| Life Is Worth Living | |
|---|---|
| Starring | Bishop Fulton J. Sheen |
| Country of origin |  United States |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network | DuMont (1952-1955) ABC (1955-1957) |
| Release | February 12, 1952 – April 8, 1957 |
Life is Worth Living was 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 1957.
Hosted by Bishop (later Archbishop) Fulton J. Sheen, the series consisted mainly 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 he would move to another part of the set, and request one of his "angels" (actually one of the TV crew) to clean the blackboard.[2]
In 1952, DuMont was searching for programming ideas and put on a series of rotating religious programs with a Protestant minister, a Jewish rabbi, and a Catholic bishop. While the other shows did not catch on, the bishop (Sheen) became an overnight hit, found a sponsor in Admiral television sets, and was DuMont's only Emmy Award winner in its brief period of broadcasting. It also held the distinction of being aired on more stations (169) than any other regularly-scheduled DuMont program. Life Is worth Living is believed to have been the most widely viewed religious series in the history of television.[3]
It has been said that, had Sheen not been a Catholic bishop, he might have been one of America's great Shakespearean actors. Prior to Life is Worth Living, Sheen had appeared on the radio program The Catholic Hour from 1928 to 1952.[4] With his hypnotic gaze, disarming smile, and dramatic delivery, Sheen was a natural for television. Airing opposite NBC's highly popular Milton Berle show on Tuesday nights, Sheen was the only person ever to give "Mr. Television" = also known as "Uncle Miltie" a run for his money. Sheen drew as many as 10 million viewers each week.[3]
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 popular nickname with the public, Sheen once opened his program by saying "Good evening, this is Uncle Fultie."
The charismatic Sheen became one of television's earliest and most unlikely superstars, winning an Emmy Award for "Most Outstanding Television Personality" in 1952. During his acceptance speech he happily borrowed Berle's line, crediting his four writers - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John - for his success.[5]
Sheen often made controversial statements against communism and socialism. [6] In 1953 an episode of Life Is Worth Living consisted of a reading of the burial scene from Julius Caesar, with Sheen substituting the names of Stalin, Beria, Malenkov and Vishinsky for Caesar, Cassius Marc Antony and Brutus. Sheen dramatically stated "Stalin must one day meet his judgment." One week later Russian dictator Joseph Stalin was dead from a stroke.[2]
When DuMont ceased network broadcasting in 1955, Sheen moved his show to ABC, then lectured for a while, and returned to television in 1961 with The Fulton Sheen Program, essentially a revival of Life Is Worth Living. The show was broadcast on local stations across America until 1968, with the later programs in color.[2] Times had changed, however, and the 1960s programs did not match the audience of his earlier years. Sheen was later appointed as Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester, New York. He died in 1979.
A similar program of the 1950s was Faith Of Our Children, hosted by former movie dancer Eleanor Powell.
Reruns of Life Is Worth Living and The Fulton Sheen Program continued to circulate as late as the early 1990s on broadcast stations, and are currently televised by EWTN, with new introductions by actor Joseph Campanella.
