1975 in television

The year 1975 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1975.

"For the American TV schedule, see: 1975-76 American network television schedule."

Events

*January 6 - "Another World" became the first American soap opera to start airing hour-long telecasts.
**On the same day, "Wheel of Fortune" aired its first episode on NBC's daytime schedule. The show was hosted by a little-known singer-songwriter named Chuck Woolery; his assistant was Susan Stafford. A modest success when it first premiered, the show went on to become one of the most famous game shows in history (thanks to television syndication) when a syndicated version began in 1983.
**The ORTF was dislocked into 7 societies : TF1, Antenne 2, FR3, INA, SFP, Radio France & TDF.
*March 1 - Colour television transmissions began in Australia.
*March 18 - McLean Stevenson's character Henry Blake was killed in the M*A*S*H episode "Abyssinia, Henry," its third season finale.
*April 3 - Meg Richardson (Noele Gordon) married Hugh Mortimer (John Bentley) on the soap opera "Crossroads".
*April 21 - "Days of Our Lives" became the second American soap opera to expand from thirty minutes to an hour in length.
*April 28 - Tom Snyder interviewed John Lennon on "The Tomorrow Show".
*May 7 - "Matt Helm" was shown as a pilot episode in the US but the actual television series would not be shown until later that same year.
*September 5 - A bomb exploded in the wine bar/delicatessen on "Number 96", in an attempt to shake up the cast and earn back lost viewers.
*September 8 - "Match Game" started airing weekly episodes in syndicated primetime as "Match Game PM".
**Until September 12, "The Price Is Right" expanded to one hour for a whole week.
*October 11 - Andy Kaufman made his debut on the first episode of "Saturday Night Live", lip syncing portions of the theme to "Mighty Mouse".
*October 28 - A James Bond film was shown on British television for the first time, "Dr. No" on ITV.
* November - Sony introduced the Betamax video recorder in the US. The LV-1901 came in a teakwood console with a 19” color TV set and retailed for $2,495.
* November 3 - "The Price is Right" expanded to an hour in length to its current six-game, two Showcase Showdown, and Showcase format, still used as of 2007 (Season 36).
*November 7 - "The New Original Wonder Woman" aired as a TV movie, leading to a weekly series, "Wonder Woman", which premiered in 1976.
*November 10 - The producers of the long-running serial drama "The Guiding Light" changed the show's name to "Guiding Light", in an attempt to modernize the show's image. The show's announcer, however, continued to call the series "The Guiding Light" in his announcements until the early 1980s.
*December 1 - Top-rated "As the World Turns", bowing to competition from NBC, expanded to one hour in length, its current format. The Edge of Night moves to ABC, as CBS has no room in its schedule; that network starts daytime reruns of All in the Family on this day.
*Fred Silverman became the head of ABC Entertainment, initiating an era of what was disparagingly called "T&A" or "Jiggle Television". His programming choices resulted in ABC achieving ratings dominance.
*The first "Love in the Afternoon" television advertisements aired touting ABC's daytime lineup, although sparsely until 1977.
*The "In Soviet Georgia" television advertisements for Dannon yogurt first aired in the United States.
*US television program Match Game (note: not "Match Game PM") was rated #1 in overall television programming and game shows for the third year running.
*January 11 - On All in the Family, a tearful Edith (played by Jean Stapleton) said goodbye to her neighbor for almost five years, Louise Jefferson (played by Isabel Sanford), as The Jeffersons moved on up to their sitcom, until the spin-off aired the next week.
*In The Second Season of CBS's The Jeffersons, Mike Evans left to work on episodes on Good Times, which Damon Evans (no relation to Michael), joined the cast this season until the fourth season in 1978, the character of Lionel Jefferson was seen less frequently.
*March 4 - The first "People's Choice Awards" were presented on CBS.
*September 29 - WGPR-TV, channel 62 in Detroit, became the first television station in the U. S. to be owned and operated by blacks. (It is now CBS-owned WWJ-TV.)
*September 30 - The Muhammad Ali - Joe Frazier title fight from the Philippines - the "Thrilla in Manila" - was sent by satellite to the U. S. and shown on HBO.
*November 23 - Memories of the "Heidi Game" returned to haunt NBC as that network was forced to join "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" in progress at the conclusion of an overtime NFL game.

Debuts

*January 2 - "The Sweeney" premieres on ITV in the UK (1975-1978).
*January 6 - "Wheel of Fortune" premieres on NBC's daytime lineup (1975-1989). "Blank Check" premieres the same day, and lasts 26 weeks.
*January 17 - "Baretta", starring Robert Blake, premieres on ABC (1975-1978).
*January 18 - "The Jeffersons," a spinoff of "All in the Family," premieres on CBS (1975-1985).
*January 23 - "Barney Miller" debuts on ABC (1975-1982).
*April 4 - "The Good Life" premieres on BBC1 in the UK (1975-1978).
*April 5 - "Himitsu Sentai Goranger" premieres on TV-Asahi (formerly NET) (1975-1977)
*April - "Survivors" debuts on BBC1 in the UK (1975-1977).
*May - "The Don Lane Show" premieres on the Nine Network in Australia (1975-1983).
*May 31 - "Jim'll Fix It" premieres on BBC1 (1975-1994).
*June 16 - "Spin-Off" and "Musical Chairs" premiere on CBS's daytime lineup.
*July 7 - "Ryan's Hope" premieres on ABC's daytime lineup (1975-1989).
*August 19 - Golden Road (1975-present) debuts on "The Price Is Right".
*September 4 -"The Bobby Vinton Show" premiers on CTV in Canada and across the U.S. in syndication. (1975-1978)
*September 6 - Hanna-Barbera's "The New Tom and Jerry/Grape Ape Show" premieres on ABC Saturday Morning (1975-1976); it's H-B's only new series for the fall of 1975.
*September 8 - Phyllis, a spin-off of The Mary Tyler Moore Show debuts on CBS. It stars Cloris Leachman as Mary Richards' old landlady who moves to San Francisco to start a new life (1975-1977).
*September 9 - "Welcome Back, Kotter" premieres on ABC (1975-1979).
*September 9 - "Shades of Greene" (UK) begins (1975-1976)
*October 1 - "Arena" (UK) premieres on BBC Two (1975-present).
*October 11 - "Saturday Night Live" premieres on NBC with George Carlin hosting (1975-present).
*"" premieres (syndicated 1975-1977).
*November 3 - "Good Morning America" premieres on ABC with co-anchors David Hartman and Nancy Dussault (1975-present).
* November 7 - "Wonder Woman" premieres on ABC (1975-1979)
*November 30 - "McCoy" premieres on NBC (1975-1976)
*December 16 - "One Day at a Time," produced by Norman Lear, premieres on CBS (1975-1984).
*"Bod" - debuts (and completes) (1975).
*"Fawlty Towers" premieres on the BBC (1975, 1979).
*"The fifth estate" debuts on CBC (1975-present).
*"King of Kensington" debuts on CBC (1975-1980).
*"Match Game PM" (1975-1982).
*"Pop Quest", a children's musical quiz show, premieres on ITV (1975-1978).
*"Runaround" premieres on ITV (1975-1981).
*September 6 - "Supersonic", a pop music program, debuts on London Weekend Television (1975-1977).
*Funny Farm - (CTV, 1975-1980)

Television shows

1940s

*"Meet the Press" (1947–present).
*"Candid Camera" (1948–present).
*"Bozo the Clown" (1949–present).
*"Come Dancing" (UK) (1949–1995).

1950s

*"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).
*"The 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).
*"Dixon of Dock Green" (UK) (1955-1976).
*"The Lawrence Welk Show" (1955-1982) .
*"This Is Your Life" (UK) (1955-2003).
*"As the World Turns" (1956–present).
*"Opportunity Knocks" (UK) (1956-1978).
*"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) (1958-2007).

1960s

*"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).
*"Z-Cars" (UK) (1962-1978).
*"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) (1964-2006).
*"Days of Our Lives" (1965–present).
*"World of Sport" (UK) (1965-1985).
*"Play School" (1966–present).
*"The Money Programme" (UK) (1966-present).
*"The Carol Burnett Show" (1967-1978).
*"60 Minutes" (1968–present).
*"Dad's Army" (UK) (1968-1977).
*"Hawaii Five-O" (1968-1980).
*"Magpie" (UK) (1968-1980).
*"One Life to Live" (1968-present).
*"Hee Haw" (1969–1993).
*"Marcus Welby, M.D." (1969-1976).
*"Sesame Street" (1969-present).
*"The Benny Hill Show" (UK) (1969-1989).
*"The Wonderful World of Disney" (1969-1979).

1970s

*"All My Children" (1970–present).
*"Mary Tyler Moore" (1970-1977).
*"McCloud" (1970-1977).
*"Monday Night Football" (1970-present).
*"Play for Today" (UK) (1970-1984).
*"All in the Family" (1971-1979).
*"Columbo" (1971-1978).
*"Masterpiece Theatre" (1971-present).
*"McMillan and Wife" (1971-1977).
*"Old Grey Whistle Test" (UK) (1971-1987).
*"Soul Train" (1971-present).
*"Are You Being Served?" (UK) (1972-1985).
*"Emergency!" (1972-1977).
*"Emmerdale Farm" (UK) (1972-present).
*"Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids" (1972-1984).
*"John Craven's Newsround" (UK) (1972-present).
*"Maude" (1972-1978).
*"M*A*S*H" (1972-1983).
*"Sanford and Son" (1972-1977).
*"The Bob Newhart Show" (1972-1978) .
*"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" (1962-1969, 1973-1984, 1990–1991, 1998-1999).
*"Schoolhouse Rock!" (1973-1986).
*"The Six Million Dollar Man" (1973-1978).
*"Superstars" (UK) (1973-1985, 2003-2005).
*"The Tomorrow Show" (1973-1982).
*"The Young and the Restless" (1973-present).
*"Chico and the Man" (1974-1978).
*"Countdown" (Australia) (1974-1987).
*"Derrick" (1974-1998).
*"Dinah!" (1974-1980).
*"Good Times" (1974-1979).
*"Happy Days" (1974-1984).
*"Land of the Lost" (1974-1977).
*"Little House on the Prairie" (1974-1983).
*"Police Woman" (1974-1978).
*"Rhoda" (1974-1978).
*"Tattletales" (1974-1978, 1982-1984).
*"The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast" (1974-1984).
*"The Rockford Files" (1974-1980).
*"Tiswas" (UK) (1974-1982).
*"Wish You Were Here...?" (UK) (1974-present).
*"Tom and Jerry" (1965-1972, 1975-1977, 1980-1982).

Ending this year

*January 16 - "Ironside" (1967-1975).
*March 7 - "The Odd Couple" (1970-1975).
*March 31 - "Gunsmoke" (1955-1975).
*April 13 - "Mannix" (1967-1975).
*April 18 - "How to Survive a Marriage" (1974-1975).
*April 26 - "Kung Fu" (1972-1975).

Game Shows Whose Runs Ended, Later Revived

*January 3 - "Jeopardy!" (1964-1975, 1984-present).
*June 13 - "The Joker's Wild" (1972-1975, 1978-1986)
*June 13 - "Now You See It" (1974-1975, 1989).
*June 27 - "Password" (1961-67, 71-75, 79-81, 84-89, 2008-present).
*June 27 - "Split Second" (1972-1975, 1986)

Changes of network affiliation

*"The Edge of Night" moves from CBS to ABC.

Births

* January 1 - Georgina Mellor, British actress.
* January 29 - Sara Gilbert, actress. (Roseanne)
* March 15 - Eva Longoria, actress.
* March 27 - Stacy Ferguson, actress, singer.
* April 6 - Zach Braff, actor. (Scrubs)
* June 27 - Tobey Maguire, actor.
* August 7 - Charlize Theron, South African actor.

Deaths

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