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1985 in television

See also: 1984 in television, other events of 1985, 1986 in television and the list of 'years in television'.

Events

• May - In the UK, the World Snooker Championship Final between Dennis Taylor and Steve Davis draws BBC2's highest ever rating of 18 million viewers.
• August 19 - David Letterman interrupts The Today Show with a megaphone while both shows are on the air. Letterman leaned out the window of his building and announced "My name is Larry Grossman (then president of NBC News) and I'm not wearing any pants!". The Today Show was taping an interview several stories below.
• NBC becomes the first commercial television network to use satellite interconnection for its stations.
• Elmo, a new character for Sesame Street, is introduced.
• Douglas Marland starts his critically-acclaimed eight-year run writing for As the World Turns.
• Sabado Gigante moves from Chile to Univision studios in Miami, Florida.

Debuts

• March - Moonlighting premieres on ABC (1985-1989)
• 227 premieres on NBC (1985-1990)
• EastEnders premieres on the BBC (1985-present)
• Edge of Darkness premieres (1985)
• Growing Pains premieres on ABC (1985-1992)
• MacGyver premieres on ABC (1985-1992)
• The short-lived Misfits of Science premieres (1985)
• Mr. Belvedere, based on a series of three films starring Clifton Webb, premieres on ABC (1985-1990)
• Neighbours premieres in Australia (1985-present)
• The Golden Girls premieres on NBC (1985-1992)
• What's Happening Now!!, a sequel to the 1970s sitcom What's Happening!!, premieres in syndication (1985-1988)

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)
• Face the Nation (1954-present)
• The Tonight Show (1954-present)
• This Is Your Life (UK) (1955-2003)
• As the World Turns (1956-present)
• 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)
• 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)
• Masterpiece Theatre (1971-present)
• The Old Grey Whistle Test (1971-1987)
• Emmerdale Farm (UK) (1972-present)
• John Craven's Newsround (UK) (1972-present)
• The Price Is Right (1972-present)
• Last of the Summer Wine (UK) (1973-present)
• Schoolhouse Rock! (1973-1986)
• The Young and the Restless (1973-present)
• Derrick (1974-1998)
• Fawlty Towers (UK) (1975-present)
• Good Morning America (1975-present)
• Ryan's Hope (1975-1989)
• Saturday Night Live (1975-present)
• the fifth estate (Canada) (1975-present)
• Wheel of Fortune (1975-present)
• Family Feud (1976-1985, 1988-1995, 1999-present)
• The P.T.L. Club (1976-1987)
• The Love Boat (1977-1986)
• Dallas (1978-1991)
• Diff'rent Strokes (1978-1986)
• Benson (1979-1986)
• Knots Landing (1979-1993)
• The Facts of Life (1979-1988)
• Trapper John, M.D. (1979-1986)
• You Can't Do That on Television (Canada) (1979-1990)
• Magnum, P.I. (1980-1988)
• Solid Gold (1980-1988)
• 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)
• Simon and Simon (1981-1988)
• The Fall Guy (1981-1986)
• Cagney & Lacey (1982-1988)
• Cheers (1982-1993)
• Fame (1982-1987)
• Family Ties (1982-1989)
• Knight Rider (1982-1986)
• Late Night with David Letterman (1982-1993)
• Newhart (1982-1990)
• Remington Steele (1982-1987)
• Silver Spoons (1982-1987)
• St. Elsewhere (1982-1988)
• The Journal (Canada) (1982-1992)
• Fraggle Rock (1983-1988)
• Scarecrow and Mrs. King (1983-1987)
• The A-Team (1983-1987)
• Webster (1983-1989)
• Highway to Heaven (1984-1989)
• Jeopardy! (1964-1975, 1984-present)
• Kate and Allie (1984-1989)
• Miami Vice (1984-1989)
• Murder, She Wrote (1984-1996)
• Night Court (1984-1992)
• Punky Brewster (1984-1988)
• Tales from the Darkside (1984-1988)
• The Bill (UK) (1984-present)
• The Cosby Show (1984-1992)
• Who's the Boss? (1984-1992)
• It's a Living (1980-1982, 1985-1989)
• The Twilight Zone (1959-1964, 1985-1988, 2002)

Ending this year

• World of Sport (UK) (1965-1985)
• Are You Being Served? (UK) (1972-1985)
• The Jeffersons (1975-1985)
• Alice (1976-1985)
• Battle of the Planets (1978-1985)
• The Dukes of Hazzard (1979-1985)
• Cover Up (1984-1985)

Changes of network affiliation

• Diff'rent Strokes moves from NBC to ABC

Births

• January 1 - Keeley Fawcett, British actress
• October 11 - Michelle Trachtenberg, American actress

Deaths

• February 12 - Nicholas Colasanto, actor (Ernie "Coach" Pantuso) on Cheers
• May 8 - Dolph Sweet, actor {Carl Kanisky} on Gimme a Break!
• May 13 - Selma Diamond, actress on Night Court, supposedly the inspiration for a character on The Dick Van Dyke Show
• October 2 - Rock Hudson, actor
• October 12 - Johnny Olson, announcer of The Price Is Right and other game shows
• November 1 - Phil Silvers, actor, comedian
• November 29 - Bill Scott, voice actor of Bullwinkle the moose
• December 31 - Ricky Nelson, actor (on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet), musician, killed in a plane crash