1979 in television

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The year 1979 in television involved some significant events. Below is a list of television-related events in 1979.

For the American TV schedule, see: 1979-80 American network television schedule.

Events

• 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 11 – In the US, 43 million viewers watch Elvis, a made for TV movie starring Kurt Russell as Elvis Presley, on ABC.
• 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 6 – Villain Roger Thorpe (played by Michael Zaslow) rapes his wife Holly (Maureen Garrett) on Guiding Light, the first time spousal rape was shown on U.S. television.
• March 19 – C-SPAN, an American television channel focusing on government and public affairs, is launched.
• April 1 - Nickelodeon, an American cable channel focusing on children's programming, is launched.
• April 22 – Friendly Fire, a TV movie starring Carol Burnett as a mother who wants to know how her son died in Vietnam, airs on ABC.
• April 23 – The Price is Right on CBS moves to 11:00 A.M. EST and remains in that slot to this day.
• 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 TV channel to be launched as a 24-hour channel.
• 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 Professor Bernard Quatermass, begins its run on the network.
• Over 300 million households worldwide now own television sets.
• November 4 - Jaws was broadcast on television for the first time.
• December 1 – The Movie Channel, an American premium cable channel, begins broadcasting movies 24/7.
• General Hospital tops the yearly daytime television ratings for the first time.
• September 3 - CFMT, Toronto's first multicultural channel, launches.
• First color television broadcasts in Greece.
• BBC2 unveils the first computer-generated television presentation symbol in the world. US broadcaster NBC unveils their first computer-generated symbol later that year.

Debuts

• January 8 – Password Plus premieres on NBC (1979–1982).
• January 26 – The Dukes of Hazzard premieres on CBS (1979–1985).
  • Hello, Larry, the third series McLean Stevenson has done since leaving M*A*S*H, premieres on NBC (1979–1980).
• January 18 – Blankety Blank premieres first on the BBC and then ITV (1979–present).
• January 28 – Thomas & Sarah premiered on LWT. It lasted only one series.
  • You Can't Do That on Television premieres on CTV affiliate CJOH-TV (1979–1990).
  • CBS News Sunday Morning premieres on CBS (1979–present).
• February 1 – Makin' It premiered on ABC, lasting eight episodes.
• February 3 – Battle Fever J premieres on TV Asahi (1979–1980)
• February 7 – Supertrain premieres on NBC (1979).
• February 8 – Angie premieres on ABC (1979–1980).
• February 9 – Hana no Ko Lunlun premieres on TV Asahi in Japan (1979–1980).
• February 27 – In Australia, Prisoner: Cell Block H launches at 8.30pm on Network 10.
• March 4, 1979 - Stockard Channing in Just Friends premieres on CBS.
• 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 4 – The Ultraman premieres on TBS in Japan (1979–1980).
• April 7 – Mobile Suit Gundam (1979–1980), the first part of Gundam anime metaseries (1979–2009), airs in Japan on Nagoya Broadcasting Network.
• April 18 – Real People premieres on NBC (1979–1984).
• April 23 - Whew! premieres on CBS (1979-1980).
• July 8 – The Sunday Game, a weekly Gaelic games broadcast, premieres on RTÉ Two (1979–present).
• July 30 - Eat Bulaga!, a top-rating noontime show, premieres on RPN (1979-present).
• July 31 – Detective School premieres on ABC, lasting 13 episodes.
• August 24 – The Facts of Life, a spin-off of Diff'rent Strokes, premieres on NBC (1979–1988).
• August 25 – Hart to Hart premieres on ABC (1979–1984).
• September 10 – Syndicated version of Match Game debuts. This version lasts until 1982 with the MG/Hollywood Squares Hour following it up in 1983–1984.
• September 13 – Benson, a spin-off of Soap, premieres on ABC (1979–1986).
• September 19 – The Last Resort premieres on CBS (1979–1980).
• September 20 – Buck Rogers in the 25th Century premieres on NBC (1979–1981).
• September 22 – Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo premieres on ABC (1979–1980).
• September 22 – Spider-Woman premieres on ABC (1979–1980).
• September 23 – Archie Bunker's Place, a continuation of All in the Family, premieres on CBS (1979–1983).
• September 25 – California Fever premieres, lasting 10 episodes
  • Trapper John, M.D. premieres on CBS (1979–1986).
• November 8 – The Iran Crisis—America Held Hostage, later to be known as Nightline, premieres on ABC (1979–present).
• December 27 –
• Knots Landing, a spin-off of Dallas, premieres on CBS (1979–1993).
• Antiques Roadshow premieres on BBC1 (1979–present).
• The Mad Dash premieres on CTV.
• The NewMusic premieres on CityTV.
• Smith and Smith premieres (syndicated in Canada, 1979–1985).
• This Old House premieres on PBS (1979–present).

Miniseries

• Backstairs at the White House
• Roots: The Next Generations

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 (1952–2009)
• Hockey Night in Canada (1952–present)
• The Today Show (1952–present)
• Panorama (UK) (1953–present).
• The Good Old Days (UK) (1953–1983).
• Face the Nation (1954–present).
• Captain Kangaroo (1955–1984).
• The Lawrence Welk Show (1955–1982).
• This Is Your Life (UK) (1955–2003).
• As the World Turns (1956–2010).
• 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) (1958–2007)

1960s

• Coronation Street, UK (1960–present)
• ABC's Wide World of Sports (1961–1998)
• Four Corners, Australia (1961–present)
• It's Academic (1961–present)
• The Mike Douglas Show (1961–1981)
• The Late Late Show, Ireland (1962–present)
• Professional Bowlers Tour (1962–1997)
• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962–1992)
• The World Tonight, Philippines (1962–present)
• Doctor Who, UK (1963–1989, 1996, 2005–present)
• The Doctors (1963–1982)
• General Hospital (1963–present)
• Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom (1963–1988, 2002–present)
• 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).
• The Money Programme (UK) (1966–present).
• Play School (1966–present).
• 60 Minutes (1968–present).
• Hawaii Five-O (1968–1980).
• Magpie, UK (1968–1980)
• Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (1968–2001)
• One Life to Live (1968–present)
• The Benny Hill Show, UK (1969–1989)
• Hee Haw (1969–1993).
• Sesame Street (1969–present).
• 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 (1971–2006)
• 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) (1973–2010).
• 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).
• Dean Martin Celebrity Roast (1974–1984).
• Derrick (1974–1998).
• Dinah! (1974–1980).
• Happy Days (1974–1984).
• Little House on the Prairie (1974–1983).
• The Rockford Files (1974–1980).
• Tiswas (UK) (1974–1982).
• Wish You Were Here...? (UK) (1974–present).
• Arena (UK) (1975–present).
• Barney Miller (1975–1982).
• The Don Lane Show (Australia) (1975–1983).
• the fifth estate (Canada) (1975–present).
• Good Morning America (1975–present).
• The Jeffersons (1975–1985).
• 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).
• 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).
• The Muppet Show, UK (1976–1981)
• The P.T.L. Club (1976–1987)
• Quincy, M.E. (1976–1983)
• Second City Television (SCTV), Canada (1976–1984)
• CHiPs (1977–1983).
• Eight is Enough (1977–1981).
• Fantasy Island (1977–1984).
• In Search of... (1977–1982).
• Lou Grant (1977–1982).
• The Love Boat (1977–1986).
• Soap (1977–1981).
• This Week in Baseball (1977–1998, 2000–present)
• 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).
• Whew! (1979-1980).
• The Last Resort (1979–1980).

Ending this year

• March 2 – The All-New Jeopardy (1978–1979)
• March 16 – Makin' It (1979)
• April 8 – All in the Family (1971–1979) – continues as Archie Bunker's Place.
• April 20 – Match Game '79 (1973–79) – continued in syndication later in 1979.
• April 28 – What's Happening!! (1976–1979).
• April 29 – Battlestar Galactica (1978–1979).
• May 15 – Starsky and Hutch (1975–1979)
• June 8 – Welcome Back, Kotter (1975–1979).
• June 23 - Stockard Channing in Just Friends (1979)
• July 6 – The Amazing Spider-Man (1977-1979).
• August 1 – Good Times (1974–1979).
• September 11 – Wonder Woman (1976–1979).
• October 25 – Fawlty Towers (1975, 1979) (UK).
• November 24 – Detective School (1979).

Births

• January 2 — Morena Baccarin, US actress (born in Brazil).
• January 2 — Suranne Jones, UK actress.
• January 4 – Lisa Huo
• January 16 — Aaliyah, US singer/actress. (d. 2001)
• January 24 – Tatyana Ali, US actress.
• January 26 — Sara Rue, US actress.
• February 11 — Brandy, US singer/actress.
• February 21 — Jennifer Love Hewitt, US actress.
• March 12 — John-Paul Lavoisier, US actor
• March 25 — Lee Pace, US actor
• April 4 – Heath Ledger, Australian actor (d. 2008)
• April 9 — Keshia Knight Pulliam, US actress.
• April 12 — Claire Danes, US actress.
• May 5 – Vincent Kartheiser, American actor.
• May 9 – Rosario Dawson, American actor.
• August 22 — Jennifer Finnigan, US actress (born in Canada).
• September 9 — Nikki DeLoach, US actress
• September 24 — Justin Bruening, US actor
• October 8 — Kristanna Loken, US actress and model.
• October 23 – Rebecca Loudonsack, British actress
• November 13 – Ron Artest, American basketball player.
• November 23 — Kelly Brook, British television presenter and model.
• December 2 — Melissa Archer, US actress.
• December 11 – Rider Strong, US actor.
• December 15 — Adam Brody, US actor.
• December 26 – Chris Daughtry, US singer.

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.
• July 29 – Bill Todman, game show producer.
• August 17 – Vivian Vance, actress (Ethel Mertz) on I Love Lucy.