On the evening of October 3, 1961, a future television classic
called “The Dick Van Dyke Show” debuted on CBS.

The sitcom’s inaugural episode—which revolves around the
lead couple bickering over leaving sick son, Ritchie, with a
babysitter while they go to a party—kicked off a beloved
show that would run for five seasons and receive 15 Emmy
awards.

The show, created by actor, writer and comedian Carl Reiner,
starred the titular Dick Van Dyke, along with a ensemble cast 
including Mary Tyler Moore, Rose Marie and Morey Amsterdam.   

Richard Wayne Van Dyke will be 100 on December 13th.

On September 22, 1994, the television sitcom Friends, about
six young adults living in New York City, debuted on NBC.

It also propelled the cast—Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox,
Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David
Schwimmer to varying degrees of stardom and success
in Hollywood.

George Wendt, best known for playing Norm on Cheers, died
peacefully in his sleep while at home early Tuesday morning,
on the 32nd anniversary of the Cheers series finale. He was 76.

Wendt was on Cheers for the entirety of the show’s epic run
from 1982–1993.

On February 28, 1983, the celebrated sitcom M*A*S*H bowed
out after 11 seasons, airing a special two-and-a-half hour
episode watched by 77 percent of the television viewing
audience. It was the largest percentage ever to watch a
single TV show up to that time.

All in the Family is an sitcom television series that aired 
on CBS for nine seasons from January 12, 1971, to April
8, 1979, with a total of 205 episodes.

All in the Family has been ranked as one of the best TV
series. The show became the most watched show in the
U.S.during the summer reruns of the first season, and
topped the yearly Nielsen ratings from 1971 to 1976, the
first television series to have held the position for five
consecutive years.

1971

Sally Anne Struthers (77) was born in Portland, Oregon.