The year 1984 in television involved some significant events. Below is a list of television-related events in 1984. [edit] Events - January 2 - RTL Television launched a second programme, this one in German. This is the first privately-owned German-language competition for ARD and ZDF.
- January 4 - Patricia Phoenix left Coronation Street for the second and final time as Elsie Tanner went to live with old flame Bill Gregory in Portugal.
- January 9 - Clara Peller was featured in the "Where's the Beef?" commercial campaign for Wendy's for the first time.
- January 22 - Apple Computer launched its Apple Macintosh with its famous half-time Super Bowl commercial (this was the only airing).
- January 23 - Hulk Hogan defeats The Iron Sheik to win his first World Wrestling Federation championship at Madison Square Garden; the match was televised on the MSG Network.
- January 27 - Michael Jackson's hair caught fire during the filming of a Pepsi commercial.
- February 7 - Michael Jackson's "Thriller" is declared the biggest-selling album of all-time, cited as selling 47-100 million copies, by the Guinness Book of World Records.
- February 28 - Michael Jackson wins a record-breaking eight Grammy Awards, for the hugely successful album, "Thriller": Best R&B Song, Best R&B Male Vocal Performance, Best Pop Male Vocal Performance, Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Producer of the Year, Best Album for Children and Best Rock Male Vocal Performance.
- March 16 - Peter Davison's last serial as the Fifth Doctor in Doctor Who, 'The Caves of Androzani', finished; Colin Baker became the Sixth Doctor in the same episode.
- May 18 - Bobby Ewing found himself in the crossfire as a rival tries to gun down his brother J.R. on the season finale of Dallas.
- May 19 - CBS taped the Michael Larson episodes of Press Your Luck in which Larson won $110,237 in cash and prizes.
- August 31 - MuchMusic launched in Canada.
- September 1 - TSN launched in Canada.
- September 1 - The Children's Channel launched in the UK
- September 7 - Singer Diana Ross is dressed as a moonman at the first annual MTV Video Music Awards.
- September 10 - Jeopardy! returned to television with a new host (Alex Trebek) in syndication.
- September 23 - British single TV drama play Threads first aired on BBC Two.
- October 1 - Montana, the last state in the Union without its own PBS station, finally launches Montana PBS.
- October 27 - The short-lived music channel, Cable Music Channel launches in the United States. it aired for only one month.
- Prime Minister Bob Hawke and opposition leader Andrew Peacock participated in the first televised Australian Federal Election debate.
- ABC purchased a majority stake of the ESPN networks and franchises.
- January 9 - Glenn Close, Ted Danson, and Roxana Zal starred in a powerful, sensitive look at incest in Something About Amelia on ABC.
[edit] Debuts [edit] Miniseries [edit] Television shows - Coronation Street, UK (1960–present)
- ABC's Wide World of Sports (1961–1998)
- Four Corners, Australia (1961–present)
- It's Academic (1961–present)
- The Late Late Show, Ireland (1962–present)
- Professional Bowlers Tour (1962–1997)
- The World Tonight, Philippines (1962–present)
- Doctor Who, UK (1963–1989, 1996, 2005–present)
- General Hospital (1963–present)
- Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom (1963–1988, 2002–present)
- Another World (1964–1999)
- Crossroads, UK (1964–1988, 2001–2003)
- Top of the Pops (UK) (1964–2006)
- Days of our Lives (1965–present)
- World of Sport, UK (1965–1985)
- Play School (1966–present)
- The Money Programme, UK (1966–present)
- 60 Minutes (1968–present)
- Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (1968–2001)
- One Life to Live (1968–present)
- Hee Haw (1969–1993)
- Sesame Street (1969–present)
- The Benny Hill Show, UK (1969–1989)
[edit] Ending this year - Australia You're Standing In It (Australia) (1983–1984)
- Captain Kangaroo (October 3, 1955–December 8, 1984)
- The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast (September 13, 1973–December 1, 1984)
- The Edge of Night (April 2, 1956–December 28, 1984)
- Fantasy Island (January 14, 1978–May 19, 1984)
- Happy Days (January 15, 1974–July 12, 1984)
- Hart to Hart (August 25, 1979-May 22, 1984)
- Kingswood Country (Australia) (January 30, 1980–September 1, 1984)
- One Day at a Time (December 16, 1975–May 28, 1984)
- The Other 'Arf (UK) (May 30, 1980–March 30, 1984)
- Play for Today (UK) (October 15, 1970–August 1, 1984)
- Real People (April 18, 1979–July 4, 1984)
- Second City Television (SCTV) (Canada) (September 21, 1976–July 17, 1984)
- Tattletales (February 18, 1974–March 31, 1978, January 18, 1982–June 1, 1984)
- That's Incredible! (March 17, 1980–April 30, 1984)
- Three's Company (March 15, 1977–September 18, 1984)
- Whiz Kids (October 5, 1983 – June 2, 1984)
- The Young Ones (UK) (November 9, 1982 - June 19, 1984)
[edit] Births - January 2 - Bryony Afferson, actress
- February 24 - Patrick John Kennedy, Irish politician and only elected member of an ancient royal house
- March 20 - Christy Carlson Romano, actress
- March 28 - Nikki Sanderson, actress
- April 8 - Taran Noah Smith, actor (Home Improvement)
- April 22 - Michelle Ryan, actress
- May 29 - Carmelo Anthony, American basketball player
- June 13 - Phillip Van Dyke, voice actor ("Arnold" from Hey Arnold! in 1997-1999)
- September 23 - Anneliese van der Pol, actress
- November 22 - Scarlett Johansson, American actress
- December 30 - LeBron James, American basketball player
[edit] Deaths - March 1 - Jackie Coogan, actor, Uncle Fester in The Addams Family
- March 24 - Sam Jaffe, actor, co-starred as Dr. Zorba in Ben Casey
- March 31 - Jack Howarth, actor, Albert Tatlock in Coronation Street (1960-1984)
- May 4 - Jack Barry, game show host/producer
- May 4 - Diana Dors, British actress
- May 16 - Andy Kaufman, comedian, played Latka Gravas on Taxi
- June 15 - Ned Glass, actor
- August 27 - Bernard Youens, actor, Stan Ogden in Coronation Street (1964-1984)
- October 18 - Jon-Erik Hexum shot himself in a freak accident on the set of the TV series Cover Up
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