The day Jaws was unleashed on the world
Last updated: June 4, 2024

Happy National Hike with a Geek Day! Why would you want to hike with a geek? For starters, if you want your hike to be short and inside and to a GameStop, it’s perfect.
This is The Reset Button from Classic Nerd, resetting your day.
June 20 in Nerd History
Here are 5 things that happened on June 20 that matter to those of us who…
I.
Birthdays of honor: Nicole Kidman (1967), Lionel Richie (1949), Audie Murphy (1925), John Goodman (1952), Errol Flynn (1909), Brian Wilson (1942), Martin Landau (1928), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (1989), Danny Aiello (1933), Robert Rodriguez (1968), Olympia Dukakis (1931), Bob Vila (1946), Koko B. Ware (1957).
II.
On this day in 1994, O.J. Simpson was arraigned on murder charges following the extremely slow, strange, and viral media coverage of him fleeing police officers in a white Ford Bronco driven by his friend and former teammate, Al Cowlings.

III.
They were on a mission from God: The Blues Brothers hit wide release on this day in 1980.
Also on this day in 1997, Batman & Robin came out. The movie underperformed at the box office and was so universally panned by fans and critics alike that Warner Bros. canceled all future Batman movie projects at the time. But Arnold earned himself a cool (or should I say, ice cold) $25 million for his role as Mr. Freeze.
Let’s not forget The Karate Kid Part II in 1986 and Jack Nicholson’s Chinatown in 1974.
IV.
Normally we’d toss this in with all the other movies, but today we need to take up an entire section for Jaws, released on this day in 1975.

It essentially created the concept of the summer blockbuster as we know it and was the highest-grossing movie of all time until Star Wars unseated it two years later. John Williams’ bare-bones score has become cultural memory — my kid saw a piano the other day and started playing the DUN-DUN part, even though he’s never seen Jaws and probably won’t for years to come.
To Steven Spielberg in his shorts in Martha’s Vineyard, we at Classic Nerd salute you.

V.
The underrated Kung-Fu Heroes was released for the NES in 1986 in Japan. It was best with two players.
Check out more...
Read Next

November 3rd in nerd history: Happy birthday Dolph Lundgren!

December 8 in nerd history: Imagine all the people living for today

The 10 most important lessons from '80s vampire movies

September 7th in nerd history: Happy birthday Buddy Holly!

The Best 90s Snacks That Ruled the Lunchroom

January 19 in nerd history: Kevin Bacon, Muhammad Ali, and I Love Lucy

September 19th in nerd history: Are those helicopters I hear?
