ABC in History

Events 1 - 100 of 399

• 1921-03-21 Walter Kerr Theater (Ritz, CBS, NBC, ABC) opens at 223 W 48th St NYC
• 1933-01-30 "Lone Ranger" begins a 21-year run on ABC radio

• 1935-05-06 KTM-AM in Los Angeles California changes call letters to KEHE (now KABC)
• 1947-09-13 WPVI TV channel 6 in Philadelphia, PA (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1947-10-03 WMAL (now WJLA) TV channel 7 in Washington, D.C. (ABC) begins

• 1947-12-17 WEWS TV channel 5 in Cleveland, Ohio (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1948-01-18 TV talent show "The Original Amateur Hour" hosted by Ted Mack premieres on the DuMont Television Network
• 1948-03-21 "Stop the Music" with Bert Parks premieres on ABC radio
• 1948-04-15 KCPX (now KTVX) TV channel 4 in Salt Lake City, UT (ABC) 1st broadcast
• 1948-04-19 American Broadcasting Company (ABC) TV network debuts
• 1948-04-23 KSTP TV channel 5 in St Paul-Minneapolis, MN (ABC) 1st broadcast
• 1948-06-15 WTNH TV channel 8 in New Haven, CT (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1948-08-10 ABC enters network TV at 7 PM (WJZ, NY)
• 1948-08-10 Allen Funt's "Candid Camera" TV debut on ABC
• 1948-09-17 WLS TV channel 7 in Chicago, IL (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1948-09-29 WSB TV channel 2 in Atlanta, GA (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1948-10-09 WXYZ TV channel 7 in Detroit, MI (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1948-11-02 WJZ TV channel 13 in Baltimore, MD (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1949-04-04 WKRC TV channel 12 in Cincinnati, OH (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1949-05-05 KGO TV channel 7 in San Francisco, California (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1949-05-30 WRTV TV channel 6 in Indianapolis, IN (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1949-07-01 WBRC TV channel 6 in Birmingham, AL (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1949-08-30 WTVN (now WSYX) TV channel 6 in Columbus, OH (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1949-09-15 "Lone Ranger" premieres on ABC-TV. Hi-yo, Silver! Away!
• 1949-09-15 WJAC TV channel 6 in Johnstown, PA (NBC/ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1949-09-16 KABC TV channel 7 in Los Angeles, CA (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1949-09-17 WFAA TV channel 8 in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1950-02-21 WOI TV channel 5 in Ames-Des Moines, IA (ABC/PBS) begins broadcasting
• 1950-07-20 "Arthur Murray Party" premieres on ABC TV (later DuMont, CBS, NBC)
• 1950-08-19 ABC begins Saturday morning kid shows (Animal Clinic & Acrobat Ranch)
• 1950-09-29 "Tin Pan Alley TV" last airs on ABC-TV
• 1951-05-28 The Jerry Colonna Show debuts on ABC-TV
• 1952-10-12 KBTV (now KUSA) TV channel 9 in Denver, CO (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-01-16 KXLY TV channel 4 in Spokane, WA (ABC/CBS) begins broadcasting
• 1953-02-08 WLVA (now WSET) TV channel 13 in Lynchburg-Roanoke, VA (ABC) begins
• 1953-02-09 WNEP TV channel 16 in Scranton Wilkes-Barre, PA (ABC) 1st broadcast
• 1953-03-08 KSWO TV channel 7 in Lawton, Oklahoma (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-03-28 KCAU TV channel 9 in Sioux City, IA (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-04-01 KXMC TV channel 13 in Minot, ND (CBS/ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-04-14 WHYN (now WGGB) TV channel 40 in Springfield-Holyoke, MA (ABC) begins
• 1953-04-16 WAND TV channel 17 in Decatur, IL (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-04-29 The first U.S. experimental 3D-TV broadcast showed an episode of Space Patrol on Los Angeles ABC affiliate KECA-TV
• 1953-05-23 WHIZ TV channel 18 in Zanesville, OH (NBC/ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-06-01 WDAY TV channel 6 in Fargo, ND (ABC/NBC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-06-19 WTPA (now WHTM) TV channel 27 in Harrisburg, PA (ABC) 1st broadcast
• 1953-07-12 KTVB TV channel 7 in Boise, ID (NBC/ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-07-19 WAKR (now WAKC) TV channel 23 in Akron, OH (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-07-24 KEYT TV channel 3 in Santa Barbara, California (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-08-01 KMBC TV channel 9 in Kansas City, Missouri (MET/ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-08-14 KXLF TV channel 4 in Butte, MT (CBS/ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-08-23 KBAK TV channel 29 in Bakersfield, CA (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-09-13 KGTV TV channel 10 in San Diego, CA (ABC/NBC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-09-15 WVEC TV channel 13 in Hampton-Norfolk, VA (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-09-21 KRDO TV channel 13 in Colorado Spgs-Pueblo, CO (ABC) 1st broadcast
• 1953-09-27 KOLO TV channel 8 in Reno, NV (ABC/CBS) begins broadcasting
• 1953-09-27 KQTV TV channel 2 in Saint Joseph, MO (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-09-27 WHBQ TV channel 13 in Memphis, Tennessee (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-09-27 WMAZ TV channel 13 in Macon, GA (CBS/ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-09-27 WTOK TV channel 11 in Meridian, MS (ABC/CBS) begins broadcasting
• 1953-09-28 KOAT TV channel 7 in Albuquerque, NM (ABC/PBS) begins broadcasting
• 1953-09-29 "Make Room for Daddy" starring Danny Thomas, premieres on ABC-TV
• 1953-10-01 KJEO TV channel 47 in Fresno, CA (CBS/ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-10-01 WATE TV channel 6 in Knoxville, TN (ABC/NBC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-10-01 WREX TV channel 13 in Rockford, IL (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-10-06 WTVM TV channel 9 in Columbus, GA (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-10-14 WTEN TV channel 10 in Albany, NY (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-10-20 WRAU (now WHOI) TV channel 19 in Peoria, IL (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-10-25 KIEM TV channel 3 in Eureka, CA (NBC/CBS/ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-11-01 KCEN TV channel 6 in Temple-Waco, TX (NBC/ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-11-15 WIBW TV channel 13 in Topeka, KS (CBS/ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-11-23 WJBF TV channel 6 in Augusta, GA (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-11-29 WSIX TV channel 8 in Nashville, TN (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-12-07 WCCB TV channel 18 in Charlotte, North Carolina (IND/ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-12-10 KOMO TV channel 4 in Seattle, WA (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-12-15 WJHG TV channel 7 in Panama City, FL (NBC/ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-12-18 KATV TV channel 7 in Little Rock, AR (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-12-18 KMID TV channel 2 in Midland & Odessa, TX (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-12-19 KFYR TV channel 5 in Bismarck, ND (NBC/ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1953-12-24 KHOL (now KHGI) TV channel 13 in Kearney, NB (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1954-01-13 WEAR TV channel 3 in Pensacola-Mobile, FL (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1954-02-05 WCDC TV channel 19 in Adams, MA (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1954-03-09 WMUR TV channel 9 in Manchester, NH (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1954-03-15 WSJV TV channel 28 in Elkhart-South Bend, IN (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1954-03-21 KFBB TV channel 5 in Great Falls, MT (ABC/CBS/NBC) begins broadcasting
• 1954-04-07 WALB TV channel 10 in Albany, GA (NBC/ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1954-04-10 KRGV TV channel 5 in Weslaco, TX (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1954-05-03 KTEN TV channel 10 in Ada-Ardmore, Oklahoma(ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1954-07-04 WMSL (WYUR, now WAFF) TV channel 48 in Huntsville, AL (ABC) begins
• 1954-07-15 KOCO TV channel 5 in Oklahoma City, OK (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1954-07-15 WBOC TV channel 16 in Salisbury, MD (CBS/NBC/ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1954-08-15 WCHS TV channel 8 in Charleston-Huntington, WV (ABC) begins
• 1954-08-31 WMTW TV channel 8 in Portland-Poland Spring, ME (ABC) begins
• 1954-09-02 WTVD TV channel 11 in Raleigh-Durham, NC (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1954-09-10 WLUK TV channel 11 in Green Bay, WI (NBC/ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1954-09-18 KTUL TV channel 8 in Tulsa, OK (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1954-09-18 WLOS TV channel 13 in G'ville-Spartanburg, SC (ABC) 1st broadcast
• 1954-09-25 WCBD TV channel 2 in Charleston, South Carolina (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1954-09-26 KODE TV channel 12 in Joplin, MO (ABC) begins broadcasting
• 1954-09-29 "Masquerade Party" TV game show moves from CBS to ABC for two seasons

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• 1901-04-28 Corry [Cornelia Diderika] Vonk, Dutch actress (Bleeke Bet), born in Amsterdam (d. 1988)
• 1904-07-05 Don Goddard, American news anchor (ABC Evening News 1958-59), born in Binghamton, New York (d. 1994)
• 1909-10-15 Robert Trout, American newscaster (ABC), born in Washington, D.C. (d. 2000)
• 1909-12-06 Alan McGilvray, Australian cricketer (20 games for NSW mid 1930's) and commentator (ABC), born in Paddington, Sydney, Australia (d. 1996)
• 1911-01-06 Joey Adams [Joseph Abramowitz], American comedian, actor and columnist (ABC's Back That Fact), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 1999)
• 1913-06-30 Harry Wismer, American sports broadcaster (NBC Blue Network, ABC, voice of Washington Redskins) and AFL team owner (NY Titans), born in Port Huron, Michigan (d. 1967)
• 1914-02-09 Ralph Herman, American Emmy Award-winning composer (From the Scriptures; Circus Time), orchestra leader, and music director (ABC-TV, 1952-71), born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (d. 1994)
• 1914-05-12 Howard K. Smith, American TV newsman and journalist (ABC, Moderated Kennedy-Nixon debate), born in Ferriday, Louisiana (d. 2002)
• 1921-09-24 Jim McKay, American sportscaster (ABC's Wide World of Sports; American Sportscasters Association HOF), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 2008)

• 1923-11-29 Frank Reynolds, E Chicago Ind, news anchor (ABC Evening News)
• 1924-05-18 Jack Whitaker, American sportscaster (ABC, CBS), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 2019)
• 1924-06-08 George Kirby, American comedian (ABC Comedy Hour, Pearl Bailey Show), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1995)
• 1925-06-14 Pierre Salinger, American newsman (ABC) and press secretary (John F. Kennedy), born in San Francisco, California (d. 2004)
• 1926-09-03 Bill Flemming, American journalist and sportscaster (ABC's Wide World of Sports), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2007)
• 1927-03-10 Donn Trenner, American jazz pianist, arranger, and orchestra leader (Steve Allen's Westinghouse Show), born in New Haven, Connecticut (d. 2020)
• 1928-10-18 Keith Jackson, American sportscaster (ABC Monday Night Football, college football), born in Roopville, Georgia (d. 2018)

• 1930-08-16 Frank Gifford, American NFL halfback (NY Giants)/ABC sportscaster, born in Santa Monica, California (d. 2015)
• 1930-12-12 Bill Beutel, American journalist and anchor (ABC), born in Cleveland, Ohio (d. 2006)
• 1931-02-28 Peter Alliss, English golfer (Ryder Cup 1957 GB winners) and author, course designer and television presenter, commentator (BBC, ESPN, ABC Sports), born in Berlin, Germany (d. 2020)
• 1931-03-04 Wally Bruner, American broadcast journalist (ABC News), and TV host (What's My Line?, 1968-72), born in Ames, Iowa (d. 1997)

• 1932-08-14 Barry Frank, American television sports impresario (CBS, ABC and IMG), born in Columbus, Ohio (d. 2019)
• 1934-03-11 Sam Donaldson, ABC White House correspondent (Prime Time), born in El Paso, Texas
• 1934-12-29 Tom Jarriel, American television news reporter (ABC Weekend News, 20/20), born in LaGrange, Georgia
• 1935-08-22 Morton Dean, American TV newscaster (CBS, ABC), born in Fall River, Massachusetts

• 1936-12-27 Lee Grosscup, American football quarterback (NY Jets, NY Titans) and sportscaster (college football analyst ABC; Cal Berkeley), born in Santa Monica, California (d. 2020)
• 1937-09-13 Fred Silverman, American broadcasting executive (ABC/NBC/CBS), born in NYC, New York
• 1937-11-30 Richard Threlkeld, newscaster (ABC-TV)
• 1938-02-23 Sylvia Chase, newscaster (ABC Weekend News, 20/20), born in Saint Paul, Minnesota

• 1939-05-26 Brent Musburger, American sportscaster (CBS Sports, The NFL Today; ESPN, ABC; VSiN; radio play-by-play Las Vegas Raiders), born in Portland, Oregon
• 1939-06-09 Dick Vitale, American basketball sportscaster (ESPN), born in Passaic, New Jersey
• 1940-02-08 Ted Koppel, German-American Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist (ABC's Nightline; NPR; CBS), born in Lancashire, England
• 1940-05-22 Bernard Shaw, American television news journalist (CBS, ABC), and 1st anchor of CNN, born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2022)
• 1941-10-16 Tim McCarver, American baseball catcher (World Series 1964, 67; MLB All-Star 1966, 67 St. Louis Cardinals) and broadcaster (NY Mets, ABC, CBS, FOX), born in Memphis, Tennessee (d. 2023)
• 1943-12-27 Corrine "Cokie" Roberts, American journalist, pioneering newscaster (ABC; NPR; PBS), and author, born in New Orleans, Louisiana (d. 2019)
• 1944-02-26 Marilyn Michaels, American comedian (ABC Comedy Hour), born in New York City
• 1944-05-26 Sam Posey, American auto racer (12 Hours of Sebring 1975; 24 Hours of Le Mans 1971 3rd) and TV commentator (ABC Sports), born in NYC, New York
• 1945-12-22 Diane Sawyer, American newscaster (60 Minutes, ABC Prime Time), born in Glasgow, Kentucky
• 1946-06-04 Bettina Gregory, correspondent/journalist (ABC-TV)
• 1947-01-19 Ann Compton, news reporter (ABC TV)
• 1947-09-04 Bob Jenkins, American television and radio sports announcer (IndyCar & NASCAR telecasts for ESPN/ABC, NBC Sports), born in Richmond, Indiana (d. 2021)
• 1948-10-23 Brian Ross, American Emmy and Peabody Award television journalist (NBC, 1974-94; ABC, 1994-2019), born in Chicago, Illinois
• 1951-05-04 (Sigmund) "Jackie" Jackson, American pop singer and songwriter (Jackson 5 - "ABC"; "I Want You Back"), born in Gary, Indiana
• 1951-07-02 Anne Garrels, American broadcast journalist (ABC; NBC; NPR), born in Springfield, Massachusetts (d. 2022)
• 1953-05-17 Kathleen Sullivan, American newscaster (ABC-TV, CBS Morning Show), born in Pasadena, California
• 1953-10-15 Tito Jackson, American singer (Jackson 5 - "ABC"; "Never Can Say Goodbye"), born in Gary, Indiana
• 1954-12-11 Jermaine Jackson, American singer (Jackson 5 - "ABC"; solo - "Let's Get Serious"), born in Gary, Indiana
• 1956-02-24 Paula Zahn, American journalist and news anchor (ABC, CBS This Morning, Fox, CNN, PBS), born in Omaha, Nebraska
• 1956-11-26 Dale Jarrett, American auto racer (Daytona 500 1993, 96, 2000; NASCAR Winston Cup Series 1999) and broadcaster (ESPN, ABC, NBC), born in Conover, North Carolina
• 1958-03-09 Martin Fry, British pop singer-songwriter (ABC - "The Look Of Love"; "All of My Heart"), born in Stretford, Lancashire, England
• 1959-04-17 Stephen Singleton, English rocker (ABC), born in Sheffield, England
• 1960-10-24 Ian Baker-Finch, Australian golfer (British Open 1991) and broadcaster (ESPN, ABC, CBS), born in Nambour, Australia
• 1960-12-09 Terry Moran, American journalist (Senior National Correspondent at ABC News), born in Chicago, Illinois
• 1961-01-02 Craig James, American NFL running back and sports commentator (Pro Bowl 1985; New England Patriots; ABC, ESPN), born in Jacksonville, Texas
• 1961-04-01 Mark White, British rock guitarist, singer-songwriter and record producer (ABC - "All of My Heart", born in Sheffield, England
• 1961-05-29 David Palmer, British drummer (ABC - The Lexicon Of Love), born in Chesterfield, England
• 1961-10-29 Randy Jackson, American singer and musician, ninth Jackson brother (Jackson 5 - "ABC"), born in Gary, Indiana
• 1969-08-17 Ed Cunningham, American football center (Arizona Cardinals) and broadcaster (CBS Sports, ABC Sports, ESPN), born in Washington, D.C.
• 1970-08-09 Chris Cuomo, American TV journalist (CNN, since 2013; ABC, 2006-13), born in Queens, New York City

• 1983-11-29 Pamela Brown, American television reporter and newscaster (CNN, ABC WJLA-TV), born in Lexington, Kentucky

• 1993-04-24 ABC news analyst Jeff Greenfield (49) weds Karen Gannett

• 2001-11-20 ABC News political analyst George Stephanopoulos (40) weds actress Alexandra Wentworth (36) at Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Manhattan
• 2002-07-20 ABC's World News Tonight co-host Elizabeth Vargas (39) weds singer-songwriter Marc Cohn (43) at the Council on Foreign Relations

• 2012-02-18 Activist and contributor for ABC News Elizabeth Smart (24) weds Matthew Gilmour (22) in Hawaii

• 1967-12-04 Harry Wismer, American sports broadcaster (NBC Blue Network, ABC, voice of Washington Redskins) and AFL team owner (New York Titans), dies after a fall at 54
• 1972-03-02 Bill Lawrence, American news anchor (ABC), dies at 56
• 1979-02-02 Jim Burke, Australian cricket batsman (24 Tests; record for most innings in a complete career without scoring a duck [44]) and broadcaster (ABC), dies of self inflicted gunshot wounds at 48
• 1983-07-20 Frank Reynolds, American news anchor (ABC Evening News, 1968-70; World New Tonight, 1977-83), dies at 59

• 1992-08-13 David Kaplan, American news producer (ABC), shot and killed reporting in Sarajevo Yugoslavia at 44 or 45
• 1994-03-20 Don Goddard, American news anchor (ABC Evening News, 1958-59), dies at 89
• 1994-07-28 Ralph Herman, American Emmy Award-winning composer (From the Scriptures; Circus Time), orchestra leader, and music director (ABC-TV, 1952-71), dies after a stroke at 80
• 1994-08-05 Amy Sacks, American TV producer (ABC sports, Disney), dies of Lupus at 39
• 1995-09-30 George Kirby, American comedian (ABC Comedy Hour, Pearl Bailey Show), dies at 71
• 1997-11-03 Wally Bruner, American broadcast journalist (ABC News), and TV host (What's My Line?, 1968-72), dies at 66
• 1999-12-02 Joey Adams [Joseph Abramowitz], American comedian, actor and columnist (ABC's Back That Fact), dies at 88
• 2000-11-14 Robert Trout, American newscaster (ABC), dies at 91

• 2004-10-16 Pierre Salinger, American newsman (ABC) and press secretary (John F. Kennedy), dies at 79

• 2007-07-20 Bill Flemming, American journalist and sportscaster (ABC's Wide World of Sports), dies at 80
• 2008-06-07 Jim McKay, American sportscaster (ABC's Wide World of Sports; American Sportscasters Association HOF), dies at 86
• 2018-01-12 Keith Jackson, American sportscaster (ABC Monday Night Football, college football), dies at 89
• 2019-08-18 Jack Whitaker, American sportscaster (ABC, CBS), dies of natural causes at 95
• 2019-09-17 Corrine "Cokie" Roberts, American journalist, pioneering newscaster (ABC; NPR; PBS), and author, dies of with metastatic breast cancer at 75
• 2019-10-29 Barry Frank, American television sports impresario (CBS, ABC and IMG), dies of pulmonary problems at 87

• 2020-06-01 Lee Grosscup, American football quarterback (NY Jets, NY Titans) and sportscaster (college football analyst ABC; Cal Berkeley), dies at 83
• 2020-12-05 Peter Alliss, English golfer (Ryder Cup 1957 GB winners) and author, course designer and television presenter, commentator (BBC, ESPN, ABC Sports), dies at 89
• 2021-08-09 Bob Jenkins, American television and radio sports announcer (IndyCar & NASCAR telecasts ESPN/ABC, NBC Sports), dies from brain cancer at 73

• 2022-06-09 Don Perkins, American football fullback (Pro Bowl 1961–63, 66–68; All-Pro 1962, 67, 68; Dallas Cowboys) and broadcaster (CBS, ABC), dies at 84
• 2022-09-07 Anne Garrels, American broadcast journalist (ABC; NBC; NPR), dies of lung cancer at 71
• 2022-09-07 Bernard Shaw, American television news journalist (CBS, ABC), and 1st anchor of CNN, dies of pneumonia at 82 [1]

• 2023-02-16 Tim McCarver, American baseball catcher (World Series 1964, 67; MLB All-Star 1966, 67 St. Louis Cardinals) and broadcaster (NY Mets, ABC, CBS, FOX), dies of heart failure at 81 [1]