1978 in television

Categories: 1978 | Years in television

See also: 1977 in television, other events of 1978, 1979 in television and the list of 'years in television'.

For the American network television schedule, please see 1978-79 American network television schedule.

Contents 1 Events 2 Debuts 3 Miniseries 4 Television shows 5 Ending this year 6 Births 7 Deaths

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.
• July 10,1978- The ABC Evening News was renamed World News Tonight with Frank Reynolds in Washington, DC in which he continued to anchoring this program until he died from cancer in 1983, with Max Robinson in Chicago, Illinois (who would be the first African-American to anchor a network newscast and died from AIDS in 1978), and Peter Jennings in London, England (who would become the sole anchor in 1983 until he was diagnosed with lung cancer in April 2005 and a few months later on August 7,2005 he died at his appartment in New York City at age 67).
• 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 on ABC (1978-present).
• July 10 - World News Tonight premieres on ABC (1978-present).
• September 12 - Taxi premieres on ABC (1978-1983).
• September 14 - Mork & Mindy premieres on ABC (1978-1982).
• September 17 - Battlestar Galactica premieres on ABC (1978-1979).
• 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).
• Canada After Dark premieres (1978-1979).
• Duplessis premieres (1978).
• 3-2-1 starts on ITV in the United Kingdom (1978-1987).

Miniseries

• Centennial
• Holocaust

Television shows

• Meet the Press (1947-present).
• Candid Camera (1948-present).
• Bozo the Clown (1949-present).
• Come Dancing (UK) (1949-1995).
• Truth or Consequences (1950-1988).
• Love of Life (1951-1980).
• Search for Tomorrow (1951-1986).
• Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951-present).
• 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 Starring Johnny Carson (1962-1992).
• 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).
• Four Corners (Australia) (1961-present).
• It's Academic (1961-present).
• The Mike Douglas Show (1961-1981).
• The Late Late Show (Ireland) (1962-present).
• Doctor Who (UK) (1963-1989, 1996, 2005-present).
• General Hospital (1963-present).
• The Doctors (1963-1982).
• Another World (1964-1999).
• Crossroads (UK) (1964-1988, 2001-2003).
• Top of the Pops (UK) (1964-present).
• 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).
• Hawaii Five-O (1968-1980).
• Magpie (UK) (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).
• Soul Train (1971-present).
• 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).
• 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).
• Soap (1977-1981).
• The Love Boat (1977-1986).
• Three's Company (1977-1984).

Ending this year

• June - The Good Life (UK) (1975-1978).
• August - Police Woman (1974-1978).
• 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).
• 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 Sweeney (UK) (1975-1978).
• The Bionic Woman (1976-1978).
• Lucan (1977-1978).
• The Naked Vicar Show (Australia) (1977-1978).

Births

• January 3 - Daryn Jones, entertainment personality in Canada.
• February 7 - Ashton Kutcher, US actor.
• April 13 - Kyle Howard, US actor.
• April 22 - Manu Intiraymi, US actor.
• June 2 - Nikki Cox, US 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 9 - Linda Park, US actor (born in Korea).
• July 19 - Topher Grace, US actor.
• August 7 - Cirroc Lofton, US actor.
• October 9 - Randy Spelling, US actor.
• December 18 - Katie Holmes, US actor.

Deaths

• February 28 - Zara Cully, US actor (Mother Olivia Jefferson) on The Jeffersons.
• March 18 - Peggy Wood, US actor.
• April 22 - Will Geer, US actor (Grandpa Walton) on The Waltons
• May 21 - Bruce Geller, screenwriter, producer
• June 29 - Bob Crane, US actor (Col. Hogan on Hogan's Heroes), murdered.
• December 1, David Nixon, magician