SEPTEMBER 20, 1979

THURSDAY
1979 Coca-Cola advertising artwork
$1,000 INVESTED IN COKE STOCK (KO) IN 1979
WOULD HAVE MADE YOU $283,595 IN THE 2025 DATASET
Min Wage Hourly$2.95
Median Home Price$44,840.00
Gas Price Avg$1.13
Bread Price Avg$0.47
Movie Ticket Avg$2.66
First Class Stamp$0.14
Milk Price Avg$2.06
Top Movies From 1979
Show screen release and event cards
1 Kramer vs. Kramer
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Kramer vs. Kramer
2 The Amityville Horror
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The Amityville Horror
3 Rocky II
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Rocky II
4 Apocalypse Now
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Apocalypse Now
5 Star Trek: The Motion Picture
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Star Trek: The Motion Picture
6 Alien
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Alien
7 The Muppet Movie
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The Muppet Movie
8 10
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10
9 The Jerk
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The Jerk
10 Moonraker
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Moonraker
The Warriors
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The Warriors
The China Syndrome
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The China Syndrome
Escape from Alcatraz
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Escape from Alcatraz
Norma Rae
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Norma Rae
The Onion Field
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The Onion Field
Agatha
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Agatha
Saint Jack
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Saint Jack
The Great Train Robbery
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The Great Train Robbery
The In-Laws
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The In-Laws
Manhattan
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Manhattan
Breaking Away
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Breaking Away
Love at First Bite
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Love at First Bite
Hair
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Hair
The Deer Hunter
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The Deer Hunter
Meatballs
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Meatballs
The Frisco Kid
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The Frisco Kid
Hardcore
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Hardcore
Phantasm
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Phantasm
The Champ
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The Champ
Yanks
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Yanks
Over the Edge
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Over the Edge
Prophecy
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Prophecy
Escape to Athena
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Escape to Athena
Superman
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Superman
Halloween
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Halloween
The Millionaire
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The Millionaire
The Lord of the Rings
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The Lord of the Rings
Les Misérables
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Les Misérables
Brass Target
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Brass Target
Starcrash
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Starcrash

September 20, 1979 Trivia

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Television from this era · September 20, 1979
Sesame Street poster
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Sesame Street
Saturday Night Live poster
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Saturday Night Live
Dallas poster
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Dallas
M*A*S*H poster
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M*A*S*H
The Love Boat poster
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The Love Boat
Barnaby Jones poster
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Barnaby Jones
Charlie's Angels poster
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Charlie's Angels
Nova poster
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Nova

Exact-date daily brief

September 20, 1979

On September 20, 1979, firefighters in California faced severe challenges as high winds and excessive heat hampered their efforts to control raging wildfires across the state. This was a particularly intense fire season, with seve...

Inventions & Breakthroughs of September 1979

Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.

1 Personal Computer Operating System
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Personal Computer Operating System
2 Mobile Cellular Network Deployment
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Mobile Cellular Network Deployment
3 Portable Computer Concept
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Portable Computer Concept
4 Computer-Aided Manufacturing Software
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Computer-Aided Manufacturing Software
5 Digital Camera Sensor Improvements
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Digital Camera Sensor Improvements
6 Medical MRI Commercialization
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Medical MRI Commercialization
7 Automotive Electronic Engine Control Unit
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Automotive Electronic Engine Control Unit
8 Electronic Mail Standardization
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Electronic Mail Standardization
9 Space Shuttle Avionics System
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Space Shuttle Avionics System
10 Video Game Handheld Concept
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Video Game Handheld Concept

The Sounds of

Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year

Headlines From September 20, 1979

Full News Archive

  • Headline: California Fires: A Battle Against Nature. Impact: This event led to increased funding for firefighting technology, which ultimately resulted in the creation of the world's first fireproof superhero. Spoiler: he's still waiting for his own blockbuster movie. Fact: Did you know that California has more fire-related puns than actual firefighters? It's a hot topic!.
  • Headline: Gold Discovery at Zulu Mine. Impact: The gold find triggered a rush that not only changed the local economy but also led to the invention of the phrase 'Gold Digger'—long before Kanye made it cool. Fact: Did you know that people often forget that gold is just shiny rock? Yet, they still go bananas for it. Go figure!.
  • Headline: Federal Judges and Segregated Social Clubs. Impact: This survey uncovered systemic issues that led to the 21st-century movement for diversity in the judiciary, which eventually resulted in the world's first 'Judges vs. Social Clubs' reality show. Spoiler: it was not a hit. Fact: Did you know that all-white social clubs are just like regular clubs, but with more awkward silences and fewer dance moves?.
  • Headline: Stage: ‘Streamers’ Revived at AMDA Stage One. Impact: This revival sparked a renaissance of theatrical productions, ultimately influencing a new generation of playwrights who believed they could make a living creating avant-garde works no one would ever understand. Fact: Did you know that 'Streamers' is not just a play but also what you call the confetti after a party that nobody remembers?.
  • Headline: Design Notebook. Impact: This article sparked a nationwide trend of pantry renovations, leading to a subsequent underground market for vintage pantry items—because who doesn’t want a 1930s can opener?. Fact: Did you know that pantries are just rooms where food goes to hide from humans until they're ready to be eaten?.
  • Headline: HOUSE VOTES DOWN BUDGET BILL. Impact: The budget bill's failure led to an ongoing cycle of political debates that resulted in more budget proposals than actual budgets. Truly a feat of endurance!. Fact: Did you know that in politics, saying 'no' is actually a lot easier than saying 'yes'? Just ask anyone who’s ever tried to get a budget approved.
  • Headline: Venezuela to Curb Oil. Impact: Venezuela's oil curbs sent shockwaves through the market, leading to a future where oil prices fluctuate more than a teenager's emotions during prom season. Fact: Did you know that oil is the only liquid people will fight over while claiming they're just 'looking out for the economy'?.
  • Headline: Israeli Legislator and Financier Sentenced in Absentia by France. Impact: The sentencing in absentia became a precedent for many future cases, leading to the creation of a new legal term: 'now you see me, now you don't'—perfect for absconding defendants. Fact: Did you know that being sentenced in absentia is basically the legal equivalent of ghosting? Talk about a disappearing act!.

Wall Street Time Machine

The Right Call: A historical $1,000 investment comparison using the stored long-range dataset.
Rank #1
WMT
Walmart
Price in 1979
$0.02
Stored value
$6,997,064

Walmart - If you invested $1,000 in 1979, it would be worth $6,997,064 today (6997.1x return)

Rank #2
INTC
Intel
Price in 1979
$0.18
Stored value
$199,890

Intel - If you invested $1,000 in 1979, it would be worth $199,890 today (199.9x return)

Rank #3
JNJ
Johnson & Johnson
Price in 1979
$0.50
Stored value
$417,979

Johnson & Johnson - If you invested $1,000 in 1979, it would be worth $417,979 today (418.0x return)

🦸 Top 5 Comics
X-Men #129
X-Men #129
$1,500
Iron Man #118
Iron Man #118
$150
Batman #313
Batman #313
$20
Micronauts #1
Micronauts #1
$164.00
Superman #331
Superman #331
$10
🧸 Top 5 Toys
Simon
Simon
$1,000.00
LEGO Space Sets
LEGO Space Sets
$400.00
Star Wars Action Figures
Star Wars Action Figures
$300.00
My Little Pony
My Little Pony
$150.00
Atari 2600
Atari 2600
$6,500.00
🎮 Top 5 Video Games
Asteroids
Asteroids
Unknown
Lunar Lander
Lunar Lander
$50.00
Galaxian
Galaxian
$262.70
Adventure
Adventure
$5,000.00
Star Raiders
Star Raiders
$5,000.00
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky Rookie Card #18
O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky Rookie Card #18
$1,290,000
Topps Wayne Gretzky Rookie Card #18
Topps Wayne Gretzky Rookie Card #18
$8,000
Garry Unger Kolner EC Card
Garry Unger Kolner EC Card
$1,000
Topps Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back - Series 1 Luke Skywalker
Topps Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back - Series 1 Luke Skywalker
$1,000
1979 Hostess Baseball George Brett
1979 Hostess Baseball George Brett
$4,920.00