You Are There

One of the interesting footnotes to this New York-based show from the 1950s was that it became a sort of refuge for blacklisted scriptwriters. Walter Bernstein and Abe Polonsky are mentioned in the extended IMDb credits as "uncredited" writers. Some of the Hollywood blacklist histories mention this series as employing blacklisted writers.

I think it was Polonsky (whose FORCE OF EVIL is arguably one of the best of the film noirs) who talked about his "You Are There" experiences at a panel I attended in Berkeley in 1980. He stated that many of the historical episodes covered in the series were about the suppression of dissidents (such as The Death of Socrates), mirroring what the leftist screenwriters felt about being blacklisted from their industry on the basis of their political beliefs and affiliations.

I watched "You Are There" occasionally as a kid growing up in the 1950s, and of course I had no sense of this context. I remember thinking the shows were interesting--but corny. But I cannot compare the effort to penetrate historical events with anything currently on commercial broadcast network TV, and the CBS effort behind "You Are There" was a laudable one, in a different age.

I somehow stumbled upon this looking at the bio of director John Frankenheimer, and thought I'd throw in a quick review, just to see if I can stir up anybody else's memory.

These "films" (and I use that term loosely) were shown to me in the mid-1960's during elem. history class, and they were about on par with the "Mr. Bungle" series Pee-Wee Herman used to feature on his show. Each black and white episode was introduced by Walter Cronkite "embedded" right in the middle of some historical event, and it was all downhill from there. Bad acting eliciting snickers and catcalls from 3rd graders is most-likely not something Mr. Frankenheimer featured prominently on his resume', but he was probably more proud of these than THE ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU!

I truly can't say given the times and context of its original broadcast, but I must say I enjoy my fortuitous introduction to some remastered episodes from the Fifties of this CBS News production.

If they're not "live TV" they're certainly kept "in-camera" at the credited Hal Roach Studios. They had to have been filmed quickly too.

Besides a youthful Walter Cronkite (yes, I remember him) sitting behind a desk with a huge microphone to one side, clutching a thick script, and providing two intros and a summary in his inimitable style, we hear off-camera radio announcers handing off to each other in the traditional style as the "reporters on the scene".

We also watch the historical figures blithely if not gladly address "the fourth wall" in response to the reporters' questions. You'll recognize some faces, some to become famous and others as the established character actors that you'll need this database to help identify.

Judge the writing for yourselves, though keep in mind what can only be inferred as the goal. Each episode depicts an historical calendar date, a nice newsbeat touch that Cronkite partly resolves in his summary. The end credits include a disclaimer that everything "is based on historical fact and quotation." With CBS News in charge viewers could have no doubt of that.

Jack Pierce does makeup...recognize him? And some images linger, among them rocks and snowballs bouncing off the bewigged head of "Roy" Randell during the Boston Massacre and railings very nearly giving way in any age...

...but this was indeed the Golden Age of Television. I award an extra vote for audacity.

ONCE AGAIN WE come to a great series from our youth. Of course, at that time, 1953-59, we had no idea that it was great or even very good. We did understand the premise of having a recreation of a Historical incident; while imaginarily employing the modern technologies of both Radio and Television.

THAT'S RIGHT, DEAR Reader, we said both TV and Radio; as the series started out on the CBS Radio Network in 1947. Its birth name was CBS IS THERE. It was soon changed to YOU ARE THERE and lasted to 1950 on radio.

AS FAR AS the video version. we fondly remember it being a staple of our household's tele-viewing every Sunday, early evenings (about 6:30 PM Central Time, we think). In those days of strong sponsor identification, we would hear the voice of Walter Cronkite very authoritatively announcing the evenings subject.

FOR EXAMPLE, IT would go something like : "Tonight we have the story of THE MONITOR AND THE MERRIMAC as the Prudential Insurance Company presents YOU ARE THERE!"

DONE IN A STYLE that we today would call 'Docudrama', a reporter on the scene would use his microphone to interview eyewitnesses to whatever the particular occurrence being covered that day. There was also a TV camera present as both the famous and the infamous were recreated in a most interesting manner.

WE'RE SURE THAT a lot of our contemporaries of that 'Baby Boomer' generation, as well as the older folks cultivated a greater appreciation of History as a result of this series. Its longevity proved to be much greater on the television network than on the radio; as it lasted for 5 full seasons.

EVENTUALLY IT EITHER morphed into or was superseded by the series (also narrated and introduced by Walter Cronkite) which was titled, THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. (also sponsored by PRUDENTIAL).

Hosted by Walter Cronkite before his bigger successes, "You Are There" created something totally new for television - a reporter with a camera and microphone who covered historical events as though they were breaking news.

One example was, "The Assassination of Julius Caesar." He interviews many of the people who took part as they stand over Caesar"s body.

"Excuse me, sir," he asks Marc Antony. Antony takes a moment to be interviewed. What a fascinating concept.

The only other episode I remember seeing live was, "The Capture of Jesse James," with an unknown James Dean in the title role.

If the episodes have not been lost, they should be put on DVD for today's generation to watch.