1972 in television - Definition and Overview

See also: 1971 in television, other events of 1972, 1973 in television and the list of 'years in television'.

Events

• Mid-February - John Lennon and Yoko Ono cohost an entire week on The Mike Douglas Show.
• July 21 - Victoria Wyndham makes her first appearance as vixen (and later, good girl) Rachel Davis on the soap opera Another World.
• Sammy Davis Jr. makes a guest appearance on All in the Family.
• The Edge of Night moves timeslots from 4PM to 2PM, and subsequently loses nearly half of its viewing audience.
• Kathryn Hays debuts as Kimberly Sullivan on As the World Turns.
• Anne Kirkbride debuts as Deirdre Hunt on Coronation Street.

Debuts

• January 14 - Sanford and Son premieres (1972-1977) on NBC.
• September 4 - The Price Is Right premieres on CBS (1972-present).
• September 12 - Maude, a spinoff of All in the Family premieres on CBS (1972-1978).
• September - Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space premieres. The cartoon is cancelled in December.
• September - Runaround premieres on NBC (1972-1973).
• October 16 - Emmerdale Farm starts transmissions in the daytime on ITV (1972-present).
• Are You Being Served? premieres (1972-1985) on BBC1.
• Bridget Loves Bernie premieres on CBS (1972-1973).
• Kung Fu premieres (1972-1975).
• John Craven's Newsround premieres (1972-present, now titled Newsround) on BBC1.
• M*A*S*H premieres (1972-1983).
• The Bob Newhart Show premieres (1972-1978) on CBS.
• The Waltons premieres (1972-1981).

Television shows

• Meet the Press (1947-present)
• Candid Camera (1948-present)
• Truth or Consequences (1950-1988)
• Love of Life (1951-1980)
• Search for Tomorrow (1951-1986)
• American Bandstand (1952-1989)
• The Guiding Light (1952-present)
• The Today Show (1952-present)
• Panorama (UK) (1953-present)
• The Good Old Days (UK) (1953-1983)
• Face the Nation (1954-present)
• The Secret Storm (1954-1974)
• The Tonight Show (1954-present)
• 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)
• As the World Turns (1956-present)
• Opportunity Knocks (UK) (1956-1978)
• The Edge of Night (1956-1984)
• What the Papers Say (UK) (1956-present)
• The Sky at Night (UK) (1957-present)
• Blue Peter (UK) (1958-present)
• Grandstand (UK) (1958-present)
• Bonanza (1959-1973)
• Coronation Street (UK) (1960-present)
• The Mike Douglas Show (1961-1981)
• The Late Late Show (Ireland) (1962-present)
• Z-Cars (UK) (1962-1978)
• Doctor Who (UK) (1963-1989, 1996, 2005-present)
• General Hospital (1963-present)
• The Doctors (1963-1982)
• Another World (1964-1999)
• Crossroads (UK) (1964-1988, 2001-2003)
• Jeopardy! (1964-1975, 1984-present)
• Top of the Pops (UK) (1964-present)
• Days of Our Lives (1965-present)
• The Dean Martin Show (1965-1974)
• World of Sport (UK) (1965-1985)
• Play School (1966-present)
• The Newlywed Game (1966-1974)
• Ironside (1967-1975)
• Love Is a Many Splendored Thing (1967-1973)
• Mannix (1967-1975)
• The Carol Burnett Show (1967-1978)
• 60 Minutes (1968-present)
• Hawaii Five-O (1968-1980)
• Here's Lucy (1968-1974)
• Laugh-In (1968-1973)
• Magpie (UK) (1968-1980)
• One Life to Live (1968-present)
• The Mod Squad (1968-1973)
• Hee Haw (1969-1993)
• Love, American Style (1969-1974)
• Marcus Welby, M.D. (1969-1976)
• Monty Python's Flying Circus (UK) (1969-1974)
• Room 222 (1969-1974)
• Sesame Street (1969-present)
• The Benny Hill Show (1969-1989)
• The Brady Bunch (1969-1974)
• The Wonderful World of Disney (1969-1979)
• Where the Heart Is (1969-1973)
• All My Children (1970-present)
• Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-1977)
• McCloud (1970-1977)
• Monday Night Football (1970-present)
• Play for Today (UK) (1970-1984)
• The Flip Wilson Show (1970-1974)
• The Odd Couple (1970-1975)
• The Partridge Family (1970-1974)
• All in the Family (1971-1979)
• Columbo (1971-1978)
• Masterpiece Theatre (1971-present)
• McMillan and Wife (1971-1977)
• Soul Train (1971-present)
• The New Dick Van Dyke Show (1971-1974)
• Old Grey Whistle Test (UK) (1971-1987)
• The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour (1971-1974)

Ending this year

• My Three Sons (1960-1972).
• Bewitched (1964-1972).
• Bright Promise (1969-1972).
• The Clangers (UK) (1969-1972) (with one final episode broadcast on October 10, 1974).
• Doomwatch (UK) (1970-1972).

Births

• January 1 - Felicity Montagu, actress.