1979 in television

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of television-related events in 1979.

Years in television:	1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982
Years in film:	1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982
Years in home video:	1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982
Centuries:	19th century · 20th century · 21st century
Decades:	1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s
Years:	1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982

For the United States network television schedule, please see 1979-80 United States network television schedule.

1 Events
2 Debuts
3 Miniseries
4 Television shows
5 Ending this year
6 Births
7 Deaths

[edit] Events

This year saw BBC2 unveil the world's first computer generated television symbol, staying in use until 1986. The symbol would 'draw' itself on or off the screen, and would sometimes be accompanied by a jingle.

January 9 - The Music for UNICEF Concert is performed in New York City. The televised special airs the following night on NBC in the United States.
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 6 - Another World becomes the first (and, to date, the only) soap opera to air regularly-scheduled ninety-minute telecasts. The time extension coincides with the death of long-running character John Randolph (played by Michael M. Ryan) in a house fire. The show goes back to 60-minute episodes in August 1980.
March 6 - Villain Roger Thorpe (played by Michael Zaslow) rapes his wife Holly (Maureen Garrett) on Guiding Light, the first time spousal rape was shown on U.S. television.
March 19- C-Span. a United States cable channel is launched.
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.
September 19 - On the two-hour TV-movie season premiere event on Eight is Enough, both David and Susan Bradford married their respective loves in a double ceremony. The premiere grabbed a 40 share across the two hours.
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. It is quickly reinstated and ends the following year.
Over 300 million households worldwide now own television sets.
December 1 - The Movie Channel begins broadcasting movies 24/7.
General Hospital tops the yearly daytime television ratings for the first time.
CFMT, Toronto's first multicultural channel, launches.
Un Pecado del Amor premieres in Guatemala.
First color television broadcasts in Greece.
BBC2 unveils the first computer-generated television presentation symbol in the world.
Berlinda Tolbert and Mike Evans who both portray Lionel and Jenny Willis Jefferson, rejoins the cast of The Jeffersons, Mike Evans returns to the series, after his television he co-created, Good Times, was cancelled, Tolbert and Evans joins the cast until Spring of 1981.

[edit] Debuts

January 8 - Password Plus premieres on NBC (1979-1982).
January 26 - The Dukes of Hazzard premieres on CBS (1979-1985).
- Hello, Larry, the third series McLean Stevenson has done since leaving M*A*S*H, premieres on NBC (1979-1980).
January 28 - Thomas & Sarah premiered on LWT. It lasted only one series.
- You Can't Do That on Television premieres on CTV affiliate CJOH-TV (1979-1990).
February 1 - Makin' It premiered on ABC. It lasted eight episodes.
February 3 - Battle Fever J premieres on TV Asahi (1979-1980)
February 7 - Supertrain premieres on NBC (1979).
February 8 - Angie premieres on ABC (1979-1980).
February 9 - Hana no Ko Lunlun premieres on TV Asahi (1979-1980)
March 24 - Tales of the Unexpected, an Anglia Television series based on the short stories of Roald Dahl, debuts on ITV in the UK (1979-1985; 1987-1988).
April 1 - Pinwheel premieres on Nickelodeon making it the first Nickelodeon show. (1979-1989)
April 18 - Real People premieres on NBC (1979-1984).
August 24 - The Facts of Life, a spinoff of Diff'rent Strokes, premieres on NBC (1979-1988).
September 13 - Benson, a spinoff of Soap, premieres on ABC (1979-1986).
September 20 - Buck Rogers in the 25th Century premieres on NBC (1979-1981).
September 23 - Archie Bunker's Place, a continuation of All in the Family, premieres on CBS (1979-1983).
- Trapper John, M.D. premieres on CBS (1979-1986).
December 27 - Knots Landing, a spinoff of Dallas, premieres on CBS (1979-1993).
Antiques Roadshow premieres in the UK (1979-present).
The Mad Dash premieres (1979-present).
The NewMusic premieres (1979-present).
Nightline premieres on ABC (1979-present).
Smith and Smith premieres (1979-1985).
This Old House premieres on PBS (1979-present).