See also:
1937 in television,
other events of 1938,
1939 in television and the
list of 'years in television'.
Events
- February 11 - The BBC broadcasts the first ever piece of television science-fiction, a 35-minute adaptation of a segment of the play R.U.R. by the Czech playwright Karel Capek.
- March 21 - First news bulletin carried by BBC television, in sound only. Previously, the service had aired Pathe cinema newsreels.
- May 31 - W2XBS telecasts the film The Return of the Scarlet Pimpernel, starring Leslie Howard. The staff projectionist accidentally played the last reel out of order, ending the film 20 minutes early. NBC was unable to obtain the rights to first run movies for many years to follow.
- April 2 - The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race is first televised by the BBC.
- April 9 - The first televised soccer match, England v Scotland.
- April 30 - The FA Cup Final is televised for the first time by the BBC.
- September 20 - License for W9XAT Minneapolis, granted in 1933, expires. TV doesn't return to the area for a decade.
- November 15 - NBC's W2XBT airs what was the first telecast of an unscheduled event, a fire which broke out on Ward's Island.
- Baird gives the first public demonstration of colour projection television. The demonstration takes place at the Dominion Theatre, London on a 12' by 9' screen in front of an audience of 3,000.
Television Shows
Births
- January 8 - Bob Eubanks, game show host.
- January 13 - Billy Gray, child actor.
- April 28 - Madge Sinclair, actress (d. 1995).
- July 9 - Brian Dennehy, actor.
- July 20 - Diana Rigg, actress.
- July 29 - Peter Jennings, journalist.
- August 6 - Peter Bonerz, actor, director.
- September 2 - Mary Jo Catlett, actress.
- September 17 - Paul Benedict, actor.
- October 18 - Dawn Wells, actress.
- October 22 - Christopher Lloyd, actor.
- November 19 - Ted Turner, broadcaster.
