Take a ride with us through the good old times as we rewind the clock to the 1980s, an era that birthed iconic movies and TV shows!
Join us in uncovering the magic of Oscar-winning films like “Terms of Endearment” and box office titans such as “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial”. From the coming-of-age brilliance of John Hughes to the horror franchises that kept us on the edge of our seats, we’re delving into the cinematic wonders that defined a generation.
After we test your movie knowledge, it’s time to shift gears to the TV. Relive the charm of ’80s television, from Saturday morning cartoons like The Smurfs to the glamour of prime-time soaps like Dallas.
Ready to rediscover the magic that enchanted audiences during the ’80s? Grab your friends and let the trivia unfold!
Before we get started — we invite you to bookmark or save some of these other pop culture-related trivia quizzes for later!
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80s Trivia: All About The Movies
Q: Who directed the high-grossing film “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial”?
A: Steven Spielberg
Q: Who stars as the underestimated secretary in the movie “Working Girl”?
A: Melanie Griffith.
Q: What does the Zoltar machine grant to young Josh Baskin in “Big”?
A: A wish to become big.
Q: In “Beverly Hills Cop,” which comedian plays the role of Officer Axel Foley?
A: Eddie Murphy.
Q: In “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off“, what city does Ferris Bueller explore during his day off?
A: Chicago.
Q: Who directed the 1988 movie “Beetlejuice”?
A: Tim Burton.
Q: In “Say Anything…,” what song does Lloyd Dobbler play on his boombox?
A: “In Your Eyes” by Peter Gabriel.
Q: Who are the actors that play members of the Ghostbusters team?
A: Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Bill Murray, and Ernie Hudson.
Q: Who directed “Fast Times at Ridgemont High”?
A: Amy Heckerling.
Q: What is Tom Cruise’s character’s call sign in “Top Gun”?
A: Maverick.
Q: Where does “Dirty Dancing” take place?
A: Kellerman’s Resort.
Q: Who plays the lead role of Prince Akeem in “Coming to America”?
A: Eddie Murphy.
Q: In “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure”, which historical figures do Bill and Ted meet on their time-traveling adventure?
A: Various historical figures like Napoleon, Socrates, and Joan of Arc.
Q: In “The Princess Bride”, what famous line does Westley say to Princess Buttercup throughout the movie?
A: “As you wish.”
Q: What is the setting of “The Breakfast Club”?
A: Detention at Shermer High School.
Q: Which film kicked off the ’80s dance flick phenomenon and featured a New York City performing arts school?
A: “Fame”
Q: Who directed the film adaptation of S. E. Hinton’s classic novel “The Outsiders”?
A: Francis Ford Coppola.
Q: Who wrote, directed, and produced “Do the Right Thing”?
A: Spike Lee.
Q: Which trio of actresses takes revenge on their sexist boss in “9 to 5”?
A: Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Dolly Parton.
Q: Who directed the love letter to cinema, “Cinema Paradiso”?
A: Giuseppe Tornatore.
Q: In “Desert Hearts,” where is the setting of the love affair between two women?
A: Reno.
Q: Who plays the role of Ritchie Valens in “La Bamba”?
A: Lou Diamond Phillips.
Q: Which Japanese animation house produced “My Neighbor Totoro”?
A: Studio Ghibli.
Q: Who stars as Celie in the film adaptation of Alice Walker’s novel “The Color Purple”?
A: Whoopi Goldberg.
Q: Which British director ushered in a new era of blockbusters in the mid-1980s?
A: Ridley Scott
Q: Arnold Schwarzenegger rose to international fame with which 1984 film?
A: The Terminator
Q: What genre experienced a golden age in the 1980s with films like “The Breakfast Club” and “Sixteen Candles”?
A: Teen flicks
Q: Who directed the Brat Pack film “The Breakfast Club”?
A: John Hughes
Q: Which 1984 film marked the directorial debut of Sam Raimi and gained a cult status in the horror genre?
A: The Evil Dead
Q: Who starred in the 1985 film “Back to the Future”?
A: Michael J. Fox
Q: Who directed the high-grossing film “Batman” in the 1980s?
A: Tim Burton
Q: Which film launched the careers of Demi Moore, Patrick Swayze, and Keanu Reeves?
A: Ghost
Q: Who directed “The Shining,” a popular horror film from 1980?
A: Stanley Kubrick
Q: What Oscar-winning film of the 1980s starred Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise?
A: Rain Man
Q: What sci-fi film from the 1980s starred Sigourney Weaver and became a notable action hit?
A: Aliens
Q: Who directed the iconic 1980s film “Top Gun”?
A: Tony Scott
Q: Which 1985 film featured a time-traveling DeLorean and became a classic?
A: Back to the Future
Q: What 1987 film starred Michael Douglas and Glenn Close in a psychological thriller?
A: Fatal Attraction
Q: Which action star became an international sensation in the 1980s with films like “Die Hard” and “Lethal Weapon”?
A: Bruce Willis
80s Trivia: All About TV Shows
Q: What music video channel was launched in the United States in 1981, profoundly impacting the music industry and popular culture?
A: MTV
Q: Which prime-time soap opera debuted in the 1980s and featured the wealthy Ewing family?
A: Dallas
Q: In 1985, two sitcoms premiered on the same day: “The Golden Girls” and which other sitcom, originally starring Marla Gibbs?
A: 227
Q: What is the profession of the main character, Dr. Sam Beckett, in “Quantum Leap”?
A: Quantum physicist
Q: What network originally aired “The Young Ones” in the United States?
A: MTV
Q: What sketch comedy and variety show experienced turbulence in the 1980s but propelled the successful careers of Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Martin Short, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus?
A: Saturday Night Live (SNL)
Q: Who starred in the legal drama “Matlock,” which debuted in 1986 and served as a comeback vehicle for the actor?
A: Andy Griffith
Q: What TV show, featuring Johnny Carson, remained popular into its third decade?
A: The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Q: What animated show, popular in the 1980s, featured small blue creatures living in a fantasy world?
A: The Smurfs
Q: In 1981, what globally watched event involved the wedding of two members of British royalty?
A: The Wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer
Q: Who was the anchor during the very first broadcast of “SportsCenter”?
A: George Grande
Q: What was the main character, Murphy Brown’s, profession in the show?
A: TV journalist
Q: Who was the iconic host known for his “ambush” interviewing on “60 Minutes”?
A: Mike Wallace
Q: What iconic event coined the term “jumping the shark” in relation to “Happy Days”?
A: Fonzie jumping over a shark on water skis
Q: Which sitcom, premiering in 1985, starred Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty, and was the first to feature four older women in title TV roles?
A: The Golden Girls
Q: In 1987, what TV evangelist was defrocked and later sent to prison for fraud after an affair with church secretary Jessica Hahn was revealed?
A: Jim Bakker
Q: Which true crime TV show hosted by Robert Stack was popular in the 1980s?
A: Unsolved Mysteries
Q: What animated show, featuring a group of humanoid cats fighting against evil, was popular in the 1980s?
A: ThunderCats
Q: What popular teen comedy, directed by John Hughes, was released in 1985 and featured a group of high school students serving detention?
A: The Breakfast Club
Q: What sitcom, debuting in 1982, starred Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari as two men who dress as women to live in an affordable all-female apartment?
A: Bosom Buddies
Q: What TV show, starring a group of animated anthropomorphic turtles, debuted in the 1980s?
A: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Q: In 1985, what sitcom featuring an ensemble cast and set in a bar became a critical and commercial success, lasting for 11 seasons?
A: Cheers
Q: What genre does “St. Elsewhere” belong to?
A: Medical drama
Q: What type of car does Tom Magnum drive in “Magnum, P.I.”?
A: Ferrari 308 GTS
Q: Who played the role of the kooky Judge Harry Stone in “Night Court”?
A: Harry Anderson
Q: Who were the original hosts of “At the Movies”?
A: Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert
Q: Who played the character Latka Graves in “Taxi”?
A: Andy Kaufman
Q: Who played the character Benjamin Franklin “Hawkeye” Pierce in “MAS*H”?
A: Alan Alda
Q: Who played the character Jean Luc Picard in “Star Trek: The Next Generation”?
A: Patrick Stewart
Q: What distinctive style did “Hill Street Blues” use in its camerawork?
A: Handheld, cinema verite-style camerawork
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