1982 Fun Facts and Trivia

Gregory DeVictor is a trivia enthusiast who loves to write articles on American nostalgia.

Why Was the Year 1982 So Special?

What are some fun facts, trivia, and historical events from the year 1982? What were the top news stories in the U.S. and around the world? What happened in the business and financial sectors, in science, technology, sports, the entertainment industry, and in everyday life? What about famous birthdays, marriages, and deaths that year?

1. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), “The economy entered 1982 in a severe recession and labor market conditions deteriorated throughout the year. The unemployment rate, already high by historical standards at the onset of the recession in mid-1981, reached 10.8 percent at the end of 1982, higher than at any time in post-World War II history.”
2. The inflation rate was 6.16%, down from 10.32% the year before. San Francisco experienced the highest rate of inflation between 1981 and 1982 (8.20%), and Detroit had the lowest rate (4.05%).
3. The Department of Justice and AT&T reached a settlement in the U.S. government's seven-year-old antitrust suit against the communications giant. The Justice Department also dropped its 13-year-old antitrust case against IBM.
4. President Reagan began a five-minute weekly radio broadcast.
5. In January, the MTA launched a five-year program to restore the New York subway system. In September, San Francisco’s cable cars made a final run before shutting down for two years for repairs.
6. The 1982 World’s Fair took place in Knoxville, Tennessee, leaving the city with a $46 million debt.
7. Braniff Airlines—famous for its multicolored jets—filed for bankruptcy after 54 years in business.
8. The temperature hit an all-time low of -117°F at the South Pole.
9. In 1982, a gallon of milk cost $2.24, bacon was $1.79 for a one-pound package, and eggs were 79 cents a dozen. The sticker price on a 1982 Buick Regal was $7,999, and you could buy a Lincoln Town Car for $13,491.
10. Compact disc players went on sale in Japan, and the first issue of USA Today hit the newsstands in the Baltimore and Washington, DC areas.
11. Diet Coke, Crystal Light, Pepsi Free, French’s Bold 'n Spicy mustard, and Viennetta all appeared on grocery store shelves for the first time.
12. Anheuser-Busch launched Bud Light beer.
13. The companies and brands Adobe, Compaq, E-Trade, Great Clips, Jackson-Hewitt, Kenneth Cole, Newman’s Own Food, Silicon Valley Bank, and Vera Bradley were all founded.
14. The San Francisco 49ers were the Super Bowl champs, the St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series, and the New York Islanders clinched the Stanley Cup.
15. MLB legends Hank Aaron and Frank Robinson were both inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
16. On Golden Pond won three Academy Awards, including Best Actor (Henry Fonda) and Best Actress (Katherine Hepburn).
17. Late Night With David Letterman—a late night talk show hosted by David Letterman—premiered on NBC. Actor Bill Murray was Letterman’s first guest.
18. Marvin Gaye released his last studio album—Midnight Love—that featured his well-known single Sexual Healing.
19. Michael Jackson released Thriller, his sixth studio album. It featured hit songs like Billie Jean, Beat It, Human Nature, and the “eponymous” Thriller. Over the years, about 110,000,000 copies of Thriller have been sold.
20. The board game Trivial Pursuit and the standalone card game Illuminati were both introduced.
21. Molly Dieveney from Denver, Colorado won the 55th Scripps National Spelling Bee with the word “psoriasis.”

Here are the five most popular TV shows from 1982-83:

1. 60 Minutes (CBS)
2. Dallas (CBS)
3. M*A*S*H (CBS)
4. Magnum, P.I. (CBS)
5. Dynasty (ABC)

Here are ten cool food and beverage trends for the year

1. Bartles & Jaymes wine coolers
2. Crème brûlée: You can make this elegant dessert with five simple ingredients—cream, vanilla, salt, eggs, and sugar.
3. Kiwi: The fruit with the bright-green pulp and the strawberry-like taste became the fruit of the '80s.
4. Lobster bisque
5. Pasta primavera and pasta salad
6. Pink peppercorns
7. Reese’s Pieces: Did you know that Reese's Pieces were E.T.'s favorite candy?
8. Sloppy Joes
9. Sun-dried tomatoes
10. Totino’s Pizza Rolls

This article teaches you fun facts, trivia, and historical events from the year 1982. Find out about popular TV shows, movies, music, books, foods, sports facts, famous birthdays, and other cool pop culture trends to get the right mix of questions and answers for your 1980s-themed trivia quiz.

Table of Contents

For easier reading and referencing, I have divided this article into the following categories:

1. Grocery Prices in the Year 1982
2. What Was the U.S. Economy Like in 1982?
3. History Facts From the USA and World
4. Sports Trivia
5. Miscellaneous Fun Facts, Trivia, and Pop Culture Trends
6. Nobel Prize Winners
7. Best-Selling Books
8. Most Popular Television Shows From 1982-83
9. Highest-Grossing Films
10. Horror Movies From 1982
11. Biggest Pop Music Artists
12. Top 40 Songs for the Year
13. Favorite Video Games
14. Food and Beverage Trivia
15. Famous Birthdays
16. Weddings and Divorces
17. Famous People Who Died
18. America’s Largest Corporations
19. Companies and Brands Established During 1982

1. Grocery Prices in the Year 1982

How much you are paying for groceries in the U.S. depends a great deal on the state where you are living as well as the grocery store where you are shopping.

• The most budget-friendly grocery stores in the U.S. are Aldi, Costco, and Walmart.
• On the other hand, Cheatsheet.com tells us that Acme (northeast), Giant Eagle (Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia), Harris-Teeter (south), Jewel-Osco (midwest), Randall’s (Texas), Shaw’s (New England), and Whole Foods (nationwide) are among the more expensive grocery store chains.
• The 10 most expensive states for grocery shopping are Hawaii, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine, Alaska, New Hampshire, Oregon, New York, and Delaware.
• The 10 least expensive states for groceries are Mississippi, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Missouri, Kansas, Texas, Tennessee, New Mexico, Michigan, and Nebraska.
• Finally, grocery prices in Washington, DC are a whopping 27.7% higher than the national average. DC also tops the country for when it comes to coupon-clipping.

These grocery facts have been made available courtesy of the Morris County Public Library in Whippany, NJ.

1. Apples (Granny Smith): 79 cents a pound
2. Baby food (Heinz): Eight 4.5-ounce jars for $1.00
3. Bacon (Armour): $1.79 for a one-pound package
4. Beef (boneless roast): $1.77 a pound
5. Bread (white): 69 cents for a 12-ounce loaf
6. Cheese (Swiss): $1.49 for an eight-ounce package
7. Cookies (Keebler Fudge Nutty): 75 cents for a 12-ounce package
8. Crackers (Keebler Towne House): 99 cents for a one-pound package
9. Eggs: 79 cents a dozen
10. Fish (cod steaks): $2.19 a pound
11. Ham (smoked): $2.49 a pound
12. Ice cream (Breyers): $1.99 for a half-gallon carton
13. Ketchup (Heinz): 99 cents for a 32-ounce bottle
14. Margarine (Land O’Lakes): 89 cents for a one-pound package
15. Milk (gallon): $2.24
16. Onions (Texas): 89 cents for a two-pound bag
17. Oranges (Valencia): Eight oranges for $1.00
18. Peanut butter (Skippy): $1.49 for a 28-ounce jar
19. Preserves (Welch’s grape jelly): $1.09 for a 32-ounce jar
20. Potatoes: $1.29 for a 10-pound bag
21. Strawberries (California): 59 cents for a one-pint container
22. Watermelon: 17 cents a pound

2. What Was the U.S. Economy Like in 1982?

1. From July 1981 to November 1982, the U.S. economy experienced the most significant recession since the Great Depression. FederalReserveHistory.org reports that “The economy officially entered a recession in the third quarter of 1981, as high interest rates put pressure on sectors of the economy reliant on borrowing, like manufacturing and construction. Unemployment grew from 7.4 percent at the start of the recession to nearly 10 percent a year later.”
2. What caused the recession? Berkeley.edu explains that “One of the causes of the early 1980s recession was the Iranian Revolution of 1979, which sparked a second large round of oil price increases. More important, however, were Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker’s efforts to tame inflation through restrictive monetary policy, which had the expected effect of dampening economic growth. The American economy experienced a modest recovery beginning in the summer of 1980 but declined again from July 1981 to November 1982.”
3. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), “The economy entered 1982 in a severe recession and labor market conditions deteriorated throughout the year. The unemployment rate, already high by historical standards at the onset of the recession in mid-1981, reached 10.8 percent at the end of 1982, higher than at any time in post-World War II history.”
4. The inflation rate was 6.16%. According to In2013Dollars.com, “Purchasing power decreased by 6.16% in 1982 compared to 1981. On average, you would have to spend 6.16% more money in 1982 than in 1981 for the same item. In other words, $1 in 1981 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $1.06 in 1982.”
5. San Francisco experienced the highest rate of inflation between 1981 and 1982 (8.20%). Other metropolitan areas with high inflation rates during the same period were Miami-Fort Lauderdale (7.30%), Houston (7.18%), and Seattle (6.93%).
6. Conversely, Detroit had the lowest rate of inflation between 1981 and 1982 (4.05%). Other cities with low inflation rates at the same time were Boston (4.28%), Philadelphia (4.86%), and New York (5.78%).
7. In October, consumer debt fell by $324 million, “the first time in 10 months that Americans paid back more money than they borrowed. The drop was a result of a decline in car and other loans.”
8. The New York Times reports that “Producer prices rose 0.6 percent in November, more than they have increased most months this year. Surges in prices for natural gas and home heating oil, and smaller rises in gasoline prices, caused much of the increase.”
9. In November, Texaco and Phillips announced that they would lower the price they pay for domestic crude oil by $1 a barrel, “because of an oversupply of crude and a lower-than-expected demand for heating oil.”
10. A Commerce Department survey revealed that capital spending would decrease by 4.8 percent for 1982.
11. According to the New York Times, “The F.C.C. voted to open up the overseas communications market, allowing companies to compete with A.T.& T. in offering telephone service between the U.S. and other nations.”
12. Median household income in the U.S. was $23,430, an increase of 4.7% over 1981. Census.gov reminds us that “For the second year in a row, the income of American families failed to make headway against inflation.”
13. In 1982, a gallon of milk cost $2.24, bacon was $1.79 for a one-pound package, and eggs were 79 cents a dozen.
14. The average cost of a new home was $69,300, and Americans paid an average of $9,370 for a new car.
15. The sticker price on a 1982 Buick Regal was $7,999, and you could buy a Lincoln Town Car for $13,491.
16. The price for a gallon of regular gas averaged $1.30.
17. A first-class stamp cost 20 cents.
18. The federal minimum wage was $3.35.
19. On the last day of trading for the year, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 1,046.
20. In 1982, the price of gold averaged $447 per ounce.

3. History Facts From the USA and World

1. In 1982, Ronald Reagan was president of the United States, and George H. W. Bush was the vice-president.
2. On January 1, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) launched a five-year program to restore the New York subway system.
3. On January 4, the Golden Gate Bridge was forced to close because of a fierce winter storm with hurricane-force winds.
4. On January 8, the Department of Justice and AT&T reached a settlement in the U.S. government's seven-year-old antitrust suit against the communications giant. Under the terms of the agreement, AT&T would “spin off” its 22 local operating companies into seven regional phone companies. The New York Times tells us that the AT&T agreement would be “the largest and most significant antitrust settlement in decades. It is likely to be compared with the 1911 settlement that divided the Rockefeller family's Standard Oil Company into 33 subsidiaries.”
5. On January 8, the Justice Department also dropped its antitrust case against IBM, stating that the suit was “without merit and should be dismissed.” The suit, filed in January 1969, charged IBM with monopolizing “interstate trade and commerce in general-purpose digital computers.” Over the years, the case became a courtroom war waged with “thousands of technical documents and scores of expert witnesses.”
6. On January 13, MLB legends Hank Aaron and Frank Robinson were both inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
7. On February 15, the Ocean Ranger, the world's largest oil rig, sank in the north Atlantic.
8. On March 1, the New York Times raised the price of its weekday edition from 25 cents to 30 cents.
9. On March 10, President Reagan announced that the United States would ban oil imports from Libya because of the country’s continued support of terrorist groups.
10. On March 22, NASA’s STS-3 mission was launched. ThePeopleHistory.com explains that “This was the third mission for the Space Shuttle Columbia and it launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The commander of the mission was Jack R. Lousma and the pilot was C. Gordon Fullerton. Sally Ride, who would become the first American woman in space the following year, was a member of the support crew. The two-man crew completed their mission objectives and several experiments during orbit. STS-3 successfully landed at the White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico after eight days on March 30th.”
11. On April 1, the United States turned over control of the Panama Canal to Panama. History.com explains that “Panama formally assumed responsibility for policing the Canal Zone, moving a step closer toward full ownership of the Panama Canal. The transfer of powers means that the United States special police force in the Canal Zone will be disbanded.”
12. On April 19, Sally Ride became the first American woman in space.
13. On April 27, the trial of John Hinckley Jr. began for his attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan. (On March 30, 1981, President Reagan was shot and wounded by John Hinckley Jr. in Washington, D.C., “as he was returning to his limousine after a speaking engagement at the Washington Hilton Hotel.”)
14. On May 1, the 1982 World’s Fair opened in Knoxville, Tennessee. It closed on October 31 after receiving over 11 million visitors.
15. On May 3, President Reagan began a five-minute weekly radio broadcast.
16. On May 13, Braniff Airlines filed for bankruptcy. CSMonitor.com tells us that Braniff International became the first major American airline in 20 years to file for bankruptcy protection. The airline, famous for its multicolored jets, ended a corporate lifespan that began in 1928 when it started operating a flight between Tulsa and Oklahoma City. When it stopped flying, Braniff had 8,500 employees and nearly $1 billion in debt.
17. On May 30, Spain became the 16th member of NATO.
18. On June 23, the temperature hit an all-time low of -117°F at the South Pole.
19. On July 27, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi visited the United States for the first time in almost 11 years.
20. On August 17-18, the longest baseball game ever at Chicago’s Wrigley Field lasted for 21 innings. FamousDaily.com tells us that the game, which began on August 17th, was suspended after the 17th inning because of darkness. It ended the next day when the Dodgers scored a final run, finishing 2-1.
21. Hollywood star Grace Kelly was best known for box office successes like Rear Window, Dial M for Murder, and The Country Girl, "before marrying Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956.” On September 13, Kelly "drove off the road while traveling in France. She plummeted off an embankment and died soon after."
22. On September 14, 36 inches of snow fell in Red Lodge, Montana.
23. On September 15, the first issue of USA Today hit the newsstands in the Baltimore and Washington, DC metro areas.
24. On September 21, NFL players began a 57-day strike that reduced the 1982 season from a 16-game schedule per team to an abbreviated nine-game schedule.
25. On September 22, San Francisco’s cable cars made a final run before shutting down for two years for repairs.
26. On September 29, Tylenol capsules laced with potassium cyanide killed seven in Chicago.
27. On October 1, the Sony CDP-101—“the world's first commercially released compact disc player”—was introduced in Japan. Six months later, CD players went on sale in the U.S. for $1,000 apiece. The compact disc format changed the way we listened to music in the 1980s. CNET.com tells us that up until the 1980s, “the mainstream music market was split between vinyl albums/singles and cassettes, and strangely enough, it wasn't just CD's sound that won over the masses, it was digital audio's no-wear durability and noise-free sound that drew raves.”
28. On October 2, the Portland Building—designed by Michael Graves and considered to be “the first major postmodern tall office building”—opened in Portland, OR.
29. On October 12, 15.2 inches of rain fell in Angoon, Alaska, setting a state record.
30. On November 13, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC was dedicated.
31. On November 23, the Department of Justice and the broadcasting industry agreed to eliminate restraints on the length of television commercials.
32. On November 26, Clyde King became the manager of the New York Yankees.
33. On December 3, over 14 inches of rain fell in Big Fork, Arkansas, setting a state record.
34. On December 3, the thermometer hit 77°F in Cleveland, which was the highest December temperature ever recorded in the Forest City.
35. On December 14, the largest cash heist in history took place at the Sentry Armored Courier Co. in the Bronx. Only $960,000 of the $11.2 million that was taken has ever been recovered.

4. Sports Trivia

Generally suitable for all age groups, sports questions are a welcome addition to any trivia quiz.

1. FIFA World Cup Soccer: Italy
2. Indianapolis 500: Gordon Johncock
3. Kentucky Derby: Gato Del Sol
4. NBA Champions: Los Angeles Lakers
5. NCAA Basketball Champions: North Carolina
6. NCAA Football Champs: Penn State
7. Orange Bowl: Clemson over Nebraska
8. Rose Bowl: Washington over Iowa
9. Stanley Cup Champs: New York Islanders
10. Sugar Bowl: Pittsburgh over Georgia
11. Super Bowl XVI Champions: San Francisco 49ers
12. Tour de France: Bernard Hinault
13. U.S. Open Golf: Tom Watson
14. U.S. Open Tennis (men/women): Jimmy Connors/Chris Evert Lloyd
15. Wimbledon (men/women): Jimmy Connors/Martina Navratilova
16. World Series Champions: St. Louis Cardinals

5. Miscellaneous Fun Facts, Trivia, and Pop Culture Trends

PBS.org explains that pop culture is that loose blend of books, music, fashion and other daily ephemera that contributes to the identity of a society at a particular point in time. In the 1980s, radio, film, television, and books defined the essence of American pop culture.

1. In 1982, popular baby names were Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Jason, Jennifer, Jessica, Amanda, and Sarah.
2. The average life expectancy at birth was 70.8 years for men and 78.1 years for women.
3. The cost of a Super Bowl ad was $324,000.
4. Must-have back-to-school supplies included pencil cases, manual pencil sharpeners, square metal lunch boxes, Mead Composition notebooks, and up-to-the-knee gym socks.
5. Favorite holiday gifts were BMX bikes, the Arcadia 2001 Game Console, Smurfs, the Atari 5200 Super System, Trivial Pursuit, and Strawberry Shortcake.
6. What are some fashion trends from 1982? For the younger crowd, bright-colored sunglasses and bangles, teased hair, loud makeup, and neon were all the rage. For those who were not part of the younger group, skin-tight cotton stirrup pants, giant turtleneck sweaters, parachute pants, and high-waist belts were supercool.
7. Fashion icons for the year included Kim Alexis, Carol Alt, Loni Anderson, Kim Basinger, Christie Brinkley, Joan Collins, Morgan Fairchild, Farrah Fawcett, Jane Fonda, Shelley Hack, Goldie Hawn, Lauren Hutton, Kathy Ireland, Jessica Lange, Olivia Newton-John, Dolly Parton, Princess Diana, Victoria Principal, Brooke Shields, Suzanne Somers, Heather Thomas, and Cheryl Tiegs.
8. Elizabeth Ward (Arkansas) won the Miss America crown.
9. Terri Utley (Arkansas) became Miss USA.
10. Time magazine’s “Man of the Year” was a computer.
11. At the 54th Academy Awards, which honored the best films of 1981, Chariots of Fire won an Oscar for Best Picture, Warren Beatty (Reds) won an Oscar for Best Director, Henry Fonda (On Golden Pond) won an Oscar for Best Actor, and Katherine Hepburn (On Golden Pond) won an Oscar for Best Actress.
12. At the 34th Primetime Emmy Awards, Barney Miller (ABC) won an Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series, and Hill Street Blues (NBC) won an Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series. Likewise, Alan Alda (M*A*S*H) won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, and Carol Kane (Taxi) won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.
13. In 1982, the price of a movie ticket was $3.00.
14. A Sony Walkman cost $129.00.
15. The board game Trivial Pursuit and the standalone card game Illuminati were both introduced.
16. NASCAR Illustrated Magazine (1982-2016), PC Magazine (1982-2009), and Details Magazine (1982-2015) all began publishing.
17. Diet Coke, Crystal Light, Pepsi Free, French’s Bold 'n Spicy mustard, and Viennetta all appeared on grocery store shelves for the first time.
18. Anheuser-Busch launched Bud Light beer.
19. Newman's Own Food was founded by actor Paul Newman and author A. E. Hotchner.
20. On January 4, Bryant Gumbel became the co-host of the Today Show.
21. On February 1, Late Night with David Letterman—a late night talk show hosted by David Letterman—debuted on NBC. The show aired for over a decade until Letterman moved to CBS to host the Late Show.
22. On February 25, the final episode of The Lawrence Welk Show aired. The show ran for 27 seasons, including 16 years on ABC and 11 in first-run syndication.
23. On June 3, Molly Dieveney won the 55th National Spelling Bee with the word “psoriasis.”
24. On June 10, the last episode of the sitcom Taxi aired on ABC. On September 30, the show moved to NBC.
25. On June 22, Prince Charles and Princess Diana took their new-born son Prince William home from the hospital.
26. On September 22, the sitcom Family Ties—starring Michael J. Fox—debuted on NBC.
27. On October 1, Marvin Gaye released his last studio album—Midnight Love—that featured his well-known single Sexual Healing.
28. On November 30, Michael Jackson released Thriller, his sixth studio album. Thriller was produced by musician Quincy Jones, and featured hit songs like Billie Jean, Beat It, Human Nature, P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing), Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin,’ and the “eponymous” Thriller. ThePeopleHistory.com reveals that Thriller “was also known for the 14-minute long horror-themed music video with memorable choreography that took MTV by storm.” Over the years, about 110,000,000 copies of Thriller have been sold.
29. On December 31, the final episode of CBS Mystery Theater aired.
30. On December 31, the TV soap Doctors ended a 19-year run on NBC.

6. Nobel Prize Winners

Beth Rowen tells us that winning a Nobel Prize is a life-changing honor. Whether the laureate is an internationally known figure (such as Mother Teresa) or a scientist from obscurity (like Richard R. Ernst), the award brings worldwide recognition that highlights one's life work and provides the funds to continue the mission.

This Nobel Prize information from 1982 has been made available courtesy of NobelPrize.com.

• Chemistry: Aaron Klug
• Economics: George Stigler
• Literature: Gabriel García Márquez
• Peace: Alva Myrdal and Alfonso García Robles
• Physics: Kenneth G. Wilson
• Physiology or medicine: John Vane, Sune Bergström, and Bengt I. Samuelsson

7. Best-Selling Books

This book trivia has been made available courtesy of PublishersWeekly.com.

1. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Storybook by William Kotzwinkle

2. Space by James A. Michener

3. The Parsifal Mosaic by Robert Ludlum

4. Master of the Game by Sidney Sheldon

5. Mistral's Daughter by Judith Krantz

6. The Valley of Horses by Jean M. Auel

7. Different Seasons by Stephen King

8. North and South by John Jakes

9. 2010: Odyssey Two by Arthur C. Clarke

10. The Man from St. Petersburg by Ken Follett

8. Most Popular Television Shows From 1982-83

This TV trivia has been made available courtesy of Nielsen TV Research.

1. 60 Minutes (CBS)

2. Dallas (CBS)

3. M*A*S*H (CBS)

4. Magnum, P.I. (CBS)

5. Dynasty (ABC)

6. Three's Company (ABC)

7. Simon & Simon (CBS)

8. Falcon Crest (CBS)

9. The Love Boat (ABC)

10. The A-Team ( NBC)

9. Highest-Grossing Films

This movie trivia has been made available courtesy of BoxOfficeMojo.com.

1. E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial
2. Tootsie
3. An Officer And A Gentleman
4. Rocky III
5. Porky's
6. Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Kahn
7. 48 HRS
8. Poltergeist
9. The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
10. Annie

10. Horror Movies From 1982

Horror films for the year included The Aftermath, Alone in the Dark, Basket Case, The Beast Within, Blood Song, Blood Tide, Cat People, Creepshow, Deadly Eyes, Death Valley, Don't Go to Sleep, Forbidden World, Friday the 13th Part III, Frightmare, The House on Sorority Row, Invitation to Hell, Jaws of Satan, Mansion of the Living Dead, Midnight, The New York Ripper, Panic, Parasite, Pieces, Q, Raw Force, Satan’s Mistress, The Sender, Silent Rage, The Slumber Party, A Stranger Is Watching, Superstition, Trapped, and Visiting Hours.

11. Biggest Pop Music Artists

Popular music artists from the year 1982 include Air Supply, Daryl Hall & John Oates, Donna Summer, Evelyn “Champagne” King, the J. Geils Band, Juice Newton, Lionel Richie, Men at Work, Michael Jackson, Neil Diamond, Patrice Rushen, Paul Davis, Paul McCartney, Ray Parker Jr, Prince, Queen, Sheena Easton, the Steve Miller Band, Stevie Nicks, Stevie Wonder, and Survivor.

12. Top 40 Songs for the Year

This music trivia from 1982 has been made available courtesy of MusicOutfitters.com.

1. Physical: Olivia Newton-John

2. Eye of the Tiger: Survivor

3. I Love Rock 'N Roll: Joan Jett and The Blackhearts

4. Ebony & Ivory: Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder

5. Centerfold: The J. Geils Band

6. Don't You Want Me: The Human League

7. Jack & Diane: John Cougar

8. Hurts So Good: John Cougar

9. Abracadabra: Steve Miller Band

10. Hard to Say I'm Sorry: Chicago

11. Tainted Love: Soft Cell

12. Chariots Of Fire: Vangelis

13. Harden My Heart: Quarterflash

14. Rosanna: Toto

15. I Can't Go for That (No Can Do): Daryl Hall and John Oates

16. 867-5309 / Jenny: Tommy Tutone

17. Key Largo: Bertie Higgins

18. You Should Hear How She Talks About You: Melissa Manchester

19. Waiting for a Girl Like You: Foreigner

20. Don't Talk to Strangers: Rick Springfield

21. The Sweetest Thing (I've Ever Known): Juice Newton

22. Always On My Mind: Willie Nelson

23. Shake It Up: The Cars

24. Let It Whip: The Dazz Band

25. We Got the Beat: The Go-Go's

26. The Other Woman: Ray Parker Jr.

27. Turn Your Love Around: George Benson

28. Sweet Dreams: Air Supply

29. Only the Lonely: The Motels

30. Who Can It Be Now?: Men At Work

31. Hold Me: Fleetwood Mac

32. Eye In the Sky: Alan Parsons Project

33. Let's Groove: Earth, Wind and Fire

34. Open Arms: Journey

35. Leader of the Band: Dan Fogelberg

36. Leather and Lace: Stevie Nicks and Don Henley

37. Even the Nights Are Better: Air Supply

38. I've Never Been to Me: Charlene

39. '65 Love Affair: Paul Davis

40. Heat of the Moment: Asia

13. Favorite Video Games

Popular video games in 1982 were 3D Monster Maze, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Cloudy Mountain, Air Raiders, Baby Pac-Man, Bandits, Cannonball Blitz, Cosmic Crusader, Demons to Diamonds, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Escape from the Dungeons of the Gods, Fast Food, Haunted House, Lost Tomb, Ms. Pac-Man, Pac-Man, Pacific Coast Highway, Popeye, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Riddle of the Sphinx, Sea Dragon, Super Pac-Man, Time Zone, Valley of the Kings, Wacky Waiters, and Zoo Keeper.

14. Food and Beverage Trivia

Here are some foods and beverages that were popular in 1982:

1. Angel hair pasta
2. Alabama slammers
3. Angel hair pasta
4. Bartles & Jaymes wine coolers
5. Berry tarts
6. Chicken and veal marsala
7. Chocolate mousse
8. Crème brûlée: You can make this elegant dessert with five simple ingredients—cream, vanilla, salt, eggs, and sugar.
9. Four-bean salads
10. French onion soup
11. Frozen yogurt
12. Goat cheese
13. Jell-O Pudding Pops
14. Kiwi
15. Lean Cuisine frozen dinners
16. Light beer
17. Lobster bisque
18. Long Island iced tea
19. Pasta primavera and pasta salad
20. Pesto
21. Pink peppercorns
22. Quiche
23. Reese’s Pieces
24. Seattle-style hot dogs
25. Sloppy Joes
26. Snapple Tru root beer
27. “Specialty” salad dressings such as raspberry vinaigrette
28. Sun-dried tomatoes
29. Sushi
30. Totino’s Pizza Rolls

15. Famous Birthdays

Here are some of the famous people who were born in 1982:

1. Adam Lambert: Pop singer
2. Anne Hathaway: Movie actress
3. Billy Wingrove: Soccer player
4. Cory Monteith: TV actor
5. Eddie Redmayne: Movie actor
6. Jamie Dornan: Movie actor
7. Jesse Wellens: YouTube star
8. Jodie Sweetin: TV actress
9. Kate Middleton: Duchess of Cambridge
10. Keemstar: YouTube star
11. Kelly Clarkson: Pop singer
12. Lauren Cohan: TV actress
13. Lil Wayne: Rapper
14. Matt Smith: TV actor
15. Nicki Minaj: Rapper
16. Paul Wesley: TV actor
17. Prince William: Duke of Cambridge
18. Priyanka Chopra: Movie actress
19. Rebecca Zamolo: YouTube star
20. Sebastian Stan: Movie actor
21. Sebastian Stan: Movie actor
22. Seth Rogen: Movie actor
23. Sophia Bush: TV actress
24. Tati Westbrook: YouTube star
25. Yandy Smith: Reality star

16. Weddings and Divorces

Weddings of interest:

1. On January 28, actor Danny DeVito married actress Rhea Perlman.
2. On March 19, race car driver Al Unser Jr. wed Shelley Unser.
3. On April 28, professional boxer George Foreman married Andrea Skeete.
4. On May 1, actress Kate Jackson wed business executive David Greenwald.
5. On June 5, actor Michael Keaton married actress Caroline McWilliams.
6. On July 4, former Black Sabbath lead singer Ozzy Osbourne wed TV host Sharon Arden.
7. On July 24, physicist and astronaut Sally Ride married astronaut Steven Hawley.
8. On October 17, actor Robert Goulet wed artist and writer Vera Novak.
9. On November 21, singer Joni Mitchell married bassist Larry Klein.
10. On December 1, martial artist Jackie Chan wed actress Lin Feng-jiao.

Divorces:

1. On February 16, entertainers Lee Majors and Farrah Fawcett Majors filed for divorce.
2. On April 8, actor Bryan Cranston divorced writer Mickey Middleton.
3. On April 23, professional boxer George Foreman divorced Sharon Goodson after seven months of marriage.
4. On November 1, director Martin Scorsese divorced Isabella Rossellini.
5. On November 7, actress Elizabeth Taylor divorced politician John Warner.
6. On December 6, U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy and his spouse Joan filed for divorce.

17. Famous People Who Died

1. January 30: Lightnin Hopkins (American blues musician)
2. February 6: Ben Nicholson (English painter and sculptor)
3. February 11: Eleanor Powell (American actress and tap dancer)
4. February 21: Murray the K (disc jockey and the 5th Beatle)
5. March 18: George Lampe (Dutch painter)
6. March 29: Ray Block (the orchestra leader for Ed Sullivan and Jackie Gleason)
7. April 5: Abe Fortas (former Supreme Court justice)
8. June 9: Elmer Robinson (the 33rd mayor of San Francisco)
9. July 1: Ray Scarborough (MLB pitcher)
10. July 21: Dave Garroway (former host of the Today Show)
11. July 29: Vladimir K. Zworykin (Russian-American inventor who assisted in the development of the television)
12. August 12: Henry Fonda (American actor who played in the film On Golden Pond)
13. August 23: Alfred S. Bloomingdale (American businessman and heir to the Bloomingdale's department store chain)
14. August 29: Ingrid Bergman (Swedish actress who played in the films Casablanca and Gaslight)
15. September 14: Grace Kelly (the princess of Monaco)
16. October 9: Anna Freud (Austrian-English psychoanalyst and the daughter of Sigmund Freud)
17. October 18: Bess Truman (the former first lady)
18. November 26: Dan Tobin (American actor who played in the TV sitcoms I Married Joan and My Favorite Martian)
19. December 8: Marty Robbins (American country music singer)
20. December 20: Arthur Rubenstein (Polish-American classical pianist)

18. America’s Largest Corporations

These FORTUNE 500 facts have been made available courtesy of Money.CNN.com. Money.CNN tells us that “Since 1955, when the first FORTUNE 500 was created, more than 1,800 companies have appeared on the list. Many of these companies have changed names over this period, owing to mergers, acquisitions, and bankruptcies. Other companies have gone private, or simply changed their names.”

Here is the 1982 Fortune 500:

1. Exxon Mobil
2. Mobil
3. General Motors
4. Texaco
5. ChevronTexaco
6. Ford Motor
7. Amoco
8. IBM
9. Gulf Oil
10. Atlantic Richfield

Here is the 1955 FORTUNE 500, the year in which the list was created:

1. General Motors
2. Exxon Mobil
3. U.S. Steel
4. General Electric
5. Esmark
6. Chrysler
7. Atmour
8. Gulf Oil
9. Mobile
10. DuPont

19. Companies and Brands Established During 1982

1. Adobe, Inc.: A computer software company
2. Airgas: A supplier of industrial, medical, and specialty gases
3. Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies: This company currently insures over 250,000 American businesses.
4. Biohabitats: A company that provides conservation planning
5. Brake Masters: An automotive repair chain
6. Buffalo Wild Wings: A “casual dining restaurant and sports bar franchise”
7. Cigna: A health services group
8. Compaq: A company that produced some of the first IBM PC-compatible computers.
9. Diamond Comic Distributors: A comic book distributor
10. E-Trade: An electronic trading platform
11. FTI Consulting: One of the largest financial consulting firms in the world
12. Great Clips: A hair salon franchise
13. Jackson Hewitt: The second-largest tax-preparation service in the United States
14. Kenneth Cole: An American fashion house
15. Lakeland Industries: A protective clothing provider
16. Lotus Software: An American software company
17. Ocean Bank: The “largest independent state-chartered commercial bank” in the U.S.
18. Opening Day Partners: A company that owns and operates USA-based independent baseball teams
19. Orion Classics: The distribution label of Orion Pictures
20. Panda Energy International: A company that constructs and maintains “environmentally-friendly” power plants
21. Regency Enterprises: An American entertainment company
22. Scaled Composites: An aerospace company
23. Silicon Valley Bank: Over the years, this bank has helped fund over 30,000 start-ups.
24. Super Fresh: A supermarket brand
25. Vera Bradley: An luggage and handbag design company

References:

• What Happened in 1982 inc. Pop Culture, Prices Significant Events, Key Technology and Inventions
  1982 Prices including Wages, Houses and Gas, Toys, Events include EPCOT Opens, Severe recession begins in the US, The Mary Rose Raised, Argentina invades Falkland Islands, ...
• Food Timeline: 1981 to 1985 - Food History Events
  1981 to 1985 Food Timeline - Events in the History of Food: Inventions, Creations, Births and Deaths, Discoveries, Restaurants, etc
• 1982 | Morris County Library
  Historic prices in Morristown, as printed in the Daily Record, for the year 1982.
• '80s Restaurant Food Trends... | Mirror80
  There's nothing like the junk food kids had at their fingertips during the Decade of Decadence, but there's something extra special about the high-end dining experience created by chefs experimenting with beautiful presentation. Learn about '80s rest
• What Food People Were Obsessed With the Year You Were Born
  Shoutout to all the sushi babies of the '80s!
• Famous Weddings & Divorces in 1982 - On This Day
  Famous weddings and divorces in 1982. See which famous celebrities and historical figures married and divorced in 1982.
• Born in 1982 | Famous Birthdays
  Discover the most famous people born in 1982 including Nicki Minaj, Rebecca Zamolo, Lil Wayne, Paul Wesley, Tati Westbrook and many more.
• FORTUNE 500: 1982 Archive Full List 1-100
  
• https://www.boxofficemojo.com/year/world/1982/
  
• https://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1982.htm
  Top 100 songs for the year 1982 from the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 charts.
• https://nj1015.com/20-awesome-candy-items-from-the-80s/
  With Halloween just around the corner, what a perfect time to combine our favorite era with our favorite sweets! Even though you can still find many of them today, sweets like original candy bars, Bottle Caps, Good & Plenty and Abba Zabba were so
• Food Timeline: 1981 to 1985 - Food History Events
  1981 to 1985 Food Timeline - Events in the History of Food: Inventions, Creations, Births and Deaths, Discoveries, Restaurants, etc
• Publishers Weekly list of bestselling novels in the United States in the 1980s - Wikipedia
  
• 1982 History, Trivia and Fun Facts
  1982 History, Pop Culture, Trivia and Fun Facts.

© 2020 Gregory DeVictor