1951 in television
The year 1951 in television involved some significant events. Below is a list of television-related events in 1951.
Events
- March 22 - RCA introduces an eight-pound (3.6 kg) monochrome television camera with a 53-pound (24 kg) backpack transmitter, both operated by batteries. It is the first portable television camera.
- May 28 - The US Supreme Court upholds the FCC's approval of the CBS color television system.
- June 25 – CBS presents its first commercial color telecast with Arthur Godfrey, Ed Sullivan, and Faye Emerson.
- June - RCA demonstrates its new electronic color system.
- August 11 - The first baseball game is televised in color, a double-header between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Boston Braves.
- September 4 - The first live transcontinental television broadcast takes place in San Francisco, California from the Japanese Peace Treaty Conference.
- September 22 - The first live sporting event seen coast-to-coast, a college football game between Duke University and the University of Pittsburgh, is televised on NBC.
- September 29 - CBS broadcasts the first American football game in color, between the University of California and the University of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia.
- October 3 - The first live coast-to-coast network telecast of a World Series game.
- October 12 - The Holme Moss transmitter is opened in Northern England, making BBC Television available to the region for the first time.
- October 17 - Television broadcasts begin in Argentina from Primera Televisora Argentina on channel 7, Buenos Aires.
- October 20 - The iconic CBS eye logo makes its television debut.
- November 11 - Bing Crosby Enterprises demonstrates black-and-white video recording using a modified Ampex tape recorder.
- November 18 - Edward R. Murrow on See It Now presents the first live coast-to-coast commercial television broadcast in the US, showing a split screen view of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City and the Bay Bridge in San Francisco.
- December 24 - The first televised opera written for television, Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti, airs on NBC.
- Television broadcasts begin in Peru.
- Ernie Kovacs' Time for Ernie and Ernie in Kovacsland television shows premiere. Kovacs pushes the limits of television technology with his use of camera tricks and special effects.
Debuts
Television shows
listed by starting year
| Series |
Debut |
Ended |
| Picture Page (UK) |
October 8, 1936 |
1939 |
| 1946 |
1952 |
| The Voice of Firestone Televues |
1943 |
1947 |
| 1949 |
1963 |
| Kaleidoscope (UK) |
November 2, 1946 |
1953 |
| Gillette Cavalcade of Sports |
November 8, 1946 |
June 24, 1960 |
| Muffin the Mule (UK) |
1946 |
1955 |
| Kraft Television Theater |
May 7, 1947 |
1958 |
| Kukla, Fran and Ollie |
October 13, 1947 |
1957 |
| Meet the Press |
November 6, 1947 |
—
|
| Howdy Doody |
December 27, 1947 |
September 24, 1960 |
| Café Continental |
1947 |
1953 |
| Juvenile Jury |
1947 |
1954 |
| Small Fry Club |
1947 |
1951 |
| Television Newsreel (UK) |
January 5, 1948 |
1954 |
| The Original Amateur Hour |
January 18, 1948 |
September 27, 1970 |
| Court of Current Issues |
February 9, 1948 |
June 26, 1951 |
| Author Meets the Critics |
April 1948 |
October 10, 1954 |
| Hollywood Screen Test |
April 15, 1948 |
1953 |
| Texaco Star Theater |
June 8, 1948 |
1953 |
| The Ed Sullivan Show |
June 20, 1948 |
June 6, 1971 |
| Candid Camera |
August 10, 1948 |
May 23, 2004 |
| CBS Evening News |
August 15, 1948 |
—
|
| Foodini the Great |
August 23, 1948 |
June 23, 1951 |
| Ford Theatre |
October 17, 1948 |
July 10, 1957 |
| The Alan Dale Show |
1948 |
1951 |
| Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts |
1948 |
January 1, 1958 |
| Break the Bank |
1948 |
1957 |
| Celebrity Time |
1948 |
September 1952 |
| Club Seven |
1948 |
1951 |
| The Philco Television Playhouse |
1948 |
1955 |
| Winner Take All |
1948 |
1952 |
| The Goldbergs |
January 17, 1949 |
1956 |
| Captain Video |
June 27, 1949 |
April 1, 1955 |
| Mama |
July 1, 1949 |
March 17, 1957 |
| Martin Kane, Private Eye |
August 7, 1949 |
June 17, 1954 |
| The Lone Ranger |
September 15, 1949 |
June 6, 1957 |
| Come Dancing (UK) |
September 29, 1949 |
1995 |
| The Aldrich Family |
October 2, 1949 |
May 29, 1953 |
| January 2, 1953 |
August 22, 1958 |
| The Ruggles |
November 3, 1949 |
June 19, 1952 |
| One Man's Family |
November 4, 1949 |
June 21, 1952 |
| March 1, 1954 |
April 1, 1955 |
| Arthur Godfrey and His Friends |
1949 |
1959 |
Ending this year
Births
- January 7 - Helen Worth, British actress.
- January 12 - Rush Limbaugh, radio personality.
- January 15 - Charo, Spanish-American singer and actress.
- February 15 - Jane Seymour, British actress.
- February 16 - William Katt, actor.
- March 13 - Fred Berry, actor (d. 2003).
- March 17 - Kurt Russell, actor.
- April 13 - Peter Davison, British actor, Doctor Who.
- April 21 - Tony Danza, actor.
- June 13 -Richard Thomas (actor), The Waltons
- June 27 - Julia Duffy, actress
- July 12 - Cheryl Ladd, actress and singer, Charlie's Angels
- July 17 - Lucie Arnaz, actress, daughter of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.
- July 21 - Robin Williams, actor.
- July 23 - Edie McClurg, actress.
- July 24 - Lynda Carter, actress and singer, Wonder Woman.
- August 6 - Catherine Hicks, actress.
- August 14 - Carl Lumbly, actor.
- September 2 - Mark Harmon, actor.
- September 5 - Michael Keaton, actor.
- September 7 - Julie Kavner, actress, Rhoda.
- September 12 - Joe Pantoliano, actor.
- October 18 - Pam Dawber, actress.
- October 30 - Harry Hamlin, actor, L.A. Law.
- November 9 - Lou Ferrigno, actor, The Incredible Hulk.
- December 1 - Treat Williams, actor.
- December 4 - Patricia Wettig, actress.
- December 5 - Morgan Brittany, actress, Dallas.
References