1981 in American television

The year 1981 in television involved some significant events. Below is a list of television-related events in 1981.

For the American TV schedule, see: 1981-82 American network television schedule.

Events

Debuts

Miniseries

• Family Reunion, starring Bette Davis
• The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, starring Simon Jones and David Dixon
• A Town Like Alice, starring Helen Morse and Bryan Brown
• Brideshead Revisited, including Anthony Andrews, Jeremy Irons and Laurence Olivier

Television shows

1940s

• Meet the Press (1947–present).
• Candid Camera (1948–present).

1950s

• Truth or Consequences (1950–1988).
• Search for Tomorrow (1951–1986).
• Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951–present).
• American Bandstand (1952–1989)
• Guiding Light (1952–2009)
• The Today Show (1952–present)
• Face the Nation (1954–present).
• The Tonight Show (1954–present; full title has generally included the host's name)
• Captain Kangaroo (1955–1984).
• The Lawrence Welk Show (1955–1982).
• As the World Turns (1956–2010).
• The Edge of Night (1956–1984).

1960s

• The Mike Douglas Show (1961–1981).
• General Hospital (1963–present).
• The Doctors (1963–1982).
• Another World (1964–1999).
• Days of our Lives (1965–present).
• 60 Minutes (1968–present).
• One Life to Live (1968–present).
• Hee Haw (1969–1993).
• Sesame Street (1969–present).

1970s

1970-1974

• All My Children (1970–present).
• Monday Night Football (1970–present).
• Masterpiece Theatre (1971–present).
• Soul Train (1971–present).
• Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (1972–1984).
• M*A*S*H (1972–1983).
• The Price Is Right (1972–present).
• The Waltons (1972–1981).
• Match Game (1962–1969, 1973–1984, 1990–1991, 1998–1999).
• Schoolhouse Rock! (1973–1986).
• The Tomorrow Show (1973–1982).
• The Young and the Restless (1973–present).
• Happy Days (1974–1984).
• Little House on the Prairie (1974–1983).
• The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast (1974–1984).

1975

• Barney Miller (1975–1982).
• Good Morning America (1975–present).
• One Day at a Time (1975–1984).
• Ryan's Hope (1975–1989).
• Saturday Night Live (1975–present).
• The Jeffersons (1975–1985).
• Wheel of Fortune (1975–present).

1976

• 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).
• The P.T.L. Club (1976–1987).

1977

• CHiPs (1977–1983).
• Fantasy Island (1977–1984).
• In Search of... (1977–1982).
• Lou Grant (1977–1982).
• Soap (1977–1981).
• The Love Boat (1977–1986)
• This Week in Baseball (1977–1998, 2000–present)
• Three's Company (1977–1984)

1978

• 20/20 (1978–present).
• Battle of the Planets (1978–1985).
• Dallas (1978–1991).
• Diff'rent Strokes (1978–1986).
• Mork & Mindy (1978–1982).
• Taxi (1978–1983).
• WKRP in Cincinnati (1978–1982).

1979

• Archie Bunker's Place (1979–1983).
• Benson (1979–1986).
• Disney's Wonderful World (1979–1981) ends on September 13 to resume on September 26 as Walt Disney
• 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).
• Nightline (1979–present)
• SportsCenter (1979–present)
• This Old House (1979–present).

1980s

1980

• It's a Living (1980–1982, 1985–1989).
• Magnum, P.I. (1980–1988).
• Solid Gold (1980–1988).
• Texas (1980–1982).
• That's Incredible! (1980–1984).
• Too Close for Comfort (1980–1986).

Ending this year

Changes of network affiliation

• Walt Disney moves from NBC to CBS.
• The Goodies moves from the BBC to ITV

Births

• January 22 – Beverley Mitchell, actress 7th Heaven
• January 28 – Elijah Wood, actor
• January 31 – Justin Timberlake, singer and actor, originally appeared on a version of The Mickey Mouse Club in the US.
• February 8 – Ralf Little, actor
• February 10 – Holly Willoughby, British television presenter.
• February 17 – Paris Hilton heiress and television personality in the United States.
• February 17 - Joseph Gordon-Levitt, actor
• April 28 – Jessica Alba, US actress.
• May 5 – Danielle Fishel, actress.
• May 15 - Jamie-Lynn Sigler, actress
• May 15- Samantha Noble, Australian actress
• June 25 – Sheridan Smith, UK actress.
• August 7 – Dan Griffin, television producer.
• August 25 – Rachel Bilson, actress
• September 3 – Fearne Cotton, British television presenter.
• September 4 – Beyonce Knowles, singer and actor. Destiny's Child
• September 5 – Elize du Toit, British actress.
• September 8 – Jonathan Taylor Thomas, US actor/comedian (Home Improvement)
• October 9 – Zachery Ty Bryan, US actor/comedian (Home Improvement)
• November 8 – Azura Skye, US actress.
• December 2 – Britney Spears, singer, originally appeared on a version of The Mickey Mouse Club in the US.

Deaths

• April 26 – Jim Davis (b. 1909), actor (Jock Ewing) on Dallas
• June 9 – Allen Ludden (b. 1917), game show host
• August 1 – Paddy Chayefsky (b. 1923), writer
• September 27 – Robert Montgomery b. 1904, actor
• November 25 – Jack Albertson (b. 1907), actor