1983 in television - Definition and Overview

See also: 1982 in television, other events of 1983, 1984 in television and the list of 'years in television'.

Events

• February 23 - After months of "will she or won't she?" drama, Deirdre Barlow (Anne Kirkbride) makes the choice to break up with Mike Baldwin (Johnny Briggs) and reunite with her estranged husband Ken (William Roache) on Coronation Street. The episode was one of the highest-rated in the serial's history.
• February 28 - Over 125 million Americans tune in to watch the final episode of M*A*S*H.
• March 7 - The Nashville Network (TNN) begins broadcasting.
• April 18 - The Disney Channel is launched on American cable TV.
• May 11 - Peter Adamson makes his last appearance as Len Fairclough on Coronation Street.
• August 16 - ITV broadcasts Woodentop as part of its Storyboard series. It would later be turned into a series and re-titled The Bill.
• September 5 - The half-hour Robert MacNeil Report changes its name to the MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour, becoming the first hour-long network news show.
• October 3 - During a live NBC news update, anchor Jessica Savitch appears incoherent; her speech is slurred and she deviates from her copy and ad-libs her report. Miss Savitch, dogged by rumors of drug abuse and instability, still has her contract renewed anyway.
• October 12 - Doris Speed makes her last appearance as Annie Walker on Coronation Street.
• November 20 - An estimated 100 million people watch the controversial made-for-television movie The Day After, depicting the start of a nuclear war.
• November 23 - Today's episode of Sesame Street confronts the sensitive issue of death when Big Bird learns to grasp the concept as it relates to his late friend, Mr. Hooper.
• David Canary first premieres on All My Children.
• Pam Long's scripts first air on Guiding Light.
• The cast of Search for Tomorrow is forced to do a live show for the first time since the program moved to videotape in 1968; both the regular transmission tape and a backup were lost, something that was disputed by outside sources after the fact.

Debuts

• January 22 - Mama's Family, based on sketches from The Carol Burnett Show, debuts on NBC (1983-1984, 1986-1990)
• January 23 - The A-Team debuts on NBC (1983-1987)
• January - Fraggle Rock, a Jim Henson production, debuts on HBO (1983-1988)
• February 5 - The Dukes debuts on CBS (1983-1984)
• June 27 - Loving premieres on ABC (1983-1995)
• September 16 - Webster debuts on ABC (1983-1989)
• September 19 - The game show Press Your Luck premieres (1983-1986) on CBS
• October - Scarecrow and Mrs. King premieres (1983-1987)
• Tucker's Luck, a spinoff of Grange Hill, premieres in the UK (1983-1985)

Television shows

• Meet the Press (1947-present)
• Candid Camera (1948-present)
• Truth or Consequences (1950-1988)
• Search for Tomorrow (1951-1986)
• American Bandstand (1952-1989)
• Guiding Light (1952-present)
• The Today Show (1952-present)
• Panorama (UK) (1953-present)
• Face the Nation (1954-present)
• The Tonight Show (1954-present)
• Captain Kangaroo (1955-1984)
• This Is Your Life (UK) (1955-2003)
• As the World Turns (1956-present)
• 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 Late Late Show (Ireland) (1962-present)
• Doctor Who (UK) (1963-1989, 1996, 2005-present)
• General Hospital (1963-present)
• 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)
• 60 Minutes (1968-present)
• One Life to Live (1968-present)
• Hee Haw (1969-1993)
• Sesame Street (1969-present)
• The Benny Hill Show (UK) (1969-1989)
• All My Children (1970-present)
• Monday Night Football (1970-present)
• Play for Today (UK) (1970-1984)
• Masterpiece Theatre (1971-present)
• 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)
• The Price Is Right (1972-present)
• Last of the Summer Wine (UK) (1973-present)
• Match Game—Hollywood Squares Hour (1962-1969, 1973-1984, 1990-1991, 1998-1999)
• Schoolhouse Rock! (1973-1986)
• The Young and the Restless (1973-present)
• Derrick (1974-1998)
• Happy Days (1974-1984)
• The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast (1974-1984)
• Wish You Were Here...? (UK) (1974-present)
• Good Morning America (1975-present)
• One Day at a Time (1975-1984)
• 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)
• Wheel of Fortune (1975-present), which adds a nighttime syndication version in addition to the network daytime show
• Alice (1976-1985)
• Family Feud (1976-1985, 1988-1995, 1999-present)
• Second City Television (SCTV) (Canada) (1976-1984)
• The P.T.L. Club (1976-1987)
• Fantasy Island (1977-1984)
• The Love Boat (1977-1986)
• Three's Company (1977-1984)
• 20/20 (1978-present)
• 3-2-1 (UK) (1978-1987)
• Battle of the Planets (1978-1985)
• Dallas (1978-1991)
• Diff'rent Strokes (1978-1986)
• Grange Hill (UK) (1978-present)
• Benson (1979-1986)
• Knots Landing (1979-1993)
• Real People (1979-1984)
• The Dukes of Hazzard (1979-1985)
• The Facts of Life (1979-1988)
• Trapper John, M.D. (1979-1986)
• You Can't Do That on Television (Canada) (1979-1990)
• Magnum, P.I. (1980-1988)
• Solid Gold (1980-1988)
• That's Incredible! (1980-1984)
• The Other 'Arf (UK) (1980-1984)
• Too Close for Comfort (1980-1986)
• Dynasty (1981-1989)
• Entertainment Tonight (1981-present)
• Falcon Crest (1981-1990)
• Gimme a Break! (1981-1987)
• Hill Street Blues (1981-1987)
• Simon & Simon (1981-1988)
• The Fall Guy (1981-1986)
• Cagney & Lacey (1982-1988)
• Cheers (1982-1993)
• Fame (1982-1987)
• Family Ties (1982-1989)
• Knight Rider (1982-1986)
• Late Night with David Letterman (1982-1993)
• Newhart (1982-1990)
• Remington Steele (1982-1987)
• Silver Spoons (1982-1987)
• St. Elsewhere (1982-1988)
• Tattletales (1974-1978, 1982-1984)
• The Journal (Canada) (1982-1992)

Ending this year

• The Good Old Days (UK) (1953-1983).
• M*A*S*H (1972-1983).
• Little House on the Prairie (1974-1983).
• Laverne & Shirley (1976-1983).
• Quincy, M.E. (1976-1983).
• CHiPs (1977-1983).
• Taxi (1978-1983).
• Archie Bunker's Place (1979-1983).
• SCTV Network 90 (US) (1981-1983).
• Square Pegs (1982-1983).

Cancelled, but eventually to return to the air

• September 24 - After 29 seasons, the Walt Disney anthology series goes off the air. It will be revived, however, from 1986 to 1990.

Changes of network affiliation

• Fame moves from NBC to first-run syndication.
• Too Close for Comfort moves from ABC to first-run syndication.

Births

• May 1 - Jennifer Ellison, British actress and singer.
• May 11 - Holly Valance, New Zealand born actress and singer.
• December 12 - Mathew Valencia voice of Robin/Tim Drake.

Deaths

• March 16 - Arthur Godfrey, television host.
• July 29 - Raymond Massey, star of Dr. Kildare.
• August 3 - Carolyn Jones, actress, Morticia in The Addams Family.
• August 28 - Jan Clayton, actress.
• August 29 - Simon Oakland, actor.
• October 23 - Jessica Savitch, NBC news anchor, age 36.
• November 22 - Michael Conrad, actor, Sgt. Phil Esterhasz on Hill Street Blues.
• November 28 - Christopher George, actor.
• December 28 - William Demarest, actor, Uncle Charlie in My Three Sons.