Events in Film & TV
- Jan 1 The first TV detector van, used to track down users of unlicensed television sets, begins operation in the UK
- Jan 1 WBRE TV channel 28 in Wilkes-Barre Scranton, PA (NBC) 1st broadcast
- Jan 4 KTSM TV channel 9 in El Paso, TX (NBC) begins broadcasting
- Jan 6 WKBN TV channel 27 in Youngstown, Ohio (CBS) begins broadcasting - without sound, until January 11 [1]
- Jan 13 KOLD TV channel 13 in Tucson, AZ (CBS) begins broadcasting
- Jan 14 WALA TV channel 10 in Mobile, AL (NBC) begins broadcasting
- Jan 16 KXLY TV channel 4 in Spokane, WA (ABC/CBS) begins broadcasting
- Jan 25 WABI TV channel 5 in Bangor, ME (CBS) begins broadcasting
- Jan 28 WJTV TV channel 12 in Jackson, MS (CBS) begins broadcasting
Birthdays in Film & TV
- Jan 5 Pamela Sue Martin, American actress (Nancy Drew: Dynasty - "Fallon"), born in Westport, Connecticut
- Jan 11 Anna Marchesini, Italian voice actress and entertainer (Il Trio), born in Orvieto, Italy (d. 2016)
- Jan 11 John Sessions, Scottish actor and comedian (Whose Line Is It Anyway), born in Largs, Scotland (d. 2020)
- Jan 15 Ta-Tanisha, American actress, born in The Bronx, New York
- Jan 18 Brett Hudson, American comedian (Bonkers, Hudson Brothers Show), born in Portland, Oregon
- Jan 19 Desi Arnaz Jr., American actor (Here's Lucy - "Craig"; Fakeout; Joyride), and musician, born in Los Angeles, California
- Jan 19 Linda Hayden, British actress (The Blood on Satan's Claw; The Boys from Brazil), born in Stanmore, England
- Jan 19 Michael Boddicker, American session synthesizer player (Michael Jackson; Lionel Richie; Chicago), and film composer (The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension), born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
- Jan 24 Brian Matthews, American actor (Burning), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Jan 25 The Honky Tonk Man [Wayne Farris], American professional wrestler, born in Bolivar, Tennessee
- Jan 29 Dalila di Lazzaro, Italian, covergirl/model (Vogue), born in Udine, Italy
- Jan 29 Lynne McGranger, Australian actress (Home and Away), born in Sydney, New South Wales
- Jan 29 Teresa Teng [Li-chun], Taiwanese pop singer("Aijin"; The Power Of Love"; "Airport"), and actress, born in Baozhong Township, Yunlin, Taiwan
