Remembering 1990

"Early Show" Anchors Look Back at Events, People and Trends from Then That Helped Shape Today's World

(CBS)  The "Time Machine" series continues on "The Early Show" with the year 1990. Although 1990 doesn't sound like it was all that long ago, looking back on some of the trends and the significant historic events of the year shows us how far we have come in 19 years.

Blast to the Past, 1990, with "The Early Show"
Photos: Back to 1990
Artifacts of 1990
1990 Quiz
Cast of "Murphy Brown" Unite
Chilling with Vanilla Ice

The Hubble Telescope was launched in 1990.

"Early Show" co-anchor Harry Smith noted the telescope was a "disaster."

"We sent it up there," he said, "and it didn't work."

In 1990 Dr. Jack Kervorkian assisted in a person's death for the first time. She was an Oregon woman with Alzheimer's disease. He helped her to die using a suicide machine.

Kevorkian has said," It is time for assisted death."

The year 1990, "Early Show" weather anchor and features reporter Dave Price said, was also when AIDS patient Ryan White launched his heroic battle to fight the disease and the stereotypes that accompanied the diagnosis.

Reflections on 1979

Nelson Mandela was released from prison on Feb. 11, 1990.

"Early Show" news anchor Russ Mitchell said, "I remember seeing the sheer job on television of that moment when he was released, and the joy of people that I knew in this country. (I thought,) 'Wow, Nelson Mandela is being released from prison. The world certainly has changed."

And the world was continuing to change elsewhere that year. On August 2, 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait under Saddam Hussein, quickly taking control of the tiny, oil rich country.

"Early Show" co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez remarked this was a significant event because Iraq took control of 20 percent of the oil reserves in the world.

Smith said, referring to Saddam Hussein, "This guy was trouble, he was trouble, he had power and he was going to use it."

President George H.W. Bush said at the time, "The United Nations Security Council has endorsed 12 resolutions to condemn Iraq's unprovoked invasion and occupation of Kuwait."

Mitchell said, "I think a lot of Americans didn't know much about that part of the world, and didn't know that what happened there was going to affect us, but of course it led to the first Gulf War."

In entertainment, Jim Henson's Muppets were at the height of their popularity.

Smith said, "They're all over the culture. And they're hilarious and brilliant."

Madonna was pushing the envelope in music in 1990, Rodriguez said, for her sexual poses during performances and videos.

"It was controversial," Rodriguez said.

The movies "Home Alone" starring Macaulay Culkin and "Pretty Woman" with Julia Roberts also debuted that year.

The highly controversial animated show, "The Simpsons," also aired for the first time in 1990.

Mitchell said, "It took America some time to get used to the Simpsons."

And in November 1990, after selling millions of records, Rob Pilatus and Fabrice Morvan, the duo known as Milli Vanilli, were revealed to be models who publicly lip-synced to tracks recorded by anonymous studio vocalists. They became the first act ever stripped of a Grammy award and people were outraged.

However, the mood in the country that year, according to Rodriguez was "overwhelmingly positive."

She said, "I feel like people were happy generally in 1990."

[Psychtech]

I kow what I was doing in 89-1990. I was Part of the Invasion force into Panama. I was with Bco. 4/6 INF. %th ID. Over the last 19 yrs we have been over shadowed my the 1990's Invasion of the Middle East.

It would be nice to know this portion of American History was'nt forgotten.

[shelea]

Unless I just missed it, it seems the Murphy Brown retrospective pointedly ignored the absence of Robert Pastorelli, who was a wonderful addition to the cast in its later seasons. His addiction and death was tragic, but his contribution to the show was indisputable.

[raisingirl3]

Wow! What a wonderfully poetic come-around. I saw Rob struggling with his past identity on The Surreal Life and now to be able to accept himself as who he was and realize that's not who he is now - just beautiful! Anyways that song KICKS ASS! I love you Rob!

[MizzW]

This "Time Machine" series is great! Brings back a lot of wonderful memories. Thanks!