The 40th President of the United States. Born on this day in 1911, Reagan is famous for his “Reaganomics” policies and for escalating the Cold War with an arms race, including his vision of Star Wars technology. As president, he survived an assassination attempt, took a hard line against labor unions and declared more militant policies in the War on Drugs. He also bombed Libya, suffered the Iran-Contra affair and ultimately ended the Cold War.
Note: This is 8-bit U.S. president #10 of 43.
A retired American football wide receiver. He is generally regarded as the greatest wide receiver of all time and one of the greatest players in National Football League (NFL) history. He is the all-time leader in most major statistical categories for wide receivers. He won three Super Bowl rings with the San Francisco 49ers.
A Romanian Communist politician who ruled Romania from 1965 to 1989. Born on this day in 1918, Ceausescu was the country’s second and last Communist leader. His rule became increasingly brutal and his repressive regime was among the most rigid in the Soviet bloc. His government was overthrown in the December 1989 revolution, and he and his wife were executed on Christmas Day.
A former tennis player who won eight Grand Slam singles titles during his career. Originally from Czechoslovakia, Lendl became a U.S. citizen in 1992. Lendl’s game relied particularly on strength and heavy topspin from the baseline and helped usher in the modern era of “power tennis.” He’s one of the greatest tennis players of all time.
Note: This is 8-bit tennis character #5 of 5 for Australian Open week.
An American former tennis player who won seven Grand Slam singles titles during his career. He is best remembered for his shot-making artistry and for his confrontational on-court behavior that frequently landed him in trouble with umpires and tennis authorities. “You cannot be serious!” He’s one of the greatest tennis players of all time.
Note: This is 8-bit tennis character #4 of 5 for Australian Open week.
An American former tennis player who won eight Grand Slam singles titles. In 1974, Connors became the second male in the open era to win three or more Grand Slam singles titles in a calendar year (Rod Laver being the first in 1969). Connors won more than 100 singles titles during his career. He’s one of the greatest tennis players of all time.
Note: This is 8-bit tennis character #2 of 5 for Australian Open week.
Wish Bear is aqua and has a shooting star on her stomach. All Care Bears have a “tummy symbol” that represents their role or specialty. The Care Bears were created by American Greetings in 1981 for use on greeting cards. This very successful franchise launched with 10 characters that Kenner turned into plush teddy bears. From 1983 to 1987, the Care Bears appeared in TV specials, a television series and three feature films.
Cheer Bear is pink and has a rainbow on her stomach. All Care Bears have a “tummy symbol” that represents their role or specialty. The Care Bears were created by American Greetings in 1981 for use on greeting cards. This very successful franchise launched with 10 characters that Kenner turned into plush teddy bears. From 1983 to 1987, the Care Bears appeared in TV specials, a television series and three feature films.
Tenderheart Bear is orange-brown and has a red heart on his stomach. All Care Bears have a “tummy symbol” that represents their role or specialty. The Care Bears were created by American Greetings in 1981 for use on greeting cards. This very successful franchise launched with 10 characters that Kenner turned into plush teddy bears. From 1983 to 1987, the Care Bears appeared in TV specials, a television series and three feature films.
A children’s toy talking bear. The animatronic teddy bear would move his mouth and eyes while “reading” stories played on a cassette tape deck built into his back. At the peak of his popularity, Teddy Ruxpin was the bestselling toy of 1985 and 1986. An animated TV series based on the characters in Teddy’s world debuted in 1987.
One of the most chilling moments of my 1980s childhood involved my sister’s Teddy Ruxpin. Due to touchy buttons, her Teddy would sometimes spontaneously start audio playback. Eventually, because the batteries were dying or due to some mechanical malfunction, Teddy was only capable of speaking extremely slowly. By then his motorized jaw had also been partially broken and hung agape. One night, I remember her slack-jawed Teddy Ruxpin turning himself on and trying to tell us a story of the Mudblups. His deep, drawn-out voice sounded fully demonic. We tried to turn him off but he continued spouting distorted, incomprehensible sounds. Eventually we removed the batteries. Evil Teddy Ruxpin.
Roger Rabbit’s buxom human wife in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, the 1988 live-action/animated adaptation of the 1981 mystery novel. In the film, Jessica is portrayed as a sultry cartoon singer at a Los Angeles club. She is one of the most famous sex symbols on the animated screen. “I’m not bad, I’m just drawn that way,” she claims.
The nine-year-old protagonist of the 1983 holiday classic A Christmas Story. The film was based on the stories of author and raconteur Jean Shepherd. Ralphie wants only one thing for Christmas: a Red Ryder BB Gun, with a compass in the stock and “this thing which tells time” (a sundial). Every adult tells him the same thing: “You’ll shoot your eye out.”
I was tempted to create an 8-bit Adam Sandler for today, since we all know Sandler is the modern spiritual figurehead of Hanukkah, but I could not resist Ralphie in his pink bunny suit.
The protagonist of the Rainbow Brite character franchise introduced by Hallmark Cards in 1983. The animated television series began in 1984. In the backstory, a little orphan girl named Wisp is taken by an unknown force to the Colorless World. Wisp (AKA Rainbow Brite) befriends a sprite named Twink and a majestic white horse known as Starlite.
As with Strawberry Shortcake, I prefer to pretend that the new hyper-sexualized version of Rainbow Brite doesn’t exist. There is something fundamentally wrong with our culture.
A cartoon character owned by American Greetings (which also owns the Care Bears franchise). Originally created in 1977 for use in greeting cards, Strawberry Shortcake and her friends have been licensed for dolls, toys, posters, an animated TV series and other products. During the 1980s, this franchise was a huge fad for young girls throughout the U.S.
I reject the pubescent, sexualized makeover of Strawberry Shortcake that was introduced in 2008. Also, in celebration of my 271st character: Did you know that 271 is the smallest prime P where P-1 and P+1 are divisible by cubes?
An American professional wrestler known by his ring name “Macho Man” Randy Savage. He was recognizable for his distinctively deep and raspy voice, his ring attire and his signature catchphrase (“Oooh yeah!”). He was the spokesman for Slim Jim snack foods in the 1990s. Savage was born on this day in 1952. He died of a sudden heart attack on May 20, 2011.
A fictional heroine in the Filmation cartoon and series of toys produced by Mattel called She-Ra: Princess of Power. She is the alter ego of Princess Adora and the twin sister of He-Man. She-Ra was intended to appeal to young girls in the same way that He-Man appealed to young boys. She wielded her power through the Sword of Protection.
Remember the pink Crystal Castle playset? My sister still owns this She-Ra accessory. Her daughter plays with it now.
The fortune teller from Zoltar Speaks, the magical fortune-telling machine in Big. For the 1988 romantic comedy film, the one-of-a-kind machine was placed at Rye Playland, an amusement park located in Rye, New York. Tom Hanks stars as Josh Baskin, a young boy who makes a wish to be “big” and is then aged to adulthood overnight.
Today is Election Day in the U.S. Want to make a wish?
A fictional British artificial intelligence, known for his wit and stuttering, distorted, electronically sampled voice. The character, portrayed by Matt Frewer, was featured in a music video TV show, a British cyberpunk film, a television drama series and commercials. In 1986, he was the spokesman for the New Coke advertising campaign (after the return of Coke Classic).
A former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom who served from 1979 to 1990. Her political philosophy emphasized deregulation. Thatcher survived an assassination attempt in 1984, and her hard line against trade unions and tough rhetoric in opposition to the Soviet Union earned her the “Iron Lady” nickname. She was born on this day in 1925.
Funshine Bear – No. 323
Funshine Bear is yellow-orange and has a smiling sun on her stomach. All Care Bears have a “tummy symbol” that represents their role or specialty. The Care Bears were created by American Greetings in 1981 for use on greeting cards. This very successful franchise launched with 10 characters that Kenner turned into plush teddy bears. From 1983 to 1987, the Care Bears appeared in TV specials, a television series and three feature films.
Funshine Bear was female in the original 1980s series, but has been portrayed as a male since the 2000s. A cartoon transgender bear?