1972 in television

The year 1972 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1972.

"For the American TV schedule, see: 1972-73 American network television schedule."

Events

*January 21 - The first convention of Star Trek fans is held in New York's Statler-Hilton hotel.
*Mid-February - John Lennon and Yoko Ono cohost an entire week on "The Mike Douglas Show".
*February 19 - Sammy Davis Jr. makes a guest appearance on "All in the Family".
*March 18 - After losing a 15-year court battle over the legality of its business relationship with "The Herald-Traveler", CBS' Boston, Massachusetts affiliate WHDH-TV Channel 5 signs off the air. At 3 a.m. on March 19, WCVB takes over the Channel 5 frequency, simultaneously switching affiliations to the ABC network following CBS' loss of interest in the channel during the long legal wrangle.
*April 4 - After a three-year courtship, Emily Nugent married Ernest Bishop on "Coronation Street".
*July 21 - Victoria Wyndham makes her first appearance as vixen (and later, good girl) Rachel Davis on the soap opera "Another World".
*August 26 - Effective with this issue, "TV Guide" discontinues the practice of using a "C" to indicate color programs, and instead starts using a "BW" for monochrome, saving a lot of printer's ink in the process. At the time about half of the TV households in the U.S. had color sets.
*September 9 - "The Lawrence Welk Show" opens its 18th season on location in Hawaii.
*October 27 - Today's is the 5000th episode of Captain Kangaroo.
*November 8 - Home Box Office (HBO) is launched, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
*November 21 - In the second part of a two-part story which began the previous week, Beatrice Arthur's character, Maude Findlay, on the television sitcom "Maude", decides to go through with an abortion, in a move that shocked CBS executives and "Maude" advertisers.
*December 31 - ORTF 3ème Chaîne launches in France for the first time.

Debuts

*January 4 - "Des chiffres et des lettres" premieres on ORTF 2ème Chaîne in France (1972-present).
*January 14 - "Sanford and Son" premieres on NBC (1972-1977).
*January 15 - "Emergency!" premieres on NBC (1972-1977).
*March 13 - "Number 96" premieres on Australia's 0-10 Network (1972-1977)
*April 4 - "John Craven's Newsround" premieres (1972-present, now titled "Newsround") on BBC1.
*June 22 - The first "Tattslotto" draw on HSV-7 Melbourne
*July 8 - "Android Kikaider" premieres on TV Asahi (formerly NET) (1972-1973)
*September 4 - "The (New) Price Is Right" (1972-present), "The Joker's Wild" (1972-1975, 1978-1986), and "Gambit" (1972-1976) all premiere on CBS. Any Number, Bonus Game, and Double Prices were the three games played on the first episode of "The (New) Price Is Right".
*September 8 - "Are You Being Served?" premieres (1972-1985) on BBC1.
*September 9 - "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids" premieres on CBS (1972-1984).
** "Runaround" premieres on NBC (1972-1973).
*September 11 - "Mastermind" (1972-97, 2002-present) premieres on BBC1.
*September 12 - "Maude", a spinoff of "All in the Family" premieres on CBS (1972-1978).
*September 14 - "The Waltons" premieres on CBS (1972-1981).
*September 16 - "The Bob Newhart Show" (1972-1978) and "Bridget Loves Bernie" (1972-1973) premiere on CBS.
*September 17 "M*A*S*H" premieres on CBS (1972-1983).
*October 3 - "4 Country Reporter" premieres on CBS affiliate KDFW Channel 4; in 1986, the show moves into first-run syndication under the new name "Texas Country Reporter", eventually airing nationally on the RFD-TV satellite/cable channel. As of October 2007, the show will mark 35 years on television.
*October 14 - "Kung Fu" premieres on ABC (1972-1975).
*October 16 - "Emmerdale Farm" starts transmissions in the daytime on ITV (1972-present).
*October 19 - Prisoner-of-war drama "Colditz" debuts on BBC1.
**"The Beachcombers" premieres on CBC (1972-1989).
**"This is the Law (television)" premieres on CBC (1972-1976).
**"Canada AM" premieres on CTV (1972- present).

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-present).
*"The Today Show" (1952-present).
*"Panorama" (UK) (1953-present).
*"The Good Old Days" (UK) (1953-1983).
*"Face the Nation" (1954-present).
*"The Secret Storm" (1954-1974).
*"The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" (1962-1992).
*"Captain Kangaroo" (1955-1984).
*"Dixon of Dock Green" (UK) (1955-1976).
*"Gunsmoke" (1955-1975).
*"The Lawrence Welk Show" (1955-1982).
*"This Is Your Life" (UK) (1955-2003).
*"As the World Turns" (1956-present).
*"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).
*"Bonanza" (1959-1973).

1960s

*"Coronation Street" (UK) (1960-present).
*"Four Corners" (Australia) (1961-present).
*"It's Academic" (1961-present).
*"The Mike Douglas Show" (1961-1981).
*"The Late Late Show" (Ireland) (1962-present).
*"Z-Cars" (UK) (1962-1978).
*"Doctor Who" (UK) (1963-1989, 1996, 2005-present).
*"General Hospital" (1963-present).
*"The Doctors" (1963-1982).
*"Another World" (1964-1999).
*"Crossroads" (UK) (1964-1988, 2001-2003).
*"Jeopardy!" (1964-1975, 1984-present).
*"Top of the Pops" (UK) (1964-2006).
*"Days of Our Lives" (1965-present).
*"The Dean Martin Show" (1965-1974).
*"Tom and Jerry" (1965-1972, 1975-1977, 1980-1982)
*"World of Sport" (UK) (1965-1985).
*"Play School" (1966-present).
*"" (1966-1973).
*"The Money Programme" (UK) (1966-present).
*"The Newlywed Game" (1966-1974).
*"Ironside" (1967-1975).
*"Love is a Many Splendored Thing" (1967-1973).
*"Mannix" (1967-1975).
*"The Carol Burnett Show" (1967-1978).
*"60 Minutes" (1968-present).
*"Dad's Army" (UK) (1968-1977).
*"Hawaii Five-O" (1968-1980).
*"Here's Lucy" (1968-1974).
*"Laugh-In" (1968-1973).
*"Magpie" (UK) (1968-1980).
*"One Life to Live" (1968-present).
*"The Doris Day Show" (1968-1973).
*"The Mod Squad" (1968-1973).
*"Hee Haw" (1969-1993).
*"Love, American Style" (1969-1974).
*"Marcus Welby, M.D." (1969-1976).
*"Monty Python's Flying Circus" (UK) (1969-1974).
*"Room 222" (1969-1974).
*"Sesame Street" (1969-present).
*"The Benny Hill Show" (1969-1989).
*"The Brady Bunch" (1969-1974).
*"The Wonderful World of Disney" (1969-1979).
*"Where the Heart Is" (1969-1973).

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).
*"The Flip Wilson Show" (1970-1974).
*"The Odd Couple" (1970-1975).
*"The Partridge Family" (1970-1974).
*"All in the Family" (1971-1979).
*"Columbo" (1971-1978).
*"Masterpiece Theatre" (1971-present).
*"McMillan and Wife" (1971-1977).
*"Soul Train" (1971-present).
*"The New Dick Van Dyke Show" (1971-1974).
*"Old Grey Whistle Test" (UK) (1971-1987).
*"The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour" (1971-1974).
*"Kashi no Ki Mokku (Adventures of Pinocchio)" (Japan) (1972)
*"Devilman" (Japan) (1972-1973)

Ending this year

*March 25 - "Bewitched" (1964-1972).
*March 31 - "Bright Promise" (1969-1972).
*April 6 - "My Three Sons" (1960-1972).
*"The Clangers" (UK) (1969-1972) (with one final episode broadcast on October 10, 1974).
*"Doomwatch" (UK) (1970-1972).

Births

*January 1 - Felicity Montagu, actress.
*January 11 - Amanda Peet, actress.
*January 13 - Nicole Eggert, actress.
*March 6 - Shaquille O'Neal, basketball player
*April 3 - Jennie Garth, actress.
*April 6 - Jason Hervey, actor.
*April 20 - Carmen Electra, actress.
*June 2 - Wayne Brady, comedian.
*June 23 - Selma Blair, actress
*July 23 - Marlon Wayans, actor
*July 27 - Nic Testoni, actor
*July 28 - Elizabeth Berkley, actress.
*July 29 - Wil Wheaton, actor.
*August 9 - Liz Vassey, actress.
*August 30 - Cameron Diaz, actress
*October 5- Grant Hill, basketball player
*November 14 - Josh Duhamel, actor.
*December 19 - Alyssa Milano, actress.

Deaths

*January 16 - Ross Bagdasarian, composer, creator of "The Alvin Show"
*May 13 - Dan Blocker, actor (Hoss Cartwright on "Bonanza")
*October 16 - Leo G. Carroll, actor
*December 29 - Theo Goetz, soap opera actor (Papa Bauer on "The Guiding Light")