1987 in television

''See also:''
Mosquito ringtone 1986 in television,
Sabrina Martins 1987/other events of 1987,
Nextel ringtones 1988 in television and the
Abbey Diaz list of 'years in television'.

''For the Mosquito ringtone United States/American network television schedule, please see Sabrina Martins 1987-88 American network television schedule.''

Events
*Nextel ringtones January 22 - Abbey Diaz Budd Dwyer/R. Budd Dwyer shoots and kills himself at a televised press conference. The decision by some broadcasters to air the footage leads to a debate over boundaries in journalism.
*Free ringtones January–Majo Mills February - Cingular Ringtones Public Broadcasting Service/PBS broadcasts the critically-acclaimed ''disabled the Eyes on the Prize'' series.
*it went April 19 - force airports Matt Groening's ''he very The Simpsons'' debuts as a series of short animated segments on ''seven conspiracy The Tracey Ullman Show''.
*jersey gladiators May - The sitcom ''cybergabber jack Mr. Belvedere'' is canceled after three seasons. Heavy backlash causes 1950s nat American Broadcasting Company/ABC executives to rethink the decision and bring the show back. Since the fall programming schedules were already written, ''Mr. Belvedere'' does not premiere until late construction completion October.
*older library November 11 - On ''symbolism more As the World Turns'', Lily Walsh loses her virginity to Dusty Donovan. The storyline was a subject of controversy (see emptive strikes Martha Byrne for more).
*confusing and November 13 - rogers in Sonny and Cher reunite for a performance on ''dubna russia Late Night with David Letterman''.
*lying together November - During a showing of the ''our blood Doctor Who'' story ''that seldom Horror of Fang Rock'', some prodigious Chicago PBS station the recover WTTW-TV/WTTW-TV Channel 11 is interrupted for eighty-eight seconds by a pirate television transmitter overriding the station's transmission signal to broadcast a video of himself in a Max Headroom mask being spanked. This incident has subsequently gained a degree of cult myth about it.
*CBS becomes the last American network to cease a chime intonation at the beginning of telecasts; satellite feeds have made the tones obsolete (their job was to signal to the affiliates to start airing the network feed in sync with everyone else).
*Televangelist Jim Bakker is involved in a sex scandal, which causes him to step down as the host of ''The P.T.L. Club''.
*In spite of initial network objections, Bob Barker, host of ''The Price is Right'', ceases dying his hair brown and allows it to appear as its natural white on TV. He does this as a protest against the way animals are used to make the products.
*Genie Francis, of ''General Hospital'' fame, starts a new soap role as Diana Colville on ''Days of Our Lives'', which she will play until 1989.

Debuts
*March 23 - ''The Bold and the Beautiful'' premieres (1987-present).
*April 5 - ''Married... with Children'' premieres (1987-1997).
*April 5 - ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' premieres (1987-1990).
*September 22 - ''Full House'' premieres (1987-1995).
*September 24 - ''A Different World'' premieres (1987-1993).
*September 29 - ''thirtysomething'' premieres (1987-1991).
*October - ''Star Trek: The Next Generation'' (1987-1994) debuts in television syndication/first-run syndication. A long-sought-after revival of the 1960s ''Star Trek: The Original Series'', ''TNG'' would run for seven successful seasons and would launch one of the most successful series of programs in television history. Four consecutive series would run for the next 18 years, until the final episode of ''Star Trek: Enterprise'' on May 13, 2005.
*December 10 - ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' premieres (1987-1996).
*''Inspector Morse'' premieres on ITV (1987-2000).

Television shows
* ''Meet the Press'' (1947-present)
* ''Candid Camera'' (1948-present)
* ''Truth or Consequences'' (1950-1988)
* ''American Bandstand'' (1952-1989)
* ''Guiding Light'' (1952-present)
* ''The Today Show'' (1952-present)
* ''Panorama (television)/Panorama'' (United Kingdom/UK) (1953-present)
* ''Face the Nation'' (1954-present)
* ''The Tonight Show'' (1954-present)
* ''This Is Your Life'' (UK) (1955-2003)
* ''As the World Turns'' (1956-present)
* ''What the Papers Say'' (UK) (1956-present)
* ''The Sky at Night'' (UK) (1957-present)
* ''Blue Peter'' (UK) (1958-present)
* ''Grandstand'' (UK) (1958-present)
* ''Coronation Street'' (UK) (1960-present)
* ''The Late Late Show'' (Ireland) (1962-present)
* ''Doctor Who'' (UK) (1963-1989, 1996, 2005-present)
* ''General Hospital'' (1963-present)
* ''Another World (TV series)/Another World'' (1964-1999)
* ''Crossroads (soap opera)/Crossroads'' (UK) (1964-1988, 2001-2003)
* ''Top of the Pops'' (UK) (1964-present)
* ''Days of Our Lives'' (1965-present)
* ''Play School'' (1966-present)
* ''60 Minutes'' (1968-present)
* ''One Life to Live'' (1968-present)
* ''Hee Haw'' (1969-1993)
* ''Sesame Street'' (1969-present)
* ''The Benny Hill Show'' (UK) (1969-1989)
* ''All My Children'' (1970-present)
* ''Monday Night Football'' (1970-present)
* ''Masterpiece Theatre'' (1971-present)
* ''Soul Train'' (1971-present)
* ''Emmerdale/Emmerdale Farm'' (UK) (1972-present)
* ''Newsround/John Craven's Newsround'' (UK) (1972-present)
* ''The Price Is Right'' (1972-present)
* ''Last of the Summer Wine'' (UK) (1973-present)
* ''The Young and the Restless'' (1973-present)
* ''Derrick'' (1974-1998)
* ''Wish You Were Here...?'' (UK) (1974-present)
* ''Good Morning America'' (1975-present)
* ''Ryan's Hope'' (1975-1989)
* ''Saturday Night Live'' (1975-present)
* ''the fifth estate'' (Canada) (1975-present)
* ''Wheel of Fortune'' (1975-present)
* ''20/20'' (1978-present)
* ''Dallas (television series)/Dallas'' (1978-1991)
* ''Grange Hill'' (UK) (1978-present)
* ''Knots Landing'' (1979-1993)
* ''The Facts of Life'' (1979-1988)
* ''You Can't Do That on Television'' (Canada) (1979-1990)
* ''Magnum, P.I.'' (1980-1988)
* ''Solid Gold (television series)/Solid Gold'' (1980-1988)
* ''Dynasty (TV series)/Dynasty'' (1981-1989)
* ''Entertainment Tonight'' (1981-present)
* ''Falcon Crest'' (1981-1990)
* ''Simon & Simon'' (1981-1988)
* ''Cagney & Lacey'' (1982-1988)
* ''Cheers'' (1982-1993)
* ''Family Ties'' (1982-1989)
* ''Late Night with David Letterman'' (1982-1993)
* ''Newhart'' (1982-1990)
* ''St. Elsewhere'' (1982-1988)
* ''The Journal'' (Canada) (1982-1992)
* ''Fraggle Rock'' (1983-1988)
* ''Loving (TV series)/Loving'' (1983-1995)
* ''Webster (sitcom)/Webster'' (1983-1989)
* ''Highway to Heaven'' (1984-1989)
* ''Jeopardy!'' (1964-1975, '''1984-present''')
* ''Kate and Allie'' (1984-1989)
* ''Miami Vice'' (1984-1989)
* ''Murder, She Wrote'' (1984-1996)
* ''Night Court'' (1984-1992)
* ''Punky Brewster'' (1984-1988)
* ''Santa Barbara (TV series)/Santa Barbara'' (1984-1993)
* ''Tales from the Darkside'' (1984-1988)
* ''The Bill'' (UK) (1984-present)
* ''The Cosby Show'' (1984-1992)
* ''Who's the Boss?'' (1984-1992)
* ''227 (sitcom)/227'' (1985-1990)
* ''EastEnders'' (UK) (1985-present)
* ''Growing Pains'' (1985-1992)
* ''It's a Living'' (1980-1982, '''1985-1989''')
* ''MacGyver'' (1985-1992)
* ''Moonlighting (TV series)/Moonlighting'' (1985-1989)
* ''Mr. Belvedere'' (1985-1990)
* ''Neighbours'' (Australia) (1985-present)
* ''Only Fools and Horses'' (UK) (1981-1983, '''1985-1993''', 1996-1997, 2001-2003) (the only episode aired this year was the Christmas special ''The Frog's Legacy'')
* ''Sally Jessy Raphaël/Sally'' (1985-2002)
* ''The Golden Girls'' (1985-1992)
* ''The Twilight Zone'' (1959-1964, '''1985-1988''', 2002)
* ''What's Happening Now!!'' (1985-1988)
* ''Alf/ALF'' (1986-1990)
* ''Amen (television)/Amen'' (1986-1991)
* ''Designing Women'' (1986-1993)
* ''Double Dare'' (1986-1993)
* ''L.A. Law'' (1986-1994)
* ''Mama's Family'' (1983-1984, '''1986-1990''')
* ''Matlock'' (1986-1995)
* ''Pee-wee's Playhouse'' (1986-1991)
* ''Perfect Strangers'' (1986-1993)
* ''Walt Disney anthology series/The Disney Sunday Movie'' (1986-1988)
* ''Oprah/The Oprah Winfrey Show'' (1986-present)

Ending this year
*''Old Grey Whistle Test/Whistle Test'' (UK) (1971-1987).
*''The P.T.L. Club'' (1976-1987).
*''3-2-1'' (UK) (1978-1987).
*''Gimme a Break!'' (1981-1987).
*''Hill Street Blues'' (1981-1987).
*''Fame (television)/Fame'' (1982-1987).
*''Remington Steele'' (1982-1987).
*''Silver Spoons'' (1982-1987).
*''Scarecrow and Mrs. King'' (1983-1987).
*''The A-Team'' (1983-1987).

Made for television movies
*''Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story''.

Changes of network affiliation
*''Punky Brewster'', formerly an NBC series, resumes after a 1-year production hiatus in first-run syndication.
*''Webster'' moves from ABC to first-run syndication.

Births
*March 9 - Lil' Bow Wow, rapper.

Deaths
*February 22 - David Susskind, commentator and producer.
*March 21 - Dean Paul Martin, actor on ''Misfits of Science'' and son of Dean Martin.
*May 4 - Cathryn Damon, actress on ''Soap (sitcom)/Soap'' and ''Webster''.
*June 24 - Jackie Gleason, comedian.
*August 6 - Quinn Martin, producer.
*September 22 - Dan Rowan, comedian, co-host of Laugh-In.

Tag: 1987/Television
sv:TV-året 1987