UK, 
US, 
Australia & 
IrelandAt A Glance
15 May 1981 at a glance
- Day of the week
- 15 May 1981 was a Friday.
- Kent Music Report No. 1
- The Kent Music Report No. 1 was “Jealous Guy” by Roxy Music.
- Top Film of 1981
- The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1981 was Raiders of the Lost Ark.
- Best-Selling Vehicle of 1981
- Australia's top-selling new vehicle in 1981 was the Holden Commodore.
- Star sign
- The star sign for 15 May is Taurus.
- Chinese zodiac
- In the Chinese zodiac, 15 May 1981 fell in the Year of the Rooster.
- Birthstone
- The birthstone for May is Emerald.
- Moon phase
- The moon phase on 15 May 1981 was Waxing Gibbous.
On this day: 15 May
- 1970 President Richard Nixon appoints Anna Mae Hays and Elizabeth P. Hoisington as the first female United States Army generals.
- 1972 The Ryukyu Islands, under U.S. military governance since their conquest in 1945, revert to Japanese control.
- 1988 Soviet–Afghan War: After more than eight years of fighting, the Soviet Army begins to withdraw 115,000 troops from Afghanistan.
- 1991 Édith Cresson becomes France's first female Prime Minister.
- 1997 The United States government acknowledges the existence of the "Secret War" in Laos and dedicates the Laos Memorial in honor of Hmong and other "Secret War" veterans.
Famous people born on 15 May
- Don Nelson, American basketball player and coach (1940–2026)
- Jamie-Lynn Sigler, American actress and singer (born 1981)
- David Krumholtz, American actor (born 1978)
- Ousmane Dembélé, French footballer (born 1997)
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Choose your country: the charts, news and leaders change to match.
Events of 1981 in Australia
A selection from Wikipedia's '1981 in Australia'. Not a complete list.
- 30 January – Sir Harry Gibbs is announced as the next Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia in the wake of Sir Garfield Barwick's resignation.
- 10 February – Townsville International Airport opens in Townsville
- 19 March – The South Australian Parliament passes the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Land Rights Act 1981.
Life in Australia in 1981
Prime Minister
Malcolm Fraser
Monarch
Queen Elizabeth II
Petrol (per litre)
$0.34
Loaf of Bread
$0.65
Average House
$50,000
Weekly Wage
$250.00
Or
Browse by Year
Famous Faces Born in the 1980s
Well-known people born in the same decade as you, not on your birthday.
Chris Hemsworth11 August 1983ActorView their day →Delta Goodrem9 November 1984Singer & songwriterView their day →Ruby Rose20 March 1986Actor & modelView their day →Sam Reid19 February 1987ActorView their day →Rebel Wilson2 March 1980Actress & writerView their day →Teresa Palmer26 February 1986Actress & modelView their day →Alexander Volkanovski29 September 1988Mixed martial artist & kickboxerView their day →Abbie Cornish7 August 1982ActressView their day →Sources: Wikidata and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
About The Day You Were Born
Ever wondered what was happening in the world when you took your first breath? Our birthday lookup tool reveals the fascinating history of your special day.
About The Birthday Chronicle and where our data comes from →