1962 in television - Definition and Overview

See also: 1961 in television, other events of 1962, 1963 in television and the list of 'years in television'.

Events

• March 16 - Walter Cronkite succeeds Douglas Edwards as anchorman of the CBS Evening News.
• March 24 - Boxer Benny Kid Paret falls unconscious at the hands of fellow boxer Emile Griffith during a televised boxing match at Madison Square Garden. Paret would die nine days later.
• Les Crane and Regis Philbin host The Tonight Show for a short time, until Johnny Carson took over later in the year.
• October 2 - Johnny Carson debuts as host of The Tonight Show.
• Broadcast of Sábados Alegres begins, program later becomes Sábados Gigantes.

Debuts

• Match Game premieres on NBC (1962-1969, 1973-1984, 1990-1991, 1998-1999)
• The Beverly Hillbillies on CBS (1962-1971)
• The Late Late Show premieres in Ireland (1962-present)
• The Lucy Show premieres (1962-1968)
• Z-Cars on the BBC (1962-1978)

Popular Television Shows

• 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)
• Panorama (UK) (1953-present)
• The Good Old Days (UK) (1953-1983)
• Face the Nation (1954-present)
• The Milton Berle Show (1954-1967)
• The Secret Storm (1954-1974)
• The Tonight Show (1954-present)
• Zoo Quest (UK) (1954-1964)
• 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)
• Opportunity Knocks (UK) (1956-1978)
• The Edge of Night (1956-1984)
• The Price Is Right (1956-1965)
• What the Papers Say (UK) (1956-present)
• Leave It to Beaver (1957-1963)
• The Sky at Night (UK) (1957-present)
• Blue Peter (UK) (1958-present)
• Grandstand (UK) (1958-present)
• The Donna Reed Show (1958-1966)
• Bonanza (1959-1973)
• Juke Box Jury (1959-1967, 1979, 1989-1990)
• The Twilight Zone (1959-1964, 1985-1988, 2002)
• Coronation Street (UK) (1960-present)
• My Three Sons (1960-1972)
• The Andy Griffith Show (1960-1968)
• The Flintstones (1960-1966)
• Ben Casey (1961-1966)
• Mister Ed (1961-1966)
• The Avengers (UK) (1961-1969)
• The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961-1966)
• The Fulton Sheen Program (1961-1968)
• The Mike Douglas Show (1961-1981)
• Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color (1961-1969)

Ending this year

• The Brighter Day (1954-1962)
• Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955-1962)
• Hancock's Half Hour (1956-1962)

Births

• July 8 - Rob Burnett, one time head writer for David Letterman.
• September 11 - Elizabeth Daily, actress.
• October 4 - Caron Keating, television presenter (d. 2004).
• November 19 - Jodie Foster, actress and director.

Deaths

• January 13 - Ernie Kovacs, comedian.