What Happened in 1983

Significant Events

  • Nov 26 World's greatest robbery; 26 million pounds (sterling) worth of gold, diamonds and cash stolen from Brink's-Mat warehouse at Heathrow Airport, England
More Historical Events

1983 in Film & TV

  • Feb 28 Final TV episode of "M*A*S*M*A*S*H" airs (CBS); record 125 million watch in the US
  • Nov 20 100 million watch ABC TV movie "The Day After" about nuclear war

1983 in Music

  • May 20 "Every Breath You Take" single released by The Police (Billboard Song of the Year 1983)
  • Oct 11 "Can't Slow Down" 2nd studio album by Lionel Richie is released
  • Nov 2 "Thriller" single released worldwide by Michael Jackson

1983 in Sport

  • Jan 18 IOC restores Jim Thorpe's Olympic medals (Pentathlon & Decathlon victories) 70 years after they were taken from him for being paid $25 in semi-pro baseball
  • Feb 13 World Boxing Council becomes 1st to cut boxing from 15 to 12 rounds
  • Sep 26 Australia II wins America's Cup yacht race - 1st non-US winner

World Leaders in 1983

Famous People in 1983

Famous People Born in 1983

More Famous Birthdays

Would You Believe?

World's lowest-ever natural temperature recorded −89.2 °C (−128.6 °F; 184.0 K) at Soviet Vostok Station, Antarctica

On July 21, 1983

Famous Weddings

Famous Divorces

  • Mar 16 Producer Dick Wolf (36) divorces Susan Scranton after more than 13 years of marriage
  • Sep 20 Actor James Woods (36) divorces costume designer Kathryn Morrison after 3 years of marriage
  • Nov 14 Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber (35) divorces Sarah Hugill after more than 11 years of marriage
More Weddings & Divorces

Famous Deaths

More Famous Deaths

Articles on Events in 1983