This Is Your Life: The Ultimate Collection Volume 1 DVD Review:

First airing on NBC radio in 1948 and then on television in 1952, the heartwarming program This Is Your Life would go on to broadcast over 500 lives in the five decades it was on. Hosted by Ralph Edwards, except for the few episodes he missed in which Ronald Reagan filled in for him on occasion, This Is Your Life is a magnificent chapter in the history of television and entertainment, and is now available for the first time in any format. Although it took quite some time, this DVD collection is one of the most fantastically packaged sets I may have ever come across in my many years of DVD perusing.

Whether a well known celebrity or a little known hero, This Is Your Life would pick a guest to surprise each week, giving them a glimpse of their own lives as old friends and family come on the show to tell stories about them. Ralph Edwards always seems to find the perfect opportunity to surprise them with the news that they are on television as well.

Although the show may seem a bit rushed by today’s standards, the twenty minutes or so that each episode contains often gives a decent glimpse into the lives of each guest, some more entertaining than others. But entertaining or not, there is no denying the historical significance of the show. Although some of the guests, such as Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, are older and near the end of their careers, the more poignant episodes come from the guests who are still young. Watching Bobby Darin, a 23 year old performer, who has no idea what his life will become, is absolutely amazing. This episode was filmed before he had even met his future wife Sandra Dee.

Not every episode is one that I would watch over and over again, but this is a collection that any true film and television historian should be required to purchase. With eighteen episodes on three discs, this foldout package is one of the most flawless packages I have ever seen. The box is sturdy and neat with a classy blue and gold cover. The package also contains a fantastic collector’s booklet which has a history and synopsis of every episode along with a great deal of photos. The booklet is an amazing addition to the already fantastic package.

The sound and picture quality of the shows is not great, although it is digitally re-mastered, but this is to be expected of a show that is so old. It probably looks better than it did when it was aired, but the quality is still a bit rough at spots. This should be expected and it adds to the charm of the show somewhat.

The eighteen episodes include the following guests:
-Milton Berle
-Jayne Mansfield
-Bobby Darin
-Johnny Cash
-Laurel and Hardy
-Shirley Jones
-Dick Clark
-Lou Costello
-Betty White
-Jesse Owens
-Betty Davis
-Boris Karloff
-Roy Rogers
-Vincent Price
-Hanna Bloch Kohner
-Richard and Karen Carpenter
-Admiral Fuqua
-Duke Kahanamoku



Ryan Izay