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

A Quick Look Back at 1991

What are some fun facts, trivia, and historical events from the year 1991? 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?

1. President Bush announced that a ceasefire had been reached in the five-week Gulf War, and declared that Kuwait was free and that the Iraqi Army had been defeated.
2. By the end of 1991, the Soviet Union was dissolved, and 14 countries—Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan—had declared their independence from the Soviet's hammer and sickle flag.
3. Eastern Air Lines and Pan American World Airways both folded their wings.
4. Fifty-four tornadoes swept across six Midwestern states in just one day.
5. The Dow topped 3,000 for the first time.
6. Back in the year 1991, the World Wide Web was launched to the public, and Microsoft.com went online.
7. The average life expectancy in the U.S. was 75.37 years.
8. Salsa sales surpassed ketchup sales for the first time.
9. Children’s author Dr. Seuss passed away.
10. Michael and Ashley were favorite baby names, molten chocolate cake was a popular American dessert, and platform shoes and parachute pants were all the rage.
11. Kentucky Fried Chicken changed its name to KFC, the world’s largest Burger King opened its doors, and the last Horn & Hardart Automat served its last meal.
12. Dollar Tree was founded, TV Guide published its 2000th issue, and Bounty coined the slogan “quicker picker-upper.”
13. 60 Minutes was the most popular TV show, Terminator 2: Judgment Day was the highest-grossing film, and A Thousand Acres was the best-selling book.
14. Dances with Wolves won an Oscar for Best Picture, and Cheers (NBC) won an Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series.
15. The 6000th episode of the soap One Life to Live was broadcast, the 356th and final episode of Dallas aired.
16. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) was entered into the National Film Registry.
17. In the year 1991, the New York Giants were the Super Bowl champs, the Minnesota Twins won the World Series, and the Pittsburgh Penguins clinched the Stanley Cup.
18. Chuck Noll retired as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
19. Inflation was 4.2%, a new Ford Explorer cost $15,999, and unemployment averaged 5.6%.
20. A pound of bacon cost $1.95, a gallon of milk was $2.80, and a dozen eggs were $1.01.

Here are the five most popular TV shows from 1991-92:

1. 60 Minutes (CBS)
2. Roseanne (ABC)
3. Murphy Brown (CBS)
4. Cheers (NBC)
5. Home Improvement (ABC)

Here are ten cool food and beverage trends for the year:

1. Arizona Ice Tea
2. Bagel Bites
3. Beefaroni
4. Capri Sun
5. Chicken Caesar salad
6. Ellio’s Pizza
7. Frozen corn dogs
8. Gorton’s Fish Sticks
9. Hawaiian Punch
10. Hi-C fruit drinks (for example, Blazin' Blueberry, Boppin’ Strawberry, Strawberry Kiwi Kraze, Orange Lavaburst, and Wild Cherry)

This article teaches you fun facts, trivia, and historical events from the year 1991. Find out about popular TV shows, movies, music, books, foods, sports facts, and other cool pop culture trends to get the right mix of questions and answers for your 1990s-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 1991
2. History Facts From the USA and World
3. Sports Trivia
4. Entertainment News
5. Miscellaneous Fun Facts, Trivia, and Pop Culture Trends
6. Nobel Prize Winners
7. Best-Selling Books
8. Most Popular Television Shows From 1991-92
9. Highest-Grossing Films
10. Entries Into the National Film Registry
11. Horror Movies From 1991
12. Biggest Pop Music Artists
13. Top 40 Songs for the Year
14. Favorite Video Games
15. Food and Beverage Trivia
16. Famous Weddings
17. Well-Known People Who Died in 1991
18. America’s Largest Corporations
19. American Companies That Were Launched

1. Grocery Prices in the Year 1991

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

1. Apples (McIntosh): 89 cents a pound
2. Beef (London broil): $2.39 per pound
3. Candy (Gummi Bears): $2.99 for a 20-ounce container
4. Cereal (Cheerios): $1.99 for a 10-ounce box
5. Cheese (Borden’s, singles): $2.99 for a one-pound package
6. Chicken (oven roaster): 69 cents a pound
7. Coffee: $1.39 for an 11.5-ounce can
8. Corn (Green Giant Niblets): $1.00 for three 11-ounce cans
9. Crackers (Sunshine): 99 cents for an eight-ounce box
10. Fish (Bumble Bee, tuna): $1.99 for four six-ounce cans
11. Flour (Gold Medal): 59 cents for a five-pound bag
12. Frozen dinners (Banquet): 99 cents for a 10-ounce package
13. Ham steaks (Virginia): $1.99 a pound
14. Juice (Minute Maid, orange): $1.69 for a 64-ounce carton
15. Kiwi fruit: Three for 99 cents
16. Lamb chops: $4.99 a pound
17. Margarine: 99 cents for a one-pound package
18. Pasta (Ronzoni, assorted varieties): Two one-pound boxes for 99 cents
19. Potatoes: $1.99 for a five-pound bag
20. Soda (Pepsi-Cola): 89 cents for a two-liter bottle
21. Spaghetti sauce (Prego, assorted varieties): $1.69 for a 29-ounce jar
22. Sugar (Domino, granulated): 99 cents for a five-pound bag
23. Tea (Tetley): $1.99 for a 100-count box
24. Tomatoes (canned): $1.99 for three 12-ounce cans
25. Yogurt: $1.99 for five six-ounce cups

2. History Facts From the USA and World

1. In 1991, George H. W. Bush was President of the United States, and Dan Quale was Vice-President.
2. The U.S. unemployment rate averaged 5.6%.
3. The rate of inflation was 4.2%.
4. In 1991, a pound of bacon cost $1.95, a gallon of milk was $2.80, and a dozen eggs were $1.01.
5. The average price for a gallon of gas was $1.14, down from $1.16 the year before.
6. A first-class stamp cost 29 cents.
7. The median household income was $30,126, up from $29,943 in 1990.
8. Americans paid an average of $15,473 for a new car.
9. The average price for a new house was $147,200, and the average monthly rent was $495.00.
10. On April 1, the U.S. Department of Labor raised the minimum wage to $4.25 an hour.
11. The prime rate hovered around 6.50%, and an ounce of gold cost $390.80.
12. On the last day of trading for the year, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 3,168.
13. By the end of 1991, the Soviet Union was dissolved, and 14 countries—Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan—had declared their independence from the Soviet's hammer and sickle flag. History.com explains that “On Christmas Day 1991, the Soviet flag flew over the Kremlin in Moscow for the last time. The once-mighty Soviet Union had fallen, largely due to the great number of radical reforms that Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev had implemented during his six years as the leader of the USSR. However, Gorbachev was disappointed in the dissolution of his nation and resigned from his job on December 25. It was a peaceful end to a long, terrifying, and sometimes bloody epoch in world history.”
14. On January 12, Congress voted to authorize the Persian Gulf War.
15. On January 16, United Nations coalition forces “launched an assault against Iraqi military occupying Kuwait. This attack occurred more than six months after Iraq and Suddam Hussein occupied and repeatedly refused to leave Kuwait.”
16. On January 18, Eastern Air Lines—a major U.S. air carrier that was founded in 1926—folded its wings. AirwaysMag.com points out that “Deregulation resulted in the creation of new airlines, including low-cost carriers that had cheaper operating costs than those of Eastern.” Another factor that contributed to Eastern’s fate was the increase in oil prices before the Gulf War.
17. On January 26, large amounts of crude oil were released into the Persian Gulf. Stanford.edu reports that “in a last-ditch attempt to prevent U.S. forces from landing on the beaches of Kuwait, Iraqi forces intentionally dumped oil into the Persian Gulf. They released oil from eight oil tankers, a refinery, two terminals, and a tank field.”
18. On February 2, the USPS increased the cost to mail a first-class letter from 25 cents to 29 cents.
19. On February 28, President Bush announced that a ceasefire had been reached in the five-week Gulf War, and declared that Kuwait was free and that the Iraqi Army had been defeated.
20. On March 13, President Bush and Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney signed the Canada-United States Air Quality Agreement.
21. On April 12, the Department of Defense announced that 31 military bases would be closing.
22. On April 15, New York raised the maximum weekly unemployment benefit to $280.
23. On April 19, Greyhound Lines, Inc. posted a $195 million loss for 1990.
24. On May 15, President Bush took Queen Elizabeth II to an Oakland A’s-Baltimore Orioles game at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore.
25. On July 5, the Bank of England closed down the financially troubled Bank of Credit and Commerce International’s (BCCI) global operations. IndiaToday.in describes the BCCI as “a pioneering financial citadel built on Pakistani and Indian entrepreneurship and Arab money.” They add that the BCCI “first penetrated jealously guarded European and American finance, and then competed with more established western banks, eventually owning some of them. It also became one of the world's largest private banks, operating 414 branches in 67 countries with total assets of around $20 billion.”
26. On July 22, serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer confessed to killing 17 young men.
27. On September 11, the Baltimore Orioles played their last home game at Memorial Stadium.
28. On October 21, the Oakland Hills firestorm killed 25 people, injured 150, burned over 3,000 homes, and caused an estimated $1.5 billion in damage.
29. On November 6, Robert Gates became the new Director of the CIA. He succeeded William H. Webster, who had retired earlier in the year.
30. On December 4, Pan American World Airways ceased operations. Britannica.com tells us that Pan Am “was founded in 1927 and, up until the final two decades of the 20th century, had service to cities in many countries in North and South America, the Caribbean Islands, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.” Beginning in 1986, Pan Am drastically reduced their routes and services because of financial distress.
31. On December 5, the New York Daily News filed for bankruptcy protection.
32. On December 26, Chuck Noll retired as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers after 23 years on the job.

3. Sports Trivia

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

1. Kentucky Derby: Strike The Gold
2. NBA Champions: Chicago Bulls
3. NCAA Basketball Champions: Duke
4. NCAA Football Champs: Miami and Washington were the two national champions.
5. Orange Bowl: Colorado
6. Rose Bowl: Washington
7. Stanley Cup Champs: Pittsburgh Penguins
8. Sugar Bowl: Tennessee
9. Super Bowl XXV Champions: New York Giants
10. U.S. Open Golf: Payne Stewart
11. U.S. Open Tennis (men/women): Stefan Edberg/Monica Seles
12. Wimbledon (men/women): Michael Stitch/Steffi Graf
13. World Series Champions: Minnesota Twins

4. Entertainment News

1. Heartthrobs and fashion icons from 1991 included Christina Applegate, Candice Bergen, Naomi Campbell, Jennifer Connelly, Cindy Crawford, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Elvira, Angie Everhart, Jodie Foster, Robin Givens, Rachel Hunter, Kathy Ireland, Elle Macpherson, Madonna, Kate Moss, Priscilla Presley, Princess Diana, Ashley Richardson, Tanya Roberts, Katey Sagal, Claudia Schiffer, Stephanie Seymour, Sharon Stone, Niki Taylor, and Vanessa Williams.
2. Marjorie Vincent (Illinois) won the Miss America crown.
3. Kelli McCarty (Kansas) became Miss USA.
4. Top-grossing Broadway shows were The Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon, Les Miserables, Cats, Will Rogers’ Follies, City of Angels, Grand Hotel, The Secret Garden, Lost in Yonkers, and Six Degrees of Separation.
5. Broadway shows that opened in 1991 included A Christmas Carol, Getting Married, Lost in Yonkers, Miss Saigon, Peter Pan, The Crucible, The Homecoming, The Secret Garden, The Speed of Darkness, and Will Rogers’ Follies.
6. At the 64rd Academy Awards, which honored the best films of 1990, Dances with Wolves won an Oscar for Best Picture, and Kevin Costner (Dances with Wolves) won an Oscar for Best Director. Likewise, Jeremy Irons (Reversal of Fortune) won an Oscar for Best Actor, and Kathy Bates (Misery) won an Oscar for Best Actress.
7. At the 43rd Primetime Emmy Awards, Cheers (NBC) won an Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series, and L.A. Law (NBC) won an Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series. Likewise, Burt Reynolds (Evening Shade) won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, and Kirstie Alley (Cheers) won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.
8. On January 6, the news magazine Real Life With Jane Pauley premiered on NBC.
9. On February 4, Alex Trebek became the first TV personality to host three game shows at the same time—Jeopardy!, Classic Concentration, and To Tell the Truth.
10. On February 14, the psychological thriller The Silence of the Lambs was released. (At the 64th Academy Awards—which honored the best films of 1991—The Silence of the Lambs won the Big Five Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Writing.)
11. On April 22, Johnny Carson announced that he would retire in 1992 as the host of The Tonight Show.
12. On May 3, the 356th and final episode of Dallas aired on CBS.
13. On June 6, NBC announced that Jay Leno would succeed Johnny Carson as the host of The Tonight Show.
14. On June 10, the final episode of the drama Twin Peaks was broadcast on ABC.
15. On June 11, Natalie Cole released her Grammy Award-winning song Unforgettable.
16. On July 27, TV Guide published its 2000th issue.
17. On August 15, an estimated 750,000 fans attended Paul Simon's free concert in Central Park.
18. On September 30, The Jerry Springer Show—a syndicated tabloid talk show—debuted. Known for its controversial topics, the show was “condemned by many political and community leaders as ‘trash TV,’ and there were allegations that parts of the program were staged. Despite such criticisms, it proved popular with television viewers.”
19. On November 1, The Carol Burnett Show—featuring Carol Burnett, Vicki Lawrence, Bernadette Peters, and Jim Nabors—premiered on CBS.
20. On November 12, the 100th episode of the sitcom Full House aired on ABC.
21. On December 17, the 6000th episode of the soap One Life to Live was broadcast on ABC.

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 1990s, radio, film, television, books, and the internet defined the essence of American pop culture.

1. In 1991, the most popular baby names were Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Joshua, Ashley, Jessica, Brittany, and Amanda.
2. The average life expectancy at birth in the United States was 75.37 years.
3. The cost of a 30-second Super Bowl ad was $800,000.
4. Favorite holiday gifts included the Super Nintendo Entertainment System ($199.95), autographed baseballs ($39.99-$89.99), and the Michelle Doll ($23.99).
5. Popular Halloween costumes were The Terminator (from the science fiction film with the same name), Freddy Krueger, and Scarlett O’Hara.
6. Fashion trends in 1991 were crop tops, platform shoes, parachute pants, windbreakers, and denim.
7. The bowl haircut made a comeback. A bowl cut, also known as a mushroom cut, “is a haircut where the hair is cut short on the sides and back and long on the top. It is named so because it looks as though someone were to place a bowl on the head and cut off or trim all of the hair to a short length.”
8. Time Magazine’s “Person of the Year” was Ted Turner, who founded the Cable News Network (CNN).
9. Michael Jordan was named the NBA’s “Most Valuable Player” for the second time.
10. Whitney Houston remade The Star-Bangled Banner for Super Bowl XXV.
11. Bounty coined the slogan “quicker picker-upper” in its marketing campaign for paper towels.
12. In 1991, salsa sales surpassed ketchup sales for the first time.
13. The last Horn & Hardart Automat—located at Third Avenue and 42nd Street in New York City—closed its doors. FoodReference.com tells us that Frank Hardart and Joe Horn opened the first Automat on June 9, 1902 at 818 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia.
14. The celebrated Paris cooking school—L'Ecole de Cordon Bleu—opened a branch in Tokyo.
15. The world's largest Burger King opened in Budapest. The restaurant had 15,000 square feet, and featured “ceilings and walls bathed in neon lighting and decorated with photographs of pop stars like Madonna, the Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger, and the late Jim Morrison of the Doors.”
16. Kentucky Fried Chicken changed its name to KFC. According to Snopes.com, “In 1990, the Commonwealth of Kentucky . . . took the unusual step of trademarking their name. Henceforth, anyone using the word ‘Kentucky’ for business reasons . . . would have to obtain permission and pay licensing fees to the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The venerable Kentucky Fried Chicken chain . . . refused as a matter of principle to pay royalties on a name they had been using for four decades. After a year of fruitless negotiations with the Kentucky state government, Kentucky Fried Chicken . . . threw in the towel and changed their name.”
17. The toll on New York’s George Washington Bridge increased from $3.00 to $4.00. (Today, the toll is $13.00.)
18. In the famous Ghostbusters ruling, “the New York Appellate Court ruled that a person can break their real estate purchase contract if they discover that they have unwittingly bought a haunted house.”
19. In 1991, Allure, Family Fun, Game Informer, Reminisce, and Wizard Magazine all began publishing.
20. Microsoft decided not to jointly develop an operating system (OS) with IBM.
21. The Monkey virus, first discovered in Edmonton, Canada, quickly spread to computers in the U.S., the UK, and Australia.
22. On May 2, the domain Microsoft.com came online.
23. On August 23, the World Wide Web was made available to everyone around the world. FreedomConsultingGroup.com explains that the web was “Envisioned, designed, and deployed by Tim Berners-Lee, a British computer scientist at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research in Switzerland.” (Author’s note: Today, there are nearly 3.5 billion Internet users worldwide, and about 4.7 billion web pages.)
24. In August, Wayne Gregori of San Francisco was the first to install Internet access in a cafe.
25. In December, the first web server outside of Europe came online.

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 1991 has been made available courtesy of NobelPrize.com.

1. Chemistry: Richard R. Ernst
2. Economics: Ronald Coase
3. Literature: Nadine Gordimer
4. Peace: Aung San Suu Kyi
5. Physics: Pierre-Gilles de Gennes
6. Physiology or medicine: Bert Sakmann and Erwin Neher

7. Best-Selling Books

This book data has been made available courtesy of PopCultureMadness.com.

1. A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley
2. America Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
3. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd
4. Heartbeat by Danielle Steel
5. Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn
6. I Spy: A Book of Picture Riddles by Jean Marzollo
7. Loves Music, Loves to Dance by Mary Higgins Clark
8. Mao II by Don DeLillo
9. Mating by Norman Rush
10. Needful Things by Stephen King

8. Most Popular Television Shows From 1991-92

These TV facts have been made available courtesy of Nielsen Media Research.

1. 60 Minutes (CBS)
2. Roseanne (ABC)
3. Murphy Brown (CBS)
4. Cheers (NBC)
5. Home Improvement (ABC)
6. Designing Women (CBS)
7. Full House (ABC)
8. Murder, She Wrote (CBS)
9. Major Dad (CBS)
10. Coach (ABC)

9. Highest-Grossing Films

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

1. Terminator 2: Judgement Day
2. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
3. Beauty and the Beast
4. Silence of the Lambs
5. City Slickers
6. Hook
7. The Addams family
8. Sleeping With The Enemy
9. Father of the Bride
10. The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear

10. Entries Into the National Film Registry

According to CBSNews.com, the National Film Registry is a “compendium of motion pictures that have been judged to be culturally, aesthetically[,] or historically important and worthy of preservation for future generations. In addition to Hollywood studio classics and box office hits, the Registry also protects independent films, documentaries, experimental works, cartoons, music videos, educational and training films, ads, and even home movies.” Courtesy of the Library of Congress, here are the 1991 additions to the National Film Registry:

1. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
2. A Place in the Sun (1951)
3. Chinatown (1974)
4. City Lights (1931)
5. David Holzman’s Diary (1968)
6. Frankenstein (1931)
7. Gertie The Dinosaur (1914)
8. Gigi (1958)
9. Greed (1924)
10. High School (1969)
11. I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)
12. King Kong (1933)
13. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
14. My Darling Clementine (1946)
15. Out of the Past (1947)
16. Shadow of a Doubt (1943)
17. Sherlock, Jr. (1924)
18. Tevye (1939)
19. The Battle of San Pietro (1945)
20. The Blood of Jesus (1941)
21. The Italian (1915)
22. The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)
23. The Poor Little Rich Girl (1917)
24. The Prisoner of Zenda (1937)
25. Trouble in Paradise (1932)

11. Horror Movies From 1991

Horror films from 1991 included The People Under the Stairs, Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare, Silence of the Lambs, Body Parts, The Pit and the Pendulum, Popcorn, Sometimes They Come Back, Children of the Night, The Resurrected, Silent Night, Deadly Night 5: The Toy Maker, Campfire Tales, The Boneyard, Omen IV: The Awakening, Child of Darkness, Child of Light, Servants of Twilight, Alligator II: The Mutation, and The Borrower.

12. Biggest Pop Music Artists

This information has been made available courtesy of Billboard.com.

Favorite musical artists in 1991 were Amy Grant, Bryan Adams, Bryan Adams, C&C Music Factory, Cathy Dennis, Color Me Badd, En Vogue, Extreme, Freddie Jackson, Janet Jackson, Karyn White, Keith Sweat, Keith Washington, Luther Vandross, Mariah Carey, Michael Bolton, Paula Abdul, Peabo Bryson, Phil Perry, Ralph Tresvant, Snoop Dogg, Tevin Campbell, Tracie Spencer, Whitney Houston, and Vanessa Williams.

13. Top 40 Songs for the Year

This pop music trivia has been made available courtesy of MusicOutfitters.com. How many of these songs do you remember?

1. (Everything I Do) I Do It for You: Bryan Adams

2. I Wanna Sex You Up: Color Me Badd

3. Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now): C+C Music Factory

4. Rush, Rush: Paula Abdul

5. One More Try: Timmy T

6. Unbelievable: EMF

7. More Than Words: Extreme

8. I Like the Way (The Kissing Game): Hi-Five

9. The First Time: Surface

10. Baby, Baby: Amy Grant

11. Motownphilly: Boyz II Men

12. Because I Love You (The Postman Song): Stevie B

13. Someday: Mariah Carey

14. High Enough: Damn Yankees

15. From a Distance: Bette Midler

16. All the Man That I Need: Whitney Houston

17. Right Here Right Now: Jesus Jones

18. I Adore Mi Amor: Color Me Badd

19. Love Will Never Do (Without You): Janet Jackson

20. Good Vibrations: Marky Mark and The Funky Bunch featuring Loleatta Holloway

21. Justify My Love: Madonna

22. Emotions: Mariah Carey

23. Joyride: Roxette

24. Romantic: Karyn Whit

25. I Don't Wanna Cry: Mariah Carey

26. Hold You Tight: Tara Kemp

27. You're In Love: Wilson Phillips

28. Every Heartbeat: Amy Grant

29. Sensitivity: Ralph Tresvant

30. Touch Me (All Night Long): Cathy Dennis

31. I've Been Thinking About You: Londonbeat

32. Do Anything: Natural Selection

33. Losing My Religion: R.E.M.

34. Coming Out of the Dark: Gloria Estefan

35. Here We Go, Let's Rock & Roll: C+C Music Factory

36. It Ain't Over Til It's Over: Lenny Kravitz

37. Where Does My Heart Beat Now: Celine Dion

38. Summertime: D.J. Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince

39. Wind of Change: Scorpions

40. P.A.S.S.I.O.N.: Rhythm Syndicate

14. Favorite Video Games

Popular video games in 1991 included Street Fighter II: The World Warrior, Sonic the Hedgehog, A Link to the Past, Final Fantasy IV, Lemmings, Mega Man 4, Another World, Alien Breed, The Simpsons, Captain Commando, Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts, Civilization, Sunset Riders, Home Alone, Joe and Mac, Back to the Future Part III, Streets of Rage, Road Rash, The Little Mermaid, and Bill and Ted's Excellent Video Game Adventure.

15. Food and Beverage Trivia

Here are some foods and beverages that were popular in 1991:

1. Arizona Ice Tea
2. Bagel Bites
3. Beefaroni
4. Betty Crocker Dunk-a-Roos (snack food)
5. Bologna
6. Capri Sun
7. Chicken Caesar salad
8. Clearly Canadian (sparkling water beverage)
9. Creme brûlée
10. Ellio’s Pizza
11. Fla-Vor-Ice (A freezie that was eaten out of a plastic tube.)
12. Frozen corn dogs
13. General Mills French Toast Crunch Cereal
14. Gorton’s Fish Sticks
15. Gushers (fruit candy snacks)
16. Hawaiian Punch
17. Hi-C fruit drinks (for example, Blazin' Blueberry, Boppin’ Strawberry, Strawberry Kiwi Kraze, Orange Lavaburst, and Wild Cherry)
18. Hot Pockets (A hot pocket is a microwaveable turnover and a pocket burrito that contains one or more types of cheese, meat, or vegetables.)
19. Keebler Fudge Stripes
20. Lunchables
21. Molten chocolate cake (Paula Kashtan tells us that “Known for its warm, runny center, this dessert started popping up on restaurant menus all over the country throughout the '90s.”)
22. Pillsbury Toaster Strudel
23. Pizza bagels
24. Planters Cheez Balls
25. SlimFast
26. SpaghettiOs
27. Sunny Delite
28. Totino's Stuffed Nachos
29. Totino’s Pizza Rolls
30. Viennetta (This British ice cream product is made from layers of vanilla ice cream that are topped by layers of compound chocolate.)

16. Famous Weddings

This information has been made available courtesy of OnThisDay.com.

1. On February 9, composer Andrew Lloyd Webber married equestrian Madeleine Gurdon.
2. On February 14, actress Meg Ryan wed actor Dennis Quaid.
3. On February 15, MLB legend George Brett married Leslie Davenport.
4. On February 22, actor Bill Bixby wed Laura Michael.
5. On March 18, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs married Laurene Powell.
6. On June 1, actress Roseanne Barr and actor Tom Arnold remarried.
7. On June 9, singer and songwriter Bruce Springsteen wed his backup singer Patty Scialfa.
8. On June 28, scientist and oceanographer Jacques Cousteau married Francine Triplet.
9. On September 5, actor John Travolta wed actress Kelly Preston.
10. On September 15, NBA legend Magic Johnson married Earletha "Cookie" Kelly.
11. On September 16, country singer Willie Nelson wed Annie D'Angelo.
12. On September 29, actress Kate Jackson married entrepreneur Tom Hart.
13. On October 6, actress Elizabeth Taylor wed Larry Fortensky.
14. On October 12, director Steven Spielberg married Kate Capshaw.
15. On October 19, documentary filmmaker Michael Moore wed movie producer Kathleen Glynn.
16. On December 12, actor Richard Gere married supermodel Cindy Crawford.
17. On December 21, actress Jane Fonda wed CNN founder Ted Turner.

17. Well-Known People Who Died in 1991

1. January 11: Carl David Anderson (American physicist)
2. January 28: Harold "Red" Grange (football's galloping ghost)
3. January 30: John Bardeen (American physicist, electrical engineer, and the co-inventor of the transistor)
4. March 1: Edwin Land (American inventor of instant photography and the co-founder of the Polaroid Corporation)
5. March 7: James "Cool Papa" Bell (American baseball player)
6. April 3: Graham Greene (British author)
7. April 16: David Lean (film director who directed Doctor Zhivago and Lawrence of Arabia)
8. August 5: Paul Brown (NFL Hall of Fame coach)
9. August 6: Harry Reasoner (American newscaster)
10. September 3: Frank Capra (American film director who directed It's a Wonderful Life)
11. September 24: Dr. Seuss (American children's author)
12. September 28: Miles Davis (jazz trumpeter)
13. October 7: Leo Durocher (American baseball legend)
14. November 6: Gene Tierney (American actress)
15. December 11: Robert Q. Lewis (American TV host)

18. America’s Largest Corporations

This corporate trivia has been made available courtesy of Fortune.com.

1. General Motors
2. Exxon Mobil
3. Ford Motor
4. IBM
5. Mobil
6. General Electric
7. Altria Group
8. Texaco
9. DuPont
10. ChevronTexaco

19. American Companies That Were Launched

1. Ashley Stewart: Women’s plus-size clothing company
2. Bob’s Discount Furniture: Furniture retailer
3. Calera Capital: Private equity firm
4. Citizens First Bank: Community bank
5. Consol Energy: Energy company
6. Corner Bakery Cafe: Coffeehouse chain
7. Delta Shuttle: Delta Airlines’ air shuttle service in the northeastern U.S.
8. Dollar Tree: Discount variety-store chain
9. Epic Games: Video game developer
10. Holiday Inn Express: Mid-priced hotel chain
11. Hotels.com: Website for booking hotel rooms online
12. J. G. Wentworth: Financial services company
13. Joe’s Crab Shack: Beach-themed restaurant chain
14. Renaissance Capital: Capital market company
15. Sony Pictures: Entertainment company
16. Southpole: Wholesale clothing
17. TeamQuest Corporation: Software company
18. Turner Pictures: Multimedia company founded by Ted Turner
19. ULTRA Diamonds: Seller of fine jewelry in factory outlet centers
20. United Talent Agency
21. Vision Source: Vision care network
22. Warner Bros. Studio Store: Retail chain that sells merchandise based on Warner Bros. films, and similar to the Disney Store.
23. Warner Music Vision: Music video company
24. Western Heritage Furniture: Manufacturer of custom furniture
25. Yankee Bicycle Company: Bicycle manufacturer

References

• Fall of the Soviet Union - HISTORY
  On Christmas Day 1991, the Soviet flag flew over the Kremlin in Moscow for the last time. Representatives from Soviet republics (Ukraine, Georgia, Belarus,
• What Happened in 1991 inc. Pop Culture, Prices and Events
  1991 Prices including Wages, Houses, Food and Gas, Events include Operation Desert Storm UN Coalition force Iraq out of Kuwait, Apartheid dismantled South Africa, Jeffrey Dahmer Arrested and Charged, Lech Walesa elected Polish President...
• 1991 History, Trivia and Fun Facts
  1991 History, Pop Culture, Trivia and Fun Facts.
• Computer History for 1991
  
• Food Timeline: 1991 to 1995 - Food History Events
  1991 to 1995 Food Timeline - Events in the History of Food & the Culinary Arts: Inventions and Patents, Births and Deaths, Firsts and Lasts, Discoveries, Agriculture, Cost of Living
• Top Grossing Broadway Shows of 1991
  Check out the Top Grossing Broadway Shows of 1991
• 1991 | Morris County Library
  Historic prices in Morristown, as printed in the Daily Record, for the year 1991.
• 1991 Yearly Box Office Results - Box Office Mojo
  Yearly box office results for 1991.
• 37 snacks that will take you back to the '90s
  
• 16 Foods '90s Kids Grew Up Eating
  Foods people were obsessed with in the '90s.
• The Ultimate Guide To 90s Food Nostalgia: 26 Food Items We Totally Miss
  Let's jump in a time capsule and take a quick trip back to the 90s for the ultimate in food recaps.
• All '90s Babies Will Remember These 25 Nostalgic Foods
  Try getting through this without buying Lunchables.
• https://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1991.htm
  Top 100 songs for the year 1991 from the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 charts.
• Complete National Film Registry Listing | Film Registry | National Film Preservation Board | Program
  
• 1991 - Famous Weddings & Divorces - On This Day
  Famous weddings and divorces in 1991. See which famous celebrities and historical figures married and divorced in 1991.

© 2019 Gregory DeVictor

Comments

Gregory DeVictor (author) from Pittsburgh, PA on November 15, 2019:

Audrey, thank you for the comment. It’s always fun to see what happened in a given year. With 1991, I found the background story about the KFC name change quite interesting. I’m glad that you enjoyed the article.

Gregory DeVictor (author) from Pittsburgh, PA on November 15, 2019:

Liz, I just remembered something that you might find interesting. Riverfront real estate is finally becoming prime in this part of the country. Well, both the Hampton Inn & Suites and the Courtyard by Marriott are built along the river. However, the Holiday Inn Express was built in a parking lot between Lowe’s and a fast-food restaurant.

Audrey Hunt from Idyllwild Ca. on November 15, 2019:

It's such a "kick in the pants" to go back in time and relive these facts. Your presentation is well done, well organized and full of fun trivia!

Gregory DeVictor (author) from Pittsburgh, PA on November 15, 2019:

Liz, thanks for the reply and for clarifying everything. Now, that’s quite interesting about the bathrooms and the all-you-can-eat breakfasts. (I wonder if the breakfast deal applies to all countries.) Anyways, I better understand everything now. Thanks again.

Liz Westwood from UK on November 15, 2019:

We have stayed in Holiday Inn Express hotels in Spain, Portugal and also in the UK. Surprisingly the one difference we have noticed has been in the bathrooms. All the UK Express hotels have had showers, whereas the Spanish and Portuguese ones had baths with showers over them as well as bidets.

Every brand is different. Holiday Inn Express fits within the InterContinental Hotel Group as a limited service hotel aimed more towards the budget end of the market. Its big plus point is the all you can eat breakfast buffet included in the cost of the room.

Gregory DeVictor (author) from Pittsburgh, PA on November 15, 2019:

Hello Kari, and thank you for the comment. Yes, I was quite surprised when I found out that KFC had changed its name in 1991. I also found the story about the Commonwealth of Kentucky vs. Kentucky Fried Chicken quite interesting. Now that I think about it, I just see the KFC logo now, like in advertising. Glad you enjoyed the article.

Gregory DeVictor (author) from Pittsburgh, PA on November 15, 2019:

Hello Liz. Thank you for the comment. There is a shopping complex in the Pittsburgh area called the Homestead Waterfront. Well, they built a Hampton Inn & Suites and a Courtyard by Marriott there. Actually, the two hotels are adjacent to each other on West Waterfront Drive. Well, I had to go to Lowe’s (home improvement) one day and noticed by surprise that they had also built a Holiday Inn Express in that part of the complex. OK, the hotel is not as swank looking on the exterior as the other two. So, the description that I found for the hotel—”mid-priced hotel chain”—is probably appropriate.

Liz, you say that the Holiday Inn Express is now a “strong brand” in Europe. Great to hear. But I’m also curious. When you and your husband stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Europe, did you see any noticeable difference between them and the other hotels where you have stayed? You would certainly know because you’re the hotel expert.

Kari Poulsen from Ohio on November 15, 2019:

Nostalgia is so wonderful! I did not know about KFC's name change story. I supposed they changed their name to an acronym. It seemed to me many business were doing it. For example, International House Of Pancakes, now IHOP.

Liz Westwood from UK on November 15, 2019:

It's good to see that you noted the start of Holiday Inn Express. It took a little while for them to make it over to Europe, but they have been a strong brand for a long time now. Originally branded Express by Holiday Inn, we stayed in one of their earlier hotels recently, with the old sign being a give away.