1974 in Television - Debuts

Debuts

• January 5 – Tiswas starts as a local programme in the Midlands (ATV) in the UK, but the television show wasn't fully automatically networked through ITV until 1979 (1974–1982).
• January 7 – How to Survive a Marriage debuts in a 90-minute special on NBC daytime. The episode shows the first nudity (which was merely simulated and not visible) on American daytime television. Jackpot! (1974–1975), a game show, premiered earlier in the day on NBC.
• January 15 – Happy Days premieres on ABC (1974–1984). It spawns a record eight spin-off series (five live-action, three animated).
• February 1 – Good Times, a spinoff of Maude (which itself was a spinoff of All in the Family,) premieres on CBS (1974–1979).
• February 18 – Tattletales, hosted by Bert Convy, premieres on CBS daytime (1974–1978, 1982–1984).
• April 12 – Ultraman Leo premieres on TBS in Japan (1974–1975).
• May 6 – The $10,000 Pyramid moves to ABC with Dick Clark as host.
• July 1 – High Rollers premieres on NBC (1974–1976; 1978–1980).
• September 7 – Land of the Lost premieres on NBC (1974–1977).
• September 7 – Valley of the Dinosaurs premieres on CBS (1974–1976).
• September 7 – Shazam! premieres on CBS (1974–1977).
• September 7 – Hong Kong Phooey premieres on ABC (1974).
• September 9 – Rhoda premieres on CBS (1974–1978).
• September 9 – The $25,000 Pyramid premieres in syndication with host Bill Cullen; basically The $10,000 Pyramid with larger prizes.
• Dinah! premieres (syndicated 1974–1980), succeeding Dinah Shore's cancelled NBC daytime show Dinah's Place.
• September 11 – Little House on the Prairie starring Michael Landon, premieres on NBC (1974–1983). It spawns two spin-off series.
• September 12 - Harry O, premieres on ABC (1974–76).
• September 13 – Chico and the Man (1974–1978),The Rockford Files (1974–1980), and Police Woman (1974–1978) all premiere on NBC .
• Countdown premieres on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1974–1987).
• Derrick, German Krimi written by Herbert Reinecker, starring Horst Tappert, premieres on ZDF (1974–1988).
• Definition (TV series) premieres on CTV daytime (1974–1989).
• Dr. Zonk and the Zunkins premieres on CBC (1974–1975).
• House of Pride premieres on CBC (1974–1976).
• Wish You Were Here...? premieres on ITV (1974–2003, 2007–).
• July 4 – CBS airs its first Bicentennial Minute. They will continue until the end of 1976.
• March 3 – Nova premieres on PBS (1974–present).
• Name That Tune premieres on NBC daytime with Dennis James hosting, and in nighttime syndication with Tom Kennedy hosting.