May 15
May 15
“Ebony And Ivory” begins a seven‑week run at #1 on the pop charts
On May 15, 1982, “Ebony And Ivory” takes the top spot in the Billboard Hot 100 , holding the spot for seven weeks. Recorded as a duet with the great…
A Year In History: 1982
This Year in History:
1982
Discover what happened in this year with HISTORY’s summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.
June 11
June 11
“E.T. the Extra‑Terrestrial” released
Then 34‑year‑old director Steven Spielberg reportedly drew on his own experiences as an unusually imaginative, often‑lonely child of divorce for his science‑fiction classic E.T. the Extra‑Terrestrial, which is released on…
June 12
June 12
One million people demonstrate in New York City against nuclear weapons
A stunningly large and diverse crowd descends upon New York City’s Central Park on June 12, 1982, demanding nuclear disarmament and an end to the Cold War arms race. By…
June 14
June 14
Falklands War ends
After suffering through six weeks of military defeats against Britain’s armed forces, Argentina surrenders to Great Britain, ending the Falklands War. The Falkland Islands, located about 300 miles off the…
June 19
June 19
Vincent Chin fatally beaten
Chinese American Vincent Chin, 27, is beaten in the head with a baseball bat by two white autoworkers in Detroit on June 19, 1982. Chin died in a hospital four days later,…
June 21
June 21
John Hinckley Jr., who attempted to assassinate Ronald Reagan, found not guilty
John W. Hinckley, Jr., who on March 30, 1981, shot President Ronald Reagan and three others outside a Washington, D.C., hotel, is found not guilty of attempted murder by reason…
June 24
June 24
Garment workers’ strike begins in New York City’s Chinatown
Over 20,000 garment workers, almost all of them Asian American women, pack into Columbus Park in New York City’s Chinatown on June 24, 1982. The rally and subsequent march demonstrate…
July 23
July 23
Actor and two children killed on “Twilight Zone” set
On July 23, 1982, Vic Morrow and two child actors, Renee Shinn Chen and Myca Dinh Le, are killed in an accident involving a helicopter during filming on the California…
July 24
July 24
“Eye Of The Tiger” from “Rocky III” tops the U.S. pop charts
On July 24, 1982, Sylvester Stallone’s hit Rocky franchise produces its second #1 pop hit when Survivor’s “Eye Of The Tiger” begins a six‑week run atop the Billboard pop chart.…
August 3
August 3
Sodomy arrest sparks controversy
Michael Hardwick is arrested for “sodomy” after a police officer observes him having sex with another man in his own bedroom in Georgia. Although the district attorney eventually dropped the…
August 13
August 13
“Fast Times at Ridgemont High” debuts
On August 13, 1982, the teenage coming‑of‑age comedy Fast Times at Ridgemont High opens in theaters around the United States. Written by Cameron Crowe and directed by Amy Heckerling, the…
August 25
August 25
U.S. Marines deployed to Lebanon
During the Lebanese Civil War, a multinational force including 800 U.S. Marines lands in Beirut to oversee the Palestinian withdrawal from Lebanon. It was the beginning of a problem‑plagued mission…
August 27
August 27
Henderson steals his way to a record
Oakland Athletics outfielder Rickey Henderson steals his 119th base of the year, breaking Hall of Famer Lou Brock’s 1979 record for stolen bases in a season. Rickey Henley Henderson was…
August 29
August 29
Actress Ingrid Bergman dies on her birthday
On August 29, 1982, the Swedish‑born actress and three‑time Academy Award winner Ingrid Bergman dies of cancer on her 67th birthday. Bergman, who was best known for her role as…
September 3
September 3
Apple co‑founder Steve Wozniak’s US Festival opens in San Bernardino County, California
No company has done more than Apple, Inc., to bring the world of technology together with the world of music. But those who are too young to remember the world…
September 4
September 4
“Valley Girl,” becomes a top‑40 hit for Frank and Moon Unit Zappa
Versatile, prolific, iconoclastic, misanthropic—all of these labels were attached to the name Frank Zappa over the course of his unique career in music, but one label that never fit was…
September 14
September 14
Hollywood star and real‑life princess Grace Kelly dies
On September 14, 1982, Princess Grace of Monaco—the American‑born former film star Grace Kelly, whose movie credits include The Country Girl and Rear Window—dies at the age of 52 from…
September 16
September 16
Massacres at Sabra and Shatila
Hours after the Israeli forces enter West Beirut, Phalangist militiamen begin a massacre of Palestinians at the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps. Within two days, 1,000 men, women, and children…
September 29
September 29
Cyanide‑laced Tylenol kills first three of seven victims
On September 29, 1982, three Chicago area residents become ill and die after ingesting Extra‑Strength Tylenol later found to be poisoned with cyanide. They are the first of seven victims…
September 29
September 29
The Tylenol murders
Investigators soon determined that the tainted Tylenol capsules hadn’t been tampered with at the factories where they were produced. This meant that someone had taken the bottles from store shelves,…
