1964 in British television

none 1964 British television This is a list of British television related events from 1964. Events January 1 January – The first episode of the pop music show Top of the Pops airs on BBC TV.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/804da28a520940a28138a620e618fb91 Top of the Pops – BBC Television – 1 January 1964 – BBC Genome genome.ch.bbc.co.uk 21 November 2018 22 November 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20181122010001/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/804da28a520940a28138a620e618fb91 dead The first programme is produced at the BBC's Dickenson Road Studios in Rusholme, Manchester, presented by Jimmy Savile, and the first two acts featured are Dusty Springfield with "I Only Want to Be with You" and The Rolling Stones with "I Wanna Be Your Man".Simpson Jeff Top of the Pops: 1964–2002 2002 BBC Worldwide 978-0-563-53476-1 1955 https://books.google.com/books?id=oImFAAAAIAAJ 2020-07-28 2022-03-26 https://web.archive.org/web/20220326173551/https://books.google.com/books?id=oImFAAAAIAAJ liveTop of the Pops – BBC Studios (Rusholme) https://www.manchesterbeat.com/index.php/tv-and-radio/top-of-the-pops-bbc-studios-rusholme www.manchesterbeat.com 2020-07-28 2020-07-25 https://web.archive.org/web/20200725220149/https://www.manchesterbeat.com/index.php/tv-and-radio/top-of-the-pops-bbc-studios-rusholme live 4 January – Test transmissions begin for BBC2.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1964-01-04 BBC Two England – 4 January 1964 – BBC Genome genome.ch.bbc.co.uk 21 November 2018 17 October 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201017071911/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1964-01-04 dead February 9 February – Launch of BBC Wales TV. 18 February – BBC1's sitcom Steptoe and Son becomes one of the most popular programmes on television, watched by an audience of 21.54 million viewers. March 6 March – Vision On, the first ever programme for deaf children, is launched on BBC TV.Vision On – BBC TV https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/479a972e2c304e2aa818d6fcfea7a19b 28 June 2026 Radio Times London, United Kingdom 6 March 1964 BBC Genome Project 25 March – The Beatles make their first appearance on Top of the Pops, with a pre-recorded performance of the single "Can't Buy Me Love". 30 March – Tyne Tees Television's regional news magazine North East Roundabout is relaunched as North East Newsview. April 1 April – The Bressay transmitting station in Shetland comes into service, making the islands the last area of the United Kingdom to get a television transmitter. 6 April – Associated-Rediffusion changes its name to Rediffusion, London. 20 April – The scheduled opening night of BBC2, the UK's third television channel, is disrupted by power cuts in London, and all that can be screened is newsreader Gerald Priestland delivering apologies from Alexandra Palace.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1964-04-20 BBC Two England – 20 April 1964 – BBC Genome genome.ch.bbc.co.uk 21 November 2018 25 January 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210125165022/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1964-04-20 deadBBC2 Opening Night http://www.tvhistory.btinternet.co.uk/html/bbc2_opening.html British TV History 5 October 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20121010144949/http://www.tvhistory.btinternet.co.uk/html/bbc2_opening.html 10 October 2012 dead The existing BBC TV channel is renamed BBC1. 21 April – Play School is first broadcast on BBC2.Play School – BBC2 https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/18af2c644648405e84f890f3c54e0cbf 2 July 2026 Radio Times London, United Kingdom 21 April 1964 BBC Genome Project The channel's launch schedule, abandoned on the previous day, is shown in full this evening. 26 April – News Review, a summary of the week's news with subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing, is broadcast for the first time as part of the launch of BBC2.News Review – BBC2 https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/f67d9add25824f16903f3f554b24706e 2 July 2026 Radio Times London, United Kingdom 26 April 1964 BBC Genome Project 30 April – Television sets manufactured from this date are required to receive UHF channels. May 5 May – The documentary film Seven Up! is broadcast on ITV, showing the lives of fourteen school children. Subsequent films in the series see them interviewed every seven years. 12 May – ITV London region starts showing the US science fiction horror anthology series The Twilight Zone. 13 May – The character Martha Longhurst dies of a heart attack in the snug of The Rovers Return on Coronation Street. 30 May – The 26-part documentary series The Great War covering events in World War I begins airing on the BBC. July July – Associated Television's series Emergency – Ward 10 shows the first kiss on television between black and white actors, Joan Hooley playing surgeon Louise Mahler and John White playing Dr. Giles Farmer. August 4 August – The first portable televisions go on sale. 22 August – Football's first Match of the Day airs on BBC2.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/8b92e63ea30143bab1ef6984b1599b31 Match of the Day – BBC Two England – 22 August 1964 – BBC Genome genome.ch.bbc.co.uk 21 November 2018 22 November 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20181122010639/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/8b92e63ea30143bab1ef6984b1599b31 dead The following programmes move to BBC1. September 13 September – ITV broadcasts Clive Exton's black absurdist medico-legal satire The Trial of Dr Fancy in ATV's Armchair Theatre series, some two years after it was filmed, ATV having originally felt it would give offence to viewers.Barker, Dennis. "Obituary: Clive Exton". The Guardian (London) 21 August 2007. 18 September – Doctor Who goes to air on NZBC in New Zealand making it the first country outside of the United Kingdom to broadcast the long-running science fiction series. First airing in the region of Christchurch from 18 September to 11 December 1964, then in Auckland from 30 October 1964 to 29 January 1965, Wellington from 6 November 1964 to 5 February 1965 and Dunedin from 5 March to 28 May 1965. 28 September – In the Midlands, BBC1 airs the first edition of its local news programme, Midlands Today.Young Graham http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/nostalgia/bbc-midlands-today-celebrates-50-7840021 BBC Midlands Today celebrates 50 year anniversary Trinity Mirror Birmingham Mail 27 September 2014 24 April 2015 October 4 October – The first episode of Stingray airs on Anglia, ATV London, Border, Grampian and Southern. It was the first British television series to have all of its episodes filmed in colour, although it would not be broadcast in colour until December 1969. 9 October – Southern launches a weekly news magazine for the south east called Friday at Ten. 10 October – The 1964 Summer Olympics opening ceremony at Tokyo, Japan, with the first live Olympic broadcast via geostationary communication satellite. 10 October – Danger Man (US: Secret Agent) returns to ITV in longer episodes after being cancelled in 1961. The first episode airs on ATV London three days in advance of ATV Midlands. 15 October – 1964 United Kingdom general election. The BBC moves this evening's episode of Steptoe and Son to a later time slot to allow voters to get to the polls in the early evening.Alban Webb The Invention of General Election Broadcasting: 1960– https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/100-voices/elections/invention-3 History of the BBC BBC 2023-09-04 28 October – The Wednesday Play premieres on BBC1.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/e19f4d582bd54905b679b6c32af2dd23 The Wednesday Play: A Crack in the Ice – BBC One London – 28 October 1964 – BBC Genome genome.ch.bbc.co.uk 9 November 2018 8 August 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200808100821/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/e19f4d582bd54905b679b6c32af2dd23 dead November 2 November – ATV's soap opera Crossroads premieres on ITV. December 6 December – BBC2 goes on air in the Midlands and East Anglia. The Sutton Coldfield transmitting station initially cannot relay BBC2 beyond an area reception to the Midlands region, resulting in a staggered signal. 15 December – Peter Watkins' docudrama Culloden is shown on BBC1.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/c46e65ed0251414083578adc8f01044d Culloden – BBC One London – 15 December 1964 – BBC Genome genome.ch.bbc.co.uk 9 November 2018 10 November 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20181110040635/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/c46e65ed0251414083578adc8f01044d dead Undated Some 90% of British households now own a television, compared to around 25% in 1953 and 65% in 1959.Tim Lambert http://www.localhistories.org/britain1948.html Britain Since 1948 13 April 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20140221221922/http://www.localhistories.org/britain1948.html 21 February 2014 live New channels DateChannel20 April BBC2 Debuts BBC Television Service/BBC TV/BBC1 1 January – Top of the Pops (1964–2006, 2006–present at Christmas) 19 January – Martin Chuzzlewit (1964) 6 March – Vision On (1964–1976) 30 March – Detective (1964–1969) 6 April – Cluff (1964–1965) 11 April – Baxter On... (1964) 19 April Hamlet at Elsinore (1964) Rupert of Hentzau (1964) 3 May – The Kathy Kirby Show (1964–1966) 18 May – Sherlock Holmes (1964–1968) 31 May – Silas Marner (1964) 9 June – The Graham Stark Show (1964) 21 June – The Roy Castle Show (1964–1970) 1 July – Catch Hand (1964) 2 July – Call the Gun Expert (1964) 4 July – The Four Seasons of Rosie Carr (1964) 5 July – The Indian Tales of Rudyard Kipling (1964) 6 July – Thorndyke (1964) 9 July – The Valiant Varneys (1964–1965) 12 July – Smuggler's Bay (1964) 26 July – Kipling (1964) 31 July – A World of His Own (1964–1965) 8 August – Diary of a Young Man (1964) 13 August – Lance at Large (1964) 18 August – Swizzlewick (1964) 23 August – The Children of the New ForestJuly 2026 InternetArchiveBot (1964) 18 September – The Big Noise (1964) 28 September – Midlands Today (1964–present) 30 September – The Wednesday Play (1964–1970) 4 October – The Count of Monte Cristo (1964) 22 October – Bewitched (1964–1972) 28 October – Curtain of Fear (1964) 13 November – Not So Much a Programme, More a Way of Life (1964–1965) 19 November – The Singing Ringing Tree (1957) 20 November – R3 (1964–1965) 4 December – The Likely Lads (1964–1966) 11 December – Frankie Howerd (1964–1966) 15 December – Culloden (1964) 19 December – Scott On... (1964–1965; 1968–1972; 1974) BBC2 21 April Play School (1964–1988) Jazz 625 (1964–1966) 24 April – Story Parade (1964–1965) 25 April – Madame Bovary (1964) 26 April – Melissa (1964) 27 April – Impromptu (1964) 2 May Horizon (1964—present) Theatre 625 (1964–1968) 23 May – Ann Veronica (1964) 30 May – The Great War (1964) 20 June – Mary Barton (1964) 21 June – The Midnight Men (1964) 6 July – The Beat Room (1964–1965) 18 July – Witch Wood (1964) 2 August – The Sleeper (1964) 22 August – Match of the Day (1964–present) 12 September The Ordeal of Richard Feverel (1964) The Massingham Affair (1964) Late Night Line-Up (1964–1972) 8 October – The Old Wives' Tale (1964) 8 October – Thursday Theatre (1964–1965) 14 November – Esther Waters (1964) 19 November – Simon and Laura (1964) 12 December – Six (1964–1965) (Anthology series) 13 December – The Brothers Karamazov (1964–1965) 25 December – Muses with Milligan (1964–1965) Unknown – The Virginian (1962–1971) ITV 2 January – Foreign Affairs (1964) 3 January – It's Dark Outside (1964–1965) 6 January – Second City Reports (1964) 7 January – The Fugitive (1963–1967) 17 January – A Touch of the Norman Vaughans (1964) 19 January – Studio '64 (1964) 12 February – How to Be an Alien (1964) 28 February – The Villains (1964–1965) 3 March – The Barnstormers (1964) 28 March – The Protectors (1964) 16 April – The Outer Limits (1963–1965) 5 May – Seven Up! (1964–present) 14 May – Cinema (1964–1975) 5 July Blackpool Night Out (1964–1965) Miss Adventure (1964) 9 July – The Hidden Truth (1964) 16 July – HMS Paradise (1964–1965) 10 August – A Choice of Coward (1964) 29 August – Fire Crackers (1964–1965) 4 September – It's a Woman's World (1964) 29 September – Mike (1964) 2 October – Paris 1900 (1964) 3 October – The Sullavan Brothers (1964–1965) 4 October The Eamonn Andrews Show (1964–1969) Stingray (1964–1965) 10 October – Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1964–1968) 17 October – Redcap (1964–1966) 21 October – Dave's Kingdom (1964) 2 November – Crossroads (1964–1988, 2001–2003) 13 November – Victoria Regina (1964) 14 November – Gideon's Way (1964–1966) 29 November – Just Jimmy (1964–1968) 16 December – It's Tarbuck (1964–1965, 1970–1973) 21 December – That's for Me (1964–1965) Television shows Returning this year after a break of one year or longer 10 October – Danger Man (1960–1961, 1964–1968) Continuing television shows 1920s BBC Wimbledon (1927–1939, 1946–2019, 2021–2024) 1930s Trooping the Colour (1937–1939, 1946–2019, 2023–present) The Boat Race (1938–1939, 1946–2019, 2021–present) BBC Cricket (1939, 1946–1999, 2020–2024) 1940s The Ed Sullivan Show (1948–1971) Come Dancing (1949–1998) 1950s Andy Pandy (1950–1970, 2002–2005) Watch with Mother (1952–1975) Rag, Tag and Bobtail (1953–1965) The Good Old Days (1953–1983) Panorama (1953–present) Picture Book (1955–1965) Sunday Night at the London Palladium (1955–1967, 1973–1974) Take Your Pick! (1955–1968, 1992–1998) Double Your Money (1955–1968) Dixon of Dock Green (1955–1976) Crackerjack (1955–1970, 1972–1984, 2020–2021) ITV Wimbledon (1956–1968) Opportunity Knocks (1956–1978, 1987–1990) This Week (1956–1978, 1986–1992) Armchair Theatre (1956–1974)Mark Duguid "Armchair Theatre (1956–74)", BFI screenonline What the Papers Say (1956–2008)What the Papers Say in pictures https://www.theguardian.com/media/gallery/2008/may/29/what.the.papers.say The Guardian 2 April 2022 29 May 2008 The Sky at Night (1957–present) Picture Book (1958–1965) Blue Peter (1958–present) Grandstand (1958–2007) Noggin the Nog (1959–1965, 1970, 1979–1982) 1960s Sykes and A... (1960–1965) The Flintstones (1960–1966) Coronation Street (1960–present) The Avengers (1961–1969) Points of View (1961–present) Songs of Praise (1961–present) Compact (1962–1965) Steptoe and Son (1962–1965, 1970–1974) Hugh and I (1962–1967) The Saint (1962–1969) Z-Cars (1962–1978) Animal Magic (1962–1983) The Human Jungle (1963–1965) Ready Steady Go! (1963–1966) Doctor Who (1963–1989, 1996, 2005–present) World in Action (1963–1998) Ending this year Boyd Q.C. (1956–1964) Gwlad y Gan (1958–1964) Ghost Squad (1961–1964) Happily Ever After (1961–1964) The Human Jungle (1963–1964) Births 12 January – Clare Holman, actress (Inspector Morse) 13 January – Bill Bailey, comedian 1 February – Linus Roache, actor 3 February – Gary Webster, actor 16 February – Christopher Eccleston, actor 24 February – Andy Crane, television and radio presenter 25 February – Lee Evans, comedian and actor 11 March – Shane Richie, actor 25 April – Fiona Bruce, journalist, newsreader and television presenter 13 June – Kathy Burke, actress and comedian 18 June – Linda Davidson, actress, writer and media executive 27 June – Lynn Parsons, radio and television presenter 3 July – Fionnuala Ellwood, actress 12 July – Gaby Roslin, television presenter and actress 21 July – Ross Kemp, actor and journalist 22 July – Bonnie Langford, actress and entertainer 23 July – Matilda Ziegler, actress 25 August – Clive Myrie, news presenter 27 August – Cheryl Fergison, actress 1 October – Harry Hill, born Matthew Hall, comedian, television presenter and author, previously a medical doctor 8 October – Ian Hart, actor October – Donna Traynor, Northern Ireland news presenter 18 November – Nadia Sawalha, actress and television presenter 19 November – Susie Dent, lexicographer on Countdown 21 November – Liza Tarbuck, actress and television presenter 26 November – Lia Williams, actress and director 12 December – Reeta Chakrabarti, television news presenter Deaths 24 February – Frank Conroy, actor, aged 73Wilson Scott Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed. 2016 McFarland 9781476625997 153 https://books.google.com/books?id=FOHgDAAAQBAJ&dq=%22Frank+Parish+Conroy%22&pg=PA153 15 January 2019 25 September – Robert Wilson, singer and TV presenter, aged 57"Robert Wilson – The Voice of Scotland Volume One". Beltona Record Company, accessed 27 October 2010 10 December – Charles Samuel Franklin, radio and television engineer, designer of broadcasting antennae and aerials, aged 85https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Charles_Samuel_Franklin Charles Samuel Franklin Graces Guide 3 March 2020 See also 1964 in British music 1964 in British radio 1964 in the United Kingdom List of British films of 1964 References External links List of 1964 British television series at IMDb 1964