1997 in television
See also:
1996 in television,
other events of 1997,
1998 in television and the
list of 'years in television'.
Events
- January - The U.S. television networks adopt ratings systems for their programming, similar to those used for motion pictures.
- January 3 - NBC's Today Show Bryant Gumbel signs off for the last time.
- February 9 - The Simpsons surpasses The Flintstones as the longest-running prime-time animated series.
- June 6 - Actress Farrah Fawcett makes a bizarre appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman. Fawcett tells long, rambling stories without a point, fails to understand simple questions, and gets easily distracted by things like blinking lights on the set.
- Elton John performs "Candle In The Wind" at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales.
- October 13 - Canadian cable channels like Comedy Network, Food Network, HGTV, Prime, Teletoon began launching, Speedvision was introduced there.
- November - a third production of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II's version of Cinderella airs on ABC. This version, starring Brandy Norwood and Whitney Houston, is produced by The Walt Disney Company, who made their own version of the story as an animated film in 1950.
- November 9 - BBC News 24 launched.
- December - God Save The Queen last played at closedown on BBC1 in the UK.
Debuts
Popular Television Shows
Last edited 25th August 2004
Ending this year
Births
Deaths
- February 26 - David Doyle, actor
- April 15 - Donald Bexley, actor on Sanford & Son
- May 4 - Alvy Moore, actor on Green Acres
- May 11 - Howard Morton, character actor
- June 8 - Reid Shelton, actor
- June 24 - Brian Keith, actor
- July 4 - Charles Kuralt, journalist
- August 27 - Brandon Tartikoff, former president of NBC
- September 9 - Burgess Meredith, actor
- September 17 - Red Skelton, comedian
- October 16 - Audra Lindley, actress on Three's Company
- October 24 - Don Messick, voice actor
- December 18 - Chris Farley, accidental overdose of cocaine and morphine
- December 25 - Denver Pyle, actor
