# 1970 in television

The year 1970 in television involved some significant events. Below is a list of notable television-related events in that year.

## Events

* January 1 – WXTV becomes a full time Spanish-language station based in Paterson, New Jersey, which it remains into the 21st century. It becomes an affiliate of SIN, the network's first affiliate east of the Mississippi River.
* January 3 – Jon Pertwee makes his first appearance as the Third Doctor in the Doctor Who serial Spearhead from Space. It also marks the first time that the series is broadcast in colour.
* January 19 – CBS in the United States launches Operation 100, a plan to beat NBC's ratings in the last 100 days of the season, using the slogan "The man can't bust our network."
* February 7 – The Hollywood Palace variety series airs its 192nd and final hour-long episode on ABC, with Bing Crosby in his 31st appearance as guest host.
* March 7 – The "eclipse of the century" is covered by all three American networks.
* March 16 – The FCC's "Miami channel 10 case" comes to a definite end as the station becomes WPLG.
* March 26 – The first privately owned television station in Thailand, Channel 3, opens in Bangkok.
* April 1 – President Richard Nixon signs the Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act into law, banning cigarette television advertisements in the United States, starting on January 1, 1971.
* April 6 - The Action News format makes its debut on WFIL-TV (later WPVI-TV, an ABC O&O).
* May 31 – WAPI-TV 13 in Birmingham, Alabama, ends nine years of dual affiliation with NBC and CBS, becoming an exclusive affiliate of NBC, and WBMG 42 in Birmingham, WCFT-33 in Tuscaloosa and WHMA-40 in Anniston affiliate exclusively with CBS. Previously, Channels 33, 40 and 42 aired programming from NBC and CBS that was not aired on Channel 13.
* July 31 – Chet Huntley anchors his final newscast with David Brinkley and retires, bringing down the curtain on a 14-year career at NBC News in the United States and, thus, as chief anchor of The Huntley–Brinkley Report. The next Monday, August 3, the program is renamed NBC Nightly News, the title it retains for at least 40 years.
* August 2 – NBC expands full-service newscasts to seven nights a week with NBC Sunday News; it replaces The Frank McGee Report.
* September 7 – Independent Television of Vietnam, as predecessor of Vietnam Television, begins broadcasts Hanoi, Vietnam.
* October 5 – The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in the United States begins broadcasting and National Educational Television is shut down.
* December 25 – Pluto's Christmas Tree is broadcast on BBC1 in the United Kingdom, the first complete Mickey Mouse cartoon to be shown on television in colour. By contrast, the Colour Strike by technicians causes ITV Christmas programmes this year to air in black & white.
* In a cliffhanger on the American soap opera Search for Tomorrow, businessman Sam Reynolds is believed to be dead after perishing in Africa. One of the first "exotic" deaths for a soap opera character, it is in tune with actor Robert Mandan's wish to leave the show.
* "Country" comedian and Grand Ole Opry star Minnie Pearl makes her first appearance on Hee Haw.
* Lloyd Robertson replaces Warren Davis as anchor of CBC Television's The National.

## Programs/programmes

* 60 Minutes (1968–present)
* American Bandstand (1952–1989)
* Another World (1964–1999)
* As the World Turns (1956–2010)
* Bewitched (1964–1972)
* Blue Peter (UK) (1958–present)
* Bonanza (1959–1973)
* Bozo the Clown (1949–present)
* Bright Promise (1969–1972)
* Candid Camera (1948–present)
* Captain Kangaroo (1955–1984)
* Clangers (UK) (1969–1972)
* Come Dancing (UK) (1949–1995)
* Coronation Street (1960–present)
* Crossroads (UK) (1964–1988, 2001–2003)
* Dad's Army (UK) (1968–1977)
* Dark Shadows (1966–1971)
* Days of Our Lives (1965–present)
* Dixon of Dock Green (UK) (1955–1976)
* Doctor Who (UK) (1963–1989, 1996, 2005–present)
* Face the Nation (1954–present)
* Family Affair (1966–1971)
* Four Corners (Australia) (1961–present)
* General Hospital (1963–present)
* Grandstand (UK) (1958–2007)
* Green Acres (1965–1971)
* Gunsmoke (1955–1975)
* Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951–present)
* Hawaii Five-O (1968–1980)
* Hee Haw (1969–1993)
* Here's Lucy (1968–1974)
* Hogan's Heroes (1965–1971)
* Ironside (1967–1975)
* It's Academic (1961–present)
* Jeopardy! (1964–1975, 1984–present)
* Julia (1968–1971)
* Kimba the White Lion (1966–1967), re-runs
* Laugh-In (1968–1973)
* Love is a Many Splendored Thing (1967–1973)
* Love of Life (1951–1980)
* Love, American Style (1969–1974)
* Magpie (UK) (1968–1980)
* Mannix (1967–1975)
* Marcus Welby, M.D. (1969–1976)
* Mayberry R.F.D. (1968–1971)
* Meet the Press (1947–present)
* Mission: Impossible (1966–1973)
* Monty Python's Flying Circus (UK) (1969–1974)
* My Three Sons (1960–1972)
* One Life to Live (1968–2012)
* Opportunity Knocks (UK) (1956–1978)
* Panorama (UK) (1953–present)
* Play School (1966–present)
* Room 222 (1969–1974)
* Search for Tomorrow (1951–1986)
* Sesame Street (1969–present)
* Soul Train (1971-2006)
* That Girl (1966–1971)
* The Andy Williams Show (1962-1971)
* The Benny Hill Show (UK) (1969–1989)
* The Beverly Hillbillies (1962–1971)
* The Brady Bunch (1969–1974)
* The Carol Burnett Show (1967–1978)
* The Dean Martin Show (1965–1974)
* The Doctors (1963–1982)
* The Doris Day Show (1968–1973)
* The Ed Sullivan Show (1948–1971)
* The Edge of Night (1956–1984)
* The Goodies (UK) (1970-1982)
* The Good Old Days (UK) (1953–1983)
* The Guiding Light (1952–2009)
* The Johnny Cash Show (1969–1971)
* The Late Late Show (Ireland) (1962–present)
* The Lawrence Welk Show (1955–1982)
* The Mike Douglas Show (1961–1981)
* The Mod Squad (1968–1973)
* The Money Programme (UK) (1966–present)
* The Newlywed Game (1966–1974)
* The Secret Storm (1954–1974)
* The Sky at Night (UK) (1957–present)
* The Today Show (1952–present)
* The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962–1992)
* The Wonderful World of Disney (1969–1979)
* This Is Your Life (UK) (1955–2003)
* Tom and Jerry (1965–1972, 1975–1977, 1980–1982)
* Top of the Pops (UK) (1964–2006)
* Truth or Consequences (1950–1988)
* What the Papers Say (UK) (1956–present)
* Where the Heart Is (1969–1973)
* World of Sport (1965–1985)
* Z-Cars (UK) (1962–1978)

### Debuts

* January 5 – Soap opera All My Children on ABC (–2011)
* January 6 – Kate on ITV (–1972)
* January 30 – The Tim Conway Show on CBS (ending June 19)
* February 17 – McCloud pilot on NBC (–1977); The series becomes a regular show the following fall as part of Four in One
* March 30 – Soap opera Somerset on NBC (–1976), while fellow soaps A World Apart (1970–1971) and The Best of Everything (1970) debut on ABC (It marks the last time multiple soaps premiere on the same day in the US)
* September 12 – Josie and the Pussycats, on CBS Saturday morning (–1974)
* September 16 – UFO on ITV (–1971)
* September 17 – The Flip Wilson Show (–1974) and Nancy (–1971) on NBC
* September 18 - Headmaster (-1971) on CBS
* September 19 – Arnie (–1972) and The Mary Tyler Moore Show (–1977) both on CBS
* September 20 – The Tim Conway Comedy Hour on CBS (ending December 13)
* September 21 – NFL Monday Night Football on ABC (it moved to ESPN in 2006)
* September 24 – The Odd Couple (–1975) and Barefoot in the Park (–1971) both on ABC
* September 25
** The Partridge Family on ABC (–1974)
** Adventures in Rainbow Country on CBC (–1971)
** Doomwatch on BBC1 (–1972)
** Party Game (–1980)
** Play for Today supersedes The Wednesday Play on BBC1; the anthology drama series lasts until 1984
* November – Mr Benn on BBC in syndication
* November 8 - The Goodies on BBC2
* December – I racconti di padre Brown on RAI (–February 1971)

### Ending this year

| Date | Show | Debut |
| April 3 | The Flying Nun | 1967 |
| April 3 | Here Come the Brides | 1968 |
| April 4 | Petticoat Junction | 1963 |
| May 7 | Daniel Boone | 1964 |
| May 15 | Get Smart | 1965 |
| May 26 | I Dream of Jeannie | 1965 |
| May 27 | The Wednesday Play | 1964 |
| June 14 | Spider-Man | 1967 |
| June 19 | The Tim Conway Show | 1970 |
| October 31 | Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! (returned in 1978) | 1969 |
| December 13 | The Tim Conway Comedy Hour | 1970 |
| December 19 | H.R. Puffnstuff (Returned in 1971) | 1969 |

## Births

| Date | Name | Notability |
| January 1 | Jeff Schaffer | Writer |
| January 2 | Nancy St. Alban | Actress (Guiding Light) |
| January 6 | Julie Chen Moonves | TV host |
| January 13 | Shonda Rhimes | Producer and showrunner (Grey's Anatomy) |
| January 15 | Shane McMahon | Businessman and pro wrestler (WWE) |
| January 20 | Skeet Ulrich | Actor (Jericho) |
| January 21 | Ken Leung | Actor (Lost, The Night Shift) |
| January 26 | Tracy Middendorf | Actress (Scream) |
| January 27 | Peter W. Klein | Writer |
| January 29 | Heather Graham | Actress (Scrubs) |
| January 29 | Janice Kawaye | Voice actress (My Life as a Teenage Robot, Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi) |
| January 29 | Paul Ryan | Politician |
| January 30 | Chris Jacobs | Television host |
| January 31 | Minnie Driver | English actress (Speechless) |
| February 2 | Jennifer Westfeldt | American actress |
| February 4 | Gabrielle Anwar | English actress (The Tudors, Burn Notice, Once Upon a Time) |
| February 8 | Alonzo Mourning | NBA basketball player |
| February 10 | Tyler Bunch | Actor |
| February 15 | Megan Dodds | Actress (CSI: NY, House) |
| February 17 | Dominic Purcell | Australian-British actor (Prison Break, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow) |
| February 19 | Bellamy Young | Actress (Scandal) |
| February 22 | Michael Rodrick | Actor (Another World) |
| February 23 | Paul Anthony Stewart | Actor (Guiding Light) |
| February 23 | Niecy Nash | Actress |
| February 28 | Tangi Miller | Actress (Felicity) |
| March 2 | Alexander Armstrong | TV presenter |
| March 3 | Julie Bowen | Actress (Ed, Boston Legal, Modern Family) |
| March 3 | Audrey Puente | American meteorologist |
| March 4 | Andrea Bendewald | Actress (Suddenly Susan) |
| March 4 | Christopher B. Duncan | Actor (The Jamie Foxx Show, The First Family) |
| March 5 | Lisa Robin Kelly | Actress (That '70s Show) (died 2013) |
| March 7 | Rachel Weisz | Actress |
| March 8 | Andrea Parker | Actress (The Pretender, Less than Perfect, Pretty Little Liars) |
| March 10 | Jim Sciutto | News anchor |
| March 17 | Yanic Truesdale | Canadian-American actor (Gilmore Girls) |
| March 18 | Queen Latifah | Actress, talk show host (The Queen Latifah Show) |
| March 20 | Michael Rapaport | Actor (Prison Break) |
| March 24 | Lara Flynn Boyle | Actress (Twin Peaks, The Practice) |
| March 24 | Jeff Lewis | TV host |
| March 27 | Elizabeth Mitchell | Actress (Lost, V, Revolution) |
| March 28 | Vince Vaughn | Actor and producer |
| April 4 | Greg Garcia | Producer |
| April 5 | Wendy Braun | Actress (Lost) |
| April 11 | Johnny Messner | Actor |
| April 12 | Retta | Actress and comedian (Parks and Recreation) |
| April 13 | Ricky Schroder | Actor (Silver Spoons, NYPD Blue) |
| April 15 | Flex Alexander | Actor (Girlfriends, One on One) |
| April 20 | Shemar Moore | Actor (The Young and the Restless, Criminal Minds) |
| April 21 | Rob Riggle | Actor and comedian (Saturday Night Live) |
| April 21 | Nicole Sullivan | Actress and comedian (Mad TV, Kim Possible, The Secret Saturdays) |
| April 25 | Jason Lee | Actor (Earl Hickey on My Name is Earl) |
| April 25 | Jason Wiles | Actor (Third Watch, Scream) |
| April 26 | Melania Trump | Businesswoman |
| April 26 | Jacqueline Laurita | American television personality |
| April 29 | Uma Thurman | Actress and singer |
| May 3 | Bobby Cannavale | Actor (Third Watch) |
| May 4 | Will Arnett | Actor (Arrested Development, 30 Rock) |
| May 11 | Karen Kilgariff | Actress |
| May 11 | Harold Ford Jr. | American financial managing director |
| May 12 | Samantha Mathis | Actress |
| May 17 | Jordan Knight | Singer (The Surreal Life: Fame Games) |
| May 18 | Tina Fey | Actress and comedian (Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock) |
| May 19 | Jason Gray-Stanford | Canadian actor (Monk) |
| May 22 | Naomi Campbell | English model, actress and singer (Empire) |
| May 27 | Mara Brock Akil | American screenwriter and television producer |
| May 27 | Joseph Fiennes | American actor |
| May 28 | Paul Sinha | English quizzer, comedian, doctor and award-winning broadcaster |
| June 1 | Paul Schrier | Actor |
| June 2 | Paula Cale | Actress (Providence) |
| June 8 | Gabby Giffords | American retired politician and gun control advocate |
| June 8 | Kelli Williams | Actress (The Practice, Army Wives, Lie to Me) |
| June 12 | Rick Hoffman | Actor |
| June 15 | Leah Remini | Actress (The King of Queens, Kevin Can Wait) |
| June 15 | Kit Pongetti | Actress |
| June 16 | Darlene Rodriguez | American journalist |
| June 16 | Clifton Collins Jr. | American actor |
| June 17 | Will Forte | Actor and comedian (Saturday Night Live, The Last Man on Earth) |
| June 19 | Chris Wragge | American news anchor |
| June 26 | Chris O'Donnell | Actor (Grey's Anatomy, The Company, NCIS: Los Angeles) |
| June 26 | Sean Hayes | Actor, comedian and producer (Will & Grace) |
| June 26 | Nick Offerman | Actor (Parks and Recreation) |
| June 26 | Matt Letscher | Actor |
| June 28 | Steve Burton | Actor (General Hospital, The Young and the Restless) |
| June 28 | Rio Hackford | Actor (died 2022) |
| June 30 | Brian Bloom | Actor |
| July 1 | Henry Simmons | Actor (NYPD Blue, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) |
| July 3 | Audra McDonald | Actress (Private Practice) and singer |
| July 11 | Justin Chambers | Actor (Cold Case, Grey's Anatomy) |
| July 13 | Sharon Horgan | English-born Irish comedy screenwriter and actress (Pulling, Catastrophe, Divorce) |
| July 23 | Charisma Carpenter | Actress (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel) |
| July 26 | Cress Williams | Actor (Prison Break, Hart of Dixie) |
| July 27 | Nikolaj Coster-Waldau | Actor |
| July 30 | Dean Edwards | Actor and comedian (Saturday Night Live, Celebrity Deathmatch, The Sopranos) |
| July 30 | Christopher Nolan | Director |
| July 30 | Andrea Stassou | American television journalist |
| August 2 | Kevin Smith | Actor |
| August 4 | Bret Baier | Host |
| August 6 | M. Night Shyamalan | Actor |
| August 9 | Thomas Lennon | Actor (The State, Reno 911!) |
| August 9 | Chris Cuomo | Reporter |
| August 11 | Teresa Pavlinek | Actress |
| August 12 | Charles Mesure | English-Australian actor |
| August 15 | Anthony Anderson | Actor (All About the Andersons, Black-ish) |
| August 15 | Ben Silverman | American media executive |
| August 16 | Seth Peterson | Actor (Providence, Burn Notice) |
| August 16 | Bonnie Bernstein | Sportscaster |
| August 18 | Malcolm-Jamal Warner | Actor (The Cosby Show, Malcolm & Eddie) |
| August 19 | Fat Joe | Rapper and actor |
| August 22 | Giada De Laurentiis | Television personality and chef (Everyday Italian, Giada at Home) |
| August 23 | Jay Mohr | Actor and comedian (Ghost Whisperer, Gary Unmarried) |
| August 23 | River Phoenix | Actor (Seven Brides for Seven Brothers) (died 1993) |
| August 24 | David Gregory | American television personality |
| August 26 | Melissa McCarthy | Actress and comedian (Gilmore Girls, Mike & Molly) |
| August 27 | Leanna Creel | Actress (Saved by the Bell) |
| August 31 | Debbie Gibson | Singer (Celebrity Apprentice) |
| September 3 | Maria Bamford | Actress and comedian (CatDog, Back at the Barnyard, Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil, Adventure Time, Lady Dynamite) |
| September 6 | Emily Maitlis | Canadian-born English news presenter (NBC, BBC) |
| September 8 | Rosearik Rikki Simons | Voice actor (Invader Zim) |
| September 8 | Latrell Sprewell | NBA basketball player |
| September 11 | Taraji P. Henson | Actress (Empire) |
| September 11 | Laura Wright | Actress (Guiding Light, General Hospital) |
| September 12 | Josh Hopkins | Actor (Cougar Town) |
| September 12 | Will Chase | Actor |
| September 13 | Louise Lombard | English actress (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation) |
| September 16 | Tamron Hall | Journalist and talk show host |
| September 18 | Aisha Tyler | Actress (Criminal Minds, Ghost Whisperer, Archer) |
| September 19 | Victor Williams | Actor (The King of Queens) |
| September 21 | Rob Benedict | Actor (Supernatural) |
| September 21 | James Lesure | Actor (For Your Love, Las Vegas) |
| September 27 | Tamara Taylor | Actress (Bones) |
| September 29 | Emily Lloyd | Actress |
| September 29 | Russell Peters | Actor |
| September 30 | Tony Hale | Actor (Arrested Development) |
| October 2 | Kelly Ripa | Actress, talk show host (All My Children, Hope & Faith) |
| October 2 | Mark Immelman | Sportscaster |
| October 3 | Kirsten Nelson | Actress (Psych) |
| October 5 | Josie Bissett | Actress (Melrose Place) |
| October 6 | Amy Jo Johnson | American-Canadian actress (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Felicity, Flashpoint) and singer |
| October 8 | Matt Damon | Actor (30 Rock) |
| October 11 | Constance Zimmer | Actress (Entourage, Boston Legal, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) |
| October 12 | Kirk Cameron | Actor (Growing Pains) |
| October 13 | Serena Altschul | American broadcast journalist |
| October 14 | Jon Seda | Actor (Homicide: Life on the Street) |
| October 14 | Paul Fitzgerald | Actor |
| October 18 | Mike Mitchell | Director |
| October 19 | Chris Kattan | Actor and comedian (Saturday Night Live, The Middle) |
| October 22 | Jason Moore | Director |
| October 23 | Grant Imahara | American electrical engineer (died 2020) |
| October 24 | Raúl Esparza | Actor (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Hannibal) |
| October 25 | Adam Goldberg | Actor |
| October 25 | Adam Pascal | Actor |
| October 28 | Greg Eagles | Voice actor (Grim on The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy) |
| October 30 | Billy Brown | Actor (How to Get Away with Murder) |
| October 30 | Nia Long | Actress (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Third Watch) |
| November 1 | Caprice Crane | Producer |
| November 4 | Anthony Ruivivar | Actor (Third Watch) |
| November 4 | Bethenny Frankel | American television personality |
| November 7 | Morgan Spurlock | Producer |
| November 9 | Chris Jericho | Wrestler |
| November 11 | Jon Wertheim | Sports journalist |
| November 16 | Martha Plimpton | Actress (Raising Hope) |
| November 17 | Mike Epps | Actor |
| November 18 | Megyn Kelly | Talk show host |
| November 20 | Sabrina Lloyd | Actress (Sliders, Sports Night) |
| November 20 | Melissa Disney | Voice actress (As Told by Ginger) |
| November 24 | Jonathan Ward | Actor (Charles in Charge) |
| November 28 | Richard Osman | TV presenter |
| November 29 | Larry Joe Campbell | Actor (According to Jim) |
| November 30 | Perrey Reeves | Actress |
| December 1 | Golden Brooks | Actress (Girlfriends, Saturdays) |
| December 1 | Sarah Silverman | Actress, comedian and singer (Saturday Night Live, The Sarah Silverman Program) |
| December 2 | Joe Lo Truglio | Actor (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) |
| December 4 | Kevin Sussman | Actor (Ugly Betty, The Big Bang Theory) |
| December 4 | Tamsen Fadal | American journalist |
| December 4 | Fat Pat | American rapper |
| December 5 | Walt Dohrn | Actor |
| December 7 | Meg Oliver | Anchor |
| December 9 | Kara DioGuardi | Judge on American Idol |
| December 10 | Susanna Reid | Television presenter |
| December 12 | Jennifer Connelly | Actress (The $treet) |
| December 12 | Mädchen Amick | Actress (Twin Peaks) |
| December 13 | Jesse Armstrong | Screenwriter (Succession) |
| December 13 | Evan Frankfort | Television composer |
| December 15 | Michael Shanks | Canadian actor (Stargate SG-1, Saving Hope) |
| December 16 | Daniel Cosgrove | Actor |
| December 17 | Sean Patrick Thomas | Actor (The District) |
| December 18 | DMX | Rapper and actor (died 2021) |
| December 18 | Victoria Pratt | Actress (Mutant X, Day Break) |
| December 20 | Nicole de Boer | Actress (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, The Dead Zone) |
| December 21 | Jamie Colby | American TV host |
| December 23 | Shannon Bream | American journalist |
| December 24 | Amaury Nolasco | Puerto Rican actor (Prison Break) |
| December 28 | Dolores Catania | American television personality |
| December 29 | Kevin Weisman | Actor (Alias, The Blacklist, Scorpion) |
| December 31 | Chandra West | Canadian actress (The Gates) |

## Deaths

| Date | Name | Age | Notability |
| April 23 | Herb Shriner | 51 | Actor, game show host (Two for the Money) |
| April 30 | Inger Stevens | 35 | Actress (Katy on The Farmer's Daughter) |
| June 11 | Frank Silvera | 55 | Actor (The High Chaparral) |
| August 30 | Del Moore | 54 | Actor, comedian (Life with Elizabeth) |
| September 29 | Edward Everett Horton | 84 | Actor, narrator (The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show) |