Chronology of
Television

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URL: http://worldtimeline.info/television/

This document is an attempt to bring various published sources together to present a timeline about Television.

References are numbered in [brackets], which are listed here. A number after the dot gives the page in the source.

Last updated: 2012 May 4.

1925

October 2

John Logie Baird performs the first test of a working television system. [5]

1926

January 26

Television first demonstrated (John L Baird, London England). [1]

1927

April 7

Using phone lines, television signal is sent from Washington DC to New York City, New York. [1]
September 7

The first fully electronic television system is achieved by Philo Taylor Farnsworth in San Francisco, California, USA. [1] [5]

1928

February 8

First transatlantic TV image received, in Hartsdale, New York, USA. [1]
Scottish inventor J Blaird demonstrates color-TV. [1]
May 11

General Electric opens first TV-station (Schenectady New York). [1]
July 3

London, England, sees its first color television broadcast. [5]
July 12

First televised tennis match. [1]
September 11

First TV drama-WGY's The Queens Messenger. [1]

1929

May 11

First regularly scheduled TV broadcasts (3 nights per week). [1]
June 27

First color TV demonstration (New York City). [1]

1930

March 24

First religious services telecast in US (W2XBS, New York City, New York). [1]
July 13

Sarnoff reports in New York Times "TV would be a theater in every home". [1]
August 20

Dumont's first TV broadcast for home reception (New York City). [1]
December 7

In Boston, Massachusetts, the CBS radio orchestra program is broadcast in video and included the first television commercial in the United States. [5]

1931

January 22

VARA begins experimental TV broadcast in Diamantbeurs, Amsterdam. [1]
February 17

First telecast of a sporting event in Japan (baseball). [1]

1932

August 22

The British Broadcasting Corporation begins experimental regular TV broadcasts. [1] [5]
October 11

First political telecast (Democratic National Committee) at CBS, New York City. [1]

1936

June 29

Empire State Building emanates high definition TV-343 lines. [1]
July 29

RCA shows the first real TV program (dancing, film on locomotives). [1]
November 2

The British Broadcasting Corporation initiates the BBC Television Service, the world's first regular, high-definition (then defined as at least 200 lines) service (renamed BBC1 in 1964). [1] [5]
November 6

RCA displays TV for the press. [1]
November 12

First TV gardening show. [1]
December 1

Bell Labs tests coaxial cable for TV use. [1]

1937

December 12

NBC and RCA sends first mobile-TV vans onto the streets of New York. [1]

1938

February 17

First public experimental demonstration of Baird color TV (London, England). [1]
June 7

First play telecast with original Broadway cast, Susan and God. [1]
November 15

First telecast of an unscheduled event (fire), W2XBT, New York. [1]
December 20

Vladimir K Zworykin (Pennsylvania, USA) receives patent on the Iconoscope TV system. [1]

1939

April 30

NBC/RCA give first public television demonstration with US President Franklin Roosevelt at opening of New York World's Fair. [1]
May 17

First sports telecast-Columbia versus Princeton-college baseball. [1]
June 1

First televised heavyweight boxing match-Max Baer versus Lou Nova. [1]
August 26

The first Major League Baseball game is telecast (W2XBS New York), a doubleheader between the Cincinnati Reds and the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field. [1] [5]
September 30

First televised college football game (Fordham versus Waynesburg at New York City). [1]
October 22

First TV NFL game: Philadelphia Eagles versus Brooklyn Dodgers. [1]
November 6

WGY-TV (Schenectady, New York), first commercial TV station, begins service. [1]

1940

February 25

First televised (W2XBS, New York City) hockey game (New York Rangers versus Montreal Canadiens). [1]
February 28

First televised basketball game (college game at New York City's Madison Square Garden-University of Pittsburgh beats Fordham University, 50-37). [1]
March 2

First intercollegiate track meet telecast, Madison Square Garden, New York City. [1]
March 6

First US telecast from an airplane, New York City, New York. [1]
March 10

First US opera telecast, W2XBS, New York City, New York, I Pagliacci. [1]
April 16

First televised baseball game, WGN-TV, (Chicago White Sox versus Chicago Cubs exhibition). [1]
September 3

First showing of high definition color TV. Actresses of the time worried less about thier appearance, today because of the technology many are now interested in their image and breast augmentation photos. [1]

1941

May 2

US Federal Communications Commission approves regularly scheduled commercial TV broadcasts to begin July 1. [1]
July 1

First commercial TV licenses granted-W2XBS-WNBT (NBC) and WCBW (CBS), New York City. [1]
Bulova Watch Co. pays $9 for first ever network TV commercial. [1]

1942

June 28

Dumont TV network begins (WABD New York). [1]

1943

January 3

First missing persons telecast (New York City, New York). [1]
December 23

First telecast of a complete opera (Hansel and Gretel), Schenectady, New York. [1]

1944

January 1

First feature-length foreign movie, African Journey, shown on TV, New York City, New York. [1]
February 21

The War As It Happens televised news show premieres on NBC (New York City only). [1]
April 10

Patrolling the Ether is shown on three TV stations simultaneously. [1]
September 28

First TV musical comedy (The Boys from Boise). [1]

1946

April 20

First televised baseball broadcast in Chicago, Illinois, Saint Louis Cardinals versus Chicago Cubs. [1]
May 9

First hour-long entertainment TV show, NBC's Hour Glass premieres. [1]
June 6

Henry Morgan is first to take off shirt on TV. [1]
June 19

First TV sports spectacular-Joe Louis versus Billy Conn. [1]
October 2

First network soap opera - Faraway Hill - on Dumont network. [1]
November 7

A coin-operated television receiver is displayed in New York City. For the cost of a quarter, one could see various test patterns and a model of "Felix the Cat". [457]
December 18

TV's first network dramatic serial Faraway Hill ends two-month run. [1]

1947

January 3

First opening session of US Congress to be televised. [1]
January 22

KTLA TV channel 5 in Los Angeles California (IND) begins broadcasting (first commercial TV station west of Mississippi). [1] [5]
February 21

First broadcast of first US TV soap opera A Woman to Remember. [1]
May 7

Kraft Television Theater premieres on NBC. [1]
June 16

First network news - Dumont's News from Washington. [1]
September 30

New York Yankees beat Brooklyn Dodgers 5-3 in front of largest World Series crowd: 73,365; also first World Series game televised. [1] [5]
October 5

First Presidential address televised from White House - Harry Truman. [1]
October 13

WBKB-TV premieres the Kukla, Fran, and Ollie 15-minute puppet children's TV show. [1] [179.540]
November 6

Meet The Press makes its television debut in the USA. [5]
November 20

First permanent TV installed on seagoing vessel (The New Jersey). [1]
December 27

First Howdy Doody Show (Puppet Playhouse), telecast on NBC. [1]

1948

January 1

First color newsreel is filmed, in Pasadena, California, USA. [1]
January 13

First country music TV show, Midwestern Hayride, premieres on WLW Cincinnati, Ohio. [1]
January 18

Ted Mack's Original Amateur Hour begins, DuMont TV network (later NBC/ABC/CBS). [1]
February 5

The Nature of Things science show premieres on NBC prime time. [1]
February 16

First newsreel telecast, 20th Century Fox-Movietone News shown on NBC. [1]
March 18

Philips begin experimental TV broadcasting. [1]
March 20

First live televised musical Eugene Ormandy on CBS, followed in 90 minutes by second live televised musical Arturo Toscanini on NBC. [1] [5]
April 19

ABC-TV network begins in the US. [1]
June 8

The Milton Berle Show premieres on NBC TV. [1]
June 20

CBS premieres the Toast of the Town 60-minute variety TV show, hosted by Ed Sullivan. [1] [5] [179.287]
July 24

Looney Tunes character Marvin the Martian makes his first appearance. [5]
July 30

Professional wrestling premieres on prime-time network TV (DuMont). [1]
August 10

ABC enters network TV at 7 PM (WJZ, New York). [1]
Allen Funt's Candid Camera TV show debuts on ABC. [1]
September 14

Milton Berle starts his TV career on Texaco Star Theater. [1]
September 21

NBC premieres the Texaco Star Theatre 60-minute variety TV show. [1] [179.655]
October 3

NFL becomes first sport televised as sport of the week. [1]
November 25

KING-TV, Seattle, Washington, goes on the air with first Pacific NorthWest telecast. [1]
November 28

Hopalong Cassidy premieres on US TV. [1]
November 29

The American Midwest TV network begins airing the Kukla, Fran, and Ollie puppet children's TV show. [179.540]

1949

January 3

Colgate Theatre dramatic anthology series premieres on NBC TV. [1]
January 10

First Jewish family show The Goldbergs premieres on CBS. [1]
January 12

Arthur Godfrey and His Friends premieres on CBS TV. [1]
January 18

They Stand Accused courtroom drama premieres on CBS (later DuMont). [1]
January 21

First inaugural parade televised (US President Harry Truman). [1]
January 25

In Los Angeles, California, the 1st Annual Emmy Awards are presented, hosted by Walter O'Keefe.

Best Film Made for Television: The Necklace (Your Show Time Series)
Most Outstanding Television Personality: Shirley Dinsdale
Most Popular Television Program: Pantomime Quiz - KTLA
Special Award: Louis McManus for designing the Emmy statuette.
[1] [164]
January 31

First daytime soap on TV These Are My Children (NBC in Chicago, Illinois, USA). [1]
May 29

Candid Camera, TV comedy variety, moves to NBC. [1]
June 4

Cavalcade of Stars TV show debuts in US on DuMont network. [1]
June 24

Hopalong Cassidy becomes first network western (NBC). [1]
July 2

Red Barber's Clubhouse sports show premieres on CBS (later NBC) TV. [1]
July 10

First practical rectangular TV tube announced in Toledo, Ohio. [1]
September 1

First network detective series - Private Eyes - premieres. [1]
September 15

The Lone Ranger premieres on ABC-TV. [1]
October 4

CBS premieres the Pantomime Quiz 30-minute TV game show. [179.757]
October 6

NBC premieres The Ed Wynn Show, a 30-minute comedy variety show. [179.287]
November 4

One Man's Family premieres on TV. [1]
November 12

NBC begins airing the Kukla, Fran, and Ollie puppet children's TV show. [179.540]
December 28

20th Century Fox announces it will produce TV programs. [1]
December 29

First UHF television station operating regular basis (Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA). [1]

End of 1925-1949. Next: 1950.

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