A laptop would have to have that ability built into it already, and the cord needed would vary depending on the laptop brand/model. You'd have to check the manual to see if it has such a capability. My brother and I have very similar model laptops (Thinkpad 600 vs Thinkpad 600e), yet mine has video out, and his doesn't, for example.
You can get what's generically called a VGA scan converter though, which will convert most any standard VGA signal into a television signal. It's more than just a cord though, it's usually a little box that hooks in between the laptop and the tv. Depending on the features you want, you might could find a used one on Ebay for like $30 or something. "Scan converter" is usually a bit too generic, so "vga to tv" (or svga) usually gives more results, but you have to be careful, because some folks sell a simple cable which hooks straight from the VGA port to the TV, which would have very limited usage (if any) compared to a real scan converter.
