You're in the Picture (1961) User Reviews

Episode 1 Was Poor. Episode 2 was Priceless.

[stan_c · 5/10 · 5 March 2023]

The two episodes are on YouTube. I love Jackie Gleason. But Episode One was pretty bad. The whole premise for the show just didn't work.

Celebrities stick their heads through holes in a huge drawing and try to figure out what is depicted by asking Jackie questions about what's depicted. Or who they are. Or something.

Episode Two is awesome. Jackie comes out without guests, without the pictures, and admits how bad E1 was. He speaks about how it happened and other duds he was it.

It took a lot of guts and the studio audience was behind him 100%.

I rated this a 5 as an average. Lower score for E1, higher score for the sheer boldness of E2.

If you're into TV history, you might like it. I've never seen anything quite the same.

The shortest run game show on TV

[jeffhill1 · 15 March 2002]

"You're in the Picture" was to be a summer replacement game show. Contestants would stick their heads through a cut-out board and guess what character they were. The first installment was so much of a failure that on the second week of the time slot Jackie Gleason came out, sat in a chair, and talked about how horrible the first show had been. He was hilarious. He was so funny that, as he explained to the television audience during the third installment as he sat in the same chair in his solo slot, following the second show the producers had a meeting and suggested that they purposely put on a supremely stupid game show again so that Jackie Gleason could the next week come out and lament how horrible it was. (Has anyone seen "The Producers"?) "The problem with that," Gleason explained to the audience, "is that we have alternate sponsors, and neither of our sponsors wanted to sponsor the stupid game show." I really did not expect IMDb to have "You're in the Picture" listed. I am extremely impressed that they do.

"...AND AWAY WE GO!", ..and He almost did!! How the Brilliant Creative Gleason Mind Turned a Defeat into a Positive Career Stepping Stone !!

[redryan64 · 1/10 · 29 August 2007]

Jackie Gleason had been absent from his CBS stompin' grounds for several years. So it was with a fond eagerness that the news of "The Great One's" return was received. And then......THIS!?!?!?

The new job for the considerable talents of Mr. Herbert John Gleason was as the Emcee of this new panel show, this YOU'RE IN THE PICTURE! Panel Shows had become a proved solid commodity in the Networks' scheme of things. We had seen their obvious trait of Longevity as displayed in such Landmark productions as WHAT's MY LINE, I'VE GOT A SECRET and TO TELL THE TRUTH!

Furthermore, there was the air-wave marriage of Creative Funnyman & Panelist in the Dutch Masters Cigars' sponsored TAKE A GOOD LOOK(ABC 1959-61), created by Emcee and now Legendary Comedian, Ernie Kovacs. Could the appearance of this series have played on the YOU'RE IN THE PICTURE's creator, Alan Sherman, when he synthesized the elements that would become the format of this show? (Food for thought.)

YOU'RE IN THE PICTURE! went lika thisa: The four Panelists were seated at a typical 4 wide Panelist Quizhow Desk. A large section of drawing board, with 4 face sized circular holes cut in it was put up in front of the panel members, without their being able to see what was drawn on the front side of the drawing board. Some of them would remain seated, some would stand or be seated on a higher stool, all depending on the configuration of the Drawing Puzzle.

The Panelists would then ask questions of M.C.Jackie in order to be able to guess just what the illustration on the was or represented.

Now, get this! The further along into the questioning continued, the longer time it took to crack the puzzle's mystery meant that the more number of CARE Packages would be sent out to hungry people in the World by the Producers.

We can see how this 'game' was flawed. If and when the Panel guessed the picture's meaning the clock stopped and the flow of CARE Packages ceased. So, the sooner the correct guessing, the less amount of relief & aid is dispersed. Can you think of a worse Fatal Flaw than this?

As the one and only presentation of this YOU'RE IN THE PICTURE drew to a close, Mr. Gleason bellowed out in his best Ralph Kramden style, "BOY! HOW DID I EVER GET INVOLVED IN THIS?"

The next week, against the wishes of 'The Suits' at the Columbia Broadcasting System, Jackie came out alone, no Panelists in sight and apologized to his faithful. He related how an in studio closed to the public test run had gone over with everyone who saw it. He also said, "This turned out to be THE BIGGEST BOMB!"

He then announced & introduced his guest for the evening, Zippy the Chimp, who didn't have much to say, but did sample one of Jackie's squares(smokes, cigarettes, cancer sticks, weeds,etc.,etc.)

In the following weeks, the format and name YOU'RE IN THE PICTURE name were dropped in favor of a truly laid back, relaxed session of talk & interview. Among his guests who we can remember were: old buddy, Art Carney,Bob Hope and Gordon & Sheila MacRae.

He had one memorable show that featured both Heavyweight Champion Boxer, Floyd Patterson and Challanger, Sweeden's Ingomar Johanssen. This was before their 3rd and Final Championship Bout held March 13, 1961. (This has been described as their "Rubber Match", as both had won a previous fight; Johnassen the 1st and Patterson the 2nd.)

It is also imperative to make mention of the effect that this whole episode had on Jackie Gleason's comic modus operandi. Because of this half hour tactical boner, the Gleason delivery and stage personality became more laid back, adding to a trend that he was already following. The slower, more relaxed Jackie was much funnier, if such a thing were to be possible.*

Every week Mr. Gleason would have on a guest or guests and present us with an always enjoyable time well spent. And at season's end, the Show wandered of to the Old Programs's Secret Burial Ground, never to be seen or heard from again!

(EXTRA: The name of one of the face-open puzzles was: "An Itsy-Bitsy Teenie-Weenie Yellow Polka-Dot Bikini!"

* If you don't believe me, get hold of an old video of Jackie as he appeared on the DuMont Network's CAVALCADE OF STARS or that Radio Comedians old LP Record for proof positive.THANX!!

RE: The 'Awful Rating' I gave, that was for the first show only. The subsequent Gleason Talk Shows should get 8 or possibly 9!