or


[11/18/08 - 01:14 PM]
History(Tm) Examines Dawn of the Space AgE... Sputnik Mania
The special, from veteran filmmaker David Hoffman, airs Saturday, November 29 at 10:00/9:00c.

[via press release from History]

History� Examines Dawn of the Space Age... SPUTNIK MANIA

Premieres Saturday, November 29 at 10:00 pm ET/PT

SPUTNIK MANIA Features Long-lost footage and newly declassified information that shows awe and fear Americans felt following Soviet launch

New York, NY, November 11, 2008 � A little over fifty years ago, on October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik into space. The shock waves from that event continue to this day. Sputnik Mania, premiering Saturday, November 29 at 10:00 pm ET/PT on History�, tells the whole story of the launch of Sputnik and what happened to America during the following year. It presents not only previously lost footage from the 1950�s, but also an extraordinary collection of interviews and recently declassified insights into the high-level decisions that followed the dawn of the space age.

The launch of Sputnik initially thrilled Americans. But within a surprisingly short time, that enthusiasm descended into fear and anxiety as politicians and the media whipped the public into a frenzy over Sputnik and the rocket that launched it -- a rocket that could easily have been used as a Soviet ICBM missile attacking our cities. Then-Senator Lyndon Johnson compared Sputnik to another Pearl Harbor. Only months after Sputnik�s launch, 60% of Americans thought that nuclear war was imminent and that 50% of the American population would likely die (Gallup Poll, April 1958). Throughout 1958, as tensions escalated, the U.S. and U.S.S.R. between them tested a nuclear bomb in the atmosphere every three days. Americans were told by government leaders to build personal bomb shelters and stockpile emergency supplies. By June 10, 1958, with America�s first satellite also in space, tens of millions participated in a nationwide underground civil defense drill.

Created by veteran filmmaker David Hoffman, who pored through thousands of hours of archival footage, Sputnik Mania contains a wealth of forgotten scenes, news accounts and recent interviews. Sputnik Mania includes historic clips of: Soviets building the first rockets and satellites; reactions from television and radio newscasts; people scanning the night sky in awe and fear; then-Major John Glenn on a quiz show just 3 hours after the launch of Sputnik, discussing the satellite four years before he became the first American to orbit the earth; American schoolchildren building their own rockets; coverage of the dog Laika, the first living creature to reach space from Earth, and reaction as the world realized that the dog was sent to its death; shots of Wernher von Braun, the former Nazi scientist whose rockets gave America a fighting chance in the space race; religious leaders predicting the Second Coming or the end of the world; and Americans building bomb shelters, donning gas masks and preparing for nuclear war amidst the general fear surrounding the launch.

Sputnik Mania provides an in-depth look at the tensions between President Dwight Eisenhower and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev. It follows their diplomatic relations in the midst of Sputnik-fueled concerns over a growing nuclear arms race and pressures from the militaries of both nations to militarize space.

The launch of Sputnik also galvanized nearly all aspects of American culture. Along with the shock and fear was a determination to conquer the heavens ourselves. Science became patriotic, with an urgency only seen before in wartime. In the shadow of Sputnik, technology and engineering received a massive infusion of funding, and our national priorities were upended. The modern age had truly begun, and America was not going to come in second.

Sputnik Mania is based on the book Sputnik: The Shock of the Century (Walker & Co., May 2007) by Paul Dickson. In the last ten years, an incredible amount of previously secret material has been declassified and made public. Dickson relied on these newly available documents to more deeply understand the events around Sputnik.

Sputnik Mania is produced by Varied Directions. Executive Producer for History is David McKillop.

History� and History HD� are the leading destinations for revealing, award-winning, original non-fiction series and event-driven specials that connects 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 networks program offerings are hit series such as Ax Men, Battle 360, The Universe, Cities of The Underworld and Ice Road Truckers, as well as acclaimed specials including King, Life After People, 1968 With Tom Brokaw, Lost Book of Nostradamus, Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed and Sherman�s March. History has earned four Peabody Awards, four Primetime Emmy� Awards, 12 News & Documentary Emmy� Awards and received the prestigious Governor's Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for the network's Save Our History� campaign dedicated to historic preservation and history education. Take A Veteran to School Day is the network�s latest initiative connecting America�s schools and communities with veterans from all wars. History�s website, located at www.History.com, is the definitive historical online source that delivers entertaining and informative content featuring broadband video, interactive timelines, maps, games podcasts and more.





  [november 2008]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
      


· SHOWATCH
(series past and present)
· DEVWATCH
(series in development)
· MOVIEWATCH
(tv movies and mini-series)





[10/03/25 - 02:17 PM]
ESPN's Record-Setting '25 MLB Wild Card Series
Across eight games, the MLB Wild Card Series is averaging 4.4 million viewers, up 65% from last year.

[10/03/25 - 12:37 PM]
BET+ Sets October 23 Premiere for "Carl Weber's The Family Business" Season 6
The 10-episode season will premiere with two episodes, followed by one episode weekly, with the finale on Thursday, December 18.

[10/03/25 - 12:07 PM]
"Dancing with the Stars" Continues to Shatter Records - Growing Two Weeks in a Row Since Season Premiere for First Time Since 2005
Plus: "High Potential" hit a season high in Total Viewers (4.24 million), growing by double digits over the show's comparable third episode from last fall.

[10/03/25 - 10:57 AM]
Legends, Champions and Icons of October Highlight FOX Sports' Postseason Broadcaster Lineup
FOX Sports begins its Postseason coverage Saturday, October 4 at 4:00 PM ET on FOX, FOX Deportes, the FOX Sports App and FOX One as the New York Yankees face the Toronto Blue Jays.

[10/03/25 - 10:05 AM]
All-New Season of "Gold Rush" Returns with High-Stake Risks and Land Fury on Friday, November 7 at 8PM ET/PT on Discovery
With only a few short months to mine, top bosses and rising underdogs collide in a race to claim new ground, move more dirt, and strike it rich.

[10/03/25 - 09:12 AM]
FOX Nation Secures Exclusive U.S. Rights to Docuseries "Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar"
The acclaimed series will make its anticipated U.S. debut on FOX Nation on Monday, October 6.

[10/03/25 - 08:02 AM]
TNT Sports to Be Exclusive Home of 2025 NLDS & NLCS
Both best-of-five NLDS series begin Saturday, October 4.

[10/03/25 - 08:01 AM]
TNT Sports Sets BIG EAST Men's College Basketball Schedule for Inaugural 2025-26 Season
TNT Sports' regular season BIG EAST men's basketball schedule will feature 40 appearances by St. John's, UConn, Creighton, Xavier, and Marquette, programs that each clinched berths in last season's NCAA Men's Tournament.

[10/03/25 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "27 Nights" - Official Trailer - Netflix
When a woman is admitted by her daughters to a psychiatric clinic for her carefree ways, an expert must judge if she is ill or simply wants to enjoy life.

[10/03/25 - 04:01 AM]
Video: "Steve" - Official Trailer #2 - Netflix
Over one intense day, the devoted head teacher of a last-chance reform school strives to keep his students in line while facing pressures of his own.

[10/03/25 - 03:02 AM]
Miguel Herran Will Play Poli Diaz in "El Porto the Vallecas," the New Film by Daniel Calparsoro for Netflix
Inspired by true events, the film follows the life of Policarpo "Poli" Díaz (Miguel Herrán), a young man from Vallecas who, despite a childhood marked by poverty and family violence, became a boxing legend in 1980s Spain, even fighting for the world lightweight title.

[10/03/25 - 03:01 AM]
Netflix Honors Jane Goodall with Posthumous Release of "Famous Last Words" Docuseries Following Her Passing
The series showcases reflective interviews with some of the world's most influential cultural figures, who agreed to sit down and discuss their legacy, and give their final words, with the understanding that it would only be shared with the world after they passed.

[10/02/25 - 04:09 PM]
ESPN Delivers the Most-Watched WNBA Semifinals Ever
Game 5 between the Indiana Fever and the Las Vegas Aces averaged 1.8 million viewers, peaking at 2.1 million.

[10/02/25 - 03:01 PM]
Video: "Twisted Wonderland" - Trailer - Disney+
Your favorite villains reimagined in ways you've never dared to dream.

[10/02/25 - 02:51 PM]
ESPN's Record-Setting Day One of MLB Wild Card Series
Coverage of Red Sox versus Yankees averaged 6.5 million viewers, peaking at 9.9 million.