This Day In TV History

2021

Mar

1949: 'RIPLEY'S BELIEVE IT OR NOT' BEGINS By TV WW

On this day in 1949, the popular radio series Ripley's Believe It or Not — which was based on the syndicated newspaper column by Robert L. Ripley — made its TV debut on NBC...

2021

Feb

1983: CBS AIRS THE FINAL, RECORD-SETTING EPISODE OF 'M*A*S*H' By David Bianculli

On this day in 1983, M*A*S*H's concluding episode, "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen," attracted 77 percent of all TV viewers...

2021

Feb

1979: 'THE CURSE OF DRACULA' RISES ON NBC By TV WW

On this day in 1979, NBC introduced one of TV's lesser-known vampires, Michael Nouri's Count Dracula from The Curse of the Vampire...

2021

Feb

2002: THE CLOCK STARTS TICKING FOR 'WATCHING ELLIE' By TV WW

On this day in 2002, NBC introduced the Julia Louis-Dreyfus sitcom, Watching Ellie...

2021

Feb

1950: NBC LAUNCHES 'YOUR SHOW OF SHOWS' By David Bianculli

The Sid Caesar showcase Your Show of Shows — which debuted on this day in 1950 — and the two other series in which he starred before and after that landmark show (Admiral Broadway Revue, Caesar's Hour), constitute one of the most innovative and important creative bursts in TV history...

2021

Feb

1996: HBO DEBUTS 'THE LATE SHIFT' By TV WW

On this day in 1996, HBO debuted The Late Shift, a telefilm based on the book by New York Times TV critic Bill Carter that chronicled the contentious competition between David Letterman and Jay Leno for the retiring Johnny Carson's Tonight Show seat...