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            List of years in television       (table)
 1941 .  1942 .  1943 .  1944  . 1945  . 1946  . 1947 
1948 1949 1950 -1951- 1952 1953 1954
 1955 .  1956 .  1957 .  1958  . 1959  . 1960  . 1961 
       In radio: 1948 1949 1950 -1951- 1952 1953 1954     
          In film: 1948 1949 1950 -1951- 1952 1953 1954     

The year 1951 in television involved some significant events. Below is a list of television-related events in 1951.

Events[]

  • March 22 - RCA introduces an eight-pound (3.6 kg) monochrome television camera with a 53-pound (24 kg) backpack transmitter, both operated by batteries. It is the first portable television camera.
  • May 28 - The US Supreme Court upholds the FCC's approval of the CBS color television system.
  • June 25 – CBS presents its first commercial color telecast with Arthur Godfrey, Ed Sullivan, and Faye Emerson.
  • June - RCA demonstrates its new electronic color system.
  • August 11 - The first baseball game is televised in color, a double-header between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Boston Braves.
  • September 4 - The first live transcontinental television broadcast takes place in San Francisco, California from the Japanese Peace Treaty Conference.
  • September 22 - The first live sporting event seen coast-to-coast, a college football game between Duke University and the University of Pittsburgh, is televised on NBC.
  • September 29 - CBS broadcasts the first American football game in color, between the University of California and the University of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia.
  • October 3 - The first live coast-to-coast network telecast of a World Series game.
  • October 12 - The Holme Moss transmitter is opened in Northern England, making BBC Television available to the region for the first time.
  • October 17 - Television broadcasts begin in Argentina from Primera Televisora Argentina on channel 7, Buenos Aires.
  • October 20 - The iconic CBS eye logo makes its television debut.
  • November 11 - Bing Crosby Enterprises demonstrates black-and-white video recording using a modified Ampex tape recorder.
  • November 18 - Edward R. Murrow on See It Now presents the first live coast-to-coast commercial television broadcast in the US, showing a split screen view of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City and the Bay Bridge in San Francisco.
  • December 24 - The first televised opera written for television, Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti, airs on NBC.
  • Television broadcasts begin in Peru.
  • Ernie Kovacs' Time for Ernie and Ernie in Kovacsland television shows premiere. Kovacs pushes the limits of television technology with his use of camera tricks and special effects.

Debuts[]

  • January 3 - Dragnet debuts on NBC (1951–1959).
  • July 16 - What's My Line? debuts on BBC Television. It will be one of the top-rated programs for the rest of the decade and make a star of its host, Eamonn Andrews, who takes over from Gilbert Harding from the second episode.
  • September 3 - The first long-running soap opera, Search for Tomorrow, debuts at 12:30 p.m. on the CBS television network (1951–1986).
  • September 24 - Love of Life premieres on CBS (1951–1980).
  • October 15 - Television sitcom I Love Lucy debuts on CBS (1951–1960). The groundbreaking show is produced on film, instead of being broadcast live. The show also makes Lucille Ball the world's first major female television star. The show stars Lucille Ball with her real-life husband, Desi Arnaz.
  • Television version of Amos & Andy (1951–1953).
  • The Roy Rogers Show (1951–1957), debuts on NBC, starring Roy Rogers and Dale Evans.
  • Hallmark Hall of Fame premieres (1951–present).
  • March 3 - "Watch Mr. Wizard" debuts on NBC (1951-1965).[1]

Television shows[]

listed by starting year

  • Bozo the Clown (1949–present).
  • Come Dancing (UK) (1949–1995)
  • Martin Kane, Private Eye (1949–1954)
  • The Goldbergs (1949–1955)
  • The Voice of Firestone (1949–1963)
  • Hawkins Falls (1950, 1951–1955)
  • Cisco Kid (1950–1956)
  • The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (1950–1958)
  • The Jack Benny Show (1950–1965)
  • Truth or Consequences (1950–1988)
  • What's My Line (1950–1967)
  • Your Hit Parade (1950–1959)
  • Your Show of Shows (1950–1954)
  • "I Love Lucy" (1951–1960)
Series Debut Ended
Picture Page (UK) October 8, 1936 1939
1946 1952
The Voice of Firestone Televues 1943 1947
1949 1963
Kaleidoscope (UK) November 2, 1946 1953
Gillette Cavalcade of Sports November 8, 1946 June 24, 1960
Muffin the Mule (UK) 1946 1955
Kraft Television Theater May 7, 1947 1958
Kukla, Fran and Ollie October 13, 1947 1957
Meet the Press November 6, 1947
Howdy Doody December 27, 1947 September 24, 1960
Café Continental 1947 1953
Juvenile Jury 1947 1954
Small Fry Club 1947 1951
Television Newsreel (UK) January 5, 1948 1954
The Original Amateur Hour January 18, 1948 September 27, 1970
Court of Current Issues February 9, 1948 June 26, 1951
Author Meets the Critics April 1948 October 10, 1954
Hollywood Screen Test April 15, 1948 1953
Texaco Star Theater June 8, 1948 1953
The Ed Sullivan Show June 20, 1948 June 6, 1971
Candid Camera August 10, 1948 May 23, 2004
CBS Evening News August 15, 1948
Foodini the Great August 23, 1948 June 23, 1951
Ford Theatre October 17, 1948 July 10, 1957
The Alan Dale Show 1948 1951
Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts 1948 January 1, 1958
Break the Bank 1948 1957
Celebrity Time 1948 September 1952
Club Seven 1948 1951
The Philco Television Playhouse 1948 1955
Winner Take All 1948 1952
The Goldbergs January 17, 1949 1956
Captain Video June 27, 1949 April 1, 1955
Mama July 1, 1949 March 17, 1957
Martin Kane, Private Eye August 7, 1949 June 17, 1954
The Lone Ranger September 15, 1949 June 6, 1957
Come Dancing (UK) September 29, 1949 1995
The Aldrich Family October 2, 1949 May 29, 1953
January 2, 1953 August 22, 1958
The Ruggles November 3, 1949 June 19, 1952
One Man's Family November 4, 1949 June 21, 1952
March 1, 1954 April 1, 1955
Arthur Godfrey and His Friends 1949 1959

Ending this year[]

  • The Alan Dale Show (1948–1951).
  • Club Seven (1948–1951).

Births[]

  • January 7 - Helen Worth, British actress.
  • January 12 - Rush Limbaugh, radio personality.
    • Kirstie Alley, actress, Cheers.
  • January 15 - Charo, Spanish-American singer and actress.
  • February 15 - Jane Seymour, British actress.
  • February 16 - William Katt, actor.
  • March 13 - Fred Berry, actor (d. 2003).
  • March 17 - Kurt Russell, actor.
  • April 13 - Peter Davison, British actor, Doctor Who.
  • April 21 - Tony Danza, actor.
  • June 13 -Richard Thomas (actor), The Waltons
  • June 27 - Julia Duffy, actress
  • July 12 - Cheryl Ladd, actress and singer, Charlie's Angels
  • July 17 - Lucie Arnaz, actress, daughter of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.
  • July 21 - Robin Williams, actor.
  • July 24 - Lynda Carter, actress and singer, Wonder Woman.
  • August 6 - Catherine Hicks, actress.
  • August 14 - Carl Lumbly, actor.
  • September 2 - Mark Harmon, actor.
  • September 5 - Michael Keaton, actor.
  • September 7 - Julie Kavner, actress, Rhoda.
  • September 12 - Joe Pantoliano, actor.
  • October 18 - Pam Dawber, actress.
  • October 30 - Harry Hamlin, actor, L.A. Law.
  • November 9 - Lou Ferrigno, actor, The Incredible Hulk.
  • December 1 - Treat Williams, actor.
  • December 4 - Patricia Wettig, actress.
  • December 5 - Morgan Brittany, actress, Dallas.

References[]


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