Dashed left edge = started before September 1990 ·
Dashed right edge = ongoing beyond September 1990
Events in September 1990 18
1898 – 1990Irene Dunne (1898-1990)American actress and singer, equally at home in musicals, melodramas and screwball comedy, with five Oscar nominations.
1990"Babylon Dungeon Sessions" demoFirst studio recordingsReturned to Los Angeles at the invitation of Tim Buckley's former manager Herb Cohen to record his first studio demo — the "Babylon Dungeon Sessions". The tape included early versions of "Eternal Life", "Last Goodbye" (then titled "Unforgiven"), "Strawberry Street" and a punk screamer called "Radio".
1990Dave Grohl joins NirvanaDrummerThe final line-up is complete.
1990Neil Young releases Ragged GloryGodfather of grungeA feedback-heavy album with Crazy Horse, hailed by the new grunge bands.
1990First gene therapy trialHuman genetic treatment beginsThe first approved human gene therapy trial began in September 1990 at the US National Institutes of Health, treating a four-year-old girl with a severe immune deficiency disorder.
1990Goodfellas releasedScorsese's gangster masterpieceMartin Scorsese's Goodfellas was released in September 1990, starring Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci. Widely considered one of the greatest films ever made.
1990Irene Dunne dies in Los AngelesIrene Dunne dies aged 91.
1990Tom Fogerty diesScottsdale, ArizonaDies without having reconciled with his brother John.
1990Bush-Gorbachev Helsinki summitGulf crisis discussedPresident Bush and Soviet leader Gorbachev met in Helsinki on September 9, 1990 to discuss the Gulf crisis, with the Soviets backing the US position against Iraq.
1990Liberian president Samuel Doe killedCaptured and executed during civil warLiberian president Samuel Doe was captured and killed by rebel forces under Prince Johnson on 9 September 1990. His death, filmed and widely circulated, marked a brutal turn in the First Liberian Civil War. The country descended into years of factional fighting.
1990Fresh Prince of Bel-Air debutsWill Smith's TV career launchesThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air premiered on NBC on September 10, 1990, launching Will Smith's acting career and becoming one of the most beloved sitcoms of the decade.
1990Two Plus Four TreatyGermany's path to reunification signedThe Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany — the "Two Plus Four Treaty" — was signed on September 12, 1990 by the two German states and the four Allied powers, clearing the legal path for reunification.
1990Seinfeld season 2 beginsDefining sitcom of the decadeSeinfeld's second season began on NBC on September 13, 1990. Originally struggling in ratings, it would become the defining American sitcom of the 1990s.
1990Sinéad O'Connor tears up Pope photoSNL protest shocks AmericaIrish singer Sinéad O'Connor tore up a photo of Pope John Paul II on Saturday Night Live on October 3, 1992 — but her controversial album "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got" dominated 1990 culture.
1990Gorbachev wins Nobel Peace PrizeRecognised for ending Cold WarMikhail Gorbachev was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on October 15, 1990, recognised for his leading role in ending the Cold War.
1990Star Trek: The Next Generation — Season 4Resolves the Borg cliffhanger (Picard rescued) and delivers consistently excellent television including "Family," "Brothers" and "The Drumhead." The show is now the most-watched drama in American syndication.
1990Stevie Ray Vaughan's Family Style releasedWith Jimmie VaughanThe brothers' album comes out a month after his death.
1990YF-22 first flightAdvanced Tactical FighterThe Lockheed, Boeing and General Dynamics YF-22 prototype flies, competing with Northrop's YF-23 for the Air Force's next air superiority fighter.