thirtysomething TV Series debuts on ABC-TV

thirtysomething TV Series debuts on ABC-TV on September 29, 1987

Thirtysomething is an American television drama about a group of baby boomers in their late thirties.

It was created by Marshall Herskovitz and Edward Zwick for MGM/UA Television Group (through United Artists Television) and The Bedford Falls Company, and aired on ABC. It premiered in the U.S. on September 29, 1987. It lasted four seasons, with the last of its 85 episodes airing on May 28, 1991.

The title of the show was designed as thirtysomething (with a lowercase "t") by Kathie Broyles, who combined the words of the original title, Thirty Something.

In 2002, Thirtysomething was ranked #19 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.

Thirtysomething depicts the lives of a group of baby boomer yuppies during the late 1980s. They are bonded by their involvement with the peace movement and counterculture of the 1960s during their youth, a past that is in marked contrast to their current, middle-class lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Although seen as an ensemble drama, the series tended to revolve around husband and wife Michael Steadman (Ken Olin) and Hope Murdoch (Mel Harris), who provided the focal point for the group. Michael's cousin is photographer Melissa Steadman (Melanie Mayron), and his business partner is Elliot Weston (Timothy Busfield), who has a troubled marriage with his wife Nancy (Patricia Wettig). Michael's best friend is Gary Shepherd (Peter Horton), who eventually married Susannah (Patricia Kalember). Hope's best friend is Ellyn Warren (Polly Draper).

Retro History for September 29 The 50s 60s 70s 80s

Retro History For The Decade 1980

1989 Glenn Frey joins Don Henley on-stage (for 1st time since 1981)
1989 Zsa Zsa Gabor convicted of slapping a police officer in Beverly Hills
1988 26th Space Shuttle mission, Discovery 7 launched
1988 China performs nuclear test at Lop Nor PRC
1988 Florence Griffith Joyner of USA sets 200m woman's record (21.34)
1988 U.N. peacekeeping forces win Nobel Peace prize
1988 Union Station reopens in Washington D.C.
1987 "Didn't We Almost Have It All," by Whitney Houston hits #1
1987 "thirtysomething," debuts on ABC-TV
1987 8th Emmy Sports Award presentation
1987 New York Yankee Don Mattingly hits record 6th grand slam of year
1986 "Airwolf," TV Adventure; moves to USA
1986 "Designing Women," TV Comedy, debuts on CBS
1986 Cubs Greg Maddux defeats Phillies Mike Maddux (1st rookie brothers)
1986 Indians Jay Bell is 10th to hit a home run on 1st major league pitch he sees
1986 Mary Lou Retton retires as a gymnast
1986 U.S.S.R. releases U.S. journalist Nicholas Daniloff confined on spy charges
1985 "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," returns to NBC-TV
1985 "Amazing Stories," by Steven Spielberg, debuts on NBC-TV
1985 "MacGyver," starring Richard Dean Anderson, debuts on ABC-TV
1985 Deron Cherry, Kansas City vs Seattle, has 4 interceptions!
1985 Houston quarterback Warren Moon sacked NFL tying record 12 times (by Cowboys)
1984 "(What) In Name Of Love" by Naked Eyes peaks at #39
1984 "Cruel Summer" by Bananarama peaks at #9
1984 "Drive" by Cars peaks at #3
1984 "Layin' It On Line" by Jefferson Starship peaks at #66
1984 "Let's Go Crazy" by Prince and Revolution peaks at #1
1984 "Pretty Mess" by Vanity peaks at #75
1984 "Torture" by Jacksons peaks at #17
1984 "When You Close Your Eyes" by Night Ranger peaks at #14
1984 "Yes Or No" by Go-Go's peak at #84
1984 Elizabeth Taylor, undergoing rehabilitation at the Betty Ford Clinic
1983 "A Chorus Line" 3,389 performance to become longest running Bdwy show
1983 1st time Congress invokes War Powers Act
1983 Airport of Beirut reopens
1983 Congress authorized President Reagan to keep 1,600 U.S. Marines in Lebanon
1983 Oakland A's Mike Warren no-hits Chicago White Sox, 3-0
1982 1st broadcast of "Cheers" on NBC-TV
1982 Cyanide laced Tylenol capsules kills 7 in Chicago
1982 U.S. performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
1980 Malcolm McDowell wed Mary Steenburgen

Retro History For The Decade 1970

1979 "Ain't That A Shame" by Cheap Trick peaks at #35
1979 "Bad Case Of Loving You" by Robert Palmer peaks at #14
1979 "Boom Boom (Out Go Lights)" by Pat Travers peaks at #56
1979 "Born To Be Alive" by Patrick Hernandez peaks at #16
1979 "Cruel To Be Kind" by Nick Lowe peaks at #12
1979 "Different Worlds" by Maureen McGovern peaks at #18
1979 "Driver's Seat" by Sniff 'n' the Tears peaks at #15
1979 "Girls Talk" by Dave Edmunds peaks at #65
1979 "Lonesome Loser" by Little River Band peaks at #6
1979 "Message In A Bottle" by Police peaks at #1 in UK
1979 "What Cha Gonna Do With My Lovin'" by Stephanie Mills peaks at #22
1979 Astros' J R Richard strikes out NL season righty record of 313
1979 Gold hits record $400.20 an ounce in Hong Kong
1979 John Huston's "Wine Blood" premieres at New York Film Festival
1979 Los Angeles Dodger Manny Mota hits record 146th pinch hit
1979 Pope John Paul II becomes 1st pope to visit Ireland
1978 "Flying High," debuts on CBS
1978 "For Richer, For Poorer," TV Daytime Soap; last airs on NBC-TV
1977 "Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band," by Meco hits #1
1977 Eva Shain is 1st woman to referee a heavyweight championship
1977 James Brown's band walks out claiming they were underpaid and overworked
1977 Muhammad Ali beats Earnie Shavers in 15 for heavyweight boxing title
1977 Peter Schats circus opera "Houdini," premieres in Amsterdam
1977 Soviet space station Salyut 6 launched into Earth orbit
1976 "Alice," debuts on CBS-TV
1976 2nd Chamber recognizes Dutch Liberals/social democratic abortion law
1976 Boy George expelled from school
1976 San Francisco Giant John Montefusco no-hits Atlanta Braves, 9-0
1976 Syria drives Palestinian guerrillas out of Lebanon
1976 Tommy Lasorda replaces Walter Alston as Dodger manager
1976 U.S.S.R. performs nuclear test at Novaya Zemlya U.S.S.R.
1976 Jerry Lee Lewis, attempting to shoot soda bottles hits his bass player Norman Owens twice in the chest
1975 "Three For Money," debuts on NBC-TV
1975 U.S.S.R. performs underground nuclear test
1975 WGPR-TV Detroit, 1st Black-owned station in U.S., began broadcasting
1974 4th New York City Women's Marathon won by Katherine Switzer in 3:07:29
1974 5th New York City Marathon won by Norbert Sander in 2:26:30
1974 Joanne Carner wins LPGA Portland Ladies Golf Classic
1973 "Jimmy Loves Mary-Anne" by Looking Glass peaks at #33
1973 "We're An American Band" by Grand Funk peaks at #1
1973 Baltimore Orioles pull their 5th triple play (5-4-3 vs Detroit)
1973 Insurance industry announces auto racers get into more highway accidents
1973 Soyuz 12 returns to Earth
1972 Japan and People's Republic of China begin diplomatic relations
1971 "McMillan and Wife," debuts on NBC-TV
1971 Cyclone and tidal wave off Bay of Bengal kills as many as 10,000
1971 Orbiting Solar Observatory VII launched
1971 Ron Hunt is hit by a pitch for record 50th time in a season
1971 U.S. performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
1970 "NET Festival," last aired

Retro History For The Decade 1960

1969 "Bright Promise," TV Daytime Soap; debuts on NBC-TV
1969 "Letters To Laugh-In," debuts on NBC-TV
1969 "Love American Style," premieres on ABC-TV
1969 "Name Droppers," debuts on NBC-TV
1969 "Sale Of Century," debuts on NBC-TV
1969 7th Mayor's Trophy Game, Mets beat Yankees 7-6
1969 China performs nuclear test at Lop Nor PRC
1969 Jackie DeShannon gets Gold Record for "Put Little Love in Your Heart"
1969 Red Sox Rico Petrocelli hits shortstop record 40th home run of season
1969 Steve O'Neal of New York Jets, kicks longest NFL punt; 98 yards vs Denver
1968 Betsy Rawls wins LPGA Mickey Wright Golf Invitational
1968 Carl Yastrzemski .3005 avg wins his 2nd straight batting crown
1968 Chuck Latourette, sets NFL record 47.7 yd punt return avg (3 punts)
1967 Gladys Knight and Pips releases "I Heard it Through the Grapevine"
1967 International Monetary Fund reforms world monetary system
1967 Mickey Hart joins the Grateful Dead and plays the Straightater
1966 Bechuanaland gains independence from England, becomes Botswana
1966 Sandy Koufax pitches 3rd 300-strikeout season
1965 Ralph Boston of U.S., sets then long jump record at 27' 4 3/4"
1965 St. L Cards Charlie Johnson passes for 6 touchdowns vs Cleveland (49-13)
1965 WLVT TV channel 39 in Allentown, Pennsylvania (PBS) begins broadcasting
1965 Phillies catcher Pat Corrales sets record by reaching base twice on catcher's interference in one game and 6 times in one season
1964 Greece and Bulgaria close boundaries
1963 "Judy Garland Show," debuts on CBS-TV
1963 "My Favorite Martian," starring Ray Walston, debuts on CBS-TV
1963 2nd session of Ecumenical council, 'Vatican II,' opens in Rome
1963 Card's Stan Musial's final game, gets his 3,629th and 3,630th hit
1963 Houston Colt .45 John Paciorek goes 3 for 3 in his only game
1963 Mickey Wright wins LPGA Mickey Wright Golf Invitational
1963 Pope Paul opens 2nd sitting of 2nd Vatican council
1963 Rolling Stones 1st tour (opening act for Bo Diddley and Everly Bros)
1963 Stan Musial Day in St. Louis
1962 "Alley Cat" by Bent Fabric and His Piano peaks at #7
1962 "Green Onions" by Booker T and MG's peaks at #3
1962 "My Fair Lady" closes at Mark Hellinger Theater New York City after 2,715 performances
1962 "Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Show," debuts on ABC-TV
1962 "You Can't Judge A Book By Cover" by Bo Diddley peaks at #48
1962 Algerian government of Ben Bella forms
1962 Indians and Angels set AL record of 40 strikeouts in a doubleheader
1962 John F. Kennedy authorized use of federal troops to integrate University of Mississippi
1962 Launch of Alouette 1, 1st Canadian satellite (on U.S. Delta rocket)
1962 U.S. performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
1961 "Detectives," TV Crime Drama; moves to NBC-TV
1961 Bob Dylan's 1st recording session-backup harmonica for Caroline Hester
1961 Mamum Kuzbari becomes premier of Syria
1960 "Johnny Ringo," TV Western Drama; last airs on CBS-TV
1960 "My Three Sons" starring Fred MacMurray, debuts on ABC-TV
1960 "Outlaws," TV Western Drama; debuts on NBC-TV
1960 "Tell Laura I Love Her" by Ricky Valance peaks at #1 in UK
1960 "lrma La Douce" opens at Plymouth Theater New York City for 527 performances

Retro History For The Decade 1950

1959 "Many Loves Of Dobie Gillis," debuts on CBS-TV
1959 "Philip Marlowe," debuts on ABC-TV
1959 Dodgers win game 2 of playoff, 6-5, and take NL pennant
1959 Little Anthony and the Imperials record "Shimmy Shimmy Koko Bop"
1959 Sultan of Brunei promulgates a constitution
1958 "Studio One," TV Anthology Drama last airs on CBS-TV
1958 "Summertime Blues" by Eddie Cochran peaks at #8
1958 "Texan," debuts on CBS-TV
1958 U.S. performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
1957 "DuPont Show of the Month," debuts on CBS-TV
1957 "Paul Winchell Show," debuts on ABC-TV
1957 300 die as express train hits stalled train (Montgomery W Pakistan)
1957 Buddy Holly and Crickets released 2nd single "Oh Boy!"/"Not Fade Away"
1957 New York Giants play and lose their last game at Polo Grounds (9-1 to Pitts)
1957 Passenger train and oil train crash in Gambar West Pakistan, 300 die
1956 "I Love Mickey" by Mickey Mantle and Teresa Brewer peaks at #87
1956 "Oh! Susanna," debuts on CBS-TV
1956 New York Yankees Mickey Mantle hits his 52nd home run of season
1955 "Sergeant Preston," debuts on CBS
1955 Ali Sastroamidjojo's PNI wins elections in Indonesia
1955 Arthur Millers "View From The Bridge," premieres in New York City
1954 "Barefoot Contessa" starring Ava Gardner premieres at the Capitol
1954 "Masquerade Party," TV game Show; moves to ABC
1954 "Star is Born" starring Judy Garland and James Mason premieres
1954 Bennekom soccer team forms in Bennekom
1954 KALB TV channel 5 in Alexandria, LA (NBC/ABC) begins broadcasting
1954 Willie Mays famous over-the-shoulder catch of Vic Wertz' 460' drive
1953 "Buick-Berle Show," debuts on NBC-TV
1953 "Make Room for Daddy," starring Danny Thomas, premieres on ABC-TV
1953 1st department store to sell insurance is Carson Pirie Scott in Chicago, Illinois
1953 Baltimore Mayor D'Alesandro buys Veeck's interest in Browns for $2,475,000
1953 Milton Berle Show premieres
1953 U.S. government gives France $385 million for combat in Indo-China
1952 "Lights Out," last airs on NBC-TV
1952 Stan Musial makes his only major league pitching appearance
1951 1st color telecast of football game on network, Philadelphia (CBS)
1951 Emile Zatopek runs world record 20,000 m and 10 mile
1951 S. B. Nicholson discovers 12th satellite of Jupiter
1950 "Tin Pan Alley TV," last airs on ABC-TV
1950 Telephone Answering Machine created by Bell Laboratories
1950 New York Yankees clinch 2nd consecutive pennant under Casey Stengel

Have a groovy vintage retro day!


- Retro Rebirth

www.RetroRebirth.com




If you liked this article then make sure you subscribe to the feed via RSS It's Free and easily visible on your iPad or iPhone and favorite news reader. You can also follow me on Twitter too!

Become a Retro Rebirth Fan on our Facebook Page a simple LIKE is a great way to support us.


Watch Retro Videos on our Retro Video YouTube Page

Check out the Retro Rebirth Shop - hand made crafts, t-shirts, videos, comic & pop art

Vintage Retro Music & Retro Pop Culture is our passion and what we LOVE. We keep it going everyday for the love of producing it for you to enjoy. Thanks for viewing. Much Peace! thirtysomething TV Series debuts on ABC-TV on September 29, 1987.