This Is Your Life

I saw a rerun of the Charlton Heston episode sometime in the late 1970s or early 1980s, probably on one of the NY stations. In it, they showed a short clip from Heston's first film, which appeared to be a silent film (it had titles). Heston appeared to be playing an Indian, and an Indian maiden asked "would you like to adjust my garter." Switching back to the show, they showed a very embarrassed looking Heston.

IMDb shows no such film in Heston's filmography. I've always wondered if this was some stag film that he appeared in early in his career. Or perhaps it was a gag perpetrated by the folks at This is Your Life.

Do copies of this episode still exist? The host was definitely Ralph Edwards, and had to have been the 1957 episode for Heston, not one from later versions of the show.

LONG BEFORE THE term "Reality Series" became a highly overused word and classification for Television series types, we had what was truly a reality show. Although it was obviously planned and laid out before hand,there was no "rehearsal"; as the subject to be honored was truly not in on the gag. The show was a complete surprise; making this a true Reality Series.

THERE IS NO doubt that this weekly garnered enough support over the years of its run(s); for it continued to return, resurfacing in several reincarnations. The format never really changed and it didn't need to. For after all, "Why fix it if it ain't broke?"

THE SUBJECTS WHOSE lives were portrayed included those from mostly well-known from the worlds of Public Life (politics), Show Business & Entertainment and Sports. Naturally it appears that those in the Movies, on the Stage, on Radio and Television comprised the greatest single category of honorees.

THE ORIGINAL HOST and creator was Ralph Edwards; a man known to so many generations of listeners/viewers on both Radio and Television. His career spanned several eras; dating back to the original Radio version of TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES right down to the contemporary PEOPLES COURT. Mr. Edwards life spanned 1913-2005 and he was quite active up to the end.

PERHAPS NO GREATER tribute can be afforded to any work in any field than to be copied or even more so spoofed. In the case of THIS IS YOUR LIFE, a fine lampoon of it is included in the film, A FACE IN THRE CROWD (Warner Brothers, 1957). In it Lonesome Rhodes (Andy Griffith) is the subject of the show, which is called "YOU LIVED IT!"

WHETHER ONE CONSIDERS this show as being the electronic equivalence of those supermarket tabloid papers or find it to be a quality show, worthy of even the highly 'artistic' and worthwhile PDS; one thing is for sure. It was one of those rarities in the popular culture; being an original and one of a kind.

I'm afraid the only thing I remember about the original "This is your life" is the parodies by Bob and Ray. That left me thinking of the series as more of a cliché, and I suspect with the distance of time, others may also be left with the wrong impression of the show.

I had the opportunity to watch some of the originals on the "This is your life, the ultimate collection" three DVD set. They are very well done. It is apparent that Ralph Edwards worked to avoid falling into a rigid formula. There are many twists used in the way he lured the subjects onto the show.

But more important, the material of the show is shaped by the lives of the subjects, rather than a formula. The researchers find lots of interesting details that tell the true story of the person, rather than the PR image or public persona. For example, we learn that Bud Abbott did some generous philanthropy to help city kids, and some of those kids appeared on the show. It is all done in a way that has emotional impact, without being cloying or manipulative; Abbott seemed truly embarrassed this personal side of his life was coming out. And it is good journalism, digging for the telling details, rather than the mindless, superficial interviews we too often see on network shows these days.

What makes this collection especially interesting is that they are an invaluable historical document. Many of the subjects are dead by now (though not all -- Dick Clark and Shirley Jones are still with us) but more important, the acquaintances who appeared in the shows from the 1950s and even the 1970s are mostly long gone.

The one disappointment of the collection is that there are not more non-celebrities. The main non-celebrity included is Hanna Bloch Kohner, who survived many years in a concentration camp, a program done in 1953, perhaps the first to feature a Holocaust survivor's story on national television.

These shows stand the test of time, and are still interesting today. They would be a great addition to any public or school library.

Ralph Edwards also deserves to be remembered. He played an important role in the early days of television - very, very early. I came across a schedule for the very first week of broadcasting back in the early 1940s for what, as I recall, was to become the NBC television network. Ralph Edwards was listed as the host of the show Truth or Consequences - something that does not show up anywhere on IMDb. Now that's a pioneer! The network's broadcasting was, of course, suspended by WWII.

In 1958 I was able to view "THIS IS YOUR LIFE" BORIS KARLOFF, and also taped the entire show. Ralph Edwards caught Karloff and his wife Evelyn by complete surprise, he appeared very much like a gentleman, which he was, very soft spoken and very shy and humble before the TV Camera's. He looked very uncomfortable and not happy about the entire surprise by Ralph Edwards. However, as the program advanced, he met all his old friends, his make-up artist Jack Pierce and also his daughter Sarah appeared. I met Boris Karloff at the showing of the movie, "VooDoo Island" 1957 in the Lobby of a NY Movie House where he signed autographs, and he was the same kind and great person to have met. His performance as Captain Hook in "Peter Pan" 1950 with Jean Arthur was a great thrill for all adults and children.