1981 in television

Events

• January 20 - Comedian Andy Kaufman ruins sketches and starts a brawl live on the air during ABC's Friday's.
• April 11 - Van Halen's lead guitarist Eddie Van Halen marries actress Valerie Bertinelli[?]
• August 1 - The MTV network debuts on Cable television, playing music videos 24 hours a day
• Luke and Lauras's Wedding on General Hospital, becomes one of the most watched wedding in television history, second only to the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana.

Other Popular Television Shows

• Dynasty premieres
• Hill Street Blues premieres (1981-1987)
• MTV premieres (1981-present)

• Alice[?] (1976-1985)
• All My Children (1970-present)
• Charlie's Angels (1976-1981)
• Dallas (1978-1991)
• Dr Who (1963-1989)
• Happy Days (1974-1984)
• Laverne & Shirley[?] (1976-1983)
• Lawrence Welk Show (1955-1982)
• Little House on the Prairie (1974-1983)
• M*A*S*H (1972-1983)
• Mork & Mindy (1978-1982)
• The Muppet Show (1976-1981)
• Saturday Night Live (1975-present)
• Sesame Street (1969-present)
• Taxi (1978-1983)
• That's Incredible[?] (1980-1984)
• Three's Company[?] (1977-1984)
• The Tonight Show (1954-present)
• WKRP in Cincinnati[?] (1978-1982)
• The Waltons (1972-1981)
• Wheel of Fortune (1975-present)

Births

• ? - Jamil Walker Smith[?], voice actor ("Gerald Martin Johanseen" and "Peapod Kid" from Hey Arnold!)

Deaths