1959 in television - Definition and Overview

See also: 1958 in television, other events of 1959, 1960 in television and the list of 'years in television'.

Events

• April 24 - The Your Hit Parade television series, which has been on the air since 1935, airs its last episode.
• Hanna Barbera's first television cartoon, Huckleberry Hound premieres.
• Fall – Scandals involving rigged network quiz shows create havoc within the US television industry.

Debuts

• October 2 - Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone debuts on CBS (1959-1964, 1985-1988, 2002)
• Bonanza premieres (1959-1973)
• Face to Face debuts on BBC Television
• Juke Box Jury premieres (1959-1967, 1979, 1989-1990)

Television shows

• Gillette Cavalcade of Sports (1946-1960)
• Howdy Doody (1947-1960)
• Meet the Press (1947-present)
• Candid Camera (1948-present)
• The Ed Sullivan Show (1948-1971)
• The Voice of Firestone (1949-1963)
• The Jack Benny Show (1950-1965)
• Truth or Consequences (1950-1988)
• What's My Line (1950-1967)
• Love of Life (1951-1980)
• Search for Tomorrow (1951-1986)
• American Bandstand (1952-1989)
• The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1952-1966)
• The Guiding Light (1952-present)
• The Honeymooners (1952-1970)
• The Today Show (1952-present)
• This Is Your Life (US) (1952-1961)
• Panorama (UK) (1953-present)
• The Good Old Days (UK) (1953-1983)
• Face the Nation (1954-present)
• The Brighter Day (1954-1962)
• The Milton Berle Show (1954-1967)
• The Secret Storm (1954-1974)
• The Tonight Show (1954-present)
• Zoo Quest (UK) (1954-1964)
• Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955-1962)
• 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)
• Armchair Theatre (UK) (1956-1968)
• As the World Turns (1956-present)
• Hancock's Half Hour (1956-1962)
• Opportunity Knocks (UK) (1956-1978)
• The Edge of Night (1956-1984)
• The Gale Storm Show, Oh! Susanna (1956-1960)
• The Price Is Right (1956-1965)
• The Steve Allen Show (1956-1960)
• What the Papers Say (UK) (1956-present)
• Leave It to Beaver (1957-1963)
• The Army Game (UK) (1957-1961)
• The Sky at Night (UK) (1957-present)
• Blue Peter (UK) (1958-present)
• Grandstand (UK) (1958-present)
• The Donna Reed Show (1958-1966)
• Walt Disney Presents (1958-1961)

Ending this year

• Your Hit Parade (1950-1959)
• Dragnet (1951-1959)
• Mickey Mouse Club (1955-1959)
• Quatermass and the Pit (UK) (1958-1959)

Births

• April 24 - Paula Yates, television presenter.
• August 16 - Laura Innes, actress.
• October 25 - Nancy Cartwright, voice actress ("Bart Simpson").
• December 30 - Tracey Ullman, actress and comedian.