1980 in film - Definition and Overview

Events

• April 30 - The Roger Daltrey film, McVicar, opens in London.
• Sharon Stone makes her film debut in the Woody Allen movie Stardust Memories (released September 26 in USA)

Top three grossing films

North America

1. Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
2. Superman II starring the late Christopher Reeve
3. Nine to Five starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Dolly Parton

Academy Awards

• Best Picture: Ordinary People - Wildwood, Paramount
• Best Director: Robert Redford - Ordinary People
• Best Actor: Robert De Niro - Raging Bull
• Best Actress: Sissy Spacek - Coal Miner's Daughter

Deaths

• January 29 - Jimmy Durante, actor
• February 13 - David Janssen, actor
• March 5 - Jay Silverheels, actor (Tonto)
• March 28 - Dick Haymes, actor, singer
• April 29 - Alfred Hitchcock, director
• July 6 - Gail Patrick, actress
• July 24 - Peter Sellers, actor
• July 31 - Bobby Van, actor, dancer
• August 14 - Dorothy Stratten, actress, Playboy Magazine model
• August 25 - Gower Champion, actor, dancer, choreographer
• October 6 - Hattie Jacques, actress
• November 7 - Steve McQueen, actor
• November 22 - Mae West, actress
• November 24 - George Raft, actor
• November 26 - Rachel Roberts, actress
• December 8 - John Lennon, singer/songwriter
• December 31 - Raoul Walsh, director

Other movies released

• Caddyshack, starring Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight and others
• The Elephant Man
• Ordinary People
• Raging Bull
• Nine to Five, starring Dolly Parton
• Stir Crazy, starring Richard Pryor
• Any Which Way You Can
• Urban Cowboy
• Friday the 13th
• Mon oncle d'Amérique, Cannes Special Jury Prize
• Kagemusha, Palme d'Or winner
• All That Jazz, Palme d'Or winner
• Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears Academy Award for Best Foreign -Language Film
• Gloria, Golden Lion winner
• Atlantic City, Golden Lion winner
• Heartland, Golden Bear winner
• Palmero oder Wolsfburg, Golden Bear winner
• Loulou
• Tess
• The Stunt Man
• The Great Santini
• Fame
• Yanks
• Flash Gordon
• No Child's Land
• O Megalexandros
• The Constant Factor