Life Is Worth Living
Life Is Worth Living | |
---|---|
Multi-camera | |
Running time | 26 minutes |
Original release | |
Network | DuMont (1952–1955) ABC (1955–1957) |
Release | February 12, 1952 April 8, 1957 | –
Life Is Worth Living is an inspirational American television series which ran on the DuMont Television Network from February 12, 1952, to April 26, 1955,[1] then on ABC until April 8, 1957, featuring the Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. Similar series, also featuring Sheen, followed in 1958–1961 and 1961–1968.
Broadcast history
Hosted by Bishop (later Archbishop) Fulton J. Sheen, the series consisted of Sheen speaking to the camera and discussing moral issues of the day, often using blackboard drawings and lists to help explain the topic. When the blackboard was filled, Sheen would move to another part of the set, and request one of his "angels" (one of the TV crew) to clean the blackboard.[2]
In 1952, DuMont was searching for programming ideas and tried a rotating series of religious programs hosted by a
Prior to Life Is Worth Living, Sheen had appeared on the radio program
Sheen and Berle enjoyed a friendly rivalry. Berle is reported to have joked, "We both work for the same boss, 'Sky Chief Supreme'", making reference to a grade of gasoline produced by Texaco, his sponsor. Later, when Sheen won an Emmy, Berle quipped, "He's got better writers – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John!" As a take-off on Berle's nickname "Uncle Miltie," Sheen once opened his program by saying, "Good evening, this is Uncle Fultie."
The charismatic Sheen became one of early television's most unlikely stars, winning an
Sheen made famous statements against
Network change
When DuMont ceased network broadcasting in 1955, Sheen moved his show to ABC, lectured for a while, and returned to television from 1958 to 1961 with The Best of Bishop Sheen on the NTA Film Network, and in 1961 with The Fulton Sheen Program, essentially a revival of Life Is Worth Living.
The show was broadcast on
Syndication
Reruns of Life Is Worth Living and The Fulton Sheen Program continued to circulate as late as the early 1990s on broadcast stations. His status both as a television personality and popular religious figure fell sharply in the 1990s and early 2000s.
In 2002 a Cause for Canonization was opened to investigate the potential
His programs were reintroduced into circulation by the Catholic cable network
Episode status
St. Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry in Rochester, New York, owns the copyright to the series, and The Fulton J. Sheen Company, Inc. owns the licensing rights. The Institute is thought to have the entire series in their archive.
Also, the UCLA Film and Television Archive has four episodes, the Museum of Broadcast Communications has five episodes, the Paley Center for Media has an unknown number of episodes, and the J. Fred MacDonald collection at the Library of Congress has six episodes.[citation needed]
Theme music
The theme of Life is Worth Living during its time on the DuMont Network was Charles William's "Said the Bells".
For Sheen's later programs, a recording of composer Fritz Kreisler's "Marche Miniature Viennoise" (1925) was used, but no on-screen credit was given for title, composer, or orchestra performing the song. Although Kreisler did record a version of this classical composition, it was arranged at a faster tempo and was therefore not the version used for the series.[8]
See also
- List of programs broadcast by the DuMont Television Network
- List of surviving DuMont Television Network broadcasts
References
- )
- ^ ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4.
- ^ ISBN 1-59213-499-8
- ^ "The Catholic Media's Greatest Star", Crisis magazine (March 2000)
- ^ "Bishop Fulton J. Sheen".
- ^ "About Fulton J. Sheen". BishopSheen.com. 2009. Archived from the original on March 22, 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-05.
- ^ The Catholic Media's Greatest Star in the March 2000 Crisis magazine
- ^ "Andre Rieu Fans and Friends: MAY 2008 GUESTBOOK". Archived from the original on 2008-05-06. Retrieved 2012-10-27.
Bibliography
- David Weinstein, The Forgotten Network: DuMont and the Birth of American Television (Philadelphia: ISBN 1-59213-245-6
- Alex McNeil, Total Television, Fourth edition (New York: ISBN 0-14-024916-8
- Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh, ISBN 0-345-31864-1