Music
After the death of lead singer Bon Scott, what album did AC/DC release first?
Back in Black
The song “Back in Black” was AC/DC’s seventh studio album. Because of Mutt Lange’s recommendation, Brian Johnson joined the group and did the song’s lead vocals.
What boxer did Robert DeNiro play in the excellent black and white film “Raging Bull”?
Jake LaMotta
The movie itself failed to win an Oscar in any category, but Robert De Niro earned his first acting Oscar. To play a much older LaMotta, De Niro had to gain 60 pounds for the role. Thelma Schoonmaker also won an Oscar for editing the film.
How many kids did Carla have by the end of the show “Cheers”?
eight (8)
When the show began, Carla had four children. She had one kid in the 2nd season, one in the 6th season, and then twins in the 7th season.
Which softer, sculpted dolls were sometimes originally referred to as “The Little People” in the 1980s?
The Cabbage Patch Kids
Although the copyright was in 1978, the toys were not produced until 1982.
Ric Ocasek was the lead singer for which musical group?
The Cars
The group, which started in Boston, began in the later 1970s and remained active through 1988. The Cars got inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018, and it created seven studio albums. The surviving members reunited in 2010 and created one more album together.
Which business type were the Bauer brothers working in for the film “Splash”?
Produce
Freddie and Allen Bauer specialized in fruits and vegetables for the family business. Before Tom Hanks accepted the Allen Bauer role, John Travolta, Dudley Moore, and Bill Murray all turned it down.
“And that’s the way it is” was a signature phrase by which television journalist?
Walter Cronkite
Walter Cronkite said this phrase many times on the CBS Evening News. He retired in 1981, which he later said was too soon. Dan instead replaced him shortly after. Katie Couric assumed the position after Rather in 2006.
A best-selling book in 1981 explained how to crack the code of which puzzle?
The Rubik’s Cube
What 1983 Tom Cruise film featured “Old Time Rock and Roll” by Bob Seger?
Risky Business
The famous scene features Joel (Tom Cruise’s character) lip-syncing and dancing around the house in his underwear and dress shirt, accompanied by Bob Seger’s “Old Time Rock and Roll.”
Which iconic 1988 movie features a cross-country road trip for two brothers, Charlie and Raymond Babbitt?
Rain Man
The film won “Best Picture” in 1988. Dustin Hoffman won “Best Actor,” and Barry Levinson earned an award for “Best Director.” The director stars in “Rain Man” when he plays a psychiatrist toward the end of the film.
Who was the leading character in the 1980s sitcom “Silver Spoons”?
Ricky Stratton
Actor Ricky Schroder starred as Ricky Stratton. He was a mature 12-year old boy who lived with his father, an immature wealthy man. The boy teaches his dad how to parent, while his dad teaches him how to have fun.
In which city were the 1980 Summer Olympic Games held?
South Korea
Which song by the Bangles was the Hot 100 Number One song in 1986?
Walk Like an Egyptian
The Bangles also accomplished the same feat in 1989 with the single “Eternal Flame.”
Which 1984 film by John Hughes only took two days to write?
Sixteen Candles
John Hughes was able to power out this script in just under 48 hours. It came so easy to him because he gained real-life inspiration from one of his best friends.
At the beginning of the series “Roseanne” in 1988, where was the main character, Roseann Conner, working?
Plastics factory
Tom Werner and Marcy Carsey, who produced “The Cosby Show,” also created “Roseanne.” They cast Roseanne as an opposite character as Clair Huxtable. Claire was an affluent attorney, while Roseanne worked various blue-collar jobs throughout the show.
What type of candy became popular because of E.T.?
Reese’s Pieces
Steven Spielberg originally picked M&M’s to feature in the film, but Mars Inc. declined because E.T. might scare kids. Hershey’s jumped on the opportunity, and their candy’s sales increased by 300%.
Queen’s first song in 1980 was also her first Number One hit in the United States. Which song was it?
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
This single was Queen’s first classic to make it to #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts. It spent four weeks at the top of the charts, and the band claims that the song only took a half-hour to record.
Which actress played the main character in the 1982 film “E.T.”?
Drew Barrymore
A tribe of aliens visited Earth, and one of them gets stranded. Elliot, a 10-year old boy, befriends the alien and tries to help it find a home. Drew Barrymore plays his younger sister, and Steven Spielberg directed the film.
Which 1979-1984 show featured compelling interviews with people who had unusual talents or jobs?
Real People
Sarah Purcell and Fred Willard hosted the show. Mark Russell and Byron Allen also hosted, and the show was sometimes referred to as “More Real People.”
What was the most popular video game in the 1980s?
Mario Bros
The game came out in 1985, and it quickly became America’s top game on the charts. Tetris and Duck Hunt were close behind in second and third.