1969 in television

The year 1969 in television involved some significant events. Below is a list of television-related events in 1969.

For the American TV schedule, see: 1969-70 American network television schedule.

Events

• January 4 - NBC expands the Huntley-Brinkley Report to Saturdays, with Chet Huntley and David Brinkley alternating weeks anchoring the news solo. Later, mediocre ratings prompt NBC to replace the duo with other newsmen, with the broadcast rechristened NBC Saturday News.
• February 5 - ABC runs the one and only airing of the notorious flop, Turn-On.
• February 9 - CBS presents the Royal Shakespeare Company's version of "A Midsummer Night's Dream", starring Diana Rigg, David Warner, and Helen Mirren.
• February 19 - At exactly 4:31 p.m. at the CBS Studio Center, with Jim Nabors saying the line "How interesting - and did she?", Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. shoots its final scene and completes its run.
• April 4 - CBS bans the Smothers Brothers. Three days later, Walter Cronkite opens the evening newscast by confirming that the Smothers Brothers have been replaced by Hee Haw - effective immediately. But because it takes two months to assemble a typical Hee Haw segment, CBS has to fill the time period with specials until Hee Haw premieres on June 15.
• April 11 - Rome as only he could see it is presented in "Fellini, a Director's Notebook", an NBC special.
• April 13 - Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore are reunited for a special, "Dick Van Dyke and the Other Woman" on CBS.
• March 21 - The science fiction television series Star Trek airs its final new episode after being canceled by NBC. Its subsequent sale into rerun syndication soon after leads to a rise in popularity that transforms Star Trek into one of the century's most successful entertainment franchises.
• June 21 - Patrick Troughton makes his last regular appearance as the Second Doctor in the concluding moments of Episode 10 of the Doctor Who serial The War Games. It also marks the final time that the series was broadcast in black and white.
• Summer - In a surprise announcement, Martin Landau and Barbara Bain announce they are leaving the cast of Mission: Impossible. Landau's replacement is former Star Trek actor Leonard Nimoy, while a permanent replacement for Bain would not be chosen until the 1970-71 season.
• July 3 - Lulu the elephant runs amok on Blue Peter. The clip is subsequently repeated many times, becoming the archetypal British TV "blooper".
• July 20 - A live transmission from the Moon is viewed by 720 million people around the world, with the landing of Apollo 11: at 10:56 p.m. EDT on July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong stepped onto the surface of the Moon, broadcast live.
• July 25 - Senator Edward Kennedy goes on TV to talk about the incident at Chappaquiddick.
• August 14 - Roman Polanski goes on TV to give his take on the Tate-LaBianca murders.
• August 18 - CBS pits Merv Griffin against Johnny Carson in the late-night talk-show arena. Carson wins.
• September 1 - TV Globo debuted its first news and current affairs program, Jornal Nacional, which ran Monday through Saturday.
• September 8 - From now on, all daytime programs on ABC and CBS are in color.
• November 13 - Vice-President Spiro Agnew, in a televised speech from Des Moines, Iowa, sirs up a national controversy by attacking the network news commentaries.
• November 15 - Colour introduced to BBC1 and ITV in the UK.
• Der Kommissar (1969-1976) premieres on German and Austrian television.
• December 17 - Tiny Tim gets married on Johnny Carson's The Tonight Show.
• Canadian broadcaster CBC renames The National News to The National, which remains its title.

Debuts

• February 7 - This Is Tom Jones premieres on ABC (1969-1971).
• June 7 - The Johnny Cash Show premieres on ABC (1969-1971).
• June 15 - Hee Haw premieres on CBS (1969-1993).
• September 6- H.R. Pufnstuf premieres on NBC (1969-1971)
• September 8 - Where the Heart Is premieres on CBS daytime (1969-1973).
• September 13 - Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! (1969-1972) premieres on CBS Saturday Morning. The animated show, about a cowardly Great Dane and his four teenage friends who travel around the country in a multi-colored van solving mysteries, would go on to become a major pop cultural icon, with numerous spin-offs, direct to video movies, and two live action films.
• September 13 - The Archie Comedy Hour (1969-1970) premieres on CBS Saturday Morning. America's favorite teenager,Archie and his gang are back, this time they have new friends.Sabrina,the magicial teenage witch and Big Moose,Riverdale High's all-muscles but no brains jock who hangs out with the gang. The show features musical numbers such as the #1 hit song of 1969 "Sugar,Sugar" performed by the gang,and varitey skits modeled after Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In.This formula continues with Archie's Funhouse.
• September 17 - Room 222 premieres on ABC (1969-1974).
• September 21 - Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) premieres ITV in the UK
• September 23 - Marcus Welby, M.D. premieres on ABC (1969-1976).
• September 24 - Medical Center premieres on CBS (1969-1976)
• September 26 - The Brady Bunch premieres on ABC (1969-1974).
• September 29
• Bright Promise, the latter of the soap operas created by Frank and Doris Hursley, debuts on NBC daytime (1969-1972).
• Love, American Style debuts on ABC (1969-1974).
• October 5
• Monty Python's Flying Circus premieres on BBC1 (1969-1974).
• Sazae-san premieres as a kids' comedy on Fuji Television in Japan. The show is still airing as of 2008.
• November 10 - National Educational Television (the predecessor to the Public Broadcasting Service) in the United States debuts the children's television program Sesame Street (1969-present).
• November 16 - The first episode of The Clangers (a British stop motion animated television program for children) is broadcast by the BBC (1969-1972).
• November 19 - The Benny Hill Show premieres on Thames Television (1969-1989) (UK).

Television shows

1940s

• Meet the Press (1947-present).
• Candid Camera (1948-present).
• The Ed Sullivan Show (1948-1971).
• 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 Honeymooners (1952-1970).
• The Today Show (1952-present).
• Panorama (UK) (1953-present).
• The Good Old Days (UK) (1953-1983).
• Face the Nation (1954-present).
• The Secret Storm (1954-1974).
• The Tonight Show (1954-present).
• Captain Kangaroo (1955-1984).
• Dixon of Dock Green (UK) (1955-1976).
• Gunsmoke (1955-1975).
• 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).
• Bonanza (1959-1973).

1960s

• Coronation Street (UK) (1960-present).
• My Three Sons (1960-1972).
• Four Corners (Australia) (1961-present).
• The Johnny Cash Show (1969-1971).
• It's Academic (1961-present).
• The Mike Douglas Show (1961-1981).
• Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color (1961-July 1971).
• The Beverly Hillbillies (1962-1971).
• The Late Late Show (Ireland) (1962-present).
• Z-Cars (UK) (1962-1978).
• Doctor Who (UK) (1963-1989, 1996, 2005-present).
• General Hospital (1963-present).
• Petticoat Junction (1963-1970).
• The Doctors (1963-1982).
• Another World (1964-1999).
• Bewitched (1964-1972).
• Crossroads (UK) (1964-1988, 2001-2003).
• Daniel Boone (1964-1970).
• Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. (1964-1970).
• Jeopardy! (1964-1975, 1984-present).
• The Wednesday Play (UK) (1964-1970).
• Top of the Pops (UK) (1964-2006).
• Days of Our Lives (1965-present).
• Get Smart (1965-1970).
• Green Acres (1965-1971).
• Hogan's Heroes (1965-1971).
• I Dream of Jeannie (1965-1970).
• The Dean Martin Show (1965-1974).
• Tom and Jerry (1965-1972, 1975-1977, 1980-1982).
• World of Sport (UK) (1965-1985).
• Dark Shadows (1966-1971).
• Family Affair (1966-1971).
• Play School (1966-present).
• That Girl (1966-1971).
• Mission: Impossible (1966-1973).
• The Money Programme (UK) (1966-present).
• The Newlywed Game (1966-1974).
• Ironside (1967-1975).
• Love is a Many Splendored Thing (1967-1973).
• Mannix (1967-1975).
• The Carol Burnett Show (1967-1978).
• The Flying Nun (1967-1970).
• 60 Minutes (1968-present).
• Dad's Army (UK) (1968-1977).
• Hawaii Five-O (1968-1980).
• Here Come the Brides (1968-1970).
• Here's Lucy (1968-1974).
• Julia (1968-1971).
• Laugh-In (1968-1973).
• Magpie (UK) (1968-1980).
• Mayberry R.F.D. (a continuation of The Andy Griffith Show, 1960-1971).
• One Life to Live (1968-present).
• The Doris Day Show (1968-1973).
• The Mod Squad (1968-1973).

Ending this year

• February 9 - The Saint (UK) (1962-1969).
• May 2 - Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. (1964-1969).
• May 21 - The Avengers (UK) (1961-1969).
• June 2 - Peyton Place (1964-1969).
• March 21 - Star Trek (1966-1969).
• April 6 - The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1967-1969).
• September 20 - Match Game (1962-1969, 1973-1984, 1990-1991, 1998-1999).
• Do Not Adjust Your Set (UK) (1967-1969).

Changes of Network Affiliation

• Get Smart moves from NBC to CBS.
• The Ghost & Mrs. Muir moves from NBC to ABC.

Births

• January 14 - Jason Bateman, actor.
• March 11 - Terrence Howard, American actor.
• May 12 - Kim Fields, actress.
• July 24 - Jennifer Lopez, American singer and actor.
• July 27 - Triple H, Professional wrestler.
• August 19 - Matthew Perry, actor, Friends.
• September 23 - Michelle Thomas, American actress (d. 1998)

Deaths

• February 2 - Boris Karloff, actor
• February 9 - Gabby Hayes, actor
• February 19 - Madge Blake, actress
• May 3 - Karl Freund, cinematographer, who as director of photography on I Love Lucy, developed the practical use of the three-camera TV sitcom production.
• June 22 - Judy Garland, singer/actor
• July 18 - Barbara Pepper, actress (Doris Ziffel #1 on Green Acres)
• August 9 - Sharon Tate, actress murdered by disciples of Charles Manson
• September 8 - Bud Collyer, game show host (Beat the Clock)
• September 19 - Rex Ingram, actor
• December 22 - Wilbur Hatch, musical director for many TV shows including I Love Lucy

References