The 1980s was a particular time when several entertainers and athletes rose to fame, and here are famous people that every man who was already an adult in the 80s should know.
Not long ago we celebrated the 38th anniversary of the mid-1980s classic “We Are the World. The award-winning hit track was written by the late American pop star Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie.
The 1980s was a time when several American actors, singers, and athletes came to the limelight of fame. The 80s was the time for one of the greatest pop stars Madonna.
It was also the time for one of America’s greatest stand-up comedians, Eddie Murphy. Michael Jordan is also an athlete who came into the scene in the 80s. Jordan won his first Olympic Gold medal in Los Angeles in 1984.
In a moment, we will list other names of famous people in the 1980s that every man should know.
Who Are the Famous People in the 1980s that Every Man Should Know?
Anyone who was a teenager during the 1980s in the United States should know these few names. Madonna, Michael Jackson, Clint Eastwood, Sylvester Stallone, Eddie Murphy, Mike Tyson, and Michael Jordan.
Most of these names have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. They have won several awards throughout their career as actors, singers, and athletes.
These names above have built a legacy that the younger generation can only admire.
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25 Famous People of the 1980s that Every Man Should Know
Whether you grew up in the 1980s or not, I believe you know these names on this list.
1. Madonna
American singer Madonna Louise Ciccone was born on August 16, 1958, in Bay City, Michigan. In 1978 the Queen of Pop moved to New City to pursue her in modern dancing.
She performed as a guitarist, vocalist, and drummer before releasing her solo debut album in 1983. Madonna released a series of albums, including all-time bestselling Like a Virgin, the Immaculate Collection, True Blue, and Ray of Light.
Ray of Light won a Grammy Award in 1998. In 2005, she released her tenth studio album Confessions on a Date.
The American pop star has also starred in several films including Dick Tracy, Desperately Seeking Susan and Evita.
Every man who grew up in the 1980s or even in the new millennium should know Madonna as one of the famous people of then and now.
2. Michael Jackson
Michael was one of the greatest singers in history. The King of Pop made his debut at the young age of 11.
The late American pop star began his musical career with the Jackson Five back in the 1970s. He left the group and started a career for himself. The 80s was the time when Michael released one of the greatest studio albums ever.
The pop icon released his sixth studio album Thriller in 1982. Other studio albums include Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991) HIStory: Past, Present, and Future, Book I (1995), and Invincible (2001).
3. George Michael
George Michael was a famous English singer, record producer, and songwriter. Michael is one of the bestselling singers in history, with sales of more than 120 million records across the world.
The English singer is one of the most famous people in the 1980s that every man should know. Michael gained huge recognition with his solo career in the 1980s.
He is a Grammy Award winner and one of the best English singers of all time.
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4. Tom Cruise
American actor Tom Cruise is one of the world’s wealthiest actors.
Tom is a popular American actor who began his acting career in the 1980s. He had a little role in the 1981 film Endless Love, followed by a major supporting role in Taps.
Tom Cruise portrayed a naval aviator in the highest-grossing film of 1986, Top Gun. Tom also starred in the 2022 American action drama, Top Gun: Maverick, the sequel to Top Gun.
Throughout his acting career, Cruise has won several Golden Globe Awards and he has also been nominated for an Academy Award.
5. Martina Navratilova
Navratilova is a former Czech-born American professional tennis player. She is regarded as one of the greatest tennis players ever, with 18 major single titles.
Martina won her first championship in 1978 when she defeated Chris Evert. She won her second championship against Chris Evert a year later.
Throughout her career, Martina Navratilova has won a total of 51 major titles.
6. Diana, Princess of Wales
Born on July 1, 1961, Diana, Princess of Wales was a member of the British Royal Family and wife to then Prince Charles of Wales.
Diana was the mother of William, Prince of Wales and Harry, Duke of Sussex. In 1996, Diana and then Prince of Wales, Charles divorced. A year later, Diana died in an auto crash leaving behind her two young sons.
The late Princess Diana is one of the most successful princesses and one of the most iconic figures of the 80s.
7. Vivian Richards
Vivian Richards is one of the most famous people in the 1980s that every man should know.
Richards is a retired cricketer who represented the West Indies for over a decade. Vivian was in the West Indies cricket team from 1974 to 1991.
Richards and his team won the NatWest Trophy in 1983. The famous cricketer from the West Indies became the first batsman to score a Test century at a strike rate of over 50.
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8. Richard Gere
American actor Richard Gere is one of the famous actors of the 1970s and 1980s.
Gere began his acting career in the mid-1970 when he portrayed Billy in the 1975 film Report to the Commissioner.
Gere rise to fame in the 1980s after his role in American Gigolo and An Officer and a Gentleman.
9. Boris Becker
Becker is a former German tennis player, ranked as the number one tennis player in the world during his career.
In 1985, Boris Becker became the youngest tennis player to win the gentlemen’s singles Wimbledon Championship title as a teenager.
Throughout Becker’s career, he won a total of 64 titles, including Olympic Gold medals and Grand Slam singles titles.
10. Linda Lusardi
Linda Lusardi is an English actress and former glamour model Born on September 18, 1958.
She began her modelling career in 1978 at the age of 18, appearing as a Page 3 girl in The Sun.
Lusardi also appeared in several films such as The Zero Imperative, Snappers, and Consuming Passions.
11. David Bowie
Bowie was an English actor and singer-songwriter who is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century.
The English singer’s career spans over four decades, with a total of 26 studio albums.
12. Tina Turner
Tina Turner is a famous American-born retired singer and actress. Turner became famous as the lead singer of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue and later launched her career as a solo performer
.The Grammy Award-winning singer has sold over 100 million records worldwide. Tina has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and has also been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice.
13. Christopher Reeve
Christopher Reeve was an American actor who is widely recognized for playing the DC character Superman in the 70s and 80s. Reeve is one of the famous people of the 1980s that every man should know.
The late American actor was the fan’s favourite as Superman back in the late 70s and early 80s. Reeve was educated at both Cornell University and Julliard School in New York.
14. Prince (Musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson was an American singer and record producer who is considered one of the greatest musicians of his generation.
Throughout his career, Prince released over 38 studio albums and sold over 150 million records worldwide.
15. Clint Eastwood
American actor Clint Eastwood is one of the iconic figures in television history. The American actor’s career spans over six decades, winning Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, and the AFI Life Achievement Award.
As a film director, Eastwood was the oldest recipient of the Academy Award at age 74.
16. Whitney Houston
Houston was an American singer and actress who is considered one of the bestselling music artists ever.
Throughout her career, Whitney Houston sold over 2000 million records worldwide.
Whitney gained more popularity in the 90s when she entered the film industry. She starred in films such as the Preacher’s Wife, Bodyguard, and Waiting to Exhale.
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17. Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan is a former American basketball player and one of the greatest athletes to step into the court. Jordan won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls.
Jordan also won his first Olympic gold medal in Los Angeles in 1984. He was also part of the team that won gold at the Olympic Games in Barcelona 92.
18. Wendy James
English singer-songwriter Wendy James is best known for her work with the pop band Transvision Vamp.
James began her solo career after the pop band Transvision Vamp broke up. She released her debut solo album Now Ain’t the Time for Your Tears in 1993. The album reached No. 43 on the UK Albums Chart in that same year.
19. Steven Spielberg
American film director Steven Spielberg is one of the greatest film directors in the world.
Spielberg has directed several films such as the 1975 thriller film Jaws, Jurassic Park, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Spielberg has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fames and he has also won three Academy Awards.
20. Ridley Scott
Born on November 30, 1937, Sir Ridley Scott is an English film director best known for directing films in historical drama genres and science fiction.
Scott is one of the greatest film directors in history. For his work in the British film industry, Ridley Scott was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.
In 2011, the English film director received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
21. Ron Howard
Howard is another American film director and one of the most famous people of the 1980s that every man should know.
In the early 1980s, Howard began his career as a film director. Night Shift was his big directorial break in 1982.
22. Eddie Murphy
Murphy is one of the greatest comedy actors of all time. The American actor and comedian gained national recognition in the early 80s as a cast member on Saturday Night Show.
Eddie Murphy made his acting debut in the 1982 film 48 Hrs. Beverly Hills Cop was his first leading role in Hollywood. Murphy has won several awards including a Grammy Award and a Golden Globe Award.
23. Mike Tyson
Iron Mike is one of the greatest heavyweight professional boxers to step into the ring. Tyson reigned as the undisputed world heavyweight champion for over two years.
Mike Tyson won his first 37 professional fights before losing to Buster Douglas in 1990. Iron Mike dominated the heavyweight division in the mid-1980s and 90s.
24. Sylvester Stallone
Stallone is an American actor and filmmaker born on July 6, 1946. The legendary American actor received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1984.
Stallone wrote and directed the 1979 American sports drama film Rocky II, and its sequel Rocky III.
25. Boy George
English singer George Alan O’Dowd known professionally as Boy George is also a D.J., author and mixed martial artist.
Boy George began his solo career in the late 1980s. He released his debut solo studio album Solo in 1987. George was nominated for an MTV Video Music Award and a Grammy Award in 1993 and 1994.
Conclusion
The 1980s was a particular time when several entertainers and athletes rose to fame, and we have listed the famous people every man who grew up in the 80 should know.
We hope this article on the famous people of the 1980s was helpful.
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Reference
- https://historyplex.com