Our World (TV series)

Our World
Our World title card
Created by	Roone Arledge
Starring	Linda Ellerbee Ray Gandolf
Country of origin	United States
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	26
Production
Producer(s)	Avram Westin
Running time	60 min. (including commercials)
Release
Original network	ABC
Original release	September 25, 1986 – May 28, 1987

Our World is an American television news series that ran for 26 episodes, from September 25, 1986 to May 28, 1987. The show was anchored by Linda Ellerbee and Ray Gandolf. Each episode of the series examined, through the use of archival film and television footage, one short period in American history. Our World aired on ABC.

Our World grew out of an earlier ABC News special called 45/85, whose producer, Avram Westin, would go on to produce Our World. Each episode was produced on a budget of $350,000, less than half of the budget of a typical hour of prime time programming at the time.

Our World premiered to indifferent critical response but as the series progressed critics became effusive with their praise. Despite being critically well received and profitable for the network, Our World performed poorly in the Nielsen ratings, as its first half-hour was programmed against the extremely popular The Cosby Show. ABC canceled the show after one season. Ellerbee tried to move the series to PBS but was unsuccessful.

Our World was created by ABC News president Roone Arledge. The show had its genesis in a 1985 ABC News special called 45/85, a three-hour documentary that reviewed post-World War II history with an emphasis on the Cold War. That special was produced by Avram "Av" Westin, who also produced Our World. Anchors Ellerbee and Gandolf co-wrote Our World, which combined archival footage with new interviews with people who participated in or witnessed the events. Initial plans were that each episode would cover one year, but that idea was quickly scrapped; Ellerbee said, "It's hard enough to do a month, or even days."

...
Wikipedia