When This Dropped

October 25, 1982

President
Reagan
Dow (EOY)
1,047
Gas/gal
$1.22
Big Mac
$1.20
Min Wage
$3.35

That fall of 1982, gas ran $1.22 a gallon and Reagan was in the White House — the massacre of Palestinian civilians by Lebanese militias in Beirut was drawing international scrutiny and putting pressure on U.S. foreign policy. On the home front, John Cougar's "Jack & Diane" was sitting at number one on the charts while "Hill Street Blues" was picking up Emmy Awards and keeping Americans in front of their televisions on weeknights. The St. Louis Cardinals took the World Series over the Milwaukee Brewers in seven games, and on November 29, Michael Jackson released "Thriller," an album that would go on to become the best-selling record in history.

On the cover

Magazine Covers — October 25, 1982

New York Times
Time
Rolling Stone
Nat. Geographic

NY Times Headlines — Week of October 25, 1982

Warsaw Approves Law To Punish Poland'S 'Parasites' And 'Shirkers'

World Events — October 1982

Time Person of the Year — 1982

Lech Wałęsa
Person of the Year
Lech Wałęsa

On the radio

Billboard Charts — October 25, 1982

Jack & Diane
John Cougar
Hot 100 #1
"Jack & Diane"
John Cougar
American Fool
John Cougar
Billboard 200 #1
"American Fool"
John Cougar

Grammy Awards

Toto IV
Toto
Grammy Album of the Year
"Toto IV"
Toto
Always on My Mind
Willie Nelson
Grammy Song of the Year
"Always on My Mind"
Willie Nelson
Rosanna
Toto
Grammy Record of the Year
"Rosanna"
Toto
Men at Work
Grammy Best New Artist
Men at Work

On the bookshelf

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
William Kotzwinkle
NYT Fiction #1
"E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial"
William Kotzwinkle
Jane Fonda's Workout Book
Jane Fonda
NYT Non-Fiction #1
"Jane Fonda's Workout Book"
Jane Fonda
Rabbit Is Rich
John Updike
Pulitzer Prize Fiction
"Rabbit Is Rich"
John Updike
Rabbit Is Rich
John Updike
National Book Award Fiction
"Rabbit Is Rich"
John Updike
The Soul of a New Machine
Tracy Kidder
National Book Award Nonfiction
"The Soul of a New Machine"
Tracy Kidder

On the television

Nielsen Top 10 — 1982–83 Season

Dallas
Nielsen #1 TV Show
Dallas
Nielsen
Top 10
TV Shows
Nielsen Ratings
Top 10 TV Shows
1982–83 Season

Emmy Winners — 1982

Hill Street Blues
Emmy Drama Series
Hill Street Blues
Cheers
Emmy Comedy Series
Cheers
Tom Selleck
Magnum, P.I.
Emmy Lead Actor
Tom Selleck
Magnum, P.I.
Tyne Daly
Cagney & Lacey
Emmy Lead Actress
Tyne Daly
Cagney & Lacey

At the movies

Box Office & Oscar Winners — October 25, 1982

First Blood
Box Office #1
First Blood
Chariots of Fire
Oscar Best Picture
Chariots of Fire
Richard Attenborough
Gandhi
Oscar Best Director
Richard Attenborough
Gandhi
Ben Kingsley
Gandhi
Oscar Best Actor
Ben Kingsley
Gandhi
Meryl Streep
Sophie's Choice
Oscar Best Actress
Meryl Streep
Sophie's Choice

Ebert 4-Star Films — October 25, 1982

An Officer and a Gentleman
4-Star Review
An Officer and a Gentleman
Blade Runner: The Final Cut
4-Star Review
Blade Runner: The Final Cut
Burden of Dreams
4-Star Review
Burden of Dreams
Fitzcarraldo
4-Star Review
Fitzcarraldo
Gandhi
4-Star Review
Gandhi

On the field

Sports Champions — October 25, 1982

Super Bowl
San Francisco 49ers
def. Cincinnati Bengals
World Series
St. Louis Cardinals
def. Milwaukee Brewers
NBA Champion
Los Angeles Lakers
def. Philadelphia 76ers
Stanley Cup
New York Islanders
def. Vancouver Canucks

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