1981 in awards
7 ceremonies · 7 awards bodies · 496 nominations · 134 winners
Most awarded of 1981
Works that won more than once, counting every body at once.
- 10 Ordinary People Academy Awards · DGA Awards · Golden Globes
- 5 Tess Academy Awards · Golden Globes
- 4 Shōgun Golden Globes · Emmys
- 4 Taxi Golden Globes · Emmys
- 4 Hill Street Blues Emmys
- 4 Woman of the Year Tonys
- 3 Coal Miner's Daughter Academy Awards · Golden Globes
- 3 Fame Academy Awards · BAFTA Film Awards
- 3 Melvin and Howard Academy Awards · Golden Globes
- 3 Raging Bull Academy Awards · Golden Globes
38th Golden Globes
- Winner Best Motion Picture – Drama · Ordinary People · Ronald L. Schwary
- Winner Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama · Robert De Niro · Raging Bull
- Winner Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama · Mary Tyler Moore · Ordinary People
- Winner Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy · Ray Sharkey · The Idolmaker
- Winner Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy · Sissy Spacek · Coal Miner's Daughter
23rd Grammys
- Winner Song of the Year · Sailing · Christopher Cross
- Winner Best New Artist · Christopher Cross
- Winner Best Children's Music Album · In Harmony: A Sesame Street Record · David Levine, Lucy Simon
- Winner Best Comedy Album · No Respect · Rodney Dangerfield
- Winner Best Country Instrumental Performance · Orange Blossom Special/Hoedown · Gilley's Urban Cowboy Band, Orange Blossom Special
33rd DGA Awards
- Winner Outstanding Directing – Feature Film · Robert Redford · Ordinary People
- Winner Outstanding Directing – Drama Series · Roger Young · Lou from Lou Grant
- Winner Outstanding Directing – Comedy Series · Noam Pitlik · Fog from Barney Miller
34th BAFTA Film Awards
- Winner Best Film · The Elephant Man · Jonathan Sanger
- Winner Best Direction · Akira Kurosawa · Kagemusha
- Winner Best Actor in a Leading Role · John Hurt · The Elephant Man
- Winner Best Actress in a Leading Role · Judy Davis · My Brilliant Career
- Winner Best Screenplay · Being There · Jerzy Kosinski
53rd Academy Awards
- Winner Best Picture · Ordinary People · Ronald L. Schwary
- Winner Best Actor · Robert De Niro · Raging Bull
- Winner Best Actress · Sissy Spacek · Coal Miner's Daughter
- Winner Best Supporting Actor · Timothy Hutton · Ordinary People
- Winner Best Supporting Actress · Mary Steenburgen · Melvin and Howard
35th Tonys
- Winner Best Play · Amadeus · Peter Shaffer
- Winner Best Musical · 42nd Street
- Winner Best Actor in a Play · Ian McKellen · Amadeus
- Winner Best Actress in a Play · Jane Lapotaire
- Winner Best Actor in a Musical · Kevin Kline
33rd Emmys
- Winner Outstanding Drama Series · Hill Street Blues · Steven Bochco, Michael Kozoll, Gregory Hoblit
- Winner Outstanding Comedy Series · Taxi
- Winner Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series · Shōgun · James Clavell, Eric Bercovici
- Winner Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series · Daniel J. Travanti · Hill Street Blues
- Winner Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series · Barbara Babcock · Hill Street Blues