The year 1978 in television involved some significant events. Below is a list of television-related events in 1978. For the American TV schedule, see: 1978-79 American network television schedule. [edit] Events - January 28 - The Doobie Brothers make a guest appearance on ABC's 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, 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 Kirshner) and performed "Hey Bartender".
- April 26 - Ringo Starr's, Ringo, a musical version of The Prince and the Pauper airs on NBC. Starr's fellow former Beatle George Harrison provides the narration.
- May 1 - Beijing Television is renamed China Central Television.
- May 24 - The iconic skateboarding duck item first airs on BBC One's Nationwide.
- July 10 - The ABC Evening News is renamed ABC World News Tonight with Frank Reynolds as anchor.
- 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.
- March 22 - The Beatles spoof, The Rutles - All You Need Is Cash airs on NBC.
- January 7 - Abarembo Shogun premieres on the Asahi television network in Japan (1978-2003).
- Fred Silverman, who successfully programmed both CBS and ABC, moves to NBC to attempt to reverse their ratings decline.
- Knowlton Nash replaces Peter Kent as anchor of The National on CBC Television.
- Replacing Zara Cully and Damon Evans, Jay Hammer joins the cast of The Jeffersons, for a short period of time.
- US television game show program Match Game is rated in the Top 3 of all game shows for the sixth year in a row.
- January 15 - The Super Bowl is played - and telecast - at night for the first time, on CBS.
- January 23 - "Roots - One Year Later", a special examining the impact and influence of the miniseries, airs on ABC.
- August 1 - Harry Reasoner returns to CBS after taking advantage of an oral escape-clause in his contract with ABC.
- September 17 - The ceremony formalizing the success of the peace talks between Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat - the Camp David accords between Israel and Egypt - is televised live from the White House East Room.
- September 19 - The chairs on which Archie and Edith Bunker sat through 8 seasons of All in the Family are presented to the Smithsonian Institution.
[edit] Debuts [edit] Miniseries [edit] Television shows - 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).
- Soul Train (1971–2006; reruns until 2008)
- Are You Being Served? (UK) (1972-1985).
- Emmerdale Farm (UK) (1972-present).
- Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (1972-1984).
- 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).
- Kojak (1973-1978, 2005-present).
- Last of the Summer Wine (UK) (1973-present).
- Match Game '78 (1962-1969, 1973-1984, 1990-1991, 1998-1999).
- Schoolhouse Rock! (1973-1986).
- Superstars (UK) (1973-1985, 2003-2005).
- The Tomorrow Show (1973-1982).
- The Young and the Restless (1973-present).
- Countdown (Australia) (1974-1987).
- Derrick (1974-1998).
- Dinah! (1974-1980).
- 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).
- Wish You Were Here...? (UK) (1974-present).
- Arena (UK) (1975–present).
- Barney Miller (1975-1982).
- Good Morning America (1975-present).
- Jim'll Fix It (UK) (1975-1994).
- 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).
- The Don Lane Show (Australia) (1975-1983).
- 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).
- Multi-Coloured Swap Shop (UK) (1976-1982).
- 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).
- Wonder Woman (1976-1979).
- CHiPs (1977-1983).
- Eight is Enough (1977-1981).
- Fantasy Island (1977-1984).
- In Search of... (1977-1982).
- Lou Grant (1977-1982).
- The Love Boat (1977-1986)
- Soap (1977-1981)
- This Week in Baseball (1977–1998, 2000–present)
- Three's Company (1977-1984).
[edit] Ending this year [edit] Births - January 3 - Daryn Jones, entertainment personality in Canada.
- January 5 - Daisy Lewis, English actress.
- February 7 - Ashton Kutcher, US actor.
- March 1 - Donovan Patton, Guamanian actor Blue's Clues.
- April 13 - Kyle Howard, US actor.
- April 22 - Manu Intiraymi, US actor.
- June 2 - Nikki Cox, US actor.
- June 2 - Justin Long, US actor.
- June 6 - Judith Barsi, American actress (d.1988)
- June 7 - Bill Hader, actor
- June 10 - Shane West, US actor.
- June 13 - Ethan Embry, US actor.
- June 27 - Anna Kumble, British television presenter.
- July 1 - Hillary Tuck, US actor.
- July 6 - Tia Mowry and Tamera Mowry, actresses.
- July 9 - Linda Park, US actor (born in Korea).
- July 12 - Topher Grace, US actor.
- July 12 - Michelle Rodriguez, US actor.
- August 23 - Kobe Bryant, NBA player Los Angeles Lakers.
- October 14 - Usher, singer and entertainer
- November 10 - Eve, American rapper.
- December 18 - Katie Holmes, US actor.
[edit] Deaths |