1977 in television
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of television-related events in 1977.
For the American network television schedule, please see 1977-78 American network television schedule.
Contents |
[edit] Events
- January 15 - Bill Murray joins the cast of Saturday Night Live, replacing Chevy Chase who left the previous year.
- February 1 - Colour television transmissions commence in Italy, under the RAI banner of television channels.
- February 4 - American Bandstand celebrates its 25th anniversary on television with a special hosted by Dick Clark. An "all-star band" made up of Chuck Berry, Seals & Crofts, Gregg Allman, Junior Walker, Johnny Rivers, the Pointer Sisters, Charlie Daniels, Doc Severinsen, Les McCann, Donald Byrd, Chuck Mangione and three members of Booker T and the MGs perform "Roll Over Beethoven."
- November 26 - Just after 5.10pm in the Southern Television ITV region, a pirate hijacks the sound of the ITN News and broadcasts a message claiming to be Vrillon of the Ashtar Galactic Command. Thousands of viewers ring Southern Television, ITN, and even the police for an explanation.
- Don Novello first appeared on Saturday Night Live until 1987.
- Lisa Peluso makes her first appearance on Search for Tomorrow.
- Scum, an entry in BBC1's Play for Today anthology strand, is pulled from transmission due to controversy over its depiction of life in a Young Offenders' Institution (at that time known in the UK as a Borstal). Two years later the director Alan Clarke makes a film version with most of the same cast, and the original play itself is eventually transmitted in 1991.
- Colour television licenses exceed black and white licenses for the first time in the UK.
- US television game show program Match Game is the #1 rated game show for the fifth year in a row.
- Marla Gibbs joins the cast of The Jeffersons.
[edit] Debuts
- 10 January - The first Circus of the Stars is broadcast on CBS (1977-1994)
- January 17 - New Mickey Mouse Club premieres in syndication in the United States (1977-1978).
- January 28 - Fantasy Island premieres on ABC (1977-1984).
- March 15 - Eight is Enough premieres on ABC (1977-1981).
- Three's Company premieres on ABC (1977-1984).
- April 9 - JAKQ Dengeki Tai premieres on TV-Asahi (1977-1977).
- June 15 - 100 Huntley Street premieres on CTS in Canada (1977-present).
- September 3 - The Krypton Factor premieres on ITV in the UK (1977-1995).
- September 12 - Lucan premieres on ABC, after a pilot is shown on May 22 (1977-1978).
- September 13 - Soap premieres on ABC (1977-1981).
- September 15 - CHiPs premieres on NBC (1977-1983).
- September 20 - Lou Grant premieres on CBS (1977-1982).
- September 24 - The Love Boat premieres on ABC (1977-1986).
- The Naked Vicar Show premieres on ATN-7 in Australia (1977-1978).
- This Week in Baseball premieres in syndication in the United States (1977-1998, 2000-present).
[edit] Miniseries
- January 23-30 - American Broadcasting Company broadcasts the mini series Roots, which sets television ratings records.
- April 3-April 10 - Jesus of Nazareth, directed by Franco Zeffirelli, first airs on NBC.
[edit] Television shows
[edit] 1940s
- Meet the Press (1947-present).
- Candid Camera (1948-present).
- Bozo the Clown (1949-present).
- Come Dancing (UK) (1949-1995).
[edit] 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).
- Opportunity Knocks (UK) (1956-1978).
- 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).
[edit] 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).
- Z-Cars (UK) (1962-1978).
- 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) (1964-2006).
- Days of Our Lives (1965-present).
- World of Sport (UK) (1965-1985).
- Play School (1966-present).
- The Money Programme (UK) (1966-present).
- The Carol Burnett Show (1967-1978).
- 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).
[edit] 1970s
- All My Children (1970-present).
- Monday Night Football (1970-present).
- Play for Today (UK) (1970-1984).
- All in the Family (1971-1979).
- Columbo (1971-1978).
- 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).
- Maude (1972-1978).
- M*A*S*H (1972-1983).
- The Bob Newhart Show (1972-1978).
- 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 '77 (1962-1969, 1973-1984, 1990-1991, 1998-1999).
- Schoolhouse Rock! (1973-1986).
- The Six Million Dollar Man (1973-1978).
- Superstars (UK) (1973-1985, 2003-2005).
- The Tomorrow Show (1973-1982).
- The Young and the Restless (1973-present).
- Chico and the Man (1974-1978).
- Countdown (Australia) (1974-1987).
- Derrick (1974-1998).
- Dinah! (1974-1980).
- Good Times (1974-1979).
- Happy Days (1974-1984).
- Land of the Lost (1974-1977).
- Little House on the Prairie (1974-1983).
- Police Woman (1974-1978).
- Rhoda (1974-1978).
- Tattletales (1974-1978, 1982-1984).
- 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).
- Baretta (1975-1978).
- 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).
- Pop Quest (UK) (1975-1978).
- 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 Good Life (UK) (1975-1978).
- The Jeffersons (1975-1985).
- The Sweeney (UK) (1975-1978).
- Tom and Jerry (1965-1972, 1975-1977, 1980-1982).
- 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).
- In Search of... (1976-1982).
- Laverne & Shirley (1976-1983).
- Multi-Coloured Swap Shop (UK) (1976-1982).
- Quincy, M.E. (1976-1983).
- Second City Television (SCTV) (Canada) (1976-1984).
- The Bionic Woman (1976-1978).
- The Muppet Show (UK) (1976-1981).
- The P.T.L. Club (1976-1987).
- What's Happening!! (1976-1979).
- Wonder Woman (1976-1979).
[edit] Ending this year
- January - New Howdy Doody Show (1976-1977).
- March 18 - Sanford and Son (1972-1977).
- March 19 - Mary Tyler Moore (1970-1977).
- April 2 - Supersonic (UK) (1975-1977).
- April 15 – The Electric Company (1971-1977). This applied to first-run episodes only; reruns would continue on PBS for the next decade.
- April 17 - McCloud (1970-1977).
- April 24 - McMillan and Wife (1971-1977).
- June 8 - Survivors (UK) (1975-1977).
- September 1 - Space: 1999 (1975-1977, although a few leftover episodes would air in the UK in 1978).
- September – The original syndicated version of Let's Make a Deal (1971-1977).
- November 13 - Dad's Army (1968-1977).
- December 3 - Emergency! (1972-1977).
[edit] Changes of network affiliation
- The Bionic Woman moves from ABC to NBC.
[edit] Births
- January 1 - Keeley Hawes, British actress.
- April 14 - Sarah Michelle Gellar, American actress.
- August 20 - Kristen Miller, American actress.
[edit] Deaths
- January 28 - Burt Mustin, 92, actor.
- January 29 – Freddie Prinze, 22, actor and comedian.
- February 28 - Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson, 71, comedian.
- August 16 - Elvis Presley, 42, musician.
- August 19 - Groucho Marx, 86, comedian, television host.
- August 22 - Sebastian Cabot, 59, actor.
- August 29 - Jean Hagen, 54, actress.
- October 14 - Bing Crosby, 74, singer.