Dateline: Events/Headlines - Week of August 25, 1987 In News, Pop Culture, Tech, Celebrity, Entertainment & Fascinating Facts
In The News
Trouble in the Philippines - Mutinous Philippine soldiers attack four key military bases in Manila and President Corazon Aquino’s palace and seize several television stations. So far, at least 40 are dead and 275 wounded. President Reagan denounced the coup: “I am profoundly concerned by reports of elements of the armed forces of the Philippines who have engaged in military action against the democratic government of President Aquino. The United States condemns this attempt at extra-constitutional action. I wish to make absolutely clear America’s unqualified support of President Aquino.”
Coup threat crushed - Thousands of pro-government troops, using fighter planes, helicopter gunships, howitzers and bazookas - dislodge nearly 1,000 rebellious soldiers from key military camps and broadcast stations throughout the country. President Corazon Aquino addresses her nation on television and radio.
The Israeli government by a narrow margin - votes to cancel the controversial Lavi jet fighter project. The decision was welcomed by Washington, who urged Israel to drop the aircraft “in the best interests of both our countries.” After unfolding for seven years, the Lavi was billed as one of the most crucial economic and strategic decisions in the country’s history.
Business news – August 25, 1987
Chrysler says it is slashing prices up to 16% on its K-cars. Prices for 1988 models will start at $6,995 - a reduction of $1,369 from comparably equipped 1987 models.
Technology news – August 25, 1987
IBM says it sold over $300 million on Intel Corp, ending its direct investment on the firm it selected as the key supplier of electronic parts for its personal computers launched in 1981. IBM began buying shares of Intel to help the company shore up its finances. Salomon Brothers, which handled the trade, said unidentified institutional holders bought the block of 5,884,500 shares at $52.30 a share, down $3 from the previous close. IBM closed 25 cents higher at $166.50. The 12-month price-range for Intel is $18.00-$55.50. The recession in the semiconductor industry took its toll on Intel in 1986, but the company is expected to be profitable in 1987.
After losses in its computer operation - AT & T says it is still in the game and this week, unveils its new 6386 Workgroup system PC, based on Intel’s powerful 80386 microprocessor. The machine accommodates both UNIX and MS-DOS operating systems - the two main standards in personal computers and will be able to handle OS/2, a new IBM standard, when it is released next year. AT&T says that McDonald’s restaurant chain has contracted to install the 6386 machines at each of 1,800 company-owned outlets. Each will be linked to a network. AT&T says its computer operation lost $800 million last year and is expected to lose another $400 million this year.
GTE says it is installing its “Airfone” telephones at a rate of one per day on airplanes. Right now, the passenger telephones are available on 475 planes of 16 major carriers. Calls from the air are directed to one of the nation’s 68 ground stations. Cost is $7.50 for the first three minutes and $1.25 for each additional minute. GTE says you can talk between 30 and 40 minutes before the connection begins to fade.
Sports news - August 25, 1987
Canada’s Ben Johnson stuns the track and field world as he covers 100 meters in 9.83 seconds to set a world record in the World Championship meet in Rome. Carl Lewis was right behind, clocking-in at 9.93 seconds.
Music news – August 25, 1987
Look for Michael Jackson’s new album “Bad” to debut next week. Bruce Springsteen’s “Tunnel of Love” album is set to debut early October. A lot of rumors are floating around about the new Springsteen album. Columbia says it’s not a country album and yes, the E Street band plays on it.
For the first time - Long play vinyl records (LP’s) have slipped behind compact discs and cassettes and are now the # 3 configuration for recorded music
Entertainment/Celebrity/Movie/Hollywood news – August 25, 1987
Whoopi Goldberg files a $5 million breach of contract lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court against film director Rip Torn and New World Pictures over editing over the film “The Telephone,” which she starred. Still unreleased, Miss Goldberg contends that she had a contractual right to edit her version of the film. The suit also claims that New World Pictures preferred to cut her out of the film. The latter issue has already gone through arbitration with the decision favoring New World.
Passing - Director and actor John Huston (81) of emphysema. Huston had just completed directing “The Dead” which should be released in November. His films include “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre,” The Asphalt Jungle,” “Beat The Devil,” “Moulin Rouge,” “Key Largo” “Red Badge of Courage,” “The African Queen.” “Night of the Iguana,’ “Fat City,” and “The Man Who Would Be King.”
Passing - actor Lee Marvin (63) - of a heart attack in Tuscon. Hit his career peaked after winning an Oscar for the 1965 film “Cat Ballou.” Marvin was born in New York City, the son of a wealthy Madison Avenue executive and his socialite-fashion editor wife. Actress Jane Fonda, who starred with Marvin in “Cat Ballou”, said that the actor “taught me a very important thing, which is that when you’re a movie star, you have the responsibility to think of the crew. For all his seeming hard-living and gruffness, he had a big heart.”
Passing - Singer/country comic Archie Campbell (72) of kidney problems and other complications from a heart attack suffered in June. Member of the Grand Ole’ Opry - Campbell west best-known as the barber who recited a country bumpkin form of pig Latin called “spoonerisms” on TV’s “Hee Haw.” Campbell use to have his own radio, then television show and is credited with helping to launch the careers of Chet Atkins, Carl Smith and Flatt and Scruggs.
Television news – August 25, 1987
Geraldo Rivera debuts “Geraldo” - a syndicated hour blending topical reportage with studio-audience discussion. Rivera says that unlike “Oprah Winfrey” and “Phil Donahue,” he wants things hot, controversial and visual. Says Rivera - “The danger of a pure studio show is that is becomes like broadcast radio” and that his show “takes advantage of the fact that pictures speak louder than words.” The show can be seen on 60 stations, including most major markets
Now in its 35th season, Dick Clark’s “American Bandstand,” makes the Guinness Book of World Records as TV’s longest-running program. The show has played more than 65,000 records, has been host to more than 10,000 musical guests and presented more than 600,000 dancing teen-agers on camera.
The Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) unveils a softer-focus “700-Club” this week. The show now features Tim Robertson (son of the Rev. Pat Robertson) as co-host. The new set now has a Southwestern motif. CBN just layed-off 470 employees and predicts a 28-million loss by the end of this year. Tim Robertson is also CBN’s president.
Friday Night Television listings/TV guide – August 25, 1987
CBS - Summer Playhouse, Dallas, Adderly
NBC - Rags To Riches, Miami Vice, Crime Story
ABC - Webster, Mr. Belvedere, Max Headroom, Starman
PBS - Washington Week In Revue, Wall Street Week, American Masters
The Nashville Network (TNN) - Videocountry, You Can Be Star, Fandango, Nashville Now, New Country, Crook & Chase.
WTBS - Baseball, Night Tracks
Max Headroom - Framed on criminal charges by the security service he is investigating, Edison goes into hiding while Theora, Murray and Bryce attempt to clear him. Series stars Matt Frewer, Amanda Pays, George Coe, Chris Young and Jeffrey Tambor.
Starman - part 2 of 2 - George Fox moves in as Starman plans a reunion for Scott and Jenny. Robert Hays stars.
Top TV shows/ratings/Nielsen – August 25, 1987
The Cosby Show - 24.0
Movie-The Art of Being Nick - 23.3
Cheers - 21.4
Night Court - 20.1
Growing Pains - 17.8
60 Minutes - 16.3
Moonlighting - 15/9
Designing Woman - 15.9
20/20 - 15.7
Newhart - 15.6
Who’s The Boss? - 15.0
Murder, She Wrote - 15.0
ALF - 14.9
Movie - Blind Justice - 14.5
Valerie 14.3
The Equalizer - 14.1
Spenser For Hire - 14.0
Cagney & Lacey - 13.9
MacGyver - 13.8
My Sister Sam - 13.8
Head of the Class - 13.7
Miami Vice - 13.4
Golden Girls - 13.2
Perfect Strangers - 13.2
Kate & Allie - 13.0
Movie - Return To Mayberry - 12.8
Family Ties - 12.7
Movie - Close Encounters of the Third Kind - 12.7
Magnum, P.I. - 11.8
Top pop hit music singles(top-40) – August 25, 1987
La Bamba - Los Lobos
Who’s That Girl - Madonna
Don’t Mean Nothing - Richard Marx
Only In My Dreams - Debbie Gibson
Can’t We Try - Dan Hill/Ronda Sheppard
Rock Steady - Whispers
It’s Not Over (Til It’s Over) - Starship
I Just Can’t Stop Loving You - Michael Jackson
Love Power - Dionne Warwick & Jeffrey Osbourne
Luka - Suzanne Vega
When Smokey Sings - ABC
Doing It All For My Baby - Huey Lewis & The News
Back In The High Life Again - Steve Winwood
Living In A Box - Living In A Box
Seven Wonders - Fleetwood Mac
Touch of Grey - Grateful Dead
Who Found Who - Jellybean/Elisa Fiorillo
Give To Life - Sammy Hagar
Top Music Albums – August 25, 1987
Whitesnake - Whitesnake
La Bamba - soundtrack
Whitney - Whitney Houston
In The Dark - Grateful Dead
Girls, Girls, Girls - Motley Crue
Beverly Hills Cop II - soundtrack
Bad Animals - Heart
The Joshua Tree - U2
Hysteria - Def Leppard
Duotones Kenny G
Bigger and Deffer - L.L. Cool J
Other top music albums – August 25, 1987
Crushin’ - The Fat Boys
Coming Around Again - Carly Simon
The Final Countdown - Europe
One Bitten - Great White
Stories Without Words - Spyro Gyra
The Lonesome Jubilee - John Cougar Mellencamp
Solitude Standing - Suzanna Vega
No Protection - Starship
Bad Animals - Heart
Bigger and Deffer - L.L. Cool J
Alphabet City - ABC
Another Step - Kim Wilde
Just Like The First Time - Freddie Jackson
Reservations For Two - Dionne Warwick
Collaboration - George Benson/Earl Klugh
Wildside - Loverboy
Franks Wild Years - Tom Waits
Top movies – August 25, 1987
Stakeout - Richard Dreyfuess, Emilio Estevez
No Way Out - Kevin Costner, Gene Hackman
Dirty Dancing - Patrick Swayze
Hamburger Hill -
The Living Daylights -
The Lost Boys -
Beverly Hills Cop II -
House II: The Second Story - Arye Gross, Jonathan Stark, Royal Dano, Bill Maher
The Fourth Protocol - Michael Caine, Pierce Brosnan, Ned Beatty, Ian Richardson, Joanna Cassidy
The Big Easy - Dennis Quaid, Ellen Barkin
The Living Daylights - Timothy Dalton as James Bond
La Bamba - Esai Morales, Rosana DeSoto, Elizabeth Pena, Joe Pantoliano, Lou Diamond Phillips