1964 in American television

none 1964 This is a list of American television-related events in 1964. Events Date Event Ref. January 29 ABC begins broadcasting with the coverage of the 1964 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Innsbruck, Austria. February 9-23 The Beatles’ appearances on CBS’s The Ed Sullivan Show set new records in terms of television ratings. April 30 Television sets manufactured in the United States as of this date are required to receive UHF channels. June 4 Sylvania unveils a revolutionary color TV picture tube in which europium-bearing phosphor allows a much brighter display. https://www.nytimes.com/1964/06/05/archives/sylvania-develops-new-colortv-tube.html Sylvania Develops New Color-Tv Tube The New York Times 5 June 1964 June 6 The Rolling Stones make their American television debut on ABC, during the variety show The Hollywood Palace. September 7 As part of Lyndon B. Johnson’s presidential campaign, the ”Daisy”advertisement is broadcast on network television. October 10 Through the facilities of geostationary communication satellite Syncom 3, NBC’s first stint as the official Olympic broadcaster begins with the network’s coverage of the 1964 Summer Olympics opening ceremony in Tokyo, Japan. October 18 Jackie Mason seemingly gives the finger on The Ed Sullivan Show in his only appearance on that program as he was banned from the show afterwards. October 25 Ed Sullivan insists that he would never have The Rolling Stones on his show following their appearance on that program. Despite that, the Stones would make a further five appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show. October 27Ronald Reagan delivers a televised speech endorsing Barry Goldwater in the upcoming election. December 6 The stop-motion animated Christmas special, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, premieres on NBC. It goes on to become a holiday tradition with annual reruns, especially after moving to CBS eight years later. December 15 Major League Baseball announces that it has signed a two-year contract with ABC worth $12.2 million. ABC is slated to televise 25 games on Saturday nights per year, with additional games on Independence Day and Labor Day. Television programs Debuts Date Debut Network Notes January 4 The Hollywood Palace ABC January 14 The Magilla Gorilla Show Syndication March 30 Jeopardy! NBC May 4 Another World NBC July 4 Summer Playhouse CBS September 14 Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea ABC September 15 Peyton Place ABC September 16 Shindig! ABC September 16 The Peter Potamus Show Syndication September 17 Bewitched ABC September 18 Jonny Quest ABC September 18 The Addams Family ABC September 19 Flipper NBC September 19 Kentucky Jones NBC September 22 The Man from U.N.C.L.E. NBC September 23 The Cara Williams Show CBS September 24 Daniel Boone NBC September 24 The Munsters CBS September 25 Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. CBS September 25 Nightmare Theatre KIRO September 26 Gilligan's Island CBS October 3 Underdog NBC October 5 90 Bristol Court NBC October 5 Harris Against the World NBC October 5 Karen NBC October 5 Tom, Dick, and Mary NBC November 9 The Les Crane Show ABC November 9 The Porky Pig Show ABC Ending this year Date Show Network Debut Notes January 1 Fractured Flickers Syndication January 1, 1963 February 7 77 Sunset Strip ABC October 10, 1958 February 29 The New Casper Cartoon Show ABC September 7, 1963 March 15 The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters ABC September 29, 1963 March 29 The Judy Garland Show CBS September 29, 1963 April 2 Temple Houston NBC September 19, 1963 April 8 Channing ABC September 18, 1963 April 18 The Lieutenant NBC September 14, 1963 April 22 The Eleventh Hour NBC October 3, 1962 April 25 The New Phil Silvers Show CBS September 28, 1963 April 27 The Danny Thomas Show CBS September 29, 1953 April 27 Breaking Point ABC September 16, 1963 April 27 East Side West Side CBS September 23, 1963 April 28 The Greatest Show on Earth ABC September 17, 1963 May 1 The Great Adventure CBS September 27, 1963 May 3 Grindl NBC September 15, 1963 May 18 Hollywood and the Stars NBC September 30, 1963 June 19 Mack & Myer for Hire Syndication 1963 June 19 The Twilight Zone CBS October 2, 1959 June 26 Your First Impression NBC January 2, 1962 June 27 The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends NBC November 19, 1959 July 6 The Steve Allen Show Syndication June 24, 1956 (on NBC) August 30 The DuPont Show of the Week NBC September 17, 1961 September 2 Espionage NBC October 2, 1963 September 6 Arrest and Trial ABC September 15, 1963 September 12 Hootenanny ABC April 6, 1963 December 31 Deputy Dawg CBS January 1, 1960 Unknown date Mack & Myer for Hire Syndication 1963 Television films, specials and miniseries Title Network Date(s) of airing Notes/Ref. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer NBC December 6 Reruns of the special becomes holiday tradition in subsequent years; moved to CBS in 1972; but returned to NBC in 2024. Television stations Sign-ons Date City of License/Market Station Channel Affiliation Notes/Ref. January 1 Walker, Minnesota KNMT 12 NBC (primary) ABC (secondary) Now CBS as KCCW-TV, a satellite of WCCO-TV/Minneapolis January 19 Charleston, South Carolina WITV 7 NET Part of the South Carolina ETV network Fargo, North Dakota KFME 13 NET Later became the flagship of the Prairie Public Television network. February 1 Montgomery, Alabama WNCF 32 ABC February 6 Chicago, Illinois WCIU-TV 23 Independent February 10 Bowling Green, Ohio WBGU-TV 27 NET February 17 Presque Isle, Maine WMEM-TV 10 NET Part of the Maine Public Broadcasting Network March 16 Santa Maria/Santa Barbara, California KCOY-TV 12 NBC (primary) CBS (secondary) May 4 Corpus Christi, Texas KIII 3 ABC June Dallas, Texas KAEI-TV 29 Independent (stock quotes) August 10 Columbus, Georgia WJSP-TV 28 NET/GPB August 22 Dayton, Ohio WONE-TV 22 Independent September 1 Duluth, Minnesota WDSE 8 NET September 10 Richmond, Virginia WCVE-TV 23 NET September 28 Los Angeles, California KCET 28 NET October 1 San Juan, Puerto Rico WTSJ-TV 32 NBC October 5 Pago Pago, American Samoa KVZK-2 2 NET KVZK-4 4 CBS (primary) ABC (secondary) KVZK-5 5 NBC KVZK-8 8 unknown KVZK-10 10 KVZK-12 12 Redding, California KIXE-TV 9 NET October 12 Boston, Massachusetts WIHS-TV 38 Independent Flint, Michigan WUCX-TV 19 NET San Mateo, California KCSM-TV 60 NET October 19 San Jose/San Francisco, California KQEH 54 NET October 28 Garden City, Kansas KUPK-TV 13 ABC Full-power satellite of KAKE/Wichita October 30 Wilmington, North Carolina WWAY 3 ABC November 18 Mobile, Alabama WEIQ 42 NET Part of the Alabama Public Television network November 22 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania WITF-TV 33 NET December 3 Albion/Lincoln, Nebraska KHQL-TV 8 ABC Satellite of KHGI-TV/Kearney December 6 La Grande, Oregon KTVR 13 NBC (primary) ABC (secondary) Signed on as a satellite of KTVB/Boise, Idaho Unknown date South Bend, Indiana W39AA 39 NET Network affiliation changes Date City of license/Market Station Channel Old affiliation New affiliation Notes/Ref. March 1 Portland, Oregon KATU 2 Independent ABC KPTV 12 ABC Independent March 16 San Luis Obispo, California KVEC-TV 6 NBC (primary) ABC (secondary) NBC (exclusive) Santa Barbara, California KEYT-TV 3 NBC (primary) CBS (secondary) ABC (primary) CBS (secondary) Station closures Date City of license/Market Station Channel Affiliation Sign-on date Notes March 2 Durango, Colorado KJFL-TV 6 Independent November 4, 1963 July 1 Monroe, Louisiana KTSE 13 NET March 9, 1957 Births 1964 in television#Births Deaths 1964 in television#Deaths See also 1964 in television 1964 in film 1964 in the United States List of American films of 1964 References External links List of 1964 American television series at IMDb November 2022 1964 *