This Month In YesterYear History - October

October is finally upon us!  

Ok, I know I'm posting this at the end of September, but I need every available Monday and Friday for our Halloween 2022 content! On Monday, you'll find an original post or article, and on Friday, I'll be highlighting some past articles you may have missed, so please, check them out!  

By the way, if you use a desktop, you'll notice on the right side of the screen, I've added links to view this Halloween's T.V. Listings for AMC FrightFest, Freeform's 31 Nights of Halloween, and a Streaming Sampler List. If you're using a phone or tablet, you'll have to scroll down to the bottom to find it.  

Let's review the Octobers of our past with another edition of "This Month in YesterYear History!"  

Please CLICK HERE to read last month's feature if you missed it!

In this series, we take a brief look back at the "best" or "top" of popular culture from the past 20 (2002), 25 (1997), and 30 (1992) years ago!   

Below, you'll find a little time capsule of what was significant in our lives during those days.  Hopefully, as you read these brief synopses of the past, you'll begin to remember the who, when, and where of your memories from that time period.  

That's why I post to this site, after all!

So, let's get into those time machines, my friends!  We're headed back Twenty, Twenty Five, and Thirty years ago!

POINTS OF REFERENCE

2002: On the 3rd, the "Beltway Sniper" attack begins, lasting three weeks. A siege on a Moscow theater begins when Chechen rebels hold 700 concert-goers hostage, lasting three days. On the 24th, the rock musical "Movin' Out," set to songs of Billy Joel, opens at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York City and runs for 1,303 performances. On Halloween, a federal grand jury in Houston, Texas, formally indicted former Enron CFO Andrew Fastow on 78 counts of wire fraud, money laundering, conspiracy, and obstruction of justice.

1997: October 1st sees NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves offer Kevin Garnett, two years removed from high school, a record 6-year, $123 million contract extension. On the 3rd, Gordie Howe plays hockey at the age of 69 with the IHL's Detroit Vipers. In more hockey news, on the 9th, the New York Rangers are the first team to open a season with four straight ties. A judge ordered Mike Tyson to pay $45,000 to fellow boxer Mitch Green after a street brawl a decade earlier in 1988. The U.S. government accuses Microsoft on the 20th of violating the law by forcing Internet Explorer on computers. On the 22nd, Wayne Gretzky's wife is knocked unconscious and requires two stitches when the rink's plexiglass breaks and falls on her during the game. On the 27th, the Dow Jones crashes a record (at the time) 554 points to 7,161. On the 27th, the U.S. government released a redesigned $50 bill.  

1992: On October 1st, the Greater Pittsburgh Airport (now Pittsburgh International) opens as a massive hub for U.S. Airways following a $1 billion renovation. It reached a peak of 542 flights per day but now sees less than 125 in 2022. On the 3rd, Sinead O'Conner rips up a picture of Pope John Paul II on SNL. On October 7th, Tampa Bay Lightning become the first NHL expansion team to win their opening game. The video game Mortal Combat is released on the 8th. The next day, Steven Seagal finds his best-known role when "Under Seige" debuts. On the 11th, the first three-way Presidential debate is held between Bill Clinton, George HW Bush, and Ross Perot. Earlier that day, Deion Sanders played both baseball for the Atlanta Braves and football for the Atlanta Falcons on the same day. On the 27th, Tipper Gore admits in an interview that she covers the clock on her VCR so she doesn't have to watch it blink. On the 31st, the Roman Catholic Church formally apologizes for its treatment of astronomer Galileo Galilei.  

TOP MOVIES

2002: "Red Dragon" - This psychological thriller is based on the 1981 novel by Thomas Harris and serves as a prequel to the classic 1991 film, The Silence of the Lambs. FBI Agent Will Graham (Edward Norton) enlists the help of serial killer Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) to catch another killer, Francis Dolarhyde (Ralph Fiennes). Harvey Keitel, Emily Watson, Mary-Louise Parker, and Philip Seymour Hoffman also star.

The novel had previously been adapted into a film in 1986 titled Manhunter. Both films feature the same cinematographer, Dante Spinotti. The film was released on October 4th, 2022, and received mostly positive reviews from critics. The film was financially successful, learning $209 million worldwide.    

1997: "I Know What You Did Last Summer" - This 1997 Slasher film stars 90's teen heartthrobs Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, and Freddie Prinze Jr. Loosely based on the 1973 novel of the same name, the film centers on four young friends who are stalked by a hook-wielding killer one year after covering up a car accident in which they supposedly killed a man.  

I Know What You Did Last Summer was released on October 17th, 1997. It received mixed reviews from critics but was commercially successful, grossing $125 million worldwide on a budget of $17 million. It remained number 1 at the box office for three straight weeks. It was followed by I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998), and I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer (2006). The original 1997 movie and 1996's Scream have been credited with revitalizing the slasher film genre during the late 90s.

1992: "Under Seige" -  This 1992 action thriller film stars Steven Seagal as a former Navy SEAL who must stop a group of mercenaries, led by Tommy Lee Jones, on the U.S. Navy battleship Missouri.

Released on October 9th, 1992, Under Siege was critically and commercially successful, receiving two Oscar nominations for sound production, and is often considered Seagal's best film. It was followed by a 1995 sequel, Under Siege 2: Dark Territory, which was less positively received.

TOP SONGS

2002:  "A Moment Like This" by Kelly Clarkson

1997:  "Candle in the Wind, 1997" by Elton John

1992:  "End of the Road" by Boyz II Men

TOP TV NEWS

2002:  Friends was the top winner, with 28.9 million viewers.  

On October 6th, 2002, CBS aired a biopic titled "Gleason," starring Everybody Love Raymond's Brad Garrett as Jackie Gleason. The film chronicles the creation of "The Honeymooners," exposes the drama that existed behind the scenes of the comedy, points out the parallels between the show and Gleason's real life, and reveals what made the larger-than-life comedian the man who could create the beloved characters of Ralph, Alice, Ed, and Trixie. 

I've never even heard this existed, so I went looking online. Bits and pieces are available, so I've included a bit below.

1997:  E.R. blows the competition out of the water with over 47 million viewers. Imagine 47 million Americans doing anything together these days.  

On October 25th, comedian Chris Farley makes his final T.V. appearance as guest host on SNL. He would die of a drug overdose two months later. Also, on the 25th, Under Wraps, the first "Disney Channel Original Movie," airs.  

1992:  Roseanne is the biggest ratings earner this month, with 37 million viewers tuning in to see the annual Halloween episode.  CLICK HERE to read my article about "Halloween on Roseanne" from last year to read all about it!

On October 12th, James Doohan reprises his role as Montgomery "Scotty" Scott on Star Trek: Next Generation. On October 16th, the previously unseen pilot episode of Gilligan's Island (filmed in 1964) airs on TBS. On October 31st, the first episode of the cartoon X-Men debuts on Fox Kids.