1994 in American television
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The year 1994 in television involved some significant events. Below is a list of television-related events in 1994.
For the American TV schedule, see: 1994-95 United States network television schedule.
Events
- January 23 - CBS, which had broadcastNational Football League games since 1956, airs its final telecast, with the Dallas Cowboys defeating the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game, 38-21. CBS lost their NFL broadcasting rights to the fledgling Fox Network. CBS however, would regain NFL rights (taking over the AFC package from NBC) in 1998.
- February 4 - The Days of Our Lives nighttime special Winter Heat airs on NBC.
- February 19 - Host Martin Lawrence made crude remarks about women's hygiene, in the opening monologue of Saturday Night Live. The monologue was replaced by a title card read by an off-screen player, saying why the part can never be rerun again, and how it almost cost the cast of SNL their jobs, Lawrence is banned from ever appearing on the show again.
- March 31 - Madonna appears on The Late Show with David Letterman and makes headlines for her foul-mouthed, profanity-laced interview. Robin Williams later describes the segment as a "battle of wits with an unarmed woman."
- April 16 - BBC2 celebrates its 30th birthday (four days early) with an evening of programmes selected and introduced by former controller David Attenborough. Among them are episodes of Elizabeth R and The Barry Humphries Show, a 1967 documentary about politics in India and a new episode of Call My Bluff.
- May 24 - Star Trek: The Next Generation concludes its seven-year run with the series finale, All Good Things... The two-hour finale was aired at 6 p.m. on most affiliates, rather than as part of the prime time lineup.
- June 11 - World Wrestling Federation superstar Hulk Hogan signs a deal with World Championship Wrestling on a live broadcast of WCW Saturday Night.
- June 17 - NFL star O.J. Simpson and his friend Al Cowlings flee from police in his white Ford Bronco. The low-speed chase, which unfolds live on U.S. television, ends up at Simpson's mansion in Brentwood, California, where he then surrenders to police.
- June 17 - In Jackson, Mississippi, DirecTV a DBS service launches.
- August 12 - The soap opera All My Children airs a memorial episode for original cast member Frances Heflin, who died in June. The memorial is in the form of a funeral service for Heflin's character, Mona Kane Tyler.
- September 12 - Original Family Feud host Richard Dawson returns to the show after 9 years, replacing his successor, Ray Combs.
- October 19 - The Goodnight Kiwi airs in New Zealand for the last time as TV2 moves to 24-hour television 7 days a week.
- December 1 - The Game Show Network, a network devoted to broadcasting classic game shows, is launched in the United States.
Debuts
- January 16 - Time Team premieres on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom (1994-present).
- January 18 - Blue Heelers premieres on Seven Network in Australia (1994-2006).
- January 19 - The Day Today premieres on BBC2 (1994).
- January 24- The Critic premieres on ABC (1994-1995).
- January 26 - Babylon 5 premiers on PTEN (1994-1998).
- March 5 - Duckman premieres on USA Network (1994-1997).
- March 29 - Ellen premieres on ABC (1994-1998).
- April 1 - Sister, Sister premieres on ABC (1994-1999).
- April 14 - Space Ghost Coast to Coast premieres on Cartoon Network (1994-2004).
- July 4 - Room 101 (UK) premieres on BBC Two.
- July 12 - Allegra's Window premieres on Nick Jr. (1994-1996).
- August 14 - Inside the Actors Studio premiers on Bravo (1994-present).
- August 25 - My So Called Life premieres on ABC (1994-1995).
- September 3 - VR Troopers premieres on Fox (1994-1996).
- September 4 - The NFL on FOX (1994-present).
- September 5 - Extra premieres in syndication (1994-present).
- September 8 - New York Undercover premieres on Fox (1994-1998).
- September 11 - The Magic School Bus premieres on PBS (1994-1997).
- September 12 - Party of Five premieres on Fox (1994-2000).
- September 12 - Young and the Restless star Doug Davidson hosts a short lived syndicated version of the game show The Price is Right (1994-1995).
- September 15 - Due South premieres on CBS (1994-1999).
- September 17 - TOTP2 premieres on BBC Two (1994-2008)
- September 18 - Chicago Hope premieres on CBS.
- September 19 - ER premieres (1994-present).
- September 21 - Touched by an Angel premieres (1994-2003).
- September 22 - Friends premieres on NBC (1994-2004).
- October 24 - Ready Steady Cook on BBC Two (1994-Present)
- October 29 - Aaahh!!! Real Monsters premieres on Nickelodeon (1994-1997).
- December 24 - All That premieres on Nickelodeon (1994-2005).
Miniseries
- Heaven and Hell
- Scarlett, a sequel to Gone with the Wind
Television shows
1940s
- Meet the Press (1947-present).
- Candid Camera (1948-present).
- Come Dancing (UK) (1949-1995).
1950s
- Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951-present).
- Guiding Light (1952-present).
- The Today Show (1952-present).
- Panorama (UK) (1953-present).
- Face the Nation (1954-present).
- The Tonight Show (1954-present).
- This Is Your Life (UK) (1955-2003).
- As the World Turns (1956-present).
- 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).
- Four Corners (Australia) (1961-present).
- It's Academic (1961-present).
- The Late Late Show (Ireland) (1962-present).
- General Hospital (1963-present).
- Another World (1964-1999).
- Top of the Pops (UK) (1964-2006).
- Days of Our Lives (1965-present).
- Play School (1966-present).
- The Money Programme (UK) (1966-present).
- 60 Minutes (1968-present).
- One Life to Live (1968-present).
- Sesame Street (1969-present).
1970s
- All My Children (1970-present).
- Monday Night Football (1970-present).
- Masterpiece Theatre (1971-present).
- Soul Train (1971-present).
- Emmerdale (UK) (1972-present).
- Newsround (UK) (1972-present).
- The Price Is Right (1972-present).
- Last of the Summer Wine (UK) (1973-present).
- The Young and the Restless (1973-present).
- Derrick (1974-1998).
- Wish You Were Here...? (UK) (1974-present).
- Arena (UK) (1975–present).
- Good Morning America (1975-present).
- Saturday Night Live (1975-present).
- the fifth estate (Canada) (1975-present).
- Wheel of Fortune (1975-present).
- 20/20 (1978-present).
- Grange Hill (UK) (1978-present).
- Antiques Roadshow (UK) (1979-present).
- Nightline (1979-present).
- This Old House (1979-present).
- Young and the Restless (1999-present).
1980s
- Entertainment Tonight (1981-present).
- What Now (NZ) (1982-present)
- Timewatch (UK) (1982-present)
- Loving (1983-1995).
- Jeopardy! (1964-1975, 1984-present).
- Murder, She Wrote (1984-1996).
- The Bill (UK) (1984-present).
- EastEnders (UK) (1985-present).
- Neighbours (Australia) (1985-present).
- Sally (1985-2002).
- Matlock (1986-1996).
- The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986-present).
- Comic Relief (UK) (1986-present).
- Casualty (UK) (1986-present).
- Beadle's About (UK) (1987-1996).
- ChuckleVision (UK) (1987-present).
- Full House (1987-1995).
- Inspector Morse (1987-2000).
- Married... with Children (1987-1997).
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987-1996).
- The Bold and the Beautiful (1987-present).
- America's Most Wanted (1988-present).
- The American Experience (1988-present).
- Fair City (1988-present).
- Home and Away (1988-present).
- This Morning (1988-present).
- Red Dwarf (UK) (1988-1999).
- Children's Ward (UK) (1988-2000).
- Electric Circus (Canada) (1988-2003).
- Empty Nest (1988-1995).
- Family Feud (1976-1985, 1988-1995, 1999-present).
- Garfield and Friends (1988-1995).
- Murphy Brown (1988-1998).
- Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988-1999).
- Roseanne (1988-1997).
- Baywatch (1989-2001).
- Cops (1989-present).
- Family Matters (1989-1998).
- Seinfeld (1989-1998).
- Tales from the Crypt (1989-1996).
- The Simpsons (1989-present).
- Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994).
1990s
- The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990-1996)
- Law & Order (1990-present).
- America's Funniest Home Videos (1990-present).
- One Foot in the Grave (UK) (1990-2000).
- Road to Avonlea (Canada) (1990-1996).
- The Crystal Maze (UK) (1990-1995).
- Doug (1991-1994, 1996-1999).
- Home Improvement (1991-1999).
- Rugrats (1991-1994, 1997-2005).
- Sisters (1991-1996).
- The Jerry Springer Show (1991-present).
- The Red Green Show (Canada) (1991-2006).
- The Ren & Stimpy Show (1991-1996).
- Absolutely Fabulous (UK) (1992-1996, 2001-2003).
- Barney & Friends (1992-2002).
- Shortland Street (NZ) (1992-present)
- Dateline NBC (1992-present).
- Mad About You (1992-1999).
- Prime Time News (Canada) (1992-1995).
- The Larry Sanders Show (1992-1998).
- The Real World (1992-present).
- Beavis and Butt-head (1993-1997).
- Biker Mice From Mars (1993-1996).
- Frasier (1993-2004).
- Iron Chef (Japan) (1993-1999).
- Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993-present).
- Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993-1997).
- Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (1993-1996).
- NYPD Blue (1993-present).
- Ricki Lake (1993-2004).
- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999).
- The Late Show with David Letterman (1993-present).
- The Nanny (1993-1999).
- The X-Files (1993-2002).
- WWF Monday Night RAW (1993-present).
- All That (1994-2006).
- Takin' Over the Asylum (1994)
- The Day Today (1994)
- Martin (1992-1997).
Changes of network affiliation
Show | Moved from | Moved to |
---|---|---|
Men Behaving Badly | ITV | BBC1 |
Blockbusters | ITV | Sky One |
University Challenge | ITV | BBC2 |
Ending this year
- January 23 - The NFL on CBS (1956-1994; 1998-present)
- February 16 - Maid Marian and her Merry Men (UK) (1989-1994).
- April 11 - The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (UK) (1984-1988, 1991-1994).
- May 19- In Living Color (1990-1994).
- May 19 - L.A. Law (1986-1994).
- May 22 - Rugrats ends its first run (1991-1994). It would air four special episodes until its return in 1997.
- May 27 - The Arsenio Hall Show (1989-1994).
- May - Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994).
- June 19 - Doug airs its final regular episode on Nickelodeon (1991-1994). It would be revived in 1996 on ABC as Disney's Brand Spankin' New! Doug.
- July 21 - Mother and Son (Australia) (1984-1994).
- July 24 - Jim'll Fix It (UK) (1975-1994).
- July 26- Dinosaurs. (1991-1994)
- August 17 - Hey Dad..! (Australia) (1987-1994).
- August - America's Funniest People (1990-1994).
- October 15 - The New Mickey Mouse Club (1989-1994)
- October 22 - Cro (USA) (1993-1994).
- November 11 - Knightmare (UK) (1987-1994).
- Romper Room (1953-1994).
- The Raggy Dolls (UK) (1986-1994).
- The House of Eliott (UK) (1991-1994).
- TaleSpin (1990-1994)
Births
- February 14 - Paul Butcher, actor
- February 23 - Dakota Fanning, actress
- March 12 - Tyler Patrick Jones, actor
- May 4 - Alexander Gould, actor
- September 25 - Andrew Cottrill, actor
Deaths
- January 1 - Cesar Romero, actor (The Joker on Batman)
- January 8 - Pat Buttram, actor (Mr. Haney on Green Acres)
- January 22 - Telly Savalas, actor (Theo Kojak on Kojak)
- January 28 - Hal Smith, actor (Otis on The Andy Griffith Show)
- February 11 - William Conrad, actor (Cannon, Jake and the Fatman).
- February 11 - Sorrell Booke, actor (Boss Hogg on The Dukes of Hazzard).
- February 24 - Dinah Shore, singer and talk show hostess.
- March 4 - John Candy, comedian and actor (SCTV).
- March 21 - Dack Rambo, actor (Jack Ewing on Dallas, from AIDS).
- March 22 - Walter Lantz, cartoonist, creator of Woody Woodpecker.
- April 2 - Betty Furness, consumer advocate and spokesperson.
- April 18 - Don Fedderson, producer.
- May 8 - George Peppard, actor (Banacek, Hannibal on The A-Team).
- May 22 - Jane Dulo, character actress (Get Smart, Gimme a Break!).
- June 1 - Frances Heflin, soap opera actress.
- June 7 - Dennis Potter, scriptwriter.
- June 7 - Rudolph Cartier, director.
- June 14 - Henry Mancini, composer
- July 8 - Dick Sargent, actor (Darren Stephens #2 on Bewitched)
- July 26 - Terry Scott, actor
- August 21 - Danitra Vance, comedian, the first African-American woman regular on Saturday Night Live, from breast cancer.
- September 3 - James T. Aubrey, former head of programming at CBS.
- October 2 - Harriet Nelson, singer and actress (The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet)
- October 25 - Mildred Natwick, actress
- November 8 - Michael O'Donoghue, comedy writer (Saturday Night Live)
- November 9 - Priscilla Morrill, character actress (Mrs. Vanderkellen on Newhart).
- November 11 - Pedro Zamora, HIV-positive participant of The Real World