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Lucy Goes to the Candy Factory (1952)
This three-camera” setup became the sitcom norm fronted by an interracial couple, shot on film rather than kinescope. Fans antticipated the second-season premiere, “Job Switching” (airing September 14, 1952), in which Lucy and neighbor Ethel Mertz get jobs at a candy factory and fight a losing battle against a very fast conveyor belt of chocolate. (Photo by Wiki)
Job Switching -
The Kennedy/Nixon Debate (1960)
Nixon met rival John F. Kennedy on September 16, 1960, in the first televised presidential debate. Based on the radio it seemed to be that Nixon had won. but on tv Kennedy was the clear winner. In one night, Kennedy became a superstar — and the political process was changed forever. The Debate
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Walter Cronkite Denounces the Vietnam War (1968)
CBS Evening News anchor and “most trusted man in America”Walter Cronkite, who had been a supporter visiting th frointline in the Vietnam War shifted his opinion. He spoke out stating “I’m more certain that ever that the bloody experience of Vietnam is to end in a stalemate.” President Lyndon B. Johnson reportedly turned off his set at the conclusion of the broadcast and said, “If I’ve lost Cronkite, I’ve lost middle America.” (Photo by PBS) -
Sammy Davis Jr. Visits All in the Family (1972)
Norman Lear’s All in the Family that started in 1971 had never addressed the country in the midst of upheavals and controversies regarding feminism, religion, civil rights, homosexuality, and war. Sammy Davis Jr., who badgered Lear for months to give him a guest shot on the show finally got his role playing himself in a unny and thoughtful, but its best moment and biggest laugh.
(Photo by Emmy Legends)
Sammy's Visit -
Roots (1977)
Alex Haley’s book-length exploration of slavery and his own family tree was adapted into the 12-hour TV movie Roots. was aired over consecutive nights and giving birth to the “mini-series. Roots sparked a national debate on this less-inspiring portion of American history (in the bicentennial year, no less) and attracted, over the course of its run, 85% of all television viewers.
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J.R. Gets Shot on Dallas (1980)
The primetime CBS soap Dallas desperate for a better twist and more ratings, decided to have patriarch J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman) shot in the new season finale, by an unknown assailant to be revealed when the show returned for the fall. y the time the show finally came back. Its premiere delayed until November by an actors’ strike. It was one of television’s biggest cliffhangers, and the show’s fourth season premiere became television’s most-watch.
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The Wedding of Charles and Diana (1981)
Lady Diana Spencer married Prince Charles at St. Paul’s Cathedral in an opulent spectacle of a ceremony, viewed by nearly three-quarters of a billion people. It was a lavish introduction for “the People’s Princess. One of themost memorable moments in tv history. (Photo by BBC) -
Johnny Carson’s Final Tonight Show (1992)
Johnny decided it was time to step down from the famous Tonigjht show, after 30 years on the job. His classy final show, airing on May 22, 1992, was a more personal affair: Carson, alone on a stool in front of an audience of staff, family, and and friends, introducing his favorite clips from the show. Carson told his audience, “It has been an honor and a privilege to come into your homes all these years and entertain you. And I hope when I find something I want to do."
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Hurricane Katrina (2005)
Hurricane Katrina hit Aug, 29, 2005. Thousands of residents pleaded for help from news cameras, and reporters on the ground relayed stories of heartbreak and fear from the streets, the roofs, and the New Orleans Superdome. The demage and devestation was one people couldn't imagine.
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The September 11th Attacks (2001)
Tuesday morning in September reports came into control rooms: a plane had hit the World Trade Center.It was a commercial airliner and when another smashed into the second tower, it was clear that a coordinated attack was underway. It happened on live televison,with not only cable news channels but broadcast networks going to continuous coverage and viewers across the nation riveted to their televisions for hours, days, and weeks.
(Photo by CNN)
