1956 in television

none 1956 television radio film music The year 1956 in television involved some significant events. Below is a list of television-related events during 1956. Events January 1 – Beleteleradio begins transmissions as the first television channel in Belarus. January 25–February 5 – The 1956 Winter Olympics staged at Cortina d'Ampezzo in Italy are the first multi-sport event to be televised to an international audience,The Olympic Games: A Social Science Perspective Toohey Kristine Veal A.J. CAB International 2007 Cambridge, Massachusetts 9781845933463 https://books.google.com/books?id=ywy9aslk3M8C&pg=PA148 148 although the broadcasts are not monetized. Warsaw Pact countries have the technology to be able to broadcast coverage with a communist slant into Finland and parts of West Germany and Austria.Global TV New Media and the Cold War; 1946–69 Schwoch James University of Illinois Press 2009 Champaign 9780252033742 https://books.google.com/books?id=bFCbAn5j6gIC&pg=PA39 39–40 January 28 – Elvis Presley makes his national television debut on CBS in the United States on the program Stage Show, the first of six appearances on the series. January 30 – NBC swaps its Cleveland radio and TV stations to Westinghouse Broadcasting in exchange for Westinghouse's own Philadelphia radio and TV stations. The trade is eventually reversed in 1965."NBC, Westinghouse complete exchange." https://www.webcitation.org/6b1NvcJnI?url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/Archive-BC-IDX/56-OCR/1956-01-30-BC-OCR-Page-0059.pdf August 24, 2015 Broadcasting, January 30, 1956, pg. 59."The great swap takes place June 19; Westinghouse, NBC return to original properties." Broadcasting, June 14, 1965, pg. 83. February 14 – Television broadcasting begins in Azerbaijan (AzTV), at this time the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. February 17 – The English Midlands becomes the first part of the United Kingdom outside London to receive Independent Television (ITV), when the Associated Television Network (as ATV Midlands) begins broadcasting their weekday franchise. The weekend franchise, ABC Weekend TV, begins operation a day later. February – U.M. & M. TV Corporation acquires the pre-October 1950 Paramount Pictures cartoons and theatrical shorts, except for the Popeye and Superman cartoons. March 21 – TES-TV begins regular broadcasting as the first television channel in Finland. April 2 – As the World Turns and The Edge of Night premiere on CBS as the first half-hour American soap operas. Previously, all soap operas have been just fifteen minutes in length. April 3 – Elvis Presley appears on The Milton Berle Show in the United States. April 14 – Ampex company demonstrates a videotape recorder at the 1956 NARTB (later National Association of Broadcasters) convention in Chicago, using the first practical and commercially successful videotape format known as 2" Quadruplex. The three networks place orders for the recorders. April WNBQ (modern-day WMAQ-TV) in Chicago becomes the first TV station to broadcast all its local programming in color. United States Senator Estes Kefauver holds congressional hearings on the rising rates of juvenile crime and publishes an article in Reader's Digest named "Let's Get Rid of Tele-Violence." May 2 – Baghdad Television (BTV) goes on the air as the first television station in Iraq. May 3 – Granada Television begins broadcasting, extending ITV's coverage to Northern England. ABC Weekend TV's weekend franchise begins operation two days later. May 6 – Elvis Presley again appears on The Milton Berle Show. May 12 – HLKZ-TV began transmissions in South Korea. May 21 – Estes Kefauver and Adlai Stevenson participate in the first televised US presidential primary debate. Russell Baker 1956-05-22 Stevenson, Kefauver Find Agreement in TV Debate; H-Bomb Tests Noted STEVENSON FACES KEFAUVER ON TV en-US The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1956/05/22/archives/stevenson-kefauver-find-agreement-in-tv-debate-hbomb-tests-noted.html 2023-05-23 0362-4331Museum Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and 2016-06-15 Adlai Stevenson and Estes Kefauver - First Televised Debate, 1956 https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/adlai-stevenson-and-estes-kefauver---first-televised-debate-1956/youtube_905b50fb-c7d2-53c6-9284-1c3bc6851881.html 2023-05-23 STLtoday.com enMartin Terry 2016-06-15 From 1956, the First Televised Presidential Debate, Adlai Stevenson vs Estes Kefauver Illinois Channel https://www.illinoischannel.org/2016/06/15/from-1956-the-first-televised-presidential-debate-adlai-stevenson-vs-estes-kefauver/ 2023-05-23 en-US May 24 – The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) held the 1956 first edition of the Eurovision Song Contest in Lugano, Switzerland, hosted by it Radio svizzera italiana unset (RSI) on behalf of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG SSR). June 5 – Elvis Presley performs "Hound Dog" on The Milton Berle Show, scandalizing the audience with his suggestive hip movements. July 1 – Elvis Presley appears on The Steve Allen Show. July 3 – The first two American anthology series composed of unsold television pilots, ABC's G.E. Summer Originals and NBC's Sneak Preview, premiere simultaneously at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. July – HSV 7 Melbourne begins test transmissions. August 5 – KUAM-TV becomes the first television station in Guam. August 6 – Final telecast of the DuMont Television Network. The United States will not have a fourth major network until the launch of the Fox network in 1986. September – NBC introduces a still version of its peacock color logo. September 4 – Television broadcasting begins in Sweden as Radiotjänst TV goes on the air. September 9 – Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show in the United States for the first time. September 15 – Gabriel J. Fontana wins a record US$64,000 from the Super Bonus Stunt on Beat the Clock. September 16 – TCN-9 Sydney becomes the first Australian television station to begin regular transmission. October 1 – Ernie Kovacs becomes the host for NBC's The Tonight Show in the United States on Mondays and Tuesdays. October 8 – New York Yankees pitcher Don Larsen throws the first (and to date only) perfect game in World Series history. Mel Allen (representing the Yankees) and Vin Scully (representing the Brooklyn Dodgers) call the game for NBC. October 28 – es Televisión Española no (TVE) begins its regular broadcasts on its first channel, from Madrid, Spain, becoming the country's first regular television station.:es:La 1#Inauguración de Televisión Española (Spanish language) Retrieved January 13, 2017. October 29 First use of videotape in network television programming; CBS uses its Ampex VTR to record the evening news, anchored by Douglas Edwards. The tape is then fed to West Coast stations three hours later. Chet Huntley and David Brinkley take over anchor duties of the NBC evening newscast in the United States, which is renamed The Huntley-Brinkley Report. November 3 – The 1939 MGM movie The Wizard of Oz is shown on television for the first time in the United States, by CBS; the viewing audience is estimated at 45 million people. November 4 – HSV 7 officially inaugurates on the air in Melbourne, Australia, soon after the Australia Government starts issuing television licences. November 5 – The Australian Broadcasting Corporation makes its first television broadcast from its Sydney studios. It is inaugurated by Prime Minister Robert Menzies. November 19 – The Australian Broadcasting Corporation begins broadcast in Melbourne. Along with its Sydney counterpart, they air the 1956 Summer Olympics. November – The first use of videotape for a network television entertainment program. Jonathan Winters uses videotape and superimposing techniques to be able to play two characters in the same skit for his NBC television show. December 24 – Algeria's TV1 broadcasts for the first time as RTF Television Algiers, making it the first television network in the country.La radiodiffusion-télévision en Algérie - 1946-1957 https://alger-roi.fr/Alger/documents_algeriens/politique/pages/30_radiodiffusion_television_46_57.htm fr December 31 – Game series host Bob Barker makes his national television debut in the United States on the program Truth or Consequences. Portable TV sets (black and white) are first marketed. Programs/programmes Adventures of Superman (1952–1958) Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1962) American Bandstand (1952–1989) Annie Oakley (1954–1957) Bozo the Clown (1949–present) Candid Camera (1948–present) Captain Kangaroo (1955–1984) Cheyenne (1955–1962) Climax! (1954–1958) Come Dancing (UK) (1949–1995) Disneyland (1954–1958) Dixon of Dock Green (UK) (1955–1976) Dragnet (1951–1959) Face the Nation (1954–present) General Motors Theatre (Can) (1953–1956, 1958–1961) Gillette Cavalcade of Sports (1946–1960) Gunsmoke (1955–1975) Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951–present) Howdy Doody (1947–1960) I Love Lucy (1951–1960) Kraft Television Theatre (1947–1958) Kukla, Fran and Ollie (1947–1957) Life is Worth Living (1952–1957) Love of Life (1951–1980) Meet the Press (1947–present) The Mickey Mouse Club (1955–1959) Our Miss Brooks (1952–1956) Ozark Jubilee (1955–1960) Panorama (UK) (1953–present) Search for Tomorrow (1951–1986) Sergeant Preston of the Yukon (1955–1958) The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1952–1966) The Brighter Day (1954–1962) The Ed Sullivan Show (1948–1972) The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (1950–1958) The Good Old Days (UK) (1953–1983) The Grove Family (UK) (1954–1957) The Guiding Light (1952–2009) The Jack Benny Program (1950–1965) The Jane Wyman Show, Fireside Theatre (1949–1958) The Lawrence Welk Show (1955–1982) The Milton Berle Show (1954–1967) The Roy Rogers Show (1951–1957) The Secret Storm (1954–1974) The Today Show (1952–present) The Tonight Show (1954–present) The Voice of Firestone (1949–1963) This Is Your Life (UK) (1955–1964, 1969–2003) This Is Your Life (US) (1952–1961) Truth or Consequences (1950–1988) What's My Line (1950–1967) Your Hit Parade (1950–1959) Zoo Quest (UK) (1954–1964) Debuts January 3 – Queen for a Day (1956–1964) February 10 – My Friend Flicka (1956–1958) March 5 – The Gordon MacRae Show (1956) on NBC. March 20 – Guy Lombardo's Diamond Jubilee (1956) April 2 As the World Turns (1956–2010) The Edge of Night (1956–1984) April 26 – The Eddy Arnold Show on ABC July 3 G.E. Summer Originals on ABC Sneak Preview on NBC July 6 – Hancock's Half Hour, broadcast by BBC Television (1956–1962) July 7 – High Finance, hosted by Dennis James, on CBS (1956) July 8 – The drama series Armchair Theatre, produced by ABC Weekend TV for the ITV network, begins its long run in the UK (1956–1968) July 13 – It's Polka Time on ABC (1956–1957) July 30 – NBC Bandstand (simulcast of portion of radio program) on NBC (1956).Cox Jim Musicmakers of Network Radio: 24 Entertainers, 1926-1962 January 10, 2014 McFarland 978-0-7864-8962-6 102 https://books.google.com/books?id=aYuyvt7VR2sC&dq=%22NBC+Bandstand%22&pg=PA102 February 1, 2025 en September 7 – The Adventures of Jim Bowie on ABC (1956–1958) September 8 – Hey, Jeannie! starring Jeannie Carson on CBS (1956–57, then 1958 in syndication as The Jeannie Carson Show) September 15 – The Adventures of Sir Lancelot (UK) on ITV (After being sold to the NBC network in the United States, it later becomes the first British television series ever to be made in colour, in this case it wouldn't premiere in the United States until 9 days later on September 24, 1956) (1956–57) September 18 – Noah's Ark, featuring Paul Burke debuts on NBC (1956–1957) September 25 – State Trooper featuring Rod Cameron premieres in syndication (1956–1959) September 29 – The Gale Storm Show premieres on CBS (1956–1960) October 4 – In the USA Playhouse 90 (1956–1961) The Ford Show, "Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford" (1956–1961) October 5 - The Walter Winchell Show (1956)brooks 1483 October 27 – Accent on Strings (1956, Sydney Australia, debuts on the first "official" day of television in Australia) October 29 – Fun Farm (1956–1957, first Australian-produced children's television series) November 9 The Isador Goodman Show (1956–1957, Melbourne Australia) Stairway to the Stars (1956–1958, Melbourne Australia) November 11 – Air Power, narrated by Walter Cronkite, on CBS (1956–1957) November 15 – TV Channell (1956–1957, Sydney and Melbourne Australia) November 21 – Can Do (1956) debuts on NBC.Brooks Tim Marsh Earle F. The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present June 24, 2009 Random House Publishing Group 978-0-307-48320-1 215 https://books.google.com/books?id=w8KztFy6QYwC&dq=%22Can+Do%22+NBC+%22Robert+Alda%22&pg=PA215 September 16, 2023 en November 26 – The Price Is Right game series premieres (1956–1965). December 3 – Sydney Tonight (1956–1959, Sydney Australia) Opportunity Knocks on ITV (UK) (1956–1978) The Steve Allen Show premieres in the US (1956–1960) What the Papers Say on ITV (UK) (1956–2008) Ending this year Date Show Debut January 12 Wanted 1955 February 27 The Tony Martin Show 1954 March 5 Medical Horizons 1955 March 19 Jungle Jim March 25 Justice 1954 April 28 It's Always Jan 1955 June 3 It's a Great Life 1954 June 14 Stop the Music June 23 The Jimmy Durante Show August 14 Sneak Preview 1956 August 27 The Gordon MacRae Show September 11 This Is Show Business September 18 G.E. Summer Originals September 22 The Honeymooners 1955 November 2 NBC Bandstand 1956 December 31 Can Do Unknown Cisco Kid 1950 Super Circus 1949 Births Date Name Notability January 3 Mel Gibson American actor January 6 Holly Fulger American actress (Anything but Love, Ellen) January 7 David Caruso American actor (NYPD Blue, CSI: Miami) January 9 Imelda Staunton English actress (Up the Garden Path, The Crown) Kimberly Beck American actress (Peyton Place) January 13 Janet Hubert American actress (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) January 20 Bill Maher American comedian and talk-show host (Real Time with Bill Maher) January 20 Richard Morecroft Australian newsreader and television presenter (ABC News NSW) January 21 Geena Davis American actress (Buffalo Bill, The Geena Davis Show, Commander in Chief) January 23 Natalie West American actress (Roseanne) January 27 Susanne Blakeslee American actress (The Fairly OddParents, Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure, DuckTales, The Secret Saturdays) February 6 Jon Walmsley British-American actor (The Waltons) February 11 Catherine Hickland Actress (One Life to Live) Deena Freeman Actress (Too Close for Comfort) February 12 Arsenio Hall Actor, comedian and talk-show host (The Arsenio Hall Show) February 13 Paul Stojanovich Producer (died 2003) February 17 Richard Karn Actor (Home Improvement), game show host February 19 Kathleen Beller Actress (Dynasty) February 25 Jean Bruce Scott Actress (Airwolf) February 27 Tim Brando Sportscaster February 29 Jonathan Coleman Presenter (died 2021) March 1 Tim Daly Actor (Wings, Superman: The Animated Series, Private Practice, Madam Secretary) March 7 Bryan Cranston Actor (Malcolm in the Middle, Breaking Bad) March 8 John Kapelos Actor March 11 Rob Paulsen Voice actor (Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain, Dexter's Laboratory, The Powerpuff Girls, The Fairly OddParents, Time Squad, Kim Possible, The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius, Danny Phantom, Catscratch, Coconut Fred's Fruit Salad Island, T.U.F.F. Puppy, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) March 13 Dana Delany Actress (China Beach, Body of Proof, Superman: The Animated Series) April 3 Ray Combs Game show host (Family Feud) (died 1996) April 5Diamond Dallas Page Actor and professional wrestler April 12 Andy Garcia Actor April 18 Melody Thomas Scott Actress (The Young and the Restless) John James Actor (The Colbys) April 23 Kevin Meaney Comedian (died 2016) April 28 Nancy Lee Grahn Actress (Santa Barbara, General Hospital) April 29 Susan Pratt Actress (General Hospital, Guiding Light, All My Children) May 1 Byron Stewart Actor (The White Shadow, St. Elsewhere)May 9 Mary Mapes Producer Wendy Crewson Actress May 17 Bob Saget Actor and host (Full House, America's Funniest Home Videos) (died 2022) May 19 Steven Ford Actor May 20 Dean Butler Actor (Little House on the Prairie) June 1 Tom Irwin Actor (My So-Called Life, Devious Maids) June 4 Keith David Actor (Gargoyles, Adventure Time, Greenleaf) June 5 Nicolette Goulet Actress (died 2008) June 7 L.A. Reid Record producer June 18 Brian Benben Actor (Dream On, Private Practice) June 22 Tim Russ Actor (Star Trek: Voyager)June 23Randy JacksonJudge (American Idol) June 24 Joe Penny English-born actor (Riptide, Jake and the Fatman)June 25 Anthony Bourdain Chef (died 2018) Bob West Actor (Barney & Friends) June 30 David Alan Grier Actor and comedian (In Living Color) July 1 Alan Ruck Actor (Spin City, The Exorcist) July 5 Louis Herthum Actor July 6 Casey Sander Actor (Grace Under Fire) July 9 Tom Hanks Actor (Bosom Buddies) July 11 Sela Ward Actress (Sisters, Once and Again, CSI: NY) July 12 Mel Harris Actress (thirtysomething) July 20 Dwayne Wayans Composer July 30 Delta Burke Actress (Designing Women) July 31 Michael Biehn Actor August 5 Maureen McCormick Actress (Marcia on The Brady Bunch) August 6 Stepfanie Kramer Actress (Hunter) August 7 Bill Griffeth Host August 8 Nathan Wang Composer August 10 Peter Robbins Voice actor (original voice of Charlie Brown in the Peanuts specials) (died 2022) August 14 Jackée Harry Actress and comedian (Sister, Sister, Everybody Hates Chris) August 19 Adam Arkin Actor (Chicago Hope) August 21 Kim Cattrall Actress (Sex and the City) August 23 Skipp Sudduth Actor (Third Watch) August 26 Brett Cullen Actor (The Chisholms, The Simple Life, Legacy) August 28 Russell Curry Soap opera actor September 1 Sachi Parker Actress September 8 Maurice Cheeks NBA basketball player September 20 Gary Cole Actor (Midnight Caller, Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, Kim Possible, Veep) Debbi Morgan Actress (All My Children, The Young and the Restless) September 26 Linda Hamilton Actress (Beauty and the Beast) October 1 Theresa May PoliticianPentelow Orla O'Connor Tamison 2017-06-22 Theresa May: A Political Life In Pictures https://www.vogue.co.uk/gallery/theresa-may-political-life-in-pictures 2024-09-02 British Vogue en-GB October 2 Charlie Adler Voice actor (Tiny Toon Adventures, Rocko's Modern Life, Aaahh!!! Real Monsters, Cow and Chicken, Brandy & Mr. Whiskers, Pet Alien) October 8 Stephanie Zimbalist Actress (Remington Steele) October 18 Craig Bartlett Animator and voice actor (Hey Arnold!) October 21 Jim Watkins American anchor November 10 Sinbad Comedian and actor (A Different World, Houseguest) November 13 Rex Linn Actor (CSI: Miami) November 18 Ramona Singer American television personality November 19 Ann Curry Journalist November 22 Richard Kind Actor (Mad About You, Spin City) November 24 Ruben Santiago-Hudson Actor (Castle) November 27 William Fichtner Actor (Prison Break) December 2 Steven Bauer Actor (Breaking Bad, Ray Donovan) December 4 Bernard King NBA basketball player December 7 Larry Bird NBA basketball player December 17 Michael J. Weithorn Writer December 18 Ron White Actor December 24 Stephanie Hodge Actress (Unhappily Ever After) December 30 Patricia Kalember Actress (Sisters) Sheryl Lee Ralph Actress (Moesha, Instant Mom) Television debuts Norman Alden – NBC Matinee Theater R. G. Armstrong – The West Point Story James Cagney – Robert Montgomery Presents Sydney Chaplin – Kings Row Sean Connery – Dixon of Dock Green Bing Crosby – Ford Star Jubilee Bette Davis – The 20th Century-Fox Hour Patty Duke – Armstrong Circle Theatre Clint Eastwood – TV Reader's Digest Nigel Hawthorne – Cry Wolf! Rance Howard – Kraft Television Theatre George Kennedy – The Phil Silvers Show George Leech – ITV Television Playhouse Arthur Malet – Playwrights '56 Jeanette MacDonald – Screen Directors Playhouse Vic Morrow – The Millionaire Jack Nicholson – NBC Matinee Theater Eddie Parker – Tales of the Texas Rangers George Peppard – The Big Story Claude Rich – Le revizor ou L'inspecteur général Paul Scofield – Play of the Week Barbara Stanwyck – Ford Theatre Rip Torn – Omnibus John Vernon – First Performance References 1956