Online Encyclopedia
Categories: 1970s | 1979
1979 in television
See also: 1978 in television, other events of 1979, 1980 in television and the list of 'years in television'.
Contents |
Events
- February 3 - Dead Man's Curve , a made-for-TV-movie about surf-rock singers Jan & Dean, airs on US television.
- February 11 - In the US, 43 million viewers watch "Elvis!" on ABC, a made for TV movie starring Kurt Russell as Elvis.
- March 5 - Another World becomes the first (and, to date, the only) soap opera to air regularly-scheduled ninety-minute telecasts. This does not last more than a year, however.
- August 10 - In the UK, the whole of the ITV network except in the Channel Islands, is affected by a technicians' strike for eleven weeks.
- September 7 - ESPN begins broadcasting sports 24/7 and was the first cable channel to be launched.
- October 24 - On ITV's first night back on air after the strike, Quatermass, the fourth and final serial featuring the heroic Professor Bernard Quatermass, begins its run on the network.
- October 25 - The long-running soap opera Love of Life is taken off the air for emergency retooling, due to falling ratings.
- Over 300 million households worldwide now own television sets.
- CFMT (now OMNI1 ) began launching Toronto's first multicultural channel.
- Un Pecado del Amor premieres in Guatemala.
Debuts
- February 3 - You Can't Do That on Television premieres on CTV affiliate CJOH-TV.
- Angie premieres (1979-1980)
- Benson a spinoff of Soap (1979-1986)
- Knots Landing', a spinoff of Dallas (1979-1993)
- Real People (1979-1984)
- The Dukes of Hazzard premieres (1979-1985)
- The Facts of Life, a spinoff of Diff'rent Strokes (1979-1988)
- Trapper John, M.D. premieres (1979-1986)
Popular Television Shows
- Meet the Press (1947-present)
- Candid Camera (1948-present)
- Truth or Consequences (1950-1988)
- Love of Life (1951-1980)
- Search for Tomorrow (1951-1986)
- American Bandstand (1952-1989)
- Guiding Light (1952-present)
- The Today Show (1952-present)
- Panorama (UK) (1953-present)
- The Good Old Days (UK) (1953-1983)
- Face the Nation (1954-present)
- The Tonight Show (1954-present)
- Captain Kangaroo (1955-1984)
- The Lawrence Welk Show (1955-1982)
- This Is Your Life (UK) (1955-2003)
- As the World Turns (1956-present)
- The Edge of Night (1956-1984)
- What the Papers Say (UK) (1956-present)
- The Sky at Night (UK) (1957-present)
- Blue Peter (UK) (1958-present)
- Grandstand (UK) (1958-present)
- Coronation Street (UK) (1960-present)
- The Mike Douglas Show (1961-1981)
- The Late Late Show (Ireland) (1962-present)
- Dr Who (UK) (1963-1989)
- General Hospital (1963-present)
- The Doctors (1963-1982)
- Another World (1964-1999)
- Top of the Pops (UK) (1964-present)
- Days of Our Lives (1965-present)
- World of Sport (UK) (1965-1985)
- Play School (1966-present)
- 60 Minutes (1968-present)
- Hawaii Five-O (1968-1980)
- One Life to Live (1968-present)
- Hee Haw (1969-1993)
- Sesame Street (1969-present)
- The Benny Hill Show (UK) (1969-1989)
- The Wonderful World of Disney (1969-1979) ends on September 2 to resume on September 9 as Disney's Wonderful World (1979-1981)
- All My Children (1970-present)
- Monday Night Football (1970-present)
- Play for Today (UK) (1970-1984)
- Masterpiece Theatre (1971-present)
- Old Grey Whistle Test (UK) (1971-1987)
- Are You Being Served? (UK) (1972-1985)
- Emmerdale Farm (UK) (1972-present)
- John Craven's Newsround (UK) (1972-present)
- M*A*S*H (1972-1983)
- The Price Is Right (1972-present)
- The Waltons (1972-1981)
- Barnaby Jones (1973-1980)
- Last of the Summer Wine (UK) (1973-present)
- Match Game '79 (1962-1969, 1973-1984, 1990-1991, 1998-1999)
- Schoolhouse Rock! (1973-1986)
- The Tomorrow Show (1973-1982)
- The Young and the Restless (1973-present)
- Derrick (1974-1998)
- Happy Days (1974-1984)
- Little House on the Prairie (1974-1983)
- The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast (1974-1984)
- The Rockford Files (1974-1980)
- Tiswas (UK) (1974-1982)
- Barney Miller (1975-1982)
- Fawlty Towers (UK) (1975-present)
- Good Morning America (1975-present)
- King of Kensington (Canada) (1975-1980)
- Match Game PM (1975-1981)
- One Day at a Time (1975-1984)
- Ryan's Hope (1975-1989)
- Runaround (UK) (1975-1981)
- Saturday Night Live (1975-present)
- Superstars (UK) (1975-1985, 2003-present)
- the fifth estate (Canada) (1975-present)
- The Jeffersons (1975-1985)
- Wheel of Fortune (1975-present)
- Alice (1976-1985)
- Charlie's Angels (1976-1981)
- Family Feud (1976-1985, 1988-1995, 1999-present)
- Laverne & Shirley (1976-1983)
- Quincy, M.E. (1976-1983)
- Second City Television (SCTV) (Canada) (1976-1984)
- The Muppet Show (UK) (1976-1981)
- The P.T.L. Club (1976-1987)
- CHiPs (1977-1983)
- Eight Is Enough (1977-1981)
- Fantasy Island (1977-1984)
- In Search of... (1977-1982)
- Lou Grant (1977-1982)
- Soap (1977-1981)
- The Love Boat (1977-1986)
- Three's Company (1977-1984)
- 20/20 (1978-present)
- 3-2-1 (UK) (1978-1987)
- Battle of the Planets (1978-1985)
- Dallas (1978-1991)
- Diff'rent Strokes (1978-1986)
- Grange Hill (UK) (1978-present)
- Mork and Mindy (1978-1982)
- Taxi (1978-1983)
- WKRP in Cincinnati (1978-1982)
- Juke Box Jury (1959-1967, 1979, 1989-1990)
Ending this year
- All in the Family (1971-1979)
- Good Times (1974-1979)
- Welcome Back, Kotter (1975-1979)
- What's Happening!! (1976-1979)
Births
- January 1 - Suranne Jones , actress
- January 2 - Morena Boccarin , actress
- January 24 - Tatyana Ali, actress
- November 23 - Kelly Brook, British television presenter and model
- December 2 - Melissa Archer, actress
Deaths
- January 11 - Jack Soo , actor (Nick Yemana) on Barney Miller
- January 16 - Ted Cassidy, 6'9" actor (Lurch) on The Addams Family
- January 27 - Dick Wesson , actor, announcer on The Wonderful World of Disney
- February 28 - Mister Ed
- July 29 - Bill Todman, game show producer
- August 17 - Vivian Vance, actress (Ethel Mertz) on I Love Lucy
Categories: 1970s | 1979
Last updated: 10-24-2004 05:10:45