1971 in television

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The year 1971 involved some significant events in television. Below is a list of notable TV-related events.

Events

January 1 – The final cigarette advertisements are televised in the United States, with the final one occurring during that evening's broadcast of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson on NBC.
January 3 – BBC Open University broadcasts begin in the UK.
January 12 – CBS airs the first episode of All in the Family, with a disclaimer at the beginning of the program warning viewers about potentially offensive content. Within a year, it became television's most popular program, and started a trend toward realism in situation comedies.
January 27 – Valerie Barlow is electrocuted by a faulty hairdryer, and then perishes in a house fire on Coronation Street.
February 23 – The Selling of the Pentagon documentary airs on CBS.
March 2 – On an All in the Family episode, Archie and Edith get brand new next-door neighbors—Michael and Gloria's best friend, Lionel Jefferson (played by Mike Evans) and his parents. The episode marks Isabel Sanford's first appearance as Louise Jefferson; George Jefferson would not be depicted on-screen until 1973 (by Sherman Hemsley).
March 11 – ABC cancels The Lawrence Welk Show after sixteen years on the network. The show, however, returns to the airwaves in syndication in September, where it would run for another eleven years.
April 3 – RTÉ launches Color television in Ireland with the Eurovision Song Contest 1971, held in Dublin.
May – CBS debuts its schedule for the fall 1971 season, and cancels, in the words of Pat Buttram, "every show that had a tree in it", including Buttram's Green Acres, The Beverly Hillbillies, and Mayberry R.F.D. Hee Haw was also canceled by CBS, but would continue production for the next two decades in syndication.
June 7 – The UK children's magazine show Blue Peter buries a time capsule in the grounds of BBC Television Centre, due to be opened on the first episode of the year 2000.
August 1 - The much-acclaimed 6-hour BBC miniseries The Six Wives of Henry VIII, starring Keith Michell as Henry, makes its U.S. premiere; CBS would air it over 6 consecutive Sundays through September 5.
September 13 – U.S. network prime time programming shrinks as the original Prime Time Access Rule takes effect. NBC, unable to take advantage, immediately feels the pinch and fails to win any of the 1971–72 season's first thirteen weeks.^{[citation needed]}
October 21 – One-off drama Edna, the Inebriate Woman, starring Patricia Hayes, is shown by BBC One in its Play for Today slot.
November – Top-rated As the World Turns loses the #1 slot in the daytime Nielsens for the first time since 1959.
Michael Zaslow first appears as Roger Thorpe on The Guiding Light.

Programs

60 Minutes (1968–present)
A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965–present, aired annually)
All in the Family (1971–1979)
ABC's Wide World of Sports (1961–1998)
All My Children (1970–2011)
American Bandstand (1952–1989)
Another World (1964–1999)
As the World Turns (1956–2010)
Bewitched (1964–1972)
Blue Peter (UK) (1958–present)
Bonanza (1959–1973)
Bozo the Clown (1949–present)
Bright Promise (1969–1972)
Candid Camera (1948–present)
Captain Kangaroo (1955–1984)
Charlie Brown's All-Stars (1966–1972, aired annually)
Clangers (UK) (1969–1972)
Come Dancing (UK) (1949–1995)
Coronation Street, UK (1960–present)
Crossroads (UK) (1964–1988, 2001–2003)
Dad's Army (UK) (1968–1977)
Days of Our Lives (1965–present)
Death Valley Days (1952–1975)
Dixon of Dock Green (UK) (1955–1976)
Doctor Who, UK (1963–1989, 1996, 2005–present)
Doomwatch (UK) (1970–1972)
Face the Nation (1954–present)
Famous Jury Trials (1971–1972)
Four Corners (Australia) (1961–present)
General Hospital (1963–present)
Grandstand (UK) (1958–2007)
Gunsmoke (1955–1975)
Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951–present)
Hawaii Five-O (1968–1980)
Hee Haw (1969–1993)
Here's Lucy (1968–1974)
Hockey Night in Canada (1952–present)
Ironside (1967–1975)
It's Academic (1961–present)
It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966–present, aired annually)
Jeopardy! (1964–1975, 1984–present)
Kimba the White Lion (1966-1967), re-runs
Laugh-In (1968–1973)
Love is a Many Splendored Thing (1967–1973)
Love of Life (1951–1980)
Love, American Style (1969–1974)
Magpie (UK) (1968–1980)
Mannix (1967–1975)
Marcus Welby, M.D. (1969–1976)
Mary Tyler Moore (1970–1977)
McCloud (1970–1977)
Meet the Press (1947–present)
Mission: Impossible (1966–1973)
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (1968–2001)
Monday Night Football (1970–present)
Monty Python's Flying Circus (UK) (1969–1974)
Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom (1963–1988, 2002–present)
My Three Sons (1960–1972)
One Life to Live (1968–2012)
Opportunity Knocks, UK (1956–1978)
Panorama, UK (1953–present)
Password (1962–1967, 1971–1975, 1979–1982, 1984–1989, 2008–)
Play for Today (UK) (1970–1984)
Play School (1966–present)
Professional Bowlers Tour (1962–1997)
Room 222 (1969–1974)
Search for Tomorrow (1951–1986)
Sesame Street (1969–present)
The Benny Hill Show (1969–1989)
The Brady Bunch (1969–1974)
The Carol Burnett Show (1967–1978)
The Dean Martin Show (1965–1974)
The Dick Cavett Show (1969–1974)
The Doctors (1963–1982)
The Doris Day Show (1968–1973)
The Edge of Night (1956–1984)
The Flip Wilson Show (1970–1974)
The Good Old Days, UK (1953–1983)
The Guiding Light (1952–2009)
The Late Late Show, Ireland (1962–present)
The Lawrence Welk Show (1955–1982)
The Mike Douglas Show (1961–1981)
The Mod Squad (1968–1973)
The Money Programme (UK) (1966–present)
The Newlywed Game (1966–1974)
The Odd Couple (1970–1975)
The Partridge Family (1970–1974)
The Secret Storm (1954–1974)
The Sky at Night (UK) (1957–present)
The Today Show (1952–present)
The Tonight Show (1954–present; 1962–92 as The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson)
The Wonderful World of Disney (1969–79 under this title)
The World Tonight, Philippines (1962–present)
This Is Your Life, UK (1955–2003)
Tom and Jerry (1965–1972, 1975–1977, 1980–1982)
Top of the Pops (UK) (1964–2006)
Truth or Consequences (1950–1988)
What the Papers Say (UK) (1956–2008)
What's My Line? (1968–1975, syndicated version)
Where the Heart Is (1969–1973)
World of Sport (UK) (1965–1985)
Z-Cars, UK (1962–1978)

Debuts

January 10 – Masterpiece Theatre on PBS (1971–)
January 12 – All in the Family on CBS (1971–79)
April 3 – Kamen Rider on MBS in Japan (1971–73)
April 10 – The Two Ronnies on BBC1 in the UK (1971–87)
April 21 – The Return of Ultraman on TBS in Japan (1971–72)
June 19 - Parkinson on BBC1 (1971–82, 1987–88, 1998–2004, then on ITV from 2004–07)
August 1 – The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour on CBS (1971–74)
September 11 –
- Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (1971–72) and Help! It's the Hair Bear Bunch (1971–74) both on CBS Saturday Morning.
- The Jackson 5ive (1971–73), The Funky Phantom (1971–72), and Lidsville (1971–73), all on ABC Saturday Morning.
September 15 - Columbo (1971–78) as part of a rotation of detective shows on the NBC Mystery Movie
September 17 –
- McMillan & Wife on NBC (1971–77)
- O'Hara, U.S. Treasury on CBS (1971–72)
September 18 – The New Dick Van Dyke Show on CBS (1971–74)
September 21 – The Old Grey Whistle Test on BBC2 (1971–87)
October 2 – Soul Train, the African-American equivalent to American Bandstand (1971–2006)
October 10 – Upstairs, Downstairs in the UK on ITV (1971–75, 2010–)
October 25 – The Electric Company, a skit-based children's program aimed at teaching reading skills, on PBS (1971–77)

Ending this year

Date	Show	Debut
January 7	Nancy	1970
March 23	Julia	1968
March 29	Mayberry R.F.D.	1960
April 2	Dark Shadows	1966
April 27	Green Acres	1965
May 5	The Johnny Cash Show	1969
June 6	The Ed Sullivan Show	1948
July 4	Hogan's Heroes	1965
July 24	UFO (UK)	1970
September 7	The Beverly Hillbillies	1962
September 9	Family Affair	1966
September 10	That Girl	1966
October 22	What's New	1959

Changes of network affiliation

Show	Moved from	Moved to
Hee Haw	CBS	Syndication
Lassie	CBS
Let's Make a Deal	ABC
The Lawrence Welk Show
The Road Runner Show		CBS

Births

Date	Name	Notability
January 1	Suzanne Virdee	British regional newscaster (Midlands Today)
January 5	Jayne Middlemiss	UK presenter (Orange Playlist)
January 7	Jeremy Renner	American actor (The Unusuals)
January 12	Jay Burridge	UK presenter (SMart)
January 13	Sarah Tansey	UK actress (Heartbeat)
January 14	Yiolanda Koppel	UK presenter
January 15	Regina King	American actress (227)
January 16	Julia Ford	English actress
January 19	Shawn Wayans	American actor (In Living Color)
January 20	Pixie McKenna	Irish presenter (Embarrassing Bodies)
January 23	Lorne Spicer	British presenter (Cash in the Attic)
February 1	Hynden Walch	American actress (Chalkzone, Teen Titans, Adventure Time, Teen Titans Go!)
February 12	Scott Menville	American actor (Full House, Teen Titans, Teen Titans Go!)
February 15	Alex Borstein	American actress and comedian (Family Guy)
February 16	Amanda Holden	UK actress (Wild at Heart)
February 23	Melinda Messenger	British presenter, model (Live from Studio Five)
February 25	Sean Astin	American actor (Special Agent Oso, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) and son of Patty Duke
March 2	Lisa Lackey	Australian actress (Heroes)
March 4	Shavar Ross	American actor (Diff'rent Strokes)
March 5	Yuri Lowenthal	American voice actor (Ben 10)
March 9	Emmanuel Lewis	American actor (Webster)
March 11	Johnny Knoxville	American actor and host (Jackass)
March 27	Nathan Fillion	Canadian-American actor (Castle)
April 12	Shannen Doherty	American actress (Beverly Hills, 90210)
May 1	Shep (British dog)	British dog actor (Blue Peter) (died 1987)
May 26	Matt Stone	American writer/animator (South Park)
June 5	Mark Wahlberg	American actor/producer (Entourage)
July 4	Koko	American sign language gorilla
July 9	Dani Behr	English presenter, actress (I'm a Celebrity... Get Me out of Here!)
July 12	Kristi Yamaguchi	American professional ice skater (Dancing with the Stars winner)
July 30	Tom Green	Candian comedian (The Tom Green Show)
August 9	Kate Sanderson	English presenter (Newsround)
August 10	Angie Harmon	American actress (Law & Order, Rizzoli & Isles)
September 2	Lisa Snowdon	British presenter (Britain's Next Top Model)
September 8	Brooke Burke	Dancing with the Stars winner (season 7), co-host (seasons 10–17)
September 9	Natasha Kaplinsky	British presenter (Strictly Come Dancing winner)
September 16	Amy Poehler	American actress (Parks and Recreation, Saturday Night Live, voice of Bessie Higgenbottom on The Mighty B)
September 21	Alfonso Ribeiro	American actor (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air)
September 21	Luke Wilson	American actor (Enlightened)
September 25	Jessie Wallace	British actress (EastEnders)
September 28	Liza Walker	British actress (Teenage Health Freak)
September 30	Jenna Elfman	American actress (Dharma & Greg)
October 5	Samuel Vincent	Canadian voice actor (Edd on Ed, Edd n Eddy)
October 13	Sacha Baron Cohen	British comedian (Da Ali G Show)
October 20	Snoop Dogg	American rapper and actor (Doggy Fizzle Televizzle)
October 29	Winona Ryder	American actress
November 5	Corin Nemec	American actor (Parker Lewis Can't Lose)
November 10	John Roberts	American actor (Bob's Burgers)
November 23	Chris Hardwick	American stand-up comedian, actor (voice of Otis on Back at the Barnyard)
November 25	Christina Applegate	American actress (Married... with Children)
December 26	Jared Leto	American actor (My So-Called Life)

Deaths

Date	Name	Age	Notability
March 11	Philo Farnsworth	64	Television pioneer
March 16	Bebe Daniels	70	Actress (42nd Street)
December 12	David Sarnoff	80	Television pioneer
December 30	Melba Rae	49	Actress (Search for Tomorrow)
December 31	Pete Duel	31	Actor (Alias Smith and Jones)