1988

HISTORY & POLITICS

Anthony M. Kennedy is appointed to the Supreme Court of the United States.

Two U.S. Army helicopters collide in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, killing 17 servicemen.

The Last Emperor (directed by Bernardo Bertolucci) wins 9 Oscars.

Former pop singer Sonny Bono is elected mayor of Palm Springs, California.

PEPCON disaster in Henderson, Nevada: A major explosion at an industrial solid-fuel rocket plant causes damage extending up to 10 miles away, including Las Vegas's McCarran International Airport.

A report by U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop states that the addictive properties of nicotine are similar to those of heroin and cocaine.

Four workers are asphyxiated at a metal-plating plant in Auburn, Indiana, in the worst confined-space industrial accident in U.S. history (a fifth victim dies 2 days later).

The Iran-Iraq war ends, with an estimated 1 million lives lost.

United States presidential election, 1988: George H. W. Bush is elected over Michael Dukakis.

War on Drugs: U.S. President Ronald Reagan signs a bill providing the death penalty for murderous drug traffickers.

MUSIC

Faith - George Michael
Need You Tonight - INXS
Got My Mind Set On You - George Harrison
Never Gonna Give You Up - Rick Astley
Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N' Roses
Wishing Well - Terence Trent D'Arby
Shattered Dreams - Johnny Hates Jazz
Seasons Change - Exposé Listen
Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car - Billy Ocean
Anything for You - Gloria Estefan, Miami Sound Machine
Hold on to the Nights - Richard Marx
Wild, Wild West - Escape Club
Flame - Cheap Trick
Baby, I Love Your Way/Freebird Medley (Free Baby) - Will to Power
Another Lover - Giant Steps
Under the Milky Way - Church
What I Am - Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians
Don't Worry Be Happy - Bobby McFerrin
It Takes Two - Rob Base & D.J. E-Z Rock

TELEVISION
  
China Beach: Starring:  Dana Delany, Concetta Tomei, Marg Helgenberger, Michael Boatman, Robert Picardo, Brian Wimmer, Jeff Kober, & Nancy Giles
A drama series set at an American base during the Vietnam War that looked at the everyday lives of the people sent to serve their country. The doctors, nurses, soldiers and even USO entertainers stationed at the base must try to come to terms with the horrors and stresses of the war around them. Not all of them succeed.
   
Garfield & Friends [cartoon]: Animated television series based on the popular comic strip. Each show is divided into stories about Garfield, Odie, Jon and the trouble they get into, or Orson the Pig and his adventures on a farm with fellow farm animals Wade Duck, Roy Rooster, Bo and Lanolin the sheep, Booker the chick and Sheldon, an unhatched egg.

MOVIES
 
Twins: Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger & Danny DeVito
A physically perfect, but innocent, man goes in search of his twin brother, who is a short small-time crook.
 
Crocodile Dundee II: Starring: Paul Hogan & Linda Kozlowski
Australian outback expert protects his New York love from gangsters who've followed her down under.
 
Die Hard: Starring: Bruce Willis
New York cop John McClane gives terrorists a dose of their own medicine as they hold hostages in an LA office building.
 
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!: Starring: Leslie Nielsen
Incompetent cop Frank Drebbin has to foil an attempt to assassinate Queen Elizabeth II.
 
Cocktail:  Starring: Tom Cruise, Bryan Brown, & Elisabeth Shue
A talented New York bartender takes a job at a bar in Jamaica and falls in love.

Young Guns: Starring: Emilio Estevez, Kiefer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Phillips, Charlie Sheen, Dermot Mulroney & Casey Siemaszko
A group of young gunmen, led by Billy the Kid, become deputies to avenge the murder of the rancher who became their benefactor. But when Billy takes their authority too far, they become the hunted.
 
The Accused: Starring: Kelly McGillis & Jodie Foster
A rape victim, enraged at the light sentence her attackers received on account that she was of "questionable character" goads a female prosecutor to charge the men who literally cheered the attack on.
   
SPORTS

The 1988 Winter Olympics are held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

In Super Bowl XXII, the Washington Redskins defeated the Denver Broncos, 42–10.

The Summer Olympic Games are held in Seoul, South Korea.

Winning Colors wins the Kentucky Derby with a time of 2:02.20.

Pedro Delgado (Spain) wins the Tour de France.

PEOPLE WHO DIED

Heather O'Rourke - Actress - as Carol Anne in the Poltergeist films
Chet Baker (b. 1929) - Jazz musician - Trumpeter & singer
Judith Barsi (b. 1978) - Child & Voice actress - Kids Don't Tell; There Were Times, Dear; Eye of the Tiger; Jaws: The Revenge; voice of Ducky in The Land Before Time; & voice of Anne-Marie in All Dogs Go to Heaven
Trinidad Silva (b. 1950) - Actor - best known as Martinez on Hill Street Blues
Anne Ramsey (b. 1929) - Actress - as Mama Fratelli in The Goonies & Mrs. Lift in Throw Momma from the Train
Gert Fröbe (b. 1913) - Actor - as Auric Goldfinger in the Bond movie Goldfinger & as Baron Bomburst in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Roger Hargreaves (b. 1935) - Author / Illustrator of childrens books, most notable the Mr. Men and Little Miss series
John Houseman (b. 1902) - Actor / Film producer - as Professor Charles Kinsfield in The Paper Chase & as grandfather Edward Stratton II on Silver Spoons

PEOPLE WHO WERE BORN

Brooke Hogan - Reality Star / Singer - as herself on Hogan Knows Best; daughter of Hulk Hogan
Nikki Reed - Actress / Writer - co-wrote & starred in Thirteen as Evie Zamora, as Kathy Alva in Lords of Dogtown, & Sadie Campbell on The O.C.
Mae Whitman - Actress - as the president's daughter in Independence Day, Maggie Taylor in One Fine Day, Bernice Pruitt in Hope Floats, Emma Grac McKee on State of Grace, Ann Veal on Arrested Development, voice of Katara on Avatar: The Last Airbender, & voice of Rose on American Dragon: Jake Long
Rupert Grint - Actor - as Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter films
Vanessa Anne Hudgens - Actress / Singer - as Gabriella Montez in High School Musical movies
Carly Patterson - American Gymnist - Won Gold in the All-around and Silver in the Team competition & on the balance beam at the 2004 Summer Olympics