1982 in American television
The year 1982 involved some significant events in television. Below is a list of television-related events in the United States.
| List of years in American television: |
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| 1981–82 United States network television schedule |
| 1982–83 United States network television schedule |
| List of American television programs currently in production |
Events
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| January 1 | Cable News Network (CNN) initiates an associated channel, dubbed CNN2, that features a round-the-clock "news wheel" format. The channel would be renamed CNN Headline News a year later and is now known as HLN. |
| The National Association of Broadcasters ends its long-standing Television Code in response to a Washington, D.C. circuit court ruling which declared parts of it unconstitutional. | |
| January 2 | American Playhouse on PBS member station WNET/Newark, New Jersey presents John Cheever's teleplay The Shady Hill Kidnapping, featuring George Grizzard, Polly Holliday, Judith Ivey, E. Katherine Kerr and Celeste Holm as The Celebrity. |
| January 4 | Bryant Gumbel begins his 15-year stint as co-anchor of NBC's Today Show. |
| ABC broadcasts a TV adaptation of The Elephant Man, with Philip Anglim and Kevin Conway reprising the roles they originated for the Broadway version of the story. | |
| In Panama City, Florida, NBC affiliate WMBB swaps affiliations with ABC affiliate WJHG-TV. | |
| January 10 | CBS televises the NFC Championship Game between the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys. In what would become one of the most iconic images in NFL history, San Francisco tight end Dwight Clark makes "The Catch" to enable the 49ers to defeat the Cowboys, 28–27, and go to their first ever Super Bowl. Vin Scully called the game alongside Hank Stram on television while Pat Summerall (who would do the play-by-play for Super Bowl XVI with John Madden two weeks later) called the game with Jack Buck for CBS Radio. |
| January 23 | CBS Reports broadcasts The Uncounted Enemy: A Vietnam Deception, a documentary alleging a manipulation of intelligence estimates before the Tet Offensive in Vietnam. Retired Gen. William Westmoreland, the commander of U.S. military operations at the time of the alleged estimates, would file a libel suit against CBS believing the report described him unfairly. |
| February 1 | Late Night with David Letterman debuts on NBC; Letterman's first guests are Bill Murray (who dances around to the song "Physical") and "Mr. Wizard" Don Herbert. |
| Two months after new owners Pacific Media Corporation changed its call letters from KECC-TV, CBS affiliate KECY-TV in Yuma, Arizona leaves the network to join ABC. This will leave Yuma without a CBS affiliate for 3 years, until KECY-TV rejoins the network in 1985 (it is now a Fox affiliate).[1][2][3] | |
| February 3 | Singer Jermaine Jackson guest-features as Tootie (Kim Fields), gets to meet the person she admires on a very special episode of the NBC sitcom The Facts of Life. |
| February 7 | As part of a two-night event, ABC airs the network television broadcast premiere of Superman: The Movie. |
| March 4 | The crime drama spoof Police Squad! premieres on ABC; though it only lasts 6 episodes (the last being broadcast July 8); the comedy would serve as the origin of the Frank Drebin character and the inspiration for the Naked Gun movie series. |
| March 8 | Night of 100 Stars, a benefit for the Actors' Fund taped at Radio City Music Hall, is broadcast by ABC. |
| March 26 | The soap opera series Search for Tomorrow is broadcast for the final time by CBS; NBC immediately purchases it and begins broadcasting it March 29. |
| April 2 | John Chancellor anchors the NBC Nightly News for the final time, replaced on April 5 by the team of Roger Mudd and Tom Brokaw, a partnership that lasts 17 months. |
| April 21 | Norman Lear purchases Avco Embassy Pictures and rechristens his TAT Communications Company as Embassy Television. |
| WGXA in Macon, Georgia signs-on the air, giving the Macon market its first full-time ABC affiliate. | |
| WTTO in Birmingham, Alabama signs-on the air, giving the Birmingham market its first independent station. | |
| May 2 | The Weather Channel is begun in the U.S. |
| May 22 | In Boston, Massachusetts, CBS affiliate WNAC-TV ceases operations due to improprieties by its parent company RKO General, having lost the license (as well as those of KHJ-TV and WOR-TV, both of which RKO temporarily retain on appeal) after General Tire admitted to a litany of corporate misconduct (including, among other things, committing financial fraud over illegal political contributions and bribes) as part of a settlement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and RKO General withheld evidence from the FCC of General Tire's misconduct, and also failed to disclose evidence of accounting errors on its own part. Several hours later, New England Television begins operations of WNEV-TV (now independent station WHDH) on channel 7, retaining WNAC-TV's former CBS affiliation.[4][5] |
| May 28 | At about 5:00 pm, Joseph Billie Gwin, wanting to "prevent World War III", forces his way into the studios of Phoenix CBS affiliate KOOL-TV, fires a gunshot, takes 4 people hostage (holding one of them, cameraman Louis Villa, at close gunpoint), and demands national broadcasting time. Three hours later, Gwin releases 2 hostages, Jack Webb and Bob Cimino. At 9:30 pm, with Gwin sitting next to him with a gun, KOOL anchor Bill Close reads a 20-minute statement; when finished, Close takes Gwin's gun and sets it on the table.[6][7][8] |
| July 13 | ABC broadcasts the Major League Baseball All-Star Game from Olympic Stadium in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It's the first time that the Mid-Summer's Classic is played outside of the United States. |
| July 29 | Professional wrestler Jerry Lawler slaps actor Andy Kaufman in the face on the program Late Night with David Letterman; Kaufman responds by throwing coffee and shouting profanities at Lawler. The incident was later revealed to have been staged. |
| September 6 | After Tom Wopat and John Schneider quit the CBS action series The Dukes of Hazzard as a result of a contract dispute, their characters, Bo and Luke Duke, are written out of the series as joining a NASCAR team and are replaced by cousins Coy and Vance (played respectively by Byron Cherry and Christopher Mayer). Bo and Luke—and Wopat and Schneider—would return to the series by season's end. |
| September 11 | NBC resurrects Texaco Star Theater as a one-time special; however, instead of inviting Milton Berle, the man who hosted the original series during the 1950s, the special presents a salute to musicals. |
| September 13 | Mary Hart joins Entertainment Tonight as reporter and later co-host; the latter role she had until 2011. |
| September 21 | The USA Cartoon Express airs for the first time. |
| September 25 | Future Seinfeld actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus begins a 3-year stint (1982–1985) as a featured player/regular cast member of NBC's Saturday Night Live. |
| Queen performs on the eighth-season premiere of NBC's Saturday Night Live. | |
| October 1 | KDOC-TV commences broadcasting in Los Angeles. |
| October 2 | Mary Jo Catlett replaces Nedra Volz on the NBC sitcom Diff'rent Strokes, as the new housekeeper, Mrs. Pearl Gallagher, from 1982 until the series ending during 1986. |
| October 3 | During the National Football League players strike (on what would have been Week 5 of the season), CBS broadcasts four Division III football games using their regular NFL broadcast crews. |
| October 4 | KMTR signs-on in Eugene, Oregon as a NBC affiliate. Due to NBC's persistent low ratings, the network's former affiliate KVAL-TV had been preempting NBC programming (with increasing regularity) in favor of programs from CBS (shared with ABC affiliate KEZI), forcing a frustrated NBC to seek a new station. With the move, KVAL-TV becomes a full-time CBS affiliate. |
| October 12 | Cindy Williams makes her final appearance as Shirley Finney on Laverne & Shirley. |
| October 22 | Susan Stafford departs as co-host of the NBC game show Wheel of Fortune to do humanitarian work. Auditions occur for who will replace her, with Vanna White formally replacing Stafford on December 13; White continues on Wheel to this day. |
| November 13 | CBS broadcasts a world championship boxing match between Ray Mancini and Kim Duk-koo that results in Kim's death five days after the bout. |
| November 20 | At the age of 7, Drew Barrymore becomes the youngest person to ever guest-host Saturday Night Live. It was in this same episode that Andy Kaufman was banned from ever performing on the show again. |
| December 11 | ESPN broadcasts its first live college football game, simulcasting the Independence Bowl match-up between Kansas State University and the University of Wisconsin. |
| TBS in association with Sports Productions, Inc. broadcasts a heavily anticipated college basketball match-up between the Virginia Cavaliers (led by Ralph Sampson) and Georgetown Hoyas (led by Patrick Ewing). TBS paid approximately US$600,000 for the broadcasting rights to the game that was called by Skip Caray and Abe Lemons. | |
| Eddie Murphy becomes the first and to date, only person to guest-host Saturday Night Live while still a cast member. Murphy's 48 Hours co-star Nick Nolte was originally supposed to host until he fell ill. | |
| December 27 | SuperStation WTBS debuts one of the first video game-themed TV series, Starcade. |
| December 29 | Nastassja Kinski makes a puzzling appearance on the program Late Night with David Letterman, seeming somewhat oblivious to the jokes and everything else that was going on around her and appearing with an unusual hair style Letterman describes as "looking like there was an owl perched on top of her head." (Letterman's second guest, John Candy, comes out with his own hair moussed up in a pile as a spoof of Kinski's hair.) |
| Surround Sound is introduced for home use by Dolby. | |
| December 31 | Texas and The Doctors have their final episodes aired on NBC. |
Programs
- 20/20 (1978–)
- 60 Minutes (1968–)
- Alice (1976–1985)
- All My Children (1970–2011)
- American Bandstand (1952–1989)
- Another World (1964–1999)
- Archie Bunker's Place (1979–1983)
- As the World Turns (1956–2010)
- Battle of the Planets (1978–1985)
- Benson (1979–1986)
- Candid Camera (1948–2004)
- Captain Kangaroo (1955–1984)
- CHiPs (1977–1983)
- Dallas (1978–1991)
- Days of Our Lives (1965–)
- Dean Martin Celebrity Roast (1974–1984)
- Diff'rent Strokes (1978–1986)
- Dynasty (1981–1989)
- Entertainment Tonight (1981–)
- Face the Nation (1954–)
- Falcon Crest (1981–1990)
- Family Feud (1976–1985, 1988–1995, 1999–)
- Fantasy Island (1977–1984)
- Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (1972–1984)
- General Hospital (1963–)
- Gimme a Break! (1981–1987)
- Good Morning America (1975–)
- Guiding Light (1952–2009)
- Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951–)
- Happy Days (1974–1984)
- Hart to Hart (1979–1984)
- Hee Haw (1969–1992)
- Hill Street Blues (1981–1987)
- It's a Living (1980–1982, 1985–1989)
- Knight Rider (1982–1986)
- Knots Landing (1979–1993)
- Laverne & Shirley (1976–1983)
- Little House on the Prairie (1974–1983)
- Magnum, P.I. (1980–1988)
- M*A*S*H (1972–1983)
- Masterpiece Theatre (1971–present)
- Match Game (1962–1969, 1973–1984, 1990–1991, 1998–1999)
- Meet the Press (1947–present)
- Monday Night Football (1970–present)
- Nightline (1979–)
- One Day at a Time (1975–1984)
- One Life to Live (1968–2012)
- Quincy, M.E. (1976–1983)
- Real People (1979–1984)
- Ryan's Hope (1975–1989)
- Saturday Night Live (1975–)
- Schoolhouse Rock! (1973–1986)
- SCTV Network 90 (1981–1983)
- Search for Tomorrow (1951–1986)
- Sesame Street (1969–present)
- Simon & Simon (1981–1988)
- Solid Gold (1980–1988)
- Soul Train (1971–present)
- Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends (1981–1983)
- T.J. Hooker (1982–1986)
- Taxi (1978–1983)
- That's Incredible! (1980–1984)
- The Devlin Connection (1982)
- The Dukes of Hazzard (1979–1985)
- The Edge of Night (1956–1984)
- The Facts of Life (1979–1988)
- The Fall Guy (1981–1986)
- The Jeffersons (1975–1985)
- The Love Boat (1977–1986)
- The P.T.L. Club (1976–1987)
- The Price Is Right (1972–)
- The Today Show (1952–)
- The Tonight Show (1954–; 1962–1992 as The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson)
- The Young and the Restless (1973–)
- This Old House (1979–present)
- Three's Company (1977–1984)
- Too Close for Comfort (1980–1986)
- Trapper John, M.D. (1979–1986)
- Truth or Consequences (1950–1988)
- Walt Disney (1981–1983)
- Wheel of Fortune (1975–)
Debuting this year
Resuming this year
| Show | Last aired | Previous network | Return date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tattletales | 1978 | CBS | January 18 |
Ending this year
| Date | Show | Debut |
|---|---|---|
| January 8 | Behind the Screen | 1981 |
| January 15 | Darkroom | |
| January 29 | Late Night with Tom Snyder | 1973 |
| March 1 | In Search of... (returned in 2002) | 1977 |
| March 6 | Spider-Man | 1981 |
| March 22 | Mr. Merlin | |
| March 26 | Password Plus (returned in 1984) | 1979 |
| April 7 | Shannon | 1981 |
| April 17 | The Lawrence Welk Show | 1955 |
| April 21 | WKRP in Cincinnati | 1978 |
| April 23 | Blockbusters | 1980 |
| Fridays | ||
| May 12 | The Incredible Hulk | 1977 |
| May 20 | Barney Miller | 1975 |
| May 21 | Strike Force | 1981 |
| May 27 | Mork & Mindy | 1978 |
| Bosom Buddies | 1980 | |
| June 11 | It's a Living (returned in 1985) | |
| July 30 | Lewis & Clark | 1981 |
| August 24 | McClain's Law | |
| September 4 | The Tom and Jerry Comedy Show | 1980 |
| September 5 | Goldie Gold and Action Jack | 1981 |
| September 10 | Match Game (returned in 1990) | 1962 |
| September 11 | The Flintstone Comedy Show | 1980 |
| September 12 | Code Red | 1981 |
| September 13 | Lou Grant | 1977 |
| September 18 | Laverne & Shirley | 1981 |
| October 1 | Sunrise Semester | 1957 |
| December 18 | Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo | 1980 |
| December 25 | The Devlin Connection | 1982 |
| December 31 | Texas | 1980 |
| The Doctors | 1963 |
Changing networks
| Show | Moved from | Moved to |
|---|---|---|
| Search for Tomorrow | CBS | NBC |
| Taxi | ABC |
Made-for-TV movies and miniseries
| Title | Network | Premiere date |
|---|---|---|
| The Elephant Man | ABC | January 4 |
| A Woman Called Golda | CBS | April 26 |
| Inside the Third Reich | ABC | May 9 |
| Little Gloria... Happy at Last | NBC | October 24 |
| The Blue and the Gray (miniseries) | CBS | November 14 |
| The Executioner's Song | NBC | November 28, 29 |
Television stations
Sign-ons
Network affiliation changes
| Date | City of License/Market | Station | Channel | Old affiliation | New affiliation | Notes/Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 4 | Panama City, Florida | WJHG-TV | 7 | ABC | NBC | |
| WMBB | 13 | NBC | ABC | |||
| February 1 | Yuma, Arizona/El Centro, California | KECY-TV | 9 | CBS | ABC | |
| March 22 | Waterbury/Hartford, Connecticut | WTXX | 20 | NBC | Independent | |
| October 4 | Eugene, Oregon | KVAL-TV | 13 | NBC | CBS | |
Station closures
| Date | City of license/Market | Station | Channel | Affiliation | Sign-on date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 22 | Boston, Massachusetts | WNAC-TV | 7 | CBS | June 21, 1948 | Replaced with WNEV-TV.[9] |
Births
Deaths
| Date | Name | Age | Notability |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1 | Victor Buono | 43 | Actor (King Tut on Batman) |
| January 5 | Hans Conried | 64 | Actor (Make Room for Daddy, The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, Dr. Seuss special) |
| January 10 | Paul Lynde | 55 | Actor (Bewitched), comedian (Hollywood Squares) |
| January 18 | Trent Lehman | 20 | Child actor (Nanny and the Professor) |
| March 5 | John Belushi | 33 | Comedian/Singer (Saturday Night Live) |
| May 14 | Hugh Beaumont | 73 | Actor (Ward Cleaver on Leave It to Beaver) |
| July 21 | Dave Garroway | 69 | Journalist and host (The Today Show) |
| July 23 | Vic Morrow | 53 | Actor (Sgt. "Chip" Saunders on Combat!) Killed by negligence of director John Landis on set of Twilight Zone: The Movie |
| August 12 | Henry Fonda | 77 | Actor |
| August 13 | Joe E. Ross | 68 | Actor (Gunther Toody on Car 54, Where Are You?) |
| October 18 | Bess Truman | 97 | First Lady of the United States and spouse of President Harry S. Truman |
| November 1 | James Broderick | 55 | Actor (Family) and father of Matthew Broderick |
| November 4 | Dominique Dunne | 22 | Actress (Poltergeist) murdered by abusive boyfriend, first victim of 'Poltergeist Curse') |
| December 7 | Will Lee | 74 | Actor (Mr. Hooper on Sesame Street) |
| December 22 | Jack Webb | 62 | Actor, producer (Sgt. Joe Friday on Dragnet) |
References
- "For the Record", Broadcasting, p. 78, November 16, 1981
- "Call Sign History". FCC CDBS database. Retrieved July 20, 2016.
- "InterMedia", Broadcasting, p. 104, February 8, 1982
- "It's all over for RKO's WNAC-TV." Broadcasting, April 26, 1982, pp. 27–28.
- "In brief." Broadcasting, May 10, 1982, pg. 128.
- "Gunman releases TV-station hostages". google news. The Ledger. May 30, 1982. Archived from the original on July 15, 2012. Retrieved October 22, 2009.
- "Gunman forces TV anchorman to read message". google news. The Free-Lance Star. May 29, 1982. Archived from the original on July 11, 2012. Retrieved October 22, 2009.
- "Gunman holds two in TV studio". google news. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. May 29, 1982. Retrieved October 22, 2009.
- "It's all over for RKO's WNAC-TV." Broadcasting, April 26, 1982, pp. 27–28.
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