1956 in television
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See also: 1955 in television, other events of 1956, 1957 in television and the list of 'years in television'.
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Events
- January 28 - Elvis Presley makes his national television debut on The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show.
- April 2 - As the World Turns and The Edge of Night premiere on CBS as the first half-hour American soap operas. Previously, all soaps had been just fifteen minutes in length.
- April 3 - Elvis Presley appears on The Milton Berle Show.
- April - WNBQ Chicago becomes the first TV station to broadcast all its local programming in color.
- April - Ampex demonstrates a videotape recorder at the NAB Convention in Chicago, Illinois. The three networks place orders for the recorders.
- May 6 - Elvis Presley appears on The Milton Berle Show
- July 1 - Elvis Presley appears on The Steve Allen Show.
- August 8 - Final telecast of the DuMont Network.
- September - NBC introduces a still version of its peacock color logo.
- September 4 - Television broadcasting begins in Sweden.
- September 9 - Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show for the first time.
- September 16 - TCN-9 Sydney becomes the first Australian TV station to begin regular transmission.
- October 1 - Ernie Kovacs becomes the host for NBC's The Tonight Show on Mondays and Tuesdays.
- October 29 - First use of videotape in network television programming; CBS uses its Ampex VTR to record the evening news, anchored by Douglas Edwards. The tape is then fed to West Coast stations three hours later.
- October 29 - Chet Huntley and David Brinkley take over anchor duties of the NBC evening newscast, which is renamed The Huntley-Brinkley Report.
- November 3 - The 1939 MGM film The Wizard of Oz is shown on television for the first time in the US, on CBS (the viewing audience was estimated at 45 million people).
- November - The first use of videotape on a network television entertainment program; Jonathan Winters, uses videotape and superimposing techniques to be able to play two characters in the same skit for his NBC television show.
- Color television broadcasting begins in Germany.
- Television broadcasting begins in Australia.
- Television broadcasting begins in Spain.
- Television broadcasting begins in Uruguay.
- Black-and-white portable TV sets hit the market.
Debuts
- April 2 - As the World Turns (1956-present).
- April 2 - The Edge of Night (1956-1984).
- July 6 - Hancock's Half Hour on BBC Television (1956-1962).
- The hugely popular anthology drama series Armchair Theatre, produced by ABC Television for the ITV network, begins its long run in the UK (1956-1968).
- Jungle Jim (1956-1957), starring Johnny Weissmuller.
- Opportunity Knocks on ITV (UK) (1956-1978).
- The Gale Storm Show, Oh! Susanna (1956-1960), starring Gale Storm and Zazu Pitts.
- The Price is Right game show premieres (1956-1965).
- The Steve Allen Show premieres (1956-1960).
- What the Papers Say on ITV (UK) (1956-present).
Television shows
- Gillette Cavalcade of Sports (1946-1960).
- Kukla, Fran and Ollie (1947-1957).
- Howdy Doody (1947-1960).
- Kraft Television Theater (1947-1958).
- Meet the Press (1947-present).
- Candid Camera (1948-present).
- The Ed Sullivan Show (1948-1971)
- Bozo the Clown (1949-present).
- Come Dancing (UK) (1949-1995).
- The Voice of Firestone (1949-1963).
- The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (1950-1958).
- The Jack Benny Show (1950-1965).
- Truth or Consequences (1950-1988).
- What's My Line (1950-1967).
- Your Hit Parade (1950-1959).
- Dragnet (1951-1959).
- I Love Lucy (1951-1957).
- Love of Life (1951-1980).
- Search for Tomorrow (1951-1986).
- The Roy Rogers Show (1951-1957).
- American Bandstand (1952-1989).
- The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1952-1966).
- The Guiding Light (1952-present).
- The Honeymooners (1952-1970).
- The Today Show (1952-present).
- This Is Your Life (US) (1952-1961).
- Panorama (UK) (1953-present).
- The Good Old Days (UK) (1953-1983).
- Annie Oakley (1954-1957).
- Climax! (1954-1958).
- Disneyland (1954-1958).
- Face the Nation (1954-present).
- The Brighter Day (1954-1962).
- The Grove Family (UK) (1954-1957).
- The Secret Storm (1954-1974).
- The Milton Berle Show (1954-1967).
- Zoo Quest (UK) (1954-1964).
- The Tonight Show (1954-present).
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955-1962).
- Captain Kangaroo (1955-1984).
- Cheyenne (1955-1962).
- Dixon of Dock Green (UK) (1955-1976).
- Gunsmoke (1955-1975).
- Mickey Mouse Club (1955-1959).
- The Lawrence Welk Show (1955-1982).
- This Is Your Life (UK) (1955-2003).
Ending this year
- Cisco Kid (1950-1956).
- The Honeymooners (1955-1956).
Births
- January 7 - David Caruso, actor.
- December 25 - Susan King, UK television presenter.
Deaths
- December 7 - Huntley Gordon, pioneer Hollywood actor.