1986 in American television

For the American network television schedule, please see 1986-87 American network television schedule.

The year 1986 in television involved some significant events. This is a list of notable events in the United States.

Events

Date	Event
January 6	A Vicks Formula 44 cough medicine advertisement premieres, featuring Peter Bergman from All My Children, in which he told the viewing audience "I'm not a doctor, but I play one on TV". This phrase, first used during the early 1970s by actor Robert Young of the series Marcus Welby, M.D. fame, was subsequently parodied by many popular culture references.
	A revival of Card Sharks premieres on CBS. In order to make room for the show (which aired at 10:30 AM), CBS moves Press Your Luck to the 4:00 PM timeslot.
January 25	HBO's scrambling service begins.
January 28	NASA's Space Shuttle Challenger spacecraft disintegrates live on CNN.
February 9	Helen Martin joins the cast of the series 227, after appearing every episode in the 1985–86 season, replacing Kia Goodwin, who was dismissed from the cast after the first season, who portrayed Rose's (Alaina Reed) daughter, Tiffany, before written off the show initially during 1988.
February 11	Culture Club's main singer Boy George appears on an episode of the program The A-Team.
February 14	Frank Zappa appears on an episode of the popular television series Miami Vice. Zappa plays a crime boss named "Mr. Frankie".
February 22	In honor of the 20th anniversary of the first episode of the television series The Monkees, MTV broadcasts "Pleasant Valley Sunday", a 22-hour marathon of Monkees episodes.
March 9	On the soap opera Search for Tomorrow, the entire town of Henderson is washed away in a flood. Main character Joanne Tourneur's motel is the only structure in town left standing.
March 20	After four seasons, NBC cancels Remington Steele. This announcement results in Pierce Brosnan being named the newest portrayer of James Bond. As a result of the media frenzy concerning Brosnan's appointment, as well as the corresponding increase of Steele's ratings, NBC reverses its decision and announces Steele will return midway through the 1986–87 season. This results in Bond movie producers withdrawing their offer to Brosnan, though he would take on the role of Bond in 1995.
April 3	Merv Griffin sells his company, Merv Griffin Enterprises, to The Coca-Cola Company for $250,000,000.
April 21	Geraldo Rivera hosts a live two-hour syndicated special The Mystery of Al Capone's Vault, famously coming up empty-handed.
April 27	A man calling himself Captain Midnight jams HBO's signal to protest its monthly fee of $12.95.
May 10	Tommy Lee of rock group Mötley Crüe marries actress Heather Locklear.
May 12	NBC unveils its new Peacock logo during its 60th anniversary special.
May 16	Bobby Ewing is revealed to be alive and showering in his ex-wife Pam's bathroom in the season finale of the series Dallas; in the September 26 season premiere, it was shown that the entire 1985–86 season was a dream of hers the night after they agreed to remarry.
May 22	Cher calls David Letterman an "asshole" during a taping of Late Night with David Letterman.
July 18	A tornado is broadcast live by KARE-TV in Minneapolis when the station's helicopter pilot makes a chance encounter.
August 15	Rod Roddy becomes permanent announcer of the long-running CBS daytime game series The Price Is Right, replacing the deceased Johnny Olsen.
September 1	For one week, CBS Evening News anchorman Dan Rather attempts to initiate the use of the word "Courage" as a slogan. The attempt is a failure, and is noticed by other members of the press.
	Disney Channel, at the time a premium cable network, begins broadcasting a 24-hour-a-day schedule.
September 8	Oprah Winfrey's Chicago-based talk show goes national.
September 17	ABC becomes the second American network to discontinue use of chime intonations at the beginning of telecasts, switching to satellite feed activation.
September 27	On The Facts of Life, Charlotte Rae quits the role of Mrs. Garrett (who marries her old friend Bruce Gaines, played by Robert Mandan), and is replaced by Cloris Leachman, who played Beverly Ann Stickle, Mrs. Garrett's sister.
September 28	CBS returns the 4:00 PM timeslot to its affiliates following the cancellation of Press Your Luck a month earlier.
October 9	The Fox Broadcasting Company launches as the United States' fourth commercial broadcast television network, the first to do since 1967.
November 8	Dana Carvey, Phil Hartman and Kevin Nealon join Saturday Night Live.
November 30	The Disney Channel signs off for the last time. From 7 a.m. on December 1, 1986, the channel broadcasts 24 hours a day.

Programs

• 20/20 (1978–present)
• 60 Minutes (1968–present)
• 227 (1985–1990)
• ABC World News (1978–present)
• All My Children (1970–2011)
• America This Morning (1982–present)
• America Undercover (1983–present)
• American Bandstand (1952–1989)
• American Masters (1983–present)
• Another World (1964–1999)
• As the World Turns (1956–2010)
• Benson (1979–1986)
• Cagney & Lacey (1982–1988)
• Candid Camera (1948–2004)
• Capitol (1982–1987)
• CBS News Sunday Morning (1979–present)
• Cheers (1982–1993)
• College Basketball on CBS (1981–present)
• Dallas (1978–1991)
• Days of Our Lives (1965–present)
• Derrick (1974–1998)
• Diff'rent Strokes (1978–1986)
• Dynasty (1981–1989)
• Entertainment Tonight (1981–present)
• Face the Nation (1954–present)
• Falcon Crest (1981–1990)
• Fame (1982–1987)
• Family Ties (1982–1989)
• Fraggle Rock (1983–1988)
• Frontline (1983–present)
• General Hospital (1963–present)
• Gimme a Break! (1981–1987)
• Good Morning America (1975–present)
• Growing Pains (1985–1992)
• Guiding Light (1952–2009)
• Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951–present)
• Hee Haw (1969–1993)
• Highway to Heaven (1984–1989)
• Hill Street Blues (1981–1987)
• It's a Living (1980–1982, 1985–1989)
• Jeopardy! (1964–1975, 1984–present)
• Kate and Allie (1984–1989)
• Knight Rider (1982–1986)
• Knots Landing (1979–1993)
• Larry King Live (1985–2010)
• Late Night with David Letterman (1982–1993)
• Lou Dobbs Tonight (1980–2009)
• Loving (1983–1995)
• MacGyver (1985–1992)
• Magnum, P.I. (1980–1988)
• Masterpiece Theatre (1971–present)
• Meet the Press (1947–present)
• Miami Vice (1984–1989)
• Monday Night Football (1970–present)
• Moonlighting (1985–1989)
• Mr. Belvedere (1985–1990)
• Muppet Babies (1984–1991)
• Murder, She Wrote (1984–1996)
• Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom (1963–1988, 2002–present)
• Mystery! (1980–present)
• National Geographic Explorer (1985–present)
• Nature (1982–present)
• NBC Nightly News (1970–present)
• Newhart (1982–1990)
• Night Court (1984–1992)
• Nightline (1979–present)
• Nova (1974–present)
• One Life to Live (1968–2012)
• Press Your Luck (1983–1986)
• Punky Brewster (1984–1988)
• Remington Steele (1982–1987)
• Riptide (1983–1986)
• Ryan's Hope (1975–1989)
• Sally (1985–2002)
• Santa Barbara (1984–1993)
• Saturday Night Live (1975–present)
• Scarecrow and Mrs. King (1983–1987)
• Search for Tomorrow (1951–1986)
• Sesame Street (1969–present)
• Silver Spoons (1982–1987)
• Simon & Simon (1981–1988)
• Solid Gold (1980–1988)
• Soul Train (1971–2006)
• SportsCenter (1979–present)
• St. Elsewhere (1982–1988)
• Star Search (1983–1995, 2003)
• Tales from the Darkside (1984–1988)
• The A-Team (1983–1987)
• The Cosby Show (1984–1992)
• The Facts of Life (1979–1988)
• The Golden Girls (1985–1992)
• The Joker's Wild (1977–1986)
• The Love Boat (1977–1986)
• The MacNeil/Lehrer Newshour (1975–present)
• The Merv Griffin Show (1972–1986)
• The Price Is Right (1972–present)
• The Today Show (1952–present)
• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962–1992)
• The Twilight Zone (1985–1988)
• The Young and the Restless (1973–present)
• This Old House (1979–present)
• This Week (1981–present)
• Tic Tac Dough (1978–1986)
• Trapper John, M.D. (1979–1986)
• Truth or Consequences (1950–1988)
• Webster (1983–1989)
• What's Happening Now!! (1985–1988)
• Wheel of Fortune (1983–present)
• Wheel of Fortune, daytime version (1975–1991)
• Who's the Boss? (1984–1992)
• Wide World of Sports (1961–1997)

Debuts

Date	Show	Network
January 5	Blacke's Magic	NBC
January 6	Bruce Forsyth's Hot Streak	ABC
January 18	The Redd Foxx Show
January 22	Planet Earth	PBS
February 16	Sidekicks	ABC
February 24	You Again?	NBC
March 1	The Hogan Family
March 5	Fast Times	CBS
March 25	Perfect Strangers	ABC
March 28	Mr. Sunshine
May 28	The Canned Film Festival	Syndication
September 6	WWF Superstars of Wrestling
	The Flintstone Kids	ABC
September 8	Ghostbusters	Syndication
	Nightlife
	The Oprah Winfrey Show
	SilverHawks
	Superior Court
September 9	The Wizard	CBS
September 10	It's Garry Shandling's Show	Showtime
September 11	Our House	NBC
September 13	Easy Street
	Kissyfur
	The Real Ghostbusters	ABC
	Pee-wee's Playhouse	CBS
	Teen Wolf
	Wildfire
	At the Movies	Syndication
September 14	The New Adventures of Jonny Quest
September 15	Rambo: The Force of Freedom
September 17	Head of the Class	ABC
September 18	Crime Story	NBC
	L.A. Law
September 19	Starman	ABC
September 20	The Ellen Burstyn Show
	Heart of the City
	Life With Lucy
September 22	Dennis the Menace	Syndication
	Zoobilee Zoo
	Together We Stand	CBS
	ALF	NBC
September 23	Matlock
	Sledge Hammer!	ABC
September 25	Our World
September 26	Kay O'Brien	CBS
September 27	The New Mike Hammer
	Amen	NBC
September 28	WWF Wrestling Challenge	Syndication
September 29	Designing Women	CBS
October 1	Better Days
October 6	My Sister Sam
	Double Dare	Nickelodeon
October 9	The Late Show with Joan Rivers	Fox
December 1	The Cavanaughs	CBS
December 5	Gung Ho	ABC

Returning this year

Show	Last Aired	Previous Network	Retitled as/Same	New/Returning/Same Network	Returning
Card Sharks	1981	NBC	Same	CBS	January 6
Too Close for Comfort	1985	Syndication	The Ted Knight Show	Same	April 21
9 to 5	1983	ABC	Same	Syndication	September 13
Hollywood Squares	1984	NBC			September 15
Mama's Family					September 26

Ending this year

Date	Show	Debut
January 7	Stir Crazy	1985
February 1	Inspector Gadget	1983
February 21	Misfits of Science	1985
March 5	Planet Earth	1986
March 7	Diff'rent Strokes	1978
April 4	Bruce Forsyth's Hot Streak	1986
April 8	Foley Square	1985
	Mary
April 19	Benson	1979
May 2	The Fall Guy	1981
May 23	The Joker's Wild (returned in 1990)	1972
	The All-New Let's Make a Deal	1963
	Tic Tac Dough (returned in 1990)	1956
May 28	T. J. Hooker	1982
June 6	The Merv Griffin Show	1972
June 7	Star Wars: Droids	1985
June 18	Bertha
August 8	Knight Rider	1982
August 9	The Paper Chase	1978
August 22	Riptide	1983
September 4	Trapper John, M.D.	1979
September 26	Press Your Luck	1983
December 5	Ghostbusters	1986
December 6	It's Punky Brewster	1985
December 13	Star Wars: Ewoks
	Wildfire	1986
December 26	The Canned Film Festival
	Rambo: The Force of Freedom
	Search for Tomorrow	1951

Changes of network affiliation

Show	Moved from	Moved to
Card Sharks	NBC	CBS
Mama's Family		Syndication
Silver Spoons
The Wuzzles	CBS	ABC

Made-for-TV movies and miniseries

Title	Channel	Premiere date
Andersonville (miniseries)	TNT	March 3
Gotti	HBO	August 17
Gulliver's Travels (miniseries)	NBC	February 4
If These Walls Could Talk	HBO	October 13
The Late Shift (miniseries)	HBO	November 24
The Last Frontier (miniseries)	CBS	November 3
Gulliver's Travels	NBC	February 24
North and South: Book II (miniseries)	ABC	May 4

Births

Date	Name	Notability
January 5	Jesse Draper	Actress (The Naked Brothers Band)
January 15	Jessy Schram	Actress
January 18	Becca Tobin	Actress (Glee) and singer
January 24	Mischa Barton	Actress (The O.C.)
	Raviv Ullman	Actor (Phil of the Future)
February 1	Lauren Conrad	Actress (Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County, The Hills)
February 2	Gemma Arterton	Actress
February 14	Tiffany Thornton	Actress (Sonny with a Chance, So Random!) and singer
February 25	Justin Berfield	Actor (Unhappily Ever After, Malcolm in the Middle)
March 9	Brittany Snow	Actress (American Dreams, Harry's Law)
March 17	Olesya Rulin	Russian actress
March 28	Lady Gaga	Singer, songwriter, and actress (American Horror Story)
April 2	Drew Van Acker	Actor (Tower Prep, Pretty Little Liars)
April 3	Amanda Bynes	Actress (The Amanda Show, What I Like About You)
April 9	Leighton Meester	Actress (Gossip Girl) and singer
April 22	Amber Heard	Actress (Hidden Palms)
April 30	Dianna Agron	Actress (Glee) and singer
May 9	Grace Gummer	Actress (Gigantic, American Horror Story, Extant)
May 12	Emily VanCamp	Actress (Everwood, Brothers & Sisters, Revenge)
May 13	Lena Dunham	Actress (Girls)
	Robert Pattinson	English actor
May 16	Megan Fox	Actress (Ocean Ave.)
May 17	Tahj Mowry	Actor (Smart Guy, Kim Possible)
May 24	Mark Ballas	Dancer and choreographer (Dancing with the Stars)
June 11	Shia LaBeouf	Actor (Even Stevens)
June 13	Kat Dennings	Actress (Raising Dad, 2 Broke Girls)
	Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen	Actresses (Full House, Two of a Kind, So Little Time)
June 20	Dreama Walker	Actress (Gossip Girl, Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23)
June 27	Drake Bell	Actor (The Amanda Show, Drake & Josh)
June 28	Shadia Simmons	Canadian actress (Strange Days at Blake Holsey High, Life with Derek)
July 2	Lindsay Lohan	Actress (4-time host of Saturday Night Live)
July 9	Kiely Williams	American actress
July 16	Taryn Southern	Actress (Sorority Forever), singer and YouTube personality
July 17	Brando Eaton	American actor
July 24	Megan Park	Actress (The Secret Life of the American Teenager)
July 27	Nathan Stephenson	Canadian actor (Radio Free Roscoe)
August 8	Peyton List	Actress (As the World Turns, The Tomorrow People)
August 29	Lea Michele	Actress (Glee, Scream Queens)
September 12	Emmy Rossum	Actress and singer
September 16	Kyla Pratt	Actress (One on One, The Proud Family)
September 23	Kaylee DeFer	Actress (The War at Home, Gossip Girl)
September 24	Eloise Mumford	Actress (The River)
September 26	Ashley Leggat	Canadian actress (Life with Derek)
October 7	Holland Roden	Actress (Teen Wolf)
October 12	Tyler Blackburn	Actor (Pretty Little Liars)
October 13	Raquel Lee	Actress (The Amanda Show)
October 23	Briana Evigan	Actress and daughter of Greg Evigan
	Jessica Stroup	Actress (90210)
October 29	Italia Ricci	Canadian actress (Unnatural History)
November 1	Penn Badgley	Actor (Gossip Girl)
November 4	Alexz Johnson	Actress (So Weird)
November 6	Katie Leclerc	Actress (Switched at Birth)
November 10	Josh Peck	Actor (The Amanda Show, Drake & Josh, Grandfathered)
November 18	Joseph Ashton	Voice actor (Otto Rocket on Rocket Power)
November 25	Katie Cassidy	Actress (Harper's Island, Melrose Place, Arrow)
December 11	Condola Rashad	Actress (Steel Magnolias)
December 23	Noël Wells	Actress (CollegeHumor Originals, Saturday Night Live) and singer
December 30	Caity Lotz	Actress (Arrow)

Deaths

Date	Name	Age	Notability
January 14	Donna Reed	64	Actress (The Donna Reed Show, Dallas)
January 24	Gordon MacRae	64	Actor and singer
January 29	Leif Erickson	74	Actor (The High Chaparral)
May 28	Don MacLaughlin	79	Actor (Chris Hughes on As the World Turns)
June 14	Marlin Perkins	81	Zoologist, host of (Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom)
July 15	Florence Halop	63	Actress (Florence on Night Court)
August 26	Ted Knight	62	Actor (Ted Baxter on The Mary Tyler Moore Show)
October 25	Forrest Tucker	67	Actor (F Troop)
November 2	Paul Frees	66	Voice actor (Boris Badenov on The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, 1st voice for the Pillsbury Doughboy)
December 2	Desi Arnaz	69	Actor and musician (Ricky Ricardo on I Love Lucy)