1949 in television

The year 1949 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1949.__TOC__

Events

*January 3 - "Colgate Theatre" premieres on NBC.
*January 11 - A two-hour special on all American networks celebrates the linking of the eastern and midwestern networks via coaxial cable.
*January 31 - The first Emmy Awards are presented and broadcast on television from Los Angeles.
*May - The first telethon, benefitting the Damon Runyon Cancer Fund, is hosted by Milton Berle and lasts for 24 hours.
*August 25 - RCA announces the development of a compatible color TV system.
*December 17 - The Sutton Coldfield television transmitter is opened in the English Midlands, making it the first part of the UK outside London to receive BBC Television.
*December 29 - KC2XAK of Bridgeport, Connecticut becomes the first Ultra high frequency (UHF) television station to operate a daily schedule.
*First television broadcasts begin in Cuba.
*For the first time, the Sears & Roebuck catalog includes televisions.

Debuts

*January 17 - "The Goldbergs", the first sitcom on American television, debuts (1949-1955).
*September 29 - BBC Television first broadcasts "Come Dancing", a TV ballroom dancing competition show (1949-1995).
*"Martin Kane, Private Eye" premieres on NBC, becoming the first detective series on television (1949-1954).
*June 27 - "Captain Video and His Video Rangers", apparently the first science fiction series on television, debuts.
*"The Voice of Firestone" premieres (1949-1963).
*"Bozo the Clown" premieres (1949-present).
*"The Lone Ranger" premieres (1949-1957).

Television shows

Ending this year

*"Missus Goes A-Shopping" (1944-1949).
*"Starlight" (UK) (1936-1939; 1946-1949).
*"Television Screen Magazine" (1946-1949).
*"Musical Merry-Go-Round" (1947-1949).
*"Americana" (1947-1949).
*"Birthday Party" (1947-1949).
*"Charade Quiz" (1947-1949).
*"Doorway to Fame" (1947-1949).
*"The Adventures of Oky Doky" (1948-1949).
*"Amanda" (1948-1949).
*"The Bigelow Show" (1948-1949).
*"Champagne and Orchids" (1948-1949).
*"Child's World" (1948-1949).

Births

*January 10 - Teresa Graves, actress, comedian (d. 2002)
*January 13 - Brandon Tartikoff, television executive (d. 1997)
*January 24 - John Belushi, actor, "Saturday Night Live" (d. 1982)
*February 2 - Brent Spiner, actor
*February 9 - Judith Light, actress
*March 16 - Erik Estrada, actor, "CHiPs"
*March 17 - Patrick Duffy, actor, "Dallas"
*March 26 - Vicki Lawrence, actress, comedian "The Carol Burnett Show", "Mama's Family", etc.
*June 22 - Lindsay Wagner, actress
*July 3 - Jan Smithers, actress, "WKRP in Cincinnati"
*August 23 - Shelley Long, actress
*September 3 - James Marcus, UK actor
*September 10 - Bill O'Reilly, political commentator
*September 16 - Ed Begley, Jr., actor
*October 6 - Les Moonves, head of CBS
*November 6 - Arturo Sandoval, songwriter
*November 28 - Paul Shaffer, bandleader, "The Late Show with David Letterman", "Saturday Night Live", "The Blues Brothers", etc.