Online Encyclopedia
Categories: 1970s | 1978
1978 in television
See also: 1977 in television, other events of 1978, 1979 in television and the list of 'years in television'.
Contents |
Events
- January 28 - The Doobie Brothers make a guest appearance on the television show What's Happening!.
- February 22 - The Police appear in a television commercial for Wrigley's chewing gum.
- March 7-April 11 - Dennis Potter's groundbreaking drama serial Pennies From Heaven airs on BBC1.
- April 16-April 19 - Holocaust (miniseries) , starring James Woods and Meryl Streep first aired on NBC.
- April 22 - The Blues Brothers make their first appearance on Saturday Night Live. The duo of Jake & Elwood Blues (John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd) was introduced by Paul Shaffer (as Don Kirschner ) and performed "Hey Bartender".
- April 26 - Ringo Starr's, Ringo, a musical version of The Prince and the Pauper airs on American television. Starr's fellow former Beatle George Harrison provides the narration.
- September - The soap opera As the World Turns is #1 in the daytime Nielsen ratings for the 20th and final consecutive year; no other serial has been at the top of the ratings for such an unbeaten yearly streak.
- November 17 - The Star Wars Holiday Special airs on CBS. The special gives fans their first glimpse of Boba Fett, a character from the upcoming Star Wars sequel.
- The Beatles spoof, The Rutles - All You Need Is Cash airs on television.
- Steve Martin performs the original "King Tut" on Saturday Night Live. The song is later released as a single and becomes a hit for the comedian.
- Abarembo Shogun premieres on the Asahi television network in Japan (1978-2003).
Debuts
- February 8 - Grange Hill premieres on BBC TV in the UK (1978-present)
- April 3 - Dallas premieres on CBS (1978-1991)
- June - 20/20 premieres (1978-present)
- September 18 - WKRP in Cincinnati premieres on CBS (1978-1982)
- September - Battle of the Planets premieres (1978-1985)
- November 3 - Diff'rent Strokes premieres on NBC (1978-1986)
- 3-2-1 starts on ITV in the United Kingdom (1978-1987)* Mork and Mindy premieres on ABC (1978-1982)
- Taxi premieres on ABC (1978-1983)
Popular Television Shows
- Meet the Press (1947-present)
- Candid Camera (1948-present)
- Truth or Consequences (1950-1988)
- Love of Life (1951-1980)
- Search for Tomorrow (1951-1986)
- American Bandstand (1952-1989)
- Guiding Light (1952-present)
- The Today Show (1952-present)
- Panorama (UK) (1953-present)
- The Good Old Days (UK) (1953-1983)
- Face the Nation (1954-present)
- The Tonight Show (1954-present)
- Captain Kangaroo (1955-1984)
- The Lawrence Welk Show (1955-1982)
- This Is Your Life (UK) (1955-2003)
- As the World Turns (1956-present)
- The Edge of Night (1956-1984)
- What the Papers Say (UK) (1956-present)
- The Sky at Night (UK) (1957-present)
- Blue Peter (UK) (1958-present)
- Grandstand (UK) (1958-present)
- Coronation Street (UK) (1960-present)
- The Mike Douglas Show (1961-1981)
- The Late Late Show (Ireland) (1962-present)
- Dr Who (UK) (1963-1989)
- General Hospital (1963-present)
- The Doctors (1963-1982)
- Another World (1964-1999)
- Top of the Pops (UK) (1964-present)
- Days of Our Lives (1965-present)
- World of Sport (UK) (1965-1985)
- Play School (1966-present)
- 60 Minutes (1968-present)
- Hawaii Five-O (1968-1980)
- One Life to Live (1968-present)
- Hee Haw (1969-1993)
- Sesame Street (1969-present)
- The Benny Hill Show (UK) (1969-1989)
- The Wonderful World of Disney (1969-1979)
- All My Children (1970-present)
- Monday Night Football (1970-present)
- Play for Today (UK) (1970-1984)
- All in the Family (1971-1979)
- Masterpiece Theatre (1971-present)
- Old Grey Whistle Test (UK) (1971-1987)
- Are You Being Served? (UK) (1972-1985)
- Emmerdale Farm (UK) (1972-present)
- John Craven's Newsround (UK) (1972-present)
- M*A*S*H (1972-1983)
- The Price Is Right (1972-present)
- The Waltons (1972-1981)
- Barnaby Jones (1973-1980)
- Last of the Summer Wine (UK) (1973-present)
- Match Game '78 (1962-1969, 1973-1984, 1990-1991, 1998-1999)
- Schoolhouse Rock! (1973-1986)
- The Tomorrow Show (1973-1982)
- The Young and the Restless (1973-present)
- Derrick (1974-1998)
- Good Times (1974-1979)
- Happy Days (1974-1984)
- Little House on the Prairie (1974-1983)
- The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast (1974-1984)
- The Rockford Files (1974-1980)
- Tiswas (UK) (1974-1982)
- Barney Miller (1975-1982)
- Fawlty Towers (UK) (1975-present)
- Good Morning America (1975-present)
- King of Kensington (Canada) (1975-1980)
- Match Game PM (1975-1981)
- One Day at a Time (1975-1984)
- Runaround (UK) (1975-1981)
- Ryan's Hope (1975-1989)
- Saturday Night Live (1975-present)
- Superstars (UK) (1975-1985, 2003-present)
- the fifth estate (Canada) (1975-present)
- The Jeffersons (1975-1985)
- Welcome Back, Kotter (1975-1979)
- Wheel of Fortune (1975-present)
- Alice (1976-1985)
- Charlie's Angels (1976-1981)
- Family Feud (1976-1985, 1988-1995, 1999-present)
- Laverne & Shirley (1976-1983)
- Quincy, M.E. (1976-1983)
- Second City Television (SCTV) (Canada) (1976-1984)
- The Muppet Show (UK) (1976-1981)
- The P.T.L. Club (1976-1987)
- What's Happening!! (1976-1979)
- CHiPs (1977-1983)
- Eight Is Enough (1977-1981)
- Fantasy Island (1977-1984)
- In Search of... (1977-1982)
- Lou Grant (1977-1982)
- Soap (1977-1981)
- The Love Boat (1977-1986)
- Three's Company (1977-1984)
Ending this year
- Opportunity Knocks (UK) (1956-1978)
- Z-Cars (UK) (1962-1978)
- The Carol Burnett Show (1967-1978)
- Columbo (1971-1978)
- Maude (1972-1978)
- The Bob Newhart Show (1972-1978)
- Kojak (1973-1978)
- The Six Million Dollar Man (1973-1978)
- Chico and the Man (1974-1978)
- Rhoda (1974-1978)
- Tattletales (1974-1978, 1982-1984)
- Baretta (1975-1978)
- Pop Quest (UK) (1975-1978)
- The Bionic Woman (1976-1978)
Births
- June 27 - Anna Kumble , British television presenter
Deaths
- February 28 - Zara Cully, actress then-currently appearing on The Jeffersons
- March 18 - Peggy Wood, actress
- April 22 - Will Geer, actor
- June 29 - Bob Crane, actor, murdered
Categories: 1970s | 1978
Last updated: 11-05-2004 21:48:45