1981 in film

See also: 1980 in film, other events of 1981, 1982 in film, list of 'years in film'.

Table of contents

1 Events 2 Top Grossing Films of the Year 3 Academy Awards 4 Births 5 Deaths 6 Other Movies Released

Events

• January 19 - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquires bankrupt concurrent United Artists, the leading film production company in the last 20 years.
• November 29 - Off Santa Catalina Island, 43-year old actress Natalie Wood drowns during a boating accident.

Top Grossing Films of the Year

1. Raiders of the Lost Ark, starring Harrison Ford
2. On Golden Pond, starring Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, and Jane Fonda
3. Porky's
4. Arthur
5. Stripes, starring Bill Murray
6. The Cannonball Run
7. Guerre du feu, La
8. For Your Eyes Only
9. Chariots of Fire
10. The Four Seasons

Academy Awards

• Best Picture: Chariots of Fire - Enigma, The Ladd Company/Warner Bros.
• Best Actor: Henry Fonda - On Golden Pond
• Best Actress: Katharine Hepburn - On Golden Pond

Births

Deaths

• January 10 - Richard Boone, actor
• October 24 - Edith Head, costume designer
• December 28 - Allan Dwan, pioneer film director

Other Movies Released

• Halloween II, starring Jamie Lee Curtis
• Friday the 13th, Part 2
• Mommie Dearest, starring Faye Dunaway, Diana Scarwid
• (Omen III)The Final Conflict, starring Sam Neill, Rossano Brazzi