“ER” premieres on NBC, created by Michael Crichton, starring George Clooney, Anthony Edwards and Noah Wyle.

“Doogie Howser, M.D.”, starring Neil Patrick Harris as a teenage physician, debuts on ABC.

U.S. health officials announced that AZT, though an experimental drug, would be made available to AIDS patients.

8.1 earthquake in Mexico City kills an estimated 10,000 and leaves 250,000 homeless

Scott Fahlman posts the first documented emoticons 🙂 and 🙁 on the Carnegie Mellon University Bulletin Board System.
“Ordinary People” directed by Robert Redford and starring Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore and Judd Hirsch is released (Best Picture 1981).

Terry Fox invested as a Companion of the Order of Canada. The one-legged cancer victim whose marathon run across Canada raised millions of dollars for cancer research is the youngest so honoured.

“The Mary Tyler Moore” show premieres on CBS.

Chubby Checker’s “The Twist” hits #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Dalida is the first artist to be awarded a gold record in France for 300,000 sales of “Bambino”..

“Adventures of Superman” TV series starring George Reeves premieres in syndication in the US.

Beginning of the Bombay plague epidemic when Dr.Acacio Gabriel Viegas detects the first case in Mandvi. Goes on to spread and kill 12 million in India.

New Zealand becomes the first country to grant all women the right to vote.

Melville R. Bissell patented the carpet sweeper.
Jacques Boisdon opens Quebec’s first licensed tavern; forbidden to open when church services being held.