1982 in television

See also: 1981 in television, other events of 1982, 1983 in television and the list of 'years in television'.

Events

• March 4 The short-lived Police Squad! airs on ABC (last episode was shown on July 8.
• March 26 - The final episode of the soap opera Search for Tomorrow airs on CBS. NBC picks it up immediately; the first new episode of the serial airs on the network March 29.
• July 28 - Comedian Andy Kaufman and professional wrestler Jerry Lawler get into an on-air fight during an interview on the Late Night with David Letterman show. The event was later revealed to be a hoax.
• October 10 Boys from the Blackstuff premieres on BBC TWO (last episode was shown on November 7).
• November 2 - Channel 4 starts broadcasting in the UK.
• December 29 - A puzzling appearance by Nastassja Kinski on Late Night with David Letterman. Kinski appears with an unusual hair style, which Letterman described as "looking like there was an owl perched on top of her head". Kinski seemed to be somewhat oblivious to the jokes and everything else that was going on around her. The show's second guest, comedian John Candy, came out with his hair moussed up in a pile.
• Surround Sound is introduced for home use by Dolby.

Debuts

• Cagney & Lacey premieres (1982-1988)
• Cheers debuts on NBC (1982-1993)
• Fame, adapted from the 1980 film of the same name, premieres on NBC (1982-1987)
• Family Ties debuts on NBC (1982-1989)
• Knight Rider premieres on NBC (1982-1986)
• Late Night with David Letterman debuts on NBC after The Tonight Show (1982-1993)
• Newhart premieres on CBS (1982-1990)
• Remington Steele premieres (1982-1987)
• Silver Spoons premieres on NBC (1982-1987)
• Square Pegs premieres on CBS (1982-1983)
• St. Elsewhere premieres on NBC (1982-1988)
• The Journal premieres on CBC (1982-1992)
• The Young Ones premieres on the BBC (1982, 1984)

Popular Television Shows

• Meet the Press (1947-present)
• Candid Camera (1948-present)
• Truth or Consequences (1950-1988)
• Search for Tomorrow (1951-1986)
• American Bandstand (1952-1989)
• 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 Tonight Show (1954-present)
• Captain Kangaroo (1955-1984)
• This Is Your Life (UK) (1955-2003)
• As the World Turns (1956-present)
• 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-present)
• Coronation Street (UK) (1960-present)
• Dr Who (UK) (1963-1989)
• General Hospital (1963-present)
• Another World (1964-1999)
• Top of the Pops (UK) (1964-present)
• Days of Our Lives (1965-present)
• World of Sport (UK) (1965-1985)
• Play School (1966-present)
• 60 Minutes (1968-present)
• One Life to Live (1968-present)
• Sesame Street (1969-present)
• The Benny Hill Show (UK) (1969-1989)
• All My Children (1970-present)
• Monday Night Football (1970-present)
• Play for Today (UK) (1970-1984)
• Masterpiece Theatre (1971-present)
• The Old Grey Whistle Test (1971-1987)
• Are You Being Served? (UK) (1972-1985)
• Emmerdale Farm (UK) (1972-present)
• John Craven's Newsround (UK) (1972-present)
• M*A*S*H (1972-1983)
• The Price Is Right (1972-present)
• Last of the Summer Wine (UK) (1973-present)
• Match Game (1962-1969, 1973-1984, 1990-1991, 1998-1999)
• Schoolhouse Rock! (1973-1986)
• The Young and the Restless (1973-present)
• Derrick (1974-1998)
• Happy Days (1974-1984)
• Little House on the Prairie (1974-1983)
• The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast (1974-1984)
• Fawlty Towers (UK) (1975-present)
• Good Morning America (1975-present)
• One Day at a Time (1975-1984)
• Ryan's Hope (1975-1989)
• Saturday Night Live (1975-present)
• the fifth estate (Canada) (1975-present)
• The Jeffersons (1975-1985)
• Wheel of Fortune (1975-present)
• Alice (1976-1985)
• Family Feud (1976-1985, 1988-1995, 1999-present)
• Laverne & Shirley (1976-1983)
• Quincy, M.E. (1976-1983)
• Second City Television (SCTV) (Canada) (1976-1984)
• The P.T.L. Club (1976-1987)
• CHiPs (1977-1983)
• Fantasy Island (1977-1984)
• The Love Boat (1977-1986)
• Three's Company (1977-1984)
• Battle of the Planets (1978-1985)
• Dallas (1978-1991)
• Diff'rent Strokes (1978-1986)
• Taxi (1978-1983)
• Benson (1979-1986)
• 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)
• You Can't Do That on Television (Canada) (1979-1990)
• Archie Bunker's Place (1980-1983)
• It's a Living (1980-1982, 1985-1989)
• Magnum, P.I. (1980-1988)
• Solid Gold (1980-1988)
• That's Incredible! (1980-1984)
• The Other 'Arf (UK) (1980-1984)
• Too Close for Comfort (1980-1986)
• Dynasty (1981-1989)
• Entertainment Tonight (1981-present)
• Falcon Crest (1981-1990)
• Gimme a Break! (1981-1987)
• Hill Street Blues (1981-1987)
• SCTV Network 90 (US) (1981-1983)
• Simon and Simon (1981-1988)
• The Fall Guy (1981-1986)
• Walt Disney (1981-1983)
• Tattletales (1974-1978, 1982-1984)

Ending this year

• The Lawrence Welk Show (1955-1982)
• The Doctors (1963-1982)
• The Tomorrow Show (1973-1982)
• Barney Miller (1975-1982)
• In Search of... (1977-1982)
• Lou Grant (1977-1982)
• Mork and Mindy (1978-1982)
• WKRP in Cincinnati (1978-1982)
• Bosom Buddies (1980-1982)
• Fridays (1980-1982)
• Texas (1980-1982)

Changes of network affiliation

• Search for Tomorrow moves from CBS to NBC

Births

• January 1 - Fearne Cotton, British television presenter
• January 19 - Jodie Sweetin
• July 17 - Brooke Kinsella
• October 15 - Toran Caudell, voice actor ("Arnold" from Hey Arnold! in 1996-1997 and "Wolfgang" in 1997)

Deaths

• January 5 - Hans Conried, actor
• January 10 - Paul Lynde, actor and comedian known for his work on Bewitched and Hollywood Squares
• January 18 - Trent Lehman, a former child actor on Nanny and the Professor, suicide
• March 5 - John Belushi, actor
• May 15 - Hugh Beaumont, actor on Leave it to Beaver
• July 21 - Dave Garroway, journalist, from a self-inflicted gunshot wound
• December 7 - Will Lee, actor who played Mr. Hooper on Sesame Street
• December 23 - Jack Webb, actor, producer, best known for Dragnet