In a new special edition, PEOPLE remembers 1982, the year that Madonna emerged from the clubs of New York, Duran Duran’s Rio dominated MTV, and David Letterman first sat behind a late-night desk. Denzel Washington did rounds every week on the TV hospital drama St. Elsewhere, and Norm first walked into Cheers, where viewers would join him for the next 11 seasons. E.T. placed a very-long-distance call, and Sean Penn’s Jeff Spicoli placed a pizza order to his history class at Ridgemont High, only to have it confiscated by the teacher, Mr. Hand—bogus! It was the year Olivia Newton-John and Jane Fonda reshaped their images by getting “Physical” and working out. (Is there anything more ’80s than a celeb wearing a sweatband on a red carpet?) Elsewhere, Cats pattered onto Broadway, first lady Nancy Reagan instructed America’s youth to “Just Say No” to drugs, and Charles and Diana welcomed their first son, Prince William. Relive those amazing times and more in this photo-filled celebration of the ’80s.
Celebrating The ’80s: 1982 Edition
Eighty-Two: In With the New • THE ARRIVAL OF AN HEIR, A LOVABLE ALIEN AND A NEW WAVE OF BRITS CAME TO DEFINE THE DECADE
StarTracks • CELEBS AT WORK, AT PLAY, IN LOVE, OUT WITH THE KIDS OR HOME WITH A SLEW OF GUITARS
1982: The Year in Culture • THE MUSIC, MOVIES AND TV THAT HAD US TUNED IN AND TALKING
Sounds of the MTV Age • VIDEO DIDN’T KILL THE RADIO STAR; IT MINTED BRAND-NEW ONES PLUS A SECOND BRITISH INVASION, A HIP-HOP MILESTONE, AND OZZY GOES BATTY
Movies to Phone Home About • ‘ELLIOTT!’ IT WAS A GREAT YEAR FOR QUOTABLE CLASSICS: FROM POLTERGEIST (‘THEY’RE HERE’) TO FAST TIMES (‘ALOHA, MR. HAND’) TO MR. SPOCK’S ‘YOU HAVE BEEN AND ALWAYS WILL BE MY FRIEND’
The Place to Be? TV! • BACK IN THE DAY, DENZEL WAS ON TV EVERY WEEK, A 7-YEAR-OLD HOSTED SNL, AND TWO BAR WORKERS GENERATED ENOUGH ROMANTIC TENSION TO LIGHT UP BEANTOWN
In the News • THE YEAR BROUGHT A JOYOUS ROYAL BIRTH, SOME SHOCKING CELEBRITY DEATHS, THE USUAL HELPING OF POLITICAL CONTROVERSY—AND SINGING CATS
The Style Files • WHEN RED CARPETS FELT MORE LIKE THE PROM, THE PRINCESS RULED. PLUS: STARS SHONE IN SILVER & GOLD
CREDITS
People - Special Issues