Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. The year 1990 in American television involved some significant events. Below is a list of American television-related events during 1990.
Notable events
| Date |
Event |
| January 2 |
All My Children broadcasts its 20th anniversary special. Joe and Ruth Martin sit down with Erica Kane, her mother Mona, and Phoebe Wallingford as they go through scrapbook pictures which segue into memorable clips from the series's past twenty years. |
| January 15 |
Square One TV returned for its third season. |
| January 21 |
MTV Unplugged premieres on cable television with musical guest band, Squeeze. |
| February 9 |
After 16 years, the 1st generation CBS Special Presentation bumper is shown for the final time. |
| February 17 |
Aerosmith appeared in the Saturday Night Live sketch Wayne's World, where they perform the Wayne's World theme song. |
| March 13 |
All My Children actress Debbi Morgan quits the role of Angie Baxter Hubbard. |
| April 1 |
CBS dismisses prominent sportscaster Brent Musburger one day before his final assignment for the network, the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship. Musburger would sign with ABC Sports later that year. |
| Debut of comedy TV network Ha!. |
| April 21 |
Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue, a special program warning children about the danger of drugs and featuring characters from several Saturday morning children's shows, is simultaneously simulcast by ABC, BET, CBS, Fox, NBC, USA Network, and Nickelodeon. |
| April 22 |
The Earth Day Special, a two-hour commercial-free special event premiered on ABC. |
| April 30 |
The long-lost pilot show for I Love Lucy is broadcast by CBS as a special. |
| May 25 |
CBS began broadcasting its daytime lineup in stereo sound; the last of the three major networks. |
| June 7 |
The Cruise of Deception storyline is broadcast on Days of Our Lives. |
| June 27 |
Genie Francis, in an attempt to shed her image as Laura Spencer, started playing Irishwoman Ceara Connor on All My Children. |
| July 16 |
Radio DJ personality Rick Dees debuts an ABC late-night talk show, Into the Night, Starring Rick Dees. |
| July 30 |
MovieTime was rebranded as E!. |
| September 8 |
Fox Kids, a children's programming block, debuts. |
| September 10 |
The Disney Afternoon debuts as a syndicated children's block. |
| September 15 |
CBN renames itself The Family Channel. |
| October 1 |
TBS drops the "SuperStation" sub-title. It would return 6 years later. |
| November 3 |
The NBA on NBC debuts, with its first game being the Los Angeles Lakers visiting the San Antonio Spurs. |
| November 10 |
Chris Farley, Tim Meadows, Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider and Julia Sweeney join the cast of Saturday Night Live. |
Programs
Debuts
The following is a list of shows that premiered in 1990.
Network changes
The following shows aired new episodes on a different network than previous first-run episodes:
Returning
Ending
Made-for-TV movies
Births
| Date |
Name |
Notability |
| January 14 |
Grant Gustin |
Actor (The Flash) |
| January 26 |
Christopher Massey |
Actor (Zoey 101) |
| January 30 |
Jake Thomas |
Actor (Lizzie McGuire) |
| February 9 |
Camille Winbush |
Actress (The Bernie Mac Show) |
| February 27 |
Lindsey Morgan |
Actress (General Hospital, The 100) |
| March 4 |
Andrea Bowen |
Actress (Desperate Housewives) |
| March 16 |
Madison Riley |
Actress |
| March 18 |
Luke Tarsitano |
Actor (Fudge) |
| March 26 |
Carly Chaikin |
Actress (Suburgatory, Mr. Robot) |
| April 9 |
Kristen Stewart |
Actress |
| April 15 |
Emma Watson |
French-English actress |
| April 18 |
Britt Robertson |
Actress (Swingtown, Life UneXpected, The Secret Circle, Under the Dome) |
| April 21 |
Bree Essrig |
YouTube personality and actress (Gilliam & Scout, Knights in Hyrule) |
| April 23 |
Matthew Underwood |
Actor (Zoey 101) |
| May 1 |
Caitlin Stasey |
Actress (Neighbours) |
| May 2 |
Kay Panabaker |
Actress (Summerland, No Ordinary Family) |
| May 17 |
Leven Rambin |
Actress (All My Children, Scoundrels) |
| May 27 |
Chris Colfer |
Actor (Glee) |
| June 28 |
Nick Purcell |
Actor (The Troop) |
| July 2 |
Margot Robbie |
Australian actress (Neighbours, Pan Am) |
| July 11 |
Kelsey Sanders |
Actress (Private) and singer |
| July 16 |
James Maslow |
Actor (Big Time Rush) |
| July 24 |
Daveigh Chase |
Actress (Lilo & Stitch: The Series) |
| July 27 |
Indiana Evans |
Australian actress (H2O: Just Add Water, Home and Away) |
| July 29 |
Munro Chambers |
Canadian actor (The Latest Buzz) |
| August 15 |
Jennifer Lawrence |
Actress (The Bill Engvall Show) |
| August 17 |
Rachel Hurd-Wood |
English actress (Home Fires) |
| August 29 |
Nicole Gale Anderson |
Actress (Jonas L.A.) |
| September 8 |
Ella Rae Peck |
Actress (Gossip Girl, Welcome to the Family) |
| September 9 |
Haley Reinhart |
Musician (American Idol) |
| September 10 |
Eddy Martin |
Actor (Just Jordan) |
| September 15 |
Matt Shively |
Actor (True Jackson, VP, The Troop) |
| September 21 |
Allison Scagliotti |
Actress (Warehouse 13, Stitchers) |
| Christian Serratos |
Actress (Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide) |
| September 28 |
Kirsten Prout |
Actress (Kyle XY, The Lying Game) |
| September 29 |
Doug Brochu |
Actor (Sonny with a Chance, So Random!) |
| October 16 |
Carlie Casey |
Actress (Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide) |
| October 18 |
Jordan Calloway |
Actor (Unfabulous) |
| October 22 |
Jonathan Lipnicki |
Actor (The Jeff Foxworthy Show) |
| October 24 |
Kirby Bliss Blanton |
Actress |
| October 29 |
Carlson Young |
Actress (As the Bell Rings) |
| October 31 |
Lil' JJ |
Actor (Just Jordan) |
| November 2 |
Kendall Schmidt |
Actor (Big Time Rush) |
| November 24 |
Sarah Hyland |
Actress (Modern Family) |
| December 13 |
Emily Peachey |
Actress |
Deaths
