'1984' on Broadway: The year in entertainment, very different from George Orwell's dystopia

'Purple Rain'

The soundtrack from Prince’s movie topped the albums chart for the last 22 of the year, and sold more than 9 million copies. Above, Prince, left, and Apollonia Kotero in" Purple Rain." 

'1984'

Van Halen’s appropriately titled album, released Jan. 9, was the band’s most successful its last featuring David Lee Roth, above left, with Eddie Van Halen, as lead singer, until his return in 2012.

'Footloose'

Kevin Bacon starred in this musical drama, released Feb. 17, as a city boy who moves to a small town that outlawed dancing thanks to a fire-and-brimstone minister (played by John Lithgow). It spawned several top 10 hits and a No. 1 soundtrack album.

'Murder, She Wrote'

Debuting on Sept. 30, the lighthearted drama starring Angela Lansbury as a crime-solving mystery writer, quickly became a viewer favorite.

'Sixteen Candles'

May 4 brought us John Hughes’ first “Brat Pack” movie, a coming-of-age comedy starring Molly Ringwald, above with Michael Schoeffling, and Anthony Michael Hall.

'Ghostbusters'

Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Bill Murray and Ernie Hudson battled Manhattan poltergeists in the original (and still the best), which hit theaters on June 8. 

'Miami Vice'

The Florida-set cop show, which debuted Sept. 16, changed how TV looked and also made stubble-cheeked Don Johnson into a fashion icon.

'Thriller'

Michael Jackson won a then-record eight Grammys at the 1984 ceremony, mostly on the strength of “Thriller,” his sixth studio album. (Santana tied him in 2000.)

'Beverly Hills Cop'

This action comedy, premiering Dec. 1, cemented Eddie Murphy's status as a big-screen superstar. Murphy, above, second from left, played street-wise Detroit cop Axel Foley, who goes to Los Angeles to track down a friend’s killer.

'The Terminator'

This was Arnold Schwarzenegger’s first go-round as The Cyborg, who uttered the immortal catchphrase, “I’ll Be Back” for the first time on Oct. 26.

'Born in the U.S.A.'

Bruce Springsteen’s memorable seventh studio album, released on June 4, spawned seven top 10 singles (including the title track, “Dancing in the Dark” and “Glory Days”).

'Private Dancer'

The album (whose best-known track was “What’s Love Got to Do With It”) established Tina Turner as a superstar solo artist.

'Dynasty'

The over-the-top prime-time soap about the foibles of the rich was the No. 1 show of the 1984-85 season.

'The Cosby Show'

The Huxtable family, with Bill Cosby, above, right, first came into our living rooms on Sept. 20 and single-handedly revived the sitcom genre, which had been floundering.

'Where's the Beef?'

The phrase, featured in the commercial for Wendy’s, was first seen on Jan. 10 and soon became part of the national vernacular.