1951 in television

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

[edit] Events

• 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.
• 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 Golden Gate 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.

[edit] 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 (1951–1957). 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).

[edit] 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)

[edit] Television shows

[edit] Ending this year

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

[edit] Births

• January 7 - Helen Worth, British actress.
• January 12 - Rush Limbaugh, radio personality.
• February 15 - Jane Seymour, actress.
• February 16 - William Katt, actor.
• March 13 - Fred Berry, actor († 2003).
• April 21 - Tony Danza, actor.
• May 13 - Selina Scott, British television presenter.
• June 10 - Tress MacNeille, voice actress, Animaniacs, Tiny Toon Adventures, The Simpsons.
• June 27 - Julia Duffy, actress.
• July 16 - Lorraine Chase, actress.
• July 17 - Lucie Arnaz, actress, daughter of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.
• July 23 - Edie McClurg, actress.
• July 24 - Lynda Carter, Wonder Woman actress.
• August 3 - Jay North, child actor.
• August 5 - Jan Francis, actress.
• September 2 - Mark Harmon, actor.
• September 7 - Julie Kavner, actress, Rhoda, The Simpsons.
• September 26 - Robin Askwith, actor.
• October 18 - Pam Dawber, actress.
• December 4 - Patricia Wettig, actress.
• December 5 - Morgan Brittany, actress.