1977 in television - Definition and Overview

See also: 1976 in television, other events of 1977, 1978 in television and the list of 'years in television'.

Events

• January 23-30 - American Broadcasting Company broadcasts the mini series Roots, which sets television ratings records.
• February 4 - American Bandstand celebrates its 25th anniversary on television with an special hosted by Dick Clark. An "all-star band" made up of Chuck Berry, Seals & Crofts, Gregg Allman, Junior Walker, Johnny Rivers, the Pointer Sisters, Charlie Daniels, Doc Severenson, Les McCann, Donald Byrd, Chuck Mangione and three members of Booker T and the MGs perform "Roll Over Beethoven."
• April - Jesus of Nazareth, directed by Franco Zeffirelli, first airs on NBC.
• Chevy Chase leaves the cast of Saturday Night Live to make movies. Chase is replaced by Bill Murray.
• Don Novello first appeared on Saturday Night Live until 1987.
• Lisa Peluso makes her first appearance on Search for Tomorrow.
• Scum, an entry in BBC1's Play for Today anthology strand, is pulled from transmission due to controversy over its depiction of life in a Young Offender's Institution. Two years later the director Alan Clarke makes a film version with most of the same cast, and the original play itself is eventually transmitted on Channel 4 in 1991.

Debuts

• March - Eight Is Enough premieres (1977-1981).
• April 4 - In Search of... premieres (1977-1982).
• CHiPs premieres (1977-1983).
• Fantasy Island premieres (1977-1984).
• Lou Grant premieres (1977-1982).
• Soap premieres (1977-1981).
• The Love Boat premieres (1977-1986).
• Three's Company premieres (1977-1984).

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)
• 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 Tonight Show (1954-present)
• Captain Kangaroo (1955-1984)
• 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)
• 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)
• Top of the Pops (UK) (1964-present)
• Days of Our Lives (1965-present)
• World of Sport (UK) (1965-1985)
• Play School (1966-present)
• The Carol Burnett Show (1967-1978)
• 60 Minutes (1968-present)
• Hawaii Five-O (1968-1980)
• Magpie (UK) (1968-1980)
• One Life to Live (1968-present)
• Hee Haw (1969-1993)
• Sesame Street (1969-present)
• The Benny Hill Show (UK) (1969-1989)
• The Wonderful World of Disney (1969-1979)
• All My Children (1970-present)
• Monday Night Football (1970-present)
• Play for Today (UK) (1970-1984)
• All in the Family (1971-1979)
• Columbo (1971-1978)
• Masterpiece Theatre (1971-present)
• Old Grey Whistle Test (UK) (1971-1987)
• Soul Train (1971-present)
• Are You Being Served? (UK) (1972-1985)
• Emmerdale Farm (UK) (1972-present)
• John Craven's Newsround (UK) (1972-present)
• Maude (1972-1978)
• M*A*S*H (1972-1983)
• The Bob Newhart Show (1972-1978)
• The Price Is Right (1972-present)
• The Waltons (1972-1981)
• Barnaby Jones (1973-1980)
• Kojak (1973-1978)
• Last of the Summer Wine (UK) (1973-present)
• Match Game '77 (1962-1969, 1973-1984, 1990-1991, 1998-1999)
• Schoolhouse Rock! (1973-1986)
• The Six Million Dollar Man (1973-1978)
• The Tomorrow Show (1973-1982)
• The Young and the Restless (1973-present)
• Chico and the Man (1974-1978)
• Derrick (1974-1998)
• Good Times (1974-1979)
• Happy Days (1974-1984)
• Little House on the Prairie (1974-1983)
• Rhoda (1974-1978)
• Tattletales (1974-1978, 1982-1984)
• The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast (1974-1984)
• The Rockford Files (1974-1980)
• Tiswas (UK) (1974-1982)
• Wish You Were Here...? (UK) (1974-present)
• Baretta (1975-1978)
• Barney Miller (1975-1982)
• Good Morning America (1975-present)
• King of Kensington (Canada) (1975-1980)
• Match Game PM (1975-1981)
• One Day at a Time (1975-1984)
• Pop Quest (UK) (1975-1978)
• Runaround (UK) (1975-1981)
• Ryan's Hope (1975-1989)
• Saturday Night Live (1975-present)
• Superstars (UK) (1975-1985, 2003-present)
• the fifth estate (Canada) (1975-present)
• The Jeffersons (1975-1985)
• The Sweeney (UK) (1975-1978)
• Welcome Back, Kotter (1975-1979)
• Wheel of Fortune (1975-present)
• Alice (1976-1985)
• Charlie's Angels (1976-1981)
• Family Feud (1976-1985, 1988-1995, 1999-present)
• Laverne & Shirley (1976-1983)
• Quincy, M.E. (1976-1983)
• Second City Television (SCTV) (Canada) (1976-1984)
• The Bionic Woman (1976-1978)
• The Muppet Show (UK) (1976-1981)
• The P.T.L. Club (1976-1987)
• What's Happening!! (1976-1979)

Ending this year

• Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-1977).
• McCloud (1970-1977).
• McMillan and Wife (1971-1977).
• Sanford and Son (1972-1977).
• Land of the Lost (1974-1977).
• Space: 1999 (1975-1977, although a few leftover episodes would air in the UK in 1978).
• Supersonic (UK) (1975-1977).
• New Howdy Doody Show (1976-1977).

Births

• January 1 - Keeley Hawes, British actress.
• April 14 - Sarah Michelle Gellar, American actress.

Deaths

• January 28 - Burt Mustin, actor.
• February 28 - Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson, comedian.
• August 16 - Elvis Presley, musician.
• August 19 - Groucho Marx, comedian, television host.
• August 22 - Sebastian Cabot, actor.
• August 29 - Jean Hagen, actress.
• October 14 - Bing Crosby, singer.