The year 1991 in television involved some significant events. Below is a list of television-related events in 1991. For the American TV schedule, see: 1991-92 United States network television schedule. [edit] Events - January 14 - Wheel of Fortune moves back to NBC, before being ultimately cancelled by NBC on September 20, after a total 16 1/2 year run on daytime network television.
- February 15 - The COW ident is seen for the final time on BBC1, after six years in use, and the BBC2 'TWO' ident is seen for the final time after five years in use.
- February 16 - BBC1 and BBC2 receive new idents, both generated from laserdisc and featuring the BBC corporate logo introduced in 1986. BBC1 features a '1' encased in a globe, and BBC2 features eleven idents based around a numeral '2'.
- March 3 - In Los Angeles, California, Rodney King is severely beaten by Police Officers after leading them on a high speed chase and resisting arrest. The beating is captured on video by observers and portions of the tape are aired repeatedly on television in the US.
- April 5- Katie Couric is officially designated as co-host of the Today Show after substituting since February 1991.
- May 3- The final episode of Dallas airs.
- July 1- Court TV launches in the United States
- August 31 - NICAM stereo sound introduced on BBC Television.
- October 14 - BBC World Service Television begins broadcasting via satellite to Asia.
- October 16 - The ITV franchise auction results are announced and take effect starting midnight GMT on January 1, 1993.
- October - Cigar and pipe tobacco adverts are banned from UK television.
- December 25 - In an unusual move, the Royal Christmas Message is integrated into the first of the day's episodes of Coronation Street on ITV. Character Alf Roberts sat down in front of his television, 'watched' the speech in its entirety, and the episode resumed.
- Channel 5 begins broadcasting in Belize.
- The Museum of Broadcasting, now called The Paley Center for Media, moved into its new 17-story building, located a block from its previous location in New York City.
- First television sets with built-in closed-caption display are introduced in the United States.
- Britney Spears appears on Star Search.
- Minnie Pearl makes her final appearance on Hee Haw.
- Jennifer Lopez joins the cast as one of the Fly Girls on In Living Color, while future Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx and Korean American cast member Steve Park joins the cast this season. Shawn Wayans, the DJ for the show, is replaced by Twist.
- September 17 - Full House drops from the ABC's TGIF lineup, and airs on Tuesday nights until its cancellation in 1995.
- February 9, 1991 - Tim Meadows and Adam Sandler joins Saturday Night Live. Meadows joins Saturday Night Live until 2000, while Sandler departs five years prior.
- March 16, 1991 - A. Whitney Brown makes his final appearance on Saturday Night Live.
- November 16, 1991 - Ellen Cleghorne, Melanie Hutsell and Beth Cahill joins Saturday Night Live.
- December 8, 1991 - Tim Russert becomes moderator of Meet the Press a position he holds until his untimely death in 2008.
[edit] Debuts [edit] Television shows - Entertainment Tonight (1981-present).
- What Now (1982-present)
- Timewatch (UK) (1982-present)
- Cheers (1982-1993).
- Late Night with David Letterman (1982-1993).
- The Journal (Canada) (1982-1992).
- Taggart, UK (1983-present)
- Loving (1983-1995).
- Jeopardy! (1964-1975, 1984-present).
- Mother and Son (Australia) (1984-1994).
- Murder, She Wrote (1984-1996).
- Night Court (1984-1992).
- Santa Barbara (1984-1993).
- The Bill (UK) (1984-present).
- The Cosby Show (1984-1992).
- Who's the Boss? (1984-1992).
- EastEnders (UK) (1985-present).
- Growing Pains (1985-1992).
- MacGyver (1985-1992).
- Neighbours (Australia) (1985-present).
- Only Fools and Horses (UK) (1981-1983, 1985-1993, 1996-1997, 2001-2003).
- Sally (1985-2002).
- T-Bag and the Rings of Olympus and T-Bag's Christmas Turkey (There were various T-Bag series between 1985 and 1992)
- The Golden Girls (1985-1992).
- Designing Women (1986-1993).
- Double Dare (1986-1993).
- Hey Dad...! (Australia) (1986-1994).
- L.A. Law (1986-1994).
- Matlock (1986-1996).
- Perfect Strangers (1986-1993).
- The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986-present).
- Comic Relief (UK) (1986-present).
- Casualty (UK) (1986-present).
- Beadle's About (UK) (1987-1996).
- ChuckleVision (UK) (1987-present).
- A Different World (1987-1993).
- Full House (1987-1995).
- Going Live! (UK) (1987-1993).
- Inspector Morse (1987-2000).
- Knightmare (UK) (1987-1994).
- Married... with Children (1987-1997).
- Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994).
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987-1996).
- The Bold and the Beautiful (1987-present).
- Unsolved Mysteries (1987-1998, 2001-2002, 2008-present).
- Fair City (1988-present).
- Home and Away (1988-present).
- This Morning (1988-present).
- America's Most Wanted (1988-present).
- The American Experience (1988-present).
- Red Dwarf (UK) (1988-1999).
- Children's Ward (UK) (1988-2000).
- Electric Circus (1988-2003).
- Empty Nest (1988-1995).
- Family Feud (1976-1985, 1988-1995, 1999-present).
- Garfield and Friends (1988-1995).
- Murphy Brown (1988-1998).
- Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988-1999).
- Roseanne (1988-1997).
- The Wonder Years (1988-1993).
- 48 Hours (1988-present).
- The Adventures of Superboy (1988-1992).
- Acropolis Now (Australia) (1989-1992).
- Baywatch (1989-2001).
- Cops (1989-present).
- Family Matters (1989-1998).
- Fast Forward (Australia) (1989-1992).
- Inside Edition (1989-present).
- Life Goes On (1989-1993).
- Maid Marian and her Merry Men (UK) (1989-1994).
- Press Gang (UK) (1989-1993).
- Seinfeld (1989-1998).
- Tales from the Crypt (1989-1996).
- The Arsenio Hall Show (1989-1994).
- The Big Gig (Australia) (1989-1992).
- The Simpsons (1989-present).
[edit] Miniseries [edit] Ending this year [edit] Changes of network affiliation January 14 - The daytime version of Wheel of Fortune moves once again to NBC after a year and a half on CBS, eventually leading to its ultimate canning several months later. [edit] Births [edit] Deaths - January 12 - Keye Luke, 86, character actor
- January 25 - Stanley Brock, 59, character actor
- February 3 - Harry Ackerman, 78, producer (Bewitched)
- February 6 - Danny Thomas, 77, actor (Make Room for Daddy)
- February 24 - George Gobel, 71, comedian.
- March 3 - Vance Colvig, Jr., 73, actor (Bozo the Clown on KTLA in Los Angeles)
- June 9 - Joe Hamilton, 62, producer (The Carol Burnett Show, Mama's Family), former husband of Carol Burnett and father of Carrie Hamilton.
- July 1 - Michael Landon, 54, actor, producer (Bonanza, Little House on the Prairie, and Highway to Heaven) .
- July 15 - Bert Convy, 57, game show host (Super Password).
- July 21 - Jasmine Bligh, 78, 1930s BBC Television Service announcer.
- July 23 - Candice Crowthford, 66, actress
- August 6 - Harry Reasoner, 68, news anchor.
- August 22 - Colleen Dewhurst, 67, actress (Murphy Brown, Anne of Green Gables).
- September 4 - Tom Tryon, 65, actor (Texas John Slaughter)
- September 7 - Ben Piazza, 57, actor (Dallas
- September 15 - John Hoyt, 85, actor (Gimme a Break!)
- October 9 - Thalmus Rasulala, 51, actor (Roots, What's Happening!!)
- October 11 - Redd Foxx, 68, comedian, star of Sanford and Son.
- October 24 - Gene Roddenberry, 70, creator of Star Trek.
- November 2 - Irwin Allen, 75, producer (Lost in Space)
- November 5 - Fred MacMurray, 83, actor on My Three Sons.
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