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November 12, 1981

November 12, 1981, was a Thursday. It was 42 years, 11 months, and 2 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Scorpio.

On This Day

What happened on this day?

What happened on November 12, 1981?

  • American actor William Holden dies following a fall at his apartment in Santa Monica, California.
Song charts

Top songs

These songs were on top of the music charts in the United States and the United Kingdom on November 12, 1981:

  • United States: "Private Eyes" by Hall & Oates
  • United Kingdom: "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" by Police

The Billboard Hot 100 on November 12, 1981

These were the top five songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart:

  • Private Eyes - Daryl Hall John Oates
  • Start Me Up - The Rolling Stones
  • Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do) - Christopher Cross
  • For Your Eyes Only - Sheena Easton
  • Tryin' To Live My Life Without You - Bob Seger
Play the top songs from 1981
A Spotify playlist of songs from 1981. Let us take you back to the peak days of Kim Wilde, Lionel Richie, Phil Collins and The Police.
Time Bandits

Top movie at the box office

The movie "Time Bandits" was at the top of the box office on this day.

Facts

This date was 15,678 days ago. Approximately 523 months have passed. It was the 316th day of 1981, in week 46. The decade was the eighties. People born on this day are currently 42 years old and belong to the Millennial generation. We have gone through approximately 174 seasons of weather since this date.

Take me back to November 12, 1981

Ready for a walk down memory lane?

It is Thursday, November 12, 1981. Anyone born today will have the star sign Scorpio. It's November, so the evenings are getting darker and the days are getting colder.

In America, the song "Private Eyes" by Hall & Oates is at the top of the singles charts, while "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" by Police is the number-one song in the UK. Ronald Reagan is the President of the United States, and the movie Time Bandits is at the top of the box office. Margaret Thatcher is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

In fashion, women are wearing jelly shoes, turtleneck sweaters, loose high-waist pants, crop tops, and puffer jackets lined with fur. Meanwhile, men have been ditching the disco look of the 1970s in favor of athletic clothing such as tracksuits and sports jerseys. The "preppy" look has also been making a comeback. Because it's 1981, the radio stations are being dominated by artists such as Kim Carnes, Soft Cell, Phil Collins, John Lennon, Stars On 45, Diana Ross and Olivia Newton-John. If you were to travel back to this day, notable figures such as Natalie Wood, John Belushi, Ayn Rand, and Peter Maivia would all still be alive.

On TV, people are watching popular shows such as "Columbo", "The Incredible Hulk", "The Dukes of Hazzard", and "Knots Landing". Meanwhile, gamers are playing titles such as "Space Invaders", "Lunar Lander", "Asteroids", and "Missile Command". Children and teenagers are watching television shows such as "Captain Kangaroo", "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood", "Battle of the Planets", and "Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds".

Popular toys at the moment include Dungeons & Dragons, Water Ring Toss, Cabbage Patch Kids, and Fisher-Price Little People (Farm).

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on November 12, 1981, will have the star sign Scorpio.
  • Zodiac Element: Water.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1981 was the year of the Rooster (Yin Water).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 6.
  • Native American Zodiac: November 12, 1981 falls under the Snake.
  • Birthstone: A person during the month of November will have the birthstones Topaz and Citrine.
  • Birth flower (November): The Chrysanthemum.
News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on November 12, 1981.

  • The AIDS epidemic begins.

    The AIDS epidemic begins

    The AIDS epidemic officially began in the middle of 1981, after the CDC reported that an unusual type of pneumonia had been discovered in five homosexual men in Los Angeles.
  • 1981 in music.

    1981 in music

    Popular music artists in 1981 included Kim Carnes, Diana Ross, Lionel Richie, Kenny Rogers, Rick Springfield, Kool & the Gang, Hall & Oates, Eddie Rabbitt, Dolly Parton and REO Speedwagon.
  • The Rubik's Cube.

    The Rubik's Cube

    The Rubik's Cube became a craze in 1981 and 1982. The toy was so popular that books on how to solve it regularly made it into the top ten selling books list.
  • Who were the best NBA players in 1981?

    Who were the best NBA players in 1981?

    The best NBA players in 1981 were Julius Erving, Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, George Gervin and Dennis Johnson.
  • 1981 in movies.

    1981 in movies

    Movies released in 1981 included Raiders of the Lost Ark, On Golden Pond, Superman II, Arthur, Stripes, The Cannonball Run, Chariots of Fire, For Your Eyes Only, The Four Seasons, Escape from New York, The Evil Dead, Mad Max 2, An American Werewolf in London and Time Bandits.
  • Best soccer players.

    Best soccer players

    In 1981, the best soccer players were Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Paul Breitner, Bernd Schuster, Michel Platini, Oleg Blokhin, Dino Zoff, Ramaz Shengelia, Alexsandr Chivadze, Liam Brady and John Wark.
  • Chariots of Fire.

    Chariots of Fire

    "Chariots of Fire" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1981.
  • Lech Walesa.

    Lech Walesa

    The architect of the Gdansk Agreement, Lech Walesa, was named Time Person of the Year in 1981.
  • Kim Carnes - "Bette Davis Eyes"

    Kim Carnes - "Bette Davis Eyes"

    "Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes won a Grammy for 1981's Song of the Year.
  • Iran-Iraq War.

    Iran-Iraq War

    Between September 1980 and August 1988, an armed conflict was being fought between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Iraqi Republic.
  • Early 1980s fashion.

    Early 1980s fashion

    The early 1980s saw a minimalist approach to fashion, with some trends carrying over from the late 1970s. Sweaters, fur-lined puffer jackets, tunics, ripped jeans, leotards, velour tracksuits, tube tops, knee-length skirts, high-waisted pants, and embroidered jeans were all popular. The colors during the early 1980s were subdued, quiet, and basic. Varying shades of brown, tan, and orange were in fashion.
  • Computers are replacing typewriters.

    Computers are replacing typewriters

    Desktop computers were beginning to replace typewriters in offices.
  • TV remotes.

    TV remotes

    Although TV remotes existed, many homes didn't have one. Infrared technology was still relatively new.
  • The Atari 2600.

    The Atari 2600

    The Atari 2600 was the dominant video game system.
  • The Walkman.

    The Walkman

    In the late 1970s and 1980s, portable cassette players such as the "Sony Walkman" were becoming more common.
  • Wallpaper.

    Wallpaper

    Wallpaper was extremely common in people's homes throughout the 1970s and 1980s. It wasn't until the mid-late 1980s that "modernism" started to creep in.

Personality traits

Check out our personality summary for people who were born on November 12, 1981.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

View Personality Summary

Events

What happened around this time?

Notable events that happened close to November 12, 1981.

  • October 14, 1981: Hosni Mubarak becomes the fourth president of Egypt.
  • October 15, 1981: The Evil Dead (1981) is released.
  • October 26, 1981: Queen release their "Greatest Hits" album.
  • October 30, 1981: The film Halloween II (1981) is released.
  • October 31, 1981: American rock band Journey release their song "Don't Stop Believin'".
  • November 5, 1981: It is announced that Diana, Princess of Wales, is pregnant.
  • This date: November 12, 1981
  • November 16, 1981: Millions of people tune in to watch Luke and Laura marry on the American soap opera General Hospital.
  • November 27, 1981: The single "Don't You Want Me" is released by The Human League.
  • November 28, 1981: Katrice Lee (2) goes missing from the NAAFI shopping complex in Paderborn, West Germany.
  • November 29, 1981: Actress Natalie Woods drowns during a boat trip to Santa Catalina Island off California.
  • December 1, 1981: 180 people are killed when Inex-Adria Aviopromet Flight 1308 crashes on the Mediterranean island of Corsica.
  • December 3, 1981: Boxing legend "Smokin' Joe" Frazier has his last ever fight.
  • December 4, 1981:
    • The movie On Golden Pond (1981) is released.
    • The first episode of the soap drama "Falcon Crest" is aired on television.
  • December 10, 1981: The BBC reports that an unknown "mystery disease" is killing homosexuals.
  • December 11, 1981: Boxing legend Muhammad Ali has his last ever fight against Trevor Berbick.
  • December 12, 1981: The first case of AIDS is reported in the United Kingdom.

Early 1980s fashion

Photographs of early 1980s fashion and hairstyles.

Early 1980s fashion

Television shows

TV series on November 12, 1981

TV audiences were watching the following shows on November 12, 1981:

TV shows from November 1981.

Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends
Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends
Only Fools and Horses
Only Fools and Horses
The Greatest American Hero
The Greatest American Hero
Hill Street Blues
Hill Street Blues
Dynasty
Dynasty
Magnum, P.I.
Magnum, P.I.
Knots Landing
Knots Landing
Archie Bunker's Place
Archie Bunker's Place
Trapper John, M.D.
Trapper John, M.D.
Hart to Hart
Hart to Hart
The Facts of Life
The Facts of Life
The Dukes of Hazzard
The Dukes of Hazzard

Cars in 1981

1981 saw the introduction of cars such as the Chevrolet Cavalier, the DMC DeLorean, the Honda City, the Nissan Maxima, the BMW 5 Series (E28), and the Chevrolet Camaro (third generation).

Cars in 1981.

Children TV shows

Kids TV shows on November 12, 1981

Cartoons and TV shows that children and teenagers were watching on this day in 1981:

Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds
Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds
Danger Mouse
Danger Mouse
Postman Pat
Postman Pat

The Smurfs
The Smurfs
Thundarr the Barbarian
Thundarr the Barbarian
Cockleshell Bay
Cockleshell Bay
The New Adventures of Flash Gordon
The New Adventures of Flash Gordon
Diff'rent Strokes
Diff'rent Strokes
Mork & Mindy
Mork & Mindy
Battle of the Planets
Battle of the Planets
The All New Popeye Hour
The All New Popeye Hour
Toys

Popular toys and games in 1981

Toys and games that were popular in 1981:

Fisher-Price Little People (Farm)
Fisher-Price Little People (Farm)
Space Lego
Space Lego
Fischer Price cassette player
Fischer Price cassette player
Monchhichi / Chicaboo
Monchhichi / Chicaboo
Rubik's Cube
Rubik's Cube
Strawberry Shortcake dolls
Strawberry Shortcake dolls
The Big Wheel (tricycle)
The Big Wheel (tricycle)
Intellivision (games console)
Intellivision (games console)
The Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine
The Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine
Screwball Scramble
Screwball Scramble
Cabbage Patch Kids
Cabbage Patch Kids
Speak & Spell
Speak & Spell
Video games

Video games

Popular video games that people were playing in November 1981.

Donkey Kong 1981
Donkey Kong
Missile Command 1980
Missile Command
Pac-Man 1980
Pac-Man
Galaxian 1980
Galaxian
Asteroids 1979
Asteroids
Lunar Lander 1979
Lunar Lander
Space Invaders 1978
Space Invaders
Breakout 1976
Breakout

Were you born on November 12, 1981?

If you were born on this date, then it is unlikely that you will remember anything from the year 1981.

This is because humans find it difficult to retrieve memories of their early childhood.

If you are looking for some childhood nostalgia, then you should check out November 12, 1987, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on November 12.

Grace Kelly

Grace Kelly

Actress Deceased
Born on November 12, 1929
She turned 52 on this day in 1981.

Charles Manson

Charles Manson

Criminal and cult leader Deceased
Born on November 12, 1934
He turned 47 on this day in 1981.

Ryan Gosling

Ryan Gosling

Actor
Born on November 12, 1980
He turned 1 on this day in 1981.

Anne Hathaway

Anne Hathaway

Actress
Born on November 12, 1982
She was born exactly one year after this date.

xQc

xQc

Canadian Twitch streamer
Born on November 12, 1995
He was born exactly 14 years after this date.

Selah Marley

Selah Marley

Model
Born on November 12, 1998
She was born exactly 17 years after this date.

USA

US President

Ronald Reagan was the President of the United States on November 12, 1981.

UK

UK Prime Minister

Margaret Thatcher was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Ireland

Irish Taoiseach

Garret FitzGerald was the Taoiseach of Ireland.

Conception

Conception dates

Conception estimates for this date.

  • A baby that was born on November 12, 1981 was most likely conceived around February 19, 1981.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on November 12, 1981 is close to August 5, 1982.

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Stats for November 12, 1981

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about November 12, 1981:

  • 15,678 days have passed since this date.
  • 2,239 weeks have passed.
  • 1,354,575,600 seconds have passed since November 12, 1981.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 1,580,338,200 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 698,961,009,600 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 225,762,600 times.
  • You have taken approximately 116,493,502 steps. That's roughly 51,775 miles.
  • 16,254,907 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1981?

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