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1985 in American television

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The year 1985 involved some significant events. Below is a list of television-related events of that year.

Events

[edit]
Date Event
January 1 VH1 begins in the United States.
January 4 Sesame Street broadcasts its 2,000th episode.
January 7 During an appearance on ABC's Good Morning America, actor Yul Brynner, who was suffering from terminal lung cancer, mentioned his wish to make a public service announcement to be run after his death to tell others to not smoke.
January 20 For the first time ever, the Super Bowl is televised by ABC, who join the annual broadcast rotation of the game with CBS and NBC. This also marked the first time that a Super Bowl had closed captioning provided in real-time. In this game, the San Francisco 49ers would defeat the Miami Dolphins 38-16.
January 24 The first part of a two part Family Ties episode airs on NBC concerning Elyse Keaton going into labor while performing on-air at her husband, Steven's TV station.
February 4 NBC becomes the first commercial television network to use satellite interconnection for its stations; as a result, it is the first network to discontinue use of chime intonations at the beginning of each telecast, to signal to its affiliates to start broadcasting the network feed.
February 8 CBS airs the final episode of The Dukes of Hazzard.
February 10 CBS airs the first part of a two part miniseries that examines the so-called "Atlanta child murders" of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Atlanta officials criticized[1][2] The Atlanta Child Murders, claiming that it distorted[3] the facts[4] of the case.[5] After a series of negotiations, CBS executives agreed[6] to insert a disclaimer[7] alerting viewers that the film is based on fact but contains fictional elements.[8]
March 2 The NBC situation comedy Gimme a Break! broadcasts an episode live.
March 18 Capital Cities Communications, a station owner group based in Albany, New York, stuns the broadcast industry by announcing that it is acquiring ABC for $3.5 billion. The move will prompt the company to sell off several of its television and radio stations to satisfy FCC ownership limits. The deal will be finalized on January 3, 1986.[9][10]
March 20 Norman Lear sells Tandem Productions and Embassy Television companies to The Coca-Cola Company, which also owns Columbia Pictures company, for $485 million.
March 22 KXXV signs on the air in Waco as an NBC affiliate. However, the NBC affiliate didn't last long, and it moved to ABC.
March 31 The World Wrestling Federation (now WWE) telecasts WrestleMania to select pay-per-view areas (and to a greater extent, closed-circuit locations across the country). The event is wildly successful (drawing over a million viewers on closed-circuit) and marks the beginning of the annual series of WrestleMania events which continue to air on pay-per-view to this day. There is, however, a near-riot in Pittsburgh when a technical glitch prematurely ends the feed at the Civic Arena, prompting the WWF to appease angry fans by showing the event in its entirely on ABC affiliate WTAE-TV two weeks later.[11][12][13]
April 1 Financial News Network stopped airing on broadcast stations, and began a 24-hour cable feed, with the introduction of Score.
April 6 The first edition of World Championship Wrestling to be produced by Jim Crockett Promotions airs on TBS.
April 9 The series finale of Three's a Crowd airs on ABC, ending John Ritter's run as Jack Tripper which begin with the debut of Three's Company back in 1977.
April 11 KMSS commences broadcasting in Shreveport, Louisiana, making it the first station in the market to sign on the air since KTBS signed on in 1955 and the first independent station in the market. It would later become one of the few charter affiliates of Fox in Louisiana.
April 27 Frank Glieber makes what turns out to be his final play-by-play assignment for CBS Sports, which is Game 1 of the NBA playoff series between the Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers. Glieber would die of a heart attack four days later. Glieber was also scheduled to call Game 4 of the Los Angeles-Portland series alongside James Brown for CBS, but he would ultimately be replaced by Verne Lundquist.
April 28 WLIG commences broadcasting. (The call letters would change to WLNY-TV on September 1, 1996).
April 29 The two-night adaptation of Ken Follett's The Key to Rebecca, shown on WPIX Channel 11 in New York City, has non-pixelated toplessness from both of its female stars, Season Hubley and Lina Raymond.
May 4 News Corporation and 20th Century Fox Film Corporation announces their intent on purchasing Metromedia's television stations and Metromedia Producers Corp. for $3.5 billion. This would soon lay the ground work for the Fox Broadcasting Company, which would debut in October 1986.
May 9 Nicholas Colasanto makes his final appearance as Coach Ernie Pantusso on Cheers. While he technically last appeared in the cold opening of "Rescue Me", Colasanto's last filmed appearance as Coach was in the episode "Cheerio, Cheers". Following Colasanto's death, Woody Harrelson, would join the cast as his replacement, Woody Boyd beginning in the fourth season.
May 11 The first episode of Saturday Night's Main Event is broadcast by NBC, the first time that professional wrestling had been broadcast by network television since the 1950s.
Dolph Sweet makes his final appearance as Chief Carl Kanisky on Gimme a Break!. The Season 4 finale aired on NBC three days after his death.
May 12 During halftime of the Boston CelticsPhiladelphia 76ers NBA playoff game, CBS televises the first ever NBA draft lottery.
May 14 On The CBS Morning News, co–anchor Phyllis George interviews false rape accuser Cathleen Mae Webb and the man whom she had falsely accused, Gary Dotson. In an effort to get the two to make amends to each other, George makes a simple suggestion: "How about a hug?" Both Webb and Dotson graciously refuse. That infamous interview alienates audiences and is blasted by critics, helping to put an unpleasant close to George's television career at this initial mark.
May 15 The season finale of Dynasty on ABC sees the entire wedding party of Amanda Carrington (Catherine Oxenberg) and Prince Michael of Moldavia (Michael Praed) shot by revolutionaries in what is known as the Moldavian Massacre.
May 17 The season finale of Dallas on CBS finds character Bobby Ewing (Patrick Duffy) on his deathbed after his crazed ex-sister-in-law Katherine Wentworth (Morgan Brittany) runs him down with her car.
May 19 WOIO-TV commences broadcasting in Cleveland. Initially an independent station, it will become a charter affiliate of Fox in 1986 and switch to CBS in 1994 as a result of the 1994 United States broadcast TV realignment.
May 25 CBS[14][15][16] airs the fourth game of the Major Indoor Soccer League's championship series between the San Diego Sockers and the Baltimore Blast. This would be the final year the MISL would have games aired on network television. CBS used Gary Bender and Kyle Rote Jr.[17] on commentary.
May 30 The USA Network airs its final National Hockey League telecast, Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals. NHL contests wouldn't be seen in any shape or form on USA again until the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs.
June 14 ABC broadcasts its 2,311th and last daytime episode of Family Feud after 9 years. Richard Dawson gives an emotional speech at the end of the broadcast. Dawson would return to the series during 1994 for one more season. Meanwhile, on CBS, Press Your Luck broadcasts the episode in which all three contestants would be invited back after a mistake on a question about the cartoon character Sylvester was corrected by Mel Blanc telephoning Peter Tomarken at the end of the show.
June 24 Kathie Lee Johnson (later Gifford) officially joins Regis Philbin as his co-host on WABC's The Morning Show. Their chemistry proves to be successful as The Morning Show soon becomes number 1 in the market[18] and goes on to debut in national syndication on September 5, 1988, when the title is changed to Live with Regis and Kathie Lee.
July 1 Nick at Nite, a nighttime program service with an emphasis on classic television reruns, is launched in the United States, being broadcast on the same channel as Nickelodeon. At the same time, A&E, which previously shared Nickelodeon's channel, begins broadcasting as its own 24-hour cable channel in January of that year on a separate satellite transponder.
July 2 The final episode of The Jeffersons airs on CBS. It is not without controversy though, as CBS abruptly canceled the series without allowing for a proper series finale. The cast was not informed until after the July 2, 1985, episode, "Red Robins"; actor Sherman Hemsley, who portrayed George Jefferson, said he learned that the show was canceled by reading it in the newspaper.[19] Isabel Sanford (Louise Jefferson), who heard about the cancellation through her cousin who read it in the tabloids, publicly stated that she found the cancellation with no proper finale to be disrespectful on the network's part.[20] Per an article in the May 8, 1985, Los Angeles Times, the series was cancelled by announcement at the CBS network "upfront" presentation the day before, nearly two months before the airing of the final episode. Actor Franklin Cover, who played Tom Willis, also heard about the cancellation while watching Entertainment Tonight.
July 4 NBC's Minneapolis/St. Paul (Twin Cities) affiliate WTCN-TV changes its name to WUSA-TV to reflect its co-ownership with USA Today. This would be displaced a year after by KARE-TV.
July 13 The Live Aid concerts are broadcast from London and Philadelphia. In the U.S., the concerts are broadcast by MTV and over-the-air syndication, with ABC joining in a 3-hour prime-time period.
July 16 NBC's telecast of the Major League Baseball All-Star Game out of the Metrodome in Minnesota is the first program to be broadcast in stereo[21] by a television network.
Rock Hudson joined his old friend Doris Day for a Hollywood press conference announcing the launch of her new TV cable show Doris Day's Best Friends in which Hudson was videotaped visiting Day's ranch in Carmel, California, a few days earlier. He appeared gaunt and his speech was nearly incoherent; during the segment, Hudson did very little speaking, with most of it consisting of Day and Hudson walking around as Day's recording of "My Buddy" played in the background, with Hudson noting he had quickly tired out. His appearance was enough of a shock that the reunion was broadcast repeatedly over national news shows that night and for days to come.
July 22 Douglas Marland starts his critically acclaimed eight-year run writing for the CBS soap opera As the World Turns.
August 4 Capital Cities Communications continues its acquisition of ABC when its CBS affiliate in Durham, North Carolina, WTVD, swaps affiliations with ABC affiliate WRAL-TV in Raleigh.[22]
August 19 A taping of an outdoor interview for NBC's Today is interrupted by David Letterman, who, while taping his own Late Night, leans out of an office window and announces, "My name is Larry Grossman (then-president of NBC News) and I'm not wearing any pants!"
September 2 NBC becomes the first broadcast network in the U.S. to broadcast its prime time programs with stereo sound.
September 5 Showtime begins airing weekly 10 p.m. showings of 52 hours worth of "lost" episodes of The Honeymooners.
September 8 Capital Cities Communications continues its acquisition of ABC when KFSN-TV, its CBS affiliate in Fresno, California, swaps affiliations with the market's existing ABC affiliate, KJEO.
September 9 ABC affiliate WSAV-TV swaps affiliations with NBC affiliate WJCL, thus reversing a swap that took place in 1982.[23]
The Price Is Right returns to daily syndication after a five-year hiatus, but with Tom Kennedy hosting. After 170 episodes produced, the show went on hiatus until 1994. Besides Johnny Olson, Gene Wood and Rod Roddy shared announcing duties.
September 14 In part one of a three-part season premiere of The Facts of Life on NBC, Edna's Edibles, which had been the main locale of the long-running series since 1983, is burned to the ground. Edna Garrett and the girls would rebuild and replace it with an ice cream and gift shop named Over Our Heads.
September 16 After a 22-year hiatus, new episodes of The Jetsons debut. The syndicated revival would run for two seasons.
Cleveland's CBS affiliate WJKW-TV changes its name back to WJW-TV.
September 18 "Top Ten Things That Almost Rhyme With Peas" is the subject of the first "Top 10 List" on NBC's Late Night with David Letterman.
September 22 The first Farm Aid concert is telecast from Champaign, Illinois, in syndication and by TNN.
September 23 Jackie Gleason and Art Carney reunite in the CBS movie Izzy and Moe.
Broadcast on NBC two nights before the start of Family Ties' fourth season, the Keatons take a vacation to England in television film Family Ties Vacation. The movie was later split into four individual episodes when the series entered syndication.
September 27 The pilot episode for a revival of the anthology television series, The Twilight Zone airs on CBS. This particular iteration of The Twilight Zone would run for three seasons, the first two on CBS and the final one in syndication.
September 28 ABC broadcasts an episode of The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians called "The Fear", in which Batman's origin is depicted for the first time in media outside of the comic books.
Three years after being canceled by ABC following its second season, the sitcom It's a Living is relaunched for the first-run syndication market. It would continue for four more seasons before its conclusion in 1989.
September 29 Howard Cosell makes what turns out to be his final assignment for ABC Sports, a Major League Baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and Minnesota Twins from the Metrodome in Minneapolis. Cosell is later removed from his scheduled announcing duties for that year's World Series due to the controversy surrounding his book I Never Played the Game. Cosell is replaced on the ABC broadcasts by Tim McCarver, who would work the 1985 World Series alongside Al Michaels and Jim Palmer.
October 4 The PBS program Electric Company concludes after 8 straight years in reruns.
NBC officially wins the rights to broadcast the 1988 Summer Olympics from Seoul, South Korea.
October 6 Jem and the Holograms debuts as one of four six-minute matinée segments on Super Sunday. [It becomes a regular half-hour program in 1986].
Spectrum is discontinued.
October 20 The I Dream of Jeannie reunion movie, I Dream of Jeannie... Fifteen Years Later is broadcast on NBC. It's the first of two reunion movies, as the next one, would be broadcast six years later.
November 5 CBS broadcasts the made-for-television drama film Stone Pillow. It stars Lucille Ball, in an attempt to make a dramatic "breakout" from her years in comedy, as an older homeless woman with few resources and even fewer options. The film received rather mixed reviews, but was a ratings success. The telecast ranked 9th out of 68 programs airing that week, and brought in a 23.3 rating and a 33 share.[24] The success of the film led Ball to make one last attempt to return to her comedy roots with Life with Lucy the next year.
November 6 KRRT-TV goes on the air, giving the San Antonio market its first independent station.
November 8 The final episode of The Price Is Right with Johnny Olson as announcer is broadcast by CBS. Olson had died on October 12; the show was broadcast as an "in memoriam" tribute to him on October 29.
November 9 On NBC, Saturday Night Live begins its 11th season, with Lorne Michaels returning as executive producer and an all-new cast that includes Jon Lovitz and Dennis Miller.
November 17 Kane & Abel, a miniseries based on the bestselling Jeffrey Archer novel, debuts on CBS.
November 18 Elmo, a new character for Sesame Street, is introduced on PBS. In the same episode, the adult cast of Sesame Street come face-to-face with Aloysius Snuffleupagus for the first time since the character's 1971 introduction.
November 28 Jim Crockett Promotions and the National Wrestling Alliance hold the third annual Starrcade event. Transmitted via closed-circuit television, this particular event took place from the Greensboro Coliseum Complex in Greensboro, North Carolina and Omni Coliseum in Atlanta, Georgia, with the event going back and forth from both arenas.
December 3 Copacabana, an original musical featuring Barry Manilow (based on his 1978 song of the same name), Annette O'Toole, and Estelle Getty, is broadcast by CBS.
Courteney Cox uses the word "period" (referring to menstruation) on U.S. television for the first time, in a commercial for Tampax brand tampons.
December 5 A Wheel of Fortune contestant Terry Wharton missolves a puzzle "The Thrill of Victory and the Agony of Defeat" (a quote from Jim McKay), leaving $62,400 cash unclaimed. This was to date, the largest cash unclaimed for a round in the history of the show, which, at the time, would have set then the biggest winnings record during the maingame alone.[25]
December 12 General Electric announces plans to purchase RCA, owner of NBC for $6.3 billion, and eventually wants to convert General Electric's TV station KCNC into an NBC owned and operated station. The deal would be finalized on June 9, 1986.
December 29 In Waco, ABC affiliate KCEN swaps affiliations with NBC affiliate KXXV.

Programs

[edit]

Debuting this year

[edit]
Date Title Network
January 4 Street Hawk ABC
January 5 Berrenger's NBC
January 7 Time Machine
January 20 MacGruder and Loud ABC
January 23 Sara NBC
ThunderCats Syndication
January 26 Otherworld CBS
January 27 Code Name: Foxfire NBC
March 1 Michael Nesmith in Television Parts NBC
March 3 Moonlighting ABC
March 4 Robotech Syndication
March 15 Mr. Belvedere ABC
Off the Rack
March 18 Safe at Home WTBS
March 21 Eye to Eye ABC
Wildside
March 24 Half Nelson NBC
March 30 CBS Storybreak CBS
April 5 Me and Mom ABC
April 7 National Geographic Explorer Nickelodeon
April 9 Hail to the Chief ABC
April 10 Double Dare CBS
April 15 Lady Blue ABC
April 19 The Best Times NBC
May 6 Dumbo's Circus The Disney Channel
May 11 Saturday Night's Main Event NBC
June 3 Larry King Live CNN
Turkey Television Nickelodeon
June 30 Code of Vengeance NBC
July 4 The Raccoons The Disney Channel
July 14 Stingray NBC
August 13 West 57th CBS
August 22 Hometown
September 2 Attitudes Lifetime
Rocky Road WTBS
September 4 Hell Town NBC
September 7 The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo ABC
Star Wars: Droids
Ewoks
Small Wonder Syndication
What's Happening Now!!
September 14 227 NBC
Adventures of the Gummi Bears
The Golden Girls
It's Punky Brewster
The Berenstain Bears CBS
Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling
Jim Henson's Little Muppet Monsters
The Wuzzles
The Care Bears Syndication
September 16 America
Break the Bank
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors
September 18 Charlie & Co. CBS
The Equalizer
George Burns Comedy Week
Stir Crazy
September 20 Spenser: For Hire ABC
September 21 Hollywood Beat
Lime Street
September 24 Growing Pains
September 25 The Insiders
September 29 MacGyver
Amazing Stories NBC
September 30 M.A.S.K. Syndication
October 4 Misfits of Science NBC
October 6 Jem Syndication
October 20 Andy Warhol's Fifteen Minutes MTV
November 20 The Colbys ABC
November 21 Shadow Chasers
December 11 Foley Square CBS
Mary

Resuming this year

[edit]
Title Final aired Previous network New title Returning network Date of return
The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show 1983 CBS Same Same September 14
The Jetsons 1963 ABC Same WTBS September 16
The Twilight Zone 1964 CBS Same September 27
Making a Living 1982 ABC It's a Living Syndication September 28
Alfred Hitchcock Presents 1965 NBC Same Same September 29

Ending this year

[edit]
Date Title Debut
January 21 Insight 1960
February 1 Call to Glory 1984
February 8 The Dukes of Hazzard 1979
February 23 It's Your Move 1984
February 26 Pink Panther and Sons
February 27 E/R
March 19 Alice 1976
March 22 V 1984
April 3 Charles in Charge (returned in 1987)
April 9 Three's a Crowd
April 13 Finder of Lost Loves
April 19 Off the Rack 1985
May 1 Out of Control 1984
May 8 Sara 1985
May 16 Street Hawk
May 22 Double Dare
June 14 Family Feud (returned in 1988) 1976
June 25 The Jeffersons 1975
June 28 Robotech 1985
July 6 Cover Up 1984
July 19 Matt Houston 1982
July 20 Hail to the Chief 1985
August 1 Battle of the Planets 1978
August 10 Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids 1972
September 28 Little Muppet Monsters 1985
October 12 The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show 1983
October 26 Lime Street 1985
November 2 The Littles 1983
November 9 Super Friends 1973
November 16 Snorks (returned in 1987) 1984
November 18 Voltron
November 21 He-Man and the Masters of the Universe 1983
November 23 Hollywood Beat 1985
December 7 The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo
The Wuzzles
Dungeons & Dragons 1983
December 27 Glitter 1984

Entering syndication

[edit]

Changing networks

[edit]
Show Moved from Moved to
Diff'rent Strokes NBC ABC
The Bugs Bunny Show CBS
The Jetsons ABC Syndication
It's a Living
T.J. Hooker CBS

Made-for-TV movies and miniseries

[edit]
Title Network Date of airing
Poison Ivy NBC February 10[26]
Space CBS April 14–18
The Midnight Hour ABC November 1[27]
North and South ABC November 3–10
Alice in Wonderland CBS December 9–10

Networks and services

[edit]

Launches

[edit]
Network Type Launch date Notes Source
Tele Vida Abundante Cable television Unknown
Video Jukebox Network Cable television Unknown
VH1 Cable television January 1
The Nostalgia Channel Cable television February 1
The Discovery Channel Cable television June 17
CNN International Cable television September 1
Prime Ticket Cable television October 19
Universal Pictures Debut Network Cable television Unknown

Conversions and rebrandings

[edit]
Old network name New network name Type Conversion Date Notes Source
Home Shopping Club Home Shopping Network Cable television July 1

Closures

[edit]

There are no closures for television channels in this year.

Television stations

[edit]

Station launches

[edit]
Date City of License/Market Station Channel Affiliation Notes/Ref.
January 5 Tucson, Arizona KPOL 40 Independent
January 22 Colorado Springs, Colorado KXRM 21 Independent
January 28 Twin Falls, Idaho K27AO 27 ABC (as a KIVI-TV translator) Now ABC affiliate KSAW-LD, a semi-satellite of KIVI-TV/Nampa, Idaho
January 29 Columbus, Ohio W62BE 62 Independent
February 12 Boston, Massachusetts WVJV-TV 27 Independent
March Quincy, Illinois WQEC 27 PBS
March 4 Fayetteville/Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina WFCT 62 Independent Now Court TV O&O WFPX-TV, licensed to Archer Lodge, North Carolina
March 22 Waco, Texas KXXV 25 NBC
March 26 Saginaw/Flint, Michigan WAQP 49 TBN
March 28 Augusta, Georgia W67BE 67 Independent Now WAGT-CD channel 26
March 31 Bismarck, North Dakota KBMY 17 ABC
April 10 Jackson, Tennessee WJKT 16 Independent
April 11 Shreveport, Louisiana KMSS-TV 33
April 15 Eugene, Oregon K25AS 25 Independent
April 28 Riverhead/New York City, New York WLIG 55 Independent
May 14 Wichita Falls, Texas KJTL 18 Independent
May 19 Shaker Heights/Cleveland, Ohio WOIO 19 Independent
June Minot, North Dakota KMCY 14 ABC
June 3 Hazleton, Pennsylvania (Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania) WWLF-TV 56 Independent
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania WOLF-TV 38
Tulsa, Oklahoma KTCT 47 Religious independent
June 25 Seattle, Washington KTZZ-TV 22 Independent
July 17 Sanger, California
(Fresno/Visalia, California)
KMSG-TV 59 Independent
July 19 Vineyard Haven/Boston, Massachusetts WCVX 32 Independent
July 23 Grand Rapids, Michigan W26AD 26 World Harvest Television
July 28 Davenport, Iowa
(Bettendorf, Iowa and Rock Island/Moline, Illinois)
KLJB-TV 18 Independent
August 17 Los Angeles, California KTIE 63 Independent
August 24 Wichita, Kansas KSAS-TV 24 Independent
September Thief River Falls, Minnesota
(Grand Forks, North Dakota)
KBRR 10 Independent Satellite of KVRR/Fargo, North Dakota
September 5 Murfreesboro, Tennessee W11BF 11 Independent Audio-only simulcast of WGNS radio in Murfreesboro
September 7 Charleston, South Carolina WTAT-TV 23
September 24 Chico/Redding, California KNVN 24 NBC
October Harrisonburg, Virginia W10AZ 10 Religious independent
Washington, D.C. W10AZ 10
October 7 Salt Lake City, Utah KOOG-TV 30 Independent
October 14 Cape Coral/Fort Myers, Florida WFTX-TV 36 Independent
October 27 Caguas, Puerto Rico WUJA 58 Independent
October 30 Lexington, North Carolina
(Greensboro/Winston-Salem/High Point, NC)
WEJC 20 Religious independent
November Milwaukee, Wisconsin W08BY 8 MuchMusic USA
Muskegon/Grand Rapids, Michigan WTLJ 54 Christian independent
November 2 Altoona, Pennsylvania
(Johnstown/State College, Pennsylvania)
WKBS-TV 47 Cornerstone Television Satellite of WPCB-TV/Greensburg-Pittsburgh
November 3 Greeneville, Tennessee
Tri-Cities, Tennessee/Virginia)
WEMT 39 Independent
November 6 KRRT 35
November 12 Newark, Arkansas KLEP 17 Educational independent
November 16 Natchez, Mississippi WNTZ-TV 33 Independent
December Mobile, Alabama
(Pensacola, Florida)
WMPV-TV 21 Independent
December 1 Cleveland, Ohio WBNX-TV 55 Independent
December 15 Kingston, New York/Albany, New York WTZA 48 Independent Now WRNN-TV, licensed to New Rochelle, New York
December 23 Phoenix, Arizona KUTP 45 Independent
December 24 Baltimore, Maryland WKJL-TV 24 Independent
December 30 Orlando, Florida WAYK 56
Unknown date Fajardo/San Juan, Puerto Rico WMTJ 40 PBS
Huntsville, Alabama WZDX-TV 54 Independent
Montgomery, Alabama WMCF-TV 45

Network affiliation changes

[edit]
Date City of License/Market Station Channel Old affiliation New affiliation Notes/Ref.
August 4 Raleigh-Durham-Fayetteville, North Carolina WRAL 5 ABC CBS ABC acquires Capital Cities Communications, and the purchase was finalized on January 3, 1986, making the station an ABC owned-and-operated station.[22]
WTVD 11 CBS ABC (O&O)
September 9 Fresno, California KFSN-TV 30 CBS ABC (O&O) KFSN-TV was purchased by Capital Cities Communications, the then-parent of ABC. The purchase was finalized on January 3, 1986, making the station an ABC owned-and-operated station.[28]
KGPE 47 ABC CBS
Savannah, Georgia WSAV 3 ABC NBC The swap was given, because of WSAV's weak performance of ABC's network programming, especially Thursday nights, which had bogged down its stronger syndicated slate.[23]
WJCL 22 NBC ABC
December 29 Waco, Texas KCEN 6 ABC NBC
KXXV 25 NBC ABC

Station closures

[edit]
Date City of license/Market Station Channel Affiliation Sign-on date Notes
January Angola, Indiana WBKZ 63 April 22, 1983
Unknown date Hopkinsville, Kentucky WNKJ-TV 51 Independent October 1983

Births

[edit]
Date Name Notability
January 3 Jeananne Goossen Canadian actress (The Night Shift)
Nicole Beharie Actress
Leah Gibson Actress
January 7 Lauren Glazier Canadian actress
January 10 Alex Meraz Actor
January 11 Aja Naomi King Actress (How to Get Away with Murder)
January 12 Cynthia Addai-Robinson Actress (Spartacus, Arrow)
January 13 Ellen Wong Actress
January 16 Renée Felice Smith Actress (NCIS: Los Angeles)
January 18 Matt Hobby Actor, comedian (Young Sheldon, Boardwalk Empire)
January 25 Hartley Sawyer Actor (Glory Daze)
Michael Trevino Actor (The Vampire Diaries)
January 26 Edwin Hodge Actor
January 29 Isabel Lucas Australian actress (Home and Away, Emerald City)
January 31 Tyler Ritter Actor
February 4 Bug Hall Actor
February 6 Crystal Reed Actress (Teen Wolf)
February 7 Deborah Ann Woll Actress (True Blood, Daredevil)
Tina Majorino Actress (Camp Wilder, Veronica Mars, Big Love, The Deep End, Grey's Anatomy, Legends) and singer
February 9 Rachel Melvin Actress (Days of Our Lives)
David Gallagher Actor (7th Heaven, Rocket Power)
February 14 Jake Lacy Actor (Better With You, The Office)
Victoria Cartagena Actress
February 15 Natalie Morales Actress
February 18 Chelsea Hobbs Canadian actress (Make It or Break It)
Jessica Grace Smith Actress
February 19 Arielle Kebbel Actress (Life Unexpected, 90210, Ballers)
Haylie Duff Actress (7th Heaven) and singer
February 22 Zach Roerig Actor (As the World Turns, One Life to Live, The Vampire Diaries)
February 27 Heléne Yorke Actress
March 2 Robert Iler Former actor
March 4 Scott Michael Foster Actor (Greek)
Whitney Port Actress (The Hills, The City)
March 7 Guy Benson American columnist
March 10 Cooper Andrews Actor
March 13 Alfonso Dosal Actor
March 15 Eva Amurri Actress (Undateable) and daughter of Susan Sarandon
James Maclurcan Australian actor (Power Rangers Operation Overdrive)
Kellan Lutz Actor
March 18 Duane Henry English actor (NCIS)
March 21 Sonequa Martin-Green Actress
March 22 James Wolk Actor
Lizzie Brocheré Actress
March 23 Stephen A. Chang Actor (Artificial, Victorious, NCIS: Los Angeles)
March 24 Lana Actress and wrestler
Jeremy James Kissner Actor (Flight 29 Down)
March 25 Chris Redd Actor and comedian (Saturday Night Live)
March 26 Jonathan Groff Actor and singer (Glee)
Keira Knightley English actress and singer (Pirates of the Caribbean)
Francesca Marie Smith Actress (The Secret World of Alex Mack, Hey Arnold!, Recess)
March 27 Blake McIver Ewing Actor (Full House, Recess, Hey Arnold!, Lloyd in Space)
March 28 Zachary Browne Actor
March 31 Jessica Szohr Actress (Gossip Girl)
April 16 Nate Diaz Mixed martial artist[29]
April 17 Rooney Mara Actress
Luke Mitchell Australian actor (H2O: Just Add Water, Home and Away, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.)
April 18 Rachel Smith Actress
Jessica Lu Actress
April 19 Sabrina Jalees Canadian comedian
April 21 Rachel Lindsay Television personality
April 22 Kristin Fairlie Canadian actress (Total Drama, Stoked, Peg + Cat)
April 24 Courtnee Draper Actress (The Jersey)
April 26 Jemima Kirke English actress (Girls)
Falk Hentschel German actor (Legends of Tomorrow)
April 28 Brandon Baker Actor (One World, Even Stevens)
April 29 Punkie Johnson Actress
May 2 Lily Allen Actress
May 3 Louis Cato Bandleader
May 5 Clark Duke Actor (Hearts Afire, Greek)
May 6 KJ Smith Actress
May 9 Chris Zylka Actor (The Secret Circle) and model
Audrina Patridge Actress (The Hills, Audrina, Dream Maker)
May 10 Odette Annable Actress (October Road, House, The Astronaut Wives Club, Supergirl)
May 11 Jadyn Wong Canadian actress (Scorpion)
May 13 Iwan Rheon Welsh actor (Game of Thrones)
May 14 Sally Martin New Zealand actress (Power Rangers Ninja Storm)
May 16 Julia Voth Canadian actress (Package Deal)
May 17 Jonathan McDaniel Actor (That's So Raven, Raven's Home) and rapper
Derek Hough Actor
May 24 Kasie Hunt American political correspondent
May 25 Lauren Frost Actress (Even Stevens) and singer
May 27 Andrew Francis Canadian voice actor (Johnny Test, Hero: 108, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic)
May 28 Carey Mulligan British actress
Emily Wilson American actress
May 29 Blake Foster Actor (Power Rangers Turbo) and martial artist
June 6 Abbie Cobb Actress (Suburgatory)
June 8 Rosanna Pansino YouTube personality (Nerdy Nummies) and actress
June 10 Kristina Apgar Actress (Privileged)
Celina Jade Chinese-American actress (Arrow)
June 12 Kendra Wilkinson Model
June 17 Antoinette Picatto Actress (Cover Me)
June 18 Alex Hirsch Voice actor (Fish Hooks, Gravity Falls)
Sorel Carradine Actress
June 20 Mark Saul Actor (All That)
June 21 Kris Allen Singer (American Idol)[30][31]
Michelle Wolf Actress
June 22 Douglas Smith Actor
June 24 Justin Hires Actor
June 25 Annaleigh Ashford Actress (Masters of Sex) and singer
June 26 Ana Ularu Romanian-American actress (One Step Ahead, Emerald City)
Colt Knost Golfer
June 30 Cody Rhodes Pro wrestler (AEW, Arrow, Go-Big Show, WAGS Atlanta, WWE)
July 1 Léa Seydoux French actress
July 2 Ashley Tisdale Actress (The Amanda Show, The Hughleys, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, High School Musical, Hellcats, Young & Hungry), voice actress (Kim Possible, Phineas and Ferb, Skylanders Academy) and singer
Nelson Franklin Actor
Dave McCary Actor
July 5 François Arnaud Actor
July 7 Helen Hong Actress
July 11 Robert Adamson Actor
July 16 Rosa Salazar Actress
July 17 Caitlin Van Zandt Actress (Guiding Light, The Sopranos)
July 18 Chace Crawford Actor (Gossip Girl)
James Norton Actor
Hopsin Rapper
July 20 John Francis Daley Actor (Freaks and Geeks, Bones)
July 21 Vanessa Lengies Actress (American Dreams, Hawthorne, Second Chance)
July 25 Shantel VanSanten Actress (One Tree Hill, Gang Related, The Messengers, Shooter)
James Lafferty Actor (One Tree Hill, Crisis)
July 27 Aljin Abella Australian actor (Power Rangers Jungle Fury)
Lou Taylor Pucci Actor
July 28 Dustin Milligan Canadian actor (Runaway, 90210, Schitt's Creek, X Company, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency)
August 2 Britt Lower American actress
August 3 Georgina Haig Australian actress (The Elephant Princess, Reckless, Once Upon a Time)
Max Landis American writer and filmmaker
August 4 Crystal Bowersox Singer (American Idol)[32]
August 5 David Hull Actor
Zach Appelman Actor
August 7 Nick Rutherford Actor
August 9 Anna Kendrick Actress
August 10 Jared Nathan Child actor (ZOOM) (d. 2006)
August 13 Honey Davenport Actor
August 15 Emily Kinney Actress (The Walking Dead, Conviction) and singer
August 16 Agnes Bruckner Actress (The Bold and the Beautiful, The Returned)
Arden Cho Actress (Teen Wolf)
Cristin Milioti Actress (How I Met Your Mother)
August 20 Miguel Gomez Actor
August 21 Laura Haddock Actress (Da Vinci's Demons)
August 27 Kayla Ewell Actress (The Bold and the Beautiful, The Vampire Diaries)
August 29 Jeffrey Licon Actor (Second Noah, The Brothers García)
August 30 Bert Selen Composer
September 1 Lilan Bowden Actress (Andi Mack)
September 2 Allison Miller American actress (Kings, Terra Nova, Go On, Incorporated, 13 Reasons Why, A Million Little Things)
September 3 Brian Stelter American television anchor
September 6 Lauren Lapkus American television actress
September 7 Alyssa Diaz Actress (The Nine Lives of Chloe King, Army Wives, Ray Donovan, Zoo)
September 8 Vanessa Baden Actress (Gullah Gullah Island, Kenan & Kel)
Mina Kimes American journalist
September 10 Elyse Levesque Actress (Stargate Universe)
Monica Lopera Actress
September 13 Vella Lovell Actress
September 14 Dilshad Vadsaria Actress (Greek, Second Chance)
September 16 Madeline Zima Actress (The Nanny, Californication)
September 17 Jack Fox Actor
September 19 Zoë Chao Actress
September 22 Tatiana Maslany Canadian actress (Heartland, Orphan Black)
September 24 Jessica Lucas Canadian actress (Edgemont, Life as We Know It, Melrose Place, Cult, Gotham) and singer
September 26 Talulah Riley English actress
September 27 Grace Helbig Actress and YouTube personality
September 30 Katrina Law Actress
Ben Lewis Actor
October 1 Sicily Sewell Actress (One on One)
October 5 Emily Heller Actress
October 8 Bruno Mars Singer (Saturday Night Live)
October 10 Aaron Himelstein Actor
October 11 Michelle Trachtenberg Actress (All My Children, The Adventures of Pete & Pete, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Truth or Scare, Mercy, Gossip Girl) and singer
October 14 Daniel Clark Actor (Degrassi: The Next Generation)
Robert Costa Journalist
October 15 Dominic Sandoval Dancer
October 20 Jennifer Freeman Actress (My Wife and Kids)
October 22 Zac Hanson Singer (Hanson)
October 23 Priscilla Faia Canadian actress (Rookie Blue)
Masiela Lusha European-born American actress (George Lopez)
October 25 Gillian Zinser Actress (90210)
Christopher Sean Actor
October 28 Troian Bellisario Actress (Lauren, Pretty Little Liars) and daughter of Donald P. Bellisario
Jack Donnelly Actor
October 29 Janet Montgomery English actress (Human Target, Entourage, Made in Jersey, Salem)
Gio Benitez American broadcast journalist
October 31 Kaitlin Ferrell Actress
Kether Donohue Actress (Kappa Mikey, You're the Worst)
November 2 Josh Grelle Voice actor
November 3 Danièle Watts Actress
November 4 Olivia Taylor Dudley Actress (The Magicians)
November 5 Elizabeth Rice Actress (Mad Men)
Annet Mahendru Actress
November 7 Lucas Neff Actor (Raising Hope)
November 12 Arianny Celeste Model
November 13 Giovonnie Samuels Actress (All That, Fatherwood, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody)
November 15 Nick Fradiani Singer (America's Got Talent, American Idol)[33][34]
November 18 Christian Siriano Fashion designer
November 20 Dan Byrd Actor (Clubhouse, Aliens in America, Cougar Town)
November 21 Carly Rae Jepsen Actress
November 23 Katie Crown Canadian voice actress (Total Drama, Jimmy Two-Shoes, Stoked, Clarence)
November 26 Arturo Castro Actor
November 27 Alison Pill Actress
November 30 Kaley Cuoco Actress (8 Simple Rules, Charmed, The Big Bang Theory), voice actress (Brandy & Mr. Whiskers, Bratz, Loonatics Unleashed)
Gia Crovatin Actress (Van Helsing, Billions, Hightown)
December 1 Janelle Monáe Actress and singer
Evan Susser Writer
December 3 Amanda Seyfried Actress (As the World Turns, Big Love) and singer
December 5 Frankie Muniz Actor (Malcolm in the Middle, The Fairly OddParents, Moville Mysteries)
December 10 Raven-Symoné Actress (The Cosby Show, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, Kim Possible, That's So Raven, The Cheetah Girls, Raven's Home) and singer
December 11 Karla Souza Mexican-American actress (How to Get Away with Murder)
Samantha Ponder Sportscaster
December 16 Amanda Setton American actress
December 25 Perdita Weeks Welsh actress
Smith Cho Actress
December 26 Beth Behrs Actress (2 Broke Girls)
December 27 Jessica Harmon Canadian actress (The 100)
December 28 Taryn Terrell Actress and former ECW personality
Dan Amboyer Actress
December 30 Anna Wood Actress (Reckless)
December 31 Erich Bergen Actor

Deaths

[edit]
Date Name Age Notability
February 12 Nicholas Colasanto 61 Actor (Coach Ernie Pantusso on Cheers)
February 28 Charita Bauer 62 Soap opera actress (Bert Bauer on Guiding Light)
May 8 Dolph Sweet 64 Actor (Chief Carl Kanisky on Gimme a Break!)
May 13 Selma Diamond 64 Actress (Selma Hacker on Night Court)
August 2 Bob Holt 56 Voice actor (Dr. Seuss television special)
October 2 Rock Hudson 59 Actor (Commissioner Stuart McMillan on McMillan & Wife)
October 15 Ted Steele 68 Host (The Ted Steele Show)
October 12 Johnny Olson 75 Game show announcer (The Price Is Right)
November 1 Phil Silvers 74 Actor, comedian (Sgt. Bilko on You'll Never Get Rich)
November 29 Bill Scott 65 Voice actor (Bullwinkle J. Moose)
December 31 Ricky Nelson 45 Actor (The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet), musician

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Lohmann, Bill (February 12, 1985). "Wayne Williams views film of Atlanta child murders". UPI.
  2. ^ Kelley, Bill (February 10, 1985). "ATLANTA MURDERS; MINISERIES CREATES A STORM OF PROTEST". Sun Sentinel.
  3. ^ Schmidt, William E. (February 1, 1985). "TV MOVIE ON ATLANTA CHILD KILLINGS STIRS DEBATE AND CASTS DOUBT ON GUILT". The New York Times.
  4. ^ "Atlanta child murders: A chronology of the missing and murdered cases". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. August 19, 2019.
  5. ^ "THE ATLANTA CHILD MURDERS CONTROVERSY #541777". Vanderbilt Television News Archive. February 13, 1985.
  6. ^ Harris, Art (February 10, 1985). "Reliving the Murders in Atlanta". The Washington Post.
  7. ^ Levine, Bob (March 11, 1985). "Atlanta's long nightmare". Maclean's.
  8. ^ Sally Bedell Smith (1985-02-09). "TV Notes; CBS Turning Cameras on Its Decision-Makers". The New York Times.
  9. ^ Kleinfield, N.R. "ABC is being sold for $3.5 billion; 1st network sale." The New York Times, March 19, 1985.
  10. ^ "Capcities + ABC."[permanent dead link] Broadcasting, March 25, 1985, pp. 31-32[permanent dead link].
  11. ^ Gregory Belanger (1985-03-30). "Wrestling and rock on a roll in N.O. -03.30.85 - The Times-Picayune - A-19".
  12. ^ Powel, John. "WrestleMania: The Dynasty Begins". Slam! Sports. Canoe.ca. Archived from the original on 2013-01-01. Retrieved 2017-03-26.
  13. ^ The Valley Independent. Monday, April 1, 1985. This mishap is mistakenly attributed to WrestleMania 2 in the "True Story of WrestleMania" DVD and Blu-ray release.
  14. ^ Atkin, Ross (April 12, 1985). "Indoor soccer quite up-to-date in Kansas City, home of Comets". The Christian Science Monitor.
  15. ^ "Weekend TV Highlights". UPI. May 25, 1985.
  16. ^ Sarni, Jim (May 25, 1985). "BLAST FOR SOCCER FANS: CBS AIRS MISL GAME". South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
  17. ^ "Sewanee's Kyle Rote, Jr. Elected to National Soccer Hall of Fame". SOUTHERN COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE. April 28, 2010.
  18. ^ "LIVE with Kelly and Michael". Disney-ABC Domestic Television. Archived from the original on January 21, 2013. "LIVE" originated more than twenty years ago with former host Regis Philbin and WABC's "The Morning Show"; it soon became the number one show in the market. Kathie Lee Gifford joined Philbin in June 1985...
  19. ^ "The Jeffersons and Happy Days and Valerie Bertinelli Bio". Biography. 9 January 2016. Archived from the original on 2021-11-07. Retrieved January 24, 2017 – via YouTube.
  20. ^ "Isabel Sanford interview". Archive of American Television. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
  21. ^ Christian Romo (May 29, 2014). "The Top 5 Broadcasting Tech Milestones During Vin Scully's Career". SportTechie.
  22. ^ a b "In brief" (PDF). Broadcasting. July 15, 1985. p. 80.
  23. ^ a b "In Brief" (PDF). Broadcasting. 1985-03-04.
  24. ^ "ABC leads sweeps with strong showing in seventh week" (PDF). Broadcasting. 109 (21): 88. November 18, 1985.
  25. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Wheel of Fortune: Oh the Agony..." YouTube. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  26. ^ Thomas, Kevin (February 10, 1985). "Movies of the Week". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  27. ^ "Today's Television". Democrat and Chronicle. Rochester, New York. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ ”In Brief”. Broadcasting. August 19, 1985, pg. 96.
  29. ^ "Nate Diaz". TheSportster. 2024-07-09. Retrieved 2024-07-14.
  30. ^ "Kris Allen News". Us Weekly. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  31. ^ "Kris Allen – The Vogue". Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  32. ^ "Crystal Bowersox Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2024-02-21.
  33. ^ Mink, Casey (2015-05-05). "Nick Fradiani". Hollywood Life. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  34. ^ "Nick Fradiani Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
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