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This project aims to identify the hosts and honorees of the show.
This Is Your Life is an American television documentary biography series broadcast on NBC, originally hosted by its producer, Ralph Edwards from 1952 to 1961. Honorees are surprised by the host who then proceeds to narrate a biography of the subject. The show "alternated in presenting the life stories of entertainment personalities and 'ordinary' people who had contributed in some way to their communities." The host, consulting his "red book", would narrate while presenting the subject with family members, friends, and others who had had an impact on his/her life.
Edwards revived the series twice in syndication, the first with Edwards again as host and in 1983 with Joseph Campanella. Both failed to capture the magic of the original series, mostly due to the series being filmed or taped and, in the case of the 1971-72 version, some stations that aired it gave away the surprise elements in ads and promos for the show. During the late-1980s, Ralph Edwards hosted a few single prime time network airings of This Is Your Life, most memorably an episode featuring Dick Van Dyke. A list of honorees can be found on the show's official website here.
Other versions of This Is Your Life were produced in the UK, New Zealand and Australia.
UK TV Series
Hosted by Eamonn Andrews from 1955 until 1964, and then from 1969 until his death in 1987. Michael Aspel then took up the role of host until the show ended in 2003. The show was originally broadcast live, and over its run it has alternated between being broadcast on the BBC and on ITV. A list of honorees for the UK series can be found here.
New Zealand TV Series
The show has been broadcast on and off since 1984 on Television New Zealand's TVOne. It was originally hosted by Bob Parker (1984-1996), but more recent episodes have been presented by Paul Holmes (1996-2000) and Paul Henry (2007-2008). The show returned after two years on 10 October 2010. Paul Henry was scheduled to appear as the host but due to controversy surrounding occurrences on the TV show Breakfast, Henry was replaced with former host Paul Holmes. A partial list of New Zealand's honorees can be found at TVNZ.
Australian TV Series
It began in 1975 on the Seven Network, hosted by Mike Willesee. Subsequent seasons were compered by Digby Wolfe (1976) and Roger Climpson (1977 – 1980). The program was re-launched on the Nine Network in 1995, hosted by Mike Munro until 2008. It was announced in November 2010 that the show will return to the Nine Network on February 28th and will be hosted by Eddie McGuire. After just 4 episodes the series has not returned and there is no word on the series' fate. A list of Australian honorees can be found at the National Film & Sound Archive.
Source: Wikipedia