1975 in television

The year 1975 in television involved some significant events. Below is a list of television-related events in 1975.

For the American TV schedule, see: 1975-76 United States network television schedule.

Events

• January 3, 1975 - The original Jeopardy! ends its run after almost 11 years and 2,753 episodes on NBC.
  • Also on that same network, the largest Super Jackpot won in the history of Jackpot, $38,750 was won between two contestants, the biggest prize in American daytime television game shows at the time.
• January 6 – Another World became the first American soap opera to start airing hour-long telecasts.
  • On the same day, Wheel of Fortune aired its first episode on NBC's daytime schedule. The show was hosted by a little-known singer-songwriter named Chuck Woolery; his assistant was Susan Stafford. A modest success when it first premiered, the show went on to become one of the most famous game shows in history (thanks to television syndication) when a syndicated version began in 1983 with a different presenter and hostess.
  • The ORTF was dislocked into 7 societies : TF1, Antenne 2, FR3, INA, SFP, Radio France & TDF.
• March 1 – It's "C-Day" in Australia. Full-time colour broadcasting takes effect today.
• March 18 – McLean Stevenson's character Henry Blake dies in the M*A*S*H episode Abyssinia, Henry, its third season finale.
• April 3 – Meg Richardson (Noele Gordon) married Hugh Mortimer (John Bentley) on the soap opera Crossroads.
• April 21 – Days of our Lives became the second American soap opera to expand from thirty minutes to an hour in length.
• April 28 – Tom Snyder interviewed John Lennon on The Tomorrow Show.
• May 7 – Matt Helm was shown as a pilot episode in the US but the actual television series would not be shown until later that same year.
• September 5 – A bomb exploded in the wine bar/delicatessen on Number 96, in an attempt to shake up the cast and earn back lost viewers.
• September 8 – Match Game started airing weekly episodes in syndicated primetime as Match Game PM.
  • Until September 12, The Price Is Right expanded to one hour for a whole week.
• October 11 – Andy Kaufman made his debut on the first episode of Saturday Night Live, lip syncing portions of the theme to Mighty Mouse.
• October 25 – The classic "Chuckles Bites the Dust" episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show airs on CBS.
• October 28 – A James Bond film was shown on British television for the first time, Dr. No on ITV.
• November – Sony introduced the Betamax video recorder in the US. The LV-1901 came in a teakwood console with a 19" color TV set and retailed for $2,495.
• November 3 – The Price is Right expanded to an hour in length to its current six-game, two Showcase Showdown, and Showcase format, still used as of the 2011–12 season (Season 40).
• November 7 – The New Original Wonder Woman aired as a TV movie, leading to a weekly series, Wonder Woman, which premiered in 1976.
• November 10 – The producers of the long-running serial drama The Guiding Light changed the show's name to Guiding Light, in an attempt to modernize the show's image. The show's announcer, however, continued to call the series The Guiding Light in his announcements until the early 1980s.
• December 1 – Top-rated As the World Turns, bowing to competition from NBC, expanded to one hour in length, its current format. The Edge of Night moves to ABC, as CBS has no room in its schedule; that network starts daytime reruns of All in the Family on this day.
• Fred Silverman became the head of ABC Entertainment, initiating an era of what was disparagingly called "T&A" or "Jiggle television". His programming choices resulted in ABC achieving ratings dominance.
• The first "Love in the Afternoon" television advertisements aired touting ABC's daytime lineup, although sparsely until 1977.
• The In Soviet Georgia television advertisements for Dannon yogurt first aired in the United States.
• US television program Match Game (note: not Match Game PM) was rated #1 in overall television programming and game shows for the third year running.
• January 11 – On All in the Family, a tearful Edith (played by Jean Stapleton) said goodbye to her neighbor for almost five years, Louise Jefferson (played by Isabel Sanford), as The Jeffersons moved on up to their sitcom, until the spin-off aired the next week.
• In The Second Season of CBS's The Jeffersons, Mike Evans left to work on episodes on Good Times, which Damon Evans (no relation to Michael), joined the cast this season until the fourth season in 1978, the character of Lionel Jefferson was seen less frequently.
• March 4 – The first "People's Choice Awards" were presented on CBS.
• September 29 – WGPR-TV, channel 62 in Detroit, became the first television station in the U. S. to be owned and operated by blacks. (It is now CBS-owned WWJ-TV.)
• September 30 – The Muhammad Ali – Joe Frazier title fight from the Philippines – the "Thrilla in Manila" – was sent by satellite to the U. S. and shown on HBO.
• November 23 – Memories of the "Heidi Game" returned to haunt NBC as that network was forced to join Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory in progress at the conclusion of an overtime NFL game.

Debuts

• January 2 – The Sweeney premieres on ITV in the UK (1975–1978).
• January 6 – Wheel of Fortune premieres on NBC's daytime lineup (1975–1989). Blank Check premieres the same day, and lasts 26 weeks.
• January 17 – Baretta, starring Robert Blake, premieres on ABC (1975–1978).
• January 18 – The Jeffersons, a spinoff of All in the Family, premieres on CBS (1975–1985).
• January 23 – Barney Miller debuts on ABC (1975–1982).
• April 4 – The Good Life premieres on BBC1 in the UK (1975–1978).
• April 5 – Himitsu Sentai Gorenger premieres on TV-Asahi (formerly NET) in Japan (1975–1977).
• May – The Don Lane Show premieres on the Nine Network in Australia (1975–1983).
• May 31 – Jim'll Fix It premieres on BBC1 (1975–1994).
• June 16 – Spin-Off and Musical Chairs premiere on CBS's daytime lineup.
• July 7 – Ryan's Hope premieres on ABC's daytime lineup (1975–1989).
• September 4 -
  • "The Bobby Vinton Show" premiers on CTV in Canada and across the U.S. in syndication. (1975–1978)
  • Space: 1999 premieres (syndicated 1975–1977).
• September 6 –
  • Hanna-Barbera's The New Tom and Jerry/Grape Ape Show premieres on ABC Saturday Morning (1975–1976); it's Hanna-Barbera's only new series for the fall of 1975.
  • Supersonic, a pop music program, debuts on London Weekend Television (1975–1977).
  • Funny Farm – (CTV, 1975–1980)
• September 8 – Phyllis, a spin-off of The Mary Tyler Moore Show debuts on CBS. It stars Cloris Leachman as Mary Richards' old landlady who moves to San Francisco to start a new life (1975–1977).
• September 9 –
  • Welcome Back, Kotter premieres on ABC (1975–1979).
  • Shades of Greene begins on Thames Television in the UK (1975–1976).
• September 12 – Pop Quest, a children's musical quiz show, premieres on ITV (1975–1978).
• September 14 - Three for the Road premieres on CBS and ends promptly on November 30. (1975)
• September 19 – Fawlty Towers premieres on BBC Two in the UK (1975, 1979).
• October 1 – Arena premieres on BBC2 in the UK (1975–present).
• October 11 – Saturday Night Live premieres on NBC with George Carlin hosting (1975–present).
• November 3 – Good Morning America premieres on ABC with co-anchors David Hartman and Nancy Dussault (1975–present).
• November 7 – Wonder Woman premieres on ABC (1975–1979)
• November 30 – McCoy premieres on NBC (1975–1976)
• December 16 – One Day at a Time, produced by Norman Lear, premieres on CBS (1975–1984).
• Bod – debuts (and completes) (1975).
• Paddington premieres on BBC One in the UK.
• The Fifth Estate debuts on CBC (1975–present).
• King of Kensington debuts on CBC (1975–1980).
• Match Game PM (1975–1982).
• Runaround premieres on ITV (1975–1981).

Television shows

1940s

• Meet the Press (1947–present).
• Candid Camera (1948–present).
• Bozo the Clown (1949–present).
• Come Dancing (UK) (1949–1995)

1950s

• Truth or Consequences (1950–1988).
• Love of Life (1951–1980).
• Search for Tomorrow (1951–1986).
• Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951–present).
• American Bandstand (1952–1989).
• The Guiding Light (1952–2009).
• Hockey Night in Canada (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).
• The Wonderful World of Disney (1954–present; 1969–1979 with this title)
• Captain Kangaroo (1955–1984).
• Dixon of Dock Green (UK) (1955–1976).
• The Lawrence Welk Show (1955–1982) .
• This Is Your Life (UK) (1955–2003).
• As the World Turns (1956–2010).
• 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) (1958–2007).

1960s

• Coronation Street, UK (1960–present)
• Four Corners, Australia (1961–present)
• It's Academic (1961–present)
• The Mike Douglas Show (1961–1981)
• Wide World of Sports (1961–1997)
• The Late Late Show, Ireland (1962–present)
• Z-Cars, UK (1962–1978)
• Doctor Who, UK (1963–1989, 1996, 2005–present)
• The Doctors (1963–1982)
• General Hospital (1963–present)
• Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom (1963–1988, 2002–present)
• Another World (1964–1999)
• Crossroads, UK (1964–1988, 2001–2003).
• Top of the Pops, UK (1964–2006)
• Days of our Lives (1965–present).
• World of Sport, UK (1965–1985)
• Play School (1966–present).
• The Money Programme (UK) (1966–present).
• The Carol Burnett Show (1967–1978).
• 60 Minutes (1968–present).
• Dad's Army (UK) (1968–1977).
• Hawaii Five-O (1968–1980).
• Magpie (UK) (1968–1980).
• One Life to Live (1968–present).
• Hee Haw (1969–1993).
• Marcus Welby, M.D. (1969–1976).
• Sesame Street (1969–present).
• The Benny Hill Show (UK) (1969–1989).

1970s

• All My Children (1970–present)
• Mary Tyler Moore (1970–1977)
• McCloud (1970–1977)
• Monday Night Football (1970–present)
• Play for Today (UK) (1970–1984).
• All in the Family (1971–1979).
• Columbo (1971–1978).
• Masterpiece Theatre (1971–present).
• McMillan & Wife (1971–1977).
• Old Grey Whistle Test (UK) (1971–1987).
• Soul Train (1971–2008)
• Are You Being Served? (UK) (1972–1985).
• Emergency! (1972–1977).
• Emmerdale Farm (UK) (1972–present).
• Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (1972–1984).
• John Craven's Newsround (UK) (1972–present).
• Maude (1972–1978).
• M*A*S*H (1972–1983).
• Sanford and Son (1972–1977).
• The Bob Newhart Show (1972–1978)
• The Price Is Right (1972–present).
• The Waltons (1972–1981).
• Barnaby Jones (1973–1980).
• Kojak (1973–1978, 2005–present).
• Last of the Summer Wine (UK) (1973–present).
• Match Game (1962–1969, 1973–1984, 1990–1991, 1998–1999).
• Schoolhouse Rock! (1973–1986).
• The Six Million Dollar Man (1973–1978).
• Superstars (UK) (1973–1985, 2003–2005).
• The Tomorrow Show (1973–1982).
• The Young and the Restless (1973–present).
• Chico and the Man (1974–1978).
• Countdown (Australia) (1974–1987).
• Derrick (1974–1998).
• Dinah! (1974–1980).
• Good Times (1974–1979).
• Happy Days (1974–1984).
• Land of the Lost (1974–1977).
• Little House on the Prairie (1974–1983).
• Police Woman (1974–1978).
• Rhoda (1974–1978).
• Tattletales (1974–1978, 1982–1984).
• Dean Martin Celebrity Roast (1974–1984).
• The Rockford Files (1974–1980).
• Tiswas (UK) (1974–1982).
• Wish You Were Here...? (UK) (1974–present).
• Tom and Jerry (1965–1972, 1975–1977, 1980–1982).

Ending this year

• January 16 – Ironside (1967–1975).
• March 7 – The Odd Couple (1970–1975).
• March 28 – Ultraman Leo (Japan) (1974–1975).
• March 31 – Gunsmoke (1955–1975).
• April 13 – Mannix (1967–1975).
• April 18 – How to Survive a Marriage (1974–1975).
• April 26 – Kung Fu (1972–1975)
• August 1 – Death Valley Days (1952–1975)
• September – What's My Line? (1950–1967; 1968–1975)

Game Shows Whose Runs Ended, Later Revived

• January 3 – Jeopardy! (1964–1975, 1984–present).
• June 13 – The Joker's Wild (1972–1975, 1978–1986)
• June 13 – Now You See It (1974–1975, 1989).
• June 27 – Password (1961–67, 71–75, 79–81, 84–89, 2008–2009).
• June 27 – Split Second (1972–1975, 1986)
• September – Truth or Consequences (on and off from 1950–1955, 1956–1975, 1977–1978, 1987–1988)

Changes of network affiliation

• The Edge of Night moves from CBS to ABC.

Births

• January 1 – Georgina Mellor, British actress.
• January 29 – Sara Gilbert, actress. (Roseanne)
• February 22 – Drew Barrymore, actress
• March 15 – Eva Longoria, actress.
• March 27 – Stacy Ferguson, actress, singer. (Kids Incorporated, Wild Orchid, The Black Eyed Peas) (Fergie)
• April 6 – Zach Braff, actor. (Scrubs)
• April 30 - Johnny Galecki, actor.
• June 4 – Angelina Jolie, actress
• June 7 – Allen Iverson, NBA star
• June 27 – Tobey Maguire, actor.
• August 7 – Charlize Theron, South African actress.
• October 5 – Kate Winslet, English actress.
• October 12 – Marion Jones, athlete player
• November 21 – Cherie Johnson, actress
• December 17 – Milla Jovovich, actress.
• December 27 – Heather O'Rourke, actress (died 1988).
• December 30 – Tiger Woods, Pro golf player

Deaths