1962 in television

See also: 1961 in television, other events of 1962, 1963 in television and the list of 'years in television'.

For the American network television schedule, please see 1962–63 American network television schedule.

Events

• March 16 – Walter Cronkite succeeds Douglas Edwards as anchorman of the CBS Evening News.
• March 24 – Boxer Benny Kid Paret falls unconscious at the hands of fellow boxer Emile Griffith during a televised boxing match at Madison Square Garden. Paret would die nine days later.
• Les Crane and Regis Philbin host The Tonight Show for a short time, until Johnny Carson took over later in the year.
• October 2 – Johnny Carson debuts as host of The Tonight Show.
• Broadcast of Sábados Alegres begins, program later becomes Sábados Gigantes.

Debuts

• September – Empire premieres on NBC (1962-1963).
• October – The Saint premieres in the UK (1962-1969).
• Match Game premieres on NBC (1962–1969, 1973-1984, 1990-1991, 1998-1999).
• The Beverly Hillbillies on CBS (1962-1971).
• The Late Late Show premieres in Ireland (1962-present).
• The Lucy Show premieres (1962-1968).
• Z-Cars on the BBC (1962-1978).
• The Jetsons premieres (1962–1963, 1984-1985, 1987).

Television shows

• Meet the Press (1947-present).
• Candid Camera (1948-present).
• The Ed Sullivan Show (1948–1971).
• Come Dancing (UK) (1949-1995).
• The Voice of Firestone (1949-1963).
• The Jack Benny Show (1950-1965).
• Truth or Consequences (1950-1988).
• What's My Line (1950-1967).
• Love of Life (1951-1980).
• Search for Tomorrow (1951-1986).
• American Bandstand (1952-1989).
• The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1952-1966).
• The Guiding Light (1952-present).
• The Honeymooners (1952-1970).
• The Today Show (1952-present).
• Panorama (UK) (1953-present).
• The Good Old Days (UK) (1953-1983).
• Face the Nation (1954-present).
• The Milton Berle Show (1954–1967).
• The Secret Storm (1954-1974).
• The Tonight Show (1954-present).
• Zoo Quest (UK) (1954-1964).
• Captain Kangaroo (1955-1984).
• Dixon of Dock Green (UK) (1955-1976).
• Gunsmoke (1955-1975).
• The Lawrence Welk Show (1955-1982).
• This Is Your Life (UK) (1955-2003).
• Armchair Theatre (UK) (1956-1968).
• As the World Turns (1956-present).
• Opportunity Knocks (UK) (1956–1978).
• The Edge of Night (1956–1984).
• The Price Is Right (1956–1965).
• What the Papers Say (UK) (1956-present).
• Leave It to Beaver (1957-1963).
• The Sky at Night (UK) (1957-present).
• Blue Peter (UK) (1958-present).
• Grandstand (UK) (1958-present).
• The Donna Reed Show (1958–1966).
• Bonanza (1959-1973).
• Hawaiian Eye (1959–1963).
• Juke Box Jury (1959–1967, 1979, 1989-1990).
• The Bell Telephone Hour (1959–1968).
• The Twilight Zone (1959–1964, 1985-1988, 2002).
• Coronation Street (UK) (1960-present).
• My Three Sons (1960-1972).
• The Andy Griffith Show (1960–1968).
• The Flintstones (1960–1966).
• Ben Casey (1961-1966).
• Four Corners (Australia) (1961-present).
• Mister Ed (1961–1966).
• The Avengers (UK) (1961–1969).
• The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961–1966).
• The Fulton Sheen Program (1961–1968).
• The Mike Douglas Show (1961-1981).
• Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color (1961–1969).

Ending this year

• December – Cheyenne (1955–1962).
• The Brighter Day (1954–1962).
• Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1962).
• Hancock's Half Hour (1956–1962).

Births

• July 8 – Rob Burnett, one time head writer for David Letterman.
• September 11 – Elizabeth Daily, actress.
• October 4 – Caron Keating, television presenter (d. 2004).
• November 19 – Jodie Foster, actress and director.

Deaths

• January 13 – Ernie Kovacs, comedian.