Timeline Of TV History Between The 1950s And 2000s
Between the 1950s and 2000s, television turned from a niche technology into a critical form of communication found in living rooms across the nation. A vast number of changes and improvements took place in the second half of the 20th century to make the television into what it is today. Heres a timeline:
Today, online television and other broadcasting technologies have changed the future of traditional TV. With more and more people cutting the cord, it remains to be seen if traditional TV can survive in an era filled with Netflix and other technologies.
The Danny Thomas Show
The first three seasons of The Danny Thomas Show were known as Make Room for Daddy. Then they decided to bank on the name recognition of the star. The show also made a jump from ABC to CBS, which is where it came to its conclusion after 343 episodes. The Danny Thomas Show also spawned a spinoff you might be familiar with: The Andy Griffith Show.
Csi: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI spawned three spinoffs of varying success, but none of them lasted as long as the mothership. The procedural that bears some responsibility for peoples misperception of how forensic science works proved quite popular, even getting Quentin Tarantino to stop by to direct an episode. After 15 years on air, and with the cast having changed a few times, CSI finally came to a conclusion after 337 episodes.
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The First Television Sets In America
Americas first commercially produced television sets were based on the mechanical television system made by John Bairds television designs. These sets were shown off to the public in September, 1928.
It would take until 1938, however, before American electronic television sets were produced and released commercially. They were an instant hit after release.
The Last Thing He Told Me
“The Last Thing He Told Me” is based on author Laura Dave’s novel of the same name. The show follows a woman who forms an unexpected relationship with her sixteen-year-old stepdaughter while trying to discover the truth behind why her husband has mysteriously vanished.
Notable names: Julia Roberts is set to star in the series.
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First Openly Gay Teenager
Daytime televisions first openly gay teenaged character was Billy Douglas, played by Ryan Phillippe in One Life to Live. This character would be followed in primetime television in 1994 through Rickie Vasquez, who was portrayed by Wilson Cruz in My So-Called Life. These young, queer characters ended up as role models for young men, especially for youths who were struggling with their sexuality at an early age.
The First Television Program In America
Today, American networks play thousands of different programs every day. Every single one of these programs, however, owes its existence to Americas first television program, which was called The Queens Messenger. That program was first shown in 1928 by WRGB station.
Were not 100% sure that The Queens Messenger was the first TV program shown in America. In 1928, the program was thought to be broadcast only to four television sets. Not 400. Not 4,000. Four. Thus, we have some ambiguity and debate over whether this was actually the first television program.
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The Greatest Beer Run Ever
Apple is in talks to finance “The Greatest Beer Run Ever, which is based on the best-selling novel “The Greatest Beer Run Ever: A Memoir of Friendship, Loyalty and War,” by John “Chick” Donahue and J.T. Malloy. In 1967, when he was 26, Donahue had a plan to bring beer to his childhood friends in the Army, who were fighting in Vietnam at the time.
A U.S. Marine Corps veteran turned merchant mariner, Donahue was able to hitch a ride on a cargo ship before heading off through the jungle with a backpack full of beer to track down his friends.
Notable names: The movie is set to star Zac Efron and Russell Crowe, with Bill Murray possibly taking on a supporting role.
First TV Show To Have A Warning
Norman Lear’s shows have always courted controversy, but this one in particular stands as the first to have a warning label on every episode.
Even though Hot l Baltimore only broadcast 13 episodes, its cast of controversial characters were enough to get a warning label slapped on before the opening credits.
Image: Sony Pictures Television
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Custom Of The Country
Sofia Coppola is creating a limited TV series based on Edith Wharton’s novel “Custom of the Country.”
“Custom of the Country” is about midwestern girl Undine Spragg, who moves to New York City with her family. Socially naive but beautiful and ruthlessly ambitious, Undine marries aspiring poet Ralph Marvell, from an old New York family. Undine works to integrate into New York society and is unhappy with her simple life with Ralph, ultimately divorcing him, falling out of favor, and moving to Paris where she does the same thing with another man.
Throughout the novel, Undine endlessly strives for the lavish lifestyle she’s always dreamed about, not caring who she ruins in the process.
Notable names: Sofia Coppola will write and direct the series.
Wolfboy And The Everything Factory
“Wolfboy and the Everything Factory” follows Wolfboy, an imaginative oddball who discovers a strange realm at the centre of the earth where beings called Sprytes create things for the natural world on the surface — clouds, trees, rabbits, dreams, hiccups, memories, time, and more.
With his Spryte friends, Wolfboy learns that not only can he use the creative energy of the Everything Factory to make his imagination come to life, but that he is destined to play a central role in an age-old battle between the forces of creation and destruction.
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This Day In History: 27th October 1954 Walt Disney’s First TV Show Disneyland Premieres On Abc
Harleen Kaur Jaggi
This Day in History:
Walt Disney has always made our childhood full of memories with its beautiful fairytales and cartoon. Looking at these amazing creations now gives us a major nostalgic hit. But most of us actually dont know about the history of these cartoon series. So, in todays This Day in History article, lets know more about Walt Disneys first TV show The Wonderful World of Disney.
On 27th October 1954, Walt Disney’s first TV show, “Disneyland”, premieres on ABC.
The Walt Disney Company produced an anthology television series originally named Walt Disneys Disneyland under several other titles since 1954, and the show is now aired as The Wonderful World of Disney.
History Of The Television
Televisions can be found in billions of homes around the world. But 100 years ago, nobody even knew what a television was. In fact, as late as 1947, only a few thousand Americans owned televisions. How did such a groundbreaking technology turn from a niche invention to a living room mainstay?
Today, were explaining the complete history of the television including where it could be going in the future.
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The First Black Is Seen On An American Television Show
Ethel Waters
*On this date in 1939, “The Ethel Waters Show,” a variety special appeared on NBC. The new medium at the time in development was called television.
On The Ethel Waters Show, Waters along with Black actresses Fredi Washington and Georgette Harvey performed a dramatic sequence from her hit play Mamba’s Daughters. Also appearing, in various skits, were actors Philip Loeb and Joey Faye. Waters, midway in what would be a long, turbulent, and illustrious career, had become the first African American to star in her own program on television. Ethel Waters would return to television eleven years later as the star of Beulah.
As such, she would find herself saddled with a role, that of a warmhearted maid that misused her talents and, more often than not, distressed the actress herself. But her very presence led the way for everything of color to come over the next half-century.
Reference:Africana The Encyclopedia of the African andAfrican American ExperienceEditors: Kwame Anthony Appiah and Henry Louis Gates Jr.Copyright 1999
What Were The First Kids’ Shows
The BBC can take credit for the first televised children’s programming. Their Children’s Hour in 1946 came from their radio show of the same name, which had been on the air since 1922. Kukla, Fran, and Ollie began in the US in 1947 as a puppet show for children.
The same year brought Howdy Doody, the famous puppet that entertained little ones with Clarabell the clown until 1960 and continued to delight children through reruns.
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What Was The First Netflix Original
by Kasey Mooreon March 28, 2016, 6:50 am EST Estimated reading time: 1 minutes
The Netflix Original program was always inevitable from the early days of the streaming service. Were taking a look back in time today and looking as to which Netflix Original was the first one to grace Netflix Instant. If you think the answer is House of Cards, Arrested Development or Orange is the New Black, you may want to think again!
As Netflix grew bigger it was clear that Netflix had to start producing its own content otherwise it risked being left with nothing in its catalog thanks to increasingly expensive contracts from its movie and television partners. Its long term strategy would have to develop its own shows which in the long term are cheaper to produce and are in Netflixs ongoing control.
While other Netflix Originals were being produced and purchased, the first actual Netflix Original to start streaming on Netflix was Lilyhammer that launched on Netflix on the 6th February 2012. Whether you consider Lilyhammer a full Netflix Original is dependant on your point of view. You see, the show was only part funded by Netflix and actually premiered in Norway first under the TV network NRK1.
There you have it, the first Netflix Original. It wasnt/is the best Netflix Original and may not even considered be the first full Netflix Original, that accolade does belong to House of Cards, but it certainly paved the way as to where we are now.
The Walt Disney’s First TV Show:
The show Wonderful World of Disney is termed as the first TV show of Walt Disney, however, the first-ever Walt Disney TV show was One hour in Wonderland which was aired by the Walt Disney productions on Christmas Day in 1950.
The show Wonderful World of Disney is the second longest-running prime-time program on US television, after Hallmark Hall of Fame.
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First Evening News Show
Airing on the long-defunct DuMont Television Network, The Walter Compton News was thought to be the first evening news show broadcasted on television. The 15-minute newscast aired with minimal production from Washington D.C. with movie publicist Walter Compton reading from a script and accompanied by the occasional slide. The program only aired for about six months before its end, and no episodes are known to have survived.
For The Children The First Children’s Television Programme
9 June 1946
Image: Annette Mills and Muffin the Mule at Lime Grove, 1952
Television returned to British screens on 7 June 1946, having been off-air for the duration of World War II. With an expanded schedule to fill, the first dedicated television programmes for children were introduced, starting with For the Children on Sunday morning, 9 June. However, they had a slow start. The Radio Times justified the limited scheduling, saying “the afternoon programme is over before the return from school and the night programme interferes with home lessons and bedtime”.
The opening For the Children featured The Hogarth Puppet Circus and conjuror Eric Cardi. Fred Woodward played Hank the Mule and the presenter was A. Miller-Jones. The second programme â a month later â featured stamp collecting and Commander A.B.Campbell displaying the contents of his sea chest. As the frequency of childrenâs programmes increased they became a staple of the schedules and in October the first major childrenâs television star was born with the introduction of Muffin the Mule.
BBC Childrenâs television provides some of the fondest memories of childhood for many people. The establishment of a Childrenâs Television Department in 1950 gave programmes a boost. Today, two dedicated BBC Channels and a wealth of online content keep children informed and entertained, creating the memories of tomorrow.
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The First Remote Control For Television Sets
The worlds first television remote control was called the Tele Zoom, and it can barely even be categorized as a remote control. The Tele Zoom was only used to zoom in to the picture on the television. You could not use it to change any channels or turn the TV on or off. The Tele Zoom was released in 1948.
The first true remote control was produced by Zenith and released in 1955. This remote control could turn the television on or off and change the channel. It was also completely wireless.
Killers Of The Flower Moon
“Killers of the Flower Moon” is a high-profile movie coming to Apple TV+. Based on the David Grann book of the same name, “Killers of the Flower Moon” tells the story of the Osage Nation in 1920s Oklahoma, where the Native Americans were murdered one by one. Amid the rising death toll, the FBI took up the case and unraveled a conspiracy and one of the most monstrous crimes in American history, now known as the Reign of Terror.
Notable names: Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert DeNiro, Jesse Plemons, Brendan Fraser, Lily Gladstone, and Tantoo Cardinal will star, Martin Scorsese is the director.
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First Utterance Of Hell
Profanity was not taken lightly in the early days of television. This also applied for the minor and relatively tame word hell. A season one episode of Star Trek, called The City at the Edge of Forever, ended with William Shatners Captain Kirk uttering the line “Let’s get the hell out of here,” which caused discord amongst the crew. Show creator Gene Roddenberry and Shatner had to fight for the line to remain.
First Kiss Between Black And White Characters
In 1968, Lt. Uhura and Captain Kirk locked lips for the first time on Star Trek. Although it was just one of many romantic escapades for the Casanova, this one made history as the first kiss between characters of two different races.
Unsurprisingly, because it was the 1960s, certain television markets in the South refused to air the episode.
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What Were The First Television Shows
Most early and classic televisions shows were broadcasted live and never recorded. Shows such as news, variety shows, old dramas, and comedy series. Which is why most of them are never stored properly and completely forgotten. But today, with Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and other countless other streaming services just one click away, we have never had more choices when it comes to TV shows. Anyone can watch shows with any number of devices from your phone to big-screen TVs. But in this article, we are going to take a trip back to the past and reminisce the very first TV shows that our great grandparents enjoyed.
The Lone Ranger This TV show was a western drama series that aired on the ABC Television network from 1949 to 1957. It starred Clayton Moore, Jay Silvereheels, Chuck Courtney, and John Hart. The Lone Ranger was the highest-rated TV show during the early 1950s. The show ran for over 5 seasons and had 221 episodes in total.
Stand By for Crime This TV show was a police drama that aired on the ABC Television network from January 1949 to August that same year. It starred Myron Wallace, Boris Aplon, and George Cisar. Stand By for crime is known for being the first TV show that was transmitted from Chicago to New York City. It ran for 30 minutes, and it had only one season.
Game & Quiz Shows: Want A Pie In The Face With That Scandal
High-stakes quiz shows were must-see TV in the 1950s. Viewers tested their knowledge or watched contestants chosen from the studio audience solve puzzles or face wacky challenges to win money or prizes from the sponsors. At their peak, 22 game and quiz shows aired weekly.
Truth or Consequences had already been on radio for 10 years before becoming TVs first game show. On it, contestants faced trick questions, and when they couldnt answer, had to perform a zany, somewhat embarrassing stunt, like having to dress a monkey in childrens clothing or run an obstacle race through the studio against an Olympic athlete camouflaged as an old woman. The show continued, on and off, through the mid 60s, and was revived in several incarnations.
In 1958-59, a scandal rattled viewers faith in TV quiz shows, after a disgruntled contestant on Twenty-One blew the whistle on producers feeding answers to favored contestants. University instructor Charles Van Dorens winnings reached $129,000 before he was pressured to confess in 1959. No laws were broken, but the revelation about rigging that show and others prompted congressional hearings. In response, networks temporarily removed high-stakes quiz shows from their lineups.
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