NHPTV to Air “The Presidents,” an AMERICAN EXPERIENCE Special Series

(DURHAM, May 9, 2008) — This spring, as a pivotal presidential election approaches, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE presents THE PRESIDENTS: seven 20th century biographies that offer an intimate and compelling look at the men who have defined and re-defined the modern presidency, and who led the country through some of the most turbulent and consequential moments in our history. Ranging from the unlikely story of the patrician New York governor who led the nation during the twin crises of the Great Depression and World War II, to the Hollywood leading man who became the icon of modern conservatism, the series begins May 14th on NHPTV with the premiere of a profile of George H.W. Bush. Other presidents featured in the series include Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan.THE PRESIDENTS, in broadcast, online, podcast, and through outreach initiatives, is designed to reach millions of potential voters and to promote civic engagement with issues and ideas central to America’s history and democracy. Focusing on the intersection of public and private, character and history, the presidential biographies have captivated viewers, delighted teachers, impressed critics and won virtually every documentary award worth winning. Most satisfying of all, they have educated a generation of Americans about their leaders and their history, and provoked many voters to think about what they should expect from the person they elect president of the United States.GEORGE H. W. BUSH (1989–1993)Wednesday, May 14 @ 9 p.m. (Part 1); Thursday, May 15 @ 9 p.m. (Part 2)This two-part biography examines the life and career of the 41st president, from his service in World War II and his early career in Texas to his days in the Oval Office, first as vice president to Ronald Reagan, then as the leader who presided over the first Gulf War. Drawing upon Bush’s personal diaries and interviews with his closest advisors, the film also explores Bush’s role as the patriarch of a political family whose influence resonates in modern American life. FDR (1933–1945)Wednesday, May 21 @ 9 p.m. (Part 1); Wednesday, May 28 @ 9 p.m. (Part 2)Radio broadcasts beamed his voice into living rooms around the country. His wife was the most admired woman in the country. “FDR” goes beyond the familiar words and images to offer an incisive, often startling portrait. One of the nation’s most popular presidents, Franklin Delano Roosevelt served three terms—longer than anyone before or since—and led the country through two great crises: the Great Depression and World War II. TRUMAN (1945–1953)Wednesday, June 18 @ 9 p.m. (Part 1); Wednesday, June 25 @ 9 p.m. (Part 2)He was a farmer, a haberdasher gone bankrupt, an unknown politician from Missouri who suddenly found himself president. Of all the men who had held office, he was the least prepared. Yet Harry S. Truman would have to end the war with Germany and Japan, decide whether to use the most terrible weapon ever devised, confront the Soviet Union, and wage war in Korea. LBJ (1963–1969)Coming Fall 2008 – Visit nhptv.org for updated listingsLyndon Baines Johnson was a poor boy from the backwaters of the Texas hill country who ascended to the very pinnacle of power—only to see his presidency undermined by the conflict in Vietnam, a war he supported and expanded but never understood. One of the most perplexing, astute and larger-than-life politicians in modern American history, LBJ set out to “out-Kennedy the Kennedys” by pushing through historic social legislation on a scale that rivaled FDR. Big, brash, intimidating and driven by ambition, Johnson dominated people and institutions. NIXON (1969–1974)Coming Fall 2008 – Visit nhptv.org for updated listingsOne of the most controversial and enduring figures in American politics, Richard Nixon was at the center of American politics for 25 years. “Nixon” explores the fateful combination of strengths and weaknesses that propelled him to the presidency, then brought him down. From his boyhood in California, his days as an anti-Communist crusader, his foreign policy initiatives in China and the Soviet Union, to his resignation from the presidency in 1974 in the face of likely impeachment, Nixon was distinguished by his ability to come back from defeat. JIMMY CARTER (1977–1981)Coming Fall 2008 – Visit nhptv.org for updated listings“Jimmy Carter” traces the ascent of an ambitious country boy from a peanut farm in Georgia, to the Oval Office; it examines the failings of Carter’s political leadership in the context of the turbulent 1970s; and explores the role religion played in his career. Carter rode into power on the post-Watergate disaffection with Washington politics. But his inexperience resulted in an ineffectual and fractured administration. The crowning achievement of his one-term in office, the Camp David Accords, established a framework for peace in the Middle East. In the years since he left the White House, Carter has struggled to bring peace to war-torn countries; fought for the eradication of life-threatening diseases; and dedicated himself to housing America's poorest citizens. REAGAN (1981–1989)Coming Fall 2008 – Visit nhptv.org for updated listingsWhen he left the White House in 1988, Ronald Reagan was one of the most popular presidents of the century – and one of the most controversial. A former actor, Reagan became a passionate ideologue who preached a simple gospel of lower taxes, less government, and anti-communism. One by one, his opponents underestimated him; one by one, Reagan surprised them, rising to become a president who always preferred to see America as a "shining city on a hill."“As we enter a pivotal election year, it is interesting to see the many issues the country wrestled with throughout the 20th century — from war and religion to healthcare and education — that we are still debating today. ‘The Presidents’ will give our audience access to our presidential history in a vast array of forms: streaming video on our Web site, downloadable podcasts and vodcasts, and PBS national broadcasts. Collectively, this content provides an invaluable historical roadmap — helping viewers to understand where we have been, so that they may better decide where we are going,” says AMERICAN EXPERIENCE executive producer Mark Samels.For more information about these programs and a complete schedule, visit nhptv.org. Support for NHPTV’s broadcast of American Experience: The Presidents generously provided by Devine Millimet, Attorneys at Law.###About AMERICAN EXPERIENCETelevision’s most-watched history series, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE has been hailed as “peerless” (Wall Street Journal), “the most consistently enriching program on television” (Chicago Tribune) and “a beacon of intelligence and purpose” (Houston Chronicle). On air and online, the series brings to life the incredible characters and epic stories that have shaped America’s past and present. Acclaimed by viewers and critics alike, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE documentaries have been honored with every major broadcast award, including 24 Emmy Awards, four duPont-Columbia Awards and 14 George Foster Peabody Awards, one most recently for “Two Days in October.”For more information about AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, visit www.pbs.org/americanexperience. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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