October 1999
THE BIOGRAPHY CHANNEL PRIMETIME PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE
EASTERN TIME/PACIFIC TIME ZONESFriday -- 10/01/1999
8:00/5:00 Lives of Crime. James Hanratty: The A6 Murder. In a nod to our
British cousins, American Justice investigates the case of James
Hanratty--hanged for the shooting of two lovers on the A6 road near
London. But much of the circumstantial evidence pointed equally towards
Peter Alphon, who later confessed--and was never prosecuted. We'll ask
why. [TV PG]8:30/5:30 Lives of Crime. John Christie of Rillington Place. In 1948,
Timothy Evans was arrested for the murder of his wife and infant
daughter at Number 10 Rillington Place in London. Soon after, Evans was
hanged. Three years later, when another six bodies were discovered at
the same address, it became clear that Evans neighbor, John Christie,
knew a lot more than he told at Timothy's trial... [TV PG]9:00/6:00 Lives of Crime. The Yorkshire Ripper. The story of Peter
Sutcliffe, the English grave digger and killer who terrorized northern
England in the 1970s with a series of macabre and savage murders. [TV
PG]9:30/6:30 Lives of Crime. Denis Nilsen: The Kindly Killer. In London,
from 1978-83, a civil servant became Britain's worst serial murderer.
Denis Nilsen, a former policeman, lured at least 15 young men to his
apartment, murdered them, and disposed of their remains down the sewer.
[TV PG]10:00/7:00 Lives of Crime. John Haigh: The Acid Bath Murderer. In 1949,
a 39-year-old Englishman shot a female victim, removed her valuables,
then heaved her into a vat of sulfuric acid. When caught, he confessed
to murdering and disposing of seven others in the same macabre way. [TV
PG]10:30/7:30 Lives of Crime. Caryl Chessman. Story of the brilliant
criminal who was convicted of rape, robbery, sexual perversion, and
kidnapping in 1948, and later carried on a crusade against execution.
[TV PG]11:00/8:00 Lives of Crime. Neville Heath: The Lady Killer. Rakish and
handsome Neville Heath's crime career started with check forgery and
ended at the end of a rope after his conviction for the sadistic murder
of a young woman on June 20, 1946, at the Panama Club in South
Kensington, England. [TV PG]11:30/8:30 Lives of Crime. Roberts, Witney, and Duddy. Story of three
English criminals--John Duddy, John Witney, and Harry Roberts--who
murdered three policemen in 1966, shocking all of Great Britain. Roberts
was the target of one of the biggest manhunts in British history. [TV
PG]Saturday -- 10/02/1999
8:00/5:00 Leaders & Legends. Huey Long: The Kingfish. Story of the
controversial Louisiana politician who was assassinated in 1935. Long
was a hero to the poor, but was considered a con man by others. Features
several interviews including one with political consultant James
Carville. [TV G]9:00/6:00 Leaders & Legends. JFK: A Personal Story. A special 2-hour
commemoration of the life and legacy of the 35th President of the United
States. Includes interviews with friends, biographers, political
satirist Mort Sahl, and Cliff Robertson, who portrayed Kennedy on film.
[TV G]11:00/8:00 Leaders & Legends. Henry Kissinger: A Diplomat's Life. Henry
Kissinger's life is a remarkable success story. Forced to flee Nazi
Germany as a boy, he arrived in the U.S. virtually penniless. As
Secretary of State, he was one of the most powerful men in America,
working with Nixon to turn U.S. policy on its head. Washington's "Most
Eligible Bachelor" at the time, he became a media celebrity. [TV G]Sunday -- 10/03/1999
8:00/5:00 Lifespan. Heidi Fleiss: Hollywood Madam. Her Chanel-clad call
girls were rumored to service some of the most powerful men in the
world. Born to a liberal, hippie family, she was only 27 at the time of
her arrest, when the sex and drugs came to a screeching halt. Find out
what led her on the road to pandering. [TV PG]9:00/6:00 Lifespan. Celebrities on Trial. O.J. Simpson isn't the only
celebrity who has had to face trial. We examine other cases involving
celebrities, including director John Landis, tried for an accident on a
film set that killed three people, Christian Brando, involved in the
shooting death of his half-sister's boyfriend, and Zsa Zsa Gabor,
charged with slapping a policeman. [TV PG]10:00/7:00 Lifespan. Hollywoodism: Jews, Movies and the American Dream.
Based on Neal Gabler's best seller "An Empire of Their Own: How the Jews
Invented Hollywood", this 2-hour special shows how Jewish producers
created the idealized image of America depicted in the movies. [TV PG]Monday -- 10/04/1999
8:00/5:00 Great Women. Loretta Lynn: True Story of the Coal Miner's
Daughter. The rags-to-riches story of the singing star whose life was
the subject of the movie "Coal Miner's Daughter". After raising four
children and teaching herself the guitar, Loretta recorded such hits as
"You Ain't Woman Enough", "Don't Come Home A-Drinking", and "A
Honky-Tonk Girl". [TV G]9:00/6:00 Great Women. Tammy Wynette: First Lady of Country. An
up-to-the-minute profile of country music's beloved star who died
suddenly in April 1998. Includes interviews with close friends, family,
and performing colleagues who pay tribute to the "Stand by Your Man"
woman. [TV G]10:00/7:00 Great Women. Barbara Mandrell: Country's Do-Right Woman. The
great country singing star talks about her career, the car accident that
nearly killed her, and her struggle to make it back to the top. Parents
Irby and Mary Mandrell and her sisters are also interviewed. [TV G]11:00/8:00 Great Women. Tanya Tucker: Country Rebel. Profile of the sexy
and free-spirited singer who soared to stardom with "Delta Dawn", and
later plunged into a life of violence and drug abuse. [TV G]Tuesday -- 10/05/1999
8:00/5:00 Great Entertainers. W.C. Fields: Behind the Laughter. Profile
of the legendary misanthrope and comic legend with a raspy voice,
bulbous nose, and hatred of dogs and children. Follows his career from
early days as a juggler to stardom in the Ziegfeld Follies and such film
classics as "My Little Chickadee" and "Never Give a Sucker an Even
Break". [TV G]9:00/6:00 Great Entertainers. Jonathan Winters: Without a Net. The first
documentary of the great comic who delighted TV audiences with his
off-the-wall humor. With remarkable candor, Winters talks about his
career and bouts with mental illness. [TV G]10:00/7:00 Great Entertainers. Tim Allen: Prince of Tools. Follows the
rise of tool-belt-toting comedian from his drug-dealer days to
spectacular success on "Home Improvement". Co-star Patricia Richardson
is interviewed. [TV G]11:00/8:00 Great Entertainers. Joan Rivers: Can She Talk! A look at the
up-and-down career of the hilarious comedienne, including her years as
"Tonight Show" guest host, her disastrous attempt to launch her own late
night talk show, and the suicide of her husband. [TV G]Wednesday -- 10/06/1999
8:00/5:00 Wealth & Power. Dave Thomas: Made to Order. Story of the
lovable guy behind the Wendy's fast-food empire. He began with Kentucky
Fried Chicken and invented the famous bucket of chicken with Colonel
Sander's face on it. After leaving KFC, he started doing Wendy's
commercials in 1989--the first of 500 thus far. [TV G]9:00/6:00 Wealth & Power. The Marshall Fields: A Chicago Tradition.
Looks at the family behind the retail empire--their wealth,
philanthropies, divorces, rumors of suicide, and family rivalries. [TV
G]10:00/7:00 Wealth & Power. Merv Griffin: Master of the Deal. A look at
the incredible life of the singer, TV star, producer, and hotel tycoon
who overcame business setbacks and cancer to create such shows as "The
Wheel of Fortune" and build a financial empire. [TV G]11:00/8:00 Wealth & Power. Cartier: Jewelers to the Kings. The story of
a modest family with a dream that took them to the four corners of the
earth and made them--in only one generation--a jewelry empire. Features
interviews with Elton John and Ralph Destino, chairman of Cartier, Inc.
[TV G]Thursday -- 10/07/1999
8:00/5:00 Action Heroes. Chesty Puller: The Marine's Marine. The life of
the tough-as-nails Marine who compiled an unmatched fighting record from
the jungles of the Banana Wars and Guadalcanal, and from Peleliu to the
Chosin Reservoir. [TV G]9:00/6:00 Action Heroes. The Texas Rangers. The history of the
frontier's most feared and fearless lawmen, who combed the wide-open
spaces of Texas to track down some of the Old West's most vicious
criminals. [TV G]10:00/7:00 Action Heroes. Che Guevara: Restless Revolutionary. Looksat
the controversial life of the Argentinean revolutionary who was not only
a medical doctor but an aide to Fidel Castro in the Cuban Revolution and
active in leftist guerrilla movements in the Congo and Latin America. In
1967, while leading a guerrilla action in Bolivia, he was captured and
executed. [TV G]11:00/8:00 Action Heroes. General James Longstreet: Lee's Prodigal Son.
Story of the masterful soldier and aide to Robert E. Lee whose
understanding of warfare foretold its style in the 20th century. His
criticism of Lee after the war made him an outcast in the South, and
some historian's whipping boy for the Confederate defeat at Gettysburg.
[TV G]Friday -- 10/08/1999
8:00/5:00 Lives of Crime. Frank Costello: Prime Minister of the Mob. The
story of the slum kid who grew up to lead the most powerful crime family
in New York. Includes an interview with Anthony Quinn, a friend of
Costello's. [TV PG]9:00/6:00 Lives of Crime. The Gambinos: First Family of Crime. History
of one of America's most notorious organized crime families. This
special 2-hour biography begins with the story of Carlo who was born in
Palermo but made his way to America to make his first million selling
counterfeit ration stamps during WWII. Also follows his successor Paul
Castellano, and of course the reign of John Gotti. [TV PG]11:00/8:00 Lives of Crime. Sammy "The Bull" Gravano: Giving Up the Mob.
Explores the fascinating life of the Mafia's best-known "rat." Sammy
Gravano shattered the mythical Cosa Nostra and revealed its seamiest
secrets to the world when he broke the Mafia's blood oath of silence and
testified against his boss, John Gotti. [TV PG]Saturday -- 10/09/1999
8:00/5:00 Leaders & Legends. Crusade: The Life of Billy Graham. In
America, he's as much a spiritual leader as the Pope. But who is this
man who has traveled the world for more than 40 years preaching the word
of God? We meet the man, explore his evangelical roots, and examine the
power of his beliefs through first person interviews, archival footage,
and current day revival conventions. [TV G]9:00/6:00 Leaders & Legends. Ernest Hemingway: Wrestling with Life.
Hemingway didn't want his biography published until 100 years after his
death. Respectfully defying his wishes, our "Biography" sheds new light
on the author's life with rarely seen footage and the insights of those
who knew him best. Granddaughter Mariel Hemingway narrates this 2-hour
special. [TV G]11:00/8:00 Leaders & Legends. Masters and Johnson: The Science of Sex. A
look at the pioneers in sex research whose work revolutionized attitudes
about sexuality. When they began their work, William Masters was a quiet
family man and Virginia Johnson was a divorced mother. [TV PG]Sunday -- 10/10/1999
8:00/5:00 Lifespan. The Amy Fisher Story. Reviews the case of Amy
Fisher, the 17-year-old who was willing to kill to get the man she
wanted. Her intended victim, Mary Jo Buttafuco, who survived a
near-fatal gunshot wound, talks about the day Amy rang her doorbell--and
nearly took her life! [TV PG]9:00/6:00 Lifespan. Death Row Women. Bill Kurtis takes viewers inside
America's prisons for a rare look at mothers and grandmothers awaiting
execution on death row. [TV PG]10:00/7:00 Lifespan. Death Row Prostitute: Aileen Wuornos. A look at the
violent story of "highway hooker" Aileen Wuornos, who was convicted of
killing seven men after her lesbian lover became the star witness for
the prosecution. [TV PG]11:00/8:00 Lifespan. Women in Prison. Revealing probe into a disturbing
new phenomenon--the growing number of women in American jails. Some
killed abusive husbands, others were willing accomplices in their
boyfriends' crime sprees. [TV PG]Monday -- 10/11/1999
8:00/5:00 Great Women. Diana: The True Story. A special 2-hour balanced
picture of the Princess of Wales, with candid comments from people who
knew her best. Includes interviews with everyone--from her hairdresser
and speechwriter to her cooking teacher and personal trainer. [TV G]10:00/7:00 Great Women. Joan of Arc: Soul on Fire. A teenage girl so
dangerous, she was burnt at the stake? Why did her executioners believe
she was a witch? How did an illiterate peasant girl take command of an
army and seat a king on the throne of France? We'll explore the
remarkable story of the woman warrior who became a saint. [TV G]11:00/8:00 Great Women. Eleanor Roosevelt: A Restless Spirit. An
intimate portrait of the beloved humanitarian and former First Lady who
was reviled by political opponents during her lifetime, and whose
husband's affair may have led to a secret one of her own. [TV G]Tuesday -- 10/12/1999
8:00/5:00 Great Entertainers. Steven Spielberg: An Empire of Dreams.
Special two-hour profile of one of the most successful and important
movie directors of the century. Features interviews with Tom Hanks,
Richard Dreyfuss, Oprah Winfrey, Robin Williams, and Spielberg's mother,
father, and sister. [TV G]10:00/7:00 Great Entertainers. Charlie Chaplin: A Tramp's Life. This
two-hour look at one of the century's most brilliant comics includes 22
interviews with family and friends, never-before-seen home movies, the
highest-quality prints of Chaplin's classic films, and outtakes that
offer a rare glimpse into his filmmaking style. [TV G]Wednesday -- 10/13/1999
8:00/5:00 Wealth & Power. Bill Gates: Sultan of Software. By the age of
42, Bill Gates was one of titans of American business. In 1998, his
company Microsoft controlled 95% of the world's personal computer
operating systems. We look at his extraordinary life--from child prodigy
to Harvard dropout to billionaire--including his marriage, fatherhood,
and current legal problems. [TV G]9:00/6:00 Wealth & Power. Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Here's the story of
the American President who turned one of the world's greatest countries
around with his New Deal policies, which pulled the country out of the
Great Depression. Also looks at his leadership during World War II. [TV
G]10:00/7:00 Wealth & Power. Elizabeth I: The Virgin Queen. Story of
England's great queen whose navy defeated the Spanish Armada and whose
reign included the life of Shakespeare. Our profile vividly recreates
Tudor England through dramatic reconstructions, illustrations, and
interviews with experts on the period. [TV G]11:00/8:00 Wealth & Power. Winston Churchill. Remember the glorious
triumphs of the stately Prime Minister who led England through its
darkest hour in World War II and on to victory. [TV G]Thursday -- 10/14/1999
8:00/5:00 Action Heroes. Wilbur & Orville: Dreams of Flying. Everyone
knows the Wright Brothers were the first to fly, but few know the inside
story of their lives. This original profile takes a close look at their
personalities and how their struggles and success affected them. [TV G]9:00/6:00 Action Heroes. George Washington: Founding Father. Portrait of
the surveyor, land baron, farmer, slave owner, general, and first
President. George Washington rose to prominence on the shoulders of his
dynamic half-brother Lawrence, married wisely, and was enormously
popular with the soldiers of Virginia and politicians of his day. [TV G]10:00/7:00 Action Heroes. Marco Polo: Journey to the East. Chronicles
the life of the adventurer whose 25-year journey through Asia and China
launched the Age of Exploration and brought the wonders of the East to
Europe. [TV G]11:00/8:00 Action Heroes. Christopher Columbus: Explorer of the New
World. An original profile of the explorer that reveals details of his
life that may surprise many viewers. Columbus received little credit for
his discoveries and died a broken and largely forgotten man. [TV G]Friday -- 10/15/1999
8:00/5:00 Lives of Crime. Mao Tse-Tung: China's Peasant Emperor. The
extraordinary life of the farmer's son who ruled Communist China with an
iron fist. Includes harrowing eyewitness accounts of the Cultural
Revolution and the Great Leap Forward. [TV G]9:00/6:00 Lives of Crime. Joseph Stalin: Red Terror. The Iron Curtain
parts for a portrait of the Russian strongman who ruled supreme for 25
years, and left a legacy of fear and death. [TV PG]10:00/7:00 Lives of Crime. Genghis Khan: Terror and Conquest. The life
of the ruthless Mongol conqueror of the late 12th and early 13th
centuries. Traces his military successes from northern China through
Russia and Eastern Europe. His conquests created one of the largest
empires the world has ever known. [TV PG]11:00/8:00 Lives of Crime. Vladimir Lenin: Voice of Revolution. Called
treacherous, deluded, out-of-touch, insane, Lenin might have been a
minor historical footnote but for the Russian Revolution which
catapulted him into the headlines of the century. Newly opened, formerly
secret Soviet files, reveal a clearer picture of the fanatical
philosopher. [TV G]Saturday -- 10/16/1999
8:00/5:00 Leaders & Legends. Sir Isaac Newton: The Gravity of Genius.
Chronicles the life of the scientific genius who laid the foundations
for calculus and defined the laws of gravity, but who lived a lonely and
unhappy personal life. [TV G]9:00/6:00 Leaders & Legends. Charles Darwin: Evolution's Voice. The
English naturalist who developed the ground-breaking theory of evolution
battles an array of obstacles--a debilitating illness, South American
despots, and lethal seas that nearly thwart his voyage of discovery. [TV
G]10:00/7:00 Leaders & Legends. Sigmund Freud: Analysis of a Mind. Profile
of the founder of modern psychology that covers his youth in Vienna, his
use of cocaine and irrational fears, and the psychological detective
story that led him to his greatest discoveries. [TV G]11:00/8:00 Leaders & Legends. Marconi: Whisper in the Air. Study of the
man who conquered the airwaves by inventing the means to communicate
without wires. Even when leading scientists believed it impossible, the
brilliant Marconi pursued his dream and succeeded. [TV G]Sunday -- 10/17/1999
8:00/5:00 Lifespan. Nelson Mandela: Journey to Freedom. Profile of the
South African leader who led the fight against apartheid. Includes the
story of his African royal lineage, his underground battle against the
white supremacist regime, and his 27 years in jail. [TV G]9:00/6:00 Lifespan. The Underground Railroad. "So many slaves escaped
into freedom along a route that could not be ascertained that the slave
owners said there must be an underground railroad under the Ohio River
and on to the North." Abolitionist William Cockrum, 1854. Join
descendants and scholars as we tell the story of America's first civil
rights movement. ( [TV G]11:00/8:00 Lifespan. Harlem Hellfighters. The African-American soldiers
of the 369th Infantry fought two wars: one against the Germans and one
against the hatred of their fellow Americans. But the regiment--which
never lost an inch of ground or surrendered a single man--became the
most feared fighting force of WWI. Narrated by Roscoe Lee Browne. [TV G]Monday -- 10/18/1999
8:00/5:00 Great Women. Helen Thomas: First Lady of the Press. Profile of
the legendary White House reporter who broke ground for women in
journalism and who has kept Presidents on the defensive with her probing
questions and coverage. [TV G]9:00/6:00 Great Women. Gloria Steinem: Ms. America. Profile of the famed
writer and feminist leader. Traces her life from troubled childhood to
her early years as a successful author and editor to her prominence in
the women's movement where she fought for abortion rights and passage of
the Equal Rights Amendment. [TV G]10:00/7:00 Great Women. Helen Gurley Brown: The Original Cosmo Girl.
Profile of the publishing legend, and longtime editor-in-chief of
"Cosmopolitan" magazine, whose own story reads like a romance novel.
From tragic childhood in the Arkansas Ozarks, to the uproar caused by
her most famous book, "Sex and the Single Girl", our profile shows how
she became the toast of Manhattan. [TV G]11:00/8:00 Great Women. Katharine Graham: Pillar of the Post. Daughter
of a Wall Street baron and Washington power broker, from the day that
Katharine Graham's father bought the "Washington Post", her life has
been marked by the political and social life of the capital. Following
her husband's suicide, she became publisher, allowing Bernstein and
Woodward to crack Watergate. [TV G]Tuesday -- 10/19/1999
8:00/5:00 Great Entertainers. Mia Farrow: A Life of Drama. Story of the
actress who grew up in a real-life Hollywood fantasyland, but whose
adult life has been filled with controversy. Includes a look at her
marriage to Frank Sinatra and sordid relationship with Woody Allen. [TV
G]9:00/6:00 Great Entertainers. Jack Benny: Now Cut That Out. Traces the
career of the comedy legend who had such a perfect life that top authors
declined to write his biography claiming that it would be too boring.
Features hilarious radio and TV highlights. [TV G]10:00/7:00 Great Entertainers. Andy Warhol: A Life at the Edge. This
portrait gives Warhol 60 more minutes of fame with a look at how the
avant-garde artist and filmmaker broke the boundaries of popular
culture. This profile explores the roots of Warhol's obsessive--and
nearly fatal--quest for popularity. [TV PG]11:00/8:00 Great Entertainers. Mick Jagger: Rolling Stone. Story of the
"bad boy" of music who came to symbolize sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll in
a turbulent career spanning four decades. [TV G]Wednesday -- 10/20/1999
8:00/5:00 Wealth & Power. The du Ponts: America's Wealthiest Family.
Portrait of the fabulously wealthy family that built an empire in
chemicals. Looks at why most family members have shunned publicity, and
includes the startling story of John E. du Pont who shot and kill
Olympic gold medal-winner Dave Schultz. [TV G]9:00/6:00 Wealth & Power. America's Castles: The Chemical Age. Features
the castles created by the forerunners of the Industrial Age, including
the du Pont's "Winterthur" in the Brandywine Valley. [TV G]10:00/7:00 Wealth & Power. Faberge: Imperial Jeweler. Story of Russia's
Peter Carl Faberge, who created the fabled jeweled eggs that are worth
millions today. Traces his life from the time he worked for the czars to
his escape to Switzerland after the Russian Revolution. [TV G]11:00/8:00 Wealth & Power. The Czar's Faberge Eggs. Story of the
magnificent Imperial Easter Eggs made for Russia's Czar Nicholas II by
the jeweler Peter Carl Faberge. Features a glimpse of the Forbes
Collection, the world's largest collection of Faberge Eggs. [TV G]Thursday -- 10/21/1999
8:00/5:00 Action Heroes. General Omar Bradley. Profile of the great
American military leader who became one of few to ever hold the rank of
five-star general. Traces his career from West Point through early
battles in WWI, and then WWII action in Tunisia, Sicily, and Normandy.
Known for his popularity among average G.I.s, Bradley's forces liberated
Paris on August 25, 1944. [TV G]9:00/6:00 Action Heroes. Audie Murphy: Great American Hero. Profile of
the farm boy, famed for his incredible bravery in World War II, who
became a movie star, but suffered from drug and gambling addictions
before dying in a plane crash. [TV G]10:00/7:00 Action Heroes. Ike & Monty: Generals at War. General Dwight
D. Eisenhower and Field-Marshall Bernard Law Montgomery may have been
comrades-in-arms but private correspondence reveals a bitter conflict
between them. We examine how their clashing personalities influenced
their soldiering, and ultimately the course of World War II. [TV G]11:00/8:00 Action Heroes. Hap Arnold: The Sky Warrior. Profile of the
aviation pioneer who helped build Pan American Airways and the U.S. Air
Force, and who was the genius behind American air strategy in WWII. [TV
G]Friday -- 10/22/1999
8:00/5:00 Lives of Crime. Attila: Scourge Of God. Bloodthirsty barbarian
or benevolent ruler? Our profile portrays Attila the Hun as he really
was: shrewd, tough, and at times even thoughtful. A man who, through
intelligence and sheer force of character forged a loose confederation
of nomadic tribes into the most fearsome military machine of its time.
[TV PG]9:00/6:00 Lives of Crime. Genghis Khan: Terror and Conquest. The life of
the ruthless Mongol conqueror of the late 12th and early 13th centuries.
Traces his military successes from northern China through Russia and
Eastern Europe. His conquests created one of the largest empires the
world has ever known. [TV PG]10:00/7:00 Lives of Crime. Ivan the Terrible: Might and Madness. The
life of the bloodthirsty first czar of Russia. Ivan killed his own son
and had several of his wives murdered. [TV PG]11:00/8:00 Lives of Crime. Marquis de Sade: The Depraved Aristocrat.
Portrait of the 18th-century French writer and connoisseur of sex. De
Sade was imprisoned numerous times for his scandalous novels and plays
and sexual "crimes." [TV 14]Saturday -- 10/23/1999
8:00/5:00 Leaders & Legends. Cinque: Freedom Fighter. Special look at
the life of Joseph Cinque, the slave who led the 1839 Amistad Revolt, an
uprising that led to a monumental Supreme Court case, challenged the
"inalienable rights of man", pitted two Presidents against each other,
and moved the country one step closer to civil war. [TV G]9:00/6:00 Leaders & Legends. John Brown's War. In-depth account of the
famed abolitionist's 1859 attack on the U.S. arsenal at Harpers Ferry
that ended the nation's last hopes of unity. [TV G]10:00/7:00 Leaders & Legends. Frederick Douglass. Profile of the slave
who escaped to freedom and became a legendary abolitionist and fiery
writer and orator. [TV G]11:00/8:00 Leaders & Legends. Malcolm X: A Search for Identity. Profile
of the controversial African-American leader who spent years in prison,
converted to Islam, and was a voice of hope for many. From "Detroit Red"
the street hustler to Malcolm X, charismatic leader of his generation
and proponent of Black Nationalism, we detail his life and tragic death
at age 39 at the hands of gunmen. [TV G]Sunday -- 10/24/1999
8:00/5:00 Lifespan. Lee Harvey Oswald: An American Tragedy. The story of
the alleged JFK assassin who, with three shots, changed the course of
history forever. [TV PG]9:00/6:00 Lifespan. Conspiracies. Did Sirhan Sirhan have an accomplice
in the killing of Robert Kennedy? Did the FBI play a role in the murder
of Martin Luther King, Jr.? This documentary examines these and other
possible conspiracies. [TV G]11:00/8:00 Lifespan. Jack Anderson: JFK, the Mob, & Me. Investigative
reporter Jack Anderson offers solid evidence that the mob was involved
in President Kennedy's assassination. Ties together his personal
knowledge of JFK, his close contacts with top mob bosses in the 1950s,
and revelations about the mob's relationships with Fidel Castro and the
CIA. [TV PG]Monday -- 10/25/1999
8:00/5:00 Great Women. Madeleine Albright: First Lady of State. A look
at the life of Madeleine Albright, who was born in Prague in 1939, and
became the first foreign-born U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. after charming
Senator Jesse Helms in her confirmation hearings in 1992. In 1997,
President Bill Clinton nominated her for Secretary of State, and she
quickly became Saddam Hussein's nemesis. [TV G]9:00/6:00 Great Women. The Mysteries of Amelia Earhart. July 2,
1937--Amelia Earhart vanishes somewhere over the Pacific, and her final
whereabouts remain one of the world's great mysteries. This 2-hour
special chronicles her rise to fame, details the last flight, and
examines views on her disappearance from a variety of experts and
authors, which range from crash at sea to alien abduction. [TV G]11:00/8:00 Great Women. Pamela Harriman: Passion and Power. The story of
the English girl who used ambition and feminine wiles to become a
celebrated debutante, wartime hostess, international femme fatale,
Broadway producer's wife, Washington power broker, and ambassador. [TV
G]Tuesday -- 10/26/1999
8:00/5:00 Great Entertainers. Walter Matthau: Diamond in the Rough. Life
of the Oscar winner known for his cynicism and surly sentimentality both
onscreen and in real life. Barely three when his father deserted,
Matthau's early poverty and New York street smarts produced a
self-deprecating humor that never left him. Includes clips and
interviews with Jack Lemmon, Julie Harris, and Neil Simon. [TV G]9:00/6:00 Great Entertainers. Jack Lemmon: America's Everyman. Career of
the Harvard-educated comedy genius who starred in such film classics as
"The Odd Couple" and "Missing". Includes film clips and interviews with
Neil Simon, Kevin Spacey, and Gregory Peck. [TV G]10:00/7:00 Great Entertainers. Jerry Lewis: The Last American Clown.
Alan King hosts this 2-hour look at the career of the legendary comic.
Lewis talks about the grandmother who raised him, his troubled
partnership with Dean Martin, and his health, and career problems. [TV
G]Wednesday -- 10/27/1999
8:00/5:00 Wealth & Power. Colonel Sanders: America's Chicken King.
Here's your chance to know the real Colonel Harlan Sanders. He spent
most of his life bouncing from job to job and collected his first Social
Security check before becoming a success. He also never made it past
private in the Army. But his chicken recipe hit it big after he was 65.
[TV G]9:00/6:00 Wealth & Power. Henry VIII: Scandals of a King. An engrossing
profile that reveals the extraordinary and bloody life of the English
monarch who founded the Church of England and broke with the Pope.
Includes the story of Henry's ruthless suppression of political
opposition and the executions of some of his wives. [TV G]11:00/8:00 Wealth & Power. J.C. Penney: Main Street Millionaire.
Portrait of James Cash Penney, founder of the first national chain of
clothing stores. Penney lived by the Golden Rule and bounced back from
losing his entire fortune--$40 million--in the 1930s. [TV G]Thursday -- 10/28/1999
8:00/5:00 Action Heroes. General Douglas MacArthur: Return of a Legend.
Administrator, swashbuckler, and statesman, MacArthur was a military man
of definite style who crossed swords with Presidents and overcame an
entrenched enemy. [TV G]9:00/6:00 Action Heroes. Evel Knievel: Hell on Wheels. Fascinating story
of the motorcycle daredevil who accepted every challenge, no matter how
insane. Features footage of some of his wildest stunts, including the
legendary rocket jump over the Snake River Canyon. [TV PG]10:00/7:00 Action Heroes. Red Cloud. The legendary saga of Oglala Chief
Red Cloud--fierce and proud leader in both war and peace. [TV G]11:00/8:00 Action Heroes. Stonewall Jackson. Portrait of the brilliant
General Thomas Jackson, who led Confederate troops in the bloody battles
of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Bull Run, where he and his
troops defended their position "like a stone wall." [TV G]Friday -- 10/29/1999
8:00/5:00 Lives of Crime. Manuel Noriega: The Rise and Fall of Panama's
Strongman. Meet Prisoner # 38699 079 in Miami's Federal Correction
Institution--Manuel Noriega, former dictator of Panama who is serving 40
years for drug smuggling. From humble beginnings to brutal leader to
multi-million dollar drug and money-laundering lord, Noriega talks about
his life, as do former compatriots and detractors. [TV G]9:00/6:00 Lives of Crime. Hitler's Henchmen: Doenitz: The Successor. At
the Nuremberg Trials, Hitler's Admiral of the Fleet declared his
innocence, maintaining that he was apolitical, only doing his duty--but,
it wasn't Doenitz's 23-day reign as the anointed successor that sealed
his fate. We'll examine his complicity in the murder of survivors at
sea, and talk to his daughter and nephew. [TV PG]10:00/7:00 Lives of Crime. Pol Pot: Secret Killer. Profile of the
Communist dictator believed to be responsible for the murders of two
million Cambodians in the mid-1970s. [TV G]11:00/8:00 Lives of Crime. Idi Amin: Monster in Disguise. Chronicles the
cruel career of the Ugandan strongman who secretly ordered the murder of
thousands of his own people while maintaining a jovial public image. [TV
PG]Saturday -- 10/30/1999
8:00/5:00 Leaders & Legends. David Brinkley: A Reporter's Life. Cokie
Roberts, Walter Cronkite, and other top journalists join this look back
at the remarkable broadcasting career of Brinkley, one-half of the famed
Huntley & Brinkley news team. [TV G]9:00/6:00 Leaders & Legends. Walter Cronkite: Eyewitness to History.
Special 2-hour portrait of the war correspondent, TV broadcast pioneer,
and anchorman who was beloved by almost all Americans. With vintage
clips of his most famous newscasts, including his announcement of the
death of President Kennedy. (cc) [TV G]11:00/8:00 Leaders and Legends. Walter Winchell: The Voice of America.
Recounts the career of the controversial gossip columnist and radio
broadcaster who wielded enormous personal and political power from the
1930s through the 1950s. Includes interviews with Jimmy Breslin and Liz
Smith. [TV G]Sunday -- 10/31/1999
8:00/5:00 Lifespan. Yitzhak Rabin: Soldier of Peace. Yitzhak Rabin's
life mirrored that of his nation. From Israel's fight for independence
to the wars for survival, he was always there at the front line, and
stood out as a superb tactician and strategist. Yet, his greatest vision
and risk came late in life when he traveled the road of reconciliation
with Palestine before his assassination. [TV G]9:00/6:00 Lifespan. Jerusalem with Martin Gilbert: From a Dream to
Destruction. The lively and witty historian Martin Gilbert serves as a
tour guide to the thriving, 3,000-year-old city that is holy to Jews,
Christians, and Moslems alike. In Part 1, he provides the early history
of the city, ending with the destruction of the Jews' Second Temple by
Romans in 70 A.D. [TV G]10:00/7:00 Lifespan. Jerusalem with Martin Gilbert: Pilgrims to
Conquerors. Part 2 of a lively and penetrating historical tour of the
city that is home to three major monotheistic religions. Renowned
historian Martin Gilbert covers the rise of Islam and the Crusades,
continuing through to Kaiser Wilhelm's visit in 1898. [TV G]11:00/8:00 Lifespan. Jerusalem with Martin Gilbert: The Twentieth
Century. The final episode in Martin Gilbert's history of this holy city
covers the rise of Zionism and Theodore Herzl's meeting with Kaiser
Wilhelm, taking us through the turbulent 20th century and up to today's
peace talks. [TV G]
