1978 in television

Encyclopedia : 1 : 19 : 197 : 1978 in television

See also: 1977 in television, other events of 1978, 1979 in television and the list of 'years in television'.

For the American network television schedule, please see 1978-79 American network television schedule.

Contents

1 Events
2 Debuts
3 Miniseries
4 Television shows

4.1 1940s
4.2 1950s
4.3 1960s
4.4 1970s

5 Ending this year
6 Births
7 Deaths

Events

January 28 - The Doobie Brothers make a guest appearance on the television show What's Happening!!.
February 22 - The Police appear in a television commercial for Wrigley's chewing gum.
March 7–April 11 - Dennis Potter's groundbreaking drama serial Pennies From Heaven airs on BBC1.
April 16–April 19 - Holocaust, starring James Woods and Meryl Streep first aired on NBC.
April 22 - The Blues Brothers make their first appearance on Saturday Night Live. The duo of Jake & Elwood Blues (John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd) was introduced by Paul Shaffer (as Don Kirschner) and performed "Hey Bartender".
April 26 - Ringo Starr's, Ringo, a musical version of The Prince and the Pauper airs on American television. Starr's fellow former Beatle George Harrison provides the narration.
May 24 - The iconic skateboarding duck item first airs on BBC TV's Nationwide.
July 10 - The ABC Evening News is renamed ABC World News Tonight with Frank Reynolds as anchor.
September - The soap opera As the World Turns is #1 in the daytime Nielsen ratings for the 20th and final consecutive year; no other serial has been at the top of the ratings for such an unbeaten yearly streak.
November 17 - The Star Wars Holiday Special airs on CBS. The special gives fans their first glimpse of Boba Fett, a character from the upcoming Star Wars sequel.
The Beatles spoof, The Rutles - All You Need Is Cash airs on television.
Steve Martin performs the original "King Tut" on Saturday Night Live. The song is later released as a single and becomes a hit for the comedian.
Abarembo Shogun premieres on the Asahi television network in Japan (1978-2003).

Debuts

February 8 - Grange Hill premieres on BBC TV in the UK (1978-present).
April 3 - Dallas premieres on CBS (1978-1991).
June 6- 20/20 premieres on ABC (1978-present).
July 10 - World News Tonight premieres on ABC (1978-present).
September 12 - Taxi premieres on ABC (1978-1983).
September 14 - Mork & Mindy premieres on ABC (1978-1982).
September 17 - Battlestar Galactica premieres on ABC (1978-1979).
September 18 - WKRP in Cincinnati premieres on CBS (1978-1982).
September - Battle of the Planets premieres (1978-1985).
November 3 - Diff'rent Strokes premieres on NBC (1978-1986).
Canada After Dark premieres (1978-1979).
Duplessis premieres (1978).
3-2-1 starts on ITV in the United Kingdom (1978-1987).

Miniseries

Centennial
Holocaust

Television shows

1940s

Meet the Press (1947-present).
Candid Camera (1948-present).
Bozo the Clown (1949-present).
Come Dancing (UK) (1949-1995).

1950s

Truth or Consequences (1950-1988).
Love of Life (1951-1980).
Search for Tomorrow (1951-1986).
Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951-present).
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 Starring Johnny Carson (1962-1992).
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).
To Tell the Truth (1956-1978).
What the Papers Say (UK) (1956-present).
The Sky at Night (UK) (1957-present).
Blue Peter (UK) (1958-present).
Concentration (1958-1978).
Grandstand (UK) (1958-present).

1960s

Coronation Street (UK) (1960-present).
Four Corners (Australia) (1961-present).
It's Academic (1961-present).
The Mike Douglas Show (1961-1981).
The Late Late Show (Ireland) (1962-present).
Doctor Who (UK) (1963-1989, 1996, 2005-present).
General Hospital (1963-present).
The Doctors (1963-1982).
Another World (1964-1999).
Crossroads (UK) (1964-1988, 2001-2003).
Top of the Pops (UK) (1964-present).
Days of Our Lives (1965-present).
World of Sport (UK) (1965-1985).
Play School (1966-present).
The Money Programme (UK) (1966-present).
60 Minutes (1968-present).
Hawaii Five-O (1968-1980).
Magpie (UK) (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)

1970s

All My Children (1970-present).
Monday Night Football (1970-present).
Play for Today (UK) (1970-1984).
All in the Family (1971-1979).
Masterpiece Theatre (1971-present).
Old Grey Whistle Test (UK) (1971-1987).
Soul Train (1971-present).
Are You Being Served? (UK) (1972-1985).
Emmerdale Farm (UK) (1972-present).
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (1972-1984).
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).
Kojak (1973-1978, 2005-present).
Last of the Summer Wine (UK) (1973-present).
Match Game '78 (1962-1969, 1973-1984, 1990-1991, 1998-1999).
Schoolhouse Rock! (1973-1986).
Superstars (UK) (1973-1985, 2003-2005).
The Tomorrow Show (1973-1982).
The Young and the Restless (1973-present).
Countdown (Australia) (1974-1987).
Derrick (1974-1998).
Good Times (1974-1979).
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).
Wish You Were Here...? (UK) (1974-present).
Arena (UK) (1975–present).
Barney Miller (1975-1982).
Good Morning America (1975-present).
Jim'll Fix It (UK) (1975-1994).
King of Kensington (Canada) (1975-1980).
Match Game PM (1975-1981).
One Day at a Time (1975-1984).
Runaround (UK) (1975-1981).
Ryan's Hope (1975-1989).
Saturday Night Live (1975-present).
The Don Lane Show (Australia) (1975-1983).
the fifth estate (Canada) (1975-present).
The Jeffersons (1975-1985).
Welcome Back, Kotter (1975-1979).
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).
Multi-Coloured Swap Shop (UK) (1976-1982).
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).
What's Happening!! (1976-1979).
Wonder Woman (1976-1979).
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).

Ending this year

June - The Good Life (UK) (1975-1978).
August - Police Woman (1974-1978).
Opportunity Knocks (UK) (1956-1978).
Z-Cars (UK) (1962-1978).
The Carol Burnett Show (1967-1978).
Columbo (1971-1978).
Maude (1972-1978).
The Bob Newhart Show (1972-1978).
The Six Million Dollar Man (1973-1978).
Chico and the Man (1974-1978).
Rhoda (1974-1978).
Tattletales (1974-1978, 1982-1984).
Baretta (1975-1978).
Pop Quest (UK) (1975-1978).
The Sweeney (UK) (1975-1978).
The Bionic Woman (1976-1978).
Lucan (1977-1978).
The Naked Vicar Show (Australia) (1977-1978).
The Bobby Vinton Show(1975-1978).

Births

January 3 - Daryn Jones, entertainment personality in Canada.
February 7 - Ashton Kutcher, US actor.
April 13 - Kyle Howard, US actor.
April 22 - Manu Intiraymi, US actor.
June 2 - Nikki Cox, US actor.
June 10 - Shane West, US actor.
June 13 - Ethan Embry, US actor.
June 27 - Anna Kumble, British television presenter.
July 1 - Hillary Tuck, US actor.
July 9 - Linda Park, US actor (born in Korea).
July 19 - Topher Grace, US actor.
August 7 - Cirroc Lofton, US actor.
October 9 - Randy Spelling, US actor.
December 18 - Katie Holmes, US actor.

Deaths

February 28 - Zara Cully, US actor (Mother Olivia Jefferson) on The Jeffersons.
March 18 - Peggy Wood, US actor.
April 22 - Will Geer, US actor (Grandpa Walton) on The Waltons
May 21 - Bruce Geller, screenwriter, producer
June 29 - Bob Crane, US actor (Col. Hogan on Hogan's Heroes), murdered.
December 1, David Nixon, magician

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