1982 in American television

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The year 1982 in television involved some significant events. Below is a list of television-related events in 1982.

For the American TV schedule, see: 1982-83 American network television schedule.

Contents 1 Events 2 Noted Debuts 3 Noted Miniseries 4 Television shows 4.1 1940s 4.2 1950s 4.3 1960s 4.4 1970s 4.5 1980s 5 Ending this year 6 Changes of network affiliation 7 Births 8 Deaths 9 References

Events

• January 1 – Cable News Network launches a sister channel, dubbed CNN2, that features a round-the-clock "news wheel" format. The channel would be rechristened CNN Headline News a year later and is now known today as HLN.
• January 2 – American Playhouse on PBS/Channel 13 presents John Cheever's teleplay The Shady Hill Kidnapping, starring George Grizzard, Polly Holliday, Judith Ivey, E. Katherine Kerr, and Celeste Holm as The Celebrity.
• January 4 – Bryant Gumbel begins his 15 year stint as co-anchor on the Today Show.
• January 4 - ABC airs a TV adaptation of The Elephant Man, with Philip Anglim and Kevin Conway reprising the roles they originated in the Broadway version of the story.
• January 23 - CBS Reports airs The Uncounted Enemy: A Vietnam Deception, a documentary alleging a manipulation of intelligence estimates before the Tet Offensive in Vietnam. Retired Gen. William Westmoreland, the head of U.S. Military operations at the time of the alleged estimates, would file a libel suit against CBS believing the report portrayed him unfairly.
• February 1 - Late Night with David Letterman debuts on NBC; Letterman's first guests are Bill Murray (who dances around to "Physical") and "Mr. Wizard" Don Herbert.
• February 3 – Singer Jermaine Jackson guest-stars as Tootie gets to meet her idol on a very special The Facts of Life.
• February 7–8 - Superman: The Movie airs on American television for the first time, with ABC airing it over 2 nights.
• March 4 – The crime drama spoof Police Squad! premieres on ABC; though it only lasts 6 episodes (the last airing on July 8), the comedy would serve as the genesis for the Frank Drebin character and the inspiration for the Naked Gun film series.
• March 8 - Night of 100 Stars, a benefit for the Actors' Fund taped at Radio City Music Hall, airs on ABC.
• March 26 – Password Plus is cancelled by NBC after 801 episodes.
• March 26 – The soap opera Search for Tomorrow airs for the final time on CBS; NBC immediately picks it up and begin airing it on March 29.
• April 2 – John Chancellor anchors the NBC Nightly News for the final time, replaced on April 5 by the team of Roger Mudd and Tom Brokaw, a partnership that lasts 17 months.
• April 9 – The season finale of Dallas finds J.R. Ewing's longtime enemy Cliff Barnes fighting for his life after a suicide attempt.
• May 2 – The Weather Channel launches in the U.S.
• May 28 – At about 5:00 P.M., Joseph Billie Gwin, wanting to "prevent World War III," forces his way into the studios of Phoenix station KOOL-TV, fires a gunshot, takes 4 people hostage (holding one of them, cameraman Louis Villa, at close gunpoint), and demands national air time. Three hours into the ordeal, Gwin releases 2 hostages, Jack Webb and Bob Cimino. At 9:30PM, with Gwin sitting next to him with a gun, KOOL anchor Bill Close reads a 20-minute statement; when finished, Close takes Gwin's gun and sets it on the table.^[1][2][3]
• July 29 – Professional wrestler Jerry Lawler slaps actor Andy Kaufman in the face on Late Night with David Letterman; Kaufman responds by throwing coffee and shouting profanities at Lawler. The incident was later revealed to be staged.
• September - After Tom Wopat and John Schneider leave The Dukes of Hazzard in a contract dispute, their characters, Bo and Luke Duke, are written out of the series as joining a NASCAR team and are replaced by cousins Coy and Vance (respectively played by Byron Cherry and Christopher Mayer). Bo and Luke—and Wopat and Schneider—would return to the series by season's end.
• September 11 - NBC resurrects Texaco Star Theater as a one-time special; however, instead of inviting Milton Berle, the man who hosted the original series in the 1950s, the special presents a salute to musicals.
• October 22 – Susan Stafford departs as Wheel of Fortune co-host to work on humanitarian work. Auditions take place for who will replace her, with Vanna White formally replacing Stafford on December 13; White continues on Wheel to this day.
• December 29 – Nastassja Kinski makes a puzzling appearance on Late Night with David Letterman, seeming somewhat oblivious to the jokes and everything else that was going on around her and appearing with an unusual hair style Letterman describes as "looking like there was an owl perched on top of her head." (Letterman's second guest, John Candy, comes out with his own hair moussed up in a pile as a spoof of Kinski's hair.)

Also in 1982

• The National Association of Broadcasters strikes down its long-standing Television Code in response to a Washington, D.C. circuit court ruling which declared parts of it unconstitutional.
• Surround Sound is introduced for home use by Dolby.
• Norman Lear purchases Avco Embassy Pictures and rechristens his TAT Communications Company as Embassy Television.
• Mary Jo Catlett replaces Nedra Volz on Diff'rent Strokes, as the New Housekeeper, Mrs. Pearl Gallagher, from 1982 until the series ending in 1986.
• Future Seinfeld co-star Julia Louis-Dreyfus begins a 3-year stint (1982–1985) as featured player/regular castmember on Saturday Night Live.
• Mary Hart joins Entertainment Tonight as reporter and later co-host; the latter role she held until 2011.

Noted Debuts

• January 7 – Fame, adapted from the 1980 film of the same name, premieres on NBC (1982–1987).
• January 12 – American Playhouse premieres on PBS (1982–1994).
• February 1 – Late Night with David Letterman (1982–1993) debuts on NBC after The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.
• March 12 – T.J. Hooker premieres on ABC
• March 25 – Cagney & Lacey premieres on CBS (1982–1988).
• March 29 – Capitol daytime drama premieres on CBS (1982–1987).
• September 20 – The New $25,000 Pyramid debuts on CBS hosted by Dick Clark where 2 contestants can win $25,000 in cash (1982–1988).
  • Child's Play debuts on CBS with host Bill Cullen.
• September 22 – Family Ties debuts on NBC (1982–1989).
• September 22 – Tales of the Gold Monkey debuts on ABC (1982–1983).
• September 24 – Bring 'Em Back Alive debuts on CBS (1982–1983).
• September 25 – Silver Spoons premieres on NBC (1982–1987).
• September 26 – Knight Rider premieres on NBC (1982–1986).
• September 27 – Square Pegs premieres on CBS (1982–1983).
• September 30 – Cheers debuts on NBC(1982–1993).
• October 1 – Remington Steele premieres on NBC (1982–1987).
• October 19 – St. Elsewhere premieres on NBC (1982–1988).
• October 25 – Newhart premieres on CBS (1982–1990).
• December 12 – Powerhouse debuts on PBS (1982–1983).

Noted Miniseries

• The Blue and the Gray
• The Executioner's Song
• Inside the Third Reich
• Dramatic Adventure of Sara Dane
• Jonah
• Women of the Sun
• Once Upon a Time... Space

Television shows

1940s

• Meet the Press (1947–present).
• Candid Camera (1948–2004).

1950s

• Truth or Consequences (1950–1988).
• Search for Tomorrow (1951–1986).
• Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951–present).
• American Bandstand (1952–1989).
• Guiding Light (1952–2009).
• The Today Show (1952–present).
• Face the Nation (1954–present).
• The Tonight Show (1954-present; 1962–1992 as The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson).
• Captain Kangaroo (1955–1984).
• As the World Turns (1956–2010).
• The Edge of Night (1956–1984).

1960s

• General Hospital (1963–present).
• Another World (1964–1999).
• Days of our Lives (1965–present).
• 60 Minutes (1968–present).
• One Life to Live (1968–present).
• Hee Haw (1969–1993).
• Sesame Street (1969–present).

1970s

• All My Children (1970–present).
• Monday Night Football (1970–present).
• Masterpiece Theatre (1971–present).
• Soul Train (1971–present).
• Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (1972–1984).
• M*A*S*H (1972–1983).
• The Price Is Right (1972–present).
• Last of the Summer Wine (UK) (1973–present).
• Match Game (1962–1969, 1973–1984, 1990–1991, 1998–1999).
• Schoolhouse Rock! (1973–1986).
• Superstars (UK) (1973–1985, 2003–2005).
• 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).
• Dean Martin Celebrity Roast (1974–1984).
• Good Morning America (1975–present).
• One Day at a Time (1975–1984).
• Ryan's Hope (1975–1989).
• Saturday Night Live (1975–present).
• The Jeffersons (1975–1985).
• Wheel of Fortune (1975–present).
• Alice (1976–1985).
• Family Feud (1976–1985, 1988–1995, 1999–present).
• Laverne & Shirley (1976–1983).
• Quincy, M.E. (1976–1983).
• Second City Television (SCTV) (1976–1984).
• The P.T.L. Club (1976–1987).
• CHiPs (1977–1983).
• Fantasy Island (1977–1984).
• The Love Boat (1977–1986).
• Three's Company (1977–1984).
• 20/20 (1978–present).
• Battle of the Planets (1978–1985).
• Dallas (1978–1991).
• Diff'rent Strokes (1978–1986).
• Taxi (1978–1983).
• Archie Bunker's Place (1979–1983).
• Benson (1979–1986).
• Knots Landing (1979–1993).
• Real People (1979–1984).
• The Dukes of Hazzard (1979–1985).
• The Facts of Life (1979–1988).
• Trapper John, M.D. (1979–1986).
• Nightline (1979–present).
• This Old House (1979–present)

1980s

• It's a Living (1980–1982, 1985–1989).
• Magnum, P.I. (1980–1988).
• Solid Gold (1980–1988).
• That's Incredible! (1980–1984).
• Too Close for Comfort (1980–1986).
• Dynasty (1981–1989).
• Entertainment Tonight (1981–present).
• Falcon Crest (1981–1990).
• Gimme a Break! (1981–1987).
• Hill Street Blues (1981–1987).
• SCTV Network 90 (US) (1981–1983).
• Simon & Simon (1981–1988).
• T.J. Hooker (1982–1986).
• Knight Rider (1982–1986).
• The Fall Guy (1981–1986).
• Walt Disney (1981–1983).
• Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends (1981-1983).
• Tattletales (1974–1978, 1982–1984).

Ending this year

• January 29 – Late Night with Tom Snyder (1973–1982).
• February 24 – The Lawrence Welk Show (1955–1982).
• March 1 – In Search of... (1977–1982).
• March 6 - Spider-Man (1981-1982).
• March 22 – Mr. Merlin (1981–1982).
• March 26 – Password Plus (1979–1982).
• March 27 – Multi-Coloured Swap Shop (UK) (1976–1982).
• April 3 – Tiswas (UK) (1974–1982).
• April 21 – WKRP in Cincinnati (1978–1982).
• April 23 –
  • Blockbusters (1980–82, 1987)
  • Fridays (1980–1982).
• May 12 – The Incredible Hulk (1977–1982).
• May 20 – Barney Miller (1975–1982).
• May 27 –
  • Mork & Mindy (1978–1982).
  • Bosom Buddies (1980–1982).
• September 4 – Tom and Jerry (1965–1972, 1975–1977, 1980–1982).
• September 10 – Match Game (1962–69); (1973–82); (1983–84); (1990–91); (1998–99)
• September 13 – Lou Grant (1977–1982).
• December 31 –
  • The Doctors (1963–1982).
  • Texas (1980–1982).

Changes of network affiliation

• Search for Tomorrow moves from CBS to NBC; in the final CBS episode, Travis and Liza's boat blows up in a fiery explosion off the coast of St. Kitts and Nevis. At the end of the episode, viewers are told to "Follow the Search" to another network. NBC is never mentioned in the promos.

Births

• January 1 – Natalie Denning, British model
• January 3 – Amanda Robbins, British model
• January 19 – Jodie Sweetin, US actress (Full House).
• March 3 – Jessica Biel, US actress.
• March 11 – Thora Birch, US actress.
• April 30 – Kirsten Dunst, US actress.
• July 17 – Brooke Kinsella, UK actress.
• September 3 – Fearne Cotton, British television presenter
• September 30 – Lacey Chabert, US actress, voice actor (Party of Five, The Wild Thornberrys, Mean Girls).
• October 15 – Toran Caudell, voice actor ("Arnold" from Hey Arnold! in 1996–1997 and "Wolfgang" in 1997).

Deaths

• January 1 – Victor Buono, 43, actor.
• January 5 – Hans Conried, 64, actor.
• January 10 – Paul Lynde, 55, actor and comedian known for his work on Bewitched and Hollywood Squares.
• January 18 – Trent Lehman, a former child actor on Nanny and the Professor, (suicide).
• March 5 – John Belushi, 33, actor, best known for Saturday Night Live
• May 15 – Hugh Beaumont, 73, actor (Ward Cleaver) on Leave It to Beaver.
• July 21 – Dave Garroway, 69, journalist, from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
• November 4 – Dominique Dunne, 22, actress, homicide.
• December 6 – Will Lee, 74, actor who played Mr. Hooper on Sesame Street.
• December 23 – Jack Webb, 62, actor, producer, best known for playing Sgt. Joe Friday on Dragnet.

References