johnson