- January 17 - Robin Givens replaces Mother Love as host of the talk show '' Forgive Or Forget ''.
- January - Talk show host David Letterman undergoes quintuple heart bypass surgery at New York-Presbyterian Hospital , following an Angiogram that revealed that one of his arteries was seriously constricted.
- February 15 - Rick Rockwell marries stranger Darva Conger in front of 22 million viewers on the FOX Reality Show ''Who Wants To Marry a Multi-Millionaire?'' While he and Darva are honeymooning, word surfaces that Rockwell—who is sometimes a Comedian —had a restraining order against a former girlfiend, and he was not really a multi-millionaire. As a result, FOX cancels a rerun scheduled the following week, and doesn't air any new installments. In addition the couple break up shortly after the show's taping.
- February 21 - David Letterman returns to television following his quintuple heart bypass surgery in January. Letterman brings all of the doctors that had performed the operation out on stage with him, including Dr. O. Wayne Isom and Physician Louis J. Aronne , who makes frequent appearances on the show. In an unusual show of emotion, Letterman is nearly in tears as he thanked the doctors. The episode earned an Emmy nomination. Letterman's father died of a heart attack while still in his 50s.
- March 4 - '' EastEnders '' character Sonia Jackson gave birth to a baby girl, Chloe .
- April 30 - '' Arabian Nights '' is shown on ABC in the United States and BBC One in the United Kingdom .
- Widescreen ratio.
- December - The character of Bianca Montgomery , played by Eden Riegel on the Soap Opera '' All My Children '', Comes Out as a Lesbian to her mother, Erica Kane (played by Susan Lucci ).
- December 18 - Actor Hank Azaria and actress Helen Hunt file for divorce.
- ANT1 Satellite and Pacific extends its programing to 24 hour broadcasting.
- Greek broadcasting networks Alter Channel and Tempo TV began broadcasting.
- The British Film Institute publishes its list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes of the 20th Century . Compiled by a poll of industry professionals, '' Fawlty Towers '' tops the list, followed by '' Cathy Come Home '' and '' Doctor Who ''.
- January 15 - Fran Ryan , character actress (Doris Ziffle #2 on '' Green Acres ''), sister of Irene Ryan .
- February 10 - Jim Varney , 50, actor and comedian who created the character Ernest P. Worrell .
- February 12 - Charles M. Schulz , 77, cartoonist, creator of Peanuts .
- March 25 - Helen Martin , 90, veteran African American character actress with a role on 227 .
- April 10 - Larry Linville , 70, actor (Frank Burns on the TV version of M---A---S---H ).
- July 14 - Meredith MacRae , 56, actress on '' Petticoat Junction ''.
- August 12 - Loretta Young , 87, actress.
- September 14 - Beah Richards , 80, actress.
- September 26 - Richard Mulligan , 67, actor on '' Soap '' and '' Empty Nest ''.
- October 18 - Julie London , 74, singer, actress.
- October 30 - Steve Allen , 78, comedian, composer, Talk Show host, author.
- December 6 - Werner Klemperer , 80, actor (Col. Wilhelm Klink on '' Hogan's Heroes '').
- December 26 - Jason Robards , 78, actor.
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