Week of December 10, 1989

Thousands cheer and celebrate in Prague, Czechoslovaks as

the opposition Civic Forum announced it would nominate its

president. Hard-lined communist President Gustav Husak

resigned several days ago, shortly after swearing-in the first

government in 41 years that didn’t have communist control.

Hotel queen Leona Helmsley is sentenced to four years in

federal prison and fined $7.1 million. She evaded taxes by

billing her hotel empire for personal expenses.

In Sweden, The Dalai Lama (54) accepts the Nobel Peace Prize. “I accept the

prize with profound gratitude on behalf of the oppressed everywhere and for all

those who struggle for freedom and work for world peace.” He says he is

committed to seeking a peaceful end to China’s 40-year occupation of his Tibet

homeland.

IBM introduces a 1 gig hard disk at a press conference, but says it will be several

years before gigabit discs will be available commercially.

Andy Griffith show has her ashes placed in an urn at her

gravesite after a 10-minute ceremony - just outside Silver City -

North Carolina. Aunt Bee died in her sleep last Wednesday.

Opra Winfrey is named entertainer of the year and wins three

other NAACP image awards. Other NAACP awards - Best TV

actor - Howard Rollins - “In The Heat Of The Night,” Best TV

actress - Jasmine Guy - “A Different World; Best actor in film -

Morgan Freeman - “Lean On Me,” Best Actress - Ruby Dee - “Do The Right

Thing.” ... Best Album - Anita Baker - “Giving You The Best That I Got,”

Passing - Actor Lee Van Cleef (64) of an apparent heart attack.

of a gunshot wound to his head at his home in Los Angeles.

He was the youngest of four sons from Bing’s first marriage to

Wilma Wyatt. A family spokesman says he was despondent

after learning that the inheritance he relied on to support his

family was gone.

Week of December 10, 1989

Roseanne Barr calls off her January wedding to Tom Arnold. “My January 20

marriage to Tom Arnold is off. Tom has entered an alcohol and drug

rehabilitation clinic.”

film about the life of Jim Morrison. It’ll be from Oliver Stone.

Guitarist John Taylor of Duran Duran gets his driver’s

license banned for 12 months after driving while drinking

through London.

three epos ides of “In The Heat Of The

Night.” Rollins has admitted himself to a

rehabilitation center. MGM-TV says the decision for him to return

to the series “is up to him.”

Gary Collins is signed to host “The Home Show” on ABC daytime.

He’ll begin the end of this month, replacing Robb Weller.

Moving away from airing music videos 24 hours a day, MTV says it will launch

several new series beginning in January - a morning show hosted by a male-

female team, and what the network describes as “vidcoms” (comedy and music

videos). “Music videos will still represent 90% of our programming. But instead of

having random videos, we’ll be customizing shows and hosts to improve our

presentation to the audience who’s out there.” MTV can be seen in 48 million

homes in the United States and 26 foreign countries.

Bestsellers - “The Dark Half’ - Stephen King,

“Daddy” - Danielle Steel, “Clear and Present

Danger” - Tom Clancy, “Caribbean’ - James A.

Michener, “All My Best Friends” - George Burns, “My

Turn: The Memoirs of Nancy Reagan” - Nancy

Reagan/William Novak, “All I Really Need to Know I

Learned In Kindergarten” - Robert Fulghum,

“Roseanne: My Life As A Woman” - Roseanne Barr

Passing - songwriter Sammy Lerner (86) ... best

known for his lyrics of “Popeye the Sailor Man.” Also

wrote the theme for Betty Boop and many “bouncing

Week of December 10, 1989

ball” cartoons.

At Toys R Us - Sega Genesis

System - the new dimension in video

game play. Uses powerful 16-bit

arcade technology plus stereo sound

for the ultimate home system. -

$189.99 ... Nintendo Action set -

Amazing, lifelike graphics. With

control deck, controllers, light gun,

game pak - $99.99.

In sports - Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela (now a free agent) - agrees to a

one-year, $2 million contract with the team. The deal includes incentives that

could push the salary to $2.5 million if his health holds out to pitch the entire

season.

TV ratings - Roseanne (23.7), Cheers (22.5), The

Cosby Show (22.2), The Golden Girls (20.5), A

Different World (20.4), Empty Nest (19.8), 60

Minutes (19.8), 60 Minutes (19.8), The Wonder

Years (19.8), Dear John (19.3), LA Law (19.2),

Murder, She Wrote (18.9), Monday Night Football

(18.8), Married ... With Children (18.4), Who’s The

Boss? (18.3), Bob Hope Christmas Special (18.6),

Matlock (17.5), In The Heat of the Night (17.5),

Coach (17.1), Unsolved Mysteries (16.9), Designing

Woman (16.9), Julie & Carol Together Again (16.1),

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (15.8), Doogie

Howser, MD (15.50, Amen (15.4), Growing Pains,

(15.2), Hogan Family (15.0), Head Of the Class

(14.8), Newhart (14.6), Murphy Brown (14.6), The

Simpsons Christmas Special (14.5), ALF (14.4).

Wednesday night TV - CBS - Beauty and the Beast, Jake and The Fatman,

Wiseguy ... NBC - Unsolved Mysteries, Special-Christmas In America: A Love

Story, Quantum Leap ... ABC - Growing Pains, Head Of The Class, Doggie

Howser, MD, Special-Julie and Carol: Together Again ... FOX - No Schedule ...

PBS - Discover, Frontline

Christmas In America: A Love Story - Kenny Rogers stars as a worldly

photographer who looks back on his life.

Week of December 10, 1989

Frontline - “Right To Die?” - examines complex moral and legal issues in the

Cruzan family’s appeal to remove their brain-damaged daughter’s life-support

equipment.

Pop charts - “Another Day In Paradise’ - Phil

Collins, “We Didn’t Start The Fire” - Billy Joel,

“Blame It On The Rain” - Milli Vanilli, “Don’t

Know Much” - Linda Ronstadt/Aaron Neville,

“(It’s Just) The Way That You Love Me” - Paula

Abdul, “Back To Life (However You Want Me)” -

Soul II Soul, “Angelia” - Richard Marx, “With

Every Beat Of My Heart’ - Taylor Dayne, “Just

Like Jesse James” - Cher, “Living In Sin” - Bon

Jovi, “Don’t Close Your Eyes” - Kix, “Don’t Make

Me Over” - Sybil, “The Last Worthless Evening”

- Don Henley, “Rock And A Hard Place” - The

Rolling Stones

Top Albums - “... But Seriously” -

Phil Collins, “Presto” - Rush, “Storm

Front” - Billy Joel,” Cosmic Thing’ -

The B-52’s, “Girl You Know It’s True’

- Milli Vanilli, “Janet Jackson’s

Rhythm Nation 1814’ - Janet

Jackson, “Pump” - Aerosmith, “Steel

Wheels” - The Rolling Stones, “A

Fresh Aire Christmas” - Mannheim

Steamroller” - “Journeyman” - Eric

Clapton, “Forever Your Girl” - Paul

Abdul, “Full Moon Fever” - Tom

Petty, “Crossroads” - Tracy

Chapman, “Live” - Kenny G, “Cry

Like A Rainstorm, Howl Like The

Wind” - Linda Rostadt/Aaron Neville,

“Mannheim Steamroller Christmas” -

Mannheim Steamroller, “Slip Of The Tongue” - Whitesmake, “Hangin’ Tough” -

New Kids On The Block, “A Collection: Greatest Hits ... and More” - Barbra

Streisand, “Very Special Christmas’ - various artists.

Top Country - “It’s Just A Matter Of Time” - Randy Travis, “If Tomorrow Never

Comes” - Garth Brooks, “Two Dozen Roses” - Shenandoah.

Week of December 10, 1989

Top Country Albums - “No Holdin’ Back’ - Randy Travis, “Killin’ Time” - Clint

Black, “White Limozeen” - Dolly Parton, “Reba Live” - Reba McEntire, “Simple

Man” - The Charlie Daniels Band, “The Boys Are Back” - Sawyer Brown, “Just

Lookin’ For A Hit” - Dwight Yoakam, “Loving Proof” - Ricky Van Shelton, “The

Road Not Taken” - Shenandoah, “Leave The Light On” - Lorrie Morgan.

Top Movies -

“National Lampoon’s Christmas

Vacation” - Chevy Chase, Beverly

D’Angelo

Divito

“Back to the Future Part II”- Michael J.

Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea

Thompson

“The Little Mermaid”

“The Wizard” - Fred Savage

“Family Business” - Sean Connery,

Dustin Hoffman, Matthew Broderick

“Buddy-buddies” - Robert DeNiro, Sean Penn

“Blaze” - Paul Newman

“Steel Magnolias” - Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hanna

“Harlem Nights”

“She-Devil” - Meryl Streep, Roseanne Barr