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List: TV's Most Memorable Moments
- Thread starter RicoGregg
- Start date
Assassination of John Lennon
Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy
Assassination of George Moscone and Harvey Milk
The Jonestown Massacre
Fall of Saigon
1989 San Francisco Earthquake
Death of Michael Jackson
The Tucson Massacre
The Kent State Massacre
The Apollo 1 Fire
The Branch Davidian Massacre
The Budd Dwyer Suicide
...no, I will not agree with most. How the hell are the death of Whitney Houston, the Prince William-Kate Middleton wedding or the Casey Anthony verdict more memorable than any three of the events I listed above? For God's sake, the death of Anna Nicole Smith was more memorable than Houston's death and Anthony's verdict combined...
Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy
Assassination of George Moscone and Harvey Milk
The Jonestown Massacre
Fall of Saigon
1989 San Francisco Earthquake
Death of Michael Jackson
The Tucson Massacre
The Kent State Massacre
The Apollo 1 Fire
The Branch Davidian Massacre
The Budd Dwyer Suicide
...no, I will not agree with most. How the hell are the death of Whitney Houston, the Prince William-Kate Middleton wedding or the Casey Anthony verdict more memorable than any three of the events I listed above? For God's sake, the death of Anna Nicole Smith was more memorable than Houston's death and Anthony's verdict combined...
TV Guide once put out a list of the 100 most memorable
moments; topping the list was Neil Armstrong's walk on the
moon. For lack of time, I'll list only the 10 most memorable;
anyone who has access to the June 29, 1996 issue can see
the whole list.
10. Elvis's 1968 Comeback Special (12/3/68)
9. Bette Serenades Johnny (Bette Midler sings to Johnny
Carson (5/21/92)
8. The Wedding of Charles & Diana (7/29/81)
7. The O.J. Simpson Verdict (10/3/95)
6. The Final Episode of "The Fugitive" (8/29/67)
5. "Newhart" Final Episode (5/21/90)
4. The Beatles' First Appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show"
(2/9/64)
3. John-John's Salute (11/25/63)
2. Lucy in the Candy Factory (9/15/52)
1. Armstrong Walks on the Moon (7/20/69)
Some newsworthy events that didn't make the top 10:
96. Police Brutality in Birmingham (5/3/63)
82. POWs Return From Vietnam (3/19/73)
81. The U.S. Hockey Team Victory Over the U.S.S.R. (2/22/80)
79. The Fire in Waco (4/19/93)
73. Ruby Shoots Oswald (11/24/63)
72. Halting the Tanks (in Tienanmen Square, 6/5/89)
69. Terrorists at the Olympics (the murder of the Israeli athletes,
9/5/72)
59. Watergate Breakthrough (Alexander Butterfield's revelation of
Nixon's taping system, 7/16/73)
54. Ali Defeats Foreman (and displays his "rope-a-dope" technique,
10/29/74)
51. The Bombing of Baghdad (1/16/91)
49. Cal Ripken Jr. Breaks the Record (playing his 2131st consecutive game,
9/6/95)
46. Mary Lou Retton Scores a 10 (8/3/84)
43. Jackie Kennedy's tour of the White House (2/14/62)
38. The Black Power Salute (by African-American athletes Tommie Smith
and John Carlos at the Mexico City Olympics, 10/16/68)
32. Nixon Waves Farewell (8/9/74)
30. Clarence Thomas's Rebuttal (10/11/91)
27. Buckner Muffs the Ball (the Red Sox' first baseman Bill Buckner, with
one out needed to beat the Mets and clinch the World Series, lets
the ball roll between his legs; Mets win the game and the Series,
10/25/86)
26. The Birth of Air Jordan (4/20/86)
25. Kennedy Debates Nixon (and shows the importance of physical
appearance on the air, Kennedy looks tanned and fit, Nixon looks
all washed out, 9/26/60)
21. Murrow Skewers McCarthy (3/9/54)
20. The White Bronco Chase (O.J. Simpson, 6/17/94)
18. Hank Aaron Hits #715 (4/8/74)
17. The Challenger Explodes (1/28/86)
15. LBJ Announces He Will Not Seek Re-election (3/31/68)
11. Reginald Denny Beating (4/29/92)
moments; topping the list was Neil Armstrong's walk on the
moon. For lack of time, I'll list only the 10 most memorable;
anyone who has access to the June 29, 1996 issue can see
the whole list.
10. Elvis's 1968 Comeback Special (12/3/68)
9. Bette Serenades Johnny (Bette Midler sings to Johnny
Carson (5/21/92)
8. The Wedding of Charles & Diana (7/29/81)
7. The O.J. Simpson Verdict (10/3/95)
6. The Final Episode of "The Fugitive" (8/29/67)
5. "Newhart" Final Episode (5/21/90)
4. The Beatles' First Appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show"
(2/9/64)
3. John-John's Salute (11/25/63)
2. Lucy in the Candy Factory (9/15/52)
1. Armstrong Walks on the Moon (7/20/69)
Some newsworthy events that didn't make the top 10:
96. Police Brutality in Birmingham (5/3/63)
82. POWs Return From Vietnam (3/19/73)
81. The U.S. Hockey Team Victory Over the U.S.S.R. (2/22/80)
79. The Fire in Waco (4/19/93)
73. Ruby Shoots Oswald (11/24/63)
72. Halting the Tanks (in Tienanmen Square, 6/5/89)
69. Terrorists at the Olympics (the murder of the Israeli athletes,
9/5/72)
59. Watergate Breakthrough (Alexander Butterfield's revelation of
Nixon's taping system, 7/16/73)
54. Ali Defeats Foreman (and displays his "rope-a-dope" technique,
10/29/74)
51. The Bombing of Baghdad (1/16/91)
49. Cal Ripken Jr. Breaks the Record (playing his 2131st consecutive game,
9/6/95)
46. Mary Lou Retton Scores a 10 (8/3/84)
43. Jackie Kennedy's tour of the White House (2/14/62)
38. The Black Power Salute (by African-American athletes Tommie Smith
and John Carlos at the Mexico City Olympics, 10/16/68)
32. Nixon Waves Farewell (8/9/74)
30. Clarence Thomas's Rebuttal (10/11/91)
27. Buckner Muffs the Ball (the Red Sox' first baseman Bill Buckner, with
one out needed to beat the Mets and clinch the World Series, lets
the ball roll between his legs; Mets win the game and the Series,
10/25/86)
26. The Birth of Air Jordan (4/20/86)
25. Kennedy Debates Nixon (and shows the importance of physical
appearance on the air, Kennedy looks tanned and fit, Nixon looks
all washed out, 9/26/60)
21. Murrow Skewers McCarthy (3/9/54)
20. The White Bronco Chase (O.J. Simpson, 6/17/94)
18. Hank Aaron Hits #715 (4/8/74)
17. The Challenger Explodes (1/28/86)
15. LBJ Announces He Will Not Seek Re-election (3/31/68)
11. Reginald Denny Beating (4/29/92)
F
FreddyE1977
Guest
Ultimajock said:
Was that a big story nationally? I know it was huge here in Pennsylvania.
Most people remember that WPXI in Pittsburgh ran the tape unedited, including bits of
Dwyer's brain hitting the curtain. And it was on a snow day so a higher proportion of kids
than usual were at home with the televisions on. One of many, many boneheaded moves
that WPXI became famous for.
I might add that Sony did the same survey; among viewers in the 18-49
range, 9/11 was the most memorable event, along with the death of Osama
bin Laden and Hurricane Katrina. JFK's death ranked first among people over
55 (such as yours truly). Some events that ranked high on TV Guide's list
(such as the Beatles' first appearance with Ed Sullivan) ranked in the forties
on the Sony list; again, that may be the result of many respondents having not
yet been born in 1964.
While I think the TV Guide list concentrated too much on series episodes, here's
their top 100 (remember, this is pre-9/11):
100. Mork and Mindy's Baby (Jonathan Winters, 10/15/81)
99. "Miami Vice" Premiere (9/16/84)
98. The "1984" Macintosh Commercial (1/22/84)
97. The Two Faces Of Latka (Andy Kaufman as Latka and lounge lizard
Vic Ferrari on "Taxi," 5/21/81)
96. Police Brutality in Birmingham (5/3/63)
95. "One Life" on the Stand ("One Life To Live"'s Karen Wolek (Judith Light)
admits in court that she had once been a hooker, 3/6/79)
94. The theme music from "Mission: Impossible" (1966-73)
93. Tonya Harding at the Olympics (her attack on Nancy Kerrigan wasn't
enough; she complained about the laces on her skates and got a
second chance to complete the long program but finished eighth when
she missed her trademark triple axel, 2/25/94)
92. "The Simpsons"' Conclusion (Who shot Mr. Burns?, 9/17/95)
91. Rhoda's wedding (10/28/74)
90. Jack Paar Walks Off (over a tame-by-today's-standards joke about
a water closet, 2/11/60)
89. The Fonz's Entrance (weekly, 1974-84)
88. Pee-wee's Big Comeback (at the MTV Music Video Awards after his
arrest at an X-rated theater, 9/5/91)
87. Tom Jordache is Slain ("Rich Man, Poor Man," 3/15/76)
86. Kookie Combs His Hair ("77 Sunset Strip" debut, 10/10/58)
85. Plop-Plop Goes Letterman (in a tank, dressed in 3400 Alka-Seltzer tablets,
9/6/84)
84. The Alexis and Krystle Catfight ("Dynasty," 4/13/83)
83. The Debut of "NYPD Blue" (9/21/93)
82. POWs Return From Vietnam (3/19/73)
81. The U.S. Hockey Victory Over the U.S.S.R. at the 1980 Olympic Games
(2/22/80)
80. Jeff Baker's Car Wreck on "As The World Turns" (which broke up daytime's
then-number-one-couple, Jeff Baker and his wife Penny, 8/23/62)
79. The Fire in Waco (4/19/93)
78. The Final Episode of "M*A*S*H" (2/28/83)
77. Maddie and David Make Love on "Moonlighting" (3/31/87)
76. Paul Newman in "Bang the Drum Slowly" (on the "U.S. Steel Hour," Newman
plays a baseball player who has befriended an unpopular, but cancer-stricken,
catcher on the team; after the catcher's funeral, Newman flubs a line but yet
it makes sense: "From here on in I rag nobody," 9/26/56)
75. Clarabell Speaks (the silent clown on "Howdy Doody" utters the show's last words:
"Goodbye, kids," 9/24/60)
74. The Bookworm Episode of "The Twilight Zone" (Burgess Meredith as a bookworm who
gets all the time he wants to read--he's the sole survivor of a nuclear attack--until
he breaks his glasses and all those words are just blurs, 11/20/59)
73. Ruby Shoots Oswald (11/24/63)
72. Barbara Walters Interviews Sadat and Begin (11/20/77)
71. Dan Jansen Skates to Victory (2/18/94)
70. Halting the Tanks (Tienanmen Square, 6/5/89)
69. Terrorists at the Olympics (Munich, 9/5/72)
68. "Star Trek"'s "City on the Edge of Forever" (transported to the 1930s Kirk encounters
a woman played by Joan Collins, who actions will cause the Nazis to win World War II;
as a truck barrels toward her, Kirk restrains himself from saving her, 4/6/67)
67. A Visit to Neverland ("Peter Pan," 3/7/55)
66. Oprah's Little Red Wagon (she'd lost 67 pounds and showed what 67 pounds of fat
looks like, 11/15/88)
65. "Hill Street" Blue (premiere, 1/15/81)
64. Edith is Raped ("All In The Family," 10/16/77)
63. Al Campanis on "Nightline" (the Dodgers executive says blacks don't necessarily have
the ability to be field managers or general managers, 4/6/87)
62. The Oscar Streaker (host David Niven gets off a great ad-lib when a streaker runs
across the stage: "Isn't it fascinating to think that the only laugh that man will ever
get in his life is by stripping and showing off his shortcomings." 4/2/74)
61. Namath in Panty Hose (1974)
60. Darrin's Dastardly Doppelganger (Dick Sargent replaces Dick York on "Bewitched,"
9/18/69)
59. Watergate Breakthrough (Alexander Butterfield reveals the existence of Nixon's
taping system, 7/16/73)
58. The Kiss on "Cheers" (Sam and Diane pull a surprise on viewers, 9/29/83)
57. Death Comes to "Sesame Street" (explaining the death of Mr. Hooper following the
death of actor Will Lee, 11/24/83)
56. Golfing on "The Honeymooners" ("Hellooo ball," 10/15/55)
55. The Louds' Divorce ("An American Family," 3/8/73)
54. Ali Defeats Foreman (with his "rope-a-dope," 10/29/74)
53. The Contest on "Seinfeld" ("master of your domain," 11/18/92)
52. Bobby's in the Shower on "Dallas" (and the whole previous season turned out
to be Pam's dream, 5/16/86)
51. The Bombing of Baghdad (1/16/91)
50. The Borg on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (6/18/90)
49. Cal Ripken Jr. Breaks the Record (his 2131st consecutive game, 9/6/95)
48. Hertz Puts Us in the Driver's Seat (the man who seemingly comes down from
the clouds to drive a Hertz rental car, 1961)
47. The Hug on "The CBS Morning News" (Phyllis George tries to get rapist Gary
Dotson and victim Cathleen Webb to hug, 5/15/85)
46. Mary Lou Retton Scores a 10 (8/3/84)
45. "Where's The Beef?" (Wendy's, 1/84)
44. "Your Money or Your Life" (that choice is offered to Jack Benny by a holdup
man--loooong pause, then the holdup man demands, "Well?" Benny wails,
"I'm thinking it over!" (1/15/56)
43. Jackie Kennedy's tour of the White House (2/14/62)
42. "Monday Night Football" (10/9/72) The Houston Oilers are being trounced by
the Oakland Raiders--the camera picks up an Oilers fan giving the team the
finger; Don Meredith: "He's saying they're number one."
41. "Went With the Wind" (the famous "Gone With the Wind" satire where Carol
Burnett wears a gown--with curtain rod attached, "The Carol Burnett Show,"
11/13/76)
40. The Premiere Episode of "Roseanne" (10/18/88)
39. Columbo's First Case (2/20/68)
38. The Black Power Salute (Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the Mexico City
Olympics, 10/16/68)
37. Shatner at the "Star Trek" Convention ("Saturday Night Live," 12/20/86--
he has the perfect line for Trekkies who travel hundreds of miles to these
things: "Get a life, will you, people?")
36. Michael Jackson Performs "Billie Jean" (and introduces the moonwalk, 5/16/83)
35. The Tomahawk Incident (Ed Ames hits a dummy of a sheriff in the crotch, "The
Tonight Show," 4/29/65)
34. Rather Tangles With Bush (Dan Rather attacks Daddy Bush for his role in Iran-
Contra, 1/25/88)
33. Chuckles the Clown Dies ("The Mary Tyler Moore Show," 10/25/75)
32. Nixon Waves Farewell (8/9/74)
31. The Premiere Episode of "The Cosby Show" (Theo doesn't want a career;
he wants his dad's acceptance and love. Cosby: "That's the dumbest thing
I've ever heard." 9/20/84)
30. Clarence Thomas's Rebuttal (to Anita Hill, 10/11/91)
29. "Bonanza" Debuts (9/12/59)
28. The Dismemberment of Kunta Kinte (one of his feet is cut off to keep him from
running away, "Roots," 1/25/77)
27. Buckner Muffs The Ball (The Red Sox are one out away from defeating the Mets
and winning the World Series; Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner lets the ball
roll between his legs; Mets win game and Series, 10/25/86)
26. The Birth of Air Jordan (4/20/86)
25. Kennedy Debates Nixon (and underscores the importance of appearance on television:
Kennedy looks tanned and fit; Nixon looks washed out, 9/26/60)
24. Rather Gets Roughed Up (by security people at the Democratic Convention in Chicago,
8/28/68)
23. "The Andy Griffith Show" Opening Credits (1960-68)
22. "Requiem For A Heavyweight" (Jack Palance as a washed-up boxer reduced to professional
wrestling, "Playhouse 90," 10/11/56)
21. Murrow Skewers McCarthy (3/9/54)
20. The White Bronco Chase (with O.J. Simpson inside, 6/17/94)
19. Laura Petrie Gets Stuck in the Tub ("The Dick Van Dyke Show," 3/31/65)
18. Hank Aaron Hits #715 (4/8/74)
17. The Challenger Explodes (1/28/86)
16. The Wedding of Luke and Laura ("General Hospital," 11/16-17/81)
15. LBJ Announces He Will Not Seek Re-election (3/31/68)
14. Samurai Delicatessen ("Saturday Night Live," 1/17/76)
13. Who Shot J.R.? ("Dallas," 3/21/80)
12. The Final Episode of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" (3/19/77)
11. The Reginald Denny Beating (4/29/92)
10. Elvis's 1968 Comeback Special (12/3/68)
9. Bette (Midler) Serenades Johnny (Carson) (5/21/92)
8. The Wedding of Charles & Diana (7/29/81)
7. The O.J. Simpson Verdict (10/3/95)
6. The Final Episode of "The Fugitive" (8/29/67)
5. "Newhart" Final Episode (5/21/90)
4. The Beatles' First Appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show" (2/9/64)
3. John-John's Salute (11/25/63)
2. Lucy in the Candy Factory (9/15/52)
1. Armstrong Walks on the Moon (7/20/69)
range, 9/11 was the most memorable event, along with the death of Osama
bin Laden and Hurricane Katrina. JFK's death ranked first among people over
55 (such as yours truly). Some events that ranked high on TV Guide's list
(such as the Beatles' first appearance with Ed Sullivan) ranked in the forties
on the Sony list; again, that may be the result of many respondents having not
yet been born in 1964.
While I think the TV Guide list concentrated too much on series episodes, here's
their top 100 (remember, this is pre-9/11):
100. Mork and Mindy's Baby (Jonathan Winters, 10/15/81)
99. "Miami Vice" Premiere (9/16/84)
98. The "1984" Macintosh Commercial (1/22/84)
97. The Two Faces Of Latka (Andy Kaufman as Latka and lounge lizard
Vic Ferrari on "Taxi," 5/21/81)
96. Police Brutality in Birmingham (5/3/63)
95. "One Life" on the Stand ("One Life To Live"'s Karen Wolek (Judith Light)
admits in court that she had once been a hooker, 3/6/79)
94. The theme music from "Mission: Impossible" (1966-73)
93. Tonya Harding at the Olympics (her attack on Nancy Kerrigan wasn't
enough; she complained about the laces on her skates and got a
second chance to complete the long program but finished eighth when
she missed her trademark triple axel, 2/25/94)
92. "The Simpsons"' Conclusion (Who shot Mr. Burns?, 9/17/95)
91. Rhoda's wedding (10/28/74)
90. Jack Paar Walks Off (over a tame-by-today's-standards joke about
a water closet, 2/11/60)
89. The Fonz's Entrance (weekly, 1974-84)
88. Pee-wee's Big Comeback (at the MTV Music Video Awards after his
arrest at an X-rated theater, 9/5/91)
87. Tom Jordache is Slain ("Rich Man, Poor Man," 3/15/76)
86. Kookie Combs His Hair ("77 Sunset Strip" debut, 10/10/58)
85. Plop-Plop Goes Letterman (in a tank, dressed in 3400 Alka-Seltzer tablets,
9/6/84)
84. The Alexis and Krystle Catfight ("Dynasty," 4/13/83)
83. The Debut of "NYPD Blue" (9/21/93)
82. POWs Return From Vietnam (3/19/73)
81. The U.S. Hockey Victory Over the U.S.S.R. at the 1980 Olympic Games
(2/22/80)
80. Jeff Baker's Car Wreck on "As The World Turns" (which broke up daytime's
then-number-one-couple, Jeff Baker and his wife Penny, 8/23/62)
79. The Fire in Waco (4/19/93)
78. The Final Episode of "M*A*S*H" (2/28/83)
77. Maddie and David Make Love on "Moonlighting" (3/31/87)
76. Paul Newman in "Bang the Drum Slowly" (on the "U.S. Steel Hour," Newman
plays a baseball player who has befriended an unpopular, but cancer-stricken,
catcher on the team; after the catcher's funeral, Newman flubs a line but yet
it makes sense: "From here on in I rag nobody," 9/26/56)
75. Clarabell Speaks (the silent clown on "Howdy Doody" utters the show's last words:
"Goodbye, kids," 9/24/60)
74. The Bookworm Episode of "The Twilight Zone" (Burgess Meredith as a bookworm who
gets all the time he wants to read--he's the sole survivor of a nuclear attack--until
he breaks his glasses and all those words are just blurs, 11/20/59)
73. Ruby Shoots Oswald (11/24/63)
72. Barbara Walters Interviews Sadat and Begin (11/20/77)
71. Dan Jansen Skates to Victory (2/18/94)
70. Halting the Tanks (Tienanmen Square, 6/5/89)
69. Terrorists at the Olympics (Munich, 9/5/72)
68. "Star Trek"'s "City on the Edge of Forever" (transported to the 1930s Kirk encounters
a woman played by Joan Collins, who actions will cause the Nazis to win World War II;
as a truck barrels toward her, Kirk restrains himself from saving her, 4/6/67)
67. A Visit to Neverland ("Peter Pan," 3/7/55)
66. Oprah's Little Red Wagon (she'd lost 67 pounds and showed what 67 pounds of fat
looks like, 11/15/88)
65. "Hill Street" Blue (premiere, 1/15/81)
64. Edith is Raped ("All In The Family," 10/16/77)
63. Al Campanis on "Nightline" (the Dodgers executive says blacks don't necessarily have
the ability to be field managers or general managers, 4/6/87)
62. The Oscar Streaker (host David Niven gets off a great ad-lib when a streaker runs
across the stage: "Isn't it fascinating to think that the only laugh that man will ever
get in his life is by stripping and showing off his shortcomings." 4/2/74)
61. Namath in Panty Hose (1974)
60. Darrin's Dastardly Doppelganger (Dick Sargent replaces Dick York on "Bewitched,"
9/18/69)
59. Watergate Breakthrough (Alexander Butterfield reveals the existence of Nixon's
taping system, 7/16/73)
58. The Kiss on "Cheers" (Sam and Diane pull a surprise on viewers, 9/29/83)
57. Death Comes to "Sesame Street" (explaining the death of Mr. Hooper following the
death of actor Will Lee, 11/24/83)
56. Golfing on "The Honeymooners" ("Hellooo ball," 10/15/55)
55. The Louds' Divorce ("An American Family," 3/8/73)
54. Ali Defeats Foreman (with his "rope-a-dope," 10/29/74)
53. The Contest on "Seinfeld" ("master of your domain," 11/18/92)
52. Bobby's in the Shower on "Dallas" (and the whole previous season turned out
to be Pam's dream, 5/16/86)
51. The Bombing of Baghdad (1/16/91)
50. The Borg on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (6/18/90)
49. Cal Ripken Jr. Breaks the Record (his 2131st consecutive game, 9/6/95)
48. Hertz Puts Us in the Driver's Seat (the man who seemingly comes down from
the clouds to drive a Hertz rental car, 1961)
47. The Hug on "The CBS Morning News" (Phyllis George tries to get rapist Gary
Dotson and victim Cathleen Webb to hug, 5/15/85)
46. Mary Lou Retton Scores a 10 (8/3/84)
45. "Where's The Beef?" (Wendy's, 1/84)
44. "Your Money or Your Life" (that choice is offered to Jack Benny by a holdup
man--loooong pause, then the holdup man demands, "Well?" Benny wails,
"I'm thinking it over!" (1/15/56)
43. Jackie Kennedy's tour of the White House (2/14/62)
42. "Monday Night Football" (10/9/72) The Houston Oilers are being trounced by
the Oakland Raiders--the camera picks up an Oilers fan giving the team the
finger; Don Meredith: "He's saying they're number one."
41. "Went With the Wind" (the famous "Gone With the Wind" satire where Carol
Burnett wears a gown--with curtain rod attached, "The Carol Burnett Show,"
11/13/76)
40. The Premiere Episode of "Roseanne" (10/18/88)
39. Columbo's First Case (2/20/68)
38. The Black Power Salute (Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the Mexico City
Olympics, 10/16/68)
37. Shatner at the "Star Trek" Convention ("Saturday Night Live," 12/20/86--
he has the perfect line for Trekkies who travel hundreds of miles to these
things: "Get a life, will you, people?")
36. Michael Jackson Performs "Billie Jean" (and introduces the moonwalk, 5/16/83)
35. The Tomahawk Incident (Ed Ames hits a dummy of a sheriff in the crotch, "The
Tonight Show," 4/29/65)
34. Rather Tangles With Bush (Dan Rather attacks Daddy Bush for his role in Iran-
Contra, 1/25/88)
33. Chuckles the Clown Dies ("The Mary Tyler Moore Show," 10/25/75)
32. Nixon Waves Farewell (8/9/74)
31. The Premiere Episode of "The Cosby Show" (Theo doesn't want a career;
he wants his dad's acceptance and love. Cosby: "That's the dumbest thing
I've ever heard." 9/20/84)
30. Clarence Thomas's Rebuttal (to Anita Hill, 10/11/91)
29. "Bonanza" Debuts (9/12/59)
28. The Dismemberment of Kunta Kinte (one of his feet is cut off to keep him from
running away, "Roots," 1/25/77)
27. Buckner Muffs The Ball (The Red Sox are one out away from defeating the Mets
and winning the World Series; Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner lets the ball
roll between his legs; Mets win game and Series, 10/25/86)
26. The Birth of Air Jordan (4/20/86)
25. Kennedy Debates Nixon (and underscores the importance of appearance on television:
Kennedy looks tanned and fit; Nixon looks washed out, 9/26/60)
24. Rather Gets Roughed Up (by security people at the Democratic Convention in Chicago,
8/28/68)
23. "The Andy Griffith Show" Opening Credits (1960-68)
22. "Requiem For A Heavyweight" (Jack Palance as a washed-up boxer reduced to professional
wrestling, "Playhouse 90," 10/11/56)
21. Murrow Skewers McCarthy (3/9/54)
20. The White Bronco Chase (with O.J. Simpson inside, 6/17/94)
19. Laura Petrie Gets Stuck in the Tub ("The Dick Van Dyke Show," 3/31/65)
18. Hank Aaron Hits #715 (4/8/74)
17. The Challenger Explodes (1/28/86)
16. The Wedding of Luke and Laura ("General Hospital," 11/16-17/81)
15. LBJ Announces He Will Not Seek Re-election (3/31/68)
14. Samurai Delicatessen ("Saturday Night Live," 1/17/76)
13. Who Shot J.R.? ("Dallas," 3/21/80)
12. The Final Episode of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" (3/19/77)
11. The Reginald Denny Beating (4/29/92)
10. Elvis's 1968 Comeback Special (12/3/68)
9. Bette (Midler) Serenades Johnny (Carson) (5/21/92)
8. The Wedding of Charles & Diana (7/29/81)
7. The O.J. Simpson Verdict (10/3/95)
6. The Final Episode of "The Fugitive" (8/29/67)
5. "Newhart" Final Episode (5/21/90)
4. The Beatles' First Appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show" (2/9/64)
3. John-John's Salute (11/25/63)
2. Lucy in the Candy Factory (9/15/52)
1. Armstrong Walks on the Moon (7/20/69)
Metro NYC TV stations carried a similar incident years back-- a Queens Borough commissioner called a news conference to respond to some sort of inpropriety charges (can't recall his name nor the details). A moment or two into reporter's Q & A's, the official pulled a revolver out of his pocket, stuck it to his head, offered one more comment, then pulled the trigger. Wasn't pretty.FreddyE1977 said:
The Howard Cosell announcement of John Lennon's murder stands out as he hit viewers over the head without the usual 'Bulletin-Special Report' warning that always alerts the brain. Millions are watching the game and suddenly it didn't mean anything.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n73GFvAyIjs
Many of the other events people had learned from other sources and tuned in to watch.
One landmark moment happened in 1968 when LBJ without any warning said he would not run. I remember Roger Mudd and George Herman in the Washington studio seconds afterwards and they were speechless at what had just happened.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n73GFvAyIjs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n73GFvAyIjs
Many of the other events people had learned from other sources and tuned in to watch.
One landmark moment happened in 1968 when LBJ without any warning said he would not run. I remember Roger Mudd and George Herman in the Washington studio seconds afterwards and they were speechless at what had just happened.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n73GFvAyIjs
Out of the 100 TV Guide list I am surprised that the final two episodes of The Fugitive didn't rate a mention.
From 1967 until it was either the "Who Shot JR Episode on Dallas, or the final episode of M.A.S.H., The Fugitive two-part finale held the record for the largest TV audience. That, and besides I think it was a damn good show.
It is noted that the list was pre 9-11
From 1967 until it was either the "Who Shot JR Episode on Dallas, or the final episode of M.A.S.H., The Fugitive two-part finale held the record for the largest TV audience. That, and besides I think it was a damn good show.
It is noted that the list was pre 9-11
Mark_Giardina said:
The final episode of "The Fugitive" (8/29/67) ranked sixth on TV Guide's list. The 8/22/67 episode did not rank.
The last episode of "M*A*S*H" still, I believe, holds the record for the largest audience for a regular series. However,
TV Guide did not make its list based on ratings but on how noteworthy it felt an entry ought to be (which makes me wonder
how Lucy in the candy factory can outrank John-John Kennedy's salute to his fallen father).
For the record, 72% of the audience watched that last episode of "The Fugitive."
A couple that come to mind are
National:
Watching the twin towers collapse live on the news
OJ's slow speed car chase.
Regional Philly
Watching the daily pick 3 draw 666
Watching the ABC tape delay of The Edge of Night on WKBS 48 complete with news break-ins about Three Mile Island
Regional L.A.
L.A. Riots
National:
Watching the twin towers collapse live on the news
OJ's slow speed car chase.
Regional Philly
Watching the daily pick 3 draw 666
Watching the ABC tape delay of The Edge of Night on WKBS 48 complete with news break-ins about Three Mile Island
Regional L.A.
L.A. Riots
Memorable TV moments are those that you remember exactly where you were or what you were doing at the time it happened. As if the moment is frozen in time.
In my lifetime (1963----), that I actually witnessed....
JFK Assassination--- (don't remember it, was only 3 weeks old. Mom says she was watching "As the World Turns", giving me a bottle. I'll take her word(1963)
Man Lands on the Moon(1969)
Henry Aaron's 715th Home Run (1974)
Bird vs. Magic (1979)
USA Hockey over USSR (1980)
Howard Cosell breaks the news of John Lennon's murder (1980)
NC State stuns Phi Slama Jama (1983)
Challenger Space Shuttle Disaster (1986)
Jack Nicklaus' Sunday back-9 charge at the Masters (1986)
Firefighters pull Baby Jessica out of the well (1987)
San Francisco earthquake cuts into ABC's World Series pre-game (1989)
Branch Davidian Fire (1993)
OJ and the slow white Bronco (1994)
Juiced up Mark McGwire breaks Maris' Home Run record (1998)
Dale Earnhardt dies at Daytona (2001)
September 11 (2001)
"Next season I'm taking my talents to South Beach" (2010)
Others that I didnt get to witness.....
Luke & Laura's wedding (was in High school and had class)
"Who Shot J.R." (Had a football game that night)
In my lifetime (1963----), that I actually witnessed....
JFK Assassination--- (don't remember it, was only 3 weeks old. Mom says she was watching "As the World Turns", giving me a bottle. I'll take her word(1963)
Man Lands on the Moon(1969)
Henry Aaron's 715th Home Run (1974)
Bird vs. Magic (1979)
USA Hockey over USSR (1980)
Howard Cosell breaks the news of John Lennon's murder (1980)
NC State stuns Phi Slama Jama (1983)
Challenger Space Shuttle Disaster (1986)
Jack Nicklaus' Sunday back-9 charge at the Masters (1986)
Firefighters pull Baby Jessica out of the well (1987)
San Francisco earthquake cuts into ABC's World Series pre-game (1989)
Branch Davidian Fire (1993)
OJ and the slow white Bronco (1994)
Juiced up Mark McGwire breaks Maris' Home Run record (1998)
Dale Earnhardt dies at Daytona (2001)
September 11 (2001)
"Next season I'm taking my talents to South Beach" (2010)
Others that I didnt get to witness.....
Luke & Laura's wedding (was in High school and had class)
"Who Shot J.R." (Had a football game that night)
I'd have to add two from the world of sports:
Christian Laettner's overtime buzzer-beater that allowed
Duke to beat Kentucky and send the Blue Devils to the
NCAA championship game (1992). (The Wildcats play UNC
every December, but I don't think they've played Duke since
that game 20 years ago.)
Tiger Woods destroying the field at the '97 Masters, winning
by 12 shots.
And I might even mention how Olga Korbut put women's gymnastics
on the map at the Munich Olympics in '72; seems like every little girl
wanted to be a gymnast after that (I'd also argue that the Olympics
became an event geared primarily to female viewers, the '76 U.S. boxing
team or the '80 U.S. hockey team notwithstanding; notice how much of
the coverage today is focused on gymnastics, swimming and diving, and
figure skating--all of which attract a predominantly-female audience.)
Christian Laettner's overtime buzzer-beater that allowed
Duke to beat Kentucky and send the Blue Devils to the
NCAA championship game (1992). (The Wildcats play UNC
every December, but I don't think they've played Duke since
that game 20 years ago.)
Tiger Woods destroying the field at the '97 Masters, winning
by 12 shots.
And I might even mention how Olga Korbut put women's gymnastics
on the map at the Munich Olympics in '72; seems like every little girl
wanted to be a gymnast after that (I'd also argue that the Olympics
became an event geared primarily to female viewers, the '76 U.S. boxing
team or the '80 U.S. hockey team notwithstanding; notice how much of
the coverage today is focused on gymnastics, swimming and diving, and
figure skating--all of which attract a predominantly-female audience.)
Re John-John's salute,
Someone correct me if they have the footage from the three networks in front of them (I have them at home, but I'm not there right now) - we all remember the still photos of the salute and the newsreel films of it, but I'm not at all positive that the networks actually had the salute in a live close-up. I think CBS might have gotten it on a long-range shot, and I'm pretty sure NBC has edited it into some of their retrospective highlight programs, but I don't know that they had the close-up live, either. Any feedback on this?
BTW, I agree with many of the rest of you that the Sony/Nielsen list is heavily slanted toward those with a very short memory span.
Someone correct me if they have the footage from the three networks in front of them (I have them at home, but I'm not there right now) - we all remember the still photos of the salute and the newsreel films of it, but I'm not at all positive that the networks actually had the salute in a live close-up. I think CBS might have gotten it on a long-range shot, and I'm pretty sure NBC has edited it into some of their retrospective highlight programs, but I don't know that they had the close-up live, either. Any feedback on this?
BTW, I agree with many of the rest of you that the Sony/Nielsen list is heavily slanted toward those with a very short memory span.
...allegedly, the only video recording of the entire JFK Funeral Procession is in Toronto, in the news archives of CTV. ABC, NBC and CBS supposedly only have sections in their news archives...
I would add the "Heidi" game; that was the one which caused so much furor that the networks realized that sports was a big deal. These days, if the local news or "60 Minutes" or a syndicated show gets delayed or preempted, you can thank "Heidi" for causing the networks to let sporting events run into the next scheduled program.
It was an AFL game; the AFL was the second, inferior league at the time, and pro football as a whole wasn't the consuming passion that it is now -- driven largely by gambling/fantasy interest rather than enthusiasm for the teams playing. It was a regional telecast; some of the country neither saw nor cared about the game. The only reason its "legend" lives on is that one of the regions that was getting the game was the New York City market. The Heidi Game is just so much Noo Yawk myth-making. The networks would have stopped leaving games in progress soon enough.
If I recall correctly, TV Guide's list was tied into some promo that Nick at Nite or TV Land was running. Among the shows represented on the list, all of them just happened to be broadcast by whichever entity was doing the promo, allowing them to hype the convenient cross-marketing.
With regard to the Dwyer suicide, it got plenty of network coverage--though they didn't break in to mention it. The combination of actually having video and the very public way he did it made it a huge news story.
With regard to the Dwyer suicide, it got plenty of network coverage--though they didn't break in to mention it. The combination of actually having video and the very public way he did it made it a huge news story.
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