1977 in television

See also: 1976 in television, other events of 1977, 1978 in television and the list of 'years in television'.

For the American network television schedule, please see 1977–78 American network television schedule.

Events

• January 23-30 – American Broadcasting Company broadcasts the mini series Roots, which sets television ratings records.
• February 4 – American Bandstand celebrates its 25th anniversary on television with an special hosted by Dick Clark. An "all-star band" made up of Chuck Berry, Seals & Crofts, Gregg Allman, Junior Walker, Johnny Rivers, the Pointer Sisters, Charlie Daniels, Doc Severenson, Les McCann, Donald Byrd, Chuck Mangione and three members of Booker T and the MGs perform "Roll Over Beethoven."
• April – Jesus of Nazareth, directed by Franco Zeffirelli, first airs on NBC.
• Chevy Chase leaves the cast of Saturday Night Live to make movies. Chase is replaced by Bill Murray.
• Don Novello first appeared on Saturday Night Live until 1987.
• Lisa Peluso makes her first appearance on Search for Tomorrow.
• Scum, an entry in BBC1's Play for Today anthology strand, is pulled from transmission due to controversy over its depiction of life in a Young Offender's Institution. Two years later the director Alan Clarke makes a film version with most of the same cast, and the original play itself is eventually transmitted on Channel 4 in 1991.

Debuts

• January 28 – Fantasy Island premieres on ABC (1977-1984).
• March 15 – Eight is Enough premieres on ABC (1977-1981).
• March 15 – Three's Company premieres on ABC (1977–1984).
• September 13 – Soap premieres on ABC (1977–1981).
• September 15 – CHiPs premieres on NBC (1977-1983).
• September 20 – Lou Grant premieres on CBS (1977-1982).
• September 24 – The Love Boat premieres on ABC (1977-1986).
• The Naked Vicar Show premieres on ATN-7 in Australia (1977-1978).

Television shows

• Meet the Press (1947-present).
• Candid Camera (1948-present).
• Come Dancing (UK) (1949-1995).
• Truth or Consequences (1950-1988).
• Love of Life (1951-1980).
• Search for Tomorrow (1951–1986).
• American Bandstand (1952-1989).
• Guiding Light (1952-present).
• The Today Show (1952-present).
• Panorama (UK) (1953-present).
• The Good Old Days (UK) (1953–1983).
• Face the Nation (1954-present).
• The Tonight Show (1954-present).
• Captain Kangaroo (1955-1984).
• The Lawrence Welk Show (1955–1982).
• This Is Your Life (UK) (1955-2003).
• As the World Turns (1956-present).
• Opportunity Knocks (UK) (1956–1978).
• The Edge of Night (1956–1984).
• 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).
• Four Corners (Australia) (1961-present).
• The Mike Douglas Show (1961–1981).
• The Late Late Show (Ireland) (1962-present).
• Z-Cars (UK) (1962-1978).
• Doctor Who (UK) (1963-1989, 1996, 2005-present).
• General Hospital (1963-present).
• The Doctors (1963–1982).
• Another World (1964-1999).
• Crossroads (UK) (1964–1988, 2001-2003).
• Top of the Pops (UK) (1964-present).
• Days of Our Lives (1965-present).
• World of Sport (UK) (1965-1985).
• Play School (1966-present).
• The Money Programme (UK) (1966-present).
• The Carol Burnett Show (1967-1978).
• 60 Minutes (1968-present).
• Hawaii Five-O (1968–1980).
• Magpie (UK) (1968–1980).
• One Life to Live (1968-present).
• Hee Haw (1969-1993).
• Sesame Street (1969-present).
• The Benny Hill Show (UK) (1969–1989).
• The Wonderful World of Disney (1969-1979).
• All My Children (1970-present).
• Monday Night Football (1970-present).
• Play for Today (UK) (1970–1984).
• All in the Family (1971-1979).
• Columbo (1971–1978).
• Masterpiece Theatre (1971-present).
• Old Grey Whistle Test (UK) (1971–1987).
• Soul Train (1971-present).
• Are You Being Served? (UK) (1972-1985).
• Emmerdale Farm (UK) (1972-present).
• Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (1972–1984).
• John Craven's Newsround (UK) (1972-present).
• Maude (1972–1978).
• M*A*S*H (1972–1983).
• The Bob Newhart Show (1972–1978).
• The Price Is Right (1972-present).
• The Waltons (1972–1981).
• Barnaby Jones (1973-1980).
• Kojak (1973–1978, 2005-present).
• Last of the Summer Wine (UK) (1973-present).
• Match Game '77 (1962–1969, 1973–1984, 1990-1991, 1998-1999).
• Schoolhouse Rock! (1973–1986).
• The Six Million Dollar Man (1973–1978).
• The Tomorrow Show (1973–1982).
• The Young and the Restless (1973-present).
• Chico and the Man (1974-1978).
• Countdown (Australia) (1974–1987).
• Derrick (1974–1998).
• Good Times (1974–1979).
• Happy Days (1974–1984).
• Little House on the Prairie (1974–1983).
• Police Woman (1974–1978).
• Rhoda (1974–1978).
• Tattletales (1974–1978, 1982–1984).
• The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast (1974–1984).
• The Rockford Files (1974–1980).
• Tiswas (UK) (1974–1982).
• Wish You Were Here...? (UK) (1974-present).
• Baretta (1975-1978).
• Barney Miller (1975–1982).
• Good Morning America (1975-present).
• Jim'll Fix It (UK) (1975-1994).
• King of Kensington (Canada) (1975–1980).
• Match Game PM (1975–1981).
• One Day at a Time (1975–1984).
• Pop Quest (UK) (1975–1978).
• Runaround (UK) (1975–1981).
• Ryan's Hope (1975–1989).
• Saturday Night Live (1975-present).
• Superstars (UK) (1975–1985, 2003-present).
• The Don Lane Show (Australia) (1975–1983).
• the fifth estate (Canada) (1975-present).
• The Good Life (UK) (1975–1978).
• The Jeffersons (1975–1985).
• The Sweeney (UK) (1975–1978).
• Tom and Jerry (1965–1972, 1975–1977, 1980–1982).
• Welcome Back, Kotter (1975–1979).
• Wheel of Fortune (1975-present).
• Alice (1976-1985).
• Charlie's Angels (1976–1981).
• Family Feud (1976–1985, 1988–1995, 1999-present).
• In Search of... (1976–1982).
• Laverne & Shirley (1976–1983).
• Quincy, M.E. (1976–1983).
• Second City Television (SCTV) (Canada) (1976–1984).
• The Bionic Woman (1976–1978).
• The Muppet Show (UK) (1976–1981).
• The P.T.L. Club (1976–1987).
• What's Happening!! (1976–1979).
• Wonder Woman (1976–1979).

Ending this year

• May – Emergency! (1972–1977).
• June – Survivors (UK) (1975–1977).
• November 13 – Popular UK sitcom Dad's Army ends its run on BBC1 (1968–1977).
• Mary Tyler Moore (1970–1977).
• McCloud (1970–1977).
• McMillan and Wife (1971–1977).
• Sanford and Son (1972–1977).
• Land of the Lost (1974–1977).
• Space: 1999 (1975–1977, although a few leftover episodes would air in the UK in 1978).
• Supersonic (UK) (1975–1977).
• New Howdy Doody Show (1976–1977).

Changes of network affiliation

• The Bionic Woman moves from ABC to NBC.

Births

• January 1 – Keeley Hawes, British actress.
• April 14 – Sarah Michelle Gellar, American actress.

Deaths

• January 28 – Burt Mustin, actor.
• February 28 – Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson, comedian.
• August 16 – Elvis Presley, musician.
• August 19 – Groucho Marx, comedian, television host.
• August 22 – Sebastian Cabot, actor.
• August 29 – Jean Hagen, actress.
• October 14 – Bing Crosby, singer.