Product Description
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THIS IS YOUR LIFE showcased extraordinary lives - and television
brought them into Americas living rooms. Creator and host Ralph
Edwards honored uncommon people, sometimes famous, sometimes
known only to a few. The stories were always filled with
laughter, tears and tender memories as the guest was surprised by
people from their past. Now, available for the first time ever on
any home video format, 18 of the best loved original episodes are
available in this digitally remastered 3-DVD "Ultimate
Collection." THIS IS YOUR LIFE is one of television's most
enduring classics and a must for every DVD collection.
Over 8 hours of classic TV at its finest
Closed Captioning (CC)
30-page Collectors Booklet
Rare behind-the-scenes photos
Never-before-seen memorabilia
Show introductions by creator and host Ralph Edwards
FEATURED HONOREES:
Disc 1:
COMEDY LEGENDS
Stan Laurel & Oliver Hardy - World-famous comedy team
Lou Costello - Consummate clown with a poignant past
SIRENS OF THE SILVER SCREEN
Bette Davis - "The First Lady of the American Screen"
Jayne Mansfield - Voluptuous film star of the 50s
COUNTRY MUSIC GREATS
Roy Rogers - Singing "King of the Cowboys"
Johnny Cash - Country musics "Man in Black"
Disc 2:
TV COMEDY SUPERSTARS
Milton Berle - "Mr. Television"
Betty White - Loveable Golden Girl
WORLD WAR II SURVIVORS
Rear Admiral Samuel G. Fuqua - Pearl Harbor hero
Hanna Bloch Kohner - Holocaust survivor
MUSIC MOVERS & SHAKERS
Bobby Darin - Rock and roll idol
Dick Clark - Star-maker and producer
Disc 3:
1970's MUSIC ICONS
Carpenters - Richard & Karen, the decades top duo
Shirley Jones - Academy Award-winning actress and The Partridge
Familys singing mom
OLYMPIC CHAMPIONS
Jesse Owens - Inspirational track star
Duke Kahanamoku - Swimmer, "her of Surfing"
MASTERS OF HORROR
Boris Karloff - Immortalized Frankensteins monster
Vincent Price - Hollywoods "Master of the Macabre"
.com
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In this era of television warts-and-all biographies, true
Hollywood stories, and Punk'd, one fears that This Is Your Life
is about due for an unfortunate extreme makeover. But as this
wonderful three-disc set demonstrates, it would be sacrilege to
tamper with the testimonial tone of this venerable series. This
18-show compilation spans the years 1953 (Roy Rogers) to 1987
(Betty White). Here are represented a diverse gallery of
20th-century icons--some that you recognize, some that you've
hardly even heard of. The stellar roster includes show business
legends (Milton Berle, Lou Costello, Boris Karloff, Vincent
Price, Dick Clark), World War II heroes (Rear Admiral Samuel G.
Fuqua), Olympic champions (Jesse Owens), and music greats (Johnny
Cash, Bobby Darin, Richard and Karen Carpenter). The most fun
part of each episode is the "reveal," in which the series creator
and host Ralph Edwards ("Mr. This Is Your Life Himself")
surprises the unsuspecting honoree. The basic Kubler-Ross stages
of TIYL are Confusion (when Edwards enters the scene), Denial,
Shock (when Edwards utters those immortal words, "This Is Your
Life"), and Acceptance. Add to these (as when Bob Hope
realizes it's Jayne Mansfield, and not he, who is to be honored),
and Annoyance (watch Robert Wagner roll his eyes as Edwards
barges into a movie pre-production meeting to nab Bette Davis).
Two episodes are particular standouts. The first, broadcast in
1954, features Laurel and Hardy; the first and only time that the
comedy team appeared live on television in the United States. The
second, broadcast live in 1953, pays tribute to Hanna Bloch
Kohner, a Holocaust survivor. This is a laudable episode, but the
unhomable enormity of the Holocaust makes for awkward moments
that play like darkest satire. "You lived a lifetime of fear,
terror and tragedy," Edwards observes to his shocked guest. "You
look... not at all like a survivor of Hitler's cruel purge of
German Jews. These, as well as happier events, we will relive
here in just a moment...." For members of the Greatest Generation
and Baby Boomers, this collection will be a priceless time
. Just as Candid Camera captured ordinary people in the
act of being themselves, so did this television institution, at
its best, peek behind the public persona of extraordinary people.
Milton Berle is rendered humbled and speechless during his
tribute. In another priceless and poignant moment, Bud Abbott
notes how he almost lost his former estranged partner's
friendship "through foolish pride." Bette Davis, on the other
hand, comes as advertised: demanding, difficult, and indomitable.
--Donald Liebenson
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Review
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"This Is Your Life (is) arguably the most successful
biography-family reunion show in history." -- Emmy Magazine
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