1983 in television

For the American network television schedule, please see 1983-84 American network television schedule.

Events

*February 8 - Minipops premieres on Channel 4 in the UK. Though a ratings success, it is canceled after the first series due to heavy media criticism.
*February 23 - After months of "will she or won't she?" drama, Deirdre Barlow (Anne Kirkbride) makes the choice to break up with Mike Baldwin (Johnny Briggs) and reunite with her estranged husband Ken (William Roache) on Coronation Street. The episode was one of the highest-rated in the serial's history.
*February 28 - Over 125 million Americans tune in to watch the final episode of M*A*S*H.
* March 6- Country Music Television (CMT) launches in the United States.
*March 7 - The Nashville Network (TNN) (later Spike TV) begins broadcasting.
*April 18 - The Disney Channel is launched on American cable TV.
*May 6 - A fire at Southfork threatens the lives of the Ewings on the season finale of Dallas.
*May 11 - Peter Adamson makes his last appearance as Len Fairclough on Coronation Street.
*August 4 - The cast of Search for Tomorrow is forced to do a live show for the first time since the program moved to videotape in 1968; both the regular transmission tape and a backup were lost, something that was disputed by outside sources after the fact.
*August 16 - ITV broadcasts Woodentop as part of its Storyboard series. It would later be turned into a series and re-titled The Bill.
*September 5
**The half-hour Robert MacNeil Report changes its name to the MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour, becoming the first American hour-long network news show.
**Tom Brokaw becomes the sole head anchor of the NBC Nightly News.
*September 6 - ITV broadcasts Killer. It would be later be turned into a series and re-titled Taggart.
*September 27 - Return to Eden mini-series premiere in Australia on 0-10 Network.
*October 3 - During a live NBC news update, anchor Jessica Savitch appears incoherent; her speech is slurred and she deviates from her copy and ad-libs her report. Miss Savitch, dogged by rumors of drug abuse and instability, still has her contract renewed anyway.
*October 12 - Doris Speed makes her last appearance as Annie Walker on Coronation Street.
*November 20 - An estimated 100 million people watch the controversial made-for-television movie The Day After, depicting the start of a nuclear war.
*November 23 - 20th anniversary of the first broadcast of Doctor Who in the UK.
*November 24 - This day's episode of Sesame Street confronts the sensitive issue of death when Big Bird learns to grasp the concept as it relates to his late friend, Mr. Hooper.
*David Canary first premieres on All My Children.
*Pam Long's scripts first air on Guiding Light.
*Frank Reynolds of ABC's World News Tonight dies, leaving co-anchor Peter Jennings as the newscast's sole head anchor.

Debuts

*January 3 - A revival of Sale of the Century based on the then-current Australian version premieres on NBC (1983â€"1989)
*January 3 - Hit Man premieres for a 13 week trial with host Peter Tomarken who later hosts the CBS game show Press Your Luck.
*January 4 - Children's ITV premieres on UK TV. (1983â€" )
*January 22 - Mama's Family, based on sketches from The Carol Burnett Show, debuts on NBC (1983â€"1984, 1986â€"1990).
*January 17 - Breakfast Time, Britain's first breakfast show, launches on BBC1.
*January 23 - The A-Team debuts on NBC (1983â€"1987).
*January - Fraggle Rock, a Jim Henson production, debuts on HBO (1983â€"1988).
*February 1 - TV-am launches, with Good Morning Britain
*February 5 - The Dukes, an animated series based on The Dukes of Hazzard, debuts on CBS (1983â€"1984).
*April 30 - Australia's current affairs show Four Corners airs "The Big League"â€"a story which contains serious allegations against NSW Premier Neville Wran.
*June 15 - The first episode of The Black Adder, the first in the successful Blackadder series of sitcoms, debuts on BBC One in the UK.
*June 27 - Loving premieres on ABC (1983â€"1995).
*September 16 - Webster debuts on ABC (1983â€"1989).
*September 19 - The game show Press Your Luck premieres on CBS (1983â€"1986).
*September 19 - Wheel of Fortune premieres in syndication (Daytime 1975â€"1991; Synd. 1983â€" ).
*September 19 - Love Connection premieres with former Wheel of Fortune and future Scrabble (game show) host Chuck Woolery and is the first video dating game show.
*September - Australia, You're Standing in It debuts on ABC in Australia (1983â€"1984).
*October 31 - The Match Game/Hollywood Squares Hour (1983â€"1984) debuts on NBC. Criticism of co-host Jon ("Bowzer") Bauman and its running against General Hospital eventually doomed the show.
*October - Scarecrow and Mrs. King premieres (1983â€"1987).
Tucker's Luck, a spin-off of Grange Hill, premieres in the UK (1983â€"1985).

Miniseries

Kennedy
The Thorn Birds
The Winds of War
V (miniseries)
* The Dismissal
* Scales Of Justice

Television shows

1940s

Meet the Press (1947â€" )
Candid Camera (1948â€" )
Come Dancing (UK) (1949â€"1995)

1950s

Truth or Consequences (1950â€"1988)
Search for Tomorrow (1951â€"1986)
Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951â€" )
American Bandstand (1952â€"1989)
Guiding Light (1952â€" )
The Today Show (1952â€" )
Panorama (UK) (1953â€" )
Face the Nation (1954â€" )
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962â€"1992)
Captain Kangaroo (1955â€"1984)
This Is Your Life (UK) (1955â€"2003)
As the World Turns (1956â€" )
The Edge of Night (1956â€"1984)
What the Papers Say (UK) (1956â€" )
The Sky at Night (UK) (1957â€" )
Blue Peter (UK) (1958â€" )
Grandstand (UK) (1958â€" )

1960s

Coronation Street (UK) (1960â€" )
Four Corners (Australia) (1961â€" )
It's Academic (1961â€" )
The Late Late Show (Ireland) (1962â€" )
Doctor Who (UK) (1963â€"1989, 1996, 2005â€" )
General Hospital (1963â€" )
Another World (1964â€"1999)
Crossroads (UK) (1964â€"1988, 2001â€"2003)
Top of the Pops (UK) (1964â€" )
Days of Our Lives (1965â€" )
World of Sport (UK) (1965â€"1985)
Play School (1966â€" )
The Money Programme (UK) (1966â€" )
60 Minutes (1968â€" )
One Life to Live (1968â€" )
Hee Haw (1969â€"1993)
Sesame Street (1969â€" )
The Benny Hill Show (UK) (1969â€"1989)

1970s

All My Children (1970â€" )
Monday Night Football (1970â€" )
Play for Today (UK) (1970â€"1984)
Masterpiece Theatre (1971â€" )
Whistle Test (UK) (1971â€"1987)
Soul Train (1971â€" )
Are You Being Served? (UK) (1972â€"1985)
Emmerdale Farm (UK) (1972â€" )
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (1972â€"1984)
John Craven's Newsround (UK) (1972â€" )
The Price Is Right (1972â€" )
Last of the Summer Wine (UK) (1973â€" )
Match Gameâ€"Hollywood Squares Hour (1962â€"1969, 1973â€"1984, 1990â€"1991, 1998â€"1999)
Schoolhouse Rock! (1973â€"1986)
Superstars (UK) (1973â€"1985, 2003â€"2005)
The Young and the Restless (1973â€" )
Countdown (Australia) (1974â€"1987)
Derrick (1974â€"1998)
Happy Days (1974â€"1984)
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast (1974â€"1984)
Wish You Were Here...? (UK) (1974â€" )
Arena (UK) (1975â€" )
Good Morning America (1975â€" )
Jim'll Fix It (UK) (1975â€"1994)
One Day at a Time (1975â€"1984)
Ryan's Hope (1975â€"1989)
Saturday Night Live (1975â€" )
the fifth estate (Canada) (1975â€" )
The Jeffersons (1975â€"1985)
Wheel of Fortune (1975â€" ) which adds a nighttime syndication version in addition to the network daytime show
Alice (1976â€"1985)
Family Feud (1976â€"1985, 1988â€"1995, 1999â€" )
Second City Television (SCTV) (Canada) (1976â€"1984)
The P.T.L. Club (1976â€"1987)
Fantasy Island (1977â€"1984)
The Love Boat (1977â€"1986)
Three's Company (1977â€"1984)
20/20 (1978â€" )
3-2-1 (UK) (1978â€"1987)
Battle of the Planets (1978â€"1985)
Dallas (1978â€"1991)
Diff'rent Strokes (1978â€"1986)
Grange Hill (UK) (1978â€" )
Benson (1979â€"1986)
Knots Landing (1979â€"1993)
Real People (1979â€"1984)
Tales of the Unexpected (UK) (1979â€"1985, 1987â€"1988)
The Dukes of Hazzard (1979â€"1985)
The Facts of Life (1979â€"1988)
Trapper John, M.D. (1979â€"1986)
You Can't Do That on Television (Canada) (1979â€"1990)
Antiques Roadshow (UK) (1979â€" )
Nightline (1979â€" )
This Old House (1979â€" )

1980s

Kingswood Country (Australia) (1980â€"1984)
Magnum, P.I. (1980â€"1988)
Solid Gold (1980â€"1988)
That's Incredible! (1980â€"1984)
The Other 'Arf (UK) (1980â€"1984)
Too Close for Comfort (1980â€"1986)
Dynasty (1981â€"1989)
Entertainment Tonight (1981â€" )
Falcon Crest (1981â€"1990)
Gimme a Break! (1981â€"1987)
Hill Street Blues (1981â€"1987)
Only Fools and Horses (UK) (1981â€"1983, 1985â€"1993, 1996â€"1997, 2001â€"2003)
Simon & Simon (1981â€"1988)
The Fall Guy (1981â€"1986)
Today's Special (Canada) (1981â€"1987)
What Now (1982â€" )
Timewatch (UK) (1982â€" )
Cagney & Lacey (1982â€"1988)
Capitol (1982â€"1987)
Cheers (1982â€"1993)
Fame (1982â€"1987)
Family Ties (1982â€"1989)
Knight Rider (1982â€"1986)
Late Night with David Letterman (1982â€"1993)
Newhart (1982â€"1990)
Remington Steele (1982â€"1987)
Silver Spoons (1982â€"1987)
St. Elsewhere (1982â€"1988)
Tattletales (1974â€"1978, 1982â€"1984)
The Journal (Canada) (1982â€"1992)
The Tube (UK) (1982â€"1987)

Ending this year

Archie Bunker's Place (1979â€"1983)
CHiPs (1977â€"1983)
The Don Lane Show (Australia) (1975â€"1983)
The Good Old Days (UK) (1953â€"1983)
Laverne & Shirley (1976â€"1983)
Little House on the Prairie (1974â€"1983)
M*A*S*H (1972â€"1983)
Quincy, M.E. (1976â€"1983)
SCTV Network 90 (US) (1981â€"1983)
Square Pegs (1982â€"1983)
Taxi (1978â€"1983)
Triangle (UK) (1981â€"1983)

Cancelled, but eventually to return to the air

*September 24 - After 29 seasons, the Walt Disney anthology series goes off the air. It will be revived, however, from 1986 to 1990.

Changes of network affiliation

Fame moves from NBC to first-run syndication.
Too Close for Comfort moves from ABC to first-run syndication.

Births

*May 30 - Jennifer Ellison, British actress and singer.
*May 11 - Holly Valance, New Zealand born actress and singer.
*December 12 - Mathew Valencia voice of Robin/Tim Drake.

Deaths

*March 16 - Arthur Godfrey, television host
*July 20 - Frank Reynolds, ABC journalist
*July 29 - Raymond Massey, star of Dr. Kildare
*August 3 - Carolyn Jones, actress, Morticia in The Addams Family
*August 28 - Jan Clayton, actress
*August 29 - Simon Oakland, actor
*October 23 - Jessica Savitch, NBC news anchor, age 36
*November 22 - Michael Conrad, actor, Sgt. Phil Esterhasz on Hill Street Blues
*November 28 - Christopher George, actor
*December 28 - William Demarest, actor, Uncle Charlie in My Three Sons

See also

*1982 in television
* other events of 1983
* 1984 in television
* list of 'years in television'