Biography

Commentary creates in-depth portraits.
Mary Kay
S2006 E77

Chronicles the amazing rise to success and wealth of cosmetics queen Mary Kay Ash. As a young woman, Kay quit her job when she was regularly passed over.

Gen. Douglas MacArthur: Return of a Legend
S2005 E18

Administrator, swashbuckler, and statesman, MacArthur was a military man of definite style who crossed swords with presidents and overcame an entrenched enemy.

Laura Bush
S2004 E150

Interviews with the president, family members and friends highlight a portrait of first lady Laura Bush.

Salvador Dali
S2004 E179

After having his first art exhibition at age 13, Salvador Dali rose to become one of the world's most well-known and controversial artists.

Vladimir Putin
S2004 E201

Portrait of the Russian president who was reelected by an overwhelming majority in 2004, but who has been criticized for stifling democratic reforms.

Chiang Kai-Shek: The Battle for China
S2001 E125

Profiling the life and political career of Chiang Kai-shek, the former president of Nationalist China.

Dick Cheney: Quiet Authority
S2001 E203

Interviews with Secretary of State Colin Powell and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld highlight this in-depth profile of the U.S. Vice President who's helping to lead the fight against terrorism.

Imelda Marcos: Steel Butterfly
S2001 E221

Supporters of former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos remember her efforts to improve social welfare and respect her ability to survive, while detractors claim she'll only be remembered for her shoes.

Ferdinand Porsche
S2001 E231

The story of Ferdinand and Ferry Porsche, the father and son who built one of the world's greatest automobile empires.

John J. Pershing: The Iron General
S2000 E178

Profiling the historical triumphs and bitter defeats of World War I hero Gen. John J. Pershing, a steadfast picture of calm and integrity.

Caligula: Reign of Madness
S1999 E25

Profile of Roman Emperor Caligula includes details of his reign, including frenzies of lunacy, murder and perverse sexuality.

Slobodan Milosevic: Serbian Strongman
S1999 E27

Profile of Yugoslavian leader Slobodan Milosevic, whose refusal to sign a peace accord led to an assault by NATO forces on his regime.

John F. Kennedy Jr.: The Death of an American Prince
S1999 E39

Interviews present insight into the life, career and tragic death of John F. Kennedy Jr. and includes a profile of wife Carolyn Bessette Kennedy.

Queen Noor: Between Two Realms
S1999 E96

A profile of Queen Noor of Jordan, the former Lisa Halaby, includes interviews with actor Harrison Ford and King Hussein biographer Peter Snow.

Confucius: Words of Wisdom
S1998 E32

Experts discuss the life of Chinese teacher Confucius, whose philosophies influenced Eastern Asian civilization.

Napoleon Bonaparte: The Glory of France
S1998 E71

The extraordinary life and times of the great military genius who took France to unprecedented heights of power, and then brought it to its knees when his ego spun out of control.

Satan: Prince of Darkness
S1998 E100

From the dawn of the universe to this very day, Satan is believed to roam the earth, vowing to destroy man. Where there is light, Satan brings darkness. Where there is peace, he wages war.

J.W. Marriott: Host to the World
S1998 E141

Born into a family of faith and poverty, early in life J. Willard Marriott shouldered a man's responsibilities. Learn the story of the lanky Utahan who inched his way

The Gambinos: First Family of Crime
S1997 E1

The Gambino crime family comes to power when Carlo Gambino has Albert Anastasia shot; Paul Castellano; John Gotti.

Dow and Jones: Wizards of Wall Street
S1997 E16

Financial advisers Louis Rukeyser, Lou Dobbs and others discuss the impact of Wall Street geniuses Charles Dow and Edward Jones.

Rasputin: The Mad Monk
S1997 E18

They said he was a lustful Mad Monk, a Holy Devil, who preached God's word, yet practiced every form of evil.

General George C. Marshall: Soldier and Statesman
S1997 E48

The WWII 5-star general who was the only career officer ever to win the Nobel Peace Prize, and whose name embellished the boldest and most successful plan for peace ever launched: The Marshall Plan.

Joseph Kennedy Sr.: Father of an American Dynasty
S1997 E62

A profile of Joseph Kennedy Sr., the iron-fisted patriarch whose ability to wheel and deal enabled him to gain wealth and power.

Ivan the Terrible: Might and Madness
S1997 E90

The life of the bloodthirsty first czar of Russia. Ivan killed his own son and had several of his wives murdered.

Vincent Van Gogh: A Stroke of Genius
S1997 E113

The tragic story of the immortal artist whose works are among the world's most treasured masterpieces today, but who was almost completely ignored in his own lifetime.

The du Ponts: America's Wealthiest Family
S1996 E32

Portrait of the fabulously wealthy family that built an empire in chemicals. Looks at why most family members have shunned publicity.

Dwight D. Eisenhower: Commander in Chief
S1996 E48

Profile of the 34th president focuses on his military career and service as Supreme Allied Commander during World War II.

Theodore Roosevelt: Roughrider to Rushmore
S1996 E49

Interviews, archival film and still photographs capture the spirit of Theodore Roosevelt, who rose from cowboy to U.S. President.

The Great Ziegfeld
S1996 E56

With their mix of high European style and lower-class vaudevillian humor, the Ziegfeld Follies reflected the spirit of the 1920s.

Stonewall Jackson
S1996 E61

The story of Confederate leader Gen. Thomas Jonathan Jackson, also known as "Stonewall" Jackson, is recounted.

Faberge: Imperial Jeweler
S1996 E147

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.

The Boston Strangler
S1996 E152

F. Lee Bailey and others discuss Albert DeSalvo, the construction worker who confessed to being the Boston Strangler.

The Earp Brothers: Lawmen of the West
S1996 E178

The controversial story of Wyatt Earp and his five brothers, from the Civil War to turn-of-the-century California.

Buffalo Bill: Showman of the West
S1996 E181

The real-life adventures of William F. Cody, alias Buffalo Bill, whose exploits as a frontiersman were exaggerated and immortalized by writer Ned Buntline in his pulp stories.

Alexander Graham Bell: Voice of Invention
S1996 E184

Direct descendants help explore the life of inventor Alexander Graham Bell, who was driven by the desire to help others.

Sir Isaac Newton: The Gravity of Genius
S1996 E185

Recounting Sir Isaac Newton's contributions to the understanding of mathematics, astronomy and physics.

Sigmund Freud: Analysis of a Mind
S1996 E187

Profile of the founder of modern psychology that covers his youth in Vienna, his use of cocaine and irrational fears.

J. Pierpont Morgan: Emperor of Wall Street
S1996 E201

At one time, J.P. Morgan's wealth includes 70 percent of the steel and 60 percent of the stocks of the United States.

David and Goliath: A Biblical Battle
S1996 E208

Chosen by God to be the future king of Israel, David's battle with Goliath was only one of his triumphs.

Brigham Young: Architect of Faith
S1995 E4

Brigham Young's odyssey takes him from poverty in New England to autocracy in the Great Salt Lake basin.

Love and Death: The Story of Bonnie and Clyde
S1995 E36

A fresh look at the Depression-era bank robbers, killers, and lovers. Their uncanny ability to escape police and Bonnie's poetry, published in newspapers, made them popular.

Charles Dickens: A Tale of Ambition and Genius
S1995 E39

Novelist Charles Dickens rises from a blacking factory to world-wide fame.

Pocahontas: Her True Story
S1995 E45

Pocahontas worked toward peaceful coexistence with Jamestown settlers and fell in love with explorer John Smith.

Daniel Boone
S1995 E47

Profiling outdoorsman Daniel Boone, who cleared the famed Wilderness Road and became an American legend.

Crazy Horse: The Last Warrior
S1995 E48

Crazy Horse fought to protect the tribal lands of the Ogalia Sioux against white settlements in the Great Plains.

Benedict Arnold: Triumph and Treason
S1995 E51

Story of the brilliant American Revolutionary War general who turned traitor. Focuses on his military victories for the colonists.

Thomas Jefferson: Philosopher of Freedom
S1995 E58

A renowned president, Thomas Jefferson was also a slave owner, debtor and allegedly the father of several illegitimate children.

Patton: A Genius for War
S1995 E60

Special 2-hour profile of the tough-as-nails military leader. Recalls his formative years at West Point, first taste of battle in World War I, and many successes in North Africa and Europe during World War II.

Susan B. Anthony: Rebel for the Cause
S1995 E68

Chronicles the life of the early feminist who crusaded for equal pay for equal work and women's suffrage, which led to the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.

King Arthur: His Life and Legends
S1995 E71

He pulled Excalibur out of the stone, gathered knights at the Round Table, and was trained by Merlin the Magician. But who was the great English king, who has inspired art and politics from medieval times to the age of Kennedy?

Patrick Henry: Voice of Liberty
S1995 E73

A presentation of the life of revolutionary Patrick Henry, the fiery and outspoken pied piper of liberty.

Marco Polo: Journey to the East
S1995 E79

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.

Sitting Bull: Chief of the Lakota Nation
S1995 E82

A portrait of Sioux warrior and medicine man Sitting Bull, who led his people to victory at Little Bighorn.

Al Capone: Scarface
S1995 E101

The biography of the killer who is considered the most notorious gangster in American history looks at his rise to power in Chicago.

Milton Hershey: Chocolate King
S1995 E113

After discovering how to mass-produce chocolate, Milton Hershey became a wealthy philanthropist known for funding civic institutions.

Christopher Columbus: Explorer of the New World
S1995 E131

An original profile of the explorer that reveals details of his life that will surprise many viewers. Columbus received little credit for his discoveries, and died a broken and largely forgotten man.

The Extraordinary Journeys of Jules Verne
S1995 E133

Many inventors, explorers and astronauts draw inspiration from the works of French author Jules Verne.

Andrew Carnegie: Prince of Steel
S1995 E137

The life and career of the great 19th-century industrialist and philanthropist. The son of a poor Scottish immigrant, Carnegie built an empire in steel manufacturing before being bought out by US Steel.

Lizzie Borden: A Woman Accused
S1995 E153

Did Lizzie Borden really take an axe and give her mother 40 whacks and her father 41? She was acquitted, but controversy still rages over the century-old double murder case.

Ponce de Leon: The First Conquistador
S1995 E162

Lured to the New World by promises of gold and glory, legendary explorer Ponce de Leon earned himself a place in history.

Paul Revere: The Midnight Rider
S1995 E170

Profile of the Revolutionary War hero that tells us more about the man who warned, "The Redcoats are coming!" Revere was a successful artisan, businessman, and early industrialist.

Tokyo Rose: Victim of Propaganda
S1995 E176

Story of the women who broadcast Japanese propaganda to US troops in World War II. Focuses on Iva Toguri, a US citizen who be came known as "Tokyo Rose" for her radio broadcasts.

FDR: Years of Crisis
S1995 E215

A look at the strained relationship between Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower and Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery of England during World War II.

Benjamin Franklin: Citizen of the World
S1994 E10

Inventor, liberator, ambassador and author are just some of the roles played by Benjamin Franklin in U.S. history.

Joan of Arc: The Making of a Saint
S1994 E11

Shot in England, Ireland, and Wales, the biography travels to the 5th century to explore Patrick's transformation from privileged aristocrat to tormented slave to missionary hero.

General Omar Bradley
S1994 E16

General Omar Bradley was known as one of WWII's finest commanders. This biography uncovers the history and complex character that drove this peerless fighter not only up to and through WWII, but in the critical years after it.

Christa McAuliffe: Teacher in Space
S1994 E17

Portrait of the teacher who died in the tragic explosion of the space shuttle Challenger in 1986. Includes interviews with her parents and students.

Norman Rockwell: An American Portrait
S1994 E19

The life of the artist whose Saturday Evening Post illustrations captured the spirit of Middle America and were loved by generations.

Eleanor Roosevelt: A Restless Spirit
S1994 E36

Film, photographs and Eleanor Roosevelt's own words profile the first lady and humanitarian; host Celeste Holm.

Joan of Arc: Virgin Warrior
S1994 E44

The incredible life of the 17-year-old peasant girl who donned a suit of armor, rode off to war, and saved France.

George Washington: Founding Father
S1994 E52

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.

FDR: The War Years
S1994 E216

Story of President Franklin Roosevelt's leadership during the momento U.S. years of World War II and his controversial international policies that helped shape the post-war world.

The Mysterious Edgar Allan Poe
S1994 E226

The triumphant and tragic story of the great poet, short story writer , and master of the macabre. Blessed by a genius that brought him many successes as a writer.