1979 in television

Encyclopedia : 1 : 19 : 197 : 1979 in television

See also: 1978 in television, other events of 1979, 1980 in television, and the list of 'years in television'.

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

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 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.

Debuts

• January 8 - Password Plus premieres on NBC (1979-1982).
• January 26 - The Dukes of Hazzard premieres on CBS (1979-1985).
• January 26 - Hello, Larry, the third series McLean Stevenson has done since leaving M*A*S*H, premieres on NBC (1979-1980).
• February 3 - You Can't Do That on Television premieres on CTV affiliate CJOH-TV (1979-1990).
• February 8 - Angie premieres on ABC (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).
• September 23 - 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 New Music premieres (1979-present).
• Nightline premieres on ABC (1979-present).
• Smith and Smith premieres (1979-1985).
• This Old House premieres on PBS (1979-present).

Miniseries

• Backstairs at the White House

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).
• What the Papers Say (UK) (1956-present).
• The Sky at Night (UK) (1957-present).
• Blue Peter (UK) (1958-present).
• 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) ends on September 2 to resume on September 9 as Disney's Wonderful World (1979-1981).

1970s

• 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).
• 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).
• Last of the Summer Wine (UK) (1973-present).
• Match Game '79 (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).
• 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).
• Ryan's Hope (1975-1989).
• Runaround (UK) (1975-1981).
• Saturday Night Live (1975-present).
• The Don Lane Show (Australia) (1975-1983).
• 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).
• 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).
• 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 & Mindy (1978-1982).
• Taxi (1978-1983).
• WKRP in Cincinnati (1978-1982).
• Juke Box Jury (1959-1967, 1979, 1989-1990).

Ending this year

• April 20 - Match Game '79 (1973-79)
• September 11 - Wonder Woman (1976-1979).
• All in the Family (1971-1979) - continues as Archie Bunker's Place.
• Good Times (1974-1979).
• Fawlty Towers (1975, 1979).
• Welcome Back, Kotter (1975-1979).
• What's Happening!! (1976-1979).
• Battlestar Galactica (1978-1979).

Births

• January 1 — Morena Baccarin, US actress (born in Brazil).
• January 2 — Suranne Jones, UK actress.
• January 16 — Aaliyah, US singer/actress.
• January 24
• * Tatyana Ali, US actress.
• * Kyle Brandt, US actor.
• January 26 — Sara Rue, US actress.
• February 11 — Brandy Norwood, US singer/actress.
• February 21 — Jennifer Love Hewitt, US actress.
• March 12 — John-Paul Lavoisier, US actor
• April 9 — Keshia Knight Pulliam, US actress.
• April 12 — Claire Danes, US actress.
• July 11 — Julie Stoffer, US actress.
• August 22 — Jennifer Finnigan, US actress (born in Canada).
• October 8 — Kristanna Loken, US actress and model.
• November 23 — Kelly Brook, British television presenter and model.
• December 2 — Melissa Archer, US actress.
• December 15 — Adam Brody, US actor.

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.

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