America Alive!

America Alive! is a daytime television talk show[1] that aired on NBC television weekdays from July 24, 1978 to January 4, 1979. The 60 minute long show aired in the 12:00 p.m. Eastern time slot, and broadcast live on the east coast.

The show, which generally broadcast from several locations live across the United States, starred Jack Linkletter as the main host,[3] broadcasting from New York City[1] in front of a studio audience. Caitlyn Jenner,[3] Pat Mitchell, and Janet Langhart joined him as co-hosts, generally in the role of roving reporters in different parts of the country.

Others in the cast of the show included David Sheehan as the show's critic,[4] Sheilah Graham for a "gossip check" segment,[4] and David Horowitz as a consumer reporter. The Masters and Johnson research team regularly appeared as authorities on the subject of sex,[4] and the comedy team of Dick Orkin and Bert Berdis also frequently appeared.

The show's concept was created by Woody Fraser.[2] It was broadcast live at noon on the east coast (11:00 a.m. Central), and was shown two hours later on tape delay for the west coast.

Several months into its production run, in November 1978, Linkletter discussed the high cost of producing the show because of the travel budget necessary for its roving reporters, and discussed the ratings, which were "bordering on dismal".[1]

America Alive! had its last broadcast was on January 4, 1979.[5] The next day, a news special featuring Betty Ford was shown in its slot, and the following Monday, January 8, the slot was taken by two game shows, The All New Jeopardy! and new entrant Password Plus.[5]