#1 of 5 #1 comedy movie of December 1981
1981 · Comedy
$29.9M worldwide · 51% of the chart's total
$29.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Comedy box office · December 1981
Comedy Box Office, December 1981: Top-Grossing Releases
Neighbors (1981) is the highest-grossing comedy movie released in December 1981, with $29.9M worldwide, ahead of Modern Problems (1981) at $26.2M and Heartbeeps (1981) at $2.2M. 5 comedy films released in December 1981 report a worldwide gross, $58.5M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. By language, English leads with $58.5M across 4 comedy releases.
- December 1981 releases with a gross
- 5
- combined worldwide
- $58.5M
- Neighbors (1981), the #1
- $29.9M
- earned in the US & Canada
- 100%
#1 of 5 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Comedy Hits of December 1981?
Neighbors (1981) leads with $29.9M, 51% of the total. The top 5 together took $58.5M, almost all of what the 5 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 -
Number 5
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Comedy Release of December 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 December 1981.
- 1 Dec 18, 1981 US and Canada: $29.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $29.9M
- 2 Dec 25, 1981 US and Canada: $26.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $26.2M
- 3 Dec 18, 1981 US and Canada: $2.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.2M
- 4 Dec 10, 1981 US and Canada: $237K Rest of the world: $286 Worldwide: $237.3K
- 5 Who Finds a Friend Finds a Treasure (1981)Dec 9, 1981 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $20K
Dec 9, 1981 · Italian · Action, Adventure, Comedy $20K worldwide
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 1981?
Of the top 5, Neighbors (1981) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Puberty Blues (1981) made <1% of its gross abroad. Across all 5 films, $58.5M (100%) came from the US & Canada. 1 film of the top 5 reports no US & Canada figure.
- 1 Neighbors (1981) $29.9M $29.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 Modern Problems (1981) $26.2M $26.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Heartbeeps (1981) $2.2M $2.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Puberty Blues (1981) $237.3K $237K US & Canada · 100% $286 elsewhere · <1%
- 5 Who Finds a Friend Finds a Treasure (1981) $20K No US & Canada figure reported
By release week
Which Week of December 1981 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 51 (Dec 13–19) took $32.1M, led by Neighbors (1981). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 49 Wk 49 Nov 29–Dec 5 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 6–12 Puberty Blues (1981) $257.2K Puberty Blues (1981)
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 13–19 Neighbors (1981) $32.1M Neighbors (1981)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 20–26 Modern Problems (1981) $26.2M Modern Problems (1981)
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 27–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does December 1981 Compare With December in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, December 1980 earned the most: $391.3M from 7 films, led by 9 to 5 (1980). December 1981 took $58.5M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1972 2 films | 2 | $224K | – | Victoria No. 203 (1972) $201.2K |
| December 1973 3 films · +77817% | 3 | $174.5M | +77817% | The Sting (1973) $156M |
| December 1974 3 films · −50% | 3 | $86.4M | −50% | Young Frankenstein (1974) $86.3M |
| December 1975 1 film · −72% | 1 | $24.4M | −72% | Lucky Lady (1975) $24.4M |
| December 1976 2 films · +247% | 2 | $84.9M | +247% | Silver Streak (1976) $51.1M |
| December 1977 3 films · −63% | 3 | $31.4M | −63% | High Anxiety (1977) $31.1M |
| December 1978 2 films · +196% | 2 | $93.1M | +196% | Every Which Way But Loose (1978) $85.2M |
| December 1979 6 films · +220% | 6 | $298.3M | +220% | 1941 (1979) $92.5M |
| December 1980 7 films · +31% | 7 | $391.3M | +31% | 9 to 5 (1980) $103.3M |
| December 1981 5 films · −85% | 5 | $58.5M | −85% | Neighbors (1981) $29.9M |
Archive
Comedy Box Office in 1981, Month by Month
The months of 1981 with their totals: June leads with $220.4M, led by Stripes (1981).
- January $20.3M #1 The Incredible Shrinking Woman (1981)
- February No grosses
- March $35.2M #1 The Devil and Max Devlin (1981)
- April $46.3M #1 Take This Job and Shove It (1981)
- May $81.7M #1 The Four Seasons (1981)
- June $220.4M #1 Stripes (1981)
- July $132M #1 Arthur (1981)
- August $55.5M #1 Private Lessons (1981)
- September $41.1M #1 Only When I Laugh (1981)
- October $19M #1 Paternity (1981)
- November $42.4M #1 Time Bandits (1981)
- December $58.5M #1 Neighbors (1981)
FAQ
Comedy Box Office December 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 5 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing comedy movie in December 1981?
Neighbors (1981) leads with $29.9M worldwide, $29.9M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Modern Problems (1981) at $26.2M and Heartbeeps (1981) at $2.2M.
How much did comedy movies released in December 1981 earn?
5 comedy films released in December 1981 report a worldwide gross, $58.5M in all, or $11.7M per film on average.
How many comedy movies released in December 1981 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Neighbors (1981), earned $29.9M.
How is the December 1981 comedy 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 December 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 December 1981 comedy 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.