Earlier today, I wrote about ABC’s Trust Us With Your Life, which is clearly influenced by This is Your Life. Both shows have celebrities discuss their life in front of an audience. However, This is Your Life surprised celebrities with people from their past and revealed information that the famous person might not have wanted to reveal. Needless to say, many stars did not want to participate in the program and those who were forced to participate resented it. Even, Ralph Edwards, who was the host, did not want his life revealed on television. Legend has it that Edwards threatened to quit if the staff ever tried to turn the tables on him.

NBC aired This is Your Life from 1952-1961. The episode with Dick Clark is presented below in three parts, two of which are after the jump.