Cher was an entertainment phenomenon of the 1970s with three television shows on the air and many highly-anticipated TV specials. Cher's TV appearances can be categories this way:
- Television variety series
- Television specials
- Music videos
- Major TV appearances and interviews
Where to start
- Read blog entries about Cher on TV
- Check for Cher on TV right now!
Costumery
In all aspects of Cher's TV appearances there has been an important aspect of costumery in her image making, starting from early appearances with fur fests and bell-bottoms on music shows of the 60s to work with Bob Mackie on her variety shows where she bared her bellybutton to outfits worn on interviews in talk shows and outrageous headdresses in TV concerts and academy award shows. "What will Cher be wearing tonight on TV" has become a decade-in-decade-out reason to watch.
Variety Shows
- The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour ran 67 episodes (August 1 1971 - May 29, 1974)
- Cher ran 29 episodes (February 16 1975 - January 4, 1976)
- The Sonny and Cher Show ran 34 episodes (February 1 1976 - August 29, 1977)
I'm starting to compile episode guides.
Television Specials
- Dear Mom, Love Cher (2013) - Lifetime
- Cher: The Farewell Tour - filmed in Miami, Florida, (2003) - NBC
- Cher: Live in Concert - filmed at the MGM Grand casino in Las Vegas (1999) - HBO
- Sonny & Me: Cher Remembers (1998) - CBS
- Cher: Extravaganza - Live at the Mirage - filmed at the Mirage casino in Las Vegas (1992) - CBS
- A Celebration at Caesar's Palace - filmed at the Caesars Palace casino in Las Vegas (1983) - Showtime
- Cher Live in Monte Carlo (1980) - filmed in Monte Carlo, Monaco
- Cher and Other Fantasies (1979) - NBC
- Cher... Special (1978) - ABC
- The premiere episode of the Cher show was considered a television special, with guests Flip Wilson, Bette Midler and Elton John (1975)
- Sonny & Cher: Nitty Gritty Hour (1970)
Music Videos
These are limited to songs made into official videos as promotions for music television and not songs taken from variety show appearances. (stars notes the best ones)
- I Hope You Find It (Lyric Video)
- Woman's World
- Song for the Lonely**
- Alive Again**
- The Music's No Good Without You*
- Piu Che Puoi (with Eroz Ramazotti)
- Dov'e L'amore*
- Strong Enough
- Believe
- Walking in Memphis**
- One by One
- Love Can Build a Bridge
- The Shoop Shoop Song
- Love and Understanding
- Save Up All Your Tears*
- Heart of Stone**
- If I Could Turn Back Time**
- We All Sleep Alone
- Main Man
- I Found Someone
- Dead Ringer for Love (with Meatloaf)
- Hell on Wheels**
Major TV Appearances and Interviews
Spending over 40 years in show business, Cher has racked up oodles of TV appearances. It would take you a year in a booth at the Radio and TV Museum to track them all down and for 30 seconds of sound bites in an "I Love Lucy" or "I Love Looney Tunes" specials, it's not worth it. Here are the ones that are worth seeing:
- The Billboard Music Awards, 2017
- The X-Factor, 2013
- The Voice, Coach 2014
- Dancing with the Stars, 2013, Guest Judge (Chaz Bono Season was 2011)
- The Oprah Winfrey Show - Oprah, Cher and Tina Turner at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas (2008)
- The Oprah Winfrey Show (2002)
- VH1 Divas Las Vegas (2002)
- Will & Grace - A.I.: Artificial Insemination (2002)
- So Graham Norton - #5.1 (2001)
- Will & Grace - Gypsies, Tramps and Weed (2000)
- The Rosie O'Donnell Show episodes
- 1 March 2002 (2002)
- 14 April 1999 (1999)
- 17 November (1998)
- 18 May 1998 (1998)
- 8 July 1996 (1996) - Super Bowl XXXIII (1999) - singing the National Anthem
- VH1 Divas Live 2 (1999)
- Behind the Music - Cher (1999)
- Coca Cola Pop Music Backstage Pass to Summer (1991) Host (this was terrible by the way but she did host it for what that's worth)
- Christmas at Pee Wee's Playhouse (1988)
- The 60th Annual Academy Awards (1988) - Winner: Best Actress in a Leading Role
The Barbara Walters Special, ABC (1988) - Saturday Night Live - Candice Bergen host, Cher musical guest (1987)
- Late Night with David Letterman
- 13 November with Sonny (1987)
- 22 May (1986) - The Late Show Staring Joan Rivers - premiere episode (1986)
- The 58th Annual Academy Awards (1986) - crazy outfit year
- The Barbara Walters Special, ABC (1985)
- Midnight Special (1980) as part of Black Rose
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (8 episodes, 1975-1985)
- The Carol Burnett Show - #9.3 (1975)
- The Dinah Shore Show (1975)
- Rona Looks at Raquel, Liza, Cher and Ann-Margret (1975)
- Scooby Doo Where Are You? - The Secret of Shark Island (1972) voice
- Love, American Style - "Love and the Sack" (1971)
- Playboy After Dark - Episode #2.1 (1970)
- Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour (1969-1970)
- The Carol Burnett Show - Episode #1.8 (1967)
- The Man from U.N.C.L.E. - The Hot Number Affair (1967) - Ramona
- Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
- #3.3 (1969)
- #1.3 (1968) - Beat-Club
- #1.23 (1967)
- #1.13 (1966)
- #1.12 (1966) - The Ed Sullivan Show (2 episodes, 1965-1967)
- #20.30 (1967)
- #19.3 (1965) - Various Shivaree and Hullabaloo episodes
This list is US television only. There are many many amazing European performances of note: National Lottery, Top of the Pops, Wetten dass, and many segments of 60s videos found on YouTube. Many of them could stand in as interesting music videos themselves, such as clips of "Mama" and Sonny & Cher's clip for "Circus."