1961 in American television

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of American television-related events in 1961.

Events

More information Date, Event ...
Date Event Ref.
January 20 President John F. Kennedy becomes the first president to be inaugurated with a color telecast. NBC's news division provided coverage in color.
January 25 John F. Kennedy held the first live televised presidential press conference.
March 5 The launch of the spacecraft Freedom 7 in a 15-minute sub-orbital spaceflight is seen by 45 million American television viewers.[1] Alan B. Shepard becomes the first U.S. astronaut in space. He was the second person to travel into space, [2]following the Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin. [3]
May 5 In a speech on "Television and the Public Interest" to the National Association of Broadcasters, Federal Communications Commission chairman Newton N. Minow describes commercial television programming as a "vast wasteland" and tells the broadcasters that they could do a better job of serving the public.
May 29 Dave Garroway announces that he would be leaving the Today show on NBC.
July 1 The Brighter Day airs its first episode after moving to Los Angeles from New York City. The move also marks the writing out of Baby Dennis and his love interest, because the actors who played them didn't want to relocate.
September 23 NBC begins its long-running series of movie presentations under the umbrella banner, NBC Saturday Night at the Movies. The first movie to be broadcast was the 1953 film How to Marry a Millionaire, starring Marilyn Monroe.
November 19 Lucille Ball marries Gary Morton
Close

Other events in 1961

Television programs

Debuts

More information Date, Debut ...
Date Debut Network
January 1 The Dick Tracy Show Broadcast syndication
January 5 Mister Ed
January 20[4] You're in the Picture CBS
January 23 The Americans NBC
January 30[5] The Yogi Bear Show Broadcast syndication
February 9 Gunslinger CBS
February 27 Acapulco NBC
March 17 Five Star Jubilee
March 31 'Way Out CBS
April[6] The Ernie Kovacs Show ABC
April 2[7][8] The Asphalt Jungle ABC
April 29[9] Wide World of Sports ABC
May 8 Whispering Smith NBC
June 3 Ripcord Broadcast syndication
July 6 Great Ghost Tales NBC
July 14 Westinghouse Preview Theatre NBC
September 1 Tales of the Wizard of Oz Broadcast syndication
September 17 Car 54, Where Are You? NBC
September 17[10] The DuPont Show of the Week NBC
September 17[11] Follow the Sun ABC
September 19 Cain's Hundred NBC
September 20 The Joey Bishop Show NBC
September 25[12] 87th Precinct NBC
September 26 Ichabod and Me CBS
September 26[13] The Dick Powell Show NBC
September 27 Top Cat ABC
September 28 Hazel NBC
September 29 Target: The Corruptors! ABC
October 1 Bus Stop ABC
October 2 Ben Casey ABC
October 2 Password CBS
October 2[14][15][16] Window on Main Street CBS
October 3 Calvin and the Colonel ABC
October 3 The Dick Van Dyke Show CBS
October 3 The New Breed ABC
October 4[17] The Alvin Show CBS
October 4 Mrs. G. Goes to College CBS
October 5 Frontier Circus CBS
The Investigators CBS
The New Bob Cummings Show CBS
October 6 The Hathaways ABC
October 6 Straightaway ABC
October 9 The Everglades Broadcast syndication
October 10 Alcoa Premiere ABC
October 11 The Bob Newhart Show NBC
October 12[18] Margie ABC
December 11 The Mike Douglas Show Broadcast syndication
Close

Changes of network affiliation

More information Show, Moved from ...
Show Moved from Moved to
Walt Disney Presents ABC NBC
The Detectives
Rocky and His Friends
The Wonderful World of Disney
Bachelor Father NBC ABC
Mister Ed Syndication CBS
Close

Ending this year

More information Date, Show ...
Date Show Network Debut Notes
January 2 Riverboat NBC September 12, 1959
January 6 Dan Raven NBC September 23, 1960
January 27 You're in the Picture CBS January 20, 1961
February 9 Take a Good Look ABC October 22, 1959
February 13 Klondike NBC October 10, 1960
March 29 Wanted Dead or Alive CBS September 6, 1958
March 30 The Ann Sothern Show CBS October 6, 1958
March 31 DuPont Show of the Month CBS September 24, 1957
April 3 The DuPont Show with June Allyson CBS September 21, 1959
April 7 Happy NBC June 8, 1960
April 12 My Sister Eileen CBS October 5, 1960
April 16 Omnibus NBC November 9, 1952 (on CBS)
April 17 Sugarfoot ABC September 17, 1957
April 24 Acapulco NBC February 27, 1961
April 30 The Tab Hunter Show September 18, 1960
May 1 The Play of the Week NTA Film Network October 12, 1959
May 15 The Americans NBC January 1961
May 18 Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre CBS October 5, 1956
May 23 The Tom Ewell Show CBS September 27, 1960
May 31 Peter Loves Mary NBC October 12, 1960
June 1 Bat Masterson NBC October 8, 1958
June 3 Gunslinger CBS February 9, 1961
June 17 Lock-Up Syndication September 26, 1959
June 18 The Rebel ABC October 4, 1959
June 25 The Asphalt Jungle CBS April 2, 1961
June 27 Stagecoach West ABC October 4, 1960
June 27 The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp ABC September 6, 1955
June 29 The Ford Show NBC October 4, 1956
July 1 The Deputy NBC September 12, 1959
July 3 Bringing Up Buddy CBS October 10, 1960
July 4 Alcoa Presents One Step Beyond ABC January 20, 1959
July 14 'Way Out CBS March 31, 1961
July 16 Shirley Temple's Storybook CBS January 12, 1958
September 9 The Adventures of Spunky and Tadpole First-run Syndication September 6, 1958
September 18 Peter Gunn NBC September 22, 1958
September 21 Great Ghost Tales July 6, 1961
September 22 Five Star Jubilee March 17, 1961
The Lawless Years April 22, 1959
Westinghouse Preview Theatre July 14, 1961
September 23 Sea Hunt First-run Syndication January 4, 1958
September 28 Frontier Justice CBS July 7, 1958
October 20 The Quick Draw McGraw Show First-run Syndication September 28, 1959
October 30 Whispering Smith NBC May 8, 1961
December 1 The Huckleberry Hound Show First-run Syndication September 29, 1958
December 15 Sam and Friends WRC-TV (Washington, D.C.) May 9, 1955
December 28 The Investigators CBS October 5, 1961
December 30 Matty's Funday Funnies ABC October 11, 1959
Unknown date Shotgun Slade Syndication October 24, 1959
Unknown date This Is Your Life NBC October 1, 1952
Close

Network launches

More information Network, Type ...
Network Type Launch date Notes
Christian Broadcasting Network Religious-formatted television network October 1 First religious broadcasting network in the United States
Close

Network closures

More information Network, Type ...
Network Type End date Notes
NTA Film Network Broadcast November Launched in October 1956, the NTA Film Network was another attempt to create a fourth television network in the wake of the closing of the DuMont Television Network two months prior. The network relied on filming the programming before sending it to air on its affiliates.
Close

Networks and services

Closures

More information Network, Type ...
Network Type Closure date Notes Source
NTA Film Network Cable television November
Close

Television stations

Station launches

More information Date, City of License/Market ...
Date City of License/Market Station Channel Affiliation Notes/Ref.
January 21 Idaho Falls, Idaho KIFI 8 NBC (primary)
ABC (secondary)
January 30 Phoenix, Arizona KAET 9 NET
February 1 Hot Springs, Arkansas KFOY-TV 9 NBC
February 6 Portland, Oregon KOAP-TV 10 NET Flagship of Oregon Public Broadcasting
February 27 Douglas, Arizona KCDA 3 Independent
March 29 Kansas City, Missouri KCSD-TV 19 NET
June 18 Beaumont, Texas KBMT 12 ABC
July 5 Vermillion, South Dakota KUSD-TV 2 NET Later became the flagship of the South Dakota Public Broadcasting television network
July 22 Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands WBNB-TV 10 CBS (primary)
NBC (secondary)		 First licensed television station in the Virgin Islands
August 7 Elk City, Oklahoma KSWB 8 CBS
September 5 Charlotte, North Carolina WUTV 36 ABC (primary)
NBC/CBS (secondary)
September 16 Louisville, Kentucky WLKY 32 ABC
September 25 Tacoma, Washington KTPS 28 NET
September 27 Norfolk, Virginia WHRO-TV 15 NET
October 2 Washington, D.C. WETA 26 NET
October 3 Medford, Oregon KMED-TV 10 NBC (primary)
ABC (secondary)
October 10 Richland, Washington KNDU 25 ABC (primary)
NBC (secondary)
November 5 New York City WUHF 31 Independent
November 6 Carbondale, Illinois WSIU-TV 15 NET
November 13 Augusta/Portland, Maine WCBB 10 NET Maine's first educational station; now part of the Maine Public Broadcasting Network
November 19 Waycross/Valdosta, Georgia WXGA-TV 8 NET Part of the Georgia Public Broadcasting television network
November 27 Hilo, Hawaii KHAW-TV 11 NBC Satellite of KHAW-TV (now KHON-TV)/Honolulu
December 18 Flagstaff, Arizona KVLS 13 Independent
Fresno, California KAIL 53
Close

Network affiliation changes

More information Date, City of license/Market ...
Date City of license/Market Station Channel Old affiliation New affiliation Notes/Ref.
April 2 Milwaukee, Wisconsin WISN-TV 12 ABC CBS
WITI 6 CBS (primary)
NTA Film Network (secondary)		 ABC (exclusive)
September 16 Louisville, Kentucky WAVE 3 NBC (primary)
ABC (secondary)		 NBC (exclusive)
October 3 Klamath Falls, Oregon KOTI 2 NBC (primary)
ABC (secondary)		 ABC (primary)
NBC (secondary)
Medford, Oregon KOBI 5 CBS (primary)
ABC/NBC (secondary)		 CBS (primary)
ABC (secondary)
Unknown date Lexington, Kentucky WKYT-TV (formerly WKXP-TV) 27 CBS (exclusive) ABC (primary)
CBS (secondary)
Mankato, Minnesota KEYC-TV 12 NBC CBS
Ogden, Utah KVOG-TV 9 NTA Film Network Independent
Close

Station closures

More information Date, City of license/Market ...
Date City of license/Market Station Channel Affiliation First air date Notes/Ref.
February 16 Fort Pierce, Florida WTVI 19 CBS November 23, 1960
August Douglas, Arizona KCDA 3 Independent February 27, 1961
Rochester, New York WVET-TV 10 CBS/ABC November 1, 1953 Merged operations with current CBS affiliate WHEC-TV
Close

Births

Main article: 1961 in television § Births

Deaths

Main article: 1961 in television § Deaths

References

Sources

External links

Related Articles

Wikiwand AI