1957 in American television

List of years in American television:
1956–57 United States network television schedule
1957–58 United States network television schedule
List of American television programs currently in production

This is a list of American television-related events in 1957.

Events

Date Event Ref.
January 6 Elvis Presley makes his final appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. [1]
January 14 George Reeves guest stars as Superman in an episode of the CBS sitcom I Love Lucy.
January 25 Steve Allen makes his final appearance as host of NBC's The Tonight Show. He is replaced by Jack Lescoulie and the show is changed from a talk/variety show format to be more like the series Today, with the title Tonight! America After Dark. [2][3]
March 23 The 1957 NCAA University Division Basketball Championship Game, in which the North Carolina Tar Heels defeated the Kansas Jayhawks 54-53, was telecast on five television stations in North Carolina from Kansas City, through the remote facilities of WUNC-TV. Castleman D. Chesley, a local television producer, produced the coverage of this game. This was the inspiration of the establishment of a syndicated package of live men's basketball games of the NCAA's Atlantic Coast Conference, which made its premiere in January 1958. [4][5]
March 31 The first TV version of Cinderella, starring 21-year-old Julie Andrews, and with songs by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, is broadcast in color by CBS.
April 4 "The Ricardos Dedicate a Statue", the 180th and final first run episode of I Love Lucy, is filmed at Desilu Studios. Its May 6 broadcast on CBS marks the end of an era in early television comedy.
June On Tonight! America After Dark, Jack Lescoulie is unsuccessful, so NBC hires Al "Jazzbo" Collins as master of ceremonies. Collins doesn't last long; NBC is already planning to replace him and restore the original format as The Tonight Show, in which Jack Paar becomes the permanent host, starting with the program's July 29 episode.
September 7 NBC introduces its first animated version of its "living color" peacock logo, starting with the day's episode of Your Hit Parade.
Unknown date When Nat King Cole's television series is unable to get a sponsor, Frankie Laine is the first artist to cross TV's color line, foregoing his usual salary of $10,000.00 to become the first white artist to appear as a guest. Other major performers follow suit, including Mel Tormé and Tony Bennett, but, despite an increase in ratings, the show still fails to acquire a national sponsor.
Westinghouse introduces the first rectangular tube color television. Due to issues with convergence (aligning the guns to get a single image), the sets are withdrawn from the market. Rectangular color tubes wouldn't be successfully sold until some time in the mid-1960s.
Hollywood takes over New York as the dominant city where prime time TV programs were filmed, upgrading most of the TV genre, changing from live broadcasts to filmed series.

Television programs

Debuts

Date Debut Network
January 4[6] Blondie NBC
January 4[7][8][9] Mr. Adams and Eve CBS
February 4[10] Whirlybirds Broadcast syndication
March 18 Tales of Wells Fargo NBC
May 10 Date with the Angels ABC
June[11] The New Adventures of Charlie Chan Broadcast syndication
June 10[12] Tom Terrific CBS
July 1 Richard Diamond, Private Detective CBS
July 29 Tonight Starring Jack Paar NBC
September 14 Have Gun – Will Travel CBS
September 14 Sally NBC
September 15[13] Bachelor Father CBS
September 17 The Eve Arden Show CBS
September 17 Sugarfoot ABC
September 18 Wagon Train NBC
September 19 Boots and Saddles Broadcast syndication
September 20 M Squad NBC
September 20 The Thin Man NBC
September 21[14] Colonel Bleep Broadcast syndication
September 21 Perry Mason CBS
September 22 Maverick ABC
September 23 The Restless Gun NBC
September 24 The Californians NBC
September 29 DuPont Show of the Month CBS
September 30[15] Alcoa Theatre NBC
September 30 Goodyear Theatre NBC
September 30 Suspicion NBC
September 30 Who Do You Trust? ABC
October 3 The Real McCoys ABC
October 4[16]: 336  The Court of Last Resort NBC
October 4[17][18] Leave It to Beaver CBS
October 4 Trackdown CBS
October 7 How to Marry a Millionaire Broadcast syndication
October 8 Casey Jones Broadcast syndication
October 10 The Gray Ghost Broadcast syndication
October 10 Zorro ABC
October 11 Harbor Command Broadcast syndication
October 14 Decoy Broadcast syndication
October 16 Tombstone Territory ABC
October 18 Colt .45 ABC
October 18 The Frank Sinatra Show ABC
October 20 The Twentieth Century CBS
November 1 26 Men Broadcast syndication
November 6 The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour CBS
December 14 The Ruff and Reddy Show NBC

Ending this year

Date Show Network Debut Notes
February 9 Science Fiction Theatre Syndication April 9, 1955
February 22 Coke Time with Eddie Fisher NBC April 29, 1953
February 24 Annie Oakley First-run syndication January 9, 1954
February 27 The Adventures of Hiram Holliday CBS October 3, 1956
March 11 Stanley NBC September 24, 1956
March 16 You're On Your Own CBS December 22, 1956
March 17 Mama CBS July 1, 1949
March 26 Do You Trust Your Wife? CBS January 3, 1956
April 8 Life is Worth Living ABC February 12, 1952 (on DuMont)
April 14 Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers NBC October 21, 1956
May 5 Air Power CBS November 11, 1956
May 6 I Love Lucy CBS October 15, 1951
May 25 Caesar's Hour NBC September 27, 1954
May 27 Producers' Showcase NBC October 18, 1954
June 6 The Lone Ranger ABC September 15, 1949
June 9 The Roy Rogers Show NBC December 30, 1951
You Are There CBS February 1953
June 12 The 20th Century Fox Hour CBS October 1955
June 13 Washington Square NBC October 21, 1956
June 14 Wire Service ABC October 4, 1956
June 18 The Kaiser Aluminum Hour NBC July 3, 1956
June 22 The Jackie Gleason Show CBS September 20, 1952
June 24 Robert Montgomery Presents NBC January 30, 1950
June 25 The Jonathan Winters Show NBC October 2, 1956
June 26 Ford Theatre ABC October 17, 1948
July 5 The West Point Story CBS October 5, 1956
July 5 Blondie NBC January 4, 1957
July 18 The Dinah Shore Show NBC November 27, 1951
August 30 The Bob Crosby Show CBS September 14, 1953 Returned to the air on NBC for a run in the 1958 summer season
Kukla, Fran and Ollie WBKB October 13, 1947
September 3 Conflict ABC September 18, 1956
September 12 Lux Video Theatre NBC October 2, 1950 (on CBS)
September 17 Summer Playhouse NBC July 6, 1954
September 22 The Alcoa Hour NBC October 16, 1955
September 28 Dollar a Second NBC September 20, 1953
September 29 Goodyear Television Playhouse NBC October 14, 1951
December 21 Circus Boy CBS September 23, 1956 (on NBC)
December 26 Tales of the Texas Rangers CBS August 27, 1955
December 27 The Sheriff of Cochise NTA Film Network September 21, 1956

Television stations

Station launches

Date Market Station Channel Affiliation Notes/References
January 21 San Antonio, Texas KSAT-TV 12 ABC
February 6 Williston, North Dakota KUMV-TV 8 NBC (primary)
ABC/CBS (primary) 		Semi-satellite of KMOT in Minot, North Dakota
March 1 Casper, Wyoming KTWO-TV 2 CBS (primary)
ABC/NBC (secondary)
March 9 Monroe, Louisiana KLSE 13 NBC
March 18 Tupelo, Mississippi WTWV 9 NBC (primary)
ABC (secondary)
April 1 New Orleans, Louisiana WYES-TV 8 NET Now a PBS affiliate, and on channel 12
April 28 Charlotte, North Carolina WSOC-TV 9 NBC (primary)
ABC (secondary)
May 5 Honolulu, Hawaii KHVH-TV 13 Independent
May 22 Bryan, Texas KBTX-TV 3 CBS (primary)
ABC (secondary)
May 28 Paducah, Kentucky WPSD-TV 6 NBC
June 29 Greenfield, Massachusetts WRLP 32 NBC
July 9 Kalispell, Montana KGEZ-TV 9 Independent
July 15 Reliance/Pierre, South Dakota KPLO-TV 6 Satellite of KELO-TV/Sioux Falls
July 24 Ensign, Kansas KTVC 6 CBS
August 2 Miami, Florida WPST-TV 10 ABC
September 1 Jacksonville, Florida WFGA-TV 12 NBC (primary)
ABC (secondary)
Norfolk, Virginia WAVY-TV 10 ABC
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania WIIC-TV 11 NBC (primary)
NTA Film Network (secondary)
September 2 Wilmington, Delaware
(Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) 		WHYY-TV 35 NET Now a PBS affiliate on channel 12
September 7 New Orleans, Louisiana WWL-TV 4 CBS
September 16 Minneapolis, Minnesota KTCA 2 NET
September 17 Omaha, Nebraska KETV 7 ABC
September 21 Hartford, Connecticut WTIC-TV (original) 3 Independent
September 28 Fort Wayne, Indiana WPTA 21 ABC
September 30 Lexington, Kentucky WKYT-TV 27 Independent
October 7 Corvallis, Oregon KOAC-TV 7 NET Part of Oregon Public Broadcasting
October 27 Beaumont, Texas KPAC-TV 4 NBC
October 28 Florence, Alabama WOWL-TV 15 NBC
Milwaukee, Wisconsin WMVS 10 NET
October 30 Indianapolis, Indiana WLWI-TV 13 ABC
November 1 Binghamton, New York WINR-TV 40 NBC (primary)
ABC (secondary)
Glendive, Montana KXGN-TV 5 CBS/NBC (joint primary)
ABC (secondary)
November 7 LaSalle, Illinois WEEQ 35 NBC Satellite of WEEK-TV/Peoria, Illinois
November 17 Clarksburg, West Virginia WBOY-TV 12 ABC
November 26 Boston, Massachusetts WHDH-TV 5 ABC
December 21 Amarillo, Texas KVII-TV 7 ABC
December 22 Riverton, Wyoming KWRB-TV ABC (primary)
CBS/NBC (secondary)

Network affiliation changes

Date Market Station Channel Old affiliation New affiliation References
August 31 Fort Worth/Dallas, Texas WBAP-TV 5 NBC (primary)
ABC (secondary) 		NBC (exclusive)
September 1 Dallas, Texas WFAA 8 NBC ABC
October 27 Daytona Beach/Orlando, Florida WESH-TV 2 Independent NBC

Station closures

Date City of license/Market Station Channel Affiliation First air date Notes/Ref.
February 13 Elmira, New York WTVE 24 ABC June 13, 1953
September 8 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania WCMB-TV 27 Independent September 8, 1954
April 13 Miami, Florida WGBS-TV 23 NTA Film Network December 24, 1954
April 30 Portland, Oregon KLOR 12 ABC March 8, 1955 Merged with KPTV, which moved from channel 27 to channel 12
May 11 Winston-Salem/Greensboro, North Carolina WTOB-TV 26 ABC September 18, 1953
May 31 Sacramento, California KCCC-TV 40 Independent September 30, 1953
August 6 Tulare/Fresno, California KVVG 27 Independent November 16, 1953
August 31 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania WENS 16 Independent August 25, 1953
October 25 Jacksonville, Florida WJHP-TV 36 Independent December 13, 1953
October 31 Bethlehem, Pennsylvania WLEV-TV 51 NBC April 21, 1953
November 1 Easton, Pennsylvania WGLV 57 ABC November 1, 1957
December 31 Ann Arbor, Michigan WPAG-TV 20 Independent 1953
Raleigh, North Carolina WNAO-TV 28 ABC (primary)
CBS/NBC/DuMont (secondary) 		July 12, 1953

Births

Main article: 1957 in television § Births

Deaths

Main article: 1957 in television § Deaths

References

  1. ^ "Elvis Presley". edsullivan.com. SOFA Entertainment. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
  2. ^ Karm, Bob. "Steve Allen's Last Tonight Show Appearance on this Date in 1957". pdxretro.com. PDX RETRO. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
  3. ^ "Jack Lescoulie-Hollywood Star Walk". LA Times. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  4. ^ Alexander Wolff (October 20, 2011). "Something Special On The Air". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on December 27, 2013. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
  5. ^ Luke DeCock (March 21, 2013). "DeCock: UNC's Lennie Rosenbluth remembers '57 title, Wilt Chamberlain". The News & Observer. Archived from the original on August 20, 2019. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  6. ^ "Blondie". IMDb. 4 January 1957.
  7. ^ McNeil, Alex, Total Television: The Comprehensive Guide to Programming From 1948 to the Present, New York: Penguin Books, 1996, pp. 556–557.
  8. ^ Brooks, Tim, and Earle Marsh, The Complete Directory to Prime-Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present, Sixth Edition, New York: Ballantine Books, 1995, ISBN 0-345-39736-3, pp. 683–684.
  9. ^ The Classic TV Archive Mr. Adams and Eve (1957-58) Accessed 12 June 2021
  10. ^ Database (undated). "Episode List for Whirlybirds (1957)". IMDb. Accessed December 27, 2010.
  11. ^ Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (2007-10-17). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present (9 ed.). Ballantine Books. p. 969. ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4.
  12. ^ DataBase, The Big Cartoon. "Tom Terrific Episode Guide -CBS Prods @ BCDB". Big Cartoon DataBase (BCDB). Retrieved 3 September 2019.[dead link‍]
  13. ^ Terrace, Vincent (1980). Complete Encyclopedia of Television Programs (1947 - 1979). Cranbury, New Jersey: A. S. Barnes and Co. pp. 39–40. ISBN 978-0-4980-2488-7.
  14. ^ Hal Erickson (30 July 2005). Television cartoon shows: an illustrated encyclopedia, 1949 through 2003. McFarland & Co. p. 15. ISBN 978-0-7864-2255-5.
  15. ^ Englund, Klaudia (2009). Television Series and Specials Scripts, 1946-1992: A Catalog of the American Radio Archives Collection. McFarland. p. 11. ISBN 9780786454372.
  16. ^ Hughes, Dorothy B. (1978). Erle Stanley Gardner: The Case of the Real Perry Mason. New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc. ISBN 0-688-03282-6.
  17. ^ Leave It to Beaver, episode 1: "Beaver Gets 'Spelled".
  18. ^ Mathers, Jerry (1998). ...and Jerry Mathers as The Beaver. Berkley Boulevard Books. ISBN 0425163709.