1979 in American television

Last updated

This is a list of American television-related events of 1979.

Contents

Events

DateEvent
January 3The USA Network is founded.
January 10The Music for UNICEF Concert is televised from New York City on NBC.
February 11In the U.S., 43 million viewers watch Elvis , an ABC movie starring Kurt Russell as Elvis Presley, despite being the first Elvis biopic film ever made.
February 18The Daytona 500 is broadcast live from start to finish, in its entirety for the very first time by CBS. It was won by Richard Petty.
February 20 Melody Thomas makes her first appearance as Nikki Reed on The Young and the Restless .
March 5 KSTP-TV in Saint Paul, Minnesota ends its 31-year relationship as the Twin Cities' NBC affiliate and joins ABC in what is called the network's biggest coup yet. NBC, meanwhile, aligns with Metromedia-owned independent station WTCN-TV, while former ABC affiliate KMSP-TV, having failed to procure an NBC affiliation, becomes independent itself. [1] [2]
March 6On NBC, Another World becomes the only soap opera to air regularly scheduled 90-minute telecasts (it would go back to 60-minute episodes in 1980). Meanwhile, on ABC, Family Feud increases its goal to 300 points.
March 19 C-SPAN, an American television channel focusing on government and public affairs, is launched.
April 1 Nickelodeon is founded.
April 8On CBS, the final episode of All in the Family is seen by 40.2 million American viewers (it will relaunch the following season as Archie Bunker's Place ).
April 20The 1,439th and final CBS episode of Match Game 79 airs – however, the show didn't air on April 5, causing the Friday episode from that week to air on April 9. The last 9 aired episodes were culled together from 3 separate taping sessions, leaving 6 unaired until Game Show Network aired them for the first time. Match Game continues for 3 more years in syndicated daytime (sans the omnipresent 2-year designation in the title).
April 22 Friendly Fire , an ABC movie starring Carol Burnett as a mother who wants to know how her son died in Vietnam, airs.
April 23 The Price Is Right , on CBS, moves to 11:00 A.M. EST, the time slot that it holds to this day.
May 16 Kate Jackson makes her final appearance as Sabrina Duncan on Charlie's Angels .
May 17The Season 5 finale of Barney Miller features the cast stepping out of character to pay tribute to the late Jack Soo, who played detective Nick Yemana. Soo, who died of cancer on January 11, 1979, made his final appearance in the series in the season's ninth episode, "The Vandal".
May 26 Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi's make their final appearances on NBC's Saturday Night Live as cast members.
June 1In Indianapolis, Indiana, NBC affiliate WRTV swaps affiliations with ABC affiliate WTHR, citing a stronger affiliation (at the time, NBC is in last place among the three major networks). [3]
July 10KSD-TV, NBC affiliate in St. Louis, changes its call sign to KSDK-TV.
September 7 ESPN, an all-sports channel, launches and becomes the first cable TV channel to be launched as a 24-hour channel.
September 9 KNXV-TV goes on the air for the first time as Phoenix's first UHF station, airing with ONTV. It was soon stripped off ONTV in 1983, eventually going first with Fox in 1986, then to ABC via an affiliation agreement with Scripps Howard in 1995.
September 12On the two-hour season four premiere of Charlie's Angels on ABC, Shelley Hack is introduced as new angel Tiffany Welles, replacing Sabrina Duncan played by Kate Jackson.
September 19On the two-hour Eight Is Enough season premiere on ABC, both David and Susan Bradford married their respective loves in a double ceremony.
October 6 KTAB-TV in Abilene, Texas begins broadcasting as a CBS affiliate, taking that affiliation from KTXS-TV. KTXS-TV then elevates its secondary ABC affiliation to full-time status, making Abilene one of the last markets in the country to receive full service from the three major networks.
November 4 Jaws is broadcast on television for the first time on ABC.
November 25 Pat Summerall calls his first NFL telecast (Minnesota VikingsTampa Bay Buccaneers) with John Madden.
December 1 The Movie Channel, an American premium cable channel, begins broadcasting movies 24/7. The first movie to air was Roman Holiday.

Programs

Debuting this year

DateShowNetwork
January 8 All Star Secrets NBC
Password Plus
January 18 Delta House ABC
January 20 Salvage 1
January 21 Brothers and Sisters NBC
January 22 Nightly Business Report PBS
January 26 Hello, Larry NBC
$weepstake$
Turnabout
The Dukes of Hazzard CBS
January 28 CBS News Sunday Morning
February 1 Makin' It ABC
February 3 The New Fred and Barney Show NBC
February 7 Supertrain
February 8 Angie ABC
February 20 This Old House PBS
February 26 Billy CBS
Flatbush
February 27 Cliffhangers NBC
March 4 Stockard Channing in Just Friends CBS
March 13 The Ropers ABC
March 15 Harris and Company NBC
March 24 The Bad News Bears CBS
March 28Dear Detective ABC
April 6 The MacKenzies of Paradise Cove
April 12 Highcliffe Manor NBC
Whodunnit?
April 18 Real People
April 23 Whew! CBS
May 10 Hizzonner NBC
May 24 Comedy Theatre (returning from 1976)
July 31 Detective School ABC
August 24 The Facts of Life NBC
August 25 Hart to Hart ABC
August 28 240-Robert
September 1 Lap Quilting with Georgia Bonesteel PBS
The Woodwright's Shop
September 7 SportsCenter ESPN
September 8 Fred and Barney Meet the Thing NBC
September 9 Jason of Star Command CBS
Out of the Blue ABC
September 13 Benson
September 15 Working Stiffs CBS
September 16 A New Kind of Family ABC
September 17 Three's a Crowd Syndication
September 18 The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo NBC
September 19 The Last Resort CBS
Struck by Lightning
September 20 Buck Rogers in the 25th Century NBC
September 21 Eischied
September 22 Casper and the Angels
A Man Called Sloane
The New Adventures of Flash Gordon
The New Shmoo
The Super Globetrotters
Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo ABC
Spider-Woman
September 23 The Associates
Archie Bunker's Place CBS
September 25 California Fever
Trapper John, M.D.
September 29 Big Shamus, Little Shamus
Paris
October 26 Shirley NBC
October 29 Freedom Road NBC
November 8 Nightline (debuting as The Iran Crisis–America Held Hostage) ABC
November 28 Young Maverick CBS
December 17 House Calls
December 27 Knots Landing

Ending this year

DateShowDebut
January 12 The Eddie Capra Mysteries 1978
January 14 The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries 1977
January 16 Grandpa Goes to Washington 1978
March 2 Jeopardy! (returned in 1984)1964
March 16 Makin' It 1979
March 30 $weepstake$ 1979
Turnabout 1979
April 8 All in the Family 1971
April 20 Match Game 1973
April 24 The Paper Chase (returned in 1983)1978
April 28 What's Happening!! (returned in 1985)1976
April 29 Battlestar Galactica (returned in 1980)1978
May 15 Starsky and Hutch 1975
May 17 Whodunnit? 1979
June 8 Welcome Back, Kotter 1975
June 23 Stockard Channing in Just Friends 1979
June 28 Comedy Theatre 1976
July 6 The Amazing Spider-Man 1977
July 11 Sword of Justice 1978
July 12 David Cassidy: Man Undercover
August 1 Good Times 1974
September 11 Wonder Woman 1976
October 20 The New Fred and Barney Show 1979
November 24 Detective School
December 8 Godzilla 1978

Made-for-TV movies and miniseries

TitleNetworkPremiere date
All Quiet on the Western Front CBSNovember 14
Backstairs at the White House NBCJanuary 29
Murder by Natural Causes CBSFebruary 17
Roots: The Next Generations ABCFebruary 18 (7 episodes)
Death Car on the Freeway CBSSeptember 25
Salem's Lot CBSNovember 17 and 24
Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July ABCNovember 25
The Berenstain Bears' Christmas Tree NBCDecember 3
The Miracle Worker NBCOctober 14

Networks and services

Launches

NetworkTypeLaunch dateNotesSource
Christian Television Network Cable televisionUnknown
National Christian Network Cable televisionUnknown
Satellite Program Network Cable televisionUnknown
C-SPAN Cable televisionMarch 19
Take 2Cable televisionApril 1
Galavision Cable televisionApril 2
Cornerstone Television Cable televisionApril 15
ESPN Cable televisionSeptember 7

Conversions and rebrandings

Old networkNew networkTypeConversion dateNotesSource
WTCG-TV SuperStation WTBS Cable televisionUnknown
C-3 Nickelodeon Cable televisionApril 1
Star Channel The Movie Channel Cable televisionDecember 1

Closures

There are no closures for Cable and satellite television channels in this year.

Television stations

Sign-ons

Date City of License/Market Station ChannelAffiliationNotes/Ref.
January 3 Boston, Massachusetts WQTV 68 Independent
January 12 Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico
(Brownsville/McAllen, Texas, United States)
XHRIO-TV 2English-language independent
March North Platte, Nebraska K57CZ 57CBSLPTV translator of KOLN/Lincoln, Nebraska; now KNPL-LD channel 10, a semi-satellite of KOLN
March 1 Owensboro, Kentucky WKOH 31 PBS Part of Kentucky Educational Television as a repeater of WKLE/Lexington
April 15 Greensburg/Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania WPCB-TV 40Religious independent
April 28 Red Deer/Harrisburg, Pennsylvania WGCB 49Independent
May 3 Austin, Texas KLRU 18PBSOriginally a satellite of KLRN/San Antonio, Texas
June 1 Springfield, Illinois WBHW 55Independent
June 12 Charlottesville, Virginia W64AO 64 ABC Low-powered translator of WHSV-TV/Harrisonburg, Virginia
June 18 Bismarck, North Dakota KBME-TV 3PBSPart of Prairie Public Television
August El Paso, Texas KCIK-TV 14 Religious independent
August 10 Denver, Colorado KDVR 31Independent
September 2 Flagstaff/Phoenix, Arizona KTVW 33 SIN
September 9Phoenix, Arizona KNXV-TV 15Independent
September 24 Greensboro, North Carolina WGNN-TV 45Independent
Norfolk, Virginia WTVZ-TV 33Independent
October 6 Abilene, Texas KTAB-TV 32CBS
October 22 Grand Junction, Colorado KJCT 8ABC
October 24 Tampa, Florida WCLF 22 CTN
October 28 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma KGMC 34Independent
December 22 Warrensburg/Sedalia, Missouri
(Columbia/Jefferson City)
KMOS-TV 6PBSReturned to the air after being taken off the air in 1978 as a CBS affiliate
Unknown date Hartford, Connecticut W61AH 51 SIN Translator of WXTV/New York City
Miami, Florida W56AZ 56PBSTranslator of WPBT-TV

Network affiliation changes

Date City of License/Market Station ChannelOld affiliationNew affiliationNotes/Ref.
March 5 Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota KMSP-TV 9ABCIndependent
KSTP-TV 5NBCABC
WTCN-TV 11IndependentNBC
June 1 Indianapolis, Indiana WRTV-TV 6NBCABC
WTHR-TV 13ABCNBC
October 6 Abilene, Texas KTXS-TV 12CBS (primary)
ABC (secondary)
ABC (exclusive)

Births

DateNameNotability
January 2 Erica Hubbard Actress ( The Replacements , Lincoln Heights )
January 3 Lyriq Bent Actor
January 4 Cindy Vela Actress
Jeannie Mai Host
January 6 Cristela Alonzo Actress
January 8 Sarah Polley Actress ( Ramona , Road to Avonlea )
Windell Middlebrooks Actor (died 2015)
January 9 Joshua Harto Actor ( That's So Raven )
January 13 Jill Wagner Actress
January 14 James Scott British actor ( All My Children , Days of Our Lives )
January 16 Aaliyah Singer (died 2001)
January 24 Ricardo Medina Jr. Actor ( Power Rangers Wild Force )
Tatyana Ali Actress ( The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air )
January 25 Christine Lakin Actress ( Step by Step )
January 26 Sara Rue Actress ( Less than Perfect )
January 28 Angelique Cabral Actress
January 29 Jedediah Bila Host
Jeremy Coon Editor
January 30 Michelle Langstone New Zealand actress ( Power Rangers S.P.D. )
February 1 Rachelle Lefevre Canadian actress ( Under the Dome )
February 2 Mayer Hawthorne Singer
February 3 Costa Ronin Actor
February 4 Tabitha Brown Actress
Jodi Shilling Actress
February 7 Cerina Vincent Actress ( Stuck in the Middle )
February 8 Josh Keaton Voice actor ( Bratz , The Spectacular Spider-Man , Green Lantern: The Animated Series , DC Super Hero Girls , Voltron: Legendary Defender , Justice League Action , Ben 10 )
February 11 Brandy Norwood Singer and actress ( Moesha , The Game )
February 12 Jesse Spencer Australian actor ( House , Chicago Fire )
February 13 Mena Suvari Actress
February 15 Steven Boyer Actor
February 17 Conrad Ricamora Actor ( How to Get Away with Murder ) and singer
Bear McCreary Composer
February 18 Tyrone D. Burton Actor ( The Parent 'Hood )
February 20 Bianca Lawson Actress ( Pretty Little Liars )
February 21 Jennifer Love Hewitt Actress ( Party of Five , Ghost Whisperer ) and singer
Jordan Peele Actor and comedian ( Mad TV , Key & Peele )
Tituss Burgess Actor
February 23 Maryke Hendrikse Voice actress ( Johnny Test )
S. E. Cupp American television host
February 25 Jennifer Ferrin Actress
February 26 Corinne Bailey Rae Singer
Shalim Ortiz Singer
February 27 Spero Dedes Sportcaster
February 28 Chris Hayes Anchor
March 5 Riki Lindhome Voice actress ( Monsters vs. Aliens )
March 7 Stephanie Anne Mills Canadian actress ( My Dad the Rock Star , Total Drama , Sidekick )
March 9 Oscar Isaac Actor
March 10 Danny Pudi Actor ( Community , DuckTales )
March 10 Edi Gathegi Actor
March 12 Rhys Coiro Actor
March 15 Pollyanna McIntosh Actress
March 17 Stephen Kramer Glickman Canadian actor ( Big Time Rush )
Stormy Daniels Actress
Coco Austin Actress
March 18 Danneel Ackles Actress ( One Life to Live , One Tree Hill )
Adam Levine Singer
March 19 Joe Hursley Actor
March 20 Daniel Cormier Martial artist and commentator (UFC)
March 21 Melissa Gorga American television personality
March 24 Lake Bell Actress ( How to Make it in America , Boston Legal )
March 25 Lee Pace Actor ( Pushing Daisies )
March 26 Heidi Zeigler Actress ( Rags to Riches , Just the Ten of Us )
March 30 Jose Pablo Cantillo Actor
Pete Holmes Actor
March 31 Sasha Dobson Singer
April 1 Matt Silverstein Writer
April 2 Lindy Booth Canadian actress
Jesse Carmichael American musician
April 4 Heath Ledger Australian actor ( Sweat ) (died 2008)
Natasha Lyonne Actress
April 6 Clay Travis Host
April 7 Adam Gubman Composer
April 9 Keshia Knight Pulliam Actress ( The Cosby Show )
April 11 Josh Server Actor ( All That )
April 12 Claire Danes Actress ( Homeland )
Jennifer Morrison Actress ( House , Once Upon a Time )
April 15 Luke Evans Actor
Karen David Actress
April 16 Tom Segura Actor
April 18 Kourtney Kardashian Actress ( Keeping Up with the Kardashians )
Reena Ninan American television journalist
Ayman Mohyeldin American television journalist
April 19 Kate Hudson Actress
April 21 James McAvoy Actor
April 23 Jaime King Actress ( Hart of Dixie )
April 26 Ally Musika Writer
May 3 Emily V. Gordon Writer
May 4 Lance Bass Actor
May 5 Vincent Kartheiser Actor ( Mad Men )
May 6 Akbar Gbaja-Biamila Football player
May 9 Rosario Dawson Actor ( Gemini Division )
Andrew W.K. Actor
May 11 Mary Elizabeth Ellis Actress
May 13 Mickey Madden Singer
May 16 Jessica Morris Actress ( One Life to Live )
May 19Kyle CarrozzaVoice actor ( Mighty Magiswords )
May 20 Craig Melvin American broadcast journalist
May 22 Maggie Q Actress ( Nikita , Stalker ) and model
May 24 Tracy McGrady NBA basketball player
May 25 Corbin Allred Actor ( Teen Angel )
May 26 Elisabeth Harnois Actress ( CSI: Crime Scene Investigation )
Ashley Massaro TV host (died 2019)
May 28 Jesse Bradford Actor
Kal Parekh Actor
May 30 Jenny Mollen Actress
June 2 Morena Baccarin Actress ( Homeland )
James Ransone Actor
June 5 Pete Wentz American musician ( Fall Out Boy )
June 7 Anna Torv Actress ( Fringe )
June 11 Preslaysa Edwards Actress ( The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo )
June 12 Earl Watson NBA basketball player
June 14 Osvaldo Benavides Actor
June 17 Young Maylay Rapper
June 21 Chris Pratt Actor ( Everwood , Parks and Recreation )
June 22 Paul Campbell Actor
Jai Rodriguez Actor
June 23 Linzie Janis American television journalist
June 24 Mindy Kaling Actress ( The Office , The Mindy Project )
June 25 Busy Philipps Actress ( Dawson's Creek , Freaks and Geeks , Cougar Town )
June 26 Julia Benson Canadian actress ( Stargate Universe )
Ryan Tedder Singer
June 27 Cazwell Rapper
June 28 Felicia Day Actress ( The Guild )
June 30 Rick Gonzalez Actor ( Reaper , Arrow )
Christopher Jacot Actor
Lynn Smith American journalist
July 2 Tom Llamas American journalist
July 3 Elizabeth Hendrickson Actress ( All My Children )
July 4 Kevin Thoms Actor
July 6 Kevin Hart Actor
Moshe Kasher Actor
July 11 Jax Taylor Actor
July 12 Brooke Baldwin American journalist
Omid Abtahi American actor
July 14 Scott Porter Actor ( Hart of Dixie )
July 15 Philipp Karner Actor
Laura Benanti Actress
July 16 Jayma Mays Actress ( Heroes , Ugly Betty , Glee , The League , The Millers , Trial & Error )
July 17 Mike Vogel Actor ( Under the Dome )
July 18 Jason Weaver Actor ( Smart Guy ) and singer
July 22 Parvesh Cheena Actor
July 23 Michelle Williams Actress
July 24 Rose Byrne Actress
July 25 Juan Pablo Di Pace Actor
July 26 Mageina Tovah Actress
Tamyra Gray Singer and Actress (American Idol, Boston Public )
Juliet Rylance Actress
July 31 B. J. Novak Actor (Ryan Howard on The Office )
August 1 Jason Momoa Actor ( Stargate Atlantis , Game of Thrones )
August 3Danso GordonCanadian actor ( In a Heartbeat , South of Nowhere )
Evangeline Lilly Canadian actress ( Lost )
Sarah Haskins Comedian
August 7 Eric Johnson Canadian actor ( Smallville , Rookie Blue )
August 10 JoAnna Garcia Actress ( Are You Afraid of the Dark? , Freaks and Geeks , Reba , Privileged , Better with You , The Astronaut Wives Club )
August 11 Drew Nelson Canadian actor ( Girlstuff/Boystuff , Total Drama )
Rob Kerkovich Actor ( NCIS: New Orleans )
August 12 Peter Browngardt Voice actor ( Secret Mountain Fort Awesome , Uncle Grandpa )
Keith Powell Actor
August 15 Jennifer Finnigan Actress ( The Bold and the Beautiful , Close to Home , Better with You , Tyrant )
August 22 Peter Shukoff Comedian
Steve Kornacki Host
Brandon Adams Actor
August 23 Clare Grant Actress
August 26 Erik Valdez Actor ( General Hospital , Graceland , Superman & Lois )
August 27 Aaron Paul Actor
August 28 Shane Van Dyke Actor
August 30 Marin Ireland Actress
August 31 Yara Martinez Actor
September 1 Camille Chen Actress
September 2 Jonathan Kite Actor
September 4 Max Greenfield Actor ( New Girl )
September 5 Stacey Dales Broadcaster
September 7 Andrew Catalon Broadcaster
September 8 Pink Singer
September 9 Nikki DeLoach Actress ( Awkward )
September 11 Cameron Richardson Actress
Ariana Richards Actress
September 12 Jay McGraw Writer
September 15 Dave Annable Actor ( Brothers & Sisters , 666 Park Avenue , Red Band Society , Heartbeat )
Amy Davidson Actress ( 8 Simple Rules )
September 16 Flo Rida Rapper
September 18 Alison Lohman Actress ( Pasadena )
Amna Nawaz Journalist ( PBS NewsHour )
September 20 Chris Tardio Actor
September 22 Michael Graziadei Actor
September 24 Erin Chambers Actress ( General Hospital )
Justin Bruening Actor ( All My Children )
Ross Mathews TV host
September 25 Rashad Evans American retired mixed martial artist
September 26 Nick Weidenfeld Producer
September 27 Alicyn Packard Voice actress ( The Mr. Men Show . The Tom And Jerry Show )
September 28 Bam Margera Professional skateboarder and stunt performer ( Jackass, Viva La Bam )
Anndi McAfee Voice actress ( Hey Arnold! , Recess , Lloyd in Space )
Mara Schiavocampo American journalist
September 30 Mike Damus Actor ( Teen Angel , Brutally Normal , Men, Women & Dogs , Trust Me )
October 2 Brianna Brown Actress ( General Hospital , Devious Maids )
October 3 Claudia Bassols Actress
Matt Davis Comedian
John Morrison Actor
Josh Klinghoffer Musician
October 4 Rachael Leigh Cook Actress ( Perception )
Caitriona Balfe Irish actress ( Outlander )
October 7 Aaron Ashmore Canadian actors and brothers
Shawn Ashmore
October 8 Kristanna Loken Actress and model ( Painkiller Jane )
October 9 Brandon Routh Actor ( Arrow , Legends of Tomorrow )
Alex Greenwald Actor
Chris O'Dowd Actor
October 10 Mýa Actress
October 14 Stacy Keibler Actress
October 15 Jaci Velasquez Actress
October 17 Deanna Russo Actress
October 18 Ne-Yo Singer and actor
October 19 Angela Sun American journalist
October 20 John Krasinski Actor (Jim Halpert on The Office )
October 22 Tony Denman Actor
Nina Parker American television journalist
October 25 Sarah Thompson Actress ( Angel , 7th Heaven )
October 26 Jonathan Chase Actor
October 29 Andrew-Lee Potts Actor
October 31 Erica Cerra Actress
November 2 Erika Flores Actress ( Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman )
November 5 Leonardo Nam Actor
November 6 Lamar Odom NBA basketball player
Adam LaRoche Baseball player
Brad Stuart Hockey player
November 7 Jon Peter Lewis Singer ( American Idol , The Voice )
November 8 Dania Ramirez Dominican-American actress ( Entourage , Heroes , Devious Maids , Once Upon a Time )
November 9 Darren Trumeter Actor
November 12 Cote de Pablo Chilean-American actress ( NCIS )
November 13 Henry Wolfe Actor, singer and son of Meryl Streep and Don Gummer
Metta World Peace NBA basketball player
November 14 Olga Kurylenko Actress
November 17 Azita Ghanizada American actress
November 18 Nate Parker American actor
November 19 Barry Jenkins American screenwriter
Michelle Vieth American actress
November 20 Jacob Pitts American actor
November 22 Josh Cooke American actor
November 23 Jonathan Sadowski Actor ( $#*! My Dad Says , Young & Hungry )
Kelly Brook Model and actress ( Smallville )
November 25 Jerry Ferrara American actor
Joel Kinnaman Actor
November 28 Daniel Henney American actor
Brian Nolan American actor
Chamillionaire American rapper
November 29 The Game American rapper
Simon Amstell Presenter
November 30 Diego Klattenhoff Canadian actor ( Homeland , The Blacklist )
December 2 Melissa Archer Actress ( One Life to Live )
December 3 Tiffany Haddish Actress ( The Carmichael Show )
Rainbow Sun Francks Actor
December 5 Nick Stahl Actor
December 7 Eric Bauza Canadian voice actor ( Coconut Fred's Fruit Salad Island , El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera , The Fairly OddParents , The Looney Tunes Show , Ben 10: Omniverse , Xiaolin Chronicles , Uncle Grandpa , Breadwinners , New Looney Tunes , Atomic Puppet , Mighty Magiswords , Ben 10 , Unikitty , Muppet Babies , Legend of the Three Caballeros , Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles )
Jennifer Carpenter Actress
Sara Bareilles Actress
December 8 Nick Thune Actor
Ingrid Michaelson Actress
December 11 Rider Strong Actor ( Boy Meets World , Kim Possible , Girl Meets World , Star vs. the Forces of Evil )
December 13 Kimee Balmilero Actress
December 15 Adam Brody Actor ( The O.C. )
December 16 Brodie Lee Pro wrestler (WWE, AEW) (died 2020)
Trevor Immelman Golfer
December 17 Jaimee Foxworth Actress ( Family Matters )
Lil Rel Howery Actor
December 18 Emily Swallow Actress
December 19 Tara Summers English actress ( Boston Legal )
December 21 Rutina Wesley Actress ( True Blood )
December 23 Holly Madison Model
December 26 Chris Daughtry Singer ( American Idol )
December 28 Bree Williamson Actress ( One Life to Live )
André Holland Actor
Bree Williamson Actress
December 29 Ariel Schrag Writer
Diego Luna Actor
December 30 Catherine Taber Voice actress ( Star Wars: The Clone Wars , The Loud House )
December 31 Elaine Cassidy Actress

Deaths

DateNameAgeNotability
January 11 Jack Soo 61Actor (Nick Yemana on Barney Miller )
January 16 Ted Cassidy 46Actor (Lurch on The Addams Family )
January 27 Dick Wesson 59Actor, announcer ( The Wonderful World of Disney )
June 2 Jim Hutton 45Actor ( Ellery Queen )
June 22 Hope Summers 83Actress (Clara Edwards on The Andy Griffith Show )
July 29 Bill Todman 62Game show producer ( Match Game , What's My Line? )
August 17 Vivian Vance 70Actress (Ethel Mertz on I Love Lucy )
November 1 Mamie Eisenhower 82 First Lady of the United States and spouse of President Dwight D. Eisenhower
November 30 Zeppo Marx 78Actor and comedian

See also

Related Research Articles

The year 1985 involved some significant events. Below is a list of television-related events of that year.

KCET is a secondary PBS member television station in Los Angeles, California, United States. It is owned by the Public Media Group of Southern California alongside the market's primary PBS member, Huntington Beach–licensed KOCE-TV. The two stations share studios at The Pointe in Burbank; KCET's transmitter is located atop Mount Wilson in the San Gabriel Mountains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metromedia</span> Defunct American media company

Metromedia was an American media company that owned radio and television stations in the United States from 1956 to 1986 and controlled Orion Pictures from 1988 to 1997. Metromedia was established in 1956 after the DuMont Television Network ceased operations and its owned-and-operated stations were spun off into a separate company. Metromedia sold its television stations to News Corporation in 1985, and spun off its radio stations into a separate company in 1986. Metromedia then acquired ownership stakes in various film studios, including controlling ownership in Orion. In 1997, Metromedia closed down and sold its media assets to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BBC Gàidhlig</span> Department of BBC Scotland

BBC Gàidhlig is the department of BBC Scotland that produces Scottish Gaelic-language (Gàidhlig) programming. This includes TV programmes for BBC Alba, the BBC Radio nan Gàidheal radio station and the BBC Alba website. Its managing editor is Marion MacKinnon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KMOX</span> Radio station in St. Louis, Missouri

KMOX is a commercial radio station in St. Louis, Missouri. Owned by Audacy, Inc., it is a 50,000 watt Class A clear-channel station with a non-directional signal. The KMOX studios and offices are on Olive Street at Tucker Boulevard in the Park Pacific Building in St. Louis. KMOX refers to itself as "NewsRadio 1120 - The Voice of St. Louis". It is considered the first U.S. station to program all talk shows around the clock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WUSA (TV)</span> CBS affiliate in Washington, D.C.

WUSA is a television station in Washington, D.C., affiliated with CBS. It is the flagship property of Tegna Inc., which is based in suburban McLean, Virginia. WUSA's studios and transmitter are at Broadcast House on Wisconsin Avenue in northwest Washington's Tenleytown neighborhood. Among CBS affiliates not owned and operated by the network, WUSA is the third-largest by market size.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WTAE-TV</span> ABC affiliate in Pittsburgh

WTAE-TV is a television station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, affiliated with ABC. It has been owned by Hearst Television since the station's inception, making this one of two stations that have been built and signed on by Hearst. WTAE-TV's studios are located on Ardmore Boulevard in the suburb of Wilkinsburg, and its transmitter is located in Buena Vista, Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KSTP-TV</span> ABC affiliate in Saint Paul, Minnesota

KSTP-TV is a television station licensed to Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States, serving the Twin Cities area as an affiliate of ABC. It is the flagship television property of locally based Hubbard Broadcasting, which has owned the station since its inception, and is sister to Minneapolis-licensed independent station KSTC-TV and radio stations KSTP, KSTP-FM (94.5), and KTMY. The five outlets share studios on University Avenue, on the Saint Paul–Minneapolis border; KSTP-TV's transmitter is located at Telefarm Towers in Shoreview, Minnesota.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WFLD</span> Fox TV station in Chicago

WFLD is a television station in Chicago, Illinois, United States, serving as the market's Fox network outlet. It is owned and operated by the network's Fox Television Stations division alongside Gary, Indiana–licensed MyNetworkTV outlet WPWR-TV. The two stations share studios on North Michigan Avenue in the Chicago Loop, and transmitter facilities atop the Willis Tower.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KGTV</span> ABC affiliate in San Diego

KGTV is a television station in San Diego, California, United States, affiliated with ABC and owned by the E. W. Scripps Company. The station's studios are located on Air Way in the Riverview-Webster section of San Diego, and its transmitter is located on Mount Soledad in La Jolla.

WIYY is a commercial radio station in Baltimore, Maryland. It is owned by Hearst Communications and broadcasts a mainstream rock radio format. WIYY shares studios and offices with sister stations WBAL and WBAL-TV on Television Hill in the Woodberry section of Baltimore. WIYY's transmitter utilizes WBAL-TV's 'candlestick' antenna on the shared Television Hill candelabra tower.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metromedia Square</span> Radio and television facility in Hollywood, California, USA

Metromedia Square was a radio and television studio facility located at 5746 Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California on the southeastern corner of Sunset and Van Ness Avenue in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. For decades, it was recognizable by the white, ladder-like snake on the building's roof. This work of art was called "Starsteps" and was dismantled when ownership of the building changed hands in 2000. It was one of the Los Angeles landmarks that had previous landmark status in the late 20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WRTV</span> ABC affiliate in Indianapolis

WRTV is a television station in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, affiliated with ABC and owned by the E. W. Scripps Company. The station's studios are located on Meridian Street north of downtown Indianapolis, and its transmitter is located on the city's northwest side near Meridian Hills, Indiana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Capital Cities/ABC</span> Predecessor to Walt Disney Television

Capital Cities/ABC Inc. was an American media company. It was founded in 1985 when Capital Cities Communications purchased the much larger American Broadcasting Company. It was eventually acquired by The Walt Disney Company and re-branded itself as Disney–ABC Television Group in 1996.

KHME is a television station in Rapid City, South Dakota, United States, affiliated with the classic television network MeTV. It is owned by Gray Television alongside ABC affiliate KOTA-TV and low-power Fox affiliate KEVN-LD. The stations share studios on Skyline Drive in Rapid City, where KHME's transmitter is also located.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KERO-TV</span> ABC affiliate in Bakersfield, California

KERO-TV is a television station in Bakersfield, California, United States, affiliated with ABC and owned by the E. W. Scripps Company. The station's studios are located on 21st Street in Downtown Bakersfield, and its transmitter is located atop Breckenridge Mountain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KFFV</span> MeTV station in Seattle

KFFV is a television station in Seattle, Washington, United States, airing programming from MeTV. It is owned and operated by Weigel Broadcasting alongside Bellingham-licensed Univision affiliate KVOS-TV. The two stations share studios on Third Avenue South in Seattle; KFFV's transmitter is located on Capitol Hill east of downtown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WGIR (AM)</span> Radio station in New Hampshire, United States

WGIR is a commercial AM radio station in Manchester, New Hampshire, with a news/talk radio format. The station is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. WGIR's studios and offices are on Foundry Street in Manchester. Much of the programming and news, but not the commercials, can be heard on co-owned WQSO 96.7 MHz in Rochester, serving the New Hampshire Seacoast.

Robert La Rue Stewart, popularly known in the Philippines as "Uncle Bob", was an American entrepreneur, TV personality, radio and TV producer in the Philippines. He founded GMA Network Inc. on June 14, 1950.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres</span> Broadcasting and movie theater company

American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres, Inc. was the post-merger parent company of the American Broadcasting Company and United Paramount Theatres.

References

  1. "ABC-TV bags largest game yet in affiliation hunt: KSTP-TV." Broadcasting, September 4, 1978, pp. 19–20. [ permanent dead link ] [ permanent dead link ]
  2. "In Brief." Broadcasting, October 2, 1978, pg. 30 [ permanent dead link ]
  3. "Television Schedule". Marion Chronicle-Tribune . Marion, IN. May 30, 1979.