Insight | |
---|---|
Genre | Anthology |
Created by | Fr. Ellwood Kieser CSP |
Written by | Various, including:
|
Directed by | Various |
Presented by | Fr. Ellwood Kieser CSP |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 23 |
No. of episodes | 250 |
Production | |
Camera setup | multiple-camera |
Running time | 22-24 mins. |
Production company | Paulist Productions |
Release | |
Original network | Syndication |
Picture format | Black-and-white; Color |
Audio format | Monaural |
Original release | October 2, 1960 January 21, 1985 | –
Insight is an American religious-themed weekly anthology series that aired in syndication from October 1960 to January 1985. Produced by Paulist Productions in Los Angeles, the series presented half-hour dramas illuminating the contemporary search for meaning, freedom, and love. Insight was an anthology series, using an eclectic set of storytelling forms including comedy, melodrama, and fantasy to explore moral dilemmas.
The series was created by Catholic priest Ellwood E. "Bud" Kieser, the founder of Paulist Productions. A member of the Paulist Fathers, an evangelistic Catholic order of priests, he worked in the entertainment community in Hollywood as a priest-producer and occasional host, using television as a vehicle of spiritual enrichment. Many of the episodes of the series were videotaped at Television City Studios and then Metromedia Square.
It was the longest-running syndicated weekly show until Soul Train took over in 1996, and ran until 2008 (only Entertainment Tonight is longer). It is also the longest-running religious drama program ever.
In the United States the series was typically shown on Sunday mornings or late night. Often stations aired Insight in order to meet the Federal Communications Commission's public interest standard for broadcast television. Several episodes are available for purchase from the Paulist Press.
The anthology format and the religious nature of the program attracted a wide variety of actors, directors and writers to work on the series. In many cases they donated their talents and time.
Insight was nominated for the Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Religious Programming in 1972 and 1973, and won the category every year from 1981 to 1984.