History Announces "Vietnam in HD" - Six-Hour Series Follows in the Footsteps of Network's Acclaimed Emmy(R) Award Winning "WWII in HD"
Golden Globe(R) Winner Michael C. Hall to Narrate; and Famed Actors Including Edward Burns, Kevin Connolly, Jerry Ferrara, Adrian Grenier, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Zachary Levi, Blair Underwood, among others to Voice the Veterans
Premieres Fall 2011
IT'S NOT THE WAR YOU KNOW
IT'S THE WAR THEY FOUGHT
Los Angeles, CA, July 27, 2011 - Two years after setting the new standard in war combat documentaries with its Emmy-winning masterpiece WWII in HD, HISTORY shifts its focus to a different generation and to one of the most controversial wars in American history. Vietnam in HD, an epic six-hour docudrama, will immerse viewers in the sights, the sounds and the stories of the Vietnam War in a way no other has done before. Vietnam in HD, narrated by Emmy-nominated actor Michael C. Hall, premieres on HISTORY this fall.
To make Vietnam in HD, as with WWII in HD, which was seen by more than 24 million viewers when it premiered in 2009, HISTORY scoured the globe for rare and never-seen, film, much of it shot by soldiers in action. Thousands of hours of uncensored footage, detailing every critical chapter of the Vietnam War, were located, restored and then transferred to High Definition. The dynamic footage combined with powerful storytelling will provide the viewer with an immersive experience and perspective on this war as never before.
Gripping first-person accounts from 13 individuals, whose lives were forever changed, haunted even, by their wartime experiences, give Vietnam in HD its compelling narrative structure. It is through the eyes of these men and women ? many of whom didn't receive the public appreciation they deserved upon returning to America ? that the story of this war unfolds onscreen.
Viewers will meet brave men and women they will not soon forget. Among them: Karl Marlantes, a Marine whose unit saw some of the fiercest fighting in the A Shau Valley and the Da Krong Valley, and whose 2010 novel Matterhorn is widely regarded as the finest Vietnam book ever written; Arthur Wiknik, a draftee who led his squad to safety during the 10-day assault on "Hamburger Hill"; Gery Benedetti, a member of the Navy's "Brown Water River Rats," who transported infantry soldiers and Navy SEALS to various points of incursion along the Mekong River; Bob Clewell, a pilot in the Comancheros assault helicopter battalion who barely survived an ill-fated mission into Laos; Charles Brown, an African-American Army sergeant who led missions through the deadly jungles of Pleiku and Dok; Elizabeth Allen, an Army nurse who insisted on frontline duty and valiantly saved lives during the Tet Offensive; Joe Galloway, a United Press International reporter who was awarded a Bronze Star with V for Valor for rescuing wounded soldiers under fire at Ia Drang; Anne Purcell, wife of the highest-raking Army officer to be held as a Prisoner of War in Vietnam; and Barry Romo, an Army infantryman who transformed from a gung-ho patriot and war hero to staunch anti-war activist.
The veterans' poignant stories are voiced and delivered with emotional impact by some of Hollywood's top talents:
Adrian Grenier as Barry Romo
Edward Burns as Joe Galloway
Kevin Connolly as Keith Connolly
Blair Underwood as Charles Brown
Tempestt Bledsoe as Elizabeth Allen
Jerry Ferrara as Raymond Torres
Zachary Levi as Karl Marlantes
James Marsden as Arthur Wiknik
Jennifer Love Hewitt as Anne Purcell
Glenn Howerton as Donald DeVore
Armie Hammer as Gary Benedetti
Dylan McDermott as Jim Anderson
Dean Cain as Bob Clewall
The veterans themselves will also appear.
Vietnam in HD is produced for HISTORY by Lou Reda Productions. Executive Producers for Lou Reda Productions are Lou Reda and Scott L. Reda. Director and Supervising Editor is Sammy Jackson. Lead Writer and Producer is Liz Reph. Executive Producer for HISTORY is Susan Werbe.
About HISTORY(R)
HISTORY(R) and HISTORY HD(R) are the leading destinations for revealing, award-winning original non-fiction series and event specials that connect history with viewers in an informative, immersive and entertaining manner across multiple platforms. Programming covers a diverse variety of historical genres ranging from military history to contemporary history, technology to natural history, as well as science, archaeology and pop culture. Among the network's program offerings are hit series such as American Pickers, Ax Men, American Restoration, Ice Road Truckers, Top Gear, Pawn Stars and Top Shot, as well as acclaimed specials including Gettysburg, America the Story of Us, WWII in HD, 102 Minutes That Changed America and Life After People. HISTORY has earned four Peabody Awards, seven Primetime Emmy(R) Awards, 12 News & Documentary Emmy(R) Awards and received the prestigious Governor's Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for the network's Save Our History(R) campaign dedicated to historic preservation and history education. Take a Veteran to School Day is the network's signature initiative connecting America's schools and communities with veterans from all wars. The HISTORY website, located at www.history.com, is the leading online resource for all things history, featuring over 20,000 videos, images, audio clips, articles and interactive features that allow visitors to dig deeper into a broad range of thousands of historical topics.
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