28 female TV stars who changed the world of television

Victoria MontaltiMar 3, 2022, 21:07 IST

Betty White, Lynda Carter, and Oprah Winfrey are just a few female TV stars who've had many firsts and successes that have changed entertainment.ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images; Ron Galella/Getty Images

Women have broken barriers and changed the TV landscape through many firsts and iconic roles.
Stars like Betty White, Lucille Ball, and Cicely Tyson paved the way for more female trailblazers.

Betty White was dubbed "The First Lady of Television" and had an 80-plus-year career.

Betty White on the set of "The Betty White Show," which aired from 1953 to 1955.NBC/Getty

Carol Burnett broke into comedy when it was dominated by men, and her variety show entertained the nation.

Carol Burnett interacting with the audience on "The Carol Burnett Show" on April 5, 1968.CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images

Mary Kay Stearns was the first actress to have her pregnancy written into her storyline on network television.

Mary Kay and Johnny Stearns and their baby in character on the sitcom "Mary Kay and Johnny," which ran between 1947 and 1950.CBS/IMDb

Lucille Ball was a trailblazer in comedy, had her pregnancy and birth be a major television event, and was the first woman to own a production company.

Lucille Ball in character and holding Little Ricky Jr. played by twins, Richard and Ronald Lee Simmons on "I Love Lucy."CBS/Getty Images

Donna Reed was the first actress and female character to be the lead in a married dynamic on a family sitcom.

Donna Reed and her TV family in a promo for "The Donna Reed Show" on August 28, 1964.ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images

Cicely Tyson was the first Black actress to have a continuing role in a TV drama and pledged not to take stereotypical parts.

Cicely Tyson in character in an episode "East Side/West Side" on October 18, 1963.CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images

Diahann Carroll was one of the first actresses to play a single mother on TV and was the first Black actress to win a Golden Globe.

Diahann Caroll in a promotional photo for "Julia," taken in 1968.NBC Television/Getty Images

Kerry Washington was the first Black actress in 40 years to star as the lead of a drama with "Scandal."

Promotional photo of Kerry Washington as Olivia Pope in "Scandal" for the first season.Craig Sjodin/Getty Images

Viola Davis proved that a woman's age and the color of her skin don't dictate what type of characters she can portray.

Viola Davis in character on "How to Get Away with Murder" during the third season.Mitch Haaseth/Getty Images

Alfre Woodard was the first actress to play a Black female US president on TV.

Alfre Woodard attends the 86th Annual Oscars on March 2, 2014, in Hollywood, California.Steve Granitz/Getty Images

Pauline Frederick was the first female full-time news correspondent on ABC and the first woman to moderate a presidential debate.

Pauline Frederick covering the 1948 presidential election results for ABC.Graphic House/Getty Images

Barbara Walters was the first female co-anchor on ABC and created "The View" to share more female voices.

Barbara Walters interviewing the Shah of Iran on ABC's "Issues and Answers" in 1978.ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images

In 2006, Katie Couric became the first female newscaster to be a solo anchor on network TV.

Katie Couric makes her final appearance on the NBC "Today" on May 31, 2006, to become the anchor of the "CBS Evening News."Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

Early in Marlo Thomas' career, she was the first lead whose character was single, living on her own, and without children to be portrayed on TV.

Marlo Thomas in character on the set of "That Girl" in an episode aired on September 8, 1966.ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images

Mary Tyler Moore destigmatized single career-oriented women, wearing pants, and birth control.

A still taken from "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" in the early 1970s.CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images

Candice Bergen's Murphy Brown gained attention from the vice president when the character decided to raise her child on her own.

Candice Bergen in character on "Murphy Brown" with son Avery, broadcast on November 14, 1988.CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images

Bea Arthur used comedy to tackle feminist topics.

Bea Arthur poses for a portrait in 1972, before starring in "Maude," which aired from 1972 to 1978.Martin Mills/Getty Images

Nichelle Nichols had one of the first interracial kisses on TV in "Star Trek" in 1967.

Nichelle Nichols as Uhura and William Shatner as Captain Kirk on an episode of "Star Trek" broadcast in 1967.CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images

Roxie Roker was part of an interracial couple on TV in "The Jeffersons" when it was still controversial.

Franklin Cover and Roxie Roker pictured in character for the premiere of "The Jeffersons" on January 18, 1975.CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images

Lynda Carter played one of the first female superheroes on her TV series "Wonder Woman."

Lynda Carter pictured dressed in character for the pilot episode of "Wonder Woman" on November 7, 1975.ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images

Nicole Maines, a transgender actress, was the first to play a transgender superhero. She starred in CW's "Supergirl."

Nicole Maines at the "Supergirl" special and Q&A during Comic-Con on July 21, 2018, in San Diego, California.Mike Coppola/Getty Images

Oprah Winfrey was the first woman to own, produce, and host her own talk show.

Oprah Winfrey at the 14th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards on June 30, 1987, where she won for outstanding talk show for the first time.Ron Galella/Getty Images

Ellen DeGeneres came out as gay on her sitcom, making waves before she hosted a successful talk show.

Ellen Degeneres and Laura Dern on the set of "Ellen" during "The Puppy Episode," broadcast on April 30, 1997.ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images

In 2019, Sandra Oh became the first woman of Asian descent to win the Golden Globe for best leading TV actress.

Sandra Oh doing press for "Killing Eve" on Build Series on April 5, 2018.Noam Galai/Getty Images

Candis Cayne was the first openly transgender actress who played a recurring role on prime-time TV as a transgender character.

William Baldwin and Candis Cayne at the Advocate Magazine 40th Anniversary Party on September 18, 2007, in West Hollywood, California.Jean Baptiste Lacroix/Getty Images

Laverne Cox changed the TV landscape and opened doors for more transgender actresses after her role in "Orange Is the New Black."

Laverne Cox attending the amfAR Inspiration Gala on June 10, 2014, in New York City.Gilbert Carrasquillo/Getty Images

In 2022, Mj Rodriguez became the first transgender actress to win a Golden Globe.

Mj Rodriguez attending the HFPA And THR Golden Globe Ambassador Party on November 14, 2019, in West Hollywood, California.Leon Bennett/WireImage/Getty Images

Jodie Whittaker became the 13th person to play the Doctor in "Doctor Who," but she was only the first woman to play the role.

Promotional poster for Season 12 of "Doctor Who" which debuted January 1, 2020.BBC/IMDb

Kanye West appears to bury an animated version of Pete Davidson alive in a music video for new song 'Eazy'

Cookies on the Business Insider India website