1980 in film explained
The following is an overview of events in 1980 in film, including the highest-grossing films, award ceremonies and festivals, a list of films released and notable deaths.
Highest-grossing films (U.S.)
See also: List of 1980 box office number-one films in the United States. The top ten 1980 released films by box office gross in North America are as follows:
Highest-grossing films of 1980[1] | Rank | Title | Distributor | Box-office gross |
|---|
| 1 | The Empire Strikes Back | 20th Century Fox | $209,398,025 |
|---|
| 2 | 9 to 5 | $103,290,500 |
|---|
| 3 | Stir Crazy | Columbia | $101,300,000 |
|---|
| 4 | Airplane! | Paramount | $83,453,539 |
|---|
| 5 | Any Which Way You Can | Warner Bros. | $70,687,344 |
|---|
| 6 | Private Benjamin | $69,847,348 |
|---|
| 7 | Coal Miner's Daughter | Universal | $67,182,787 |
|---|
| 8 | Smokey and the Bandit II | $66,132,626 |
|---|
| 9 | The Blue Lagoon | Columbia | $58,853,106 |
|---|
| 10 | The Blues Brothers | Universal | $57,229,890 | |
|---|
Worldwide gross revenue
The following table lists known worldwide gross revenue figures for several high-grossing films that originally released in 1980. Note that this list is incomplete and is therefore not representative of the highest-grossing films worldwide in 1980.
Events
- April 29 – Sir Alfred Hitchcock, known as "the Master of Suspense", dies at his home in Bel Air, California, at the age of 80.
- May 21 – The Empire Strikes Back is released and is the highest-grossing film of the year (just as its predecessor, Star Wars, was three years prior).
- June 9 – Richard Pryor sets himself on fire while free-basing cocaine and drinking 151-proof rum. Pryor ran down his street in Northridge, California, until subdued by police.
- June 20 – The Blues Brothers is released, and in addition to becoming one of the top-grossing films of the year, it also became the first feature film to be based on characters created on Saturday Night Live.
- November 4 – Former Screen Actors Guild president and film actor Ronald Reagan wins the 1980 United States presidential election in a landslide victory.
November 7- Legendary actor Steve McQueen dies at the age of 50 after surgery to remove tumours in his neck after previously been diagnosed with lung cancer.
Context
Industry professionals predicted comedy films and upbeat entertainment to dominate theaters in 1980. This was a response to poor morale in a nation suffering through economic recession, which generally increased theatrical visits as audiences sought escapism and ignored romantic films and depictions of blue-collar life.[5] [6] The financial success and low cost of production cost of comedies such as Blazing Saddles (1974) and Animal House (1978), had further driven demand for comedies; Airplane!, The Blues Brothers, Caddyshack, and The Jerk, were all scheduled for release that year. The average cost of making films had risen to $6million which had reduced the number of films being made for niche audiences. Some studios continued to release a wide variety of films, hoping that few significant successes would compensate for other failures.[6]
A surge of interest in science-fiction following Star Wars release had led to many low-budget entries in the genre attempting to profit by association, and big budget entries such as and The Black Hole, both of which were released in late 1979, just months before The Empire Strikes Back.[7]
Awards
Palme d'Or (Cannes Film Festival):
All That Jazz, directed by Bob Fosse, United States
Kagemusha, 影武者 (Shadow Warrior), directed by Akira Kurosawa, Japan
Golden Lion (Venice Film Festival):
Atlantic City, directed by Louis Malle, US / Canada / France
Gloria, directed by John Cassavetes, United States
Golden Bear (Berlin Film Festival):
Heartland, directed by Richard Pearce, United States
Palermo or Wolfsburg (Palermo oder Wolfsburg), directed by Werner Schroeter, West Germany
1980 films
By country/region
By genre/medium
Births
- January 2 - David Gyasi, British actor
- January 4
- January 7
- January 8
- January 10
- January 16 – Lin-Manuel Miranda, American singer-songwriter and actor[8]
- January 17 – Zooey Deschanel, American singer-songwriter and actress[9]
- January 18
- Estelle, British singer, songwriter, record producer and actress
- Jason Segel, American actor, comedian, screenwriter, singer, songwriter, author and producer
- January 19
- January 21
- January 29 - Jason James Richter, American actor and musician
- January 30 – Wilmer Valderrama, American actor
- February 2 – Zhang Jingchu, Chinese actress
- February 3 - Ben Turner, British-Iranian actor
- February 6 - Ben Lawson, Australian actor
- February 8
- February 11 – Matthew Lawrence, American actor[10]
- February 12
- February 14 – Michelle Ye, Hong Kong actress and producer
- February 17 - Jason Ritter, American actor, voice actor and producer[12]
- February 21 - Brendan Sexton III, American actor
- February 25
- February 28 - Charles Halford, American actor
- February 29
- March 2 - Rebel Wilson, Australian actress, comedian, writer and producer[13]
- March 3
- March 7
- March 9 – Matthew Gray Gubler, American actor
- March 13 - Nathan Phillips, Australian actor
- March 18 - Sophia Myles, English actress
- March 20 - Mikey Day, American actor and comedian
- March 23 - Itay Tiran, Israeli actor and director
- March 25 - Tinsel Korey, Canadian actress and singer-songwriter
- March 30 - Fiona Gubelmann, American actress
- March 31
- April 4 - Collette Wolfe, American actress
- April 8
- April 10 – Charlie Hunnam, British actor and screenwriter
- April 11 - Julia Chantrey, Canadian actress
- April 13
- April 14
- April 15 - Arian Moayed, Iranian-born American actor, writer and director
- April 17
- April 22 - Rodrigo Hilbert, Brazilian television presenter, actor, and former model
- April 25 - Daniel MacPherson, Australian actor and television presenter
- April 26
- April 29
- April 30 - Sam Heughan, Scottish actor
- May 2 - Ellie Kemper, American actress and comedian[16]
- May 5 - Zach McGowan, American actor
- May 8
- May 14 - Sérgio Guizé, Brazilian actor
- May 18 - Matt Long, American actor
- May 20 - Cauã Reymond, Brazilian actor
- May 22
- May 23
- May 25 - Will Janowitz, American actor
- May 27 - Ben Feldman, American actor and producer
- May 29 - Adam Brown, English actor and comedian
- June 10 - Jessica DiCicco, American film, television and voice actress
- June 15 - Candace Brown, American actress and comedian
- June 16 – Sibel Kekilli, German actress
- June 18 - David Giuntoli, American actor
- June 19 - Neil Brown Jr., American actor
- June 20 - Tika Sumpter, American actress, singer, producer, television host and model
- June 21 - Preeya Kalidas, British singer and actress
- June 23
- June 24 – Minka Kelly, American actress
- June 26 - Jason Schwartzman, American actor, producer and musician
- July 1 - Fortune Feimster, American writer, comedian and actress
- July 3 – Olivia Munn, American actress
- July 4 - Max Elliott Slade, American former child actor
- July 6 – Eva Green, French actress
- July 7 - Marika Domińczyk, Polish-American actress
- July 10
- July 12 - Kristen Connolly, American actress
- July 15 – Jasper Pääkkönen, Finnish actor and film producer
- July 17 – Brett Goldstein, British actor and comedian
- July 18 – Kristen Bell, American actress
- July 19
- July 27 - Ewen Leslie, Australian actor
- July 29 - Rachel Miner, American actress
- July 30 - April Bowlby, American actress
- August 3
- August 5 - Sophie Winkleman, English actress
- August 6
- August 8 – Marisa Quintanilla, American actress
- August 9 - Stephen Schneider, American actor
- August 10
- August 11 - Merritt Wever, American actress
- August 12 - Dominique Swain, American actress and producer
- August 13 - Álex González, Spanish actor
- August 15 - Natalie Press, English actress
- August 18 – Preeti Jhangiani, Indian actress
- August 19
- August 21 - John Brotherton, American actor
- August 23 - Joanne Froggatt, English actress
- August 25 – Jackie Tohn, American actress and singer
- August 26
- August 31 - Leo Bill, English actor
- September 1 - Lara Pulver, English actress
- September 7
- September 9 – Michelle Williams, American actress
- September 12 - Hiroyuki Sawano, Japanese music composer
- September 13 – Ben Savage, American actor
- September 13 – Cristiana Capotondi, Italian actress
- September 18 - Charity Wakefield, English actress
- September 19 - Benjamin Davies, Scottish actor
- September 21
- September 25 - T.I., American actor and rapper
- September 29
- September 30 - Toni Trucks, American actress
- October 1 - Sarah Drew, American actress
- October 3 - Daniel DeSanto, Canadian actor and voice actor
- October 4
- October 6
- October 8
- October 14 – Ben Whishaw, English actor
- October 18
- October 19 – Benjamin Salisbury, American actor
- October 21
- October 23 - Robert Belushi, American actor
- October 24
- Casey Wilson, American actress and comedian
- Monica, American singer-songwriter, producer and actress
- October 25 - Mehcad Brooks, American actor
- October 28 - Wes Ball, American film director and artist
- October 29 – Ben Foster, American actor
- October 30 - Sarah Carter, Canadian actress
- October 31
- November 1 - Dani Rovira, Spanish comedian and actor
- November 2 - Kim So-yeon, South Korean actress
- November 5 - Luke Hemsworth, Australian actor
- November 8 - Brooke Lyons, American actress
- November 9 - Vanessa Lachey, American actress, fashion model and television host
- November 10 - Alberta Mayne, Canadian actress
- November 12
- November 13 - Monique Coleman, American actress
- November 18 - Mathew Baynton, English actor, writer, comedian, singer and musician
- November 29 - Jason Griffith, American actor and voice actor
- December 3
- December 5 - Jessica Paré, Canadian actress
- December 9 – Simon Helberg, American actor and comedian
- December 13 - Satoshi Tsumabuki, Japanese actor
- December 15 - Yuri Kolokolnikov, Russian actor
- December 16 - Michael Jibson, English actor, director, writer and voice over artist
- December 18
- Christina Aguilera, American singer, songwriter, actress and television personality
- Neil Fingleton, English actor (died 2017)
- December 19
- December 22 - Chris Carmack, American actor
- December 26 - Jared Van Snellenberg, American former actor
- December 27 - Elizabeth Rodriguez, American actress
- December 30 – Eliza Dushku, American actress
- December 31 – Rosanne Mulholland, Brazilian actress
Deaths
| Month | Date | Name | Age | Country | Profession | Notable films |
|---|
| January | 1 | | 82 | US | Composer, Arranger | |
| 3 | | 81 | Estonia | Actor | |
| 14 | | 71 | US | Screenwriter | |
| 17 | | 60 | US | Actress | |
| 18 | | 76 | UK | Costume Designer, Production Designer | |
| 22 | | 64 | US | Actress | |
| 23 | | 71 | US | Actor | |
| 24 | | 92 | Germany | Actress | |
| 24 | | 58 | US | Screenwriter | |
| 27 | | 76 | Italy | Actor | |
| 28 | | 83 | US | Director | |
| 29 | | 86 | US | Actor, Singer | |
| February | 1 | | 54 | Italy | Actor | |
| 3 | | 71 | US | Composer | |
| 9 | | 77 | UK | Actress | |
| 13 | | 48 | US | Actor | |
| 17 | | 57 | US | Composer | |
| 17 | | 62 | US | Art Director | |
| 18 | | 58 | US | Actress, Singer | |
| 26 | | 81 | Italy | Director, Screenwriter | |
| 27 | | 78 | US | Actor | |
| March | 5 | | 67 | Canada | Actor | |
| 8 | | 80 | US | Director | |
| 17 | | 85 | US | Special Effects Artist | |
| 27 | | 64 | US | Film Editor | |
| 27 | | 67 | US | Screenwriter | |
| 28 | | 61 | Argentina | Actor, Singer | |
| 30 | | 70 | US | Stuntman, Actor | |
| April | 3 | | 56 | US | Actress | |
| 6 | | 78 | UK | Screenwriter | |
| 9 | | 66 | US | Actress | |
| 10 | | 65 | US | Actress | |
| 11 | | 66 | US | Actress | |
| 14 | | 85 | US | Actor | |
| 15 | | 75 | US | Actor | |
| 17 | | 76 | Sweden | Director | |
| 19 | | 50 | UK | Actor | |
| 25 | | 65 | Italy | Director, Screenwriter, Cinematographer | |
| 26 | | 87 | Australia | Actress, Singer | |
| 29 | | 74 | US | Director | |
| 29 | | 80 | UK | Director | |
| May | 1 | | 70 | US | Director | |
| 1 | | 84 | US | Screenwriter | |
| 2 | | 72 | Hungary | Producer, Director | |
| 4 | | 71 | UK | Actress | |
| 12 | | 69 | US | Actress | |
| 14 | | 67 | UK | Actor | |
| 15 | | 74 | US | Sound Engineer | |
| 16 | | 64 | Spain | Actor | |
| 19 | | 84 | US | Cinematographer | |
| 21 | | 80 | Ukraine | Actress | |
| 26 | | 84 | Germany | Art Director | |
| June | 4 | | 52 | US | Actress | |
| 12 | | 75 | US | Actor | |
| 18 | | 76 | UK | Director | |
| 22 | | 82 | Philippines | Actress | |
| 23 | | 83 | UK | Actor | |
| 23 | | 50 | France | Actress | |
| 24 | | 73 | Poland | Cinematographer | |
| 28 | | 84 | Spain | Conductor, Actor | |
| 30 | | 72 | US | Actor | |
| July | 6 | | 62 | UK | Composer | |
| 6 | | 69 | US | Actress | |
| 7 | | 77 | UK | Actor | |
| 7 | | 74 | US | Producer, Screenwriter, Executive | |
| 11 | | 57 | US | Actress | |
| 24 | | 54 | UK | Actor | |
| 30 | | 66 | US | Actor | |
| 31 | | 51 | US | Actor, Dancer | |
| August | 1 | | 61 | US | Actor | |
| 2 | | 85 | US | Screenwriter | |
| 9 | | 83 | US | Director | |
| 14 | | 20 | Canada | Actress | |
| 17 | | 73 | US | Lyricist | |
| 24 | | 53 | UK | Actress | |
| 25 | | 59 | US | Actor, Dancer, Director | |
| 25 | | 87 | US | Actor | |
| 26 | | 72 | US | Animator, Director | |
| 27 | | 33 | US | Screenwriter | |
| September | 3 | | 70 | US | Actress | |
| 4 | | 76 | Romania | Actor | |
| 5 | | 48 | US | Actress, Director | |
| 12 | | 81 | US | Actress | |
| 17 | | 62 | US | Actor | |
| 19 | | 90 | US | Producer | |
| 25 | | 84 | Moldova | Director | |
| October | 6 | | 58 | UK | Actress | |
| 10 | | 49 | US | Actor | |
| 28 | | 63 | US | Actor | |
| November | 4 | | 68 | South Africa | Screenwriter | |
| 7 | | 70 | Italy | Actor | |
| 7 | | 50 | US | Actor | |
| 9 | | 81 | US | Actress | |
| 9 | | 65 | US | Actor | |
| 14 | | 76 | US | Actor | |
| 15 | | 64 | US | Actor, Singer | |
| 16 | | 38 | UK | Actress | |
| 22 | | 87 | US | Actress, Screenwriter | |
| 24 | | 38 | US | Actress | |
| 24 | | 79 | US | Actor | |
| 26 | | 91 | US | Film Editor | |
| 26 | | 53 | UK | Actress | |
| 28 | | 84 | US | Screenwriter | |
| 29 | | 84 | US | Actress | |
| December | 8 | | 40 | UK | Singer, Actor | |
| 12 | | 75 | US | Art Director | |
| 16 | | 44 | UK | Director | |
| 20 | | 85 | US | Director, Producer | |
| 21 | | 90 | US | Actor, Screenwriter | |
| 22 | | 86 | US | Screenwriter | |
| 23 | | 72 | Italy | Actor | |
| 28 | | 75 | US | Actor | |
| 31 | | 93 | US | Director, Actor | |
|
External links
Notes and References
- Web site: 1980 Domestic Grosses. Box Office Mojo. 7 April 2014.
- Web site: The Empire Strikes Back (1980). Box Office Mojo. May 13, 2013.
- News: Jamie se treffer: Met Uys, ja – die wêreld in. https://web.archive.org/web/20140714231833/http://www.rapport.co.za/Weekliks/Nuus/Jamie-se-treffer-Met-Uys-ja-die-wereld-in-20140712. dead. 2014-07-14. Gorelik. Boris. 12 July 2014. 2014-07-14. Rapport. Media24.
- Web site: The Blues Brothers . . . December 16, 2008.
- Web site: Harmetz . Aljean . Aljean Harmetz . January 19, 1981 . What Were 1980's Most Popular Movie? . . March 18, 2021. limited . https://web.archive.org/web/20150524084619/http://www.nytimes.com/1981/01/19/movies/what-were-1980-s-most-popular-movies.html . 2015-05-24 . live .
- Web site: Harmetz. Aljean . Aljean Harmetz . Hollywood Is Taking Aim At The Funny Bone . . August 5, 1979 . March 16, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210316161708/https://www.nytimes.com/1979/08/05/archives/hollywood-is-taking-aim-at-the-funny-bone-hollywood-aims-at-the.html. March 16, 2021 . live. limited.
- Web site: Lewin . David . Can the Makers of 'Star Wars' Do It Again? . . December 2, 1979 . March 16, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200808184319/https://www.nytimes.com/1979/12/02/archives/can-the-makers-of-star-wars-do-it-again.html . August 8, 2020 . live. limited.
- Web site: Lin-Manuel Biography (1980–) . Biography.com. November 8, 2017 . November 9, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171109080707/https://www.biography.com/people/lin-manuel-miranda-041416 . live .
- Book: ((Editors of Chase's)). Chase's Calendar of Events 2019: The Ultimate Go-to Guide for Special Days, Weeks and Months. 30 September 2018. Rowman & Littlefield. 978-1-64143-264-1. 90.
- Book: Contemporary. Sandra Whiteley. The Teacher's Calendar, 1999-2000: The Day-by-day Directory to Holidays, Historic Events, Birthdays and Special Days, Weeks and Months. 1999. Contemporary Books. 978-0-8092-2662-7. 115.
- Book: ((Chase's Editors)). Contemporary Books. Chase's Calendar of Events 2003. September 2002. McGraw-Hill. 978-0-07-139098-9. 131.
- Web site: The birth of Jason Ritter. 2020-10-02. californiabirthindex.org.
- News: Rebel Wilson's birth date revealed in ASIC documents. Aubusson. Kate. 20 May 2015. The Sydney Morning Herald. 19 May 2015. Business records filed with the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) list the date of birth for a "Rebel Melanie Elizabeth Wilson" as March 2, 1980.
- Web site: Person Details for Katherine B Waterston, "United States Public Records, 1945-2009" . FamilySearch.org. July 23, 2014.
- Monitor. . 2013. 1255/1256. 31.
- Web site: Ellie Kemper . . April 14, 2016 . March 14, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160314120946/http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/ellie-kemper/298647/ . live.
- News: Owen . Catrin . Pua Magasiva's life in the spotlight and the 'demons' behind it . 18 December 2019 . . en.
- Book: Paul T. Hellmann. Historical Gazetteer of the United States. 14 February 2006. Routledge. 1-135-94859-3. 783.
- Book: ((Editors of Chase's)). Chase's Calendar of Events 2019: The Ultimate Go-to Guide for Special Days, Weeks and Months. 30 September 2018. Rowman & Littlefield. 978-1-64143-264-1. 428.
