1968 in television

Events

March 25 - The 58th and final episode of The Monkees airs on U.S. television.
April 4 - James Brown appears on national television, in an attempt to calm feelings of anger in the United States following the assassination of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.
April 9 - British singer Petula Clark appears on a US television special on NBC with Harry Belafonte as a guest. An innocent, affectionate gesture between the two during a song prompts concern from the show's sponsor due to the difference in their races, but the scene is aired intact.
May 4 - Mary Hopkin performs on the British TV show Opportunity Knocks. Hopkins catches the attention of model Twiggy, who recommends her to Beatle Paul McCartney. McCartney would soon sign Hopkin to Apple Records.
October 14 - First live network transmission of video from inside a manned U.S. space capsule in orbit ("Apollo 7") There were six such broadcasts during their eleven-day mission.
Joan Crawford makes a guest appearance on the soap opera The Secret Storm, filling in for her ailing daughter, Christina. However, Joan slurs her lines and is obviously intoxicated during the live broadcast.
Elvis Presley's 68 Comeback Special airs on NBC.
CBS uses a portable minicam for political convention coverage.
Nearly 200 million households now own television sets, (78 million of which are in the U.S.).

Debuts

January 22 - Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, debuts on NBC (1968-1973)
Hawaii Five-O premieres (1968-1980)
Here's Lucy premieres (1968-1974)
Julia premieres (1968-1971)
Mayberry R.F.D. premieres (1968-1971)
The Mod Squad premieres (1968-1973)

Popular Television Shows

The Ed Sullivan Show (1948-1971)
Truth or Consequences (1950-1988)
Search for Tomorrow (1951-1986)
American Bandstand (1952-1989)
The Guiding Light (1952-present)
The Today Show (1952-present)
The Secret Storm (1954-1974)
The Tonight Show (1954-present)
Captain Kangaroo (1955-1984)
Gunsmoke (1955-1975)
The Lawrence Welk Show (1955-1982)
As the World Turns (1956-present)
Opportunity Knocks (UK) (1956-1978)
The Edge of Night (1956-1984)
What the Papers Say (UK) (1956-present)
Blue Peter (UK) (1958-present)
Grandstand (UK) [[1958-present)
Bonanza (1959-1973)
Coronation Street (UK) (1960-present)
My Three Sons (1960-1972)
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color (1961-1969)
The Beverly Hillbillies (1962-1971)
Z-Cars (UK) (1962-1978)
Dr Who (UK) (1963-1989)
General Hospital (1963-present)
Petticoat Junction (1963-1970)
Another World (1964-1999)
Bewitched (1964-1972)
Daniel Boone (1964-1970)
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. (1964-1970)
Jeopardy! (1964-1975, 1984-present)
Peyton Place (1964-1969)
The Wednesday Play (UK) (1964-1970)
Top of the Pops (UK) (1964-present)
Days of Our Lives (1965-present)
Get Smart (1965-1970)
Green Acres (1965-1971)
Hogan's Heroes (1965-1971)
I Dream of Jeannie (1965-1970)
World of Sport (UK) (1965-1980)
Family Affair (1966-1971)
Play School (1966-present)
Star Trek (1966-1969)
That Girl (1966-1971)
The Newlywed Game (1966-1974)
Ironside (1967-1975)
The Carol Burnett Show (1967-1978)
The Flying Nun (1967-1970)
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1967-1969)

Ending this Year

Armchair Theatre (UK) (1956-1968)
The Andy Griffith Show (1960-1968)
The Lucy Show (1962-1968)
Lost in Space (1965-1968)
Batman (1966-1968)
The Monkees (1966-1968)

Births

Deaths

October 13 - Bea Benaderet, actress