- April 6
- CBS premieres The Alan Young Show, a 30-minute comedy, music, variety show. [179.38]
- July 4
- NBC airs the last (until 1958) The Ed Wynn Show TV show. [179.287]
- July 5
- NBC premieres the Truth or Consequences 30-minute TV game show. [179.1012]
- July 10
- NBC premieres the Your Hit Parade 30/60-minute variety TV show. [1] [179.1099] [457]
- July 20
- ABC TV premieres The Arthur Murray Party. [1] [457]
- July 23
- The first performance of The Gene Autry Show is aired on TV. [457]
- August 19
- ABC begins Saturday morning kid shows (Animal Clinic and Acrobat Ranch). [1]
- September 9
- First use of TV laugh track-Hank McCune. [1]
- September 10
- NBC premieres The Colgate Comedy Hour, a 60-minute variety show. [179.196]
- September 11
- Dick Tracy TV show sparks uproar concerning violence. [1]
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- October 5
- NBC-TV debuts the game show You Bet Your Life, hosted by Groucho Marx. [457]
- October 6
- ABC premieres the Pulitzer Prize Playhouse 60-minute anthology TV show. [179.813]
- ABC premieres the Life With Linkletter TV variety show, with host Art Linkletter. [457]
- October 7
- The Frank Sinatra Show debuts on TV. [457]
- October 12
- CBS-TV debuts The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. [457]
- October 16
- CBS premieres The Garry Moore Show 30/45/60-minute variety TV show. [179.360]
- October 28
- CBS premieres The Jack Benny Program comedy variety show. [179.484] [457]
- December 25
- The first Disney TV special, One Hour in Wonderland airs on NBC, sponsored by the Coca-Cola Company (cost US$100,000). Walt Disney and several Disney cartoon characters make their TV debut. Walt's daughter Sharon also appears. The show previews portions of the film Alice in Wonderland. About 20 million viewers watch the show. [6] [457]
1951
- January 23
- In Los Angeles, California, the 3rd Annual Emmy Awards are presented.
- Best Actor: Alan Young
- Best Actress: Gertrude Berg
- Best Children's Show: Time for Beany
- Best Dramatic Show: Pulitzer Prize Playhouse
- Best Games and Audience Participation Show: Truth or Consequences
- Best Sports Program: Los Angeles Rams Football
- Best Variety Show: The Alan Young Show
- Most Outstanding Personality: Groucho Marx.
[1] [166]
- January 29
- US Major League Baseball signs six year All-Star pact for TV-radio rights for US$6 million. [1]
- February 1
- The first telecast of an atomic explosion is aired, a US nuclear test at the Nevada Test Site. [1] [457]
- February 3
- NBC TV debuts the Victor Borge Show. [1] [457]
- May 14
- NBC debuts the TV variety show The Ernie Kovacs Show. [1] [457]
- May 28
- Jerry Colonna Show debuts on ABC-TV. [1]
- June 25
- CBS transmits the first commercial color TV broadcast, an hour-long special hosted by Arthur Godfrey, from New York to Philadelphia, Boston, Baltimore, and Washington DC. [1] [457]
- June 28
- CBS-TV debuts the Amos 'n' Andy TV show. [1] [457]
- June 29
- ABC airs the last Pulitzer Prize Playhouse TV show. [179.813]
- July 14
- First color telecast of a sporting event (CBS, horse race). [1] [457]
- August 11
- First color baseball game (Boston Braves versus Brooklyn Dodgers) telecast (WCBS-New York City). [1]
- September 3
- CBS-TV airs the first episode of TV soap opera Search for Tomorrow. [1] [457]
- September 4
- The first live transcontinental television broadcast takes place in San Francisco, California, from the Japanese Peace Treaty Conference. [1] [5]
- NBC extends to become a 61-station coast-to-coast network. [1]
- September 21
- CBS debuts TV soap opera Love of Life. [457]
- September 29
- First color telecast of football game on network, Philadelphia (CBS). [1]
- September 30
- NBC premieres The Red Skelton Show 30-minute variety TV show. [179.825] [457]
- October 15
- CBS premieres the I Love Lucy 30-minute comedy TV show, starring Lucille Ball. [179.462] [457]
- November
- NBC premieres The Dinah Shore Chevy Show, a 15-minute musical variety series. [179.251]
- December 2
- CBS premieres the See It Now 30-minute documentary TV show. [1] [179.877] (November 18 [457])
- December 16
- NBC-TV airs a special preview of Dragnet on Chesterfield Sound Off Time. [179.274] [457]
- December 23
- First coast-to-coast televised football game (Dumont paid $75,000); Los Angeles Rams beat Cleveland Browns 24-17 in NFL championship game. [1] [457]
- December 24
- First televised opera (Amahl and the Night Visitor). [1]
- NBC premieres The Hallmark Hall of Fame anthology TV show. [179.405]
1952
- January 3
- NBC-TV airs the first episode of Dragnet. [1] [457]
- January 8
- TV show My Friend Irma first airs in the USA. [457]
- January 14
- The NBC TV network begins airing The Today Show two-hour information TV show in the USA, with hosts Dave Garroway and Jack Lescoulie. [1] [179.995] [457]
- February 8
- NBC TV debuts The RCA Victor Show Starring Dennis Day. [1] [457]
- February 18
- In Los Angeles, California, the 4th Annual Emmy Awards are presented, hosted by Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.
- Best Actor: Sid Caesar
- Best Actress: Imogene Coca
- Best Comedian or Comedienne: Red Skelton
- Best Comedy Show: The Red Skelton Show
- Best Dramatic Show: Robert Montgomery Presents
- Best Variety Show: Your Show of Shows
- Most Outstanding Personality: Bishop Fulton J. Sheen.
[1] [167]
- April 22
- First atomic explosion on network news, Nob Nevada. [1] [1488.17]
- May 1
- "Mr Potato Head" toy is introduced; first toy advertised on television. [1]
- June 2
- TV broadcasting starts in Canada when Radio Canada's Channel 2 in Montreal begins airing a test pattern. [457]
- June 16
- CBS-TV debuts TV show My Little Margie, starring Gale Storm and Charles Farrell. [457]
- June 19
- CBS debuts TV show I've Got A Secret, with Garry Moore as host. [1] [457]
- June 30
- CBS-TV debuts soap opera The Guiding Light. [1] [457]
- July 25
- CBC/Radio Canada TV covers a Montreal Royals baseball game, the first experimental Canadian telecast. [457]
- September 1
- CBS-TV debuts 30-minute daily TV variety show House Party, hosted by Art Linkletter. [179.72] [457]
- September 20
- CBS premieres The Jackie Gleason Show 60-minute comedy variety series. [179.485]
- September 23
- First US closed circuit pay-TV telecast of a sports event: the Rocky Marciano versus Jersey Joe Walcott fight, in 49 theaters in 31 cities. Rocky Marciano knocks out the heavyweight champion in the 13th round. [1] [457] [1302.169]
- October 1
- The world's first Ultra High Frequency (UHF) TV station offically begind broadcasting, KPTV in Portland, Oregon, USA. [1] [457]
- October 2
- NBC-TV debuts the TV show This is Your Life, with host Ralph Edwards. (The show runs for nine years.) [179.981] [457]
- October 3
- CBS premieres the Our Miss Brooks 30-minute comedy TV show. [179.750]
- First video recording on magnetic tape, Los Angeles, California. [1]
- October 7
- WFIL-TV Philadelphia first airs Bob Horn's Bandstand. (In 1962 the show moves to ABC-TV as American Bandstand.) [5] [457]
- October 16
- NBC premieres the Victory at Sea 30-minute documentary TV show. [179.1036] (October 26 [457])
- November 9
- CBS premieres the Omnibus 60-minute educational TV show. [179.736]
- December 2
- First human birth televised to public (KOA-TV Denver, Colorado, USA). [1]
- December 3
- First TV broadcast in Hawaii. [1]
- December 5
- TV show The Abbott and Costello Show begins airing in syndication. (52 episodes are produced.) [457]
- December 8
- First TV acknowledgement of pregnancy (I Love Lucy). [1]
1953
- January 2
- NBC-TV presents the first program in the series of The Life of Riley, starring William Bendix. [457]
- January 19
- CBS-TV airs episode of I Love Lucy in which Lucy Ricardo gives birth to a baby boy, just as the actress does in real life. 68 percent of all TV sets in the U.S. are tuned in to watch. [457]
- January 20
- First US telecast transmitted to Canada from Buffalo, New York, USA. [1]
- February 1
- CBS TV debuts General Electric Theater. [1] [457]
- CBS TV premieres TV show You Are There hosted by Walter Cronkite. [1] [457]
- CBS-TV debuts sitcom Private Secretary. [457]
- February 3
- J Fred Muggs, a chimp, becomes a regular on NBC's Today Show. [1]
- February 5
- In Los Angeles, California, the 5th Annual Emmy Awards are presented, hosted by Art Linkletter.
- Best Actor: Thomas Mitchell
- Best Actress: Helen Hayes
- Best Audience Participation, Quiz or Panel Program: What's My Line?
- Best Children's Program: Time for Beany
- Best Comedian: Jimmy Durante
- Best Comedienne: Lucille Ball
- Best Dramatic Show: Robert Montgomery Presents
- Best Mystery, Action or Adventure Program: Dragnet
- Best Public Affairs Program: See It Now
- Best Situation Comedy: I Love Lucy
- Best Variety Program: Your Show of Shows
- Most Outstanding Personality: Fulton J. Sheen.
[1] [168]
- February 9
- The Adventures of Superman TV series premieres in syndication. [1]
- April 9
- TV Guide publishes first issue. [1]
- April 19
- NBC airs the last Victory at Sea TV show. A total of 26 episodes aired. [179.1036]
- May 25
- First non-commercial educational television station-Houston, Texas, USA. [1]
- May 30
- First Major League Baseball TV network baseball game: ABC debuts Game of the Week on Saturday afternoons. Cleveland Indians 7, Chicago White Sox 2. [1] [457] [1302.174]
- June 7
- First color network telecast in compatible color, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. [1]
- June 9
- NBC airs the last Texaco Star Theatre TV show. [179.655]
- June
- CBS airs the final The Alan Young Show TV show. [179.38]
- NBC airs the last The Red Skelton Show TV show. (The show continues on the CBS network in the fall.) [179.825]
- August 28
- Nippon Television broadcasts Japan's first television show, including its first TV advertisement. [5]
- September 20
- NBC premieres the A Letter to Loretta 30-minute anthology TV show. [179.560]
- September 22
- CBS begins airing The Red Skelton Show 30/60-minute variety TV show. [179.825]
- September 28
- In New York, Roy Disney meets with ABC-TV's Leonard Goldenson, to seek financing for Disneyland Park. Goldenson eagerly agrees to participate. The final agreement includes a US$500,000 investment from ABC-Paramount, guarantee for US$4.5 million line of credit, in return for 35 percent interest in Disneyland Park, and a weekly one-hour TV program with Disney films and production for TV. [6]
- September 29
- ABC-TV debuts 30-minute family comedy Make Room for Daddy, starring Danny Thomas. [179.606] [457]
- NBC-TV debuts the Buick-Berle Show, starring Milton Berle. [1] [457]
- October 2
- CBS debuts the interview TV program Person to Person, with Edward R Murrow. [457]
- October 4
- The TV show I Led Three Lives is first aired, in syndication. [457]
- October 9
- CBS-TV debuts TV show Topper. [457]
- October 19
- Singer Julius LaRosa is fired on TV by Arthur Godfrey. [1]
- October 27
- CBS premieres the U.S. Steel Hour 60-minute anthology TV show. [179.1031]
- November 3
- First live color coast-to-coast telecast, from Colonial Theatre in New York City broadcast to Burbank, California, via WNBT. [1] [457]
- November 12
- US district Judge Grim rules NFL can black out TV home games. [1]
- December 17
- US Federal Communications Commission reverses its prior approval of a color television format that favored CBS-TV, instead approving RCA's black and white-compatible color TV specifications, benefitting the RCA-owned National Broadcasting Company. [1] [457]
1954
- January 1
- Rose and Cotton Bowl are first televised sport colorcasts. [1]
- January 4
- TV soap opera The Brighter Day premieres. [1]
- January 7
- DuMont Laboratories unveils the Duoscopic TV receiver. The TV set allows viewers to watch two different shows at the same time. [457]
- January 17
- Jacques Cousteau's first network telecast airs on Omnibus (CBS). [1]
- February 1
- CBS-TV debuts the daytime drama The Secret Storm. [1] [457]
- February 11
- In Los Angeles, California, the 6th Annual Emmy Awards are presented, hosted by Ed Sullivan.
- Best Audience Participation, Quiz or Panel Program: This Is Your Life and What's My Line?
- Best Children's Program: Kukla, Fran, and Ollie
- Best Dramatic Program: The United States Steel Hour
- Best Female Star of a Regular Series: Eve Arden for Our Miss Brooks
- Best Male Star of a Regular Series: Donald O'Connor for The Colgate Comedy Hour
- Best Mystery, Action, or Adventure Program: Dragnet
- Best New Program: Make Room for Daddy and The United States Steel Hour
- Best Program of News or Sports: See It Now
- Best Public Affairs Program: Victory at Sea
- Best Series Supporting Actor: Art Carney for The Jackie Gleason Show
- Best Series Supporting Actress: Vivian Vance for I Love Lucy
- Best Situation Comedy: I Love Lucy
- Best Variety Program: Omnibus
- Most Outstanding Personality: Edward R. Murrow.
[1] [169]
- February 14
- First news broadcast televised in color, NBC TV's Meet the Press, with appearance by U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy. [1] [457] [457]
- March 9
- First local color TV commercial, on WNBT-TV (WNBC-TV) New York City, New York (Castro Decorators). [1]
- March 15
- CBS Morning Show premieres with Walter Cronkite and Jack Paar. [1]
- March 19
- First color telecast of a prize fight, Giardello versus Troy in Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, USA. [1]
- March 25
- Radio Corporation of America (RCA) begins commercial production of TV sets equipped to receive programs in color (12.5-inch diagonal screen, cost US$1000). [1] [457]
- April 2
- Disney and ABC hold a joint press conference, announcing their agreement for the Disney TV show (Disneyland). [6]
- April 6
- Frozen TV Dinner is first put on sale by Swanson and Sons. [1] [457] [457]
- April 21
- In the Foley Square U.S. Courthouse in New York, a congressional subcommittee begins a three-day televised investigation of the causes of juvenile delinquency. The comic-book industry is vilified, leading to laws in several states restricting comic sales, and industry self-censorship. [132.124]
- April 22
- US Senate Army-McCarthy televised hearings begin. [1]
- June 5
- NBC airs the last Your Show of Shows TV show. [179.890]
- June 13
- NBC airs the last Kukla, Fran, and Ollie TV show. (The show continues on ABC.) [179.540]
- June 27
- NBC airs the last A Letter to Loretta TV show. [179.560]
- September 6
- ABC begins airing the Kukla, Fran, and Ollie puppet children's TV show. [179.540]
- September 11
- The Miss America Pageant is televised, live, for the first time, with host Bob Russell. Lee Meriwether (Miss California) is crowned Miss America by a panel of judges. [1] [457]
- September 12
- CBS-TV airs the first episode of TV show Lassie. [179.549] [457]
- September 24
- The Tonight Show premieres on NBC with host Steve Allen. [1] [457]
- October 3
- CBS premieres the Father Knows Best 30-minute comedy TV show, starring Robert Young. [179.316] [457]
- October 4
- CBS TV debuts December Bride TV series, starring comedienne Spring Byington. [457]
- October 18
- NBC premieres the Producers' Showcase 60/90-minute anthology TV show. [179.809]
- October 27
- The ABC TV network airs the first Disneyland TV show, on Wednesday night, 7:30 to 8:30. The first episode is titled The Disneyland Story. Approximately 30.8 million American viewers watch the show. [6]
- November 7
- CBS debuts the public affairs TV program Face the Nation. [457]
- December 15
- The ABC TV network airs the Disneyland TV show, featuring the first "Davy Crockett" episode, Davy Crockett, Indian Fighter. [6] [457]
- December
- CBS airs the last Pantomime Quiz 30-minute TV game show. (The show will continue on the ABC TV network.) [179.757]
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