1983 facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Millennium:	2nd millennium
Centuries:	19th century – 20th century – 21st century
Decades:	1950s 1960s 1970s – 1980s – 1990s 2000s 2010s
Years:	1980 1981 1982 – 1983 – 1984 1985 1986

1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar.

Events
Births
- January – June
- July – December
Deaths
- January – June
- July – December
Movies released
Hit songs
New books
Images for kids
See also

Events

January – June

January 3 – Kilauea on the island of Hawaii begins erupting.
February 16 – The Ash Wednesday bushfires hit Victoria and South Australia.
February 28 – The TV Show, M*A*S*H ends with 125 million people watching the last show.
April 25 – Maine schoolgirl Samantha Smith is invited to the Soviet Union by Yuri Andropov, after she wrote a letter, expressing concern over a possible nuclear war.
May 6 – The fake Hitler Diaries are published by Stern magazine.
May 26 – An earthquake and tsunami hits Honshu, Japan, killing 104 people.
June 9 – In the UK, Margaret Thatcher's Conservative Party scores a landslide election victory over Michael Foot's Labour Party.
June 18 – Sally Ride becomes the first American woman in space.

July – December

July 1 – A North Korean Ilyushin II-62 jet crashes in Guinea-Bissau.
August 4 – Thomas Sankara takes control in Upper Volta, which he renames Burkina Faso exactly a year later.
August 21 – Filipino opposition leader Benigno Aquino is assassinated.
September 1 – Korean Airlines Flight 007 is shot down by the Soviet Union, after it passed over Sakhalin Island, as it had come off-course. All 269 people on board are killed.
September 19 – St. Kitts and Nevis becomes an independent nation.
September 27 – The GNU Project is announced publicly on net.unix wizards and net.usoftnewsgroups.
October 19 – Grenadan prime minister Maurice Bishop, and 40 other people are assassinated in a coup.
November 11 – Ronald Reagan addressed the Japanese Diet (national legislature).
December 10 – Military rule ends in Argentina.
December 31 – Brunei becomes independent.

Culture

Compact discs are introduced; vinyl records begin a dramatic decline in sales.
Phish forms
Billie Jean King retires from tennis
Social Distortion release their first album Mommy's Little Monster, which is considered by many to be one of the best hardcore punk records ever made.

Births

January – June

January 2 – Kate Bosworth, American actress
January 16 – Emanuel Pogatetz, Austrian footballer
January 17 – Yelle, French singer and songwriter
January 21 – Maryse Ouellet, Canadian professional wrestler
February 3 – Gabriel Sargissian, Armenian chess Grandmaster
February 23 – Emily Blunt, English actress
February 25 – Eduardo da Silva, Brazilian-Croatian footballer
March 9 – Clint Dempsey, American footballer
April 1 – Franck Ribéry, French footballer
April 14 – James McFadden, Scottish footballer
April 23 – Taio Cruz, English singer
May 11 – Matt Leinart, American football player
May 11 – Holly Valance, Australian actress and singer
June 8 – Kim Clijsters, Belgian tennis player
June 19 – Mark Selby, English snooker player
June 30 – Cheryl Cole, English singer (Girls Aloud)

July – December

July 5 – Zheng Jie, Chinese tennis player
August 6 – Robin van Persie, Dutch footballer
August 14 – Mila Kunis, Russian-American actress
August 18 – Mika, Lebanese-English singer
August 18 – Kris Boyd, Scottish footballer
September 14 – Amy Winehouse, English singer
September 26 – Ricardo Quaresma, Portuguese footballer
October 14 – Lin Dan, Chinese badminton player
October 17 – Ivan Saenko, Russian footballer
November 11 – Philipp Lahm, German footballer
December 9 – Dariusz Dudka, Polish footballer
December 15 – Ronnie Radke, American singer
December 31 – Sayaka Ichii, Japanese singer (Morning Musume)

Deaths

January – June

January 28 – Frank Forde, Australian politician (b. 1890).
January 28 – Billy Fury, English singer (b. 1940).
February 4 – Karen Carpenter, American singer (b. 1950).
February 12 – Eubie Blake, American musician (b. 1887).
February 25 – Tennessee Williams, American writer (b. 1911).
March 3 – Hergé, Belgian creator of Tintin (b. 1907).
March 18 – Umberto II of Italy (b. 1904).
April 15 – Corrie ten Boom, Dutch resistance fighter (b. 1892).
April 30 – Muddy Waters, American musician (b. 1915).
May 22 – Idris I, Libyan king (b. 1890).
May 31 – Jack Dempsey, American heavyweight boxer (b. 1895).

July – December

July 1 – Buckminster Fuller, American architect (b. 1895).
July 29 – David Niven, English actor (b. 1910).
August 17 – Ira Gershwin, American lyricist (b. 1896).
August 21 – Benigno Aquino, Filipino politician (b. 1932).
September 1 – Larry McDonald, American politician (b. 1935).
September 25 – Leopold III of Belgium (b. 1901).
October 19 – Maurice Bishop, Grenadan politician (b. 1944).
December 13 – Leora Dana, American actress (b. 1923).
December 25 – Joan Miro, Spanish artist (b. 1893).
December 28 – Dennis Wilson, American musician (The Beach Boys) (b. 1944)

Movies released

National Lampoon's Vacation
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Tootsie
Trading Places
WarGames
Superman III
Flashdance
Staying Alive
Octopussy
Mr. Mom, starring Michael Keaton and Teri Garr
48 Hrs.
Risky Business, starring Tom Cruise and Rebecca DeMornay
The Verdict
Jaws 3-D
Never Say Never Again
The Outsiders

Hit songs

"99 Luftballons" (99 Red Balloons) – Nena
"1999" – Prince
"2000 Miles" – The Pretenders
"Add It Up" – Violent Femmes
"Africa" – Toto
"All Night Long (All Night)" – Lionel Richie
"All Time High" – Rita Coolidge
"Always Something There to Remind Me" – Naked Eyes
"Another State Of Mind" – Social Distortion
"Australiana" – Austen Tayshus #1 (a)
"Baby, Come to Me" – Patti Austin with James Ingram
"Baby Jane" – Rod Stewart
"Bad Boys" – Wham!
"Bad Day" – Carmel
"Beat It" – Michael Jackson
"Billie Jean" – Michael Jackson
"Blind Vision" – Blancmange
"Blister In The Sun" – Violent Femmes
"Bloodstone" – Judas Priest
"Blue Monday" – New Order
"Blue World" – The Moody Blues
"Bop Girl – Pat Wilson #1 (a)
"Boxerbeat" – JoBoxers
"Breaking Us In Two" – Joe Jackson
"Buffalo Soldier" – Bob Marley and the Wailers
"Buried Treasure" -Kenny Rogers
"Burning Down The House" – Talking Heads
"Calling Your Name" – Marilyn
"Candy Girl" – New Edition
"Can't Get Used To Losing You" – The Beat
"Chance" – Big Country
"Change" – Tears For Fears
"China Girl" – David Bowie
"Chinese Cafe" – Joni Mitchell
"Church of the Poison Mind" – Culture Club
"Club Tropicana" – Wham!
"Come Back And Stay" – Paul Young
"Cruel Summer" – Bananarama
"Cry Me A River" – Mari Wilson
"Dark Is The Night" – Shakatak
"Dear Prudence" – Siouxsie and the Banshees
"Did You Have To Love Me Like You Do?" – The Coconuts
"Dirty Laundry" – Don Henley
"Don't Cry" – Asia
"Don't Let Him Steal Your Heart Away" – Phil Collins
"Don't Talk To Me About Love" – Altered Images
"Double Dutch" – Malcolm McLaren
"Down Under" – Men at Work
"Drop The Pilot" – Joan Armatrading
"Electric Avenue" – Eddy Grant
"Every Breath You Take" – The Police
"Everyday I Write The Book" – Elvis Costello and the Attractions
"Everything Counts" – Depeche Mode
"Family Man" – Hall & Oates
"Femme" – Dalida
"Fields Of Fire(400 Miles)" – Big Country
"Flashdance... What a Feeling" – Irene Cara
"Garden Party" – Marillion
"Gimme All Your Lovin'" – ZZ Top
"Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" – Cyndi Lauper
"Give It Up" – KC and the Sunshine Band
"Gloria" – Laura Branigan
"Gold" – Spandau Ballet
"He Knows You Know" – Marillion
"Heartache Avenue" – The Maisonettes
"Hold Me Now" – The Thompson Twins
"Hungry Like The Wolf" – Duran Duran
"I Cannot Believe It's True" – Phil Collins
"I Don't Care Anymore" – Phil Collins
"I Don't Remember(Live)" – Peter Gabriel
"I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues" – Elton John
"I'll Tumble 4 Ya" – Culture Club
"I'm Still Standing" – Elton John
"In A Big Country" – Big Country
In The Neighborhood – Tom Waits
"I.O.U." – Freeez
"Is There Something I Should Know?" – Duran Duran
"Islands In The Stream" – Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton
"It Don't Matter To Me" – Phil Collins
"It's Raining Men" – The Weather Girls
"Johnny B.Goode" – Peter Tosh
"Jump (For My Love)" – Pointer Sisters
"Karma Chameleon" – Culture Club
"Keep Feeling (Fascination)" – The Human League
"Kiss The Bride" – Elton John
"Le restaurant italien" – Dalida
"Les p'tits mots" – Dalida
"Let's Dance" – David Bowie
"Let's Stay Together" – Tina Turner
"Little Red Corvette" – Prince
"Long Hot Summer" – The Style Council
"Love Blonde" – Kim Wilde
"Love is a Battlefield" – Pat Benatar
"Love Is A Stranger" – The Eurythmics
"Love On Your Side" – The Thompson Twins
"Love Town" – Booker Newberry III
"Mama" – Genesis
"Many Rivers To Cross" – UB40
"Marguerita Time" – Status Quo
"Market Square Heroes" – Marillion
"Modern Love" – David Bowie
"Moonlight Shadow" – Mike Oldfield
"Mourir sur scène" – Dalida
"Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" – Bananarama
"New Frontier" – Donald Fagen
"New Song" – Howard Jones
"New Year's Day" – U2
"Nobody's Diary" – Yazoo
"Oblivious" – Aztec Camera
"One On One" – Hall & Oates
"Only For Love" – Limahl
"Only You" – The Flying Pickets
"Ooh To Be Ah" – Kajagoogoo
"Our Lips Are Sealed" – Fun Boy Three
"Owner Of A Lonely Heart" – Yes
"Photograph" – Def Leppard
Pills And Soap – The Imposter
"Radio Free Europe" – REM
"Reckless" – Australian Crawl #1
"Red Red Wine" – UB40
Relax – Frankie Goes To Hollywood
"Right By Your Side" – The Eurythmics
"Rio" – Duran Duran
"Rip It Up" – Orange Juice
"Rock And Roll Is King" – Electric Light Orchestra
"Rockit" – Herbie Hancock
"Rosanna" – Toto
"Save A Prayer" – Duran Duran
"Say, Say, Say" – Michael Jackson & Paul McCartney
"Screaming for Vengeance" – Judas Priest
"Send Me An Angel" – Real Life
"Sharp Dressed Man" – ZZ Top
"She Works Hard For The Money" – Donna Summer
"Shiny Shiny" – Haysi Fantazee
"Shipbuilding" – Robert Wyatt
"Sign Of The Times" – The Belle Stars
"Soul Inside" – Soft Cell
"Speak Like A Child" – The Style Council
"Steppin' Out" – Joe Jackson
"Sweet Dreams Are Made of This" – Eurythmics
"Synchronicity 2" – The Police
"Tell Her About It" – Billy Joel
"Talking In Your Sleep" – The Romantics
"Temptation" – Heaven 17
"Tender Is The Night" – Jackson Browne
"That's All" – Genesis
"The Big Apple" – Kajagoogoo
"The Celtic Soul Brothers" – Dexy's Midnight Runners
"The Chinese Way" – Level 42
"The Cutter" – Echo and the Bunnymen
"The First Picture Of You" – The Lotus Eaters
"The Love Cats" – The Cure
"The Safety Dance" – Men Without Hats
"The Shape You're In" – Eric Clapton
"The Story Of The Blues" – Wah!
"The Sun Goes Down(Living It Up)" – Level 42
"The Walk" – The Cure
"They Don't Know" – Tracey Ullman
"This Is The Day" – The The
"Thriller" – Michael Jackson
"Tonight I Celebrate My Love" – Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack
"Too Shy" – Kajagoogoo
"Total Eclipse of the Heart" – Bonnie Tyler
"True" – Spandau Ballet
"True Love Ways" – Cliff Richard
"Tunnel Of Love" – Fun Boy Three
"Twisting By The Pool" – Dire Straits
"Under Attack" – ABBA
"Undercover Of The Night" – The Rolling Stones
"Union Of The Snake" – Duran Duran
"Up Where We Belong" – Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes
"Uptown Girl" – Billy Joel
"Vintage'77(EP)" – The Heartbreakers
"Vision In Blue" – Ultravox
"A Volar"- Menudo
"Walk Out To Winter" – Aztec Camera
"Walkin' The Line" – Brass Construction
"Watching You Watching Me" – David Grant
"We Are Detective" – The Thompson Twins
"We've Got Tonight" Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton
"What Is Love?" – Howard Jones
"What Kinda Boy You're Lookin' For(Girl)" – Hot Chocolate
"Wherever I Lay My Hat(That's My Home)" – Paul Young
"White Lines (Don't Don't Do It)" – Grandmaster and Melle Mel
"Who's That Girl?" – The Eurythmics
"Why Can't It Wait 'Til Morning?" – Phil Collins
"Wings Of A Dove" – Madness
"Wrapped Around Your Finger" – The Police
"You Can't Hurry Love" – Phil Collins

New books

The Anubis Gates – Tim Powers
Changes – Danielle Steel
Christine – Stephen King
Cold Heaven – Anita Brian Moore
The Colour of Magic – Terry Pratchett
The Dark Green Tunnel – Allan W. Eckert
Hollywood Wives – Jackie Collins
Icebreaker – John Gardner
Ironweed – William Kennedy
The Last Warrior Queen – Mary Mackey
Life and Times of Michael K – J. M. Coetzee
The Little Drummer Girl – John le Carré
The Lonesome Gods – Louis L'Amour
The Loser – Thomas Bernhard
The Mists of Avalon – Marion Zimmer Bradley
Odyssey: A Daring Transatlantic Journey – Susan Oliver
On Wings of Eagles – Ken Follett
Pet Sematary – Stephen King
Phantoms – Dean R. Koontz
The Piano Teacher – Elfriede Jelinek
Poland – James A. Michener
Resistance and Persecution in Passau from 1933 to 1939 – Anna Rosmus
The Robots of Dawn – Isaac Asimov
Scandal – A. N. Wilson
Shame – Salman Rushdie
A Time for Judas – Morley Callaghan
White Gold Wielder: Book Three of the Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant – Stephen R. Donaldson
Winter's Tale – Mark Helprin
Worstward Ho – Samuel Beckett