Cinema 1981: You Must Remember This–Movies, Events, Stars, Box-Office, Hollywood

Cineliteracy: What You Need to Know about 1981 as Movie Year

Top-Grossing Films of 1981
Rank Title Distributor Box-office gross

1 Raiders of the Lost Ark Paramount $212,222,025
2 On Golden Pond Universal $119,285,432
3 Superman II Warner Bros. $108,185,706
4 Arthur $95,461,682
5 Stripes Columbia $85,297,000
6 The Cannonball Run 20th Century Fox $72,179,579
7 Chariots of Fire Warner Bros. $58,972,904
8 For Your Eyes Only United Artists $54,812,802
9 The Four Seasons Universal $50,427,646
10 Time Bandits Embassy $42,365,581

Events
January 20 – Former Governor of California and actor Ronald Reagan inaugurated president.

March 30 –

The 53rd Oscars are postponed due to attempted assassination of President Reagan earlier that day. They are held the following day with message from the President recorded prior to the assassination attempt.

May 16 –

MGM acquires beleaguered concurrent UA, which was humiliated by major losses on the $40 million movie Heaven’s Gate, major factor in owner Transamerica to sell it.

June 8 –

Marvin Davis acquires 20th Century Fox for $720 million.

June 12 –

Raiders of the Lost Ark, released by Paramount, became studio’s highest-grossing film of all time and set a major standard for many action-adventure movies to date, and spawned 4 sequels.

August 21 –

An American Werewolf in London is landmark in Visual Effects and Makeup.

October 1 –

MGM president and chief operating officer David Begelman becomes chair and chief executive officer of United Artists.

November 1 – United International Pictures is created to handle international distribution of films for United Artists, MGM, Universal and Paramount to replace Cinema International Corporation after MGM’s acquisition of UA.

November 25 –

Norman Lear and partner Jerry Perenchio buy Avco Embassy for $25 million.

November 29 –

Actress Natalie Wood drowns in boating accident off Santa Catalina Island.

Awards

54th Academy Awards, March 29, 1982

Best Film: Chariots of Fire
Best Director: Warren Beatty, Reds
Best Actor: Henry Fonda, On Golden Pond
Best Actress: Katharine Hepburn, On Golden Pond
Best Supporting Actor: John Gielgud, Arthur
Best Supporting Actress: Maureen Stapleton, Reds
Best Screenplay, Adapted Ernest Thompson, On Golden Pond

Best Screenplay, Original Colin Welland, Chariots of Fire
Best Original Score; Vangelis, Chariots of Fire
Best Original Song “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)”
Best Foreign Language Film: Mephisto
Palme d’Or (Cannes Film Fest): Man of Iron, Andrzej Wajda, Poland
Golden Lion (Venice Film Fest): Marianne and Juliane, Margarethe von Trotta, W. Germany
Golden Bear (Berlin Film Festival): Faster, Faster, Carlos Saura, Spain/France

Births

Deaths
Month Date Name Age Country Profession Notable films
January 10 Katharine Alexander 82 US Actress
Enchanted AprilJohn Loves Mary
10 Richard Boone 63 US Actor
The Tall THombre
11 Beulah Bondi 91 US Actress
It’s a Wonderful LifeMr. Smith Goes to Washington
12 Isobel Elsom 87 UK Actress
My Fair LadyThe Unseen
16 Bernard Lee 73 UK Actor
Dr. NoGoldfinger
21 Allyn Joslyn 79 US Actor
The Jazz SingerHeaven Can Wait
February 1 Wanda Hendrix 52 US Actress
Prince of FoxesCaptain Carey, U.S.A.
2 Louise Lorraine 76 US Actress
The Adventures of TarzanNear the Rainbow’s End
4 Mario Camerini 85 Italy Director, Screenwriter
UlyssesLike the Leaves
11 Ketti Frings 71 US Screenwriter
Come Back, Little ShebaFoxfire
12 Jean Dixon 84 US Actress
My Man GodfreyHoliday
21 Bernard B. Brown 82 US Sound Engineer, Composer
The Wolf ManShadow of a Doubt
21 Ron Grainer 58 Australia Composer
The Mouse on the MoonTo Sir, with Love
22 Curtis Bernhardt 81 Germany Director
A Stolen LifePossessed
28 Virginia Huston 55 US Actress
Out of the PastTarzan’s Peril
28 Robert L. Wolfe 52 US Film Editor
All the President’s MenOn Golden Pond
March 4 Torin Thatcher 76 UK Actor
HoudiniWitness for the Prosecution
5 Brenda de Banzie 71 UK Actress
Hobson’s ChoiceThe Man Who Knew Too Much
6 E.Y. Harburg 84 US Lyricist
The Wizard of OzGay Purr-ee
14 Eleanor Perry 66 US Screenwriter
David and LisaDiary of a Mad Housewife
15 René Clair 82 France Director, Screenwriter
It Happened TomorrowI Married a Witch
17 Dorothy Dwan 74 US Actress
Kid SpeedThe Wizard of Oz
27 Oliver A. Unger 66 US Producer
Force 10 from NavaroneSandy the Seal
31 Hank Henry 74 US Actor
Pal JoeyRobin and the 7 Hoods
April 7 Norman Taurog 82 US Director
SkippyBoys Town
14 Sergio Amidei 76 Italy Screenwriter
ShoeshinePaisan
26 Madge Evans 71 US Actress
Pennies from HeavenArmy Girl
26 Jim Davis 71 US Actor
The Big SkyThe Maverick Queen
26 Herb Voland 62 US Actor
Another Nice MessWith Six You Get Eggroll
May 1 Marlin Skiles 74 US Composer, Musical Director
GildaTonight and Every Night
9 Margaret Lindsay 70 US Actress
The House of the Seven GablesJezebel
17 Hugo Friedhofer 80 US Composer
The Best Years of Our LivesAn Affair to Remember
18 Richard Hale 88 US Actor
Friendly PersuasionTo Kill a Mockingbird
18 Arthur O’Connell 73 US Actor
Anatomy of a MurderPicnic
22 Boris Sagal 57 Ukraine Director
The Omega ManGirl Happy
23 George Jessel 83 US Actor, Producer
Beau JamesNightmare Alley
28 Henry Blanke 79 US Producer
The Treasure of the Sierra MadreThe Nun’s Story
June 5 Miguel Torres 81 Mexico Director
The Mad EmpressPancho Villa Returns
9 Russell Hayden 68 US Actor
Trail of the MountiesSeven Were Saved
10 Jenny Maxwell 39 US Actress
Blue HawaiiTake Her, She’s Mine
12 Eleanor Hunt 71 US Actress
Blue SteelYellow Cargo
12 Evalyn Knapp 74 US Actress
The Perils of PaulineHis Private Secretary
17 Lou Forbes 78 US Composer
IntermezzoBrewster’s Millions
19 Alfred Santell 85 US Director
Rebecca of Sunnybrook FarmInternes Can’t Take Money
22 Lola Lane 75 US Actress
Four DaughtersHollywood Hotel
23 Zarah Leander 74 Sweden Actress
The Blue FoxBack Then
July 1 George Voskovec 76 Czech Republic Actor
12 Angry MenThe Spy Who Came in from the Cold
2 Edward Killy 78 US Director
West of the PecosWagon Train
3 Ross Martin 61 Poland Actor
The Great RaceExperiment in Terror
7 Keefe Brasselle 58 US Actor
The Eddie Cantor StoryA Place in the Sun
20 Dale Hennesy 54 US Production Designer, Art Director
Fantastic VoyageAnnie
25 Gerardo de Leon 67 Philippines Director, Actor
The Moises Padilla StoryFe, Esperanza, Caridad
27 William Wyler 79 Germany Director, Producer
Ben-HurRoman Holiday
August 1 Paddy Chayefsky 58 US Screenwriter
NetworkMarty
4 Melvyn Douglas 80 US Actor
Being ThereHud
12 Shirley Grey 79 US Actress
Texas CycloneGirl in Danger
16 Robert Krasker 68 Australia Cinematographer
The Third ManEl Cid
18 Anita Loos 93 US Screenwriter
The WomenI Married an Angel
19 Jessie Matthews 74 UK Actress, Singer
There Goes the BrideIt’s Love Again
21 Eddie Byrne 70 Ireland Actor
Star WarsIsland of Terror
30 Vera-Ellen 60 US Actress, Dancer
White ChristmasOn the Town
September 1 Ann Harding 79 US Actress
HolidayIt Happened on Fifth Avenue
6 Maria Palmer 64 Austria Actress
Lady on a TrainThe Web
11 Frank McHugh 83 US Actor
Going My WayManpower
15 Sara Haden 81 US Actress
The Shop Around the CornerThe Bishop’s Wife
22 Harry Warren 87 US Composer
42nd StreetHello, Frisco, Hello
23 Chief Dan George 82 Canada Actor
Little Big ManThe Outlaw Josey Wales
24 Patsy Kelly 71 US Actress
The Cowboy and the LadyRosemary’s Baby
27 Robert Montgomery 77 US Actor, Director
Here Comes Mr. JordanNight Must Fall
October 4 Dorothy Dare 70 US Actress
Clothes and the WomanHigh Hat
5 Gloria Grahame 54 US Actress
In a Lonely PlaceThe Bad and the Beautiful
15 Frank de Kova 71 US Actor
The Ten CommandmentsThe Mechanic
19 Nils Asther 84 Denmark Actor
The Bitter Tea of General YenBluebeard
24 Edith Head 83 US Costume Designer
Roman HolidayThe Sting
26 Glenn Anders 92 US Actor
The Lady from ShanghaiM
November 2 Ghislain Cloquet 57 France Cinematographer
TessThe Young Girls of Rochefort
3 Jean Eustache 42 France Director
The Mother and the WhoreMy Little Loves
12 William Holden 63 US Actor
Stalag 17Sunset Boulevard
16 Morgan Conway 78 US Actor
Dick TracyJack London
21 Ejner Federspiel 85 Denmark Actor
OrdetStory of Barbara
21 Harry von Zell 75 US Actor
The Saxon CharmSon of Paleface
25 Jack Albertson 74 US Actor
The Subject Was RosesWilly Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
27 Lotte Lenya 83 Austria Actress
From Russia with LoveThe Threepenny Opera
29 Natalie Wood 43 US Actress
West Side StoryRebel Without a Cause
30 Robert H. Harris 70 US Actor
How to Make a MonsterValley of the Dolls
December 5 Charles Barton 79 US Director
Africa ScreamsThe Shaggy Dog
15 Karl Struss 95 US Cinematographer
Sunrise: A Song of Two HumansThe Great Dictator
17 Ada Kramm 82 Norway Actress
The White GodArven
27 Hoagy Carmichael 82 US Actor, Composer
To Have and Have NotThe Best Years of Our Lives
28 Allan Dwan 96 Canada Director
Sands of Iwo JimaHeidi

Film Debuts

Ben Affleck – The Dark End of the Street
Jason Alexander – The Burning
Christina Applegate – Jaws of Satan
Javier Bardem – El poderoso influjo de la luna
Kim Basinger – Hard Country
Xander Berkeley – Mommie Dearest
Kenneth Branagh – Chariots of Fire
Rodger Bumpass – Heavy Metal
Robert John Burke – The Chosen
Gabriel Byrne – Excalibur
James Cameron (director) – Piranha II: The Spawning
Bruce Campbell – The Evil Dead
Jeffrey Combs – Honky Tonk Freeway
Kevin Costner – Malibu Hot Summer
Tom Cruise – Endless Love
Charles Dance – For Your Eyes Only
Jeff Daniels – Ragtime
Robert Davi – Gangster Wars
Loretta Devine – Will
Dennis Farina – Thief
Nicholas Farrell – Chariots of Fire
Colin Friels – Hoodwink
Stephen Fry – Chariots of Fire
Lee Garlington – King of the Mountain
Gina Gershon – Beatlemania: The Movie
Jami Gertz – Endless Love
Bob Gunton – Rollover
James Handy – Taps
Anthony Head – Lady Chatterley’s Lover
Glenne Headly – Four Friends
Ciarán Hinds – Excalibur
Holly Hunter – The Burning
John Kapelos – Thief
Dan Lauria – C.O.D.
Peter MacNicol – Dragonslayer
John Mahoney – Hudson Taylor
Rik Mayall – Eye of the Needle
Maria de Medeiros – Silvestre
Steve Miner (director) – Friday the 13th Part 2
Alfred Molina – Raiders of the Lost Ark
Demi Moore – Choices
Chris Noth – Waitress!
Bill Nunn – Sharky’s Machine
Michael O’Neill – Ghost Story
Sean Penn – Taps
Ron Perlman – Quest for Fire
Ethan Phillips – Ragtime
Robert Picardo – The Howling
Martha Plimpton – Rollover
Amanda Plummer – Cattle Annie and Little Britches
Jon Polito – Gangster Wars
Geoffrey Rush – Hoodwink
Meg Ryan – Rich and Famous
Kôichi Satô – The Gate of Youth
Glenn Shadix – The Postman Always Rings Twice
Vinessa Shaw – Home Sweet Home
Mindy Sterling – The Devil and Max Devlin
Fisher Stevens – The Burning
Madeleine Stowe – Gangster Wars
Barbara Sukowa – Lola
Henry Thomas – Raggedy Man
Frank C. Turner – Silence of the North
Kathleen Turner – Body Heat
Reginald VelJohnson – Wolfen
Diane Venora – Wolfen
Denzel Washington – Carbon Copy
Vernon Wells – Mad Max 2
Celia Weston – Honky Tonk Freeway
Amanda Wyss – Force: Five