Following the Stonewall riots and the birth of the modern gay rights movement in 1969, gay activists began challenging the way American television episodes with LGBT themes presented homosexuality. With the slowly increasing visibility of LGBT characters on fiction series, a pattern began to emerge, beginning with repressed lesbian sniper Miss Brant from 1961's The Asphalt Jungle and continuing through a murderous female impersonator from The Streets of San Francisco and Police Woman and her trio of killer lesbians in 1974 and beyond, of presenting LGBT characters as psychotic killers on crime dramas. On medical dramas, the disease model of homosexuality was fostered in characters like 1963's Hallie Lambert from The Eleventh Hour and Martin Loring from Marcus Welby, M.D. in 1973. Gays, the viewing public was told over and over, were simultaneously dangerous and sick, to be feared and to be pitied.

In response to complaints about several early portrayals, networks began vetting scripts with gay characters or content through two recently formed advocacy groups, the National Gay Task Force and the Gay Media Task Force. Several episodes saw substantive changes based on these consultations, but in other instances, notably the Marcus Welby, M.D. episode "The Other Martin Loring", only minor changes were made and groups like the Gay Activists Alliance led zaps, raucous demonstrations, against the networks. Protests against the 1974 Marcus Welby episode "The Outrage", with its male child molestation plot, and the aforementioned killer lesbian trio from the Police Woman episode "Flowers of Evil" led producers to start moving away from the killer queer plot device. Gays and lesbians would continue to be portrayed as killers but their motives would less frequently be related to their sexuality. Gays started killing out of greed and jealousy, just like heterosexuals.^[1] Other dramas not legal or medical in nature also ran occasional episodes featuring LGBT characters.

Sitcoms too began presenting LGBT characters, with All in the Family producing several episodes on the theme beginning in 1971. Gay sitcom episodes tended to follow one of a handful of plot devices: a character close to a lead character would unexpectedly come out, forcing the characters to confront their own issues with homosexuality; a lead character is mistaken for gay; a lead character pretends to be gay; or, more rarely, a recurring character from the series comes out. In the first instance, it was rare that the gay character would ever make another appearance.^[2] Dating back to Robert Reed's turn as a transgender doctor on Medical Center in 1975, transgender characters and issues have tended to receive sympathetic treatment.^[3]

This list covers American television episodes with LGBT themes that aired from 1970 through 1979.

Series	Network	Episode	Year	Synopsis
Alice	CBS	"Alice Gets a Pass"	1976	Alice (Linda Lavin) falls for an ex-pro football player (Denny Miller). When he comes out, Alice hesitates about allowing her son to accompany him on a fishing trip.
All in the Family	CBS	"Judging Books By Covers" "Archie the Hero" "Beverly Rides Again" "Cousin Liz" "Edith's Crisis of Faith"	1971 1975 1976 1977 1977	In "Judging Books By Covers", after mocking his son-in-law Mike's (Rob Reiner) effeminate but heterosexual lunch guest (Anthony Geary), Archie Bunker (Carroll O'Connor) finds out that Steve (Philip Carey) a former pro football player and one of his all-American drinking buddies, is gay. President Richard Nixon watched the episode in the White House and found it distasteful.[4] In "Archie the Hero", Archie saves the life of a drag queen known as Beverly LaSalle (Lori Shannon) – who he thinks is a woman – by administering artificial respiration and is chagrined when the rescue draws media attention. In "Beverly Rides Again", Archie sets his friend Pinky up on a blind date with Beverly as a practical joke. In "Cousin Liz", Archie and Edith (Jean Stapleton) attend the funeral of Edith's cousin, Liz. Afterward, Liz's friend Veronica (K Callan), a teacher, reveals she and Liz were more than just roommates. Edith is surprised but quickly accepting, allowing Veronica to keep a tea service she had been bequeathed. Archie is outraged and, after ranting about how God hates gays, declares his intent to sue for the tea service. Edith warns Archie that God will handle the relationship between Liz and Veronica and that a lawsuit would likely destroy her teaching career. Archie relents, but states that he does not have to like what went on between the two women. In the two-part "Edith's Crisis of Faith", Beverly is murdered, causing Edith to question her belief in God.
Archie Bunker's Place	CBS	"The Cook"	1979	Veronica Rooney (Anne Meara) is hired as the cook and insists that her openly gay nephew Fred (Dean Scofield) is hired as a waiter.
Barney Miller	ABC	"Discovery" "Asylum"	1975 1977	File:1975 Barney Miller2.jpg In "Discovery", Darryl (Ray Stewart) and Marty (Jack DeLeon) allege that an officer from the 12th Precinct is extorting the gay community. A sergeant from another precinct apprehends the suspect (who is not an officer) and delivers him to the 12th, casually coming out in the process. In "Asylum", a gay musician (Ion Teodorescu) from the Soviet Union seeks political asylum. Marty is arrested for possession of marijuana. Series creator Danny Arnold worked closely with the National Gay Task Force in developing the characters of Darryl and Marty. Initially both were presented as stereotypical swishing queens, but as the series progressed Darryl began acting and dressing more conservatively.[5]
Baretta	ABC	"The Sky Is Falling"	1977	Baretta (Robert Blake) befriends Tommy (Barry Miller), a teenage hustler, after he witnesses a john murder his friend and fellow hustler Jeff (John Herbsleb).
The Baxters	Syndicated	"Homosexual Teachers"	1979	Each episode of this syndicated series was structured as a 15-minute episode followed by a locally-produced 15-minute talk show. In this episode, the family finds out that a favorite teacher is gay and the father must decide whether to sign a petition calling for him to be fired.
The Bob Crane Show	NBC	"The One With the Misdiagnosis"	1975	Bob Wilcox (Bob Crane) treats a man (John Astin) who praises him in a newspaper story. The story identifies the patient as a prominent gay activist, leading Bob to worry that others might think he is also gay.
The Bob Newhart Show	CBS	"Some of My Best Friends Are..."	1972	Howard Hesseman plays Craig Plager, a gay patient who joins Dr. Hartley's long-standing therapy group.
The Bold Ones: The New Doctors	NBC	"Discovery at Fourteen" "A Very Strange Triangle"	1972 1972	In "Discovery at Fourteen", Dr. Amanda Fallon (Jane Wyman) has difficulty treating the bleeding ulcer of Cory Melino (Ron Howard) until she discovers that his father Jack (Robert J. Hogan) is homosexual. She assures Cory that he doesn't have to turn out like his father. In "A Very Strange Triangle", Dr. Marty Cohen's (Robert Walden) attempts to rekindle his relationship with nurse Valerie DeMarco (Donna Mills) are complicated by the fact that Valerie is currently involved with Eleanor (Hildy Brooks).
Bronk	CBS	"The Deadlier Sex"	1976	Sara (Julie Sommars), the first female officer assigned to Bronk's (Jack Palance) department, is accused of molesting a female prisoner.
C.P.O. Sharkey	NBC	"Sharkey's Big Secret"	1977	The men mistakenly think Sharkey (Don Rickles) is gay when they spot an effeminate man going into his office.
Carter Country	ABC	"Out of the Closet"	1977	Chief Roy (Victor French) is stunned when his old friend and fishing buddy Bill (Richard Jaeckel) reveals he's gay. Bill loses his job as a teacher and the chief testifies on his behalf before the school board.
Columbo	NBC	"By Dawn's Early Light"	1974	Colonel Lyle C. Rumford (Patrick McGoohan) is implied to be a gay man with an interest in S&M.
Dallas	CBS	"Royal Marriage"	1979	J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman) has high hopes for the upcoming marriage of his niece Lucy (Charlene Tilton) and Kit Mainwaring (Mark Wheeler), son of an oilman with whom J.R. hopes to do business. When Kit reveals his homosexuality to J.R., he still insists the wedding go on. However, Bobby (Patrick Duffy) – to whom he comes out later – tells Kit that he must tell Lucy the truth.
Dan August	ABC	"Dead Witness to a Killing"	1971	Laurence Luckinbill plays a presidential cabinet nominee who murders his sister to prevent her from outing him. He also kills his accomplice and lover, played by Martin Sheen.
The David Susskind Show	Syndicated	"Lesbians and Society"	1971
Doctor's Hospital	NBC	"Watchman, Who Will Guard Thy Sleep?"	1975	A homophobic patient is cared for by a gay orderly.
The Facts of Life	NBC	"Rough Housing"	1979	In the first episode, Cindy's casual, friendly hug of a girl is misinterpreted by Blair (Lisa Whelchel) as being "strange." Later, the tomboyish Cindy (Julie Anne Haddock) confides to Mrs. Garrett (Charlotte Rae) that because she likes sports, dislikes dresses, and feels uncomfortable around boys, she thinks "maybe I'm not normal", until Mrs. Garrett convinces her that two girls can show affection even if they are not gay. The episode does not specifically use the word "lesbian".
Family	ABC	"Rites of Friendship" "We Love You, Miss Jessup"	1976 1977	In "Rites of Friendship", family friend Zeke (Bryan Byers) is caught in a raid on a gay bar. The Lawrence family take him in when his father throws him out of the house, but son Willie (Gary Frank) has difficulty understanding and accepting Zeke. In "We Love You, Miss Jessup", Buddy (Kristy McNichol) learns that her favorite teacher is a lesbian when she resigns following a PTA witch hunt.
The Golden Girls	NBC	"Scared Straight"< "Ebbtide's Revenge" "Sisters of the Bride"	1988 1990 1991	In "Scared Straight", Blanche's brother, Clayton, comes to town. Rose senses that Clayton has a secret, and he confides that he is actually homosexual. In "Ebbtide's Revenge", Sophia discovers that her deceased son Phil was a cross-dresser, but is finally able to reconcile with his wife after coming to the realization that she still loved him. In "Sisters of the Bride", Clayton returns to tell his sister that he's finally found the right man.
Hawaii Five-O	CBS	"V for Vashon: The Patriarch"	1972	Corrupt lawyer Harvey Drew (John Stalker) frames Steve McGarrett (Jack Lord) for a crime but is undermined when his much younger "nephew" exposes him.
Harry O	ABC	"Coinage of the Realm"	1974	Joe Heston (David Dukes) and Fred Lassiter (Granville Van Dusen) are a pair of gay hit men.
Hawaii Five-O	CBS	"V for Vashon: The Patriarch"	1972	Corrupt lawyer Harvey Drew (John Stalker) frames Steve McGarrett (Jack Lord) for a crime but is undermined when his much younger "nephew" exposes him.
The Jeffersons	CBS	"Once a Friend"	1977	File:1977 Jeffersons.jpg "Once a Friend" features one of the first transgender characters on American television in the person of Edie Stokes (Veronica Redd), who George knows as an old Navy buddy named Eddie.
Kojak	CBS	"A Need to Know"	1976	A foreign diplomat (Hector Elizondo) is accused of molesting two young boys but must be released because he has diplomatic immunity. The National Gay Task Force issued a "media alert" regarding the episode, believing that viewers would interpret the molester as gay. CBS made no changes to the episode in response but Washington, D.C. affiliate WTOP ran a disclaimer before the episode noting that it dealt with molestation and not homosexuality.[6]
Kate Loves a Mystery	NBC	"Feelings Can Be Murder"	1979	Kate (Kate Mulgrew) investigates the murder of a married bisexual woman. Suspects include her married female lover.
The Lou Gordon Program	Syndicated	"Are Gays Going to Hell?"	1974	Gordon's conclusion on the matter is unknown.
Lou Grant	CBS	"Cop"	1979	A fire at a gay bar kills five men and Lou (Edward Asner) insists on publishing their names despite this meaning they will be labeled gay and may not have been out. He argues that by withholding the names this time the public will question whether the paper is withholding information in the future. In the course of covering a murder, Lou figures out an investigating officer (Joe Penny) is gay and in the closet. The paper does not publish his sexual orientation because it is irrelevant to his catching the murderer. The fire portion of the story was inspired by the true story of the death of eight men at a gay film club in Washington, D.C.[7]
Marcus Welby, M.D.	ABC	"The Other Martin Loring" "The Outrage"	1973 1974	In "The Other Martin Loring", Loring (Mark Miller) is a stressed, diabetic man about to be divorced as he faces the "illness" of homosexuality. Dr. Welby (Robert Young) suggests that he is not really homosexual but his fear of being homosexual is making him believe that he is. The Gay Activists Alliance denounced the episode. After a meeting with ABC resulted in no changes, GAA members occupied the offices of network president Elton Rule and chairman Leonard Goldenson. Executives offered to meet with two GAA representatives. The group refused, saying that all protesters should be present at the meeting. Six protesters were arrested but charges were eventually dropped.[8] In "The Outrage", a high school teacher (Edward Winter) sexually molests one of his students, Ted (Sean Kelly). Ted initially can't admit that he was assaulted but his injuries require surgery. As he recovers, the police arrest his teacher trying to molest another child and the teacher is transported to a mental institution. The National Gay Task Force tried to work with ABC but ultimately still found the episode unacceptable. Seventeen ABC affiliates refused to air the episode.[9]
Mary Tyler Moore Show	CBS	"My Brother's Keeper"	1973	Phyllis (Cloris Leachman) wants to set up her visiting brother Ben (Robert Moore) with Mary. Phyllis' brother is gay.
M*A*S*H	CBS	"George"	1974	A serviceman (Richard Ely) is beaten by members of his own unit for being gay. He confides in Hawkeye (Alan Alda) but Major Burns (Larry Linville) overhears and seeks to initiate a discharge. Hawkeye and Trapper (Wayne Rogers) blackmail Major Burns (threatening to reveal he bought the answers to his medical school admission exams) and he agrees to drop the matter.
Maude	CBS	"Maude's New Friend" "Arthur's Worry" "The Gay Bar"	1974 1976 1977	In "Maude's New Friend", Maude (Beatrice Arthur) befriends Barry (Robert Mandan), a gay author. In "Arthur's Worry", Walter (Bill Macy) is upset about a dream in which he kisses best friend Arthur (Conrad Bain). In "The Gay Bar", Maude is upset when her husband and some of his friends try to prevent a gay bar from opening in their neighborhood. Arthur forms the group Fathers Against Gay Society (F.A.G.S.). Craig Richard Nelson appears as a patron of "The Gay Caballero".
Medical Center	CBS	"Undercurrent" "Triangle" "The Fourth Sex (Parts 1 and 2)"	1970 1973 1975	In "Undercurrent", a gay research scientist (Paul Burke) becomes the target of an anonymous smear campaign. In "Triangle", Dr. Annie Claymor (Lois Nettleton) treats Tobi (Jamie Smith Jackson), an emotionally confused teenager. Tobi's treatment is compromised by accusations that Claymor is trying to "recruit" her and a one-time sexual encounter with a female friend but in the end she is reassured that she is not a lesbian. In "The Fourth Sex (Parts 1 and 2)", Robert Reed plays transsexual Doctor Pat Caddison who decides to have sexual reassignment surgery.
Newsfront	WNDT		1970	Seven gay liberation leaders appeared on the June 24 episode.[10]
Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law	ABC	"Words of Summer"	1972	Ann Glover (Meredith Baxter) is accused of molesting a young girl (Denise Nickerson) and to clear her name her former roommate Meg (Kristina Holland) is forced to come out as a lesbian.
The Pat Collins Show	WCBS-TV	"A Night at the Continental Baths"	1974
Phyllis	CBS	"Out of the Closet"	1976	Phyllis (Cloris Leachman) is relieved to learn that her new boyfriend (Edward Winter) is gay because she was worried that he did not find her attractive.
Police Story	NBC	"The Ripper"	1974	The homophobic owner of a modeling agency (Peter Mark Richman) is slashing gay men to death as part of his plan to rid the world of "undesirables", including homosexuals, drug addicts, prostitutes and "the lame and the blind". Three members of the Gay Media Task Force served as consultants on the episode.[11]
Police Woman	NBC	"Flowers of Evil" "Trial by Prejudice"	1974 1976	In "Flowers of Evil", a lesbian gang (Faye Spain, Laraine Stephens, Lynn Loring) that runs a nursing home is killing off their clients. Pepper (Angie Dickinson) tries to persuade Janet (Loring) to testify against her lover Gladys (Stephens) and tells Janet about her lesbian college roommate. The group Lesbian Feminist Liberation staged a sit-in at NBC and, after meeting with gay activists, the network agreed not to rerun the episode.[12] In "Trial by Prejudice", Marlena (Pat Crowley), Pepper's former roommate, is hesitant to publicly defend Pepper from charges that she sexually molested a female suspect for fear of her own reputation being ruined.
The Rockford Files	NBC	"Requiem for a Funny Box" "The Empty Frame"	1977 1978	In "Requiem for a Funny Box", the gay son of a mafia leader is forced to come out to his father after being blackmailed by a comedian. When an attempt to murder the comedian fails, the mafia leader orders his son to be executed to avoid shaming the family. In "The Empty Frame", a trio of Berkeley Communists raid an elite dinner party being hosted by a gay couple and steal some of their valuable paintings. The gay couple hire Rockford (James Garner) to recover the paintings.
Room 222	ABC	"What Is A Man?"	1971	A high school boy named Howard (Frederick Herrick) becomes a target of schoolyard homophobia.
Sanford and Son	NBC	"Lamont, Is That You?"	1973	Fred (Redd Foxx) gets the wrong idea when he sees Lamont (Demond Wilson) and Rollo (Nathaniel Taylor) patronize a nightclub that they later learn is a gay bar.
Sirota's Court	NBC	"Court Fear"	1976	Judge Sirota (Michael Constantine) marries a gay male couple.
Starsky and Hutch	ABC	"Death in a Different Place"	1977	Game show host Art Fleming plays a bisexual cop murdered by a corrupt fellow officer after witnessing him making a drug deal. Charles Pierce appears as a female impersonator.
The Streets of San Francisco	ABC	"Mask of Death" "A Good Cop, But..." "Once a Con..."	1974 1977 1977	File:Marlowe2.jpg In "Mask of Death", A female impersonator (John Davidson) is famed for his impersonations of actresses Carol Channing and (the fictional) Carol Marlowe. The Marlowe persona takes over and begins stabbing men to death with a hatpin. Jim Bailey provided the voice for Davidson's Channing impersonation.[13] In "A Good Cop, But...", Inspector Lambert (Barry Primus) has to come out to convict a drug dealer. His partner (Robert Walden) initially is unable to accept his gay partner but eventually comes to terms. In "Once a Con...", a lesbian college student named Jackie Collins (Devon Ericson) murders her lover's (Joanne Nail) best friend out of jealousy.
Three's Company	ABC	"Strange Bedfellows"	1977	Mr. Roper (Norman Fell) thinks he's gay when he wakes up in bed with Jack (John Ritter).
Tomorrow	NBC	"Boy Prostitution" "Gays and Military Service"	1974 1975
Westside Medical	ABC	"The Mermaid"	1977	A post-operative MTF East German Olympic swimmer (Betsy Slade) wants to defect because her government will not allow her to live fully as a woman.
The White Shadow	CBS	"Just One of the Boys"	1978	Ray Collins (Peter Horton) transfers to Carver High because of a rumor at his old school that he is gay. When the rumor starts circulating at Carver, Ray considers dropping out but after a talk with Vice Principal Buchanan (Joan Pringle) he decides to return to his old school.
WKRP in Cincinnati	CBS	"Les on a Ledge"	1978	File:Lesledge.jpg Les Nessman (Richard Sanders) threatens to jump out of the station's building after rumors about his sexual orientation circulate. In a subplot, Johnny Fever (Howard Hesseman) tries to stop Herb (Frank Bonner) from sexually harassing receptionist Jennifer (Loni Anderson) by telling Herb that Jennifer used to be a man.

• Alwood, Edward (1998). Straight News. Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-08437-4.
• Castañeda, Laura and Shannon B. Campbell (2005). News and Sexuality: Media Portraits of Diversity. SAGE. ISBN 1-4129-0999-6.
• Teal, Don (1971). The Gay Militants: How Gay Liberation Began in America, 1969–1971. New York. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0-312-11279-3 (1995 edition).
• Tropiano, Stephen (2002). The Prime Time Closet: A History of Gays and Lesbians on TV. New York, Applause Theatre and Cinema Books. ISBN 1-55783-557-8.

• List of pre-Stonewall American television episodes with LGBT themes
• List of 1980s American television episodes with LGBT themes
• List of American television episodes with LGBT themes, 1990-1997
• List of post-Ellen American television episodes with LGBT themes