A Look Back at 1981 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Algeria

Upon their release, the hostages were flown first to Algeria, then immediately to a US air base in Wiesbaden, West Germany, where they were debriefed and given physicals. They arrived in New York City on January 25.

Answer: President Reagan's proposed tax cuts

Upon taking office, Ronald Reagan proposed a 30% reduction in US income tax rates, hoping that the money saved by taxpayers would stimulate spending and lift the economy. Baker called the bold move - attempting to revive consumer spending by drastically cutting tax rates - a "riverboat gamble." The measure was eventually enacted with some slight changes, as a 25% reduction spread over three years.

Answer: Charlie's Angels

Charlie's Angels broadcast its 115th and last episode on June 24, 1981. The Angels at that time were Jaclyn Smith (the only original), Cheryl Ladd, and Tanya Roberts. M*A*S*H and CHiPs went off the air in 1983 - a bad year for acronymed TV shows - and Fantasy Island disappeared in 1984. And the world has continued to revolve.

Answer: He said that "every good Christian should kick Jerry Falwell in the [bottom]"

O'Connor, the first woman nominated to the Supreme Court, was viewed suspiciously by Falwell for her views on abortion, prompting his "every good Christian" comment. Goldwater was asked by reporters about Falwell's thoughts on his fellow Arizonan, and let them know! O'Connor was confirmed unanimously by the Senate on September 22.

Answer: Muhammad Ali's last fight

Muhammad Ali lost in the 10th round to Jamaican Trevor Berbick on December 11, 1981. It was his last professional fight.

Answer: Princess Grace of Monaco

Princess Grace died on September 13, 1982. The others all died in 1981: Joe Louis on April 12, General Torrijos on July 31, and Natalie Wood died on November 29.

Answer: The 1973 Yom Kippur War with Israel

During a military parade commemorating the October 6, 1973 war with Israel, some troops broke from the parade and attacked the reviewing stand with hand grenades and rifles. Sadat was shot numerous times in the hail of gunfire and died on the scene. His Vice President, Hosni Mubarak, was sitting directly next to him but escaped injury and took over as president. Also uninjured in the reviewing stand that day was Boutros Boutros-Ghali, the Egyptian diplomat who later served as Secretary General of the UN.

Answer: You Better Run (Pat Benatar)

MTV went on the air on August 1, 1981 at 12:01 AM. It had its then-familiar man on the moon bumper shot, then played the Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star." After the video, promos were shown about each of the original five MTV VJs ( J.J. Jackson, Mark Goodman, Martha Quinn, Alan Hunter, Nina Blackwood), and then the second video, Pat Benatar's "You Better Run" was shown. Based on a 1991 rebroadcast of MTV's first hour, the videos played after that were: She Won't Dance With Me (Rod Stewart), You Better You Bet (The Who), Little Susie's On the Up (PhD), We Don't Talk Anymore (Cliff Richard), Brass in Pocket (Pretenders), Time Heals (Todd Rundgren), Take It on the Run (REO Speedwagon), Rockin' the Paradise (Styx), When Things Go Wrong (Robin Lane and the Chartbusters), History Never Repeats (Split Enz), and Hold on Loosely (.38 Special). Unofficially, the 14 videos represent a week's worth of musical content on MTV today, and the amount of good music played in the first hour represents a year of MTV videos today.

Answer: He shot the Pope

Agca shot Pope John Paul II on May 13 in St. Peter's Square. The Pope forgave Agca within hours, and the two met face to face in 1983. Agca received clemency from the Italian government in 2000 and was returned to his home country of Turkey.

Answer: Jim Morrison

With the 1980 publication of a biography called "No One Here Gets Out Alive," interest in the Doors in general and Jim Morrison in particular began to rise, building up to the 10th anniversary of Morrison's 1971 death in Paris. Morrison and the Doors arguably had a bigger following in 1981 than they'd had in 1971 when they released their last record.