Chasing the Moon

Chasing the Moon

PBS July 8-10, 6 hours

IT TOOK MILLIONS OF STEPS TO MAKE ONE GIANT LEAP.

Film Description

“Chasing the Moon,” a film by Robert Stone, reimagines the race to the moon for a new generation, upending much of the conventional mythology surrounding the effort. The series recasts the Space Age as a fascinating stew of scientific innovation, political calculation, media spectacle, visionary impulses and personal drama..."

American Playboy

The Amazon Original Series draws from unprecedented access to more than 17,000 hours of footage and over 2,600 scrapbooks from Hefner's personal archives, chronicling the life of an American icon and the history of the brand he created.

The People versus O.J. Simpson / O.J: Made in America

Two series on O.J. Simpson within the last year.

Both are good, award winners.

Underscores what an incredibly complicated and tragic figure.

The Last Man on the Moon

When Apollo astronaut Gene Cernan stepped on the moon in December 1972 he left his footprints and his daughter’s initials in the lunar dust. Only now, over forty years later, is he ready to share his epic but deeply personal story of fulfillment, love and loss. Cernan’s burning ambition carried him from a quiet Chicago suburb to the spectacular and hazardous environment of space, and ultimately, to the moon. Five years in the making, The Last Man on the Moon unveils a wealth of rare archive, and takes Cernan back to the launch pads of Cape Kennedy, to Arlington National Cemetery and to his Texas ranch, where he finds respite from a past that refuses to let him go.

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Eugene Cernan 1934-2017

My President Was Black
A history of the first African American White House—and of what came next
By Ta-Nehisi Coates

I. “Love Will Make You Do Wrong”
II. He Walked on Ice but Never Fell
III. “I Decided to Become Part of That World”
IV. “You Still Gotta Go Back to the Hood”
V. "They Rode the Tiger”
VI. “When You Left, You Took All of Me With You”

Ken Burns: Jackie Robinson

American Masters: Fats Domino and the Birth of Rock 'n Roll

The one-hour documentary traces how Fats Domino’s brand of New Orleans rhythm and blues morphed into rock and roll, appealing to black and white audiences alike. Fats Domino was one of the most popular rockers of the 1950s and early 60s. His achievements and record sales during that time were rivaled only by Elvis Presley. With his boogie-woogie piano playing rooted in blues, rhythm & blues, and jazz, he became one of the inventors, along with Presley, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard of a revolutionary genre of music, rock ‘n’ roll.

PBS In Their Own Words: Muhammed Ali

The film follows Ali’s rise from the Columbia Gym in Louisville to international fame, as he transcended his great athletic achievements to become one of the most influential Americans of his time: how this once polarizing figure ultimately became a beloved and honored national hero.

Key events include Ali’s stunning Islamic conversion and name change, his dramatic stand against the Vietnam-era draft, his 3-year exile from the ring, his legendary comeback fights, his battle with Parkinson’s disease, and his inspirational reemergence on the world stage at the Atlanta Olympics.

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American Masters - Althea Gibson

The story of Althea Gibson (1927-2003), a truant from the rough streets of Harlem, who emerged as the unlikely queen of the highly segregated tennis world in the 1950s. She was the first African American to play and win at Wimbledon and the U.S. Nationals (precursor of the U.S. Open) — a decade before Arthur Ashe.

Alex Gibney: Steve Jobs, The Man In the Machine

New Film Asks: Were Steve Jobs' Flaws Uploaded To His Machines?
NPR All Tech Considered
Sep 4, 2015

Official Trailer

Frontline: Drug Lord - The Legend of Shorty

Two filmmakers set out to interview El Chapo Guzmán, leader of one of the biggest drug cartels.

What Happened Miss Simone?

Using never-before-heard recordings, rare archival footage and her best-known songs, this is the story of legendary singer and activist Nina Simone.

Release June 26, 2015 (Netflix)

NOVA - First Man On The Moon

First Man on the Moon

"He risked his life for the nation and became a world icon, but who was Neil Armstrong?

Aired December 3, 2014"

pbs.org

"Everyone knows Neil Armstrong was the first to set foot on the moon. But this modest and unassuming man was determined to stay out of the spotlight. Now, for the first time, NOVA presents an intimate portrait of Armstrong through interviews with his family and friends, many of whom have never spoken publicly before. Discover and relive Armstrong's achievements before and after Apollo, from his time as a Navy combat veteran and later as a pioneer of high-speed flight to his leading role in the inquiry into the Challenger disaster and his efforts to encourage young people to take to the skies. Along the way, we learn how Armstrong's life became the inspiring story of heroic risk-taking and humble dedication that ultimately advanced humanity's adventure in space."

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American Masters - Marvin Gaye (2008)

American Masters - Marvin Gaye

American Masters - Satchmo

Louis Armstrong - Time 100

American Masters

PBS - Richard Pryor Icon

PBS Richard Pryor Icon
November 23, 2014
pbs.org
"About the Program:
Richard Pryor: One of the greatest American comics of all time. His impact on comedy and this generation’s top comedians — who cite Richard as their biggest influence — is unrivaled. He was one of the first black men ever on television. He pioneered a new brand of humor: black man impersonating white man while making fun of himself. And he was a hit. His comedy was universal. His rise to fame was nothing short of miraculous."

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Richard Pryor, A Comedy Pioneer Who Was 'Always Whittling On Dynamite'
NPR Fresh Air
December 11, 2014

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via Youtube - instead of the the PBS link, firewall, international rights restricted.

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Ken Burns - THE ROOSEVELTS: An Intimate History

THE ROOSEVELTS: AN INTIMATE HISTORY chronicles the lives of Theodore, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, three members of the most prominent and influential family in American politics. It is the first time in a major documentary television series that their individual stories have been interwoven into a single narrative  This seven-part, fourteen hour film follows the Roosevelts for more than a century, from Theodore’s birth in 1858 to Eleanor’s death in 1962.

Aired the week of September 14, 2014

Episode 1: Get Action (1858-1901)
Episode 2: In the Arena (1901-1910)
Episode 3: The Fire of Life (1910-1919)
Episode 4: The Storm (1920-1933)
Episode 5: The Rising Road (1933-1939)
Episode 6: The Common Cause (1939-1944)
Episode 7: A Strong and Active Faith (1944-1962)

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Mount Rushmore National Memorial
South Dakota
(Teddy Roosevelt the third sculpted face)

Frontline: The Long Walk of Nelson Mandela

Frontline: The Long Walk of Nelson Mandela

As Nelson Mandela prepared to step down as president of South Africa, FRONTLINE presented a deeply personal biography of one of the great figures of the 20th century.

"The Long Walk of Nelson Mandela" tells the story of the man behind the myth, probing Mandela's character, leadership and life's method through intimate recollections with friends, political allies, adversaries, and his fellow prisoners and jailers on Robben Island where Mandela spent 18 of his 27 prison years.

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Nelson Mandela 

1918-2013

American Masters - Jimi Hendrix: Jimi Hendrix: Hear My Train A Comin'

Jimi Hendrix: Hear My Train A Comin'
Premieres Tuesday, November 5, PBS

Hear My Train A Comin’ unveils previously unseen performance footage and home movies taken by Hendrix and drummer Mitch Mitchell while sourcing an extensive archive of photographs, drawings, family letters and more to provide new insight into the musician’s personality and genius.

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American Experience: The Rockefellers

American Experience: The Rockefellers
PBS Broadcast

For decades, the Rockefeller name was despised in America–associated with John D. Rockefeller Sr.'s feared monopoly, Standard Oil. By the end of his life, Rockefeller had given away half his fortune–but even his vast philanthropy could not erase the memory of his predatory business practices. His only son, John D. Rockefeller Jr., would dedicate his life to recasting the family image. In the quest for redemption and respectability, Junior would give away hundreds of millions of dollars, and would insist that his six children behave impeccably. Their contributions transformed America.

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Rockefeller became the world's richest man and the first American worth more than a billion dollars. Adjusting for inflation, he is often regarded as the richest person in history. By the time of his death in 1937, estimates place his net worth in the range of US $392 billion to US $663.4 billion in adjusted dollars for the late 2000s, and it is estimated that his personal fortune was equal to 1.53% of the total U.S. annual GDP in his day.