Tag Archives: Mark Samels

The Hatfields and McCoys Face Off in The Feud on PBS

“Bloody war in Pike County.  The McCoys and Hatfields Doing Their Utmost to Exterminate Each Other.”—The New York Times, January 8, 1888. The Hatfield-McCoy feud has been called “the most famous family conflict in American history.” Yet most of what … Continue reading

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1920 Bombing of Wall Street Revisited on American Experience

The parallels are unsettling.  Immigrant profiling and deportation.  American workers embittered by a profiteering moneyed class. Homegrown terrorists schooled in bomb-making and rhetoric by foreign-born anarchists. Russia vs. the F.B.I. As revisited in the fascinating new documentary, The Bombing of … Continue reading

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PBS Rebroadcasts The Boys of ’36 on American Experience

Yes, I’m on vacation and I’m surrounded by water…the optimum venue from which to give you a shout-out about the rebroadcast of American Experience’s rousing documentary about Olympic rowers.  The Boys of ’36 reruns on PBS tonight, Tuesday, August 1, 2017, 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. ET. … Continue reading

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American Experience Remembers The Boys of ’36

I’m writing this blog post from the second floor porch of a Victorian B&B in Ocean Grove, NJ, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. There’s a brisk wind off the ocean today, but the sparkling white caps and the fishing boats hovering close to shore hold promise … Continue reading

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Bonnie and Clyde Revisited on American Experience

It’s been almost 50 years since actor/producer Warren Beatty revitalized his career with Bonnie & Clyde (1967). Directed by Arthur Penn, the film’s art-house take on the ill-fated Depression-era outlaw couple, Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker, turned true crime cinema on its ear and … Continue reading

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Last Days in Vietnam Not To Be Missed on American Experience

I’ve always been fascinated by the offspring of super achievers. If their moms, dads, grandparents or great grandparents are heavy hitters in politics, the arts, medicine, sports, the military or scholarly pursuits, these kids have quite an act to follow. Independent filmmaker Rory Kennedy, … Continue reading

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