1936 in British television

Events

• 2 November – The first regular high-definition (then defined as at least 200 lines) BBC Television Service, based at Alexandra Palace in London, officially begins broadcasting (after test transmissions began in August). The service alternates on a weekly basis between Baird's 240-line mechanical system and the Marconi-EMI's 405-line all-electronic system. Programmes are broadcast daily, Monday to Saturday from 3pm to 4pm and 9pm to 10pm. Leslie Mitchell is the first announcer to be heard on the new service.
• By this year there are approximately 2,000 televisions worldwide.

Debuts

• 26 August – Radiolympia (1936)
• Unknown (probably November) – Picture Page (1936–1939, 1946–1952)
• Unknown – Theatre Parade (1936–1938)

Continuing television shows

1920s

• BBC Wimbledon (1927–1939, 1946–2019, 2021–present)

Births

• 9 February – Clive Swift, actor (died 2019)
• 3 April – Tony Garnett, producer (died 2020)
• 7 April – Peter Eckersley, producer (died 1981)
• 16 April – Derrick Sherwin, producer (died 2018)
• 25 April – Richard Lindley, foreign correspondent and television regulator (died 2019)
• 9 May
  • Albert Finney, actor (died 2019)
  • Glenda Jackson, actress and politician (died 2023)
• 17 June – Ken Loach, film director
• 30 June – Don Taylor, director (died 2003)
• 8 July – Tony Warren, scriptwriter (died 2016)
• 9 July – Richard Wilson, Scottish actor
• 27 September – Gordon Honeycombe, news presenter (died 2015)
• 9 October – Brian Blessed, actor
• 10 October – Judith Chalmers, television presenter
• 22 November – John Bird, satirical actor (died 2022)
• 22 December – James Burke, science populariser

References

References

1. (1 February 2019). "Clive Swift obituary".