Editing 1983 in American television

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{{USTV year|1983}}<!--no space 1983-->

The year '''1983 in television''' involved some significant events.

==Events==
{| class="wikitable"
! Date || Event
|-
|January 1
|After episode 410 of ''[[Soul Train]]'' was broadcast this day, the series goes on hiatus for [[Don Cornelius]]'s brain surgery. Original episodes return on April 30 after Cornelius returns from his convalescence.
|-
|January 3
|[[List of The Price Is Right pricing games#Plinko|Plinko]] is added as a pricing game on the [[CBS]] game show ''[[The Price Is Right (American game show)|The Price Is Right]]''; it will go on to become one of the most popular of the show's games. Also on this date, three new [[game show]]s debut on rival [[NBC]]: ''[[Sale of the Century|$ale of the Century]]'', ''[[Just Men!]]'' and ''[[Hit Man (game show)|Hit Man]]''. The two latter shows will leave the air after 13 weeks, whereas ''$ale'' (a revival of the hit NBC game show of the late 1960s-early 1970's) will go on to have a six-year run.
|-
|January 8
|The [[1982–83 NFL playoffs|NFL playoffs]] begin on [[NFL on CBS|CBS]] and [[NFL on NBC|NBC]], who televised the [[National Football Conference|NFC]] and [[American Football Conference|AFC]] playoff games respectively. Because a [[National Football League Players Association#1982 strike|players' strike]] reduced the regular season from 16 to only 9 games, the [[National Football League]] created a special 16-team playoff format (dubbed the "[[Super Bowl XVII|Super Bowl Tournament]]", where division standings were ignored and eight teams from each conference were seeded 1–8 based on their regular season records), just for this year. As a further consequence of the strike, this marked the first (and currently only) time that [[NFL playoffs|NFL playoff]] games were regionally televised across the United States instead of nationwide.  
|-
|January 10
|Canada and the United States launch the television series ''[[Fraggle Rock|Jim Henson's Fraggle Rock]]'', an educational co-production advocating tolerance.<ref>{{cite book | last = McNeil | first = Alex | title = Total television : a comprehensive guide to programming from 1948 to the present | publisher = Penguin Books | location = New York, N.Y., U.S.A. | year = 1991 | isbn = 9780140157369 | page=275}}</ref>
|-
|January 30
|The [[The A-Team (season 1)|first regular episode]] for ''[[The A-Team]]'' airs [[List of Super Bowl lead-out programs|after]] [[NBC]]'s [[NFL on NBC|coverage]] of [[Super Bowl XVII]].
|-
|February 5
|The first part of a special two-part [[List of Diff'rent Strokes episodes|episode]] of ''[[Diff'rent Strokes]]'' called "[[The Bicycle Man]]", in which Arnold and Dudley encounter a [[Pedophilia|pedophile]] (played by [[Gordon Jump]]), is broadcast on [[NBC]]. It is notable for starting the trend of [[very special episode]]s.
|-
|February 6–13
|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] broadcasts the epic miniseries ''[[The Winds of War (miniseries)|The Winds of War]]'', based on the [[The Winds of War|novel]] by [[Herman Wouk]]. It is seen in part or in total by 140 million viewers, making it the most watched miniseries at the time.
|-
|February 13
|[[Marvin Gaye]] performs a soulful rendition of "[[The Star-Spangled Banner]]" at the [[1983 NBA All-Star Game|NBA All-Star Game]] at [[The Forum (Inglewood, California)|The Forum]] in Los Angeles. [[VH1]] would later use it as the first very first video when they premiered on January 1, 1985. And when [[NBA on CBS|CBS]] broadcast their final NBA telecast at the end of the [[1990 NBA Finals]], they played Gaye's 1983 rendition of the anthem during the closing credits.
|-
|February 20
|An extended cut of ''[[Star Trek: The Motion Picture]]'' premieres on the [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]].<ref>{{cite news|author=Carmody, John|date=February 1, 1983|title=The TV Column|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|page=D9}}</ref> It added roughly 12&nbsp;minutes to the film. The added footage was largely unfinished, and cobbled together for the network premiere; director [[Robert Wise]] hadn't wanted some of the footage to be included in the final cut of the film.<ref name="toronto sun-directors">{{cite news|author=Kirkland, Bruce|date=November 6, 2001|title=Trek director Waxes Wise on new DVD|newspaper=[[Toronto Sun]]|page=46}}</ref> This version was released on VHS and LaserDisc by [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]] in 1983.<ref>{{cite news |editor-last=Turner |editor-first=Winford |date=June 12, 1983 |title=Gift for his VCR|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MBQsAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA67 |newspaper=[[TimesDaily]] |publisher=[[The New York Times Company]] |location=[[Florence, Alabama|Florence]], Alabama |volume=114 |issue=163 |page=43}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.blam1.com/StarTrek/LV8858-2A.htm |date=September 27, 2003 |title=Star Trek: The Motion Picture — Special Longer Version |website=Star Trek: The LaserDisc Site |publisher=Blam Entertainment Group |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305210703/http://blam1.com/startrek/lv8858-2a.htm |archive-date=March 5, 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
|February 21
|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] airs a [[Television film|made-for-television]] [[Biographical film|biographical]] [[Grace Kelly (film)|film]] about the life of [[Grace Kelly|Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco]], starring [[Cheryl Ladd]]. The producers would claim that Princess Grace assisted for several weeks with the films preproduction before her unexpected death in September 1982.<ref name=nytimes>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/02/21/arts/tv-movie-grace-kelly.html|title=Tv Movie: Grace Kelly|first=John J.|last=O'Connor|work=The New York Times |date=February 21, 1983|via=NYTimes.com}}</ref>
|-
|February 23
|[[PBS]] broadcasts ''The Operation'', a live telecast of an actual open-heart surgery.
|-
|February 28
|More than 125 million Americans watch the 251st and final [[List of M*A*S*H episodes|episode]] of ''[[M*A*S*H (TV series)|M*A*S*H]]'' on [[CBS]], "[[Goodbye, Farewell and Amen]]". It would be the most viewed TV broadcast in U.S. history until [[Super Bowl XLIV]] in February 2010.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/03/03/arts/finale-of-m-a-s-h-draws-record-number-of-viewers.html|work=The New York Times|title=Finale Of M*A*S*H Draws Record Number Of Viewers|date=March 3, 1983}}</ref>
|-
|March 3
|[[WYFF|WFBC-TV]], [[List of NBC television affiliates (by U.S. state)|NBC affiliate]] in [[Greenville, South Carolina|Greenville]], changes its call sign to WYFF.
|-
|rowspan="2"|March 6
|[[Country Music Television]] (CMT) begins in the United States.
|-
|The first televised [[United States Football League|USFL]] football game ([[Los Angeles Express (USFL)|Los Angeles Express]] vs. [[New Jersey Generals]]) is broadcast by [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]. The Express would ultimately win the game, 20–15.
|-
|March 7
|[[The Nashville Network]] (TNN) (known later as The National Network and Spike TV; now known as [[Paramount Network]]) begins broadcasting.
|-
|March 10
|[[MTV]] broadcasts the video of [[Michael Jackson]]'s song "[[Billie Jean]]" for the first time. The video is the first by a black artist to gain great airplay on MTV, and is credited with helping the album ''[[Thriller (Michael Jackson album)|Thriller]]'', in which the song is included, become the best-selling album of all time.
|-
|March 18
|[[CBS]] broadcasts ''Still the Beaver'', a two-hour [[television movie]] which reintroduces the adult actors, reprising their child characters, from the original 1957–1963 sitcom ''[[Leave It to Beaver]]''. This would be followed by a new TV series which was also called ''Still the Beaver'' that would air on [[Disney Channel|The Disney Channel]] for the 1984–85 season. Beginning in the 1986–87 season, the series, now named ''[[The New Leave It to Beaver]]'', would air on [[TBS (American TV channel)|WTBS]], where it would remain until its conclusion in 1989.
|-
|March 19
|[[First Lady of the United States|US First Lady]] [[Nancy Reagan]] makes a special appearance on an episode of the [[NBC]] comedy ''[[Diff'rent Strokes]]'', beginning her [[Just Say No]] anti-drug campaign.
|-
|March 20
|[[NBC]] broadcasts the TV movie ''[[Special Bulletin]]'', a fictional—yet realistic—depiction of a TV network's coverage of a [[nuclear terrorism]] threat in [[Charleston, South Carolina]]. The movie is an early collaboration between [[Edward Zwick]] (who directed) and [[Marshall Herskovitz]] (who wrote the teleplay); both men would create and produce ''[[Thirtysomething (TV series)|thirtysomething]]'' later in the 1980s.
|-
|rowspan="2"|April 4
|''[[Archie Bunker's Place]]'' broadcasts its last original episode as [[CBS]] cancels the series after four seasons (and without a proper series finale), ending [[Carroll O'Connor]]'s run as [[Archie Bunker]], which began during 1971 with ''[[All in the Family]]''.
|-
|''[[Live with Kelly and Ryan|The Morning Show]]'', hosted by [[Regis Philbin]] and [[Cyndy Garvey]], premieres locally on [[WABC-TV|WABC]] in [[New York City]]. The show would eventually make its move to national [[Broadcast syndication|syndication]] in 1988 with Philbin and [[Kathie Lee Gifford]] as his co-host.
|-
|April 7
|[[Major League Baseball]] agrees to terms with [[Major League Baseball on ABC|ABC]] and [[Major League Baseball on NBC|NBC]] on a six-year television package, worth [[United States dollar|$]]1.2 billion. The two networks would continue to alternate coverage of the [[League Championship Series|playoffs]] (ABC in even-numbered years and NBC in odd-numbered years), [[World Series]] (ABC would televise the World Series in odd-numbered years and NBC in even-numbered years) and [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Game]] (ABC would televise the All-Star Game in even-numbered years and NBC in odd-numbered years) through the 1989 season, with each of the 26 clubs receiving $7 million per year in return (even if no fans showed up). This was a substantial increase over the last package, in which each club was being paid $1.9 million per year. ABC contributed $575 million for the rights to televise prime time and Sunday afternoon regular season games and NBC paid $550 million for the rights to broadcast 30 Saturday afternoon games.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/rec.sport.baseball/LggiwRuN2r4 |title=Searchable Network TV Broadcasts - NBC Sports (1980s) |website=rec.sport.baseball }}</ref>
|-
|April 9
|[[Vin Scully]] makes his debut as [[NBC Sports|NBC]]'s new lead play-by-play announcer for their [[Major League Baseball on NBC|Major League Baseball telecasts]] (a role that he would maintain through the [[1989 Major League Baseball season|1989 season]]). Scully's first broadcast for NBC is a game between the [[1983 Montreal Expos season|Montreal Expos]] and [[1983 Los Angeles Dodgers season|Los Angeles Dodgers]], where the Expos would defeat the Dodgers 7-2.
|-
|April 12
|[[David Canary]] makes his first appearance on the [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] soap opera ''[[All My Children]]''.
|-
|April 18
|[[Disney Channel]] is initiated on American cable TV. The first show televised is ''[[Good Morning, Mickey!]]''
|-
|April 21
|[[WTWC-TV]] in [[Tallahassee, Florida]] signs on, giving the Tallahassee market its first full-time [[NBC]] affiliate.
|-
|May 1–2
|''[[V (1983 miniseries)|V]]'' is broadcast by [[NBC]]. The [[V (1984 TV series)#Episodes|first episode]] is viewed by 40% of TV viewers.<ref>Bedell, Sally (May 4, 1983). "'V' SERIES AN NBC HIT". The New York Times. p. 27. Retrieved May 14, 2011</ref>
|-
|rowspan="2"|May 6
|A fire at Southfork threatens the lives of the Ewings on the [[Dallas (1978 TV series, season 6)|season finale]] of the [[CBS]] drama series ''[[Dallas (TV series)|Dallas]]''.
|-
|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] airs the broadcast network television premiere of ''[[The Shining (film)|The Shining]]''.
|-
|May 16
|The concert special ''[[Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever]]'' is broadcast by [[NBC]]; [[Michael Jackson]], after a performance with [[The Jackson Five]], provides the centerpiece highlight by performing, to "Billie Jean", his "[[moonwalk (dance)|moonwalk]]" dance for the first time on television.
|-
|May 22
|[[CBS Sports|CBS]] introduces a new theme music (composed by Allyson Bellink and mostly consisting of an uptempo series of four notes and three [[Bar (music)|bars]] each) for their coverage of the [[NBA on CBS|NBA]]. It uses a primitive-computer generated introduction (created by Bill Feigenbaum) of the NBA arenas (similar to the [[Boston Garden]]) until the [[1989 NBA Playoffs|1989 Playoffs]] and later revived the second theme beginning in the [[1989 NBA Finals|1989 Finals]].<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVkpNRvpu_M NBA on CBS]</ref>
|-
|May 29
|[[WLOV-TV|WVSB-TV]] in [[West Point, Mississippi]] signs on, giving the [[Tupelo, Mississippi|Tupelo]] market its first full-time [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] affiliate.
|-
|June 7
|[[List of former NBC television affiliates|NBC affiliate]] in [[Miami]]/[[Fort Lauderdale, Florida|Fort Lauderdale]], WCKT-TV changes its call letters to [[WSVN]].
|-
|June 16
|[[Pope John Paul II]] arrives in his native Poland, with [[ABC News (United States)|ABC]] and [[NBC News|NBC]] broadcasting his arrival live ([[CBS]], hampered by budget reductions of its news division, broadcasts ''The Price is Right'' instead).
|-
|June 20
|[[KTKA-TV|KLDH]] (now [[KTKA-TV]]) in [[Topeka, Kansas]] signs on, giving the Topeka market its first full-time [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] affiliate.
|-
|June 23
|[[Whitney Houston]] makes her national television debut when she performs on ''[[The Merv Griffin Show]]''.
|-
|August 4
|The cast of [[NBC]]'s series ''[[Search for Tomorrow]]'' is forced to do a live show for the first time since the program began using videotape format during 1967 due to the loss of both the regular transmission tape and a backup.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://eyesofageneration.com/very-interesting-search-for-tomorrow-the-live-episode-on-august-4-1983/ |title = 'Search For Tomorrow'...The LIVE Episode! - Eyes Of A Generation...Television's Living History}}</ref>
|-
|August 10
|[[KDVR|KDVR-TV]], [[Denver]]'s first [[UHF television broadcasting|UHF station]] goes on the air.
|-
|August 12
|[[Denver]]'s [[List of former NBC television affiliates|NBC station]] KOA-TV changes its name to [[KCNC-TV]].
|-
|August 22
|In [[Fargo, North Dakota]], [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] affiliate KTHI-TV (now [[KVLY-TV]]) swaps affiliations with long-time [[NBC]] affiliate [[WDAY-TV]] and its semi-satellite in [[Grand Forks, North Dakota|Grand Forks]], [[WDAZ-TV]].
|-
|August 30
|Though the station is still regarded as profitable, [[Field Enterprises]] closes down [[WKBS-TV (Philadelphia)|WKBS-TV]]/[[Burlington, New Jersey]]-[[Philadelphia]] after failing to find a buyer.
|-
|rowspan="4"|September 5
|[[PBS]]'s series ''[[PBS NewsHour|The MacNeil/Lehrer Report]]'' becomes ''The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour'', the first American network news program to expand from a half-hour to one hour in length.
|-
|[[Tom Brokaw]] becomes the sole main anchor of the ''[[NBC Nightly News]]'', ending a 17-month stint co-anchoring the broadcast with [[Roger Mudd]].
|-
|[[Peter Jennings]] becomes sole anchorman of [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]'s newscast ''[[ABC World News Tonight|World News Tonight]]'', after the death of [[Frank Reynolds]] two months earlier.
|-
|[[Pam Long]] becomes co-main writer of the [[CBS]] soap opera ''[[Guiding Light]]''.
|-
|September 5
|During the first half of a broadcast of ''[[Monday Night Football]]'' between the [[1983 Dallas Cowboys season|Dallas Cowboys]] and [[1983 Washington Redskins season|Washington Redskins]], [[Howard Cosell]] refers to Washington wide-receiver [[Alvin Garrett]] as a "little monkey". Cosell's remarks immediately ignites a [[List of ethnic slurs#M|racial controversy]] and plays a key factor in his departure from the ''Monday Night Football'' booth following the [[1983 NFL season]].
|-
|September 8
|The comedy series ''[[We Got it Made]]'' debuts, the first new series on [[NBC]]'s autumn list to premiere—and the start of one of the least successful new autumn show rosters for a network in history, as none of the series would survive a 2nd season (the other series being ''[[Manimal]]'', ''[[Jennifer Slept Here]]'', ''[[Mr. Smith (TV series)|Mr. Smith]]'', ''[[Bay City Blues]]'', ''[[The Yellow Rose]]'', ''Boone'', ''For Love and Honor'' and ''[[The Rousters]]'').
|-
|September 12
|The animated ''[[G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (1985 TV series)|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero]]'' mini-series based on the toys of the same name debuts in syndication. Another miniseries airs the following year, with an ongoing show premiering in 1985.
|-
|rowspan="3"|September 17
|The [[Peanuts]] gang get their very own Saturday morning cartoon series with ''[[The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show]]'' on [[CBS]]. Earlier that year, said network cancelled their epynous prime time show ''Peanuts'' because it had run its course and already outdated. (The prime time series was given a proper finale in 1981.)
|-
|''[[Alvin and the Chipmunks (1983 TV series)|Alvin and the Chipmunks]]'' premieres on [[NBC]].
|-
|[[Vanessa L. Williams|Vanessa Williams]] is crowned [[Miss America]] in a nationally televised [[Miss America 1984|event]] on [[NBC]]. Williams became the first African American woman to win the title.
|-
|September 18
|The band [[Kiss (band)|Kiss]] officially appears in public without make-up for the first time since its very early days on a appearance on [[MTV]], which coincided with the release of ''[[Lick It Up]]''.<ref>Lendt, ''Kiss and Sell'', p. 289.</ref>
|-
|rowspan="2"|September 19
|The nighttime syndicated edition of the NBC daytime game show ''[[Wheel of Fortune (American game show)|Wheel of Fortune]]'' premieres. The show is only picked up by 59 markets and is shut out of the top 3 markets. However, by late 1984, the show will overtake ''[[Family Feud]]'' as the number one show in syndication. Family Feud surpassed Wheel Of Fortune as the most watched show in syndication in June 2015. It has continued to be in the top three shows in syndication through 2024.
|-
|''[[Press Your Luck]]'' premieres on [[CBS]]; the game show would end its run on September 26, 1986.
|-
|September 25
|[[WPVI]] newscaster Jim O'Brien is killed in a skydiving accident in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania at age 43.
|-
|September 27–29
|[[NBC]] broadcasts ''Live... and in Person'', a live variety special program broadcast during three nights. [[Sandy Gallin]] is host, and performers include [[Neil Diamond]], [[Liberace]], [[Linda Ronstadt]], and the cast of ''[[A Chorus Line]]''.
|-
|October 1
|[[Mr. T]] [[List of Diff'rent Strokes episodes#Season 6 (1983–84)|guest-stars]] as himself on ''[[Diff'rent Strokes]]''.
|-
|October 3
|During a live [[NBC News|NBC news]] update, anchor [[Jessica Savitch]] appears incoherent, slurring her speech, deviating from her copy and ad-libbing her report. Savitch, dogged by rumors of drug abuse and instability, still has her contract renewed, but drowns in a car accident three weeks later.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1983/10/25/nbcs-jessica-savitch-drowns-in-car-in-canal/b5f3423f-53bc-42c1-94a2-b70ef9cb230f/|title=NBC's Jessica Savitch Drowns in Car in Canal|work=[[The Washington Post]]|date=25 October 1983|accessdate=18 January 2024}}</ref>
|-
|October 6
|The rock band [[R.E.M.]] made its television debut on [[NBC]]'s ''[[Late Night with David Letterman]]''.
|-
|October 9
|''[[Tiger Town]]'', the first ever television film [[List of Disney Channel original films|produced]] for the [[Disney Channel]], premieres.
|-
|October 10
|''[[Adam (TV movie)|Adam]]'', a TV-movie about the mysterious disappearance of [[Murder of Adam Walsh|Adam Walsh]], makes its world premiere on [[NBC]]. The broadcast ends with a series of missing children's photographs and descriptions, along with a telephone number viewers could call to provide information on their disappearances.
|-
|October 30
|[[Mackenzie Phillips]] makes her [[List of One Day at a Time episodes#Season 9 (1983–84)|final appearance]] as Julie Cooper Horvath on ''[[One Day at a Time (1975 TV series)|One Day at a Time]]''. 
|-
|November 20
|An estimated 100 million people watched the controversial made-for-TV movie ''[[The Day After]]'' on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], depicting the start of a [[Nuclear warfare|nuclear war]].
|-
|rowspan="2"|November 24
|''[[Sesame Street]]'' on [[PBS]] dealt with the sensitive issue of death when [[Big Bird]] learns the concept as it relates to his late friend, [[Mr. Hooper]] ([[Will Lee]], the actor who played Mr. Hooper, died of a heart attack in November 1982).
|-
|[[Jim Crockett Promotions]] produces the [[Starrcade (1983)|inaugural]] [[Starrcade]] event on [[closed-circuit television]] around the [[Southern United States]]. Predating the World Wrestling Federation's (later [[WWE]]) [[WrestleMania I|first]] [[WrestleMania]] event by two years, Starrcade would soon become Jim Crockett Promotions and later [[World Championship Wrestling]]'s premier, flagship event.
|-
|November 29
|[[List of ABC television affiliates (by U.S. state)|ABC's affiliate]] in [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]], WNGE-TV, changes its call sign to [[WKRN-TV]] after being sold by [[General Electric]] to [[Knight Ridder]].
|-
|December 2
|The epic (nearly 14 minutes) [[music video]] for [[Michael Jackson]]'s "[[Michael Jackson's Thriller (music video)|Thriller]]" is broadcast for the first time. It will become the most often repeated and famous music video of all time and increase Jackson's own popularity and the sales of the record album ''[[Thriller (Michael Jackson album)|Thriller]]''.
|-
|December 21
|[[Gerald Ford]], [[Betty Ford]] and [[Henry Kissinger]] make [[cameo appearance]]s on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]'s ''[[Dynasty (1981 TV series)|Dynasty]]''.<ref>[http://www.ew.com/article/1993/12/17/dynasty-and-gerald-ford Also Starring Gerald Ford] – Entertainment Weekly. Accessed 2009-07-27. 2009-07-29.</ref>
|-
|December 25
|Several networks simultaneously air the 1951 version of ''[[Scrooge (1951 film)|A Christmas Carol]]''; the combined [[Nielsen ratings|ratings]] of these broadcasts make the December 25 broadcast(s) of ''A Christmas Carol'' the most-watched television event of the year in every single media market in the states of [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], [[Alabama]], [[South Carolina]], [[Tennessee]], [[Maine]], [[Ohio]], [[Utah]], [[Idaho]], [[Wyoming]], [[Indiana]] and [[Arkansas]], as well as several other media markets throughout the [[United States]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Werts |first=Diane |year=2006 |title=Christmas on Television |location=Westport, CT |publisher=Praeger Publishers |page=14 |isbn=978-0-275-98331-4}}</ref>
|}

==Programs==
===Debuting this year===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Date
! Show
! Network
|-
|rowspan="2"| January 3
| ''[[Hit Man (American game show)|Hit Man]]''
|rowspan="2"|[[NBC]]
|-
| ''[[Just Men!]]''
|-
| January 10
| ''[[Fraggle Rock]]''
|[[HBO]]
|-
| January 11
| ''[[The Joy of Painting]]''
|[[PBS]]
|-
| January 22
| ''[[Mama's Family]]''
|rowspan="2"|[[NBC]]
|-
| January 23
| ''[[The A-Team]]''
|-
| February 5
| ''[[The Dukes (TV series)|The Dukes]]''
|[[CBS]]
|-
| February 10
| ''[[Amanda's]]''
|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
| February 26
| ''[[Wizards and Warriors (TV series)|Wizards and Warriors]]''
|CBS
|-
| March 2
| ''High Performance''
|rowspan="2"|ABC
|-
| March 4
| ''[[At Ease (TV series)|At Ease]]''
|-
| March 7
| ''[[Small & Frye]]''
|CBS
|-
|rowspan="3"| March 8
| ''[[Fandango (game show)|Fandango]]''
|rowspan="3"|[[The Nashville Network|TNN]]
|-
| ''[[I 40 Paradise]]''
|-
| ''[[Nashville Now]]''
|-
| March 15
| ''[[Ace Crawford, Private Eye]]''
|CBS
|-
| April 1
| ''[[Baby Makes Five]]''
|ABC
|-
| April 2
| ''[[Goodnight, Beantown]]''
|CBS
|-
| April 6
| ''[[Zorro and Son]]''
|ABC
|-
| April 10
| ''Casablanca''
|NBC
|-
| April 15
| ''[[Bare Essence]]''
|ABC
|-
|rowspan="2"| April 18
| ''[[Good Morning, Mickey!]]''
|rowspan="2"|The Disney Channel
|-
|''[[Welcome to Pooh Corner]]''
|-
|rowspan="2"| May 31
| ''[[Star Search]]''
|Syndication
|-
| ''[[Buffalo Bill (TV series)|Buffalo Bill]]''
|NBC
|-
| June 27
| ''[[Loving (TV series)|Loving]]''
|ABC
|-
| July 11
| ''[[Reading Rainbow]]''
|PBS
|-
| July 29
| ''[[Friday Night Videos]]''
|rowspan="2"|NBC
|-
| August 8
| ''[[NBC News at Sunrise]]''
|-
| August 16
| ''Rosie''
| CBS
|-
| September 1
| ''[[Donald Duck Presents]]''
|The Disney Channel
|-
| September 5
| ''[[He-Man and the Masters of the Universe]]''
|Syndication
|-
| September 8
| ''[[We Got It Made]]''
|NBC
|-
| September 9
| ''[[Lottery!]]''
|rowspan="4"|ABC
|-
|rowspan="3"| September 10
| ''[[The Littles (TV series)|The Littles]]''
|-
| ''[[Rubik, the Amazing Cube]]''
|-
| ''[[The New Scooby and Scrappy-Doo Show]]''
|-
| September 12
| ''[[Inspector Gadget (1983 TV series)|Inspector Gadget]]''
|Syndication
|-
| September 16
| ''[[Webster (TV series)|Webster]]''
|ABC
|-
|rowspan="7"| September 17 
| ''[[Alvin and the Chipmunks (1983 TV series)|Alvin and the Chipmunks]]''
|rowspan="2"|NBC
|-
| ''[[Mister T (TV series)|Mister T]]''
|-
| ''[[Benji, Zax & the Alien Prince]]''
|rowspan="5"|CBS
|-
| ''[[The Biskitts]]''
|-
| ''[[The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show]]''
|-
| ''[[Dungeons & Dragons (TV series)|Dungeons & Dragons]]''
|-
| ''[[Saturday Supercade]]''
|-
| September 18
| ''[[Hardcastle and McCormick]]''
|ABC
|-
|rowspan="2"| September 19
| ''[[Love Connection]]''
|rowspan="2"|Syndication
|- 
| ''[[Wheel of Fortune (American game show)|Wheel of Fortune]]''
|- 
| September 20
| ''[[Just Our Luck]]''
|rowspan="2"|ABC
|-
| September 21
| ''[[Hotel (American TV series)|Hotel]]''
|-
| September 23
| ''[[Mr. Smith (TV series)|Mr. Smith]]''
|rowspan="2"|NBC
|-
|rowspan="2"| September 26
| ''Boone''
|-
| ''[[AfterMASH]]''
|CBS
|-
| September 27
| ''[[Oh Madeline]]''
|ABC
|-
| September 29
| ''[[It's Not Easy]]''
|ABC
|-
| September 30
| ''[[Manimal]]''
|rowspan="2"|NBC
|-
|rowspan="2"| October 1
| ''[[The Rousters]]''
|-
| ''[[Cutter to Houston]]''
|CBS
|-
| October 2
| ''[[The Yellow Rose]]''
|NBC
|-
| October 3
| ''[[Scarecrow and Mrs. King]]''
|rowspan="2"|CBS
|-
| October 5
| ''[[Whiz Kids (TV series)|Whiz Kids]]''
|-
| October 15
|''[[Newton's Apple]]''
|PBS
|-
| October 17
| ''[[Sally (1983 TV series)|Sally]]''
|Syndication
|-
| October 21
| ''[[Jennifer Slept Here]]''
|rowspan="3"|NBC
|-
| October 25
| ''[[Bay City Blues]]''
|-
| October 31
| ''[[Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour]]''
|-
|rowspan="2"| December 15
| ''[[Automan]]''
|rowspan="2"|ABC
|-
| ''[[Masquerade (TV series)|Masquerade]]''
|}

===Resuming this year===
{| class="wikitable"
|- "
! Show || Last aired || Network || Retitled as/Same || New network/Same || Return date 
|-
|''[[Sale of the Century (American game show)|Sale of the Century]]''
|1973
|[[NBC]]
|Same
|Same
|January 3
|-
|''[[Dream House (game show)|Dream House]]''
|1970
|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|Same
|[[NBC]]
|rowspan="2"|April 4
|-
|''[[Battlestars (game show)|Battlestars]]''
|1981
|[[NBC]]
|''The New Battlestars''
|Same
|-
|''[[The Paper Chase (TV series)|The Paper Chase]]''
|1979
|[[CBS]]
|Same
|Showtime
|April 15
|-
|''[[Second Chance (game show)|Second Chance]]''
|1977
|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|''[[Press Your Luck]]''
|[[CBS]]
|September 19
|}

===Ending this year===
{| class="wikitable"
! Date 
! Show 
! Debut
|-
|February 3
|''[[The Greatest American Hero]]''
|1981
|-
|February 28
|''[[M*A*S*H (TV series)|M*A*S*H]]''
|1972
|-
|March 21
|''[[Little House on the Prairie (TV series)|Little House on the Prairie]]''
|1974
|-
|rowspan="2"|April 1
|''[[Hit Man (American game show)|Hit Man]]''
|rowspan="2"|1983
|-
|''[[Just Men!]]''
|-
|April 10
|''[[Gloria (American TV series)|Gloria]]''
|1982
|-
|April 12
|''[[Ace Crawford, Private Eye]]''
|rowspan="2"|1983
|-
|April 29
|''[[Baby Makes Five]]''
|-
|May 10
|''[[Laverne & Shirley]]''
|1976
|-
|May 14
|''[[Wizards and Warriors (TV series)|Wizards and Warriors]]''
|1983
|-
|May 24
|''[[Joanie Loves Chachi]]''
|rowspan="3"|1982
|-
|May 31
|''[[Bring 'Em Back Alive (TV series)|Bring 'Em Back Alive]]''
|-
|June 1
|''[[Tales of the Gold Monkey]]''
|-
|June 6
|''[[Love, Sidney]]''
|1981
|-
|June 15
|''[[Small & Frye]]''
|1983
|-
|June 24
|''[[Second City Television|Second City Television/SCTV Network 90]]''
|1981
|-
|July 7
|''[[The Crystal Cube]]''
|1983
|-
|July 17
|''[[CHiPs]]''
|1977
|-
|July 20
|''[[Taxi (TV series)|Taxi]]''
|rowspan="2"|1978
|-
|rowspan="2"|September 5
|''[[The All New Popeye Hour]]''
|-
|''[[Quincy, M.E.]]''
|1976
|-
|September 10
|''[[Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends]]''
|1981
|-
|September 12
|''[[Square Pegs]]''
|1982
|-
|September 18
|''[[Father Murphy]]''
|1981
|-
|September 21
|''[[Archie Bunker's Place]]''
|1979
|-
|September 24
|''[[Walt Disney anthology series]]'' (returned in 1986)
|1954
|-
|October 8
|''[[The Incredible Hulk (1982 TV series)|The Incredible Hulk]]''
|1982
|-
|October 27
|''[[It's Not Easy]]''
|1983
|-
|October 29
|''[[The Dukes (TV series)|The Dukes]]''
|1983
|-
|November 5
|''[[Pac-Man (TV series)|Pac-Man]]''
|1982
|-
|November 15
|''[[Bay City Blues]]''
|rowspan="3"|1983
|-
|December 16
|''[[Mr. Smith (TV series)|Mr. Smith]]''
|-
|December 27
|''[[Just Our Luck]]''
|}

===Changing networks===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Show
! Moved from 
! Moved to
|-
|''[[Second City Television|SCTV]]''
|rowspan="2"|[[NBC]]
|[[Cinemax]]
|-
|''[[Fame (1982 TV series)|Fame]]'' 
|rowspan="2"|[[Syndication (television)|Syndication]]
|-
|''[[Too Close for Comfort]]'' 
|rowspan="2"|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] 
|-
|[[Second Chance (game show)|Second Chance]]
|[[CBS]]
|-
|''[[Candid Camera]]''
|[[Syndication (television)|Syndication]]
|[[NBC]]
|-
|''[[The Paper Chase (TV series)|The Paper Chase]]''
|[[CBS]]
|[[Showtime (TV network)|Showtime]]
|}

===Made-for-TV movies and miniseries===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Title || Network || Premiere date
|-
| ''[[Baby Sister (film)|Baby Sister]]''
| ABC
| March 6
|-
| ''[[Kennedy (1983 miniseries)|Kennedy]]''
| NBC
| November 20 (5 episodes)
|-
| ''[[Malibu (film)|Malibu]]''
| ABC
| January 23
|-
| ''[[Packin' It In]]''
| CBS 
| February 7
|-
| ''[[Policewoman Centerfold]]''
| NBC
| October 17
|-
| ''[[The Thorn Birds (miniseries)|The Thorn Birds]]''
| ABC
| March 27 (4 episodes)
|-
| ''[[The Winds of War (miniseries)|The Winds of War]]''
| ABC
| February 6 (7 episodes)
|-
| ''[[V (1983 miniseries)|V]]''
| NBC
| May 1 (2 episodes)
|-
|}

==Networks and services==
===Launches===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Network
! Type 
! Closure date
! Notes 
! Source 
|-
| [[Bally Sports Southwest|Home Sports Entertainment]]
| Cable television
| January 4
| 
| 
|-
| [[CMT (American TV channel)|Country Music Television]]
| Cable television
| March 5
| 
| 
|-
| [[The Nashville Network]]
| Cable television
| March 7
| 
| 
|-
| [[Disney Channel]]
| Cable television
| April 18
| 
| 
|-
| [[BET]]
| Cable television
| July 1
| 
| 
|-
|}

===Conversions and rebrandings===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Old network name
! New network name
! Type
! Conversion Date
! Notes
! Source
|-
|[[NBC Sports Boston|PRISM Sports New England]]
|SportsChannel New England
|Cable television
|Unknown
|
|
|-
|}

===Closures===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Network
! Type 
! Closure date
! Notes 
! Source 
|-
| [[WBPX-TV|Star]]
| Satellite television
| February 12
|
|
|-
| [[Satellite News Channel]]
| Satellite television
| October 27
| 
|
|-
|}

==Television stations==

===Station launches===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Date 
! City of license/Market 
! Station 
! Channel 
! Affiliation
! Notes
|-
| January 11
| [[Milwaukee, Wisconsin]] 
| [[WVCY-TV]]
| 22 
| [[Religious broadcasting|Religious]] [[Independent station (North America)|independent]]
|
|-
| February 2
| [[Chicago, Illinois]]
| [[WYCC]]
| 20 
| [[PBS]] 
| Returned to the air after a nine-year hiatus as WXXW
|-
| February 14 
| [[Fargo, North Dakota]] 
| [[KVRR|KVNJ-TV]] 
| 15 
| [[Independent station (North America)|Independent]]
|-
| March 3 
| [[Alexandria, Louisiana]] 
| [[KLAX-TV]] 
| 31 
| [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
| March 7 
| [[Des Moines, Iowa]] 
| [[KDSM-TV|KCBR]] 
| 17 
| rowspan="3"|[[Independent station (North America)|Independent]]
|-
| March 9 
| [[Springfield, Missouri]] 
| [[KGHZ|KSPR]] 
| 33
|-
| March 13 
| [[Mount Vernon, Illinois]]/[[St. Louis, Missouri]] <br> {{small|([[Harrisburg, Illinois]])}} 
| [[WPXS|WCEE]] 
| 13
|- 
| April 8
| [[Williston, North Dakota]] 
| [[KWSE]]
| 4
| [[PBS]] 
| Part of [[Prairie Public Television]]
|- 
| April 18 
| [[Memphis, Tennessee]]
| [[WLMT|WMKW-TV]] 
| 30
| Independent
|-
| April 21
| [[Tallahassee, Florida]] 
| [[WTWC-TV]] 
| 40 
| [[NBC]]
|-
| April 22
| [[Angola, Indiana]]
| [[WBKZ (TV)|WBKZ]]
| 63
| 
| 
|- 
| April 30
| [[Ashland, Kentucky]] <br> {{small|([[Huntington, West Virginia]]/[[Portsmouth, Ohio]])}} 
| [[WTSF]]
| 66
| [[Religious broadcasting|Religious]] [[Independent station (North America)|ind.]] 
| 
|- 
| May 10
| [[Lander, Wyoming]]
| [[Wyoming PBS|KCWC-TV]]
| 8
| [[PBS]] 
| 
|- 
| May 11
| [[New York City]] 
| [[WXNY-LD|W63AS]]
| 63
| [[PBS]] 
| [[Low-power broadcasting|LPTV]] translator of [[WVIA-TV]]
|- 
| May 29 
| [[West Point, Mississippi|West Point]]/[[Tupelo, Mississippi]] 
| [[WLOV-TV|WVSB-TV]] 
| 27 
| rowspan="2"|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
| June 10 
| [[Topeka, Kansas]] 
| [[KTKA-TV|KLDH]] 
| 49
|-
| June 19 
| [[Concord, California]] 
| [[KTNC-TV|KFCB]]
| 42
| Independent 
|-
| June 20 
| [[Topeka, Kansas]] 
| [[KTKA-TV|KLDH]]
| 49
| ABC 
| 
|- 
| June 26 
| [[Little Rock, Arkansas]] 
| [[KLRT-TV]] 
| 16 
| [[Independent station (North America)|Independent]]
|- 
| July 1
| [[Alexandria, Louisiana]]
| [[KLPA-TV]]
| 25
| [[PBS]]
| Part of [[Louisiana Public Broadcasting]]
|-
| July 4
| [[Colby, Kansas|Colby]]/[[Goodland, Kansas]] 
| [[KLBY]]
| 4 
| rowspan="3"|[[Independent station (North America)|Independent]]
|
|- 
| July 27 
| [[Campbellsville, Kentucky|Campbellsville]]/[[Louisville, Kentucky]] 
| [[WBKI-TV (1983–2017)|WGRB]] 
| 34
|
|-
| August 10 
| [[Denver, Colorado]] 
| [[KDVR]] 
| 31 
|
|-
| August 15
| [[Fort Myers, Florida]]  
| [[WGCU (TV)|WSFP-TV]]
| 30
| [[PBS]] 
|
|- 
| August 22
| [[Hilo, Hawaii]] 
| [[KSIX-TV|KHBC-TV]]
| 13
| rowspan="3"|[[Independent station (North America)|Independent]]
| Satellite of [[KHNL]]/[[Honolulu, Hawaii|Honolulu]]
|- 
| September 5 
| [[Boston, Massachusetts]] 
| [[WWJE-DT|WNDS]] 
| 50
|-
| September 12 
| [[Kansas City, Missouri]] 
| [[KSMO-TV|KEKR-TV]] 
| 62
|-
| September 29
| [[Reno, Nevada]]
| [[KNPB]]
| 5
| [[PBS]] 
| 
|- 
| October 1 
| [[Spokane, Washington]] 
| [[KSKN]] 
| 22
| rowspan=2| [[Independent station (North America)|Independent]]
|-
| October 9 
| [[Vancouver, Washington]] <br> {{small|([[Portland, Oregon|Portland]]/[[Salem, Oregon]])}} 
| [[KPDX]] 
| 49
|-
| October 13
| [[Wainscott, New York|Wainscott]]/[[New York City]], [[New York (state)|New York]]
| [[WVVH-CD|W23AA]]
| 23
| 
| 
|- 
| October 15 
| [[Evansville, Indiana]]/[[Madisonville, Kentucky]] 
| [[WAZE-TV|WLCN]] 
| 19 
| [[Religious broadcasting|Religious ind.]]
|-
| October 24
| [[Miami, Florida]] 
| [[WVFW-LD|W30AB]]
| 30
| PBS 
| LPTV translator of [[WPBT]]
|- 
| October 31 
| [[Albuquerque, New Mexico|Albuquerque]]/[[Santa Fe, New Mexico]] 
| [[KASA-TV|KSAF-TV]] 
| 2 
| rowspan="2"|[[Independent station (North America)|Independent]]
|-
| November 1 
| [[Ocala, Florida|Ocala]]/[[Gainesville, Florida]] 
| [[WOGX|WBSP-TV]] 
| 51
|-
| November 2 
| [[Moline, Illinois]] 
| [[WQPT-TV]]
| 24
| [[PBS]] 
| 
|- 
| November 10 
| [[Columbus, Ohio]]
| [[WGCT-CD|W08BV]]
| 8
| Independent
| 
|- 
| November 17 
| [[Evansville, Indiana]] 
| [[WEVV-TV]] 
| 44
| rowspan="2"|[[Independent station (North America)|Independent]]
|-
| rowspan=2| December 2 
| [[Anchorage, Alaska]] 
| [[KTBY]] 
| 4
|- 
| [[Cotati, California]] 
| [[KRCB (TV)|KRCB]]
| 22
| [[PBS]] 
|- 
| December 4
| [[Llano, Texas|Llano]]/[[Austin, Texas]] 
| [[KEYE-TV|KBVO-TV]]
| 42
| rowspan=3| Independent
|-
| December 30 
| [[Honolulu, Hawaii]] 
| [[KIKU|KHAI-TV]] 
| 20
|-
| December 31 
| [[Knoxville, Tennessee]] 
| [[WTNZ|WKCH-TV]] 
| 43
|}

===Stations changing network affiliation===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Market 
! Date
! Station 
! Channel 
! Prior affiliation 
! New affiliation
|-
| rowspan="2"|August 7 
| rowspan="2"|[[Fargo, North Dakota|Fargo]]/[[Grand Forks, North Dakota]] 
| [[WDAY-TV]]<br>[[WDAZ-TV]] 
| 6<br>8 
| [[NBC]] 
| [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
| [[KVLY-TV|KTHI-TV]] 
| 11 
| [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] 
| [[NBC]]
|-
| rowspan="2"|April 3 
| rowspan="2"|[[Green Bay, Wisconsin]] 
| [[WFRV-TV]] 
| 5 
| [[NBC]] 
| [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
| [[WLUK-TV]] 
| 11 
| [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] 
| [[NBC]]
|-
| August 31 
| [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania]] 
| [[WPMT|WSBA-TV]] 
| 43
| [[CBS]] 
| [[Independent station (North America)|Independent]]
|-
| April 3
| [[Marquette, Michigan]] 
| [[WJMN-TV]]
| 3 
| [[NBC]]
| [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
|}

===Station closures===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Date 
! Market 
! Station 
! Channel 
! Affiliation
|-
| March 31
| [[St. John, Indiana]]
| [[WCAE]]
| 50
| [[PBS]]
|-
| July 31
| [[Salem, Oregon]]
| [[KVDO-TV]]
| 13
| PBS
|-
| August 30 
| [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]]
| [[WKBS-TV (Philadelphia)|WKBS-TV]]
| 48
| [[Independent station (North America)|Independent]]
|-
|}

==Births==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Date || Name || Notability
|-
|January 2
|[[Kate Bosworth]]
|Actress (''[[Young Americans (TV series)|Young Americans]]'')
|-
|January 6
|[[Efrat Dor]]
|Actress
|-
|rowspan="2"|January 7
|[[Brett Dalton]]
|Actor (''[[Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.]]'')
|-
|[[Robert Ri'chard]]
|Actor (''[[Cousin Skeeter]]'', ''[[One on One (American TV series)|One on One]]'')
|-
|January 9
|[[Kerry Condon]]
|Actress
|-
|January 17
|[[Rickey D'Shon Collins]]
|Voice actor (''[[Recess (TV series)|Recess]]'', ''[[Danny Phantom]]'')
|-
|January 24
|[[Frankie Grande]]
|Actor (''[[Henry Danger]]'', ''[[Danger Force]]'') and singer
|-
|February 1
|Jillian Bynes
|Actress 
|-
|rowspan="2"|February 4
|[[Hannibal Buress]]
|Actor
|-
|[[Lauren Ash]]
|Canadian actress (''[[Superstore (TV series)|Superstore]]'')
|-
|February 11
|[[Dianna Russini]]
|American sports journalist
|-
|February 12
|[[Mimi Michaels]]
|Actress
|-
|February 14
|[[Julia Ling]]
|Actress (''[[Chuck (TV series)|Chuck]]'')
|-
|February 17
|[[Kristen Doute]]
|Actress
|-
|rowspan="2"|February 18
|[[Evan Jonigkeit]]
|Actor
|-
|[[Wrenn Schmidt]]
|Actress
|-
|February 21
|[[Eoin Macken]]
|Irish actor (''[[The Night Shift (TV series)|The Night Shift]]'')
|-
|rowspan="2"|February 22
|[[Mimi Michaels]]
|Actress
|-
|[[Iliza Shlesinger]]
|Actress
|-
|rowspan="2"|February 23
|[[Aziz Ansari]]
|Actor (''[[Parks and Recreation]]'', ''[[Master of None]]'')
|-
|[[Emily Blunt]]
|British-American actress
|-
|February 26
|[[Kara Monaco]]
|Model and reality TV participant (''[[Big Brother 14 (U.S.)|Big Brother 14]]'')
|-
|February 27
|[[Kate Mara]]
|Actress (''[[24 (TV series)|24]]'', ''[[American Horror Story]]'', ''[[House of Cards (American TV series)|House of Cards]]'')
|-
|rowspan="3"|March 1
|[[Shawn Toovey]]
|Actor (''[[Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman]]'')
|-
|[[Lindsay Mendez]]
|Actress
|-
|[[Lupita Nyong'o]]
|Actress
|-
|March 7
|[[Hettienne Park]]
|Actress
|-
|March 8
|[[Jessie Collins]]
|Actress (''[[The Nine (TV series)|The Nine]]'')
|-
|March 10 
|[[Carrie Underwood]]
|Singer (''[[American Idol]]'')
|-
|March 11
|[[Lucy DeVito]]
|Actress
|-
|March 12
|[[Ron Funches]]
|Actor
|-
|March 14
|[[Taylor Hanson]]
|Singer (''[[Hanson (band)|Hanson]]'')
|-
|March 15
|[[Sean Biggerstaff]]
|Scottish actor (''[[Harry Potter (film series)|Harry Potter]]'')
|-
|March 18
|[[Kyle Downes]]
|Actor (''[[Lizzie McGuire]]'')
|-
|March 20
|[[Michael Cassidy (actor)|Michael Cassidy]]
|Actor (''[[The O.C.]]'', ''[[Privileged (TV series)|Privileged]]'', ''[[Men at Work (TV series)|Men at Work]]'')
|-
|March 28
|[[Ed O'Keefe]]
|Guatemalan-American senior White House and political correspondent with CBS News
|-
|March 29
|[[Ed Skrein]]
|English actor
|-
|rowspan="2"|March 31
|[[Ashleigh Ball]]
|Canadian voice actress (''[[Johnny Test]]'', ''[[Edgar & Ellen]]'', ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic]]'', ''[[Littlest Pet Shop (2012 TV series)|Littlest Pet Shop]]'', ''[[Ready Jet Go!]]'')
|-
|[[Melissa Ordway]]
|Actress (''[[Hollywood Heights (TV series)|Hollywood Heights]]'', ''[[The Young and the Restless]]'')
|-
|rowspan="2"|April 1
|[[Ellen Hollman]]
|Actress (''[[Spartacus: War of the Damned]]'')
|-
|[[Matt Lanter]]
|Actor (''[[Commander in Chief (TV series)|Commander in Chief]]'', ''[[90210 (TV series)|90210]]'', ''[[Star-Crossed (TV series)|Star-Crossed]]'', ''[[Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008 TV series)|Star Wars: The Clone Wars]]'', ''[[Ultimate Spider-Man (TV series)|Ultimate Spider-Man]]'', ''[[Timeless (TV series)|Timeless]]'')
|-
|April 3
|[[Errol Barnett]]
|Anchor
|-
|rowspan="2"|April 4
|[[Amanda Righetti]]
|Actress (''[[The O.C.]]'', ''[[North Shore (2004 TV series)|North Shore]]'', ''[[The Mentalist]]'', ''[[Colony (TV series)|Colony]]'')
|-
|[[Eric Andre]]
|Actor
|-
|rowspan="2"|April 6
|[[Rick Cosnett]]
|Zimbabwean-Australian actor (''[[The Vampire Diaries]]'', ''[[The Flash (2014 TV series)|The Flash]]'')
|-
|[[Diora Baird]]
|Actress
|-
|rowspan="2"|April 10
|[[Jamie Chung]]
|Actress (''[[Once Upon a Time (TV series)|Once Upon a Time]]'', ''[[Gotham (TV series)|Gotham]]'', ''[[Big Hero 6: The Series]]'', ''[[The Gifted (American TV series)|The Gifted]]'')
|-
|[[Ryan Merriman]]
|Actor
|-
|April 12
|[[Elle Duncan]]
|American sports anchor
|-
|rowspan="2"|April 21
|[[Gugu Mbatha-Raw]]
|Actress
|-
|[[Ruthie Ann Miles]]
|Actress
|-
|April 23
|[[Aaron Hill (actor)|Aaron Hill]]
|Actor
|-
|April 26
|Ryan Dowell Baum
|Actor (''[[The Famous Jett Jackson]]'')
|-
|rowspan="3"|April 27 
|[[Francis Capra]]
|Actor (''[[Veronica Mars]]'')
|-
|[[Corey Harrison]]
|Television personality
|-
|[[Ari Graynor]]
|Actress (''[[Fringe (TV series)|Fringe]]'')
|-
|rowspan="2"|April 29
|[[Megan Boone]]
|Actress (''[[The Blacklist]]'')
|-
|[[Sam Jones III]]
|Actor (''[[Smallville]]'', ''[[Blue Mountain State]]'')
|-
|May 2
|[[Gaius Charles]]
|Actor (''[[Friday Night Lights (TV series)|Friday Night Lights]]'', ''[[Grey's Anatomy]]'')
|-
|rowspan="3"|May 6
|[[Adrianne Palicki]]
|Actress (''[[Friday Night Lights (TV series)|Friday Night Lights]]'', ''[[Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.]]'')
|-
|[[Gabourey Sidibe]]
|Actress (''[[The Big C (TV series)|The Big C]]'', ''[[Empire (2015 TV series)|Empire]]'')
|-
|[[JR Lemon]]
|Actor
|-
|rowspan="2"|May 8
|[[Julia Chan]]
|British actress (''[[Saving Hope]]'')
|-
|[[Elyes Gabel]]
|English actor (''[[Scorpion (TV series)|Scorpion]]'')
|-
|rowspan="2"|May 11 
|[[Holly Valance]]
|New Zealand-born actress (''[[Prison Break]]'')
|-
|[[Matt Leinart]]
|Football analyst for [[Fox Sports]]
|-
|May 14
|[[Amber Tamblyn]]
|Actress (''[[General Hospital]]'', ''[[Joan of Arcadia]]'', ''[[Two and a Half Men]]'', ''[[House (TV series)|House]]'')
|-
|May 19
|[[Michael Che]]
|Comedian (''[[The Daily Show]]'', ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'')
|-
|rowspan="2"|May 20
|[[Michaela McManus]]
|Actress (''[[Law & Order: Special Victims Unit]]'', ''[[One Tree Hill (TV series)|One Tree Hill]]'', ''[[Awake (TV series)|Awake]]'', ''[[Aquarius (American TV series)|Aquarius]]'')
|-
|[[Allen Maldonado]]
|Actor
|-
|May 26
|[[Scott Disick]]
|Media personality
|-
|May 28
|[[Megalyn Echikunwoke]]
|Actress (''[[Like Family]]'', ''[[The 4400]]'', ''[[CSI: Miami]]'')
|-
|June 5
|[[Chelsey Crisp]]
|Actress
|-
|June 6
|[[Lyndie Greenwood]]
|Canadian actress (''[[Sleepy Hollow (TV series)|Sleepy Hollow]]'')
|-
|rowspan="3"|June 10
|[[Leelee Sobieski]]
|Actress (''[[Charlie Grace (TV series)|Charlie Grace]]'', ''[[NYC 22]]'')
|-
|[[Shanna Collins]]
|Actress
|-
|[[Jason Evigan]]
|Singer
|-
|June 13
|[[David Begnaud]]
|American journalist
|-
|June 16
|[[Olivia Hack]]
|Voice actress (''[[Hey Arnold!]]'', ''[[Avatar: The Last Airbender]]'', ''[[Bratz (TV series)|Bratz]]'')
|-
|rowspan="3"|June 19
|[[Aidan Turner]]
|Irish actor (''[[Being Human (British TV series)|Being Human]]'', ''[[Poldark (2015 TV series)|Poldark]]'') and singer
|-
|[[Macklemore]]
|Singer
|-
|[[Tracey Wigfield]]
|Writer
|-
|June 21
|[[Michael Malarkey]]
|Actor (''[[The Vampire Diaries]]'')
|-
|June 22
|[[Thomas M. Wright]]
|Actor
|-
|June 23
|[[Brooks Laich]]
|Ice hockey player
|-
|June 30
|[[Angela Sarafyan]]
|Actress
|-
|rowspan="2"|July 1
|[[Lynsey Bartilson]]
|Actress (''[[Grounded for Life]]'', ''[[The X's]]'')
|-
|[[Tanya Chisholm]]
|Actress (''[[Big Time Rush]]'')
|-
|July 2
|[[Alicia Menendez]]
|American host
|-
|July 6
|[[Gregory Smith (actor)|Gregory Smith]]
|Canadian-American actor (''[[Everwood]]'', ''[[Rookie Blue]]'')
|-
|July 19
|[[Trai Byers]]
|Actor (''[[Empire (2015 TV series)|Empire]]'')
|-
|July 23
|Andrew Eiden
|Actor (''[[Complete Savages]]'')
|-
|rowspan="2"|July 27
|[[Blair Redford]]
|Actor (''[[The Lying Game (TV series)|The Lying Game]]'', ''[[Satisfaction (2014 TV series)|Satisfaction]]'')
|-
|[[Heidi Gardner]]
|Actress (''[[Saturday Night Live]]'')
|-
|July 28
|[[Kate Bolduan]]
|CNN journalist
|-
|rowspan="2"|July 29
|[[Kaitlyn Black]]
|Actress (''[[Hart of Dixie]]'')
|-
|[[Tania Gunadi]]
|Actress (''[[Aaron Stone]]'', ''[[Transformers: Prime]]'', ''[[Sanjay and Craig]]'', ''[[Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero]]'')
|-
|July 30
|Nathan Carter
|Canadian actor 
|-
|August 3
|[[Mamie Gummer]]
|Actress (''[[Emily Owens, M.D.]]'') and daughter of [[Meryl Streep]] and [[Don Gummer]]
|-
|rowspan="3"|August 4
|[[Adhir Kalyan]]
|South African actor (''[[Aliens in America]]'', ''[[Rules of Engagement (TV series)|Rules of Engagement]]'', ''[[Second Chance (2016 TV series)|Second Chance]]'')
|-
|[[Greta Gerwig]]
|Actress (''[[China, IL]]'')
|-
|[[Nathaniel Buzolic]]
|Actor
|-
|August 5
|[[Kara Tointon]]
|English actress (''[[EastEnders]]'')
|-
|rowspan="2"|August 8
|[[Fred Meyers]]
|Actor (''[[Even Stevens]]'')
|-
|[[Guy Burnet]]
|Actor
|-
|rowspan="2"|August 9
|[[Ashley Johnson (actress)|Ashley Johnson]]
|Actress (''[[Growing Pains]]'', ''[[Jumanji (TV series)|Jumanji]]'', ''[[Recess (TV series)|Recess]]'', ''[[Teen Titans (TV series)|Teen Titans]]'', ''[[Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!]]'', ''[[Ben 10]]'', ''[[Teen Titans Go!]]'', ''[[Blindspot (TV series)|Blindspot]]'', ''[[Infinity Train]]'')
|-
|[[Dan Levy (Canadian actor)|Dan Levy]]
|Actor
|-
|August 11
|[[Chris Hemsworth]]
|Australian actor (''[[Home and Away]]'')
|-
|August 12
|[[Jericka Duncan]]
|American national TV news correspondent
|-
|rowspan="2"|August 14 
|[[Mila Kunis]]
|Actress (''[[That '70s Show]]'', ''[[Family Guy]]'')
|-
|[[Lamorne Morris]]
|Actor (''[[New Girl]]'')
|-
|August 18
|[[Max Winkler (director)|Max Winkler]]
|American director
|-
|August 19
|[[Peter Mooney]]
|Canadian actor (''[[Rookie Blue]]'')
|-
|August 20
|[[Andrew Garfield]]
|British-American actor
|-
|August 21
|[[Brody Jenner]]
|Actor (''[[The Hills (TV series)|The Hills]]'', ''[[Keeping Up with the Kardashians]]'')
|-
|rowspan="2"|August 22
|[[Laura Breckenridge]]
|Actress (''[[Related]]'')
|-
|[[Alan Yang]]
|Actor
|-
|rowspan="2"|August 23
|[[Annie Ilonzeh]]
|Actress
|-
|[[Ruta Gedmintas]]
|Actress
|-
|August 25
|[[Caitlin FitzGerald]]
|Actress
|-
|August 29
|[[Jennifer Landon]]
|Actress (''[[As the World Turns]]'') 
|-
|September 2
|[[Tiffany Hines]]
|Actress (''[[Beyond the Break]]'', ''[[Nikita (TV series)|Nikita]]'')
|-
|September 3
|[[Christine Woods]]
|Actress
|-
|September 6
|[[Braun Strowman]]
|Pro wrestler<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-03 |title=WWE Profile - Braun Strowman |url=https://www.espn.com/wwe/story/_/id/17173045/wwe-profile-page-braun-strowman |access-date=2024-11-26 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|September 7
|[[Chris Kelly (writer)|Chris Kelly]]
|Writer
|-
|rowspan="2"|September 9
|[[Zoe Kazan]]
|Actress
|-
|[[Eboni K. Williams]]
|Television host
|-
|September 10
|[[Sarah Schneider]]
|Actress
|-
|September 14
|[[Amy Winehouse]]
|English singer (d. [[2011 in American television|2011]])
|-
|rowspan="2"|September 21
|[[Maggie Grace]]
|Actress (''[[Lost (2004 TV series)|Lost]]'')
|-
|[[Joseph Mazzello]]
|Actor
|-
|September 22
|[[Mamrie Hart]]
|Actress
|-
|September 25
|[[Donald Glover]]
|Actor (''[[Community (TV series)|Community]]'', ''[[Atlanta (TV series)|Atlanta]]'') and rapper
|-
|September 26
|[[Zoe Perry]]
|Actress
|-
|October 3
|[[Tessa Thompson]]
|Actress
|-
|rowspan="3"|October 5
|[[Noah Segan]]
|Voice actor (Henry on ''[[KaBlam!]]'')
|-
|[[Jesse Eisenberg]]
|Actor (''[[Get Real (American TV series)|Get Real]]'')
|-
|[[Shelby Rabara]] 
|Voice actress (Peridot on ''[[Steven Universe]]'')
|-
|October 8
|[[Travis Pastrana]]
|Race car driver
|-
|October 9
|[[Spencer Grammer]]
|Actress (''[[As the World Turns]]'', ''[[Greek (TV series)|Greek]]'', ''[[Rick and Morty]]'')
|-
|October 12
|Tony Cavalero
|Actor (''[[School of Rock (TV series)|School of Rock]]'')
|-
|October 13
|[[Katia Winter]]
|Actress
|-
|October 17
|[[Michelle Ang]]
|Actress
|-
|October 20
|[[Alona Tal]]
|Israeli singer and actress (''The Pyjamas'', ''[[Veronica Mars]]'', ''[[Supernatural (American TV series)|Supernatural]]'', ''[[Cane (TV series)|Cane]]'', ''[[Cult (TV series)|Cult]]'', ''[[Hand of God (TV series)|Hand of God]]'')
|-
|rowspan="3"|October 21
|[[Charlotte Sullivan]]
|Canadian actress (''[[Rookie Blue]]'')
|-
|[[Aaron Tveit]]
|Actor
|-
|[[Amber Rose]]
|Television personality
|-
|rowspan="2"|October 24
|[[Katie McGrath]]
|Irish actress (''[[Merlin (2008 TV series)|Merlin]]'', ''[[Dracula (2013 TV series)|Dracula]]'', ''[[Supergirl (TV series)|Supergirl]]'')
|-
|[[Adrienne Bailon]]
|Actress (''[[That's So Raven]]'', ''[[The Cheetah Girls (film series)|The Cheetah Girls]]'', ''[[The Real (TV series)|The Real]]'')
|-
|rowspan="2"|October 26
|[[Katy Tur]]
|American author
|-
|[[Folake Olowofoyeku]]
|Actress
|-
|rowspan="3"|October 29
|[[Dillon Casey]]
|Actor (''[[Nikita (TV series)|Nikita]]'')
|-
|[[Johnny Lewis]]
|Actor (''[[Quintuplets]]'', ''[[Sons of Anarchy]]'') (d. [[2012 in American television|2012]])
|-
|[[Richard Brancatisano]]
|Australian actor (''[[Power Rangers Mystic Force]]'', ''[[Chasing Life]]'')
|-
|November 7
|[[Adam DeVine]]
|Actor (''[[Workaholics]]'', ''[[Uncle Grandpa]]'', ''[[Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero]]'')
|-
|November 10
|[[Miranda Lambert]]
|Singer
|-
|November 16
|[[Levy Tran]]
|Actress
|-
|November 17
|[[Harry Lloyd]]
|Actor (''[[Manhattan (TV series)|Manhattan]]'', ''[[Game of Thrones]]'', ''[[Counterpart (TV series)|Counterpart]]'') 
|-
|November 18
|[[Robert Kazinsky]]
|Actor
|-
|November 19
|[[Adam Driver]]
|Actor (''[[Girls (TV series)|Girls]]'')
|-
|November 20
|[[Future (rapper)|Future]]
|Rapper
|-
| rowspan="2" |November 21
|[[Claire van der Boom]]
|Actress
|-
|[[The Bella Twins]]
|Pro wrestling duo ([[WWE]], ''[[Total Divas]]'', ''[[Total Bellas]]'', ''[[Twin Love]]'')
|-
|November 22
|[[Andrew J. West]]
|Actor (''[[The Walking Dead (TV series)|The Walking Dead]]'', ''[[Once Upon a Time (TV series)|Once Upon a Time]]'')
|-
|November 24
|[[Karine Vanasse]]
|Actress
|-
|November 27
|[[Arjay Smith]]
|Actor (''[[The Journey of Allen Strange]]'')
|-
|November 29
|[[Pamela Brown (journalist)|Pamela Brown]]
|Newscaster
|-
|November 30
|[[CJ Gibson]]
|Model
|-
|rowspan="2"|December 2
|[[Jana Kramer]]
|Actress (''[[One Tree Hill (TV series)|One Tree Hill]]'') and country music singer
|-
|[[Daniela Ruah]]
|Portuguese-American actress (''[[NCIS: Los Angeles]]'')
|-
|December 8
|[[Utkarsh Ambudkar]]
|Actor
|-
|December 9
|[[Jolene Purdy]]
|Actress
|-
|December 10
|[[Patrick Flueger]]
|Actor (''[[The 4400]]'', ''[[Chicago Fire (TV series)|Chicago Fire]]'', ''[[Chicago P.D. (TV series)|Chicago P.D.]]'')
|-
|December 12 
|[[Mathew Valencia]] 
|Actor (voice of [[Tim Drake|Robin]] on ''[[The New Batman Adventures]]'')
|-
|December 13
|[[Satya Bhabha]]
|Actor
|-
|December 15
|[[Camilla Luddington]]
|English actress (''[[Grey's Anatomy]]'')
|-
|December 20
|[[Jonah Hill]]
|Actor (''[[Allen Gregory]]'')
|-
|December 21
|[[Steven Yeun]]
|Actor
|-
|December 22
|[[Joe Dinicol]]
|Actor
|-
|December 30
|[[Ashley Zukerman]]
|Australian actor
|}

==Deaths==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Date || Name || Age ||class="unsortable" |Notability 
|-
|February 4
|[[Karen Carpenter]]
|align="center"|32
|Singer and drummer ([[The Carpenters]])
|-
|March 9
|[[Faye Emerson]]
|align="center"|65
|Actress (''[[Faye Emerson's Wonderful Town]]'')
|-
|March 16 
|[[Arthur Godfrey]]
|align="center"|79
|Host (''[[Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts]]'')
|-
|July 20
|[[Frank Reynolds]]
|align="center"|53
|[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] journalist
|-
|July 29 
|[[Raymond Massey]]
|align="center"|86
|Actor (Dr. Gillespie on ''[[Dr. Kildare (TV series)|Dr. Kildare]]'')
|-
|August 3 
|[[Carolyn Jones]]
|align="center"|53
|Actress (Morticia on ''[[The Addams Family (1964 TV series)|The Addams Family]]'')
|-
|August 28 
|[[Jan Clayton]]
|align="center"|66
|Actress (Ellen Miller on ''[[Lassie (1954 TV series)|Lassie]]'')
|-
|August 29 
|[[Simon Oakland]]
|align="center"|68
|Actor (''[[Baa Baa Black Sheep (TV series)|Baa Baa Black Sheep]]'')
|-
|October 23 
|[[Jessica Savitch]]
|align="center"|36
|[[NBC News]] anchor
|-
|November 14 
|[[Junior Samples]]
|align="center"|57
|Comedian (''Hee Haw'')
|-
|November 22 
|[[Michael Conrad]]
|align="center"|58
|Actor (Sgt. Phil Esterhasz on ''[[Hill Street Blues]]'')
|-
|November 28 
|[[Christopher George]]
|align="center"|52
|Actor (Sgt. Sam Troy on ''[[The Rat Patrol]]'')
|-
|rowspan="2"|December 28 
|[[Dennis Wilson]]
|align="center"|39
|Singer-songwriter ([[The Beach Boys]]) and brother of [[Brian Wilson]]
|-
|[[William Demarest]]
|align="center"|91
|Actor (Uncle Charley on ''[[My Three Sons]]'')
|}

==See also==
* [[1983 in the United States]]
* [[List of American films of 1983]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?title_type=tv_series&release_date=1983-01-01,1983-12-31&countries=us&adult=include&sort=num_votes,desc List of 1983 American television series] at [[IMDb]]

{{Years in TV by country|1983}}
{{Years in television}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1983 In American Television}}
[[Category:1983 in American television| ]]
[[Category:1980s in American television| ]]