1999 in American television
| List of years in American television: 1996 1997 1998 – 1999 – 2000 2001 2002 |
| 1999-2000 United States network television schedule |
The following is a list of events affecting American television in 1999. Events listed include television show debuts, finales, cancellations, and channel launches, closures and rebrandings, as well as information about controversies and carriage disputes.
Events
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| January 1 | The Biography Channel is launched in United States. |
| DIY Network is also launched in United States. | |
| January 4 | WCW Monday Nitro began to spiral into a creative and financial decline as one of the most controversial moments of professional wrestling dubbed the Fingerpoke of Doom took place in the Georgia Dome. |
| January 6 | Bob Newhart receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. |
| February 1 | Prevue Channel relaunches as TV Guide Channel. |
| February 2 | The cable network Noggin is launched. |
| February 4 | The Nanny shuts down with a final goodbye after 5 years. With the sitcom axed due to low ratings, its demise was finally announced on January 21. |
| March 1 | The cable network Nickelodeon GAS is launched. |
| March 26 | Tom Snyder marks his last show on The Late Late Show. |
| April 12 | NBC announces the cancellation of long-running daytime drama Another World after years of declining ratings. AW airs its final episode on June 25; new serial Passions replaces AW on NBC's daytime schedule on July 5. |
| May 21 | Shemar Moore presents Susan Lucci with a Daytime Emmy Award for her role as Erica Kane on All My Children, after eighteen failed nominations in previous years. |
| June 12 | Style Network is launched in United States |
| July 18 | Actor Hank Azaria marries actress Helen Hunt. The couple divorced on December 18, 2000. |
| August 2 | The cable network Discovery Health Channel is launched. |
| September 6 | PBS children's programming relaunched with PBS Kids. |
| The weekly UPN programming children's block Disney's One Too, debuts. A spinoff of ABC's One Saturday Morning. | |
| September 12 | The 51st Primetime Emmy Awards were handed out by Fox |
| September 13 | Discovery Military is launched in the United States. |
| September 20 | After a four-year hiatus, the hit game show Family Feud returns with new host, Louie Anderson, along with a new set and a new theme. |
| October 1 | The famous "YOU FOOL!" episode of Hollywood Squares airs. |
| November 1 | The current underwriting spot revamps on PBS. |
| November 19 | John Carpenter becomes the first worldwide winner of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?. |
| December 17 | 10th anniversary of the first half-hour episode of The Simpsons. |
| December 21 | Average Life debuts at 8/7c on NBC. |
| December 31 | ABC 2000 Today broadcasts live around the world. Peter Jennings hosted this live news special in New York City, and later, Dick Clark hosted the New Year's Eve Special in Times Square. |
| The American satellite company PrimeStar was acquired by DirecTV. |
Programs debuting in 1999
Programs returning in 1999
| Show | Last Aired | Previous Network | Retitled as/Same | New/Returning/Same Network | Returning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dirk Niblick of the Math Brigade | 1994 | PBS | Same | Noggin | February 2 |
| Divorce Court | 1992 | Syndication | Same | Same | September 7 |
| Family Feud | 1995 | Syndication | Same | Same | September 20 |
Programs ending in 1999
| Date | Show | Debut |
|---|---|---|
| March 7 | Beast Wars | 1996 |
| March 13 | Maggie | 1999 |
| March 20 | Noel's House Party | 1991 |
| April 13 | The Sifl and Olly Show | 1998 |
| May 4 | NewsRadio | 1995 |
| May 19 | The Nanny | 1993 |
| May 21 | Homicide: Life on the Street | 1993 |
| Millennium | 1996 | |
| May 22 | Viper | 1994 |
| May 23 | Sister, Sister | 1994 |
| May 24 | Mad About You | 1992 |
| Melrose Place | 1992 | |
| May 25 | Clueless | 1996 |
| Home Improvement | 1991 | |
| June 2 | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | 1993 |
| June 25 | Another World | 1964 |
| June 26 | Doug | 1991 |
| July 24 | Cow and Chicken | 1997 |
| September 12 | Mystery Science Theater 3000 | 1988 |
| September 17 | Match Game | 1988 |
| September 24 | Iron Chef | 1993 |
| December 18 | Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy | 1999 |
| December 31 | Sunset Beach | 1997 |
Miniseries
Changes of Network Affiliation
| Show | Moved from | Moved to |
|---|---|---|
| Between Brothers | Fox | UPN |
| Franklin | CBS | Nickelodeon |
| Pokémon | Syndication | Kids WB! |
| Rupert | Nickelodeon | CBS |
Births
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Deaths
- January 4 – Iron Eyes Cody, 94, actor known for a popular anti-littering commercial from the 1970s.
- February 20 – Gene Siskel, 53, critic for the Chicago Tribune and co-host of the television movie show, Siskel & Ebert.
- March 17 - Rod Hull, 63, entertainer
- March 21 – Ernie Wise, 73, surviving half of UK comedy duo, Morecambe and Wise.
- March 22 – David Strickland, 29, actor on Suddenly Susan, (suicide).
- March 30 – Gary Morton, 74, producer, second husband of Lucille Ball.
- April 10 – Jean Vander Pyl, 79, voice actor who voiced Wilma Flintstone on The Flintstones and Rosie the Robot Maid on The Jetsons.
- April 26 – Jill Dando, 37, presenter (co-host of Crimewatch).
- May 8 – Dana Plato, 34, actress (Kimberly Drummond on Diff'rent Strokes).
- May 23 – Owen Hart, 34, wrestler Superstar on WWF RAW is WAR
- June 11 – DeForest Kelley, 79, actor (Bones McCoy on Star Trek).
- July 12 – Bill Owen, 85, actor (Compo Simmonite) on Last of the Summer Wine.
- July 20 – Sandra Gould, 72, actress (Gladys Kravitz #2 on Bewitched).
- September 5 – Allen Funt, 84, host of Candid Camera.
- December 28 – Clayton Moore, 85, actor (The Lone Ranger)
- December 29 – Gene Rayburn, 81, television host (Match Game).