76-07-B4

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The Family and Other Living Things

Transcript If a church were to sponsor a one-hour television special you'd expect them to fill it with stories about its history and customs, a short sermon and maybe some praise for its particular approach to religion. But that's not what happened one December evening when the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints -- the Mormons -- sponsored a TV special in prime time on more than 50 stations around the country. They devoted that hour to a subject that -- at first -- may not seem the stuff of which television specials are made. That subject was the family, pure and simple. (Well, on second thought, not so pure and not so simple, because understanding and strengthening the personal relationships of family life was what the program was really all about). "The Family ... and Other Living Things" -- as the Mormons' program was called -- took a serious subject that involves us all and dealt with it in ways that were warm; nostalgic; knowing and wise; sad at times; hopeful at others. All the while it was entertaining. Using an unusual abstract set and interesting lighting techniques, "The Family ... and Other Living Things" wove upbeat songs in with the skits about many different family situations -- all of them believable. Several well known entertainers turned in very good performances, among them Bill Bixby, Ruth Buzzi, the Osmond family, Gary Berghoff, Elinor Donahue, the Lennon Sisters and young Brad Savage as the son of divorced parents who find they still have a lot in common. Why did the Mormons put on this one-hour tribute to the family without a "commercial"? Well they did have "commercials" of sorts, but even these made touching points about relationships between parents and kids. The only thing "sold" in the commercials was free: a booklet called "It's Next Week". I sent for a copy. It's as well conceived and executed as the television show itself. It tells how to have a Weekly Home Evening for the family; projects for the family that center around helping others who need help, then sharing these "adventures in compassion" (as the booklet calls them) with the rest of the family . There are tips for parents, such as "attack the problem, not the child", "labels which help or hinder" (about the words we use with each other) and "Getting Love Across". The booklet, like the television program, covers basics without so much as a word of "selling" for the Mormons' religion. About the program, Mr. Heber G. Wolsey, a spokesman for the Church, said simply, "We feel there are many forces in the world that are working to pull families apart and we feel there need to be forces to pull them together." And, in the booklet there's a quotation that may say it all: "Home: the place to save society". If you missed "The Family ... and Other Living Things", the booklet is still available according to Mr. Wolsey's office. If you'd like a copy, drop me a line and I'll forward your request to him. This is Ronald Reagan. Thanks for listening.		Details Batch Number 76-07-B4 Production Date 11/16/1976 Book/Page Online PDF Audio No Youtube? No
		Added Notes The final few minutes of the show