Documentary / Biography - DVD

It is the most famous monster in literature. The enduring creation of Mary Shelley has appeared in countless films and books since it was dreamed up by the 20 year old wife of the famed poet Percy Shelley. But is it possible that the...

This episode explores one of gambling history's most unusual, legendary relationships--and how it changed the casino industry. In 1961, lifelong gambler Manny Kimmel, a "connected" New York businessman, read an article by MIT math professor Ed Thorp claiming that anyone could make a fortune...

He went from B-movies to the Oval Office. One of the most controversial presidents in history, he changed the nation more radically than any chief executive since Roosevelt. Ronald Reagan left his mark on the nation. Some saw him as a front man for...

Chinatown. You've heard of it. Might even have been there to try the food. But these colorful communities are more than quaint districts geared for tourism. Chinese-Americans take viewers inside as they reveal the history of this immigrant group that thrived and prospered in...

Pitting Hollywood fiction against historical fact, we'll examine the reality behind Samuel Fuller's great war movie "The Big Red One". Based upon Fuller's own World War II experiences, the film starred Lee Marvin as the intrepid sergeant of special infantry squadron in various campaigns...

The image of the Highland soldier, in his tartan kilt and sporran, is known and admired throughout the world. He has become the symbol of Scottishness: a heroic warrior, marching proudly to the skirl of the bagpipe, ready to fight and die for the...

Go beyond damaging stereotypes for an intimate, uncensored look at America's growing transsexual community.

True story of one of the Army's most distinguished divisions, the 101st, which was formed in WWI, becoming the 101st Airborne in WWII. The 101st participated in D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge, guarded black students in Little Rock, and was renamed the101st...

Examine the broad canvas of Michelangelo's life and legacy to probe the very soul of the artist who was recognized as a genius in his own lifetime.

This program tells the untold story of a massacre of American troops and French civilians on D-Day. The heroic collaboration by the 507th paratroopers and French civilians during the battle at Graignes contributed to one of the most crucial victories on D-Day by delaying...

Examine the life of one of the century's most influential leaders through rare footage and interviews with the Dalai Lama and Gandhi's grandson.

The U.S. Coast Guard has emerged as one of America's most important and potent forces in the post-Cold War era. But little is known about this vital and action-filled branch of the armed services. Made with the full cooperation of the Coast Guard, this...

The U.S. Coast Guard has emerged as one of America's most important and potent forces in the post-Cold War era. But little is known about this vital and action-filled branch of the armed services. Made with the full cooperation of the Coast Guard, this...

Thirty-one-year-old Laurie has three beautiful children but they are not allowed to live with her. She has a master's degree in psychology but she's lost her job as a death row psychologist. Laurie is a pill addict. She started abusing Xanex after her marriage...

In July 1926, the luxury cruiser Queen of Nassau left Miami for Tampa, and 24 hours later, a violent explosion sent the crew scrambling for their lives. In just eight minutes, the ship vanished and wasn't seen again until her discovery in 2001. But...

The life-or-death situations where an armed assailant is holding innocent people hostage are among the most difficult in all of law enforcement. THE HOSTAGE TAKERS focuses on several prominent cases, revealing the unique forces involved. From the Hanafi siege of three Washington D.C. buildings...

A delightful visit to the grand palaces of cinema built to showcase the first of the great motion pictures. Includes New York City's legendary New Amsterdam Theater and Hollywood's famous Chinese Theater.

They are masterpieces of Old World craftsmanship transplanted to American soil. With sweeping buttresses, soaring towers and exquisite details, they stand as testaments to faith and to the skill of the hands that built them. This special AMERICA'S CASTLES visits three of the most...

His name adorns everything from underwear to perfume. His stylish designs and business acumen built a fashion empire. When Brooke Shields went on national TV and cooed "nothing comes between me and my Calvins," a young designer from New York became a fashion icon....

She found love and riches in the Gold Rush, and international fame for her courage during the Titanic disaster. Molly Brown lived a storybook life. Born to a large, poor family in Missouri, she traveled west with her brother at 19 and soon struck...

For years, the brain was terra incognito for surgeons, but recent advances have made it possible to correct many brain disorders through surgery. THE STORM WITHIN ventures inside the operating theater where pediatric surgeon Dr. Ben Carson corrects a rare brain disease that causes...

In this hour, we examine a massive oil tanker explosion that killed nine; a subway tunnel cave-in that swallowed part of Hollywood Boulevard; a freighter plane crash that destroyed an 11-story apartment building; an historic molasses flash flood; and a freeway ramp collapse that...

Some of the most exciting tales of human determination and survival can be found in the chronicles of shipwrecks. Hold your breath and go below the watery surface to view some of the historic shipwrecks that scatter California's coastline, many of which have created...

Sought by Western intelligence for over 20 years, his name was synonymous with political terrorism in the 1970s. Mastermind behind the terrorist attack on Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics, his most infamous feat was the 1975 kidnapping of 11 OPEC ministers meeting...

Join us on an out-of-this-world exploration of the history of long-duration life in space--from the first Soviet station to Skylab to Mir to the International Space Station. Experience what it is like to live in space, as well as the monumental obstacles engineers and...

A brief montage comprised of archive news film and still photographs highlighting the many dramatic assassinations and political murders which left a deep impact upon this century. Included are the murders which were allegedly committed by the avowed anarchists, Sacco and Vanzetti. The political...

Reveals exciting and controversial military campaigns that have all but faded from American history--a showdown with Britain that began over a pig; a war in Korea fought in 1871, not 1950; and a U.S. citizen's attempt to seize control of Nicaragua! Covers little-known invasions...

In World War I, soldiers huddled in their trenches as primitive but deadly mortar shells rained on them from above. In World War II, Londoners lived in fear of the Nazi "buzzbombs" and, later, the dreaded V-2. In the Gulf War, precision-guided "smart" bombs...

Only the Model T and the VW Beetle remained as true to their original design as the Morgan. Originally designed in the fifties, but with roots going back still farther, the Morgan is an anachronism that nevertheless enjoys astonishing success today. Simple and sporty,...

When Hawaii police officer Kenneth Mathison is suspected of killing his wife, authorities let him off with only a slap on the wrist. But after outraged citizens demand a thorough investigation, Mathison ends up facing kidnapping and murder charges.

He made the find of the 20th century and discovered the most spectacular treasure the world had ever seen. For over 30 years, Howard Carter searched the Egyptian desert, seeking the ultimate prize. Then, in November 1922, with his money, luck, and time running...

The Pioneers. A look at the homes of the men who helped turn sleepy villages into bustling towns. Includes Brigham Young's "Beehive House,"; Harvey Vaile's mansion in Independence, Missouri; and Charles Conrad's mansion in the Rocky Mountains of Montana.

<html>They are massive estates dedicated to the pursuit of a pastime that, for many, symbolizes the high life. In this private tour, AMERICA'S CASTLES visits three of the nation's most exquisite and important equestrian centers. Designed by noted Washington, D.C. architect Benjamin Henry...

To many people it is a disgrace to justice. Others say that anything that might help break a case is justified. More and more police departments occasionally turn to psychics for assistance on cases that have gone cold. But is there any real evidence...

On December 17, 1944, at the height of the Battle of the Bulge, 115 American POWs were shot down senselessly by a Nazi tank detachment. It was one of the most blatant and brutal of all Nazi war crimes. OUR CENTURY takes a hard...

Perhaps one of the greatest expressions of weapons, naval guns first encouraged nations to develop the concept of "sea power". From sail, to steam, to steel, the warships of the world exist for one purpose--to overpower the enemy at sea. Step aboard as we...

In the jungles of Vietnam, soldiers decorated palm trees and gave makeshift gifts to comrades. In the bitter chill of Valley Forge, Washington's men wrote longing letters home to family and loved ones who prayed for their safe return. In the blistering sands of...

The young, mystical Sioux leader Crazy Horse (Tasunka Witko) personifies Native-American resistance to white advancement westward. His leadership in the 1876 defeat of Custer's 7th Cavalry at Little Big Horn made him the most famous Indian warrior in America. Ironically, Crazy Horse is a...

In Milwaukee, 104 died after drinking contaminated tap water. At Texas A&M, a tradition turned tragic when a pile of bonfire logs collapsed onto its builders. Thousands of U.S. soldiers expired in known WWII deathtraps--Sherman Tanks. In 1973, 14 men working on a 26-story...

He was the last Japanese ruler to uphold the Shinto idea of imperial divinity. His rule saw his nation transformed from an ancient society to a modern powerhouse and ravaged by war. Emperor Hirohito ruled for over 60 years. He led his nation into...

For 24 years, he ruled his country with an iron hand. But the waves of freedom that swept Europe in 1989 cost him his life. Nicolae Ceausescu will be remembered as much for his sudden death as his long tenure as dictator of Rumania....

Their Italian ancestors crushed grapes with their toes to make wine for the family. 100 years later, two brothers ran the largest winery in the world.Earnest and Julio Gallo are the best-known and most successful vintners in America. But the masters of the worldwide...

One of the holiest sites of ancient Greece, Delphi was the pre-eminent shrine of Apollo. Cradled by Mount Parnassos and a valley of olive groves, it was also sacred to Dionysus, who was supposedly buried there. But Delphi is chiefly known for its legendary...

Many Americans hold the misguided idea that the AIDS crisis has largely passed, that the disease is now manageable and a cure is coming. Unfortunately, it is just this belief that is fueling a new wave of cases as the epidemic spreads. INVESTIGATIVE REPORTS...

A look at the growing debate over whether parole boards are too quick to release dangerous criminals. Features the cases of a parolee who raped and killed a coed and an ex-inmate who was released "cold turkey" because of prison overcrowding and then murdered...

No one would have believed that the tinkering of a plumber would turn into the foundation of the world's largest corporation. But it did. David Dunbar Buick invented a process to adhere porcelain to tubs and other bathroom fixtures. But the Scottish immigrant dreamed...

Success was anything but assured. In fact, before the invasion even began, Dwight Eisenhower had already penned this message to the Allied leaders: "Our landings have failed and I have withdrawn the troops." It was never sent. The D-Day landings signaled the beginning of...

The once majestic SS Marine Electric lies 134 feet beneath the Atlantic off New Jersey's coast. While hauling coal on the night of February 12, 1983, she suddenly capsized and sank in a savage winter storm. With no time to launch lifeboats, 34 men...

Some of the most horrific killers of all are found not guilty. They are the criminally insane, driven to commit crimes by psychoses and obsessions beyond their control. Instead of prison, they are committed to mental hospitals for treatment and some are eventually released....

Join us for an explosive hour as we see why Alfred Nobel's invention of dynamite took on earth-shattering dimensions as his product blasted out the natural resources that have built our modern world. We also examine its impact on construction of the roads, tunnels,...