Rewinding the '80s: April 1980
Rewinding the '80s is a series of lists in which I embark on a massive retrospective of my favorite era in pop culture. I am currently watching and/or re-watching numerous titles from that golden, glorious decade and chronicling them all here for posterity.
This includes feature films, made-for-TV movies and miniseries, individual TV episodes, and short films - all listed in chronological order by their original release/air dates.
Some of these titles I saw during their original release or broadcast, many others I watched in later years, and others still I will be viewing for the first time.
In April of 1980, I was 7 years old and in second grade, and this was my favorite show.
Other shows I watched on a regular or semi-regular basis were this, this, this, and this, and, of course, my Saturday morning cartoons.
This includes feature films, made-for-TV movies and miniseries, individual TV episodes, and short films - all listed in chronological order by their original release/air dates.
Some of these titles I saw during their original release or broadcast, many others I watched in later years, and others still I will be viewing for the first time.
In April of 1980, I was 7 years old and in second grade, and this was my favorite show.
Other shows I watched on a regular or semi-regular basis were this, this, this, and this, and, of course, my Saturday morning cartoons.
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118 titles
- DirectorFriz FrelengTony BenedictGerry ChiniquyStarsMel BlancNancy WibleDaffy is looking forward to celebrating Easter, but a rogue animator manages to bring him back to his more normal disposition. Includes three brand-new cartoons.April 1, 1980
Watched on its original broadcast - DirectorShamus CulhaneStarsPaul SolesJohn CulhaneMurray WestgateWhen the animals on their way to Noah's Ark find themselves stranded at the North Pole, an old dragon that has lost its ability to breathe fire sets out to help them.April 1, 1980
Watched on its original broadcast - DirectorJack HivelyStarsIan TraceySammy SnydersBlu MankumaHuck eventually escapes from the cabin where his father locked him up, and sets about making it look as if he's been attacked. Finding the cabin empty, Judge Thatcher suspects that Pap Finn has murdered Huck.April 1, 1980
- DirectorThomas CarterStarsKen HowardJoan PringleEd BernardAs graduation approaches, Hayward begins the process of applying for various scholarships with little success. In the meantime, Goldstein gets awarded a scholarship but for some reason refuses it. Goldstein then makes a very important decision that will change his life for a few years even without going to college. Also, Ken is invited to go on a tour of Europe with several of his fellow teachers, but when he finds out that the first week of the tour coincides with the US Open golf tournament he cancels out even though it means he might mess up his relationship with his girlfriend.April 1, 1980 | Season 2 finale
- DirectorJohn A. AlonzoStarsElizabeth MontgomeryCliff PottsMichael CavanaughBelle Star is a bandit with an itch to ride with the outlaw legends, the James gang, the Youngers and the Dalton boys.April 2, 1980
- StarsGilles LatulippeBéatrice PicardFrançoise LemieuxApril 2, 1980
- DirectorRon SatlofStarsJaclyn SmithCheryl LaddShelley HackAfter an attempt is made on the Angels' lives, Charlie hires a rival detective agency run by his old friend, Antonia Blake, to keep an eye on his employees. Blake, who likes to be called 'Toni', assigns her three boys to the case. They are: former U.S. Olympic champion Bob Sorenson, master of disguise Matt Parrish and champion rodeo rider, roper and tracker Cotton Harper. The Angels, feeling they can solve the case themselves, try to ditch the men as soon as possible.April 2, 1980
- DirectorStan LathanStarsDick Van PattenBetty BuckleyGrant GoodeveTommy decides to forego college in favor of a music career; Tom's sister Vivian returns with her new fiancé; Elizabeth tries out theories from her psychology class on the family.April 2, 1980
- DirectorHo YimStarsKwok-Keung CheungChau-Wah YimJan-Wah YimA group of teenagers stop at a service station after a leaving a disco. In a fight resulting from their inability to pay, the staff on duty are killed by the group, which leads to a desperate night of cat and mouse with the police.April 3, 1980
My rating: 6/10 - DirectorMichael PreeceStarsBuddy EbsenLee MeriwetherMark SheraWhen Barnaby and Jedediah go out of town a relative of Betty's calls her to ask for help. It seems he suspects that his father who supposedly died in an accident, was actually murdered. Betty agrees to meet him but when she arrives she finds him dead of an apparent suicide. But the police tell her, it appears that he was murdered. In the meantime, the Tarkington Detective Agency is called by the insurance company who had a policy on her cousin to investigate. Now the head of the Agency William Tarkington IV, who is a pompous twit thinks Betty killed him when clearly she didn't. But he pursues that avenue and Betty also tries to find out what happened and she discovers other relatives who died mysteriously. When Tarkington learns of this he investigates and discovers that Betty has an aging aunt who is rich and that someone is trying to make sure that they alone get the aunt's money. And he changes his mind about Betty when someone tries to kill her.April 3, 1980 | Final episode of the series
- DirectorStan OlsenStarsLondonNehemiah PersoffJacquie PreslyA baby girl is abandoned on the steps of a church and the Hobo takes it upon himself to keep her from harm.April 3, 1980
- DirectorAndrew V. McLaglenStarsRoger MooreJames MasonAnthony PerkinsWhen terrorists take over two oil rigs, and threaten to blow them up if their demands are not met, an eccentric anti-terrorism expert volunteers his unique commando unit to stop them.April 4, 1980
My rating: 6/10 - DirectorRobert Ellis MillerStarsJames CoburnOmar SharifRonee BlakleyA tale of two hustlers trying to set up a big game.April 4, 1980
My rating: 5/10 - DirectorAlvin RakoffStarsGeorge KennedyRichard CrennaNick MancusoA mysterious ghostly freighter rams and sinks a modern day cruise ship whose survivors climb aboard the freighter and discover that it is a World War II Nazi torture vessel.April 4, 1980
My rating: 2/10
(First watched on TV with my father in 1982 or '83, which makes this my very first horror movie!) - DirectorJohn BowabStarsCharlotte RaeJohn LawlorLisa WhelchelTo the chagrin of the headmaster, Mrs. Garrett holds a sex education class. Meanwhile Blair gets into a compromising situation with a boy and has to make a tough decision.April 4, 1980
- DirectorNicholas CoreaStarsBill BixbyJack ColvinLou FerrignoMobsters want to dispose of an old gangster while he's in hospital. They kidnap the son of David 'Breck''s landlady so he has to let them into the hospital he works at as an orderly. David teams up with another tenant, a washed up ex cop, to find the boy before his time runs out.April 4, 1980
- 1979–1980TV-GTV EpisodeStarsShigeru ArakiHiroaki MurakamiShinji NakaeApril 4, 1980
- 1980–1981TV EpisodeDirectorMasahiro SasakiHiroshi ShidaraStarsMitsuko HorieMasashi AmenomoriBanjô GingaApril 4, 1980
- DirectorPhilip CassonStarsDiana RossFrank OzJerry NelsonStatler and Waldorf rate the show like Olympic judges. First, they give Kermit a two. Then, they give the opening a three, but the audience demands they bring it down to a zero. All of the Muppets get low scores (though Fozzie's "One" is a compliment by them), and Gonzo even gets a minus six. The Muppets think it's just a tough audience, but Diana Ross gets tens every time which gives her high scores.April 4, 1980 | Season 4 finale
- 1978–199053mTV-PG8.8 (102)TV EpisodeDirectorTerence DudleyStarsChristopher TimothyRobert HardyPeter DavisonEngland is at war and the time has come for James and Siegfried to join their military units. Their last day at the practice is a busy one and James is repeatedly called out when he had hopes to spend a last, quiet evening at home with Helen. Siegfried surprises James with a small gift. Mrs. Hall also has a surprise announcement for everyone and Tristan receives shocking news from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.April 5, 1980 | Season 3 finale
- 1977–19805.6 (26)TV EpisodeStarsJohn AstinJulie BennettMel BlancThe Buffalo Man stole the car of a native American park ranger. Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels are asked for their help in finding the stolen car.April 5, 1980
- DirectorBarry CraneStarsJack LordWilliam SmithHerman WedemeyerThe series concludes with the final showdown between McGarrett and Wo Fat. Three scientists who have disappeared have one thing in common, they all attended a symposium on possible space-based, laser defense systems. McGarrett impersonates a fourth scientist, Dr. Elton Raintree, who attended the same gathering and is soon abducted. Wo Fat is behind it all and wants the scientists to complete their work and produce such a device.April 5, 1980 | Final episode of the series
- 1975– 1h 30mTV-146.2 (82)TV EpisodeDirectorDave WilsonWalter WilliamsStarsRichard BenjaminPaula PrentissJane CurtinThe hosts for the episode are Richard Benjamin (his second appearance) and Paula Prentiss, and the musical guest is The Grateful Dead (their second appearance). The skits for this episode are as follows: News Anchor Frank Reynolds reports that President Carter is now a hostage in the White House. Paula Prentiss begins her opening monologue, only to be confronted by Richard Benjamin, who is upset that his monologue was cut. A husband has an affair with another woman in a hotel room, but becomes overwhelmed with fear and guilt at the thought of his wife finding out. During the Weekend Update, Jane Curtain reports on the impending eruption of Mt. St. Helens and the results of the 1980 census, Bill Murray reports on Dan Rather going undercover in Afghanistan and George Bush reverting to his CIA training during a speech, and Al Franken explains how he cheats on his taxes. An assertiveness training instructor teaches her students how to stand up for themselves. A group of neighbors are joined together by their love of Joey Bishop. The Grateful Dead perform "Alabama Getaway" and "Saint of Circumstances".April 5, 1980
- DirectorChuck StatlerStarsStephen BladdMagic DickJ. GeilsApril 6, 1980
- DirectorSeitarô HaraYutaka KagawaKôichi MashimoStarsKatsuji MoriIsao SasakiKazuko SugiyamaApril 6, 1980