Nov. 23, 1963: Doctor Who Materializes on BBC

"1963: At 6:15 on a cold, wet night, the BBC premieres its new family science fiction show, Doctor Who, with its first episode, “An Unearthly Child.” The series will become a legendary part of modern British folklore and the longest-running sci-fi series on TV.

Featuring a benevolent traveling alien known only as The Doctor, the series followed the adventures of the heroic Time Lord and his human companions through time and space."

http://www.wired.com/thisdayintech/2009/11/1123dr-who-debuts