Wikipedia: 1939 in television

1939 in television
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

See also: 1938 in television, other events of 1939, 1940 in television and the list of 'years in television'.

Events

April - television demonstrations are held at the World's Fair in New York City and the Golden Gate International Exhibition in San Francisco, California
April 30 - Franklin Delano Roosevelt, appearing at the World's Fair, becomes the first President of the United States to give a speech that is broadcast on television
May 17 - The first baseball game (Princeton - Columbia) is broadcast on television, from Baker Field in New York. Bill Stern is the announcer
May 19 - The Walt Disney cartoon Donald's Cousin Gus airs on NBC's experimental station W2XBS (later WNBC) in New York. This marked the first film cartoon to be televised.
June 1 - The first heavyweight boxing match is televised, Max Baer vs Lou Nova, form Yankee Stadium.
June 14 - Blues singer Ethel Waters' variety show airs on NBC. Waters becomes the first African-American to perform on television.
August 26 - The first Major League Baseball game is telecast, a double-header between the Cincinnati Reds and the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field, in Brooklyn, New York.
September 1 - The outbreak of World War II brings television broadcasting at BBC to an abrupt end at 12:10pm in the middle of the Mickey Mouse cartoon, Mickey’s Gala Première. The last words broadcast are of a Garbo caricature saying "Ah tink ah go home". (The BBC would resume its broadcasting at that same point after the war in 1946)
The DuMont company begins producing consumer television sets
September 30 - The first televised college football game, Fordham vs Waynesburg College, at Randall's Island, New York.
October 22 - The first National Football League game is televised. The Brooklyn Dodgers vs Philadelphia Eagles at Ebbetts Field in Brooklyn.

Popular Television Shows

Births

January 17 - Maury Povich, talk show host
February 6 - Mike Farrell, actor
April 11 - Louise Lasser, actress
April 23 - David Birney, actor
April 23 - Lee Majors, actor
April 27 - Judy Carne, comedienne
May 1 - Max Robinson, journalist († 1988)
May 25 - Dixie Carter, actress
June 1 - Cleavon Little, actor († 1992)
June 9 - Dick Vitale, sportscaster
September 1 - Lily Tomlin, comedienne
September 18 - Fred Willard, comedian
September 29 - Larry Linville, actor
October 27 - John Cleese, comedian
November 20 - Dick Smothers, comedian

Events

Popular Television Shows

Births

Deaths