TV series

You're in the Picture

1961 · 1 season

A stilted, awkward game show that is more fascinating as a historical curiosity than as entertainment.

Overview: You're in the Picture is an American television game show that aired on CBS for only one episode on Friday, January 20, 1961 at 9:30pm, the evening of the Inauguration of John F. Kennedy. The show, created by Don Lipp and Bob Synes, was an attempt by its host and star Jackie Gleason to "demonstrate versatility" after his success within variety shows and The Honeymooners. Gleason was joined by Johnny Olson as announcer and Dennis James doing live commercials for sponsor Kellogg's cereals. Technically, the show could be said to have run for two episodes, since the following Friday, Gleason appeared at the same time, but in a studio "stripped to the brick walls" and using the time to give what Time magazine called an "inspiring post-mortem", asking rhetorically "how it was possible for a group of trained people to put on so big a flop." Time later cited You're in the Picture as one piece of evidence that the 1960-61 TV season was the "worst in the 13-year history of U.S. network television."
How it feels: Campy, absurd and light. Measured and fine in the background.
About: Media, celebrity, identity
Content: No violence, gore, sexual content or swearing.
Note: Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown