"Caddyshack" released 1980

 

Caddyshack, the golf comedy from director Harold Ramis, opened in theaters July 25, 1980. It starred Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, Ted Knight, and Rodney Dangerfield. Upon its release, it received mediocre reviews but has gained a cult following over the years. The main complaint was the three leads, Dangerfield, Chase and Murray, did not have much interaction, as if they were playing in three different movies.  Chase and Murray have a long-standing feud, but were in one scene together.

Caddyshack has been recognized by the American Film Institute: Laughs, Movie Quotes, and #y on the Top 10 Sports movies.

Kenny Loggins' I'm All Right, from the movie made reached #7 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in September 1980.

Caddyshack trailer

Blondie releases "Call Me" 1980

Blondie released Call Me, January 29, 1980 and it became their second # 1 hit and biggest-selling single.  It stayed in the #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 for six consecutive weeks.  It was Billboard's #1 single for the year-end chart.

Giorgio Moroder composed the music and Debbie Harry wrote the lyrics for the main theme song for American Gigolo starring Richard Gere.

"Alien" wins 3 Saturn Awards 1980

Ridley Scott's iconic monster movie, Alien, was nominated for seven Saturn Awards, and took home three trophies at the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror's seventh annual ceremony, July 26, 1980.

Alien won Best Science Fiction Film, Best Director for Ridley Scott, and Best Supporting Actress for Veronica Cartwright.

It was also nominated for Best Actress for Sigourney Weaver (shoulda won), Best Writing for Dan O'Bannon, Best Makeup, and Best Special Effects.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture was nominated for 10 Saturns, but took home only one award for Best Special Effects.

Disney's The Black Hole was nominated for Best Science Fiction Film, Best Writing, Best Music, and Best Special Effects. 

The Muppet Movie won Best Fantasy Film and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century won Best Costumes.

The Pointer Sisters release "He's so Shy" 1980

My girls released He's So Shy, the first single from their Special Things album, July 23, 1980. The was written initially as She's So Shy by Tom Snow and Cynthia Weil for Leo Sayer, but Richard Perry, the Pointer Sisters' producer, thought it had greater potential if the gender of the song was adjusted.  

The Pointer Sisters' single went to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1980 and held the spot for three weeks.  They performed He's So Shy on an episode of The Love Boat, which aired February 7, 1981.

Rohini-1, first Indian satellite, launched 1980

India officially entered the space age following the successful launch of Rohini-1 (Rohini Satellite 1 or RS-1), July 18, 1980. It was manufactured by the Indian Space Research Organization. India became the seventh country with its own ability to launch satellites. It was launched from Satish Dhawan Space Center.  It carried instruments such as a sun sensor, magnetometer, and temperature sensors.

It was planned to have a lifespan of 100 days, but it remained in orbit for 20 months.

"Battle Beyond the Stars" released 1980

Talk about two hours of my life I'll never get back.  Battle Beyond the Stars has got to be one of the worst movies I've ever seen. Clearly an effort to cash in on the Star Wars success, Roger Corman directed this train wreck, which was unleashed on the populace September 8, 1980.  Its only redeeming qualities are John Saxon and Robert Vaughn.  It also stars a poorly cast Richard Thomas as the Skywalker-type hero, and although George Peppard is a great actor, he doesn't sell the cowboy image.  

Thomas plays Shad, who is trying to recruit allies against the evil forces threatening his planet.  Along the way, he meets a number of colorful characters.  It was produced on a low budget and the quality of the "special effects" shows it.  

The movie did help with the careers of James Cameron, who worked on the special effects, and Bill Paxton, who worked on movie sets as a carpenter and painter.

Happy birthday, "Death In Paradise" star Ralf Little

Impossibly handsome actor Ralf Little, born February 8, 1980 Greater Manchester, England, is currently the resident detective Neville Parker in the awesome series Death In Paradise.  He had appeared in an earlier episode as a guest star, but now he's back as the lead.  He's been nominated twice for a TV Times Award for Favourite Actor.  Maybe this year, he'll get it!

Happy birthday, Chinese astronaut Wang Yaping!

Wang Yaping, born January 1980 in Shandong, China, is the second Chinese woman in space, and the first Chinese woman to perform a spacewalk.  She set a record for the longest stay in space by a female Chinese astronaut in April 2022 with a total of 197 days.

Her first trip into space was aboard Shenzhou 10 as Laboratory Assistant to Tiangong 1 in June 2013.  The crew returned to Earth 14 days and 14.5 hours later.

Her second mission was aboard Shenzhou 13 as Operator to the Tianhe core module, the first part of the Tiangong space station in October 2021. During the mission, she conducted an EVA in November 2021 with fellow astronaut Zhai Zhigang to install the robotic arm suspension and perform some routine tests. The EVA lasted 6 hours, 25 minutes. The crew returned to Earth in April 2022.

Donna Summer 3 American Music Awards 1980

The Goddess of Disco (then Queen of Disco) Donna Summer won three American Music Awards at the 7th annual ceremony held January 18, 1980.  She walked away with Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist (over Babs and ONJ), and Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist.

She won Favorite Pop/Rock Song for Bad Girls, beating the one-hit wonder My Sharona by the Knack and Rod Stewart's Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?

Barry Manilow won Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist beating my man Billy Joel.  I smell a conspiracy.  Michael Jackson won three awards as well, all in the Soul/R&B categories.  

The Bee Gees won 2 awards for Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group and Favorite Pop/Rock album for Spirits Having Flown.  

The Statler Brothers won Favorite Country Band/Duo/Group.

Benny Goodman was honored with the Merit Award.

ABBA releases "Happy New Year" 1980

Happy New Year, the fourth single released from Super Trouper, ABBA's seventh studio album, was released December 15, 1980.  Its original release was limited but when it was re-released in 1999 for the new millennium, it reached #27 in Sweden and #15 in the Netherlands.

It was re-re-released in 2008 and made it to #4 in Sweden, and #5 in 2009. According to wikipedia, the song is a staple of the new year in Vietnam.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Linda Garcia Cubero, first Hispanic woman graduate of US Air Force Academy

Linda Garcia Cubero, born in 1958 in Shreveport, Louisiana, is the first Hispanic woman to graduate from any military service academy when she graduated from the US Air Force Academy in 1980. 

She served the next seven years as a commander briefer, and received the Joint Service Commendation Medal for her work with the Pentagon's intelligence task force.  She served as a mentor to Hispanic Air Force cadets and awarded the Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Pioneer Award in 1991.

She left the Air Force as Captain in 1987. 

Happy birthmonth, Chinese astronaut Ye Guangfu!

Ye Guangfu, born in September 1980 in China, has gone into space aboard Shenzhou 13.  He launched in October 2021 and returned to Earth in April 2022.  He spent over 182 days in space and conducted his first EVA for a little over 6 hours.

Billy Joel releases "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" 1980

Billy Joel released his single It's Still Rock and Roll to Me May12, 1980.  It was recorded on his Glass Houses, released in March 1980.  It's Still Rock and Roll to Me went to to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in July and stayed there for two weeks.  It is now double-platinum having sold over 2 million copies.

"Alien" wins Academy Award for Best Visual Effects 1980

Alien, one of the best movies of all time, won an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects at the 52nd annual ceremony, April 14, 1980.  Awards were given to H. R. Giger, Carlo Rambaldi, Brian Johnson, Nick Allder and Dennis Ayling.  Alien was also nominated for Best Art Direction.  Yes, that's Farrah Fawett posing with the winners.

For Best Visual Effects, it beat 1941 (an all-time favorite of mine), The Black Hole and Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

Billy Joel released "You May Be Right" 1980

My man Billy Joel released You May Be Right, a single from his album Glass Houses, March 7, 1980.  It reached #7 in the US and #6 in Canada.  It ranked #75 for the year on the Billboard Hot 100.

Herb Alpert wins Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Performance 1980

Herb Alpert released his instrumental piece Rise July 1979 and won the Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Performance at the 22nd ceremony February 27, 1980.  Alpert is the only musician to have an instrumental performance and a vocal performance enter into the Billboard Hot 100.  His first entry was This Guy's In Love With You which reached #1 in 1968.

Rise reached #1 in October 1979 and remained for two weeks.  It also reached #4 on the R&B chart, #17 on the Disco chart, and #1 for a week on the Adult Contemporary Chart.

Billy Joel releases "All for Leyna" 1980

My man Billy Joel released All for Leyna, a single from his album Glass Houses January 23, 1980 in the UK where it reached #40. 

Donna Summer releases "The Wanderer" 1980

Donna Summer released her eighth studio album The Wanderer October 20, 1980.  She was disappointed with her previous label Casablanca Records and decided to move on and became the first artist to be signed onto Geffen Records.

The single The Wanderer reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100.  The single Cold Love got her a Grammy nomination for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance.  Her song I Believe in Jesus was nominated for Best Inspirational Performance.  

The Wanderer has been certified gold.

"Xanadu" released 1980

Xanadu, released August 8, 1980, starred Olivia Newton-John and featured songs by the Electric Light Orchestra.  The movie bombed at the box office, but has since gained a cult following.  It has also been rated as one of the best bad movies ever made.  

Its soundtrack went double platinum and Olivia Newton-John was nominated for a Grammy for her song Magic.

Billy Joel's "Glass Houses" reaches #1 1980

Glass Houses, the seventh studio album from Billy Joel released in March 1980, reached #1 on the Billboard 200 July 18, 1980 and stayed there for six weeks.  It ranked #4 for the year on the Billboard charts. 

Billy Joel won a Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance.  The album was nominated for Album of the Year. 

He won an American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Album and he received a nomination for Favorite Pop/Rock Artist.