#1 of 4 #1 biography movie of 1981
1981 · Biography, Drama
$40.4M worldwide · 66% of the chart's total
$40.4M US & Canada · 100% $129 elsewhere · <1%
Biography box office · 1981
Biography Box Office 1981: Highest-Grossing Biography Movies
Reds (1981) is the highest-grossing biography movie released in 1981, with $40.4M worldwide, ahead of Mommie Dearest (1981) at $19M and This Is Elvis (1981) at $2M. 4 biography films released in 1981 report a worldwide gross, $61.5M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. That is down 55% on 1980, whose releases took $135.5M.
- 1981 releases with a gross
- 4
- combined worldwide
- $61.5M
- Reds (1981), the #1
- $40.4M
- vs 1980
- −55%
#1 of 4 Top 4
What Were the Biggest Biography Hits of 1981?
Reds (1981) leads with $40.4M, 66% of the total. The top 4 together took $61.5M, almost all of what the 4 films earned. Each bar splits a film's gross into the US & Canada and the rest of the world.
- Number 1
-
Number 2 -
Number 3 -
Number 4
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Biography Release of 1981, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 1981.
- 1 Dec 25, 1981 US and Canada: $40.4M Rest of the world: $129 Worldwide: $40.4M
- 2 Sep 25, 1981 US and Canada: $19M Rest of the world: $1.9K Worldwide: $19M
- 3 Apr 10, 1981 US and Canada: $2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2M
- 4 Oct 11, 1981 US and Canada: $5.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.1K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 1981?
Of the top 4, This Is Elvis (1981) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Mommie Dearest (1981) made <1% of its gross abroad. Across all 4 films, $61.4M (100%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Reds (1981) $40.4M $40.4M US & Canada · 100% $129 elsewhere · <1%
- 2 Mommie Dearest (1981) $19M $19M US & Canada · 100% $1.9K elsewhere · <1%
- 3 This Is Elvis (1981) $2M $2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 My Dinner with Andre (1981) $5.1K $5.1K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release month
Which Month of 1981 Earned the Most?
December releases took the most, $40.4M from 1 film, led by Reds (1981). October was the quietest month ($5.1K). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- February Feb No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- March Mar No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- April Apr This Is Elvis (1981) $2M This Is Elvis (1981)
- May May No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- June Jun No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- July Jul No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- August Aug No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- September Sep Mommie Dearest (1981) $19M Mommie Dearest (1981)
- October Oct My Dinner with Andre (1981) $5.1K My Dinner with Andre (1981)
- November Nov No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- December Dec Reds (1981) $40.4M Reds (1981)
Last 10 years
How Does 1981 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1980 earned the most: $135.5M from 5 films, led by Coal Miner's Daughter (1980). 1981 took $61.5M.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| 1973 3 films | 3 | $83.1M | – | Papillon (1973) $53.3M |
| 1974 1 film · −100% | 1 | $130.3K | −100% | A Bigger Splash (1974) $130.3K |
| 1975 1 film · +38269% | 1 | $50M | +38269% | Dog Day Afternoon (1975) $50M |
| 1976 1 film · +41% | 1 | $70.6M | +41% | All the President's Men (1976) $70.6M |
| 1977 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| 1978 2 films | 2 | $49.4M | – | Midnight Express (1978) $35M |
| 1979 1 film · −13% | 1 | $43M | −13% | Escape from Alcatraz (1979) $43M |
| 1980 5 films · +215% | 5 | $135.5M | +215% | Coal Miner's Daughter (1980) $67.2M |
| 1981 4 films · −55% | 4 | $61.5M | −55% | Reds (1981) $40.4M |
Archive
Biography Box Office Year by Year
Every year from 1929 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2018 leads with $2.3B, led by Bohemian Rhapsody (2018).
2020s 7 years · $4.7B
2010s 10 years · $13.3B
- 2019 $1.3B #1 Ford v Ferrari (2019)
- 2018 $2.3B #1 Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
- 2017 $1.6B #1 The Greatest Showman (2017)
- 2016 $1.6B #1 Dangal (2016)
- 2015 $1.6B #1 Everest (2015)
- 2014 $1.7B #1 American Sniper (2014)
- 2013 $2.1B #1 The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
- 2012 $511.3M #1 Lincoln (2012)
- 2011 $319.8M #1 The Iron Lady (2011)
- 2010 $341.2M #1 The Social Network (2010)
2000s 10 years · $5.9B
- 2009 $1B #1 The Blind Side (2009)
- 2008 $330.9M #1 The Other Boleyn Girl (2008)
- 2007 $638.4M #1 Charlie Wilson's War (2007)
- 2006 $775.2M #1 The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
- 2005 $671M #1 Walk the Line (2005)
- 2004 $683.8M #1 The Aviator (2004)
- 2003 $165.3M #1 Monster (2003)
- 2002 $674.3M #1 Catch Me If You Can (2002)
- 2001 $541.6M #1 A Beautiful Mind (2001)
- 2000 $385.6M #1 Erin Brockovich (2000)
1990s 10 years · $2.7B
- 1999 $347.4M #1 The Hurricane (1999)
- 1998 $301.1M #1 Patch Adams (1998)
- 1997 $214.7M #1 Seven Years in Tibet (1997)
- 1996 $219.4M #1 Evita (1996)
- 1995 $385.1M #1 Braveheart (1995)
- 1994 $52.6M #1 Wyatt Earp (1994)
- 1993 $652.9M #1 Schindler's List (1993)
- 1992 $106.3M #1 Malcolm X (1992)
- 1991 $291.7M #1 JFK (1991)
- 1990 $102.9M #1 Goodfellas (1990)
1980s 10 years · $1.2B
- 1989 $212.2M #1 Born on the Fourth of July (1989)
- 1988 $172.8M #1 Good Morning, Vietnam (1988)
- 1987 $105.8M #1 La Bamba (1987)
- 1986 $3.5M #1 Sid and Nancy (1986)
- 1985 $254.3M #1 Out of Africa (1985)
- 1984 $2.9M #1 Phar Lap (1984)
- 1983 $129.6M #1 Gandhi (1983)
- 1982 $73.3M #1 Chariots of Fire (1982)
- 1981 $61.5M #1 Reds (1981)
- 1980 $135.5M #1 Coal Miner's Daughter (1980)
1970s 8 years · $358M
1960s 7 years · $271.4M
1950s 2 years · $21.4M
1940s 1 year · $3K
1930s 1 year · $4.9K
1920s 1 year · $22.7K
FAQ
Biography Box Office 1981: Questions & Answers
The chart's numbers in short: the #1 film, the total, the billion-dollar hits and the US & Canada share, answered from the same 4 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing biography movie in 1981?
Reds (1981) leads with $40.4M worldwide, $40.4M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Mommie Dearest (1981) at $19M and This Is Elvis (1981) at $2M.
How much did biography movies released in 1981 earn?
4 biography films released in 1981 report a worldwide gross, $61.5M in all, or $15.4M per film on average. 1980 releases took $135.5M.
How many biography movies released in 1981 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Reds (1981), earned $40.4M.
How is the 1981 biography box office chart ranked and where do the numbers come from?
Films are ranked by lifetime worldwide gross in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation, and grouped by their release date in 1981. The figures are the reported box office grosses in our database. A gross that looks misattributed, such as one figure shared by two unrelated films or a blockbuster total on an obscure title, is left out rather than shown as a fact.
How often is the 1981 biography box office chart updated?
Grosses change while films are in theaters and whenever a new figure is reported; this chart reads the latest numbers in our database, so an older film can still move after a re-release.