Listings For March 2003 (schedules available after the 1st)
NOTE: We are listing both EST/Pacific Time and individual television ratings. All rated [G] or [PG] unless noted. [NR] = Not Rated, news-related program.
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03/01/2003
8:00 Tom Ridge Defending America. Frank Sesno interviews
former Governor Tom Ridge, head of the Department of Homeland
Security, and gets an insider's look at the man and his mission. On
March 1, 2003, 170,000 employees in 22 federal departments and
agencies across the country merge under the authority of his newly
created department. Ridge's plan is to build and sustain a permanent
relationship with state and local governments and the private sector to
resist and confront the new threat of terrorism. CC [TV G]
9:00 Defending America. The Coast Guard. This unique and
legendary service protects America's waters and coasts and faces
threats of terrorism, drug running, illegal immigration, and rescue at
sea--all with a force smaller than the New York City Police Department!
"Coasties" don't wait for war--they're fighting their wars every
day, as
they have for over 200 years. CC [TV G]
10:00 Defending America. The National Guard. From the
Minutemen of the American Revolution to Afghanistan, the National
Guard protects America at home and abroad. Older than the United
States itself, the Guard has fought in every American war and
protected this country during flood, fire, riots, and now terrorism. Join
us for a tribute to America's National Guard. CC [TV G]
11:00 Defending America. U.S. Customs. The law enforcement
officers of United States Customs are the first line of defense along
America's borders. From its beginnings after the American Revolution
to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon,
we see why U.S. Customs has been and continues to be "America's
Gatekeepers". CC [TV G]
03/02/2003
8:00 B26 Marauder! Bombing from altitudes of over 10,000 feet, the
Marauder had the lowest loss rate of any Allied bomber during WWII--
less than one-half of one percent. By the end of the war, it had flown
over 100,000 missions and dropped over 150,000 tons of bombs. Meet
the designers, technicians, and soldiers who played integral roles in
the Marauder's development. CC [TV G]
9:00 Mail Call. The Jeep/HIMARS/Hurricanes. R. Lee Ermey, who
portrayed the sergeant in Full Metal Jacket, applies his gruff
sense of
humor in this half-hour series that answers viewers' mail about what
the armed forces were, and really are, like! Shot on location, Ermey
reads the questions on air and then sends them out to military experts
in the field for answers and brief demonstrations. Ermey learns all
about the Jeep; the new rocket launcher called HIMARS; and how and
why the military hunts down hurricanes. CC [TV PG]
9:30 Mail Call. Future Gear/Marine Camouflage/Army's New Armored
Vehicle. R. Lee Ermey, the sergeant in "Full Metal Jacket", applies
his
gruff sense of humor in this half-hour series that answers viewers' mail
about what the armed forces were, and really are, like! Shot on
location, Ermey reads questions on air and then sends them out to
military experts in the field for answers and brief demonstrations.
Ermey looks at possible gear for GIs on tomorrow's battlefields; how
the Marines designed their new camo pattern; and examines the
Army's new armored vehicle, the Stryker. CC [TV PG]
10:00 Mail Call. Self-Propelled Artillery/Matchlock
Musket/Airships/Blue Angels/Pirate Weapons/Depth Charges. If self-
propelled artillery is much more maneuverable than towed artillery,
why isn't all artillery self-propelled? How does a matchlock musket
work? Did the U.S. Navy really use airships as floating aircraft
carriers? How does the Navy select pilots for their elite precision flying
team, the Blue Angels? What type of weapons did pirates use? How
do depth charges work? R. Lee Ermey and military experts in the field
answer these questions with brief demonstrations. CC [TV PG]
10:30 History Now. Terror Survival Guide. CC [TV PG]
11:00 Time Machine. The Secret Bunker. CC [TV PG]
03/03/2003
8:00 Mail Call. Medieval Weapons/Lewis Gun/Carrier
Pigeons/Gliders in Combat/Anti-Tank Missile/Ejection Seats. What
were some of the wickedest medieval weapons? What is a WWI Lewis
gun? How were carrier pigeons used during WWI and WWII? Were
people really crazy enough to use gliders in combat? How does the
TOW (tube-launched, optically tracked, wire-guided missile system)
anti-tank missile work? How do ejection seats work? Shot on location,
R. Lee Ermey sends these questions out to military experts in the field
for answers and brief demonstrations. CC [TV PG]
8:30 Conquest. Weapons of the Gladiators. The ancient world
boasted many special weapons, some of which became almost
ritualized. Roman gladiators' weapons reflected gods, barbarians, and
idealized warriors--of 16 different types! Our team works with tridents
and nets, Thracian daggers and bucklers, heavy armor and short
swords, no armor and long swords. Just like gladiators, they start with
wooden weapons and progress to the real thing. But did the
extraordinary styles and skills developed in the arena have any
practical purpose? CC [TV PG]
9:00 The Hunt for the Lost Squadron. In WWII, the U.S. used a
North Atlantic overland route to ferry fighter planes to the Europe. On
one such mission, a squadron of six P-38s and B-17s flew into a
building storm en route to Iceland. The pilots became disoriented, flew
for hours through whiteout conditions, and were finally forced to turn
back and crash-land on a barren glacial icecap somewhere in
Greenland. Eleven days later, the nearly frozen crew was rescued--the
new planes were left behind and nearly forgotten...until now. CC [TV
PG]
10:30 Alaska's Bermuda Triangle. There's something about Alaska
that the tourist bureau doesn't want you to know. In Alaska, people,
planes, and ships disappear. Suddenly, inexplicably, and permanently!
Natives say that shape-shifting spirits kidnap lost travelers. Scientists
tell o
f giant crevasses that swallow the unwary. Others tell of
conspiracies to wreck aircraft. We take a detailed look at the 1972
incident that confounded the U.S. military, when an airplane carrying
two U.S. Congressmen vanished between Anchorage and Juneau. CC
[TV G]
11:30 The Wrath of God. Death in the Potomac: The Crash of Flight
90. Every winter, planes face an insidious threat: ice! A thin coating of
ice on the wings, which can form in seconds, can interfere with the lift
necessary for take-off. Such was the case on January 13, 1982, when
Air Florida Flight 90 left Washington, D.C., en route to Tampa. This is
the story of the harrowing crash. CC [TV G]
03/04/2003
8:00 Saddam's Bombmaker. There's one important defector from
Iraq who lived to tell his story--Dr. Khidir Hamza, who spent 20 years
developing Iraq's atomic weapons program. Based on a book he co-
wrote with Jeff Stein, "Saddam's Bombmaker: The Terrifying Inside
Story of the Iraqi Nuclear and Biological Weapons Agenda", Hamza
paints an unprecedented portrait of Hussein--his women, drunken
rages, murder of underlings, and unrivaled power--and talks of his
harrowing escape and first encounter with skeptical CIA agents. CC
[TV PG]
9:00 The Guns That Tamed the West. The story of how Colt,
Remington, and Smith & Wesson became the weapons that truly won
the West. [TV G]
10:00 Twin Towers of the East. Rising almost 1,500 feet high, the
Petronas Twin Towers in Malaysia were named the world's tallest in
1996 by the Council on Tall Buildings. Connecticut architect Cesar Pelli
blended traditional Islamic motifs with the modern skyscraper to create
a beacon to the new Asia. Join us as we tour this gateway to the East,
an engineering marvel involving experts from around the globe and the
determination of Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad to
transform his country into a 21st-century power. CC [TV G]
11:00 Infamous Murders. Murdered on Duty. Murdering a police
officer on duty is considered particular
ly brutal and fellow officers will
not rest until the killer is apprehended. We look at three such
examples. In 1993, Katherine Anne Power was charged with killing
Officer Walter H. Schroeder, a crime that had taken place 23 years
earlier when she was a radical student at Boston's Brandeis University.
Next, we examine the 1966 murders of Officers David Wombwell,
David Head, and Gregory Fox in London, and Officer Raymond Purdey
in London in 1959. CC [TV PG]
11:30 Infamous Murders. Murder in Cold Blood. Murder in cold
blood, without explanation or reason, is the worst kind of murder as we
see in the three cases examined here. First, we look at the murders of
at least 24 local drifters, mostly Mexican immigrants, in California by
Juan Corona, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1971. Then,
we see how Dennis Nilsen, sentenced to life in 1983, murdered at least
15 young gay men in London. Finally, we look at the horrific Atlanta
Child Murders and the conviction of Wayne Williams in 1982. CC [TV
PG]
03/05/2003
8:00 Area 51: Beyond Top Secret. Born during the Cold War, Area
51 in Nevada, also known as Groom Lake or Dreamland, became not
only the Air Force's most strategic test site, but also a symbol of
everything that was sneaky about the U.S. military-industrial-
intelligence complex. In recent years, UFO investigators claimed that
the top-secret planes tested there were built with technology gleaned
from captured alien aircraft. We uncover the secrets of the cryptic
desert facility and look into mysterious deaths of base workers. CC
[TV G]
9:00 Jesse James: Fact and Fiction. In Missouri, there is a grave
marked Jesse James, but do the remains of the famed frontier outlaw
really lie there? This program examines the scientific evidence and the
controversy. We'll also meet some of Jesse's descendants who avail
themselves for DNA testing to finally lay the mystery to rest. CC [TV
G]
10:00 World's Biggest Machines. Join us for a look at the biggest,
heaviest
, tallest, longest, meanest machines on the planet! We'll see
what these monsters do and how they operate, and how they're
designed and assembled. Machines investigated include the largest
draglines, excavators used in mining; the biggest dump truck; a front-
end loader with an 80-ton bucket and the largest tires of any vehicle;
the cruise ship, The Voyager of the Seas; a 240-foot tall wind
generator; and a fusion reaction machine the size of a football field. CC
[TV G]
11:00 San Quentin. Step inside San Quentin--California's oldest and
best-known prison, which contains the state's only gas chamber and is
home to Charles Manson. Made necessary by Gold Rush lawlessness,
and built in 1852 by inmates housed on a prison ship, its violent history
is rife with riots. CC [TV PG]
03/06/2003
8:00 Lost City of Atlantis. The ancient Greek philosopher Plato
wrote about the fabled missing continent. Even South American Indian
legend told of a similar tale. Did a highly civilized and technologically
advanced people disappear with their secrets at the bottom of the sea,
or is Atlantis merely myth? CC [TV G]
9:00 U.S. Marshals. The Old West. In the frontier days, marshals
achieved their greatest fame as they pursued notorious outlaws and
became the stuff of legend. But the myth has often obscured the true
men. Meet the real Wild Bill Hickok and Wyatt Earp, known to walk on
both sides of the law, and revisit the Lincoln County War, where
lawmen faced off against lawmen. CC [TV PG]
10:00 The Mackinac Bridge. Until recently, the Mackinac Bridge
was the longest suspension bridge in the world. One of the top
engineering marvels of the 20th century, the bridge spans the 4-mile
wide straits of Mackinac, where Lakes Huron and Michigan come
together. The Mighty Mac connects the pastoral northern mainland of
Michigan with the state's heavily forested Upper Peninsula and stands
as a testament to the dreams, determination, and hard work of a small
few who created a true masterpiece of
modern engineering. CC [TV
G]
11:00 Infamous Murders. Inheritance Killers. In 1985, Steven
Benson, a 33-year-old Florida businessman, was arrested for the
murder of his mother, his nephew, and the attempted murder of his
sister. In September 1985, at his parents' farmhouse in the Essex
countryside of England, Jeremy Bamber was arrested for the murder of
his parents, his sister, and her twin 6-year-old sons. Finally, we look at
the murder of Jose and Kitty Menendez by their two sons, Lyle and
Erik. What links all of these heinous crimes? Inheritance! CC [TV PG]
11:30 Infamous Murders. Society Murders. Looks at three brutal
killings in the highest echelons of society. In 1955 in Long Island,
wealthy racehorse owner William Woodward was shot and killed by his
wife who claimed she mistook him for a prowler. Was it really an
accident? In 1974, British aristocrat Lord Lucan disappeared on the
same night his children's nanny was murdered in the home of his
former wife. Did he mistake the nanny for his wife? And we look at the
1943 murder of Sir Harry Oakes in the Bahamas, which remains
unsolved. CC [TV PG]
03/07/2003
8:00 The Real Cowboy: Portrait of an American Icon. Award-
winning journalist Bill Kurtis is joined by a team of historians and
celebrities in a 2-hour special devoted to an authentic depiction of the
true American cowboy--a common laborer who worked from his horse.
Cowboy actors Richard Farnsworth and Harry Carey Jr. help reveal the
difference between a Hollywood cowboy and the real thing. From the
Spanish vaquero to Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show and beyond, the
evolution of the noble horseman unfolds, covering almost 300 years.
CC [TV G]
10:00 The St. Louis Arch. It is a majestic structure that rises boldly
over the Mississippi river--40,000 tons of steel and concrete that create
the biggest arch of its kind in the world. Nothing like it had ever been
built before, nor attempted since. We'll see how its simple and elegant
form results from remarkab
le achievements in construction and
engineering. CC [TV G]
11:00 True Crime. Black Mass. John Connolly and James "Whitey"
Bulger grew up together on the streets of South Boston. Decades later,
in the mid-1970s, they would meet again: Connolly, now a major figure
in the FBI, and Whitey, the godfather of the Irish Mob. Their
reconnection led to murder, drug dealing, and the biggest informant
scandal in the history of the FBI. Compellingly told by Dick Lehr and
Gerard O'Neill, best-selling authors of "Black Mass" and "Boston
Globe" reporters. CC [TV PG]
03/08/2003
8:00 Apocalypse. A look at the prophesies and symbolism in the
Book of Revelation, the last book of the New Testament, which
contains the futuristic final showdown between God and Satan. Filled
with fiery visions, cryptic numbers, and strange beasts, it's perhaps the
Scripture's most puzzling book. With the ancient city of Megiddo as a
backdrop--thought to be the site of the Battle of Armageddon--the
program explores the Seven Seals, the Four Horsemen, and asks why
only 144,000 souls will reach the Kingdom of God. CC [TV G]
9:00 The Shroud of Turin. The Shroud of Turin has long mystified
the world, pitting the faithful against science. Is the ghostly image
impressed on a burial cloth truly Jesus? A 1988 radiocarbon test dated
it to between 1260 and 1390 AD. But recent studies question the test's
validity, and scientists are still unable to explain how the image got
there. CC [TV G]
10:00 Hadrian's Wall. 74-miles long and 2,000 years old, Hadrian's
Wall winds over the hills and valleys of Northern England, marking the
northernmost extent of a long-dead empire. Built of stone and mortar
by Roman soldiers, it is the most significant Roman ruin in England.
Ordered built by the Emperor Hadrian around the time of his visit in
122 AD, it was more a permanent demarcation and less a defensive
barrier. We'll visit this archaeological treasure, which teaches us much
of what the Roman era was like for Britain.
CC [TV G]
11:00 The History of Sex. Ancient Civilizations. In this hour, we
study sex in the ancient world--from Mesopotamians, who viewed
adultery as a crime of theft, to Romans, who believed that squatting
and sneezing after sex was reliable birth control. We also look at
revealing Egyptian and Greek practices--from the origins of dildos to
the use of crocodile dung as a contraceptive. CC [TV 14]
03/09/2003
8:00 James: Brother of Jesus? Has historical evidence for the
existence of Jesus come to light, literally written in stone? An ossuary,
a box that holds bones, was uncovered among the relics of a private
collector in Jerusalem. It bears an amazing Aramaic inscription,
"James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus." Hosted by Friar Ken Deasy,
we delve into the ossuary's discovery, dated to 63 AD, and interview
religious scholars, archaeologists, and paleontologists about its
authenticity and significance and the controversy it is stirring. CC [TV
G]
9:00 Dead Reckoning. Left at the Scene. In a series that presents
forensic crime history by making technology the star, we see how
scientific crime techniques solved difficult cases. In 1994, Rhonda
Maloney was abducted and raped by Robert Harlan in Thornton,
Colorado. We re-trace 7 days of Thornton Crime Scene Investigator
Bob Lloyd--from the abduction to arrest to autopsy--as he methodically
worked several crime scenes. Then, we watch Senior Crime
Investigator Don Sollars finally solve the murder of 78-year-old Frida
Winters. CC [TV PG]
10:00 Dead Reckoning. Bullets and Blood. An exploration of two
1992 cases that took place in Colorado--the murders of a well-to-do
couple, Kermode and Pamela Jordan and the murder of State Trooper
Lyle Wohlers. Both cases were solved by the Colorado Bureau of
Investigation's forensics lab, using sophisticated fingerprinting, bullet
trajectory, and blood-splatter analysis techniques. CC [TV PG]
11:00 The Color of War. To Hell and Back: The 351st Bomb Group.
In 1943, General "
Hap" Arnold, dispatched a film crew to document the
day-to-day lives and missions of an elite bomber group--the 351st. The
ensuing footage, in full color, provides an unprecedented look at the
men and their grueling combat missions from 1943 to mid-1945. Made
with the cooperation of the 351st Bomb Group Association, highlights
include footage of pilot and actor Clark Cable and firsthand accounts
from pilots and crewmembers commenting on the ensuing action on
film. CC [TV PG]
03/10/2003
8:00 Mail Call. Self-Propelled Artillery/Matchlock
Musket/Airships/Blue Angels/Pirate Weapons/Depth Charges. If self-
propelled artillery is much more maneuverable than towed artillery,
why isn't all artillery self-propelled? How does a matchlock musket
work? Did the U.S. Navy really use airships as floating aircraft
carriers? How does the Navy select pilots for their elite precision flying
team, the Blue Angels? What type of weapons did pirates use? How
do depth charges work? R. Lee Ermey and military experts in the field
answer these questions with brief demonstrations. CC [TV PG]
8:30 Mail Call. Tank/Gatling Gun/Samurai Sword. R. Lee Ermey, who
played the sergeant in "Full Metal Jacket", applies his gruff sense
of
humor in this half-hour series that answers viewers' mail about what
the armed forces were, and really are, like! Shot on location, Ermey
reads the questions on air and then sends them out to military experts
in the field for answers and brief demonstrations. In this episode, he
finds out how to steer the WWII tank M5A1 (the Stuart); how fast a
Gatling gun can fire; and why the samurai sword is so powerful. CC
[TV PG]
9:00 Dead Reckoning. Body Clues. A hardware storeowner found
brutally murdered in his home. In bed, a mother stabbed to death while
her children lay down the hall. When the Colorado Bureau of
Investigation's forensics team arrives on a murder scene, there's often
scant evidence with which to work. Mysterious markings on the skin,
blood splatter in an unsusp
ected location, a hidden fiber nearly
invisible to the eye. Watch as scattered, sparse clues add up and
investigators piece together the real stories behind these hideous
crimes. CC [TV PG]
10:00 Dead Reckoning. The Body Searchers. Focusing on the work
of an unusual forensics organization based in Colorado, NecroSearch
is made up of forensic anthropologists, archaeologists, botanists,
geologists, thermographers, geophysicists, criminalists, and
bloodhound handlers who pool their resources and talents to help law
enforcement agencies find clandestine graves and recover the
evidence found there. As two cases unfold, we see how NecroSearch
works, while treating an exhumation like an archaeological dig. CC
[TV PG]
11:00 Perfect Crimes? Nickell/Taylor. When Stella Nickel inserted
rat poison in her husband's Excedrin gelcaps, she got away with
murder...until she got greedy. Next, we examine the evidence
surrounding the 1922 unsolved murder of film director William
Desmond Taylor, which revealed the seamier side of Hollywood. CC
[TV PG]
03/11/2003
8:00 The Battle for Berlin. After years of Nazi atrocities, when Berlin
capitulated in May 1945, German civilians fell victim to rape, looting,
and pillaging by the Red Army victors. What motivated the Russian
onslaught against the fanatically defended city? In 1999, acclaimed
British military historian Anthony Beevor began a systematic
examination of this final chapter in the Third Reich's history, and
uncovered shocking new evidence about why Stalin really wanted to
be the first of the Allies to conquer Berlin. CC [TV PG]
9:00 The Aircraft Carrier. The dramatic story of how the Essex-
class aircraft carriers rose like a phoenix after the Pacific Fleet's
destruction at Pearl Harbor. Weighing in at over 27,000 tons, and over
800 feet in length, they were known as floating cities--and the
spearhead of every naval battle in the Pacific Theater of War. Despite
their huge size, each carrier was terrifyingly vulnerable, hold
ing tens of
thousands of gallons of fuel. Though the target of kamikaze assaults,
no carrier was sunk by the Japanese. CC [TV G]
10:00 Bullet Trains. Traveling between 135 and 190 miles per hour
with an astonishingly high safety record, bullet trains can be found
throughout Europe, Japan, and on the U.S. eastern seaboard. How
high-speed trains are propelled is rooted in fundamentals that haven't
changed since the first electric trolleys appeared in the 19th century.
We see how scientists are looking at new alternatives to electricity,
including magnetic levitation that can move passenger trains 345 miles
per hour and beyond! CC [TV G]
11:00 Infamous Murders. Deadly Ladies. Examines three examples
of women who proved just as capable of heinous crime as a man! First
up, Kate Barker, better known as Ma, who led a gang of bank robbers
and kidnappers until killed in a fierce firefight with the FBI in 1935.
Then, we examine the case of Velma Barfield, found guilty in 1978 of
murdering her fiance by poisoning him with arsenic. She confessed to
killing four others the same way before execution. Finally, we look at
the trial and execution of pickax murderer Karla Faye Tucker. CC [TV
PG]
11:30 Infamous Murders. Political Assassinations. A look at murders
that were committed in order to change a country's policies or to shape
world events: the 1968 assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy;
the 1978 murder of Aldo Moro, the leader of the Italian Christian
Democrats and a former Prime Minister; and the 1948 killing of
Mahatama Gandhi. CC [TV PG]
03/12/2003
8:00 Ghost Ships. Ships sailing without a crew? Phantom
destroyers? Boats that disappear, then reappear? The Flying
Dutchman, the Mary Celeste, the Dash, the Teazer, and the more
recent Joyita--crews of these vessels vanished without a clue to their
fates. We travel the seven seas seeking answers and hear from
witnesses to the bizarre events. CC [TV G]
9:00 P-51 Mustang! Originally built for the RAF, the US
AAF's P-51 Mustang became one of the greatest fighter planes ever to be built and took on the worst that the Luftwaffe had to offer. The pilots of the 8th Air Force dramatically turned the tide of the air war in Europe when they saved the daylight bombing campaign over Nazi-occupied Europe by flying escort. We take you inside the cockpit of the "Cadillac of the Skies" to experience firsthand the terrifying reality of aerial combat over Berlin in WWII. CC [TV G]
10:00 The Junkyard. It's the place where one man's trash is truly
another man's treasure. Enter the strange and mysterious world of the
junkyard, where many pieces actually do add up to a whole. Uncover
how junkyard operators create order out of seemingly random piles of
junk. CC [TV G]
11:00 The Mafia at War. Rare film footage and exclusive interviews
recall the bloody history of New York's crime family bosses--from
Lucky Luciano's assassination of his boss Joe Masseria to the murder
of Big Paul Castellano by his lieutenant John Gotti. CC [TV PG]
03/13/2003
8:00 Ancient Aliens. Since the dawn of time, stargazers have
looked to the sky wondering if earth has had heavenly visitors.
Scientists investigate ancient ruins, artifacts, and texts from around the
world exploring the possibility of previous extraterrestrial visits and the
plausibility of future stopovers! CC [TV G]
9:00 M1 Abrams: Supertank! Join us as we penetrate the history of
the world's most sophisticated tank--the M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank.
In the most radical departure in U.S. tank design since WWII, the
Supertank combines speed, heavy protective armor, and a fearsome
120mm main gun. In February 1991, the new and unproven Abrams
tank was rapidly deployed on the frontline of Operation Desert Storm.
Using night vision and laser targeting, the M1 Abrams tank destroyed
the cream of Saddam Hussein's armored Republican Guard. CC [TV
G]
10:00 Towing. Think you know towing? As simple as engaging a tow
man when your car is stalled? Fro
m mighty tugboats that guide
massive ships safely into port to dizzying roller coasters that send cars
careening up and down hills, to funicular railroads that climb
mountainsides, when it comes to towing, being a "drag" was never
so
good! We also watch as a 125-year-old church is towed on the back of
a flat-bed truck, and rocket towards space as we're towed 20,000 feet-
high behind a 747! CC [TV G]
11:00 Infamous Murders: Murder in High Office. People elected to
high office run the risk of attack. A determined assassin will do
anything to reach the target. In 1981, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat
was killed when fully armed soldiers jumped out of a truck during a
military review in Cairo, fired guns at him, and threw grenades into the
crowd. In 1995, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was shot and
killed at a peace rally in Tel Aviv. And in 1966, South African Prime
Minister Dr. Hendrik Verwoerd was killed by a man wielding a long
sword. CC [TV PG]
11:30 Infamous Murders: Murder by Decree. Throughout history,
murder has been used to silence people considered a dangerous
influence or because they have threatened to expose greed and
corruption in high places. We look at the 1968 assassination of Martin
Luther King Jr., the 1978 political assassination of Bulgarian writer and
broadcaster Georgi Markov, and the 1970 murder-for-hire of mining
activist Joseph "Jock" Yablonski, his wife Margaret, and 25-year-old
daughter Charlotte. CC [TV PG]
03/14/2003
8:00 Assassinations: TWIH. Host Josh Binswanger heads to Ford's
Theater in Washington, D.C. for a show that uncovers the
controversies, conspiracy theories, and incontrovertible facts of
American assassinations. At Ford's Theater, where President Lincoln
was shot, Josh recreates the events of that evening as he walks us
through the hallowed site. He also examines the assassinations of
John and Robert Kennedy, the murder of Jack Ruby, and explores
conspiracy theories about the murder of Martin Luther King Jr. CC [TV
G
]
9:00 Catalina Patrol! Go on patrol and into action with the PBY
Catalina flying boat--known as the "Cat"--one of the truly great
aircraft
designs. Introduced in 1935 as a long-range patrol aircraft, it was
becoming obsolete when America entered WWII. But, easy to
manufacture in large numbers, the Cat continued in production and
excelled in almost every theater of war. The legendary "Black Cat"
squadrons won fame as night bombers in the battles of the Solomon
Islands. CC [TV G]
10:00 Jet Engines. Strap on a parachute and soar through the saga
of jet propulsion, which radically transformed our world since inception
in WWII--from the Nazi's first jet-powered aircraft to the U.S. F-22 jet
fighter, from the Concorde to tomorrow's scram-jet, a hypersonic
transport plane that switches to rocket power outside earth's
atmosphere! CC [TV G]
11:00 Hangars. Come in for a smooth landing as we explore the
history of hangars--stark, massive structures that house and protect
flight vehicles. We visit the first hangar, built on a German lake;
Boeing's Delta Four rocket hangar; Hangar Number One in Lakehust,
New Jersey, that housed all U.S. airships built in the 1920s and '30s;
and the Space Shuttle's hangar--as big as four Chicago skyscrapers!
Back in Germany, Cargolifter's mammoth hangar, big enough to
enclose the Superdome, signals the rebirth of an industry. CC [TV G]
03/15/2003
8:00 "The Big Red One" (1980 movie). This great war movie stars Lee
Marvin as a tough sergeant leading his "wetnose" young troops
through World War II. Based on the real-life war experiences of
director Samuel Fuller. With Mark Hamill and Robert Carradine, CC [TV PG]
10:00 The True Story of the Big Red One. 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 a special infantry squadron in various campaigns of the war. CC
[TV G]
03/16/2003
8:00 Greatest Raids. Royal Swordfish Take Taranto. On the night of
November 11, 1940, 21 biplanes from a Royal Navy aircraft carrier
launched a surprise attack on the Italian fleet anchored in Taranto's
port. The Italian ships, thought to be virtually immune to air attack,
were protected by anti-torpedo nets, and surrounded by barrage
balloons and anti-aircraft defenses. But, in less than two hours, the
lumbering Swordfish torpedo bombers were able to sink or disable
three battleships and several cruisers, and severely damage port
installations. CC [TV PG]
9:00 Liberty Convoy. Introduced as disposable supply ships, FDR's
"ugly ducklings" formed a "bridge of liberty" over the
North Atlantic.
Always in the front lines, the prefabricated freighters delivered the
supplies needed by the Allies for the invasion of Europe in 1944. We
dive deep below the waterline to reveal the terror of being hunted by
Hitler's U-boats and the bravery of crews that risked their lives to
deliver men and materiel to defeat Nazi forces. Produced in
association with England's Imperial War Museum. CC [TV G]
10:00 Mail Call. R. Lee Ermey, who played the sergeant in "Full
Metal Jacket", applies his gruff sense of humor in this half-hour series
that answers viewers' mail about what the armed forces were, and
really are, like! Shot on location, Ermey reads the questions on air and
then sends them out to military experts in the field for answers and
brief demonstrations. CC [TV PG]
10:30 Conquest. Swords of the Musketeers. The classic cut-and-
thrust of the Hollywood movies had a basis in reality. The cup-hilt
rapier, with its light and flexible blade, did not require a left-hand
dagger for defense. This was the sword of the French Musketeers and
of the Spanish Conquistadors--the most feared swordsmen in Europe.
Our team shows how the art and sport of fencing began with this
weapon, and compares the reality of the weapon with the myth of its
use. Hosted
by actor and fight master Peter Woodward. CC [TV PG]
11:00 The Color of War. Air War. Of all the assignments a
serviceman might find himself undertaking in WWII, flying seemed to
offer the greatest promise of glory. What was not initially apparent was
that flying would become the most dangerous job of the war. A flyer
had less chance of survival than any other serviceman in any other
branch of the military. Peter Coyote narrates this compelling look at the
air war through the eyes of those who lived it, with rare color footage
and interviews with Army Air Corps and RAF veterans. CC [TV PG]
03/17/2003
8:00 Mail Call. The Pilum/WWII Radios/First Rockets. Ermey
demonstrates the effectiveness of the ancient Roman pilum, designed
to penetrate armor and punch through shields; handles WWII army
radios; and reviews how rockets were first used on battlefields. CC
[TV PG]
8:30 Conquest. Bow & Arrow. One of man's earliest effective hunting
weapons, we learn why the bow and arrow became so dominant in
history. Our combat team is sent to the woods to make their own as we
study the craft of the bowyer and fletcher. We learn about Egyptian
bows and try to fire accurately from an Egyptian chariot, and
experiment with North American Indian bows--composite bows of horn
and wood. And reenactors, using rubber-tipped arrows, recreate what
it was actually like to be subjected to a "cloud of arrows". CC
[TV PG]
9:00 A Short History of Ireland. Based on the book by the same
name, this lyrical treatment of Irish history is revealed through stunning
photography of its lush countryside and reenactments of historic
events--from the ancient Celts to the Williamite War, and onto the
bloody Easter Rising and the
life of the revolutionary Michael Collins.
(1.5-hour version) CC [TV G]
10:30 Celebrating the Green: The History of Saint Patrick's Day.
In Ireland, March 17th is a feast day honoring the bishop who
Christianized the island; but in America it's a boisterous celebration of
Irish heritage. We'll march up New York City's Fifth Avenue with over
150,000 celebrants at the largest and oldest parade on the day all
Americans are Irish. With Andrew Greeley and Frank McCourt. CC
[TV G]
11:30 The Making of "Napoleon". A behind-the-scene look at the
production of A&E's original six-hour miniseries of the legendary
French leader. The sweeping bio-drama stars John Malkovich, Isabella
Rosselini, Gerard Depardieu, Anouk Aimee, and Christian Clavier as
Napoleon, and was filmed in France, Austria, the Czech Republic,
Hungary, Canada, and the island of Saint Helena, where Napoleon
died. CC [TV G]
03/18/2003
8:00 The Nazi Plan to Bomb New York. Aviation historian David
Myhra has been investigating secret German aircraft projects for more
than 20 years, and has uncovered evidence of a diabolical Nazi plan to
deliver a radioactive bomb to New York. In late 1944, the "Amerika
Bomber" project was planned, and three aerospace designers--
Wernher von Braun, Eugen Sanger, and Reimar Horton--each had a
different solution. Through vivid 3D animation, photos, and recreations,
these unusual projects are finally revealed! CC [TV G]
9:00 Silent Service. Japanese Submarines. During WWII, the
Imperial Japanese Navy maintained a fleet of submarines that included
the largest and most powerful underwater weapons the world had yet
seen. From giant aircraft-carrying submarines to the smallest human-
driven suicide torpedoes, Japan fought and lost a war of desperation.
Their one goal--to destroy the U.S. fleet. In almost four years of war,
they would achieve numerous victories and claim thousands of
American lives, but we see how, in the end, the hunters became the
hunted. CC [TV G]
10:00 Army
Corps of Engineers. Made up of soldiers and civilians,
scientists and specialists in an enormous variety of fields, the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers was created over 200 years ago by
Congressional mandate to respond, in peace and war, to the nation's
engineering needs. The world's premier engineering and research and
development agency, the Corps has blown up, excavated, grated,
dredged, and re-molded the shape of our continent as we pushed to
expand the nation and harness the forces of nature! CC [TV G]
11:00 Infamous Murders: Angels of Death. Nurses work tirelessly to
comfort those who suffer, so when a murderer appears in their midst,
it's all the more shocking. We look at the cases of 35-year-old Donald
Harvey in Cincinnati, who admitted to murdering at least 34 patients by
injecting cyanide; Orville Lynn Majors, charged with killing six elderly
patients by lethal injection--but authorities think she could have been
responsible for at least 140 more; and 23-year-old Beverly Allit in
England, charged with the deaths of four infants. CC [TV PG]
11:30 Infamous Murders: Somebody Killed the President. The
President of the United States has the most powerful job in the world.
Even with a round-the-clock guard, there's always the danger that a
determined assassin will get through. Since 1865, four presidents have
been killed: Abraham Lincoln, 1865; James Garfield, 1881; William
McKinley, 1901; and John F. Kennedy, 1963. We examine these White
House victims. CC [TV PG]
03/19/2003
8:00 The True Story of Rasputin. A Siberian peasant rises to
power in Czarist Russia, becomes the close confidante and reputed
lover of Empress Alexandra, scandalizes the country with his drinking
and womanizing, and after being poisoned, shot several times, and
submerged in the Neva River's freezing waters, finally dies from
drowning! We reveal the truth about the rise of the "Mad Monk" with
the hypnotic gaze, using information from the newly uncovered
"Rasputin File", a report origina
lly prepared by the Russian secret
police. CC [TV PG]
9:00 Silent Service. Submarines of Russia. CC [TV G]
10:00 Pickup Trucks. It's an icon that represents freedom and
individuality--the venerable pickup truck. For almost a century, it has
been part of the American automotive culture. Once a lowly farm
vehicle, the pickup has moved from the back roads to main streets. We
trace the evolution of the truck from 1918 to the 21st century, and visit
truck shows, design studios, and body shops. From the wood-spoke
wheels of early models to bad-boy concept trucks of tomorrow, you're
in for a wild ride! CC [TV G]
11:00 Tales of the FBI: Operation Solo. Morris Childs, born in Russia
in 1902, immigrated to the U.S. as a boy and grew into one of the
American Communist Party's most important leaders--and the FBI's
single most valuable source of information against the Soviets. So
secret was his operation that even U.S. Presidents didn't know his
identity. CC [TV PG]
03/20/2003
8:00 The Search for Noah's Ark. The great flood that destroyed the
world except for Noah, his family, and herd would probably be
dismissed as legend--if not for other ancient evidence suggesting the
presence of a once-massive flood. Instead, the search for Noah's Ark
continues to this day--one of the most controversial searches for one of
the largest items described in the Bible. We'll examine evidence of
those who claim to have found proof of the Ark, and visit Mt. Ararat and
other targeted sites for the landing of the Ark. CC [TV G]
9:00 Silent Service: Deterrence from the Deep. The story of the
Navy's ballistic missile submarines or "Boomers"--from origin in
the
1950s to preeminent status in the U.S. strategic nuclear deterrent
forces. Today's Ohio class subs are the most lethal warships ever
created. We also look at the Fleet Ballistic Missile--from the first
generation Polaris to the Trident II. Behind the scenes, we examine the
command and control mechanisms and the complex authentica
tion
procedures required to release one, or all 24, of the sub's nuclear
missiles. CC [TV G]
10:00 Camouflage. From ancient hunters' camouflage to computer-
generated digital pattern uniforms, we uncover the past, present, and
future of deception through disguise. During an ambush exercise by
U.S. Marines, we learn that camouflage came from natural coloration
and patterns of flora and fauna. The art of military camouflage took off
in WWI with the use of the airplane, when the French learnt to hide
from "eyes in the sky". It's a world of shadows and smoke, where
even
cities disappear through disguise. CC [TV G]
11:00 Infamous Murders: Murdering Conmen. A look at three cases
of men prepared to murder others for money. First, we examine the
case of Raymond Fernandez, who found women through Lonely
Hearts ads in New York papers in the mid-1940s, then poisoned them.
Next, we move to London in the 1970s, where Mr. and Mrs. Scott-Elliot
were murdered by their newly employed butler and his friend, a small-
time crook. Finally, we look at the long criminal history of Donald
Merrett, who committed suicide after murdering his wife and mother-in-
law. CC [TV PG]
11:30 Infamous Murders: Premeditated Murder. Premeditated
murder is planned to the last detail, but even the smallest error can
lead to capture. In 1927, 9-year-old Lorraine Snyder discovered her
mother Ruth bound and gagged outside her bedroom door, and her
father Alfred sprawled across the bed, battered and strangled. But it
was Ruth and her lover who murdered Alfred for his life insurance,
then attempted to make it look like robbery. Next, we look at the
murder of John Lennon by Mark Chapman in 1980, and the case of
Leopold and Loeb from 1924. CC [TV PG]
03/21/2003
8:00 The Harry Awards 2003. In The History Channel's homage to
Hollywood, we award our very own "Harry" to the film that contributed
the most to the public's understanding and appreciation of history. The
award is named for Herodotus, the Father of
History. Includes clips
and interviews with many of the actors and directors from this year's
nominated films, which will be named at a later date. CC [TV G]
9:00 Gangs of New York. Find out what's history and what's
Hollywood as our experts examine Martin Scorsese's "Gangs of New
York". Set against the backdrop of the infamous Five Points, an area of
Manhattan formerly described as the world's worst slum, the film
focuses on the powerful Irish and Italian gangs. Scorsese takes host
Josh Binswanger on a tour of what was once Five Points, where
outlaws, crooked cops, and corrupt politicians flourished in the 1800s.
Includes interviews with Leonardo DiCaprio and Cameron Diaz. CC
[TV G]
10:00 Ku Klux Klan: A Secret History. Kneeling before a flaming
cross, Klansmen and women take part in their sacred bonding,
showing how secrecy and ritual aid the hooded order in a campaign for
white supremacy. From its birth in 1866's Reconstruction South to a
1996 rally, this chronicle of hate talks to Julian Bond, Morris Dees Jr., the Grand Dragon, and Imperial Wizard. CC [TV PG-L]
03/22/2003
8:00 Battle Group: Halsey. Audacious, gruff, and the U.S. Navy's
ultimate warrior, Admiral "Bull" Halsey led his naval forces to victory
in
the Pacific Theater of War, destroying a large part of the Imperial
Japanese Navy in WWII. His daring leadership inspired the sailors he
commanded, and the enemy feared his very presence. Some say he
was the finest U.S. naval leader since John Paul Jones. In this 2-hour
special we'll meet the man and explore his battles, talking with officers
and men who served under him. CC [TV G]
10:00 A Brief History of Wine. Its virtues were extolled in Genesis,
and archaeologists say wine has been part of human history for at
least 7,000 years. In a 2-hour special, we follow its amazing journey
from ancient times to the present, from accidental discovery to today's
high-tech wineries, from Thomas Jefferson's failed attempts to grow
vines in Virginia to Am
erican insects that nearly wiped out the world's
wine industry. Shot on location around the world, we see why wine has
always been history's drink of choice. CC [TV G]
03/23/2003
8:00 Tora, Tora, Tora: The Real Story of Pearl Harbor. December
7, 1941, was an historical turning point--the world was forever changed
after the fateful Japanese attack against the U.S. fleet at Pearl Harbor,
Hawaii. It resulted from a combination of interrelated and complicated
factors--and at any point, the dangerous operation could have been
called off before its commander radioed back the code words "Tora,
Tora, Tora" (Tiger, Tiger, Tiger), which meant complete surprise had
been achieved. Here is the real story of the "Day of Infamy". CC
[TV
G]
10:00 Mail Call. R. Lee Ermey, who played the sergeant in "Full
Metal Jacket", applies his gruff sense of humor in this half-hour series
that answers viewers' mail about what the armed forces were, and
really are, like! Shot on location, Ermey reads the questions on air and
then sends them out to military experts in the field for answers and
brief demonstrations. CC [TV PG]
10:30 Mail Call. Ninja Weapons/Flamethrower/Military Dogs.
Ermey learns about the weapons of the Japanese Ninja, used since
the 12th century; how flamethrowers work; and what military dogs are
trained to do. CC [TV PG]
11:00 Tales of the Gun. Guns of Infamy. Review guns that changed
history as we examine the firearms used to assassinate Presidents
Kennedy, McKinley, Garfield, and Lincoln, and the gun that triggered
WWI when it was used to kill Archduke Ferdinand. We'll also look at
candidates for the gun that fired th
e "shot heard 'round the world" in
the American Revolution. CC [TV G]
03/24/2003
8:00 Mail Call. CC [TV PG]
8:30 Mail Call. Grenades/Dog Tags/Dinner in a Pouch.
Ermey learns how a grenade works; what purpose dog tags fulfill; and
what our GIs eat in the field today (Meals, Ready-to-Eat). CC [TV PG]
9:00 The True Story of Killing Pablo. An exploration of the criminal
life of Pablo Escobar that culminated in the largest manhunt in history
and the controversial 1993 killing of Escobar on a rooftop in Medellin,
Colombia. Based on his book "Killing Pablo: The Hunt for the World's
Greatest Outlaw", author Mark Bowden anchors the program, guiding
us through pivotal moments of Escobar's life and sharing startling
revelations he uncovered during the research for his book. Features
interviews with key officials of Colombia and the U.S. CC [TV PG]
11:00 Organized Crime: A World History. Colombia. Is the war on
drugs in Colombia winnable? One of South America's most beautiful
countries, it's also one of the most dangerous. Since the 1970s,
Colombian drug cartels have shipped thousands of tons of cocaine to
the U.S. We investigate two of the most successful--the Medellin and
Cali Cartels--and the smaller organizations that arose in their demise,
whose cocaine and heroin crops and tra
fficking airstrips are protected
by leftist guerrilla groups for a share of the profit. CC [TV PG]
03/25/2003
8:00 Soviet Top Secret Weapons. During the Cold War, much of
the Soviet Union's economy went into developing weapons. With
paranoia about U.S. technical superiority at a height, even the craziest
sounding idea stood a chance--the military-industrial complex
incubated ambitious, but often unfeasible weaponry. We focus on the
sinking of M-256, which lost 37 submariners, and the Ekranopian, a
super-secret flying ship capable of carrying thousands of soldiers or
missiles over great distances at high speeds under radar detection. CC
[TV G]
9:00 The Magnum. It's known as the most powerful handgun in the
world, made famous by Clint Eastwood in the "Dirty Harry" movies.
But
its origins stretch back more than a century to the Indian Wars of the
American West and African safaris, where hunters stalked big game.
Join us for a review of the history of the biggest, baddest gun available
today--unlimited firepower at the pull of a trigger! CC [TV G]
10:00 The Manhattan Project. At 5:30 a.m., July 16, 1945, scientists
and dignitaries awaited the detonation of the first atomic bomb in a
desolate area of the New Mexico desert aptly known as Jornada del
Muerto--Journey of Death. Dubbed the Manhattan Project, the top-
secret undertaking was tackled with unprecedented speed and
expense--almost $30-billion in today's money. Los Alamos scientists
and engineers relate their trials, triumphs, and dark doubts about
building the ultimate weapon of war in the interest of peace. CC [TV
G]
11:00 Infamous Murders: Death in the Country. In 1950, Carl and
Thelma Mosser picked up a hitchhiker on the Texas/New Mexico
border. The next day, William Cook killed the couple, their three
children, and dog. Between August 1997 and June 1999, nine people
were murdered near country railroads in Kentucky, Texas, and Illinois.
Rafael Resendez Ramirez, a Mexican drifter, eluded police before
f
inally surrendering. And in France, Gaston Dominici, out to shoot
vermin, slaughtered a vacationing Sir Jack Drummond, his wife, and
daughter instead. CC [TV PG]
11:30 Infamous Murders: Murder for Profit. In 1988, Sacramento
police removed a number of bodies from a boardinghouse's backyard.
The landlady Dorothy Puente poisoned the deceased and cashed
their social security checks. Then, we examine the case of Michael
Abdul Malik--Michael X--who ran illegal money-making schemes under
the guise of fundraising in Trinidad, and murdered those who got in his
way. And a look at John Haigh's unusual money-raising method in
1940s England--meet wealthy people, kill them, and dissolve their
bodies in acid! CC [TV PG]
03/26/2003
8:00 The Real Captain Bligh. In 1789, after mutiny on the Bounty,
William Bligh and 18 others were cast adrift in the vast Pacific. Seven
weeks later, Bligh reached safe harbor after sailing an overcrowded
rowboat 4,000 miles. Using Bligh's own journals, we recreate the
voyage and reveal the negligence of the naval establishment and their
contempt for the self-made Bligh. His perfectionism alienated him from
his crew, and his closest friend, Fletcher Christian, committed the
ultimate betrayal by leading the mutiny against him. Not to be confused with Mutant On The Bounty CC [TV G]
9:00 U.S. Guns of WWII. An examination of the weapons that
battled through surf and snow, dense jungle and choking dust...the
guns of the American GI. Though WWII introduced instruments that
pierced the dark and weapons that released the power of the atom, the
infantryman's guns were designed decades before; but in dependability
they were unequaled. CC [TV G]
10:00 Japanese Guns of WWII. As Japan bombed its way into the
Pacific during WWII, Imperial soldiers carried pride, a sense of
invincibility, and an arsenal of clumsy and outdated weapons.
Convinced that the tactics and tools that led to victory over colonial
enemies would be just as effective against the Allies, Japan would see
its weaponry lead to defea
t. CC [TV G]
11:00 The Onion Field with Joseph Wambaugh. Explores the
terrifying true story of two young cops and two young robbers whose
separate destinies fatally crossed one March night in a bizarre
execution in a deserted Los Angeles onion field. Joseph Wambaugh,
who wrote the famous book, relates the horrifying story in vivid detail.
CC [TV PG]
03/27/2003
8:00 Pyramids of Giza. By the Old Kingdom's 4th Dynasty,
Egyptians expressed their profound concerns for the afterlife in
towering monuments for the God-Kings. Journey to Giza, where Khufu
built the Great Pyramid and his successors the two smaller pyramids
and the enigmatic Great Sphinx, to probe the mysteries of their
construction and meaning. CC [TV G]
9:00 Super Guns. An examination of guns that exist on the cutting
edge of firearm technology. Fighting battles on computers decades
before an actual shot is fired, these super guns may make the world
safer...or more dangerous than ever before. CC [TV G]
10:00 Magnets. We played with them as children, but the world of
magnets isn't kid's stuff! The pervasive magnet serves as the
underpinning for much of modern technology. They can be found in
computers, cars, phones, VCRs, TVs, vacuum cleaners, the washer
and dryer, the ubiquitous refrigerator magnet, and even in an electric
guitar! On the cutting edge of technology, scientists experiment with a
variety of magnets. Magnets' amazing forces of attraction and
repulsion may take us to the far reaches of outer space. CC [TV G]
11:00 Infamous Murders: Poisoned to Death. Today, poisoners
leave a clear trail for forensic scientists to follow. But in the past,
poison proved the perfect murder weapon--easy to administer and
hard to trace, as we see in the cases examined here: in I922, attorney
Major Rowse Armstrong was executed for murdering his wife with
arsenic; in 1972, Graham Young was sentenced to life for poisoning
co-workers after having killed his mother as a youth; in 1998, Judias
Buenoano was e
xecuted for killing an ex-boyfriend, ex-husband, and
her son! CC [TV PG]
11:30 Infamous Murders: Evidence of Murder. Examines three
cases where crucial evidence eventually brought a killer to justice: the
1990 conviction of John List for murdering five members of his family in
1971 after he was featured on "America's Most Wanted"; the 1962
execution of James Hanratty for the murder of Michael Gregston and
attempted murder of his lover Valerie Storie in England; and the
strange case Donald Hume, who served 12 years for being an
accessory to the murder of his business associate in 1949--a murder
he later admitted! CC [TV PG]
03/28/2003
8:00 Ultimate Sacrifice: TWIH. Host Josh Binswanger heads to
Arlington National Cemetery for a show dedicated to Americans who
made the ultimate sacrifice--dying for their country and beliefs.
Binswanger guides us through the cemetery past the graves of a
Vietnam chaplain, a Civil War bugler, and a Korean War soldier whose
body only recently found its final resting place. Featured stories include
the Tomb of the Unknowns, the Civil War origins of Taps, and the
origins of the Purple Heart. CC [TV G]
9:00 Motorcycles. Set the sedan's safety brake and hop on your
"hog" for a 2-hour high-speed history of the motorcycle--from the
1868
"steam velocipede" to the early 20th century, when they were a low-
cost alternative to automobiles; from Harley-Davidsons preferred by
Hell's Angels and police to motocross riders who take bikes into the air
and onto the dirt. We also look to the motorcycle's future, featuring Jay
Leno's jet-propelled Y2K sportbike and Erik Buell's bike-without-a-gas-
tank creation. CC [TV PG]
11:00 Perfect Crimes? Hollywood Robber/Kingsbury Run Murders.
In the mid-1990s, when Seattle was plagued by bank robberies, the
most feared bandit was the "Hollywood" robber and his band. An
enormous task force, including the FBI, teamed up to match wits with
one of America's most prolific and luckiest criminals. And in 1935,
Cleveland brought in Eliot Ness to fight crime and police corruption.
But he was about to do battle with one of the most brutal and devious
serial killers in U.S. history, the "Mad Butcher of Kingsbury Run"--a
battle Ness eventually lost. CC [TV PG]
03/29/2003
8:00 The True Story of Killing Pablo. An exploration of the criminal
life of Pablo Escobar that culminated in the largest manhunt in history
and the controversial 1993 killing of Escobar on a rooftop in Medellin,
Colombia. Based on his book "Killing Pablo: The Hunt for the World's
Greatest Outlaw", author Mark Bowden anchors the program, guiding
us through pivotal moments of Escobar's life and sharing startling
revelations he uncovered during the research for his book. Features
interviews with key officials of Colombia and the U.S. CC [TV PG]
10:00 Making a Buck. Making a buck and faking a buck have
always gone hand in hand as we see on a 2,600-year journey--from
the earliest known counterfeiters of ancient Greece to the latest in anti-
counterfeiting technology. In this 2-hour history of a crime as old as
money itself and as current as the cash in your wallet, we capture the
combination of seriousness and whimsy inherent in the subject through
some of counterfeiting's most remarkable stories, schemes, and
characters. CC [TV G]
03/30/2003
8:00 Greatest Raids. The Adventures of Lawrence of Arabia. In June
1916, after 400 years of oppression, Arabs began a revolt throughout
the Arabian Peninsula to win independence from the Turkish Ottoman
Empire. The British supported them with arms, money, and the
presence of one extraordinary man: 27-year-old military intelligence
officer, Captain T.E. Lawrence, who proved to be an inspirational
leader and highly skilled at guerrilla warfare in the desert. We reveal
the truth behind the myth of Lawrence of Arabia and follow his real
wartime exploits. CC [TV PG]
9:00 Tiger Attack! Developed from a desperate need to turn the tide
of war in his favor, Adolf Hitler was personally involved in the Tiger
Tank, one of history's finest armored fighting vehicles. It was big and
bad, and fit the Nazi ideal of a weapon. With detailed color
reenactments and interviews, we enter the Tiger's world and meet its
crews that fought on every major battlefront in the European Theater.
Told from the German point of view, the program is produced in
association with the Imperial War Museum, London. CC [TV G]
10:00 Mail Call. CC [TV PG]
10:30 Conquest: Unarmed Combat. Bodies fly through the air as our
team follows wrestling techniques painted on the walls of Egyptian
tombs, and looks at Greek wrestling, one of the very earliest and most
important sports. We learn how the Greeks invented boxing, and how
the Romans developed it for use in the arena. Next, we look at the
medieval science of unarmed combat known as "gripping". Finally,
we
examine ancient Eastern methods that used the body as a deadly
weapon. Hosted by actor and fight master Peter Woodward. CC [TV
PG]
11:00 The Color of War: Battleground. World War Two was truly a
global conflict. Allied soldiers fought in all theaters of war, exposing
them to an extraordinary diversity of terrain and climate--from the
Arctic Circle to desert sands and fetid jungles. An infantryman was
engaged in combat for an hour each day on average, but he fought the
environment around the clock. The war comes alive through a moving
tapestry of letters, diaries, and color film and photographs unearthed
from archives and personal collections. Peter Coyote narrates. CC [TV
PG]
03/31/2003
8:00 Mail Call. CC [TV PG]
8:30 Conquest: Swords of the Musketeers. The classic cut-and-
thrust of the Hollywood movies had a basis in reality. The cup-hilt
rapier, with its light and flexible blade, did not require a left-hand
dagger for defense. This was the sword of the French Musketeers and
of the Spanish Conquistadors--the most feared swordsmen in Europe.
Our team shows how the art and sport of fencing began with this
weapon, and compares the reality of the weapon with the myth of its
use. Hosted by actor and fight master Peter Woodward. CC [TV PG]
9:00 Killer Storm. October 1991--an unpredicted monster storm
ravaged the U.S. Atlantic coast, unleashing its fury on land and sea.
Unique in destructive power and as a 100-Year Meteorological Event,
its 114-hour rampage posed daunting challenges to weather
forecasting, emergency warning agencies, and search and rescue
teams. CC [TV G]
11:00 The Wrath of God "Tornadoes: Super Outbreaks." Coils of
terror twisting out of the heavens to lash earth, tornadoes hit the U.S.
more than any other country. Never have they struck with such
frequency or ferocity as on April 3 and 4, 1974. In just under 18 hours,
148 tornadoes ravaged parts of the Midwest and South, killing 315
people across 13 states. CC [TV G]
Previous History Channel primetime listings: February 2003
Official HistoryChannel.com Homepage
From the invention of the electric battery in 1800 to the murdered remains of missing Washington intern Chandra Levy being discovered in a Washington D.C. park*, find out what happened when with our exclusive History of the World Timeline!
GO TO: HistoryChannel.com/worldtimeline
* Congressman Gary Condit (D), who reportedly told police he'd had an affair with Levy, is no longer considered to be a suspect in the case. Condit lost his bid for re-election in the Democratic Primary of 2002.
See if your favorite person, TV series or motion picture is available on video:
10:00 Pickup Trucks. It's an icon that represents freedom and
individuality--the venerable pickup truck. For almost a century, it has
been part of the American automotive culture. Once a lowly farm
vehicle, the pickup has moved from the back roads to main streets. We
trace the evolution of the truck from 1918 to the 21st century, and visit
truck shows, design studios, and body shops. From the wood-spoke
wheels of early models to bad-boy concept trucks of tomorrow, you're
in for a wild ride! CC [TV G]
