Iconic Moments From The 1960s We Watched On TV For The First Time

When it comes to memorable moments, few decades can touch the 1960s. And thanks to the emergence of television, folks were able to watch these iconic events as they unfolded from the comfort of their living rooms: a front-row seat to history. But if you weren’t lucky enough to have seen this stuff in real-time, don’t worry! We’ll be diving into 40 of the most unforgettable moments right here. And if you do remember watching these incredible moments on TV, get ready for a trip down memory lane.

1. The Beatles perform on The Ed Sullivan Show, 1964

It’s hard to imagine a time when The Beatles weren’t global megastars, but that was the case back in the early ’60s. The band didn’t have a big audience outside the United Kingdom initially. Yet everything changed after the quartet were invited on The Ed Sullivan Show in February 1964. It marked their first appearance on American TV, leading to the birth of “Beatlemania” across the country: a real “I was there” moment!

2. The Nixon-Kennedy debate, 1960

Today, television coverage of the U.S. presidential debates is unmatched. And it all started with an iconic head-to-head in 1960 between two recognizable names: Senator John F. Kennedy and Vice President Richard Nixon. Thanks to his performance in the debate, Kennedy won over a huge chunk of the audience, believed to be in the region of 70 million. The momentum he gained helped to seal his victory in the ensuing election.

3. Batman TV series debuts, 1966

Before the likes of Michael Keaton, Christian Bale, and Robert Pattinson donned the cape and cowl, Adam West was Batman to many. He and Burt Ward starred in the character’s wonderfully camp TV show, which made its bow in 1966. Viewers fell in love with the series back then, and it still has legions of fans today. It paved the way for Batman to become a cultural icon, shark-repellent spray and all!

4. Army-Navy football game introduces instant replays, 1963

The name Tony Verna might not sound too familiar, but his radical idea changed TV sports coverage forever. Yep, this is the guy you can thank for the creation of instant replay. As the director of CBS, Verna put it into practice for the Army-Navy football game in December 1963. And to say it blew the audience’s mind would be an understatement! No one had seen anything like it before.