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LIBERTY! THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION: EPISODE 4: OH FATAL AMBITION! (TV)

Summary

Continued from T:53430. One in this six-part series documenting the twenty-five-year period of the American Revolution. Episode four chronicles the Revolutionary War from the beginning of General Burgoyne's campaign in Canada, to the American victory at Saratoga. This program, narrated by Edward Herrmann, includes remarks by historians, re-enactments of historical events, and dramatizations of colonialists' documents, letters, and diaries. In June and July of 1777, the British General Burgoyne mobilized his troops down from Canada toward the Hudson, defeating American units along the way. Historian John Keegan explains that the joint campaign between Generals Howe and Burgoyne would separate New England from the other colonies, giving the British control of the waterways from New York to Canada. As Burgoyne's troops moved toward New York, Howe's armada moved up the Hudson to capture Philadelphia.

Meanwhile, Benjamin Franklin went to Europe to enlist the help of the French, hoping for a demonstration of American military strength to support his case. George H.J. Abrams, James Merrell, George C. Neumann, and R. David Edmunds comment on the strategic importance of the Iroquois nation in the war, and the Iroquois motives for joining the British side. Historians Sylvia R. Frey, Jeremy Black, and Piers Mackesy then discuss unanticipated factors that slowed down Burgoyne's forces. Episode four includes re-enactments of quotes from British and Hessian soldiers and civilians on the unexpected hardships of this campaign. Next is a description of the battle at Saratoga, including the unorthodox tactics that Americans used to evade the British forces. Finally, N.A.M. Rodgers discusses the repercussions of the American victory at Saratoga, and Franklin's victory in establishing a treaty with the French. Continues with T:53433.

Cataloging of this program was made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, 1998.

Details

  • NETWORK: PBS
  • DATE: November 24, 1997 Monday 10:00 PM
  • RUNNING TIME: 0:58:35
  • COLOR/B&W: Color
  • CATALOG ID: T:53434
  • GENRE: Public affairs/Documentaries
  • SUBJECT HEADING: Public affairs/Documentaries; U.S. History - Colonial period; United States - History - Revolution, 1775-1783
  • SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 1997
  • COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

  • Catherine Allan … Executive Producer
  • Erika Herrmann … Coordinating Producer
  • Ellen Hovde … Producer, Director
  • Muffie Meyer … Producer, Director
  • Sharon Sachs … Co-Producer
  • Ronald Blumer … Co-Producer, Writer
  • Jennifer Raikes … Associate Producer
  • Smokey Forester … Series Producer
  • Tim Brady … Writer
  • Richard Einhorn … Music by
  • Mark O'Connor … Music by
  • Forrest Sawyer … Host
  • Herrmann, Edward (See also: Herrmann, Ed) … Narrator
  • Jane Adams … Cast, Sara Scott
  • Philip Bosco … Cast, Benjamin Franklin
  • Kevin Chamberlin … Cast, Daniel McCurtin
  • John Ellison Conlee … Cast, Henry Knox
  • J.D. Cullum … Cast, Nicholas Cresswell
  • Michael Cumpsty … Cast, Everett Larkin
  • Marcus D'Amico … Cast, Sgt. Roger Lamb
  • Jeffrey DeMunn … Cast, Samuel Parsons and Dr. James Thatcher
  • Peter Donaldson … Cast, John Adams
  • George Enders … Cast, Julius Frederick Wasmus
  • Patrick Fiztgerald … Cast, John Fitzgerald
  • Anthony Heald … Cast, Philip Vickers Fithian and Jonathan Austin
  • Philip Seymour Hoffman … Cast, Joseph Plumb Martin
  • Daniel Jenkins … Cast, Michael Graham
  • Alex Jennings … Cast, King George III
  • Byron Jennings … Cast, John Hancock
  • Simon Jones … Cast, Ambrose Serie
  • David Patrick Kelly … Cast, Col. James Wilkinson
  • Juergen Kuehn … Cast, Lt. Col. Johann Rall
  • Terrence Mann … Cast, Gen. John Burgoyne
  • Donna Murphy … Cast, Abigail Adams
  • James Murtaugh … Cast, Isaac Bangs
  • Andreas Niedermeier … Cast, Lt. Col. Baum
  • Francie Swift … Cast, Baroness von Riedesel
  • Stephen Temperley … Cast, Hector de Crevecoeur
  • Douglas Weston … Cast, Sir George Collier and Lord Stormont
  • Paxton Whitehead … Cast, Horace Walpole
  • Steve Zahn … Cast, the American Sergeant
  • Stephen Lang … Cast, George Washington
  • George H.J. Abrams
  • J. Paul Boehmer
  • Jeremy Black
  • R. David Edmunds
  • Sylvia R. Frey
  • David Hildebrand
  • Ginger Hildebrand
  • John Keegan
  • Yo-Yo Ma
  • Piers Mackesy
  • Wynton Marsalis
  • James Merrell
  • Nashville Symphony, The
  • George C. Neumann
  • N.A.M. Rodgers
  • John Shy
  • Richard Norton Smith
  • James Taylor
  • Gordon S. Wood