1961 in television
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The following television-related events took place during 1961.
Events[]
- January 20 – John F. Kennedy is the first U.S. president to be inaugurated with a color telecast. NBC covers the inauguration in color.
- January 25
- John F. Kennedy holds the first live televised presidential press conference.
- Danger Man (United Kingdom) (1960–1961, 1964–1966) is cancelled due to lack of interest from Australian broadcasters. The series will be revived later.
- February 19 – CFTM-TV, future flagship station of Quebec's TVA network, begins broadcasting in Montreal.
- March 1 - Venevision officially renamed from Televisa of Venezuela.[1]
- April 11 – The Eichmann trial is the first televised trial, shown on a one-day delay basis in the U.S. with videotape flown in daily from Jerusalem
- April 29
- Westward Television, the first ITV franchise for South West England, begins broadcasting.
- Wide World of Sports debuts on the American Broadcasting Company.
- May 5 – Alan B. Shepard is the first U.S. astronaut in space aboard the spacecraft Freedom 7 in a 15-min. suborbital flight. The launch is watched by 45 million U.S. viewers.
- May 9 – In a speech on "Television and the Public Interest" to the National Association of Broadcasters in the United States, Federal Communications Commission chairman Newton N. Minow describes commercial television programming as a "vast wasteland" and tells the broadcasters that they could do a better job of serving the public.
- May 29 – Dave Garroway announces his decision to quit the Today show on NBC in the United States.
- July 1 – The soap opera series The Brighter Day airs its first episode after taping locations are moved from New York City to Los Angeles. As a result, key character Babby Dennis and her love interest are written out of the series; the actors who played them didn't want to relocate.
- July 21 – Dicon Television Canal 11, as predecessor for Telefe, a major television network in Argentina, starts its first official regular broadcasting service from Buenos Aires.[2]
- September 1 – Border Television, the ITV franchise for the English-Scottish Border and Isle of Man, begins broadcasting.
- September 23 – NBC begins its long-running NBC Saturday Night at the Movies participating, with a broadcast of the 1953 Marilyn Monroe picture How to Marry a Millionaire.
- September 30 – Grampian Television, the ITV franchise for North East Scotland, begins broadcasting.
- October 1 – CTV Television Network (CTV) is launched in Canada, the first privately owned network in the country.
- October 29 - DZBB-TV Channel 7, the fourth television station in the Philippines owned by Republic Broadcasting System (modern-day GMA Network) of American war correspondent Robert "Uncle Bob" Stewart, is launched after the success of radio station DZBB.
- November 4 – Radiotelevisione italiana's second television channel, Rete 2 (later named Rai 2), first broadcasts to 52% of the available households in Italy.
- November 19 – Lucille Ball marries Gary Morton in New York City.
- December 15 – Sam and Friends broadcasts its last episode in the United States.
- December 31
- Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) starts television broadcasts, bringing television to the Republic of Ireland for the first time.
- KBS1, a major television station in South Korea, starts its first regular broadcasting service from Seoul.[3]
- WBNB airs the first television broadcast in the Virgin Islands. (The station would be destroyed by Hurricane Hugo in 1989.)
Debuts[]
- January 5 – Mister Ed on CBS (1961–1966)
- January 7 – The Avengers on ITV in UK (1961–1969)
- January 23 – The Americans on NBC
- January 30 - The Yogi Bear Show in syndication (1961-1962)
- February 27 - Acapulco on NBC (1961)
- March 17 – Five Star Jubilee on NBC
- April 3 – Minna no Uta on NHK
- Mat 26 – Inspector Hornleigh Intervenes on West Germany's WDR
- June 4 – Sportschau on ARD
- April 29 – ABC's Wide World of Sports (1961–2006)
- August 19 – Four Corners, Australia's first current affairs program (1961–present)
- September 9 – The Jo Stafford Show on ITV (1961)
- September 17 – Car 54, Where Are You? on NBC (1961–1963)
- September 27 - Top Cat on ABC (1961-1962)
- September 28 – Hazel on NBC (1961–1966)
- October 1 –
- Bus Stop on ABC (1961–1962)
- CTV National News (1961–present)
- Songs of Praise on BBC (1961–present)
- October 2 –
- Ben Casey on ABC (1961–1966)
- Password on CBS (1961–1967)
- Window on Main Street on CBS (1961–1962)
- October 3 – The Dick Van Dyke Show on CBS (1961–1966)
- October 4 –
- The Alvin Show on CBS (1961–1962)
- Playdate on CBC (Canada) (1961–1964)
- October 5
- The Investigators (1961)
- The New Bob Cummings Show (1961–1962)
- October 6 – Straightaway (1961–1962)
- October 7 – It's Academic (1961–present)
- October 30 – The News with Uncle Bob (1961-1972)
- November 8 – KVN (Клуб, Весёлых и Находчивых, Klub Vesyólykh i Nakhódchivykh, "Club of the Funny and Inventive") on The First Channel in the Soviet Union (1961–1972, 1986–present)
- November 13 – Camera Canada on CBC Television (1961-1963)
- December 11 – The Mike Douglas Show (1961–1981)
- December 31 – RTÉ News: Nine O'Clock on RTÉ One
Programs/programmes[]
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1962)
- American Bandstand (1952–1989)
- Armchair Theatre (UK) (1956–1968)
- As the World Turns (1956–2010)
- Blue Peter (UK) (1958–present)
- Bonanza (1959–1973)
- Bozo the Clown (1949–present)
- , 1960–1961
- Candid Camera (1948–present)
- Captain Kangaroo (1955–1984)
- Carols by Candlelight (1952–present)
- Cheyenne (1955–1962)
- Come Dancing (UK) (1949–1995)
- Coronation Street (UK) (1960–present)
- Danger Man (UK) (1960–1961, 1964–1966)
- Dixon of Dock Green (UK) (1955–1976)
- Face the Nation (1954–present)
- Grandstand (UK) (1958–2007)
- Gunsmoke (1955–1975)
- Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951–present)
- Hancock's Half Hour (1956–1962)
- Hato no kyujitsu (1953-2001)
- Hawaiian Eye (1959–1963)
- Inspector Hornleigh Intervenes (West Germany) (1961)
- Juke Box Jury (1959–1967, 1979, 1989–1990)
- Leave It to Beaver (1957–1963)
- Love of Life (1951–1980)
- Margie, 1961–1962
- Meet the Press (1947–present)
- My Three Sons (1960–1972)
- Dagsrevyen (1958–present)
- Opportunity Knocks (UK) (1956–1978)
- Panorama (UK) (1953–present)
- Rocky and His Friends (1959-1961) ends earlier in 1961 to resume later in 1961 on NBC as The Bullwinkle Show (1961–1964)
- Search for Tomorrow (1951–1986)
- The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1952–1966)
- The Andy Griffith Show (1960–1968)
- The Alvin Show (1961-1962)
- The Bell Telephone Hour (1959–1968)
- The Bugs Bunny Show (1960-2000)
- The Donna Reed Show (1958–1966)
- The Ed Sullivan Show (1948–1971)
- The Edge of Night (1956–1984)
- The Flintstones (1960–1966)
- The Good Old Days (UK) (1953–1983)
- The Guiding Light (1952–2009)
- The Huckleberry Hound Show (1958–1962)
- The Jack Benny Show (1950–1965)
- The Lawrence Welk Show (1955–1982)
- The Milton Berle Show (1954–1967)
- The Price Is Right (1956–1965)
- The Quick Draw McGraw Show (1959–1962)
- The Secret Storm (1954–1974)
- The Sky at Night (UK) (1957–present)
- The Yogi Bear Show (1961-1962)
- The Today Show (1952–present)
- The Tonight Show (1954–present)
- The Twilight Zone (1959–1964, 1985–1989, 2002–2003)
- The Voice of Firestone (1949–1963)
- This Is Your Life (UK) (1955–2003)
- Top Cat (1961-1962)
- Truth or Consequences (1950–1988)
- Walt Disney Presents (1958–1961) ends on September 17 to resume on September 24 on NBC as Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color (1961–1969)
- What the Papers Say (UK) (1956–2008)
- What's My Line (1950–1967)
- WIN News (1960–present)
- Window on Main Street (1961–1962)
- Zoo Quest (UK) (1954–1964)
Ending this year[]
Date | Show | Debut |
---|---|---|
January 1 | General Motors Presents (Can) | 1958 |
January 6 | Dan Raven | 1960 |
February 13 | Klondike | |
April 7 | Happy | |
April 24 | Acapulco | 1961 |
April 30 | The Tab Hunter Show | 1960 |
May 15 | The Americans | 1961 |
May 31 | Peter Loves Mary | 1960 |
June 20 | The Army Game (UK) | 1957 |
June 27 | Stagecoach West | 1960 |
June 29 | The Ford Show | 1956 |
June 30 | Hancock's Half Hour | |
September 18 | Peter Gunn | 1958 |
September 22 | Five Star Jubilee | 1961 |
December 1 | The Huckleberry Hound Show | 1958 |
December 2 | Deadline Midnight | 1960 |
December 15 | Sam and Friends | 1955 |
December 28 | The Investigators | 1961 |
Unknown | This Is Your Life (US) | 1952 |
Changes of network affiliation[]
Show | Moved from | Moved to |
---|---|---|
Walt Disney Presents | ABC | NBC |
The Detectives | ||
Rocky and His Friends | ||
The Wonderful World of Disney | ||
Bachelor Father | NBC | ABC |
Mister Ed | Syndication | CBS |
Births[]
Date | Name | Notability |
---|---|---|
January 2 | Gabrielle Carteris | Actress (Beverly Hills, 90210) |
January 7 | Jeff Richmond | Actor |
January 9 | Candi Milo | Actress (Swat Kats: The Radical Squadron, Dexter's Laboratory, The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, My Life as a Teenage Robot, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, Maya & Miguel, The Life and Times of Juniper Lee) |
Al Jean | Writer | |
January 10 | Evan Handler | Actor |
January 13 | Julia Louis-Dreyfus | Actress (Seinfeld, Veep) |
January 19 | Paul McCrane | Actor (ER) |
January 26 | Craig Anton | Actor, comedian (Mad TV, Phil of the Future) |
Wayne Gretzky | Hockey player | |
February 2 | Lauren Lane | Actress (The Nanny) |
February 5 | Tim Meadows | Actor (Saturday Night Live) |
February 10 | George Stephanopoulos | TV host |
February 21 | Christopher Atkins | Actor (Dallas) |
February 23 | Trent Lehman | Actor (Nanny and the Professor) (died 1982) |
February 27 | Grant Shaud | Actor (Murphy Brown) |
March 3 | Mary Page Keller | Actress (Duet) |
March 4 | Steven Weber | Actor (Wings, Once and Again) |
March 8 | Camryn Manheim | Actress (The Practice, Ghost Whisperer, Person of Interest) |
March 14 | Penny Johnson Jerald | Actress |
March 17 | Casey Siemaszko | Actor (NYPD Blue) |
March 18 | Geoffrey Owens | Actor (The Cosby Show) |
March 21 | Kassie DePaiva | Actress (One Life to Live) |
March 26 | Billy Warlock | Actor (Baywatch) |
April 2 | Christopher Meloni | Actor (NYPD Blue, Oz, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit) |
April 3 | Eddie Murphy | Comedian, actor (Saturday Night Live) |
April 6 | Gene Eugene | Singer (Adam Again), actor (The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan) (died 2000) |
April 7 | Teri Ann Linn | Actress, singer (The Bold and the Beautiful) |
April 10 | Nicky Campbell | Scottish television presenter |
April 14 | Robert Carlyle | Scottish actor (Stargate Universe, Once Upon a Time) |
April 17 | Carlo Rota | Canadian actor (24) |
April 18 | Jane Leeves | Actress (Daphne Moon on Frasier) |
April 19 | Alan Kirschenbaum | Writer |
April 21 | Cathy Cavadini | Voice actress (Blossom on The Powerpuff Girls) |
April 23 | Dirk Bach | Comedian, actor and TV host (died 2012) |
Þröstur Leó Gunnarsson | Actor | |
George Lopez | Comedian, actor (George Lopez) | |
April 29 | Stacey Snider | American film industry executive |
April 30 | Isiah Thomas | Basketball player and TV commentator |
May 1 | Marilyn Milian | Judge |
May 4 | Mary Elizabeth McDonough | Actress (The Waltons) |
May 6 | George Clooney | Actor (ER) |
Wally Wingert | Actor | |
Gina Riley | Actress, comedian (Fast Forward) | |
May 9 | John Corbett | Actor (Northern Exposure, Sex and the City) |
May 12 | Lar Park Lincoln | Actress (Knots Landing) |
May 14 | Tim Roth | Actor |
May 16 | Kevin McDonald | Actor (The Kids in the Hall, Lilo and Stitch: The Series, Catscratch) |
May 22 | Jeremy Gelbwaks | Actor (The Partridge Family) |
May 27 | Peri Gilpin | Actress (Frasier, Make It or Break It) |
Cathy Silvers | Actress (Happy Days) | |
May 29 | Melissa Etheridge | Singer, voice actress |
Linda Wallem | Actress (Rocko's Modern Life, Nurse Jackie) | |
May 30 | Ralph Carter | Actor (Michael Evans on Good Times) |
May 31 | Lea Thompson | Actress (Caroline in the City) |
June 1 | Mark Curry | Actor (Hangin' with Mr. Cooper) |
Aaron Sorkin | Screenwriter | |
June 5 | Mary Kay Bergman | Voice actress (Every female character on South Park seasons 1–3) d.1999 |
June 6 | Wes Johnson | Actor |
June 7 | Kym Whitley | Actress (Married... with Children) |
June 9 | Michael J. Fox | Actor (Alex P. Keaton on Family Ties) |
June 25 | Ricky Gervais | Actor |
June 29 | Kimberlin Brown | Actress (The Young and the Restless, The Bold and the Beautiful) |
Sharon Lawrence | Actress (NYPD Blue) | |
July 9 | Raymond Cruz | Actor |
July 23 | Woody Harrelson | Actor (Woody Boyd on Cheers) |
David Kaufman | Voice actor (Freakazoid!, Danny Phantom, The Buzz on Maggie) | |
July 25 | Bobbie Eakes | Actress and singer (The Bold and the Beautiful, One Life to Live) |
Katherine Kelly Lang | Actress (The Bold and the Beautiful) | |
July 30 | Laurence Fishburne | Actor (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Black-ish) |
August 4 | Lauren Tom | Actress (Pepper Ann, Futurama, Rocket Power, Kim Possible, Fillmore!, Codename: Kids Next Door, Teen Titans, American Dragon: Jake Long) |
August 5 | Janet McTeer | Actress |
August 7 | Maggie Wheeler | Actress |
Brian Conley | Actor | |
August 13 | Dawnn Lewis | Actress (A Different World, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper) |
Sam Champion | American weather anchor | |
August 14 | Susan Olsen | Actress (Cindy on The Brady Bunch) |
August 18 | Bob Woodruff | American television journalist |
August 21 | Stephen Hillenburg | Creator of SpongeBob SquarePants (died 2018) |
August 24 | Jared Harris | English actor (Mad Men, Fringe, The Expanse) |
August 25 | Ally Walker | Actress (Santa Barbara, Profiler) |
August 26 | Kari Lizer | Actress |
August 27 | Mark Curry | Presenter |
August 28 | Jennifer Coolidge | Actress |
September 11 | Elizabeth Daily | Voice actress (Rugrats, The Powerpuff Girls, ChalkZone) |
September 15 | Dan Marino | Football player, analyst (The NFL Today) |
Colin McFarlane | Actor, voice actor and narrator (Outlander, Doctor Who) | |
September 16 | Jen Tolley | Actress |
September 21 | Nancy Travis | Actress (Last Man Standing) |
September 22 | Bonnie Hunt | Actress, comedian (The Bonnie Hunt Show) |
September 23 | Chi McBride | Actor (The John Larroquette Show, Boston Public) |
September 25 | Heather Locklear | Actress (Melrose Place) |
September 28 | Gregory Jbara | Actor |
September 30 | Crystal Bernard | Actress (Wings) |
Erica Ehm | TV host and VJ (MuchMusic) | |
Eric Stoltz | Actor | |
October 3 | Marcus Giamatti | Actor (Judging Amy) |
October 4 | David W. Harper | Actor (The Waltons) |
October 8 | Simon Burke | Actor (Devil's Playground) |
October 9 | Ellen Wheeler | Actress (Another World, All My Children) |
October 16 | Kim Wayans | Actress, comedian (In Living Color) |
October 25 | Chad Smith | American musician |
October 26 | Dylan McDermott | Actor (The Practice) |
October 30 | Larry Wilmore | Actor |
November 3 | Kari Michaelsen | Actress (Gimme a Break!) |
November 4 | Jeff Probst | Host (Survivor) |
Ralph Macchio | Actor | |
November 8 | Leif Garrett | Actor |
November 11 | Luca Zingaretti | Italian actor (Inspector Montalbano) |
November 14 | Elizabeth Keifer | US actress (Guiding Light) |
November 19 | Meg Ryan | Actress (As the World Turns) |
November 22 | Gary Valentine | Actor, comedian (The King of Queens) |
Mariel Hemingway | Actress | |
November 26 | Marcy Walker | Soap opera actress |
November 29 | Kim Delaney | Actress (NYPD Blue) |
December 2 | Gaby Köster | Actress, comedian |
December 8 | Mikey Robins | Australian media personality |
December 9 | Joe Lando | Actor (Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman) |
David Anthony Higgins | Actor (Malcolm in the Middle) | |
December 13 | Karen Witter | Actress |
December 23 | Carol Smillie | Scottish television presenter |
December 24 | Eriko Kitagawa | Screenwriter (Aishiteiru to Itte Kure) |
Wade Williams | Actor (Prison Break) | |
December 30 | Sean Hannity | Talk show host (Hannity) |
December 31 | Joanna Johnson | Actress (The Bold and the Beautiful) |
Deaths[]
Date | Name | Age | Notability |
---|---|---|---|
February 3 | Anna May Wong | 56 | American actress |
May 22 | Joan Davis | 53 | Actress (I Married Joan) |
August 26 | Gail Russell | 36 | American actress |
August 30 | Charles Coburn | 84 | Actor |
September 10 | Leo Carrillo | 80 | Actor (The Cisco Kid) |
October 11 | Chico Marx | 74 | Actor (member of the Marx Brothers) |
November 24 | Ruth Chatterton | 68 | Actress |
See also[]
References[]
- ^ es:Venevision#Historia#Inicios(Spanish language) Retrieved January 7, 2016
- ^ Telefe#History#1957–70: Foundations Retrieved January 13, 2017.
- ^ KBS1#History Retrieved January 13, 2017.
Categories:
- 1961 in television