1981 in film

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The following is an overview of events in 1981 in film, including the highest-grossing films, award ceremonies and festivals, a list of films released and notable deaths.

Contents

Highest-grossing films (U.S.)

The top ten films released in 1981 by box office gross in North America are as follows:

Highest-grossing films of 1981 [1]
RankTitleDistributorBox-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

Awards

Category/Organization 39th Golden Globe Awards
January 30, 1982
35th BAFTA Awards
March 18, 1982
54th Academy Awards
March 29, 1982
DramaMusical or Comedy
Best Film On Golden Pond Arthur Chariots of Fire
Best Director Warren Beatty
Reds
Louis Malle
Atlantic City
Warren Beatty
Reds
Best Actor Henry Fonda
On Golden Pond
Dudley Moore
Arthur
Burt Lancaster
Atlantic City
Henry Fonda
On Golden Pond
Best Actress Meryl Streep
The French Lieutenant's Woman
Bernadette Peters
Pennies from Heaven
Meryl Streep
The French Lieutenant's Woman
Katharine Hepburn
On Golden Pond
Best Supporting Actor John Gielgud
Arthur
Ian Holm
Chariots of Fire
John Gielgud
Arthur
Best Supporting Actress Joan Hackett
Only When I Laugh
N/A Maureen Stapleton
Reds
Best Screenplay, Adapted Ernest Thompson
On Golden Pond
Bill Forsyth
Gregory's Girl
Ernest Thompson
On Golden Pond
Best Screenplay, Original Colin Welland
Chariots of Fire
Best Original ScoreN/A Carl Davis
The French Lieutenant's Woman
Vangelis
Chariots of Fire
Best Original Song"Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)"
Arthur
N/A"Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)"
Arthur
Best Foreign Language Film Chariots of Fire N/A Mephisto

Palme d'Or (Cannes Film Festival):

Man of Iron (Człowiek z żelaza), directed by Andrzej Wajda, Poland

Golden Lion (Venice Film Festival):

Marianne and Juliane (Die Bleierne Zeit), directed by Margarethe von Trotta, W. Germany

Golden Bear (Berlin Film Festival):

Faster, Faster (Deprisa, deprisa / Vivre vite), directed by Carlos Saura, Spain / France

1981 films

By country/region

By genre/medium

Births

Deaths

MonthDateNameAgeCountryProfessionNotable films
January10 Katharine Alexander 82USActress
10 Richard Boone 63USActor
11 Beulah Bondi 91USActress
12 Isobel Elsom 87UKActress
16 Bernard Lee 73UKActor
21 Allyn Joslyn 79USActor
February1 Wanda Hendrix 52USActress
2 Louise Lorraine 76USActress
4 Mario Camerini 85ItalyDirector, Screenwriter
11 Ketti Frings 71USScreenwriter
12 Jean Dixon 84USActress
21 Bernard B. Brown 82USSound Engineer, Composer
21 Ron Grainer 58AustraliaComposer
22 Curtis Bernhardt 81GermanyDirector
28 Virginia Huston 55USActress
28 Robert L. Wolfe 52USFilm Editor
March4 Torin Thatcher 76UKActor
5 Brenda de Banzie 71UKActress
6 E.Y. Harburg 84USLyricist
14 Eleanor Perry 66USScreenwriter
15 René Clair 82FranceDirector, Screenwriter
17 Dorothy Dwan 74USActress
27 Oliver A. Unger 66USProducer
31 Hank Henry 74USActor
April7 Norman Taurog 82USDirector
14 Sergio Amidei 76ItalyScreenwriter
26 Madge Evans 71USActress
26 Jim Davis 71USActor
26 Herb Voland 62USActor
May1 Marlin Skiles 74USComposer, Musical Director
9 Margaret Lindsay 70USActress
17 Hugo Friedhofer 80USComposer
18 Richard Hale 88USActor
18 Arthur O'Connell 73USActor
22 Boris Sagal 57UkraineDirector
23 George Jessel 83USActor, Producer
28 Henry Blanke 79USProducer
June5 Miguel Torres 81MexicoDirector
9 Russell Hayden 68USActor
10 Jenny Maxwell 39USActress
12 Eleanor Hunt 71USActress
12 Evalyn Knapp 74USActress
17 Lou Forbes 78USComposer
19 Alfred Santell 85USDirector
22 Lola Lane 75USActress
23 Zarah Leander 74SwedenActress
July1 George Voskovec 76Czech RepublicActor
2 Edward Killy 78USDirector
3 Ross Martin 61PolandActor
7 Keefe Brasselle 58USActor
20 Dale Hennesy 54USProduction Designer, Art Director
25 Gerardo de Leon 67PhilippinesDirector, Actor
27 William Wyler 79GermanyDirector, Producer
August1 Paddy Chayefsky 58USScreenwriter
4 Melvyn Douglas 80USActor
12 Shirley Grey 79USActress
16 Robert Krasker 68AustraliaCinematographer
18 Anita Loos 93USScreenwriter
19 Jessie Matthews 74UKActress, Singer
21 Eddie Byrne 70IrelandActor
30 Vera-Ellen 60USActress, Dancer
September1 Ann Harding 79USActress
6 Maria Palmer 64AustriaActress
11 Frank McHugh 83USActor
15 Sara Haden 81USActress
22 Harry Warren 87USComposer
23 Chief Dan George 82CanadaActor
24 Patsy Kelly 71USActress
27 Robert Montgomery 77USActor, Director
October4 Dorothy Dare 70USActress
5 Gloria Grahame 54USActress
15 Frank de Kova 71USActor
19 Nils Asther 84DenmarkActor
24 Edith Head 83USCostume Designer
26 Glenn Anders 92USActor
November2 Ghislain Cloquet 57FranceCinematographer
3 Jean Eustache 42FranceDirector
12 William Holden 63USActor
16 Morgan Conway 78USActor
21 Ejner Federspiel 85DenmarkActor
21 Harry von Zell 75USActor
25 Jack Albertson 74USActor
27 Lotte Lenya 83AustriaActress
29 Natalie Wood 43USActress
30 Robert H. Harris 70USActor
December5 Charles Barton 79USDirector
15 Karl Struss 95USCinematographer
17 Ada Kramm 82NorwayActress
27 Hoagy Carmichael 82USActor, Composer
28 Allan Dwan 96CanadaDirector

Film debuts

Notes

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    References

    1. "1981 Domestic Grosses". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved 7 April 2014.
    2. Japan Voice Producer Directory 2004. Vol. 1. Shogakukan. April 2004. p. 219. ISBN   978-4095263014.