1955 in American television

none 1955 This is a list of American television-related events in 1955. Events Date Event Ref March 5 Elvis Presley makes his first television performance on Louisiana Hayride, a program shown locally on KSLA in Shreveport, Louisiana. March 15 Andy Griffith stars in his television debut in the play No Time for Sergeants, broadcast by the American Broadcasting Company in The United States Steel Hour series. April 1 The DuMont Television Network drastically decreases its programming; just eight series to keep the network operating, in anticipation of its eventual shutdown sixteen months later. May 9 Harpo Marx makes a memorable appearance on I Love Lucy. Jim Henson's puppet show Sam and Friends first airs on NBC O&O station WRC-TV in Washington, D.C. June 7 The quiz show craze begins with the premiere of The 64,000 Dollar Question. The series spawns many imitations, including Twenty-One the next year. September 28 World Series baseball is broadcast in color for the first time in the U.S., with WITN-TV in Washington, North Carolina signing on the air with the first game of the 1955 World Series as their first telecast. WITN history Networks and services Launches Network Type Launch date Notes Source CatholicTVCable televisionJanuary 1 Television programs Debuts Date Debut Network January 2 The Bob Cummings Show (also known as Love That Bob) NBCMcNeil Alex Total Television 1996 Penguin Books USA, Inc. New York, New York 0-14-02-4916-8 497 4th January 3 Hollywood Today NBC January 5 Norby NBC January 17 TV Reader's Digest ABC January 19 The Millionaire CBS January 22 Ozark Jubilee ABC February 3 Star Tonight ABC February 27 Key to the Ages ABC April Paul Dixon Show WLWT April 9 Science Fiction Theatre Syndication May 3Have a HeartDumont May 9 Sam and Friends WRC-TV June 3It's Alec Templeton TimeDumont June 25 The Soldiers NBC June 28 Talent Varieties ABC July 2 The Lawrence Welk Show ABC July 20 Frankie Laine Time CBS September 6 The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp ABC September 10 Gunsmoke CBS September 10 It's Always Jan CBS September 12 Medical Horizons ABC September 13 Kings Row ABC September 14Hollywood Preview DuMont September 14 MGM Parade ABC September 20 Cheyenne ABC September 20 Joe and Mabel CBS September 26 Jungle Jim Syndication September 27 Casablanca ABC September 28 Brave Eagle CBS September 29 Sergeant Preston of the Yukon CBS October 1 The Honeymooners CBS October 2 Alfred Hitchcock Presents CBS October 3 Captain Kangaroo CBS October 3 The Mickey Mouse Club ABC October 7 Crossroads ABC October 20 Wanted CBS October 31 Matinee Theatre NBC Changing network affiliation Program Moving from Moving to Life Is Worth Living DuMont ABC Ending this year Date Program Network First aired Status Notes/References January 1 China Smith First-run syndication June 1, 1952 Ended January 3 The Ilona Massey Show DuMont November 1, 1954 Ended January 9 Opera Cameos DuMont November 8, 1953 Ended January 27 So You Want to Lead a Band ABC August 5, 1954 Ended February 11 The Stranger DuMont June 25, 1954 Ended February 17 One Minute Please DuMont July 6, 1954 Ended February 26 Space Patrol ABC March 9, 1950 Ended March Wrestling from Marigold DuMont September 17, 1949 Ended March 6 The Johns Hopkins Science Review DuMont March 9, 1948 (on CBS) Ended March 11 The Jack Carson Show NBC October 22, 1954 Ended March 11 Stories of the Century Syndication 1954 Canceled March 23 I Married Joan NBC October 15, 1952 Canceled April 1 Captain Video and His Video Rangers DuMont June 27, 1949 Ended April 1 DuMont Evening News DuMont September 1954 Ended April 2 The Vampira Show ABC April 30, 1954 Ended April 6 Concert Tonight DuMont December 30, 1953 Ended April 6 Norby NBC January 5, 1955 Canceled April 7 The Ernie Kovacs Show DuMont December 30, 1952 (on NBC) Canceled April 8 Dear Phoebe NBC September 1954 Canceled April 13 The Stu Erwin Show ABC October 21, 1950 Canceled April 22 Where's Raymond? ABC October 1953 Canceled May 3 Twenty Questions DuMont November 2, 1949 Canceled May 4 The Best of Broadway CBS September 15, 1954 Canceled May 22 Key to the Ages ABC February 27, 1955 Canceled May 31 Danger CBS September 26, 1950 Ended June 12 Mister Peepers NBC July 3, 1952 Ended June 14 The Elgin Hour ABC June 14, 1955 Ended June 14 Have a Heart DuMont May 3, 1955 Ended June 16 Willy CBS September 1954 Canceled June 18 Foreign Intrigue Syndication October 18, 1951 Ended June 23 The Public Defender First-run syndication 1954 Ended June 25 The Imogene Coca Show First-run syndication 1954 Canceled June 25 Tom Corbett, Space Cadet DuMont October 2, 1950 (on CBS) Ended June 26 The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse ABC 1953 Canceled June 30 The Jane Froman Show CBS October 18, 1952 Ended July All About Baby DuMont 1953 Ended July 1 Concerning Miss Marlowe NBC July 5, 1954 Ended July 1 Hawkins Falls NBC June 17, 1950 Ended July 1 Treasury Men in Action NBC September 11, 1950 (on ABC) Ended July 15 Flash Gordon DuMont/Syndication October 15, 1954 Canceled July 26 Who Said That? NBC December 9, 1948 Ended August 24 My Little Margie NBC June 16, 1952 (on CBS) Canceled August 26 It's Alec Templeton Time DuMont June 3, 1955 Ended September 1 Life with Elizabeth Syndication October 7, 1953 Canceled September 3 The Soldiers NBC June 25, 1955 Ended September 10 The Donald O'Connor Show NBC October 9, 1954 Ended September 17 Musical Chairs NBC July 9, 1955 Canceled September 24 The Man Behind the Badge CBS October 11, 1953 Ended September 29 The Halls of Ivy CBS October 19, 1954 Ended September Frankie Laine Time CBS July 20, 1955 Canceled Returned for a short run in Summer 1956 October 2 The Philco Television Playhouse NBC October 3, 1948 Ended October 7 The Name's the Same ABC December 5, 1951 Ended October 17 Sherlock Holmes ABC October 18, 1954 Ended November 1 Talent Varieties ABC June 28, 1955 Ended November 22 The Adventures of Kit Carson Syndication August 11, 1951 Ended December 25 The Colgate Comedy Hour NBC September 10, 1950 Ended Unknown The Jo Stafford Show CBS 1954 Canceled Unknown That's My Boy CBS 1954 Canceled Unknown Time for Beany Paramount Television Network February 28, 1949 Ended Unknown The Red Buttons Show CBS October 14, 1952 Ended Unknown NFL on DuMont DuMont 1951 Ended Unknown Waterfront Syndication August 21, 1954 Ended Television stations Station launches Date City of License/Market Station Channel Affiliation Notes/Ref. January 1 West Palm Beach, Florida WEAT-TV 12 ABC January 5 Minneapolis, Minnesota KEYD-TV 9 DuMont January 7 Mt. Cheaha/Birmingham, Alabama WCIQ 7 NET Alabama Educational Television January 8 Chapel Hill, North Carolina (Raleigh/Durham) WUNC-TV 4 NET/UNC-TV January 23 Las Vegas, Nevada KLRJ-TV 2 NBC (primary) ABC (secondary) February 3 Fairbanks, Alaska KTVF 11 CBS February 12 Dothan, Alabama WTVY 9 CBS February 13 Jefferson City/Columbia, Missouri KRCG 13 CBS (primary) ABC (secondary) February 14 St. Petersburg/Tampa, Florida WXFL 8 NBC February 28 Phoenix, Arizona KTVK 3 ABC March 1 Fairbanks, Alaska KFAR-TV 2 NBC March 6 Jackson, Tennessee WBBJ-TV 7 CBS March 8 Portland, Oregon KLOR 12 ABC (primary) DuMont (secondary) March 14 Duluth, Minnesota KDAL-TV 3 NBC (primary) ABC (secondary) March 15 Lexington, Kentucky WLEX-TV 18 NBC (primary) ABC/DuMont/CBS (secondary) March 20 Sacramento, California KBET-TV 10 CBS March 25 Lewiston, Maine WLAM-TV 17 DuMont March 27 Providence, Rhode Island WPRO-TV 12 CBS April 1 Tampa, Florida WTVT 13 CBS April 3 Waco, Texas KWTX-TV 10 Independent April 14 Baton Rouge, Louisiana WBRZ-TV 2 NBC (primary) ABC (secondary) April 24 Beaumont, Texas KFDM-TV 6 CBS Wailuku, Hawaii KMAU-TV 9 April 28 Birmingham, Alabama (Tuscaloosa) WBIQ 10 NET/Alabama Educational Television May 2 Boston, Massachusetts WGBH-TV 2 NET May 15 Hilo, Hawaii KPUA-TV 9 May 30 Twin Falls, Idaho KLIX-TV 11 CBS (primary) ABC/NBC (secondary) June 1 Rapid City, South Dakota KOTA-TV 23 CBS (primary) NBC/ABC (secondary) June 3 Lafayette, Louisiana KLFY 10 CBS (primary) ABC (secondary) June 8 Hattiesburg, Mississippi WDAM-TV 7 NBC (primary) ABC (secondary) June 10 San Antonio, Texas KCOR-TV 41 Spanish independent July 15 South Bend, Indiana WNDU 16 NBC July 31 Beckley/Bluefield, West Virginia WHIS-TV 6 NBC Des Moines, Iowa KRNT-TV 8 CBS August 1 Urbana, Illinois WILL-TV 12 NET August 7 Scottsbluff, Nebraska KSTF 10 ABC (primary) NBC (secondary) August 12 Miami, Florida WTHS-TV 2 NET August 29 Fayetteville/Raleigh, North Carolina WFLB-TV 18 ABC (primary) NBC/CBS (secondary) August 31 Lufkin, Texas KTRE 9 NBC (as a satellite of KPRC-TV/Houston, Texas) September 1 Wichita, Kansas KARD-TV 3 Independent September 3 Sacramento, California KCRA 3 NBC Shreveport, Louisiana (Texarkana, TX-AR) KTBS-TV 3 NBC September 5 Mobile, Alabama WKRG-TV 5 CBS September 6 Chicago, Illinois WTTW 11 NET September 11 Dallas, Texas KFJZ-TV 11 Independent September 12 San Jose/San Francisco, California KNTV 11 Independent September 15 Thomasville, Georgia/Tallahassee, Florida WCTV 6 NBC September 24 Florence/Aberdeen, South Dakota KDLO-TV 3 NBC Satellite of KELO-TV of Sioux Falls September 28 Washington/Greenville, North Carolina WITN-TV 7 NBC (primary) ABC (secondary) October 2 Huntington, West Virginia WOWK-TV 13 ABC October 3 Detroit, Michigan WTVS 56 NET Roanoke, Virginia WDBJ-TV 7 CBS October 8 Yuma, Arizona KIVA 11 October 12 Mayaguez/Aguadilla, Puerto Rico WORA-TV 5 Independent November 19 Bismarck, North Dakota KBMB-TV 12 CBS (primary) ABC (secondary) November 21 Kirksville, Missouri/Ottumwa, Iowa KTVO 3 CBS (primary) NBC (secondary) November 27 Little Rock, Arkansas KTHV 11 CBS December 3 El Dorado, Arkansas (Monroe, Louisiana) KRBB-TV 10 NBC (primary) ABC (secondary) December 4 Wailuku, Hawaii KMVI-TV 4 ABC Satellite of KULA-TV (now KITV) in Honolulu December 7 Lewiston, Idaho KLEW-TV 3 CBS (primary) ABC/NBC (secondary) December 11 Fargo, North Dakota KNOX-TV 10 ABC (primary) NBC (secondary) Network affiliation changes Date City of license/Market Station Channel Old affiliation New affiliation Notes/Ref. February 27 Milwaukee, Wisconsin WXIX-TV 19 ABC (primary) DuMont (secondary) CBS March Wilmington, Delaware WVUE 12 NBC Independent September Waco, Texas KWTX-TV 10 Independent ABC Unknown date Little Rock, Arkansas KATV 7 CBS (primary) ABC (secondary) ABC (exclusive) Unknown date Minneapolis, Minnesota KEYD-TV 5 DuMont Independent Unknown date Mobile, Alabama WEAR-TV 3 CBS ABC Unknown date Shreveport, Louisiana KSLA 12 CBS (primary) ABC and DuMont (secondary) CBS (primary) ABC (secondary) Station closures Date City of license/Market Station Channel Affiliation First air date Notes/Ref. February 2 Monterey, California KMBY-TV 8 ABC/CBS/NBC/DuMont August 17, 1953 Shared time with KSBW-TV February 4 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma KMPT 19 Independent November 22, 1953 February 12 Charleston, West Virginia WKNA-TV 49 ABC (primary) DuMont (secondary) September 17, 1953 February 26 Milwaukee, Wisconsin WCAN-TV 25 CBS September 6, 1953 February 28 Fairmont, West Virginia WJPB-TV 35 ABC (primary) NBC/DuMont (secondary) March 17, 1954 March 15 Charlotte, North Carolina WAYS-TV 36 ABC (primary) NBC/DuMont (secondary) April 1 Asbury Park, New Jersey WRTV 58 Independent December 14, 1953 Not to be confused with today's WRTV in Indianapolis, Indiana April 3 St. Paul/Minneapolis, Minnesota WMIN-TV 11 ABC/DuMont September 1, 1953 Shared time with KARE (now WTCN-TV) April 15 Des Moines, Iowa KGTV 17 Independent November 14, 1953 April 30 Stockton, California KTVU 36 NBC December 15, 1953 Not to be confused with the present-day KTVU in the San Francisco Bay Area. May 31 Atlanta, Georgia WQXI-TV 36 Independent October 13, 1954 June 30 Reading, Pennsylvania WEEU-TV 33 NBC April 9, 1953 July 1 Newport News/Norfolk, Virginia WACH-TV 33 Independent October 8, 1953 July 15 Providence, Rhode Island WNET 16 ABC (primary) DuMont (Secondary) March 23, 1954 August 1 Jackson, Mississippi WSLI 12 ABC March 27, 1954 This station's operations merged with those of CBS affiliate WJTV to allow that station to move from UHF channel 25 to VHF channel 12. December 15 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma KTVQ 25 ABC November 1, 1953 December 18 Pensacola, Florida WPFA-TV 15 DuMont October 16, 1953 Births 1955 in television#Births Deaths 1955 in television#Deaths See also 1955 in television 1955 in film 1955 in the United States List of American films of 1955 References External links List of 1955 American television series at IMDb November 2022 1955 *