  this is your life was an american documentary series broadcast on nbc radio 1948 to 1952, and on nbc television 1952 to 1961. it was originally hosted by its producer ralph edwards. in the show, the host surprises a guest, and proceeds to take them through their life in front of an audience, including special guest appearances by colleagues, friends and family. edwards revived the show in 1971-72, while joseph campanella hosted a version in 1983. edwards returned for some specials in the late 1980s, before his death in 2005. ==concept== the idea for this is your life arose while edwards was working on truth or consequences. he had been asked by the u.s. army to "do something" for paraplegic soldiers at birmingham general hospital, a van nuys, los angeles, california army rehabilitation hospital (a site later converted into a high school). edwards chose a "particularly despondent young soldier and hit on the idea of presenting his life on the air, in order to integrate the wreckage of the present with his happier past and the promise of a hopeful future." edwards received such positive public feedback from the "capsule narrative" of the soldier he gave on truth or consequences that he developed this is your life as a new radio show. in the show, edwards would surprise each guest by narrating 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 
1940s_American_radio_programs 1950s_American_radio_programs 1950s_American_television_series 1952_American_television_series_debuts 1960s_American_television_series 1961_American_television_series_endings 1970s_American_television_series 1980s_American_television_series 2000s_American_television_series American_Broadcasting_Company_network_shows Black-and-white_television_programs Emmy_Award_winning_programs English-language_television_programming Live_television_programs NBC_network_shows Television_series_by_Ralph_Edwards_Productions