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Even though it is estimated that there were one million homes in the United States that had a television set in the year of 1948, television is better known to have started in the 1950's with the beginning of cable TV, the advent of the first color television transmission in the U.S. and various shows. It is an interesting fact that the popular viewer's guide which is known as "TV Guide" began in 1953 also.
In the 1950's came the much-loved comedy show called "I Love Lucy", which starred Lucille Ball and her husband at that time, bandleader Desi Arnaz. Other shows included "Bonanza", the western which starred Lorne Green. Michael Landon also acted on the show and went on later to act in other shows as well as movies. Landon finally became a director too.
From 1956 to 1961, "It Could Be You" aired on NBC. Bill Leyden hosted this show which brought long-lost family members together. In between those years, the Nixon-Kennedy Debates were televised in 1960. In 1963, America mourned as
news of the Kennedy Assassination was televised. Then, the first war was televised in 1965. Of course, it was the Vietnam War. Johnny Carson's show, which would be aired for three decades, was first seen too.
The sixties also ushered in entertainment as "The Dick Van Dyke Show" , "The Andy Griffith Show", "Bewitched", and "Gunsmoke", just to name a few. Then, television in the seventies showed President Nixon and the Watergate Scandal, "All in the Family" , the ever-popular "Brady Bunch", and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." "Hill Street Blues" led the pack in the eighties and aired along with "Webster" and "McGyver" , and many others.
Finally, in 1991, another war was seen when CNN aired coverage of the Gulf War. Comedian Jerry Seinfeld's show began, and Luke Perry made his debut in "Beverly Hills, 90210." Candice Bergen starred in "Murphy Brown" and Roseanne Arnold and John Goodman starred as wife and husband in the comedy show called, "Roseanne." "Home Improvement" starred comedian Tim Allen and helped to launch his television career. Judd Hirsch returned after playing in "Taxi" in earlier years, as John in the comedy called "Dear John." "The Simpsons", a cartoon, was first seen and went on to become a much-loved television show.
Today, there are estimated to be over a billion television sets around the world. "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" which is hosted by Regis Philbin, is a popular game show. One can still see most of all of the old television shows on stations which show the classic reruns, and America continues to watch them with a passion. This gives the Nickelodeon channel great popularity and an unbeatable niche in the television field. Other shows that the public enjoys includes "Blue's Clues", and educational show for preschoolers, and "CLueless", "Nash Bridges", an adventure starring Don Johnson and comedian Cheech Marin.
In the last fifty years, television has evolved and grown into one of the most important forms of communication. Televsion links our homes to the latest news events around the world as well as many other viewings. What would we do without it?
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