Events that happened during the initial Teddy Ruxpin era.

Just a side note, this list took a far amount public library legwork/research effort to compile since very little of ANYTHING before '93 is on the web. Please don't duplicate it in any way or fashion. Please see the copyright information at about.html

1985

February

1. The Pasteur Institute discovers a new drug that temporarily causes the symptoms of AIDS to disappear.

2. The U.S. first-class postal rate increases to 22¢ February 17th.

March

1. Capital Cities Inc. buys ABC for $3.6 billion as the 80's buyout and meger momentum continues.

May

1. Philadelphia Police drop a smokebomb into the radical group 'MOVE' headquarters which accidentally sets the whole block ablaze.

2. Compact discs and CD players are introduced for general consumer use.

June

1. Joseph 'Angel of Death' Mengele's body found in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

2. Mikhail Gorbachev calls for sweeping economic changes in the Soviet Union.

July

1. Greenpeace's Rainbow Warrior sinks.

2. New Jersey teens hack into one of the Pentagon's computers.

3. 'Lake Woebegone Days' published by Garrison Keillor.

4. World oil prices collapse, bottoming out at $7.20 per barrel.

August

1. Ted Turner buys MGM and United Artists for $1.5 billion.

2. 700 people are killed in August due to plane crashes making 1985 the worst year to date in the history of the industry.

3. R. J. Reynolds Tobaco acquires Nabisco Brands for $4.9 billion and becomes RJR Nabisco.

September

1. Teddy Ruxpin is introduced at a press conference on the 18th.

2. 7.7 earthquake shakes Mexico City killing thousands.

2. HMS Titanic is found in Atlantic.

October

1. Rock Hudson dies of AIDS at 59.

2. Orson Welles dies at age 70.

3. The PLO hijack Italian cruise ship the Achille Lauro.

December

1. Texaco is ordered to pay $11 billion in damages for interfering with Pennzoil's plans to buy Getty Oil in '84.

2. Palestinian terrorists kill 14 people total in attacks at Rome and Vienna airports.

3. Teddy Ruxpin outsells every other toy on the market during the Christmas retail season. Production falls behind demand and he becomes difficult to find.

1986

January

1. Christa McAuliffe, along with six astronauts die when the space shuttle Challenger explodes shortly after takeoff.

February

1. After 30 years as President of Haiti, Jean-Claude Duvalier flees to France.

2. After dictating the Philippines for 20 years, Ferdinand Marcos flees.

March

1. The south wing of King Henry VIII's palace is partially destroyed. The damage done to the palace, one of Britain's most famous buildings, is irreplaceable.

April

1. The US bombs areas of Libya.

2. Chernobyl is the site of one of the worst nuclear power accidents in history.

June

1. Sikh extremist group bombs an Indian jetliner killing all on board.

July

1. The Statue of Liberty celebrates it 100th birthday in the most incredible display of fireworks to date.

2. Classic Coke returns after a 10 week hiatus due to 'New Coke'.

October

1. Congress restructures the federal income tax system, consolidating 15 brackets into 2. President Reagan signs the legislation October 22.

December

1. The Voyager, a two manned airplane, completes the trip around the world in 9 days.

2. Desi Arnazs dies of complications due to Lung Cancer.

1987

February

1. Liberace, 57, dies of AIDS.

2. Andy Warhol dies at 56 after routine gall bladder surgery.

March

1. Jim Bakker, a televangelist, resigns after admitting to an affair.

May

1. Gary Hart withdraws from the presidential race after his relationship with young model, Donna Rice, is revealed.

2. An Iraqi air strike leads to the deaths of 37 American soldiers abroad the USS Stark.

3. A young West German flies a Cessna 400 miles through Soviet air space to land beside the Kremlin in the Red Square.

June

1. Fred Astaire dies at age 88.

August

1. Wall Street enjoys record high trading.

September

1. Celebration in Philadelphia to mark the 200th birthday of the Constitution of the United States.

October

1. Los Angeles hit by a 6.1 earthquake, causing very little turmoil.

2. After being stuck in a well shaft for three days in Midland, Texas, Jessica McClure is rescued.

3. The United States open fire on three Iranian oil platforms in retaliation for Iranian attacks on ships in the Persian Gulf.

4. Dow falls 508 points exceeding the crash of 1929 (Note: This crash fatally wounds Worlds Of Wonder, which never fully recovers from the blow.)

November

1. After seven months, the Iran-contra report is released putting "ultimate responsibility" and blame on President Reagan.