UK, 
US, 
Australia & 
IrelandAt A Glance
5 August 1981 at a glance
- Day of the week
- 5 August 1981 was a Wednesday.
- Billboard Hot 100 No. 1
- The Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 was “Jessie's Girl” by Rick Springfield.
- Top Film of 1981
- The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1981 was Raiders of the Lost Ark.
- Bestselling Novel of 1981
- “Noble House” by James Clavell was No. 1 on Publishers Weekly's US fiction list for 1981.
- Top-Rated TV Show
- “Dallas” (CBS) was No. 1 in the Nielsen ratings for the 1981–82 season.
- Star sign
- The star sign for 5 August is Leo.
- Chinese zodiac
- In the Chinese zodiac, 5 August 1981 fell in the Year of the Rooster.
- Birthstone
- The birthstone for August is Peridot.
- Moon phase
- The moon phase on 5 August 1981 was Waxing Crescent.
On this day: 5 August
- 1971 The first Pacific Islands Forum (then known as the "South Pacific Forum") is held in Wellington, New Zealand, with the aim of enhancing cooperation between the independent countries of the Pacific Ocean.
- 1973 Mars 6 is launched from the USSR.
- 1974 Watergate scandal: President Richard Nixon, under orders of the US Supreme Court, releases the "Smoking Gun" tape, recorded on June 23, 1972, clearly revealing his actions in covering up and interfering investigations into the break-in. His political support vanishes completely.
- 1979 In Afghanistan, Maoists undertake the Bala Hissar uprising against the Leninist government.
- 1981 President Ronald Reagan fires 11,359 striking air-traffic controllers who ignored his order for them to return to work.
Famous people born on August 5
- James Gunn, American filmmaker (born 1966)
- Wendell Berry, American novelist, short story writer, poet, and essayist (1934–2026)
- Angry Anderson, Australian singer and actor (1947–2026)
- Neil Armstrong, American pilot, engineer, and astronaut, first man to walk on the Moon (1930–2012)
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Events of 1981 in the United States
A selection from Wikipedia's '1981 in the United States'. Not a complete list.
- March 31 – The 53rd Academy Awards, hosted by Johnny Carson, are held at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles. Robert Redford's directorial debut, Ordinary People, wins four awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.
- April 12 – The Space Shuttle program: Space Shuttle Columbia (John Young, Robert Crippen) launches on the STS-1 mission, returning to Earth on April 14.
- June 12 – Raiders of the Lost Ark, directed by Steven Spielberg is released as the first film of the Indiana Jones film series.
Life in the US in 1981
President
Ronald Reagan
Gas (per gallon)
$1.31
Loaf of Bread
$0.54
Average House
$68,900
Weekly Wage
$285
Or
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Famous Faces Born in the 1980s
Well-known people born in the same decade as you, not on your birthday.
Hayden Panettiere21 August 1989Actress & singerView their day →Alan Ritchson28 November 1982ActorView their day →Anne Hathaway12 November 1982ActressView their day →Dakota Johnson4 October 1989Actress & modelView their day →Macklemore19 June 1983RapperView their day →Andrew Garfield20 August 1983ActorView their day →Julia Stiles28 March 1981ActressView their day →Taylor Swift13 December 1989Singer-songwriterView their day →Sources: Wikidata and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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