Events January 20 - Comedian Andy Kaufman ruins sketches and starts a brawl live on the air during ABC's Friday's. April 11 - Van Halen's lead guitarist Eddie Van Halen marries actress Valerie Bertinelli August 1 - The MTV network debuts on Cable television, playing music videos 24 hours a day Luke and Lauras's Wedding on General Hospital, becomes one of the most watched wedding in television history, second only to the wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer. Debuts Dynasty premieres (1981-1989) Gimme a Break premieres (1981-1987) Hill Street Blues premieres (1981-1987) Popular Television Shows Alice (1976-1985) All My Children (1970-present) Archie Bunker's Place (1979-1983) Barney Miller (1975-1982) Dallas (1978-1991) Diff'rent Strokes (1978-1986) Dr Who (1963-1989) The Dukes of Hazzard (1979-1985) The Facts of Life (1979-1988) Happy Days (1974-1984) The Jeffersons (1975-1985) Knots Landing (1979-1993) Laverne & Shirley (1976-1983) Lawrence Welk Show (1955-1982) Little House on the Prairie\ (1974-1983) The Love Boat (1977-1986) Magnum, P.I (1980-1988) M*A*S*H (1972-1983) Mork & Mindy (1978-1982) One Day at a Time (1975-1984) Real People (1979-1984) Saturday Night Live (1975-present) Sesame Street (1969-present) 60 Minutes (1968-present) Taxi (1978-1983) That's Incredible (1980-1984) Three's Company (1977-1984) The Tonight Show (1954-present) Trapper John, M.D (1979-1986) WKRP in Cincinnati (1978-1982) Walt Disney (1954-1983) Wheel of Fortune (1975-present) Ending this year Charlie's Angels (1976-1981) Eight is Enough (1977-1981) The Muppet Show (1976-1981) Soap (1977-1981) The Waltons (1972-1981) Births ? - Jamil Walker Smith, voice actor ("Gerald Martin Johanseen" and "Peapod Kid" from Hey Arnold) Deaths April 26 - Jim Davis, actor on Dallas (born 1909) August 1 - Paddy Chayefsky, writer November 25 - Jack Albertson, actor