1978 in film
Template:Short description Template:Year nav topic5 Template:Yearsinfilm The year 1978 in film involved some significant events.
Highest-grossing films (U.S.)
[edit]Template:See also The top ten 1978 released films by box office gross in the United States and Canada are as follows:
| Rank | Title | Distributor | Box-office gross |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grease | Paramount | $159,978,870<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> |
| 2 | Superman | Warner Bros. | $134,218,018<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 3 | National Lampoon's Animal House | Universal | $120,091,123<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 4 | Every Which Way but Loose | Warner Bros. | $85,196,485<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 5 | Heaven Can Wait | Paramount | $81,640,278<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 6 | Hooper | Warner Bros. | $78,000,000<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 7 | Jaws 2 | Universal | $77,737,272<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 8 | Revenge of the Pink Panther | United Artists | $49,579,269<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 9 | The Deer Hunter | Universal | $48,979,328<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 10 | Halloween | Compass International | $47,000,000<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
Events
[edit]- February 6 – David Begelman resigns as president of Columbia Pictures.
- March 1 – Charlie Chaplin's coffin is stolen from a Swiss cemetery three months after burial. After recovery a few weeks later, the casket is sealed in a concrete vault prior to reburial.
- March – Leigh Brackett completes the first draft for The Empire Strikes Back, but dies only two weeks later.
- June – Daniel Melnick becomes head of Columbia Pictures after the David Begelman scandal.
- June 4 – Grease, starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, has its world premiere at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. It becomes the highest-grossing musical ever and Paramount Pictures' highest-grossing film.
- July 20 – Alan Hirschfield is fired as president and CEO of Columbia Pictures. He is replaced by Francis T. Vincent.
- August – Production begins on Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
- September – George Lucas purchases Bulltail Ranch, on Lucas Valley Road, for the development of Skywalker Ranch.
- October 25 – Halloween is released.
- November 17 – Star Wars Holiday Special airs on CBS. The special gives fans their first glimpse of Boba Fett, a character from the upcoming sequel. But he was not enough for the special to avoid negative reviews upon airing.
- December 10 – Superman premieres at the Kennedy Centre in Washington, D.C., and has a European Royal Charity Premiere at the Empire, Leicester Square in London three days later in the presence of HM Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Andrew, Duke of York.
Awards
[edit]Palme d'Or (Cannes Film Festival):
- The Tree of Wooden Clogs (L'Albero degli zoccoli), directed by Ermanno Olmi, Italy
Golden Bear (Berlin Film Festival):
- Trout (Las Truchas), directed by José Luis García Sánchez, Spain
- What Max Said (Las Palabras de Max), directed by Emilio Martínez-Lázaro, Spain
1978 films
[edit]By country/region
[edit]- List of American films of 1978
- List of Argentine films of 1978
- List of Australian films of 1978
- List of Bangladeshi films of 1978
- List of British films of 1978
- List of Canadian films of 1978
- List of French films of 1978
- List of Hong Kong films of 1978
- List of Indian films of 1978
- List of Japanese films of 1978
- List of Mexican films of 1978
- List of Pakistani films of 1978
- List of South Korean films of 1978
- List of Soviet films of 1978
- List of Spanish films of 1978
By genre/medium
[edit]- List of action films of 1978
- List of animated feature films of 1978
- List of avant-garde films of 1978
- List of comedy films of 1978
- List of drama films of 1978
- List of horror films of 1978
- List of science fiction films of 1978
- List of thriller films of 1978
- List of western films of 1978
Births
[edit]- January 1 – Christian Tessier, Canadian actor
- January 2
- Raghda Khateb, Syrian voice actress
- Megumi Toyoguchi, Japanese voice actress
- January 3 – Kimberley Locke, American singer-songwriter and model
- January 5
- Clarine Harp, American voice actress
- January Jones, American actress and model
- America Olivo, American actress and singer
- January 6 – Tara Spencer-Nairn, Canadian actress
- January 8 – Scott Whyte, American actor
- January 9 – AJ McLean, American musician, singer, dancer, actor, and entertainer
- January 10 – Antonio Cupo, Canadian film and television actor
- January 14 - Blake Ritson, English actor
- January 15
- Eddie Cahill, American actor
- Jamie Clayton, American actress, model
- January 17
- Pampita, Argentine model, actress, television personality
- Takatoshi Kaneko, Japanese actor
- Ricky Wilson, English actor, singer
- January 20 – Omar Sy, French actor
- January 24
- Mark Hildreth, Canadian actor, voice actor
- Kristen Schaal, American actress, comedian and writer
- January 25 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian actor and politician
- January 27 – Jake Pavelka, American pilot, television personality
- January 28 – Stephen Farrelly, Irish actor and professional wrestler
- January 29 - Julee Cerda, South Korean-born American actress
- February 1 - Bryan Dick, English actor
- February 7 – Ashton Kutcher, American actor
- February 9
- Fede Álvarez, Uruguyan filmmaker
- A. J. Buckley, Canadian actor
- February 10 - Don Omar, Puerto Rican singer, rapper and actor
- February 11 - Lymari Nadal, Puerto Rican actress, producer and screenwriter
- February 12 –
- Paul Anderson, British actor
- Gethin Jones, Welsh television presenter
- February 14 – Danai Gurira, actress, playwright
- February 17
- Ashton Holmes, American actor
- Rory Kinnear, English actor and playwright
- February 20
- Jay Hernandez, American actor
- Julia Jentsch, German actress
- Chelsea Peretti, American comedian, actress, television writer and singer-songwriter
- February 23 – Kris Lemche, Canadian actor
- February 24 – Nicole Lyn, Canadian actress
- February 28 - Geoffrey Arend, American actor
- March 1 – Jensen Ackles, American actor
- March 3 – Aarti Mann, Indian-American actress
- March 5 – Kimberly McCullough, American actress, dancer, director
- March 8 – Nick Zano, American actor
- March 9 – Katherine Parkinson, English actress
- March 16 – Sophie Hunter, English actress and singer
- March 17 – Patrick Seitz, American voice actor
- March 21
- Kevin Federline, American rapper, DJ, actor, television personality, professional wrestler, and fashion model
- Rani Mukerji, Indian actress
- March 23 – Nicholle Tom and David Tom, American actress and actor
- March 24 – Amanda Brugel, Canadian actress
- March 25
- Teddy Lussi-Modeste, French film director, screenwriter and literature teacher<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Maribeth Monroe, American actress, writer and comedian
- March 27 - Romesh Ranganathan, British actor, comedian and presenter
- March 31 - Daniel Mays, English actor
- April 1
- JJ Feild, British-American actor
- Anamaria Marinca, Romanian actress
- April 2 – Deon Richmond, American actor
- April 3 – Matthew Goode, English actor
- April 6 - Lauren Ridloff, deaf American actress
- April 7
- Duncan James, English actor, television presenter and singer
- Scott McGillivray, Canadian television host
- April 8
- Paola Núñez, Mexican actress and producer
- Rachel Roberts, Canadian model and actress
- April 12 – Riley Smith, American actor
- April 13 – Kyle Howard, American actor
- April 14 - Michelle Duncan, Scottish-Canadian actress
- April 16 – Lara Dutta, Indian actress
- April 17 – Ido Mosseri, Israeli actor, singer and musician
- April 19
- James Franco, American actor
- Joanna Gaines, American designer, businesswoman, entrepreneur, television personality
- April 20
- Matt Austin, Canadian actor
- Clayne Crawford, American actor
- April 23 – Ian Brennan, American writer, actor, producer
- April 26
- Stana Katic, Canadian-American actress, producer
- Pablo Schreiber, Canadian actor
- April 28
- Nate Richert, American actor, musician
- Drew Scott, Canadian actor, realtor, and entrepreneur
- Jonathan Scott, Canadian reality television personality, contractor, illusionist, and television and film producer
- April 29 – Tyler Labine, Canadian actor
- April 30 – Sandra Huller, German actress
- May 1 – James Badge Dale, American actor
- May 2 - Kumail Nanjiani, Pakistani-American comedian, actor and screenwriter
- May 4 – Daisuke Ono, Japanese voice actor and singer
- May 5 – Santiago Cabrera, Venezuelan-born Chilean actor
- May 8
- Matthew Davis, American actor
- Ana Maria Lombo, American musician and television personality
- Josie Maran, American model, actress, and entrepreneur
- May 9 – Daniel Franzese, American actor, comedian and activist
- May 10
- Corri English, American actress
- Kenan Thompson, American actor, comedian
- May 11 – Warren Brown, English actor and former professional Thai boxer
- May 12
- Aaron Abrams, Canadian actor, writer
- Malin Åkerman, Swedish-Canadian actress
- Jason Biggs, American actor
- May 13 - Patrick Hughes, Australian director and screenwriter
- May 15
- Caroline Dhavernas, Canadian actress
- David Krumholtz, American actor
- May 16 – Jim Sturgess, English actor
- May 17
- Gabriel Hogan, Canadian-born American actor
- Kat Foster, American actress
- May 18 – Chad Donella, Canadian actor
- May 21 – Chris Santos, American actor
- May 22 – Ginnifer Goodwin, American actress
- May 24 – Bryan Greenberg, American actor
- May 25 – Kick Gurry, Australian actor
- May 26 – Laurence Fox, English actor, singer-songwriter, and guitarist
- May 28 – Jake Johnson, actor, comedian
- May 29 – Adam Rickitt, English actor, singer and model
- June 2
- Dominic Cooper, English actor
- Nikki Cox, American actress
- Justin Long, American actor
- June 4
- Josh McDermitt, American film and television actor and comedian
- Robin Lord Taylor, American actor
- June 5
- Nick Kroll, American actor, comedian, writer and producer
- Jeff Schroeder, American television and online talk show host
- June 6 - Judith Barsi, American child actress (d. 1988)
- June 7
- Bill Hader, American actor, comedian
- Anna Torv, Australian actress
- June 8 – Maria Menounos, American actress
- June 9
- Michaela Conlin, American actress
- Youssef Kerkour, Moroccan-British actor
- June 10
- DJ Qualls, American actor
- Shane West, American actor
- Marko Zaror, Chilean martial artist and actor
- June 11 – Joshua Jackson, Canadian actor
- June 12 - Timothy Simons, American actor and comedian
- June 13 – Ethan Embry, American actor
- June 14 - Diablo Cody, Canadian writer
- June 16 – Daniel Brühl, German actor
- June 18 – Tara Platt, American voice actress
- June 19
- Mía Maestro, Argentine actress and singer-songwriter
- Zoe Saldana, American actress
- June 20
- Quinton Jackson, American mixed martial artist, actor and former professional wrestler
- Mike Birbiglia, American stand-up comedian, actor, and writer
- June 21 – Erica Durance, Canadian actress
- June 22 - David Derrick Jr., American director and storyboard artist
- June 27 – Courtney Ford, American actress
- June 28 – Ha Ji-won, South Korean actress
- June 29 –
- Luke Kirby, Canadian actor
- Nicole Scherzinger, American singer, songwriter, dancer, actress and television personality
- July 2 – Owain Yeoman, Welsh actor
- July 3 – Ian Anthony Dale, American actor
- July 4
- Becki Newton, American actress
- July 6
- Adam Busch, American actor, film director and singer
- Tia Mowry and Tamera Mowry, American actresses
- July 9 – Kyle Davis, American actor
- July 11
- Dustin Demri-Burns, English actor, comedian, and writer
- Jonjo O'Neill, Irish actor
- Thomas Stone, Hungarian pornographic actor
- July 12
- Topher Grace, American actor
- Michelle Rodriguez, American actress
- July 15 – Greg Sestero, American actor, writer
- July 17
- Justine Triet, French film director, screenwriter and editor<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- R. J. Williams, American actor, television host, CEO of Young Hollywood
- July 20
- Charlie Korsmo, American former child actor
- Anatol Yusef, English stage, film and television actor
- July 21
- Justin Bartha, American actor
- Josh Hartnett, American actor
- July 22
- Damien Bonnard, French actor
- A. J. Cook, Canadian actress
- July 23 - Pearry Reginald Teo, Singaporean filmmaker (d. 2023)
- July 24 – Jeff Mauro, American actor, chef
- July 27 - Jeff Fowler, American director and animator
- July 29 - Paul King, British writer and director
- August 2 – Natashia Williams, American actress, model
- August 3
- Tommy Dewey, American actor, producer, writer
- Shanelle Workman, American actress, voice actress, producer and director
- August 4 – Mick Cain, American actor
- August 6 – Lee Ji-ah, South Korean actress
- August 7 - David Caves, Northern Irish actor
- August 8 – Countess Vaughn, American actress
- August 10
- Leo Fitzpatrick, American actor
- Alison Folland, American actress and filmmaker
- August 18 – Andy Samberg, American actor, comedian
- August 19 - Michelle Borth, American actress
- August 20 – Kris Smith, English Australian model, television presenter and rugby league footballer
- August 22 – James Corden, English singer, actor, television host
- August 23
- Kobe Bryant, American actor and basketball player<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> (d. 2020)
- Andrew Rannells, American actor, voice actor, singer
- August 24 – Beth Riesgraf, American actress
- August 25 – Kel Mitchell, American actor, comedian
- August 28 – Sam Wills, New Zealand prop comic, busker, clown, and mime
- August 30 – Gianpaolo Venuta, Canadian actor
- August 31 – Mike Erwin, American actor
- September 1 - Nathalie Cox, British actress
- September 3 – Nick Wechsler, American actor
- September 4 – Wes Bentley, American actor
- September 5
- James Ponsoldt, American director, actor and screenwriter
- Yu Nan, Chinese actress
- September 7 – Devon Sawa, Canadian actor
- September 12 – Benjamin McKenzie, American actor
- September 16
- Carolina Dieckmann, Brazilian actress
- Ebonie Smith, American former actress and model
- September 18 – Billy Eichner, American comedian, actor, writer, and television personality
- September 20 – Charlie Weber, American actor
- September 21 – Paulo Costanzo, Canadian actor
- September 22 – Daniella Alonso, American actress and fashion model
- September 23 – Anthony Mackie, American actor
- September 24 - Christopher Nowinski, American author, co-founder and executive director of the Concussion Legacy Foundation; as well as a former professional wrestler with World Wrestling Entertainment
- September 25 – Rossif Sutherland, Canadian actor
- September 28 – Lucas Bryant, Canadian actor
- September 29 – Nathan West, American actor
- September 30 - Stark Sands, American actor
- October 1 – Katie Aselton, American actress, film director and producer
- October 3
- Christian Coulson, English actor
- Shannyn Sossamon, American actress
- October 6 - Lindsey Pearlman, American actress (d. 2022)
- October 7
- Joe Armstrong, English actor
- Hattie Morahan, English actress
- October 9 – Randy Spelling, American actor
- October 10
- Trevor Eyster, American actor
- Edan Gross, American former child actor
- Jodi Lyn O'Keefe, American actress
- October 11
- Wes Chatham, American actor
- Trevor Donovan, American actor
- October 14 – Usher, American singer, actor
- October 15
- Devon Gummersall, American actor
- Matt Lutz, American actor
- October 16 – Kala Savage, American actress
- October 18 – Wesley Jonathan, American actor
- October 21
- Will Estes, American actor
- Michael McMillian, American actor
- October 26 –
- CM Punk, American mixed martial artist, comic book writer and retired professional wrestler
- Anthony Carrino, American contractor, designer, developer and television personality
- October 27 – David Walton, American actor
- October 28
- Gwendoline Christie, English actress and model
- Justin Guarini, American singer and actor
- October 30 - Matthew Morrison, American singer, actor
- October 31 – Brian Hallisay, American actor
- November 1 – Mary Kate Schellhardt, American actress
- November 2
- Oliver Chris, English actor
- Whit Hertford, American theatre director, writer and actor
- November 7 - Will Gluck, American director, producer, screenwriter and composer
- November 8 – Keir O'Donnell, Australian-American actor
- November 9 – Sisqó, American singer, actor, songwriter
- November 10
- David Paetkau, Canadian actor
- Diplo, American actor, DJ, record producer, rapper, songwriter
- November 12
- Nicolas Giraud, French actor and filmmaker
- Alexandra Maria Lara, Romanian-German actress
- Ashley Williams, American actress
- November 13 - Marit Velle Kile, Norwegian former actress
- November 17
- Nonso Anozie, British actor
- Zoe Bell, New Zealand stuntwoman, actress
- Tom Ellis, Welsh actor
- Rachel McAdams, Canadian actress
- November 19 – Eric Nenninger, American actor
- November 20 - Nadine Velazquez, American actress and model
- November 21 – Yasmine Al Massri, International actress, dancer, video artist and human rights advocate
- November 23 – Kayvan Novak, British actor, voice actor, and comedian
- November 24 – Katherine Heigl, American actress
- November 25 – Taís Araújo, Brazilian actress
- November 26 – Jun Fukuyama, Japanese voice actor and singer
- November 28 – Jodie Resther, Canadian actress
- November 29 – Lauren German, American actress
- November 30
- Gael García Bernal, Mexican film actor, director, and producer
- December 1
- Camille Cottin, French actress and comedian
- Stefan Kapičić, Serbian actor
- December 6 - K. D. Aubert, American actress
- December 7
- Shiri Appleby, American actress
- Kristofer Hivju, Norwegian film actor, producer and writer
- December 8 – Ian Somerhalder, American actor
- December 9 – Jesse Metcalfe, American actor
- December 10 - Summer Phoenix, American actress
- December 12 - Gbenga Akinnagbe, American actor and writer
- December 13 – Cameron Douglas, American actor
- December 15 – Will Wikle, American actor and reality television personality
- December 16 – Joe Absolom, English actor
- December 17 – Douglas Tait, American actor, stuntman, filmmaker
- December 18
- Josh Dallas, American actor
- Katie Holmes, American actress
- Ravi Patel, American actor
- December 21
- Charles Dera, American pornographic actor, dancer, model, martial artist, and former U.S. Marine
- Mike Vitar, American actor
- December 22 – Mia Tyler, American actress, model, author, visual artist, media personality, socialite, fashion designer, talent manager and music promoter
- December 23 - Josh Cowdery, American actor
- December 24 – Carlson Twins, American actors, models
- December 25 – Jeremy Strong, American film, television, and stage actor
- December 27 - Lisa Jakub, Canadian writer and former actress
- December 28 – John Legend, American composer and actor
- December 30 – Tyrese Gibson, American actor, singer, model
- December 31 – Johnny Sins, pornographic actor, director, and Internet personality