Title: 1983 Content: 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was . == Events == === January – June === * January 3 – Kilauea on the island of Hawaii begins erupting. * February 16 – The Ash Wednesday bushfires hit Victoria and South Australia. * February 28 – The TV Show, M*A*S*H ends with 125 million people watching the last show. * April 3 – In Mexico, the 2nd festival of the popular Juguemos a Cantar series begins, it ends five weeks later on May 1. * April 4 – The Space Shuttle Challenger is launched on its maiden voyage: STS-6. * April 11 – Spain's Seve Ballesteros won the 47th PGA Masters Tournament * April 13 – Minnesota's largest retailer Target Corporation expands into California, opening 11 stores. * April 18 ** The 1983 United States embassy bombing in Beirut kills 63 people. ** Channel broadcasting is founded by the Disney Channel. * April 22 – A reactor shut- down due to failure of fuel rods occurs at Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, Russia. * April 25 – Cold War: Manchester, Maine, U.S., schoolgirl Samantha Smith is invited to visit the Soviet Union by its leader Yuri Andropov, after he read her letter in which she expressed fears about nuclear war. * May 6 – The fake Hitler Diaries are published by Stern magazine. * May 26 – An earthquake and tsunami hits Honshu, Japan, killing 104 people. * June 9 – In the UK, Margaret Thatcher's Conservative Party scores a landslide election victory over Michael Foot's Labour Party. * June 18 – Sally Ride becomes the first American woman in space. === July – December === * July 1 – A North Korean Ilyushin II-62 jet crashes in Guinea-Bissau. * August 4 – Thomas Sankara takes control in Upper Volta, which he renames Burkina Faso exactly a year later. * August 21 – Filipino opposition leader Benigno Aquino is assassinated. * September 1 – Korean Airlines Flight 007 is shot down by the Soviet Union, after it passed over Sakhalin Island, as it had come off-course. All 269 people on board are killed. * September 19 – St. Kitts and Nevis becomes an independent nation. * September 27 – The GNU Project is announced publicly on net.unix wizards and net.usoftnewsgroups. * October 19 – Grenadan prime minister Maurice Bishop, and 40 other people are assassinated in a coup. * November 11 – Ronald Reagan addressed the Japanese Diet (national legislature). * November 25- The Great Man Called Suman Was Born.....In Kolkata, Westbengal, India. * December 10 – Military rule ends in Argentina. * December 31 – Brunei becomes independent. === Culture === * Compact discs are introduced; vinyl records begin a dramatic decline in sales. * "Crack" cocaine is first developed. * Phish forms * Billie Jean King retires from tennis == Births == === January – June === * January 2 – Kate Bosworth, American actress * January 16 – Emanuel Pogatetz, Austrian footballer * January 17 – Yelle, French singer and songwriter * January 21 – Maryse Ouellet, Canadian professional wrestler * February 3 – Gabriel Sargissian, Armenian chess Grandmaster * February 23 – Emily Blunt, English actress * February 25 – Eduardo da Silva, Brazilian-Croatian footballer * March 9 – Clint Dempsey, American footballer * April 1 – Franck Ribéry, French footballer * April 14 – James McFadden, Scottish footballer * April 18 - Miguel Cabrera, Venezuelan baseball player * April 23 – Taio Cruz, English singer * May 11 – Matt Leinart, American football player * May 11 – Holly Valance, Australian actress and singer * June 8 – Kim Clijsters, Belgian tennis player * June 19 – Mark Selby, English snooker player * June 30 – Cheryl Cole, English singer (Girls Aloud) === July – December === * July 5 – Zheng Jie, Chinese tennis player * August 6 – Robin van Persie, Dutch footballer * August 14 – Mila Kunis, Russian-American actress * August 18 – Mika, Lebanese-English singer * August 18 – Kris Boyd, Scottish footballer * September 14 – Amy Winehouse, English singer * September 26 – Ricardo Quaresma, Portuguese footballer * October 14 – Lin Dan, Chinese badminton player * October 17 – Ivan Saenko, Russian footballer * November 11 – Philipp Lahm, German footballer * December 9 – Dariusz Dudka, Polish footballer * December 15 – Ronnie Radke, American singer * December 31 – Sayaka Ichii, Japanese singer (Morning Musume) == Deaths == === January === * January 18 – Arturo Umberto Illia, 34th President of Argentina (b. 1900) * January 20 – Garrincha, Brazilian footballer (b. 1933) * January 24 – George Cukor, American film director and producer (b. 1899) * January 28 – Frank Forde, Australian politician (b. 1890) * January 28 – Billy Fury, English singer (b. 1940) === February === * February 4 – Karen Carpenter, American singer (b. 1950) * February 12 – Eubie Blake, American musician (b. 1887) * February 25 – Tennessee Williams, American writer (b. 1911) === March === * March 3 – Hergé, Belgian comics writer (b. 1907) * March 18 – Umberto II of Italy (b. 1904) === April === * April 4 – Gloria Swanson, American actress (b. 1899) * April 15 – Corrie ten Boom, Dutch resistance fighter (b. 1892) * April 30 – Muddy Waters, American musician (b. 1915) === May === * May 2 - Pridi Banomyong, Prime Minister of Thailand (b. 1900) * May 5 – Anton Buttigieg, 2nd President of Malta (b. 1912) * May 22 – Idris of Libya (b. 1890) * May 31 – Jack Dempsey, American heavyweight boxer (b. 1895) === June === === July === * July 1 – Buckminster Fuller, American architect (b. 1895) * July 29 – David Niven, English actor (b. 1910) * July 29 – Luis Buñuel, Spanish director (b. 1900) === August === * August 17 – Ira Gershwin, American lyricist (b. 1896) * August 21 – Benigno Aquino Jr., Filipino politician (b. 1932) === September === * September 1 – Larry McDonald, American politician (b. 1935) * September 25 – Leopold III of Belgium (b. 1901) === October === * October 19 – Maurice Bishop, Prime Minister of Grenada (b. 1944) === November === === December === * December 13 – Leora Dana, American actress (b. 1923) * December 25 – Joan Miró, Spanish artist (b. 1893) * December 28 – Dennis Wilson, American musician (The Beach Boys) (b. 1944) == Movies released == * National Lampoon's Vacation * Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi * Tootsie * Trading Places * WarGames * Superman III * Flashdance * Staying Alive * Octopussy * Mr. Mom, starring Michael Keaton and Teri Garr * 48 Hrs. * Risky Business, starring Tom Cruise and Rebecca De Mornay * The Verdict * Jaws 3-D * Never Say Never Again * The Outsiders == Hit songs == * "99 Luftballons" (99 Red Balloons) – Nena * "1999" – Prince * "2000 Miles" – The Pretenders * "Add It Up" – Violent Femmes * "Africa" – Toto * "All Night Long (All Night)" – Lionel Richie * "All Time High" – Rita Coolidge * "(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me" – Naked Eyes * "Another State Of Mind" – Social Distortion * "Australiana" – Austen Tayshus #1 (a) * "Baby, Come to Me" – Patti Austin with James Ingram * "Baby Jane" – Rod Stewart * "Bad Boys" – Wham! * "Bad Day" – Carmel * "Beat It" – Michael Jackson * "Billie Jean" – Michael Jackson * "Blind Vision" – Blancmange * "Blister in the Sun" – Violent Femmes * "Bloodstone" – Judas Priest * "Blue Monday" – New Order * "Blue World" – The Moody Blues * "Bop Girl – Pat Wilson #1 (a) * "Boxerbeat" – JoBoxers * "Breaking Us In Two" – Joe Jackson * "Buffalo Soldier" – Bob Marley and the Wailers * "Buried Treasure" – Kenny Rogers * "Burning Down the House" – Talking Heads * "Calling Your Name" – Marilyn * "Candy Girl" – New Edition * "Can't Get Used To Losing You" – The Beat * "Chance" – Big Country * "Change" – Tears for Fears * "China Girl" – David Bowie * "Chinese Cafe" – Joni Mitchell * "Church of the Poison Mind" – Culture Club * "Club Tropicana" – Wham! * "Come Back And Stay" – Paul Young * "Cruel Summer" – Bananarama * "Cry Me a River" – Mari Wilson * "Dark Is The Night" – Shakatak * "Dear Prudence" – Siouxsie and the Banshees * "Did You Have To Love Me Like You Do?" – The Coconuts * "Dirty Laundry" – Don Henley * "Don't Cry" – Asia * "Don't Let Him Steal Your Heart Away" – Phil Collins * "Don't Talk To Me About Love" – Altered Images * "Double Dutch" – Malcolm McLaren * "Down Under" – Men at Work * "Drop The Pilot" – Joan Armatrading * "Electric Avenue" – Eddy Grant * "Every Breath You Take" – The Police * "Everyday I Write The Book" – Elvis Costello and the Attractions * "Everything Counts" – Depeche Mode * "Family Man" – Hall & Oates * "Femme" – Dalida * "Fields of Fire (400 Miles)" – Big Country * "Flashdance... What a Feeling" – Irene Cara * "Garden Party" – Marillion * "Gimme All Your Lovin'" – ZZ Top * "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" – Cyndi Lauper * "Give It Up" – KC and the Sunshine Band * "Gloria" – Laura Branigan * "Gold" – Spandau Ballet * "He Knows You Know" – Marillion * "Heartache Avenue" – The Maisonettes * "Hold Me Now" – Thompson Twins * "Hungry Like the Wolf" – Duran Duran * "I Cannot Believe It's True" – Phil Collins * "I Don't Care Anymore" – Phil Collins * "I Don't Remember(Live)" – Peter Gabriel * "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues" – Elton John * "I'll Tumble 4 Ya" – Culture Club * "I'm Still Standing" – Elton John * "In a Big Country" – Big Country * "In the Neighborhood" – Tom Waits * "I.O.U." – Freeez * "Is There Something I Should Know?" – Duran Duran * "Islands in the Stream" – Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton * "It Don't Matter To Me" – Phil Collins * "It's Raining Men" – The Weather Girls * "Johnny B. Goode" – Peter Tosh * "Jump (For My Love)" – The Pointer Sisters * "Karma Chameleon" – Culture Club * "Keep Feeling (Fascination)" – The Human League * "Kiss The Bride" – Elton John * "Le restaurant italien" – Dalida * "Les p'tits mots" – Dalida * "Let's Dance" – David Bowie * "Let's Stay Together" – Tina Turner * "Little Red Corvette" – Prince * "Long Hot Summer" – The Style Council * "Love Blonde" – Kim Wilde * "Love is a Battlefield" – Pat Benatar * "Love Is A Stranger" – Eurythmics * "Love On Your Side" – Thompson Twins * "Love Town" – Booker Newberry III * "Mama" – Genesis * "Many Rivers To Cross" – UB40 * "Marguerita Time" – Status Quo * "Market Square Heroes" – Marillion * "Modern Love" – David Bowie * "Moonlight Shadow" – Mike Oldfield * "Mourir sur scène" – Dalida * "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" – Bananarama * "New Frontier" – Donald Fagen * "New Song" – Howard Jones * "New Year's Day" – U2 * "Nobody's Diary" – Yazoo * "Oblivious" – Aztec Camera * "One On One" – Hall & Oates * "Only For Love" – Limahl * "Only You" – The Flying Pickets * "Ooh To Be Ah" – Kajagoogoo * "Our Lips Are Sealed" – Fun Boy Three * "Owner of a Lonely Heart" – Yes * "Photograph" – Def Leppard * "Pills and Soap" – The Imposter * "Radio Free Europe" – R.E.M. * "Reckless" – Australian Crawl #1 * "Red Red Wine" – UB40 * Relax – Frankie Goes to Hollywood * "Right By Your Side" – Eurythmics * "Rio" – Duran Duran * "Rip It Up" – Orange Juice * "Rock And Roll Is King" – Electric Light Orchestra * "Rockit" – Herbie Hancock * "Rosanna" – Toto * "Save a Prayer" – Duran Duran * "Say, Say, Say" – Michael Jackson & Paul McCartney * "Screaming for Vengeance" – Judas Priest * "Send Me An Angel" – Real Life * "Sharp Dressed Man" – ZZ Top * "She Works Hard For The Money" – Donna Summer * "Shiny Shiny" – Haysi Fantazee * "Shipbuilding" – Robert Wyatt * "Sign Of The Times" – The Belle Stars * "Soul Inside" – Soft Cell * "Speak Like A Child" – The Style Council * "Steppin' Out" – Joe Jackson * "Sweet Dreams Are Made of This" – Eurythmics * "Synchronicity 2" – The Police * "Tell Her About It" – Billy Joel * "Talking In Your Sleep" – The Romantics * "Temptation" – Heaven 17 * "Tender Is The Night" – Jackson Browne * "That's All" – Genesis * "The Big Apple" – Kajagoogoo * "The Celtic Soul Brothers" – Dexy's Midnight Runners * "The Chinese Way" – Level 42 * "The Cutter" – Echo and the Bunnymen * "The First Picture Of You" – The Lotus Eaters * "The Love Cats" – The Cure * "The Safety Dance" – Men Without Hats * "The Shape You're In" – Eric Clapton * "The Story Of The Blues" – Wah! * "The Sun Goes Down(Living It Up)" – Level 42 * "The Walk" – The Cure * "They Don't Know" – Tracey Ullman * "This Is The Day" – The The * "Thriller" – Michael Jackson * "Tonight I Celebrate My Love" – Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack * "Too Shy" – Kajagoogoo * "Total Eclipse of the Heart" – Bonnie Tyler * "True" – Spandau Ballet * "True Love Ways" – Cliff Richard * "Tunnel Of Love" – Fun Boy Three * "Twisting By The Pool" – Dire Straits * "Under Attack" – ABBA * "Undercover of the Night" – The Rolling Stones * "Union Of The Snake" – Duran Duran * "Up Where We Belong" – Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes * "Uptown Girl" – Billy Joel * "Vintage'77(EP)" – The Heartbreakers * "Vision In Blue" – Ultravox * "A Volar"- Menudo * "Walk Out To Winter" – Aztec Camera * "Walkin' The Line" – Brass Construction * "Watching You Watching Me" – David Grant * "We Are Detective" – Thompson Twins * "We've Got Tonight" Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton * "What Is Love?" – Howard Jones * "What Kinda Boy You're Lookin' For(Girl)" – Hot Chocolate * "Wherever I Lay My Hat(That's My Home)" – Paul Young * "White Lines (Don't Don't Do It)" – Grandmaster and Melle Mel * "Who's That Girl?" – Eurythmics * "Why Can't It Wait 'Til Morning?" – Phil Collins * "Wings of a Dove" – Madness * "Wrapped Around Your Finger" – The Police * "You Can't Hurry Love" – Phil Collins == New books == * The Anubis Gates – Tim Powers * Changes – Danielle Steel * Christine – Stephen King * Cold Heaven – Anita Brian Moore * The Colour of Magic – Terry Pratchett * The Dark Green Tunnel – Allan W. Eckert * Hollywood Wives – Jackie Collins * Icebreaker – John Gardner * Ironweed – William Kennedy * The Last Warrior Queen – Mary Mackey * Life and Times of Michael K – J. M. Coetzee * The Little Drummer Girl – John le Carré * The Lonesome Gods – Louis L'Amour * The Loser – Thomas Bernhard * The Mists of Avalon – Marion Zimmer Bradley * Odyssey: A Daring Transatlantic Journey – Susan Oliver * On Wings of Eagles – Ken Follett * Pet Sematary – Stephen King * Phantoms – Dean R. Koontz * The Piano Teacher – Elfriede Jelinek * Poland – James A. Michener * Resistance and Persecution in Passau from 1933 to 1939 – Anna Rosmus * The Robots of Dawn – Isaac Asimov * Scandal – A. N. Wilson * Shame – Salman Rushdie * A Time for Judas – Morley Callaghan * White Gold Wielder: Book Three of the Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant – Stephen R. Donaldson * Winter's Tale – Mark Helprin * Worstward Ho – Samuel Beckett