The year 1972 in television involved some significant events. Below is a list of television-related events in 1972. For the American TV schedule, see: 1972-73 American network television schedule. [edit] Events - January 21 - The first convention of Star Trek fans is held in New York's Statler-Hilton hotel.
- Mid-February - John Lennon and Yoko Ono cohost an entire week on The Mike Douglas Show.
- February 19 - Sammy Davis Jr. makes a guest appearance on All in the Family.
- March 18 - After losing a 15-year court battle over the legality of its business relationship with The Herald-Traveler, CBS' Boston, Massachusetts affiliate WHDH-TV Channel 5 signs off the air. At 3 a.m. on March 19, WCVB takes over the Channel 5 frequency, simultaneously switching affiliations to the ABC network following CBS' loss of interest in the channel during the long legal wrangle.
- April 4 - After a three-year courtship, Emily Nugent married Ernest Bishop on Coronation Street.
- July 21 - Victoria Wyndham makes her first appearance as vixen (and later, good girl) Rachel Davis on the soap opera Another World.
- August 26 - Effective with this issue, TV Guide discontinues the practice of using a "C" to indicate color programs, and instead starts using a "BW" for monochrome, saving a lot of printer's ink in the process. At the time about half of the TV households in the U.S. had color sets.
- September 9 - The Lawrence Welk Show opens its 18th season on location in Hawaii.
- October 27 - The 5000th episode of Captain Kangaroo airs.
- November 8 - Home Box Office (HBO) is launched, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
- November 21 - In the second part of a two-part story which began the previous week, Beatrice Arthur's character, Maude Findlay, on the television sitcom Maude, decides to go through with an abortion, in a move that shocked CBS executives and Maude advertisers.
- December 31 - ORTF 3ème Chaîne launches in France for the first time.
[edit] Debuts - January 4 - Des chiffres et des lettres premieres on ORTF 2ème Chaîne in France (1972–present).
- January 14 - Sanford and Son premieres on NBC (1972–1977).
- January 15 - Emergency! premieres on NBC (1972–1977).
- March 13 - Number 96 premieres on Australia's 0-10 Network (1972-1977)
- April 4 - John Craven's Newsround premieres (1972–present, now titled Newsround) on BBC1.
- April 7 - Ultraman Ace premieres on TBS in Japan (1972–1973).
- June 22 - The first Tattslotto draw on HSV-7 Melbourne
- July 8 - Android Kikaider premieres on TV Asahi (formerly NET) (1972-1973)
- September 4 - The (New) Price Is Right (1972–present), The Joker's Wild (1972–1975, 1977–1986), and Gambit (1972–1976) all premiere on CBS. Any Number, Bonus Game, and Double Prices were the three games played on the first episode of The (New) Price Is Right.
- September 8 - Are You Being Served? premieres (1972-1985) on BBC1.
- September 9 - Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids premieres on CBS (1972-1984).
- September 11 - Mastermind (1972-97, 2002–present) premieres on BBC1.
- September 12 - Maude, a spinoff of All in the Family premieres on CBS (1972-1978).
- September 14 - The Waltons premieres on CBS (1972-1981).
- September 16 - The Bob Newhart Show (1972–1978) and Bridget Loves Bernie (1972–1973) premiere on CBS.
- September 17 M*A*S*H premieres on CBS (1972-1983).
- October 3 - 4 Country Reporter premieres on CBS affiliate KDFW Channel 4; in 1986, the show moves into first-run syndication under the new name Texas Country Reporter, eventually airing nationally on the RFD-TV satellite/cable channel. As of October 2007, the show will mark 35 years on television.
- October 14 - Kung Fu premieres on ABC (1972-1975).
- October 16 - Emmerdale Farm starts transmissions in the daytime on ITV (1972–present).
- October 19 - Prisoner-of-war drama Colditz debuts on BBC1.
[edit] Television shows [edit] Ending this year [edit] Births - January 1 - Felicity Montagu, actress.
- January 11 - Amanda Peet, actress.
- January 13 - Nicole Eggert, actress.
- March 6 - Shaquille O'Neal, basketball player, actor, and rapper.
- April 3 - Jennie Garth, actress.
- April 6 - Jason Hervey, actor.
- April 20 - Carmen Electra, actress.
- May 2 - Dwayne Johnson, Professional wrestler and actor ("The Rock").
- May 20 - Busta Rhymes, rapper.
- May 21 - The Notorious B.I.G., rapper (d. 1997)
- June 2 - Wayne Brady, comedian.
- June 23 - Selma Blair, actress
- July 23 - Marlon Wayans, actor
- July 27 - Nic Testoni, actor
- July 28 - Elizabeth Berkley, actress.
- July 29 - Wil Wheaton, actor.
- August 9 - Liz Vassey, actress.
- August 30 - Cameron Diaz, actress
- October 5- Grant Hill, basketball player
- November 14 - Josh Duhamel, actor.
- December 19 - Alyssa Milano, actress.
[edit] Deaths |