WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO: 1980's Music Video Stars

Like films and TV, the music video was an artform that was popular in the 1980’s. It is essentially extinct today, with music videos relegated to Youtube or iTunes.

Back then, MTV spent 24 hours a day playing them. “All day every day” as they used to proclaim.

While a few stars came from music videos (Courtney Cox in the “Dancing in the Dark” video is the best example, and Gina Gershon appeared in an early Cars video), the rest of the people in these videos were and still are anonymous. There is no IMDB.com to list the credits of music videos.

So, I got to thinking, what ever happened to these music video stars. Or, an even better question, just who were they?

I thought I would look back at some of the more memorable music videos


“Centerfold” by the J. Geils Band - I think it is safe to say this will always be my favorite music video. It was the first video I ever saw. And, as far as impact goes, I don’t think this will ever be duplicated. It was ALL that was talked about in 4th grade. The song was HUGE. So, who were all the anonymous girls dancing in the background? What are they doing today? One looks like Martha Quinn. It wasn’t. Another looks like Lucinda Dickey. I don’t think it is her. They are all part of music video history, but no one knows their name.



“Jenny 867-5309” by Tommy Tutone - Almost as important as “Centerfold” I spent hours watching MTV waiting for this video. What is Jenny doing today? Who was she? Do people get residuals for appearing in music videos?


“Legs” by ZZ TOP - The ZZ Top girls were always popular. Some people may prefer the video for “Gimme All Your Lovin” but the video for “Legs” was more popular. Before all the makeover TV shows, this can be seen as the original. Is the girl still with the guy? Did the makeover work?


“Boys of Summer” by Don Henley - The video for “Boys of Summer” was hugely popular. Beautifully photographed in black and white, it swept the MTV Video Awards (back when they mattered). A case could be made to list the volleyball guys in this, but what about the girl on the bed, watching TV? What is she doing today?


“Heaven” by Bryan Adams - With his album RECKLESS, Bryan Adams took the video format in a different direction. He made a series of videos all tied in together. They all featured the same girl, and his relationship with her. In “Summer of 69”, it covered their meeting at a drive-in. Then came “Heaven” where she sees him in concert, and wishes she was with him. The video ends with Bryan running after her, only to find the doors locked and it snowing outside. “Run to You” continued from their. Same girl in every video.


“Your Love” by The Outfield - I never really appreciated the band The Outfield back in the day. They were on the radio so much, I was kind of sick of them. Looking back, they were on the radio so much because they were actually pretty good. The video for “Your Love” had the band performing while a girl (who looks like E.G. Daily, but isn’t) painted in the audience. The shot I absolutely loved in the video was the end, as she leaves the hall and walks down the street. As she rounds a corner, the setting sun gives a shadow to her.


“Walk on Water” by Eddie Money - This was one in a series of people looking at the camera and yelling videos, but the one thing about it that always got to me is “Who is that girl?” She looks very familiar, like a model, like Paulina Portizkova, but she isn’t.


“My Heart Can't Tell You No” by Rod Stewart - Like Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart had a series of videos telling a continual story. This time, his jealousy of woman in a club where he is a bartender. Same actress in both videos.


“Should’ve Known Better” by Richard Marx - Marx I guess can be thought of as the John Mayer of the 1980’s, only with better music. Every girl was in love with him, even with the mullet. The girl in this video I always thought looked familiar. At one point I thought it was Sheryl Lee of TWIN PEAKS. It wasn’t.


“Free Fallin” by Tom Petty - Petty really came of age in the MTV era. I could have also included “Alice” from “Don’t Come Around Here No More” but “Free Fallin” I thought was a better video. Following a girl in three eras.