When This Dropped

July 9, 1983

President
Reagan
Dow (EOY)
1,259
Gas/gal
$1.16
Big Mac
$1.25
Min Wage
$3.35

A Big Mac cost $1.25 that summer of 1983, and the Dow Jones sat at 1,259 — Reagan was predicting improved relations with the Soviet Union following a recent summit, a sign that Cold War tensions, while ever-present, were being managed through diplomacy rather than confrontation. On movie screens, "Return of the Jedi" was drawing massive crowds, while radio stations played "Every Breath You Take" by The Police so frequently that it would end the year as one of the defining songs of the decade. On July 21, scientists at the Soviet research station in Vostok, Antarctica recorded a temperature of negative 89.2 degrees Celsius, setting the record for the lowest naturally occurring temperature ever measured on the surface of the Earth.

On the cover

Magazine Covers — July 9, 1983

New York Times
Time
Rolling Stone
TV Guide
Nat. Geographic

NY Times Headlines — Week of July 9, 1983

Forceful Term Of Supreme Court Put Reins On Congress And Reagan

World Events — July 1983

Time Person of the Year — 1983

The Computer
Person of the Year
The Computer

On the radio

Billboard Charts — July 9, 1983

Every Breath You Take
The Police
Hot 100 #1
"Every Breath You Take"
The Police
Thriller
Michael Jackson
Billboard 200 #1
"Thriller"
Michael Jackson

Grammy Awards

Thriller
Michael Jackson
Grammy Album of the Year
"Thriller"
Michael Jackson
Every Breath You Take
The Police
Grammy Song of the Year
"Every Breath You Take"
The Police
Beat It
Michael Jackson
Grammy Record of the Year
"Beat It"
Michael Jackson
Culture Club
Grammy Best New Artist
Culture Club

On the bookshelf

Poland
James Michener
NYT Fiction #1
"Poland"
James Michener
In Search of Excellence
Peters & Waterman
NYT Non-Fiction #1
"In Search of Excellence"
Peters & Waterman
The Color Purple
Alice Walker
Pulitzer Prize Fiction
"The Color Purple"
Alice Walker
The Color Purple
Alice Walker
National Book Award Fiction
"The Color Purple"
Alice Walker
China: Alive in the Bitter Sea
Fox Butterfield
National Book Award Nonfiction
"China: Alive in the Bitter Sea"
Fox Butterfield

On the television

Nielsen Top 10 — 1982–83 Season

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

Emmy Winners — 1983

Hill Street Blues
Emmy Drama Series
Hill Street Blues
Cheers
Emmy Comedy Series
Cheers
Ed Flanders
St. Elsewhere
Emmy Lead Actor
Ed Flanders
St. Elsewhere
Tyne Daly
Cagney & Lacey
Emmy Lead Actress
Tyne Daly
Cagney & Lacey

At the movies

Box Office & Oscar Winners — July 9, 1983

Return of the Jedi †
Box Office #1
Return of the Jedi †
Gandhi
Oscar Best Picture
Gandhi
James L. Brooks
Terms of Endearment
Oscar Best Director
James L. Brooks
Terms of Endearment
Robert Duvall
Tender Mercies
Oscar Best Actor
Robert Duvall
Tender Mercies
Shirley MacLaine
Terms of Endearment
Oscar Best Actress
Shirley MacLaine
Terms of Endearment

Ebert 4-Star Films — July 9, 1983

A Christmas Story
4-Star Review
A Christmas Story
Betrayal
4-Star Review
Betrayal
Danton
4-Star Review
Danton
Dark Circle
4-Star Review
Dark Circle
El Norte
4-Star Review
El Norte

On the field

Sports Champions — July 9, 1983

Super Bowl
Washington Redskins
def. Miami Dolphins
World Series
Baltimore Orioles
def. Philadelphia Phillies
NBA Champion
Philadelphia 76ers
def. Los Angeles Lakers
Stanley Cup
New York Islanders
def. Edmonton Oilers

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