Pick a Day

Music History Events: TV Shows

January 19, 1973 The Bobby Darin Show, starring the singer, debuts on NBC. It is canceled in April.

November 24, 1972 Produced by Don Kirshner, the TV series In Concert debuts on ABC as a competitor to NBC's Midnight Special. Guests on the first episode include Chuck Berry, Alice Cooper, Blood, Sweat & Tears, The Allman Brothers Band, and Poco.

December 27, 1971 The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour begins a regular run on CBS after previously serving as a summer replacement. It stays on the air for three years.

October 2, 1971 Soul Train makes its debut, with guests Gladys Knight & the Pips, Eddie Kendricks, and Honey Cone. It stays on the air an astonishing 35 years.

September 21, 1971 The musical variety show The Old Grey Whistle Test premieres on BBC-TV, featuring America as well as clips of Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan.

September 18, 1971 The ill-fated Bobby Sherman sitcom Getting Together premieres on ABC-TV.

September 27, 1970 After 22 years on various networks, the last Ted Mack's Amateur Hour show airs on CBS.

September 25, 1970 The Partridge Family's self-titled TV show debuts on ABC. Two months later, their song "I Think I Love You" hits #1 in America.More

November 30, 1969 Directed by Charles Grodin, the Simon & Garfunkel TV special Songs Of America airs on NBC, getting killed in the ratings by an ice skating presentation. The program has a very political tone, and marks the broadcast debut of the song "Bridge Over Troubled Water."

October 5, 1969 The British comedy troupe Monty Python launch their sketch-comedy series Monty Python's Flying Circus on BBC1 with a theme song of American origin: "The Liberty Bell," a military march by John Philip Sousa. More

June 7, 1969 The Johnny Cash Show makes its debut on ABC, with Bob Dylan duetting with Cash on "Girl From the North Country" and Joni Mitchell performing "Both Sides Now." The show runs until 1971, a total of 58 episodes.

April 4, 1969 CBS cancels the highly rated but controversial Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. Artists to appear on the show include The Who, The Doors and Jefferson Airplane.

February 7, 1969 Tom Jones' UK variety show This Is Tom Jones premieres on ABC after the network pays out over $20 million for the rights.

September 14, 1968 The Archies Saturday morning cartoon TV show debuts.

January 30, 1968 Cilla Black's BBC show Cilla debuts, adding another Britgirl to the UK television lineup. Unlike the shows of Petula Clark, Dusty Springfield, Sandie Shaw, and Lulu, Cilla has longevity, lasting until 1976. This series makes her one of the most popular television personalities in the UK until her death in 2015.

October 9, 1967 Doc Severinsen, already a member of the house band on NBC-TV's Tonight Show, replaces Skitch Henderson as its leader.

July 2, 1967 Rick Nelson stars in the short-lived (it lasts three months) TV series Malibu U on ABC.

June 4, 1967 The Monkees, starring the eponymous band, wins an Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series.

April 14, 1967 The final Where The Action Is airs on ABC-TV.

September 12, 1966 The Roger Miller Show, starring the country singer, debuts on NBC with guests Bill Cosby and Wes Harrison. The show lasts just one season.

September 9, 1966 James Darren's TV series Time Tunnel premieres on ABC.

November 16, 1965 CBS airs the Frank Sinatra documentary Sinatra: An American Original, hosted by Walter Cronkite.

September 25, 1965 The cartoon The Beatles, starring animated versions of the Fab 4 (and soundalike voiceover artists), debuts on ABC. The show lasts three seasons.

September 16, 1965 The Dean Martin Show makes its debut, with Martin using his hit "Everybody Loves Somebody" as the theme song. The popular variety show runs until 1974 and introduces us to a group of backup dancers called The Golddiggers. Martin coins a new nickname for guest Frank Sinatra when he refers to his pal as "Chairman of the Board."

September 13, 1965 The ill-fated variety program The Steve Lawrence Show, starring the big band singer and featuring guest star Lucille Ball, debuts on CBS-TV.

September 8, 1965 An ad appears in Variety looking for "Four Insane Boys, Ages 17-21" to star in a new TV show: The Monkees.

June 28, 1965 Dick Clark's Where The Action Is premieres on ABC.

September 28, 1964 Connie Stevens premieres her first television sitcom, Wendy And Me, on ABC, featuring George Burns as her landlord. It lasts one season.

September 16, 1964 The musical variety show Shindig! premieres in America on ABC with performances by Sam Cooke and The Everly Brothers.

September 14, 1964 The Bing Crosby Show sitcom, starring the title singer, premieres on ABC (it lasts one season).