Filmmaker Ken Burns’ latest—about the Roosevelts—previews at the Hop July 13
HANOVER, NH—Following a tradition of four previous summers, New Hampshire-based filmmaker Ken Burns
brings a new film to the Hop for a sneak preview: Episode Three of The Roosevelts: An Intimate History, a 14hour series slated to air on PBS in 2014. The Hop screening takes place on Saturday, July 13, at 7 pm, in
Spaulding Auditorium. Burns will stay for a post-screening discussion in the auditorium.
A member of the Hop’s Board of Overseers,
Burns has said he enjoys screening his films
before the engaged and savvy audiences at
the Hop. Previously, he’s aired segments of
these series, all later aired on PBS: The
National Parks (2009); The Tenth Inning
(2010); Prohibition (2011); and The Dust
Bowl (2012). Last January, he also screened
at the Hop The Central Park Five, a
documentary feature film he made with his
daughter Sarah Burns and son-in-law David
Middleton.
The Roosevelts interweaves the stories of
Theodore, Franklin and Eleanor, three of
the most influential Americans of the early
20th century, and all Roosevelts by birth.
The two-hour Episode Three: The 1910s
chronicles Teddy’s near-death adventure in
the Amazon, FDR’s rise to power and
Eleanor’s discovery of his marital betrayal.
The three are voiced by Meryl Streep as
Eleanor, Paul Giamatti as Teddy, and—
reprising a role he’s played on stage and TV,
winning two Emmy awards—Edward
Herrmann as FDR.
“The Roosevelts have played significant roles in other stories we’ve told before, from the National Parks to
World War II,” said Burns. “It’s impossible, in fact, to visit many parts of the American experience without
encountering their presence. But beyond simply sharing a bloodline or political success, they each shared a
passionate belief that America is at its strongest when everyone has an equal chance. And on a personal level,
they each struggled to overcome their own fears while maintaining a public face of courage.”
The series as a whole follows the family’s story for more than a century, from Theodore’s birth in 1858 to
Eleanor’s death in 1962. Over the course of those years, Theodore would become the 26th president of the
United States, and his beloved niece, Eleanor, would marry his fifth cousin, Franklin, who became the 32nd
president. Together, they redefined the relationship Americans had with their government and with each
other, and redefined, as well, the role of the United States within the wider world.
The series encompasses all the history the Roosevelts helped to make — the creation of National Parks and
the digging of the Panama Canal, the New Deal and the defeat of Hitler, and the postwar struggles for civil
rights at home and human rights around the world in which Eleanor Roosevelt played a central role. But it is
also an intimate human story about love and betrayal, family feeling and personal courage and the conquest
of fear.
“In The Roosevelts, Ken delves into these three larger-than-life figures in a way that’s never been done before,
exploring not only the characteristics that made them such tremendously influential and strong leaders, but
also their interpersonal relationships and human, vulnerable qualities,” said Paula Kerger, president and CEO
of PBS. “It’s a wonderful story and we’re very excited to present it to our viewers.”
Legendary actress Streep portrays Eleanor in readings from her personal letters and writings. Of her
performance, Burns said, “As we’ve seen time and time again, Ms. Streep is a magician. Here, she completely
transformed herself into Eleanor Roosevelt, simply through her voice. It was remarkable to witness. The entire
cast delivers what I consider to be some of the finest voice-over work we’ve ever been fortunate enough to
present.”
Joining Streep, Giamatti and Herrmann in narrating and giving voices to historical figures are Patricia Clarkson,
Adam Arkin, Philip Bosco, Keith Carradine, Kevin Conway, Ed Harris, John Lithgow, Josh Lucas, Carl Lumbly,
Amy Madigan, Carolyn McCormick, Pamela Reed, Billy Bob Thornton and Eli Wallach.
The Roosevelts is written by longtime Burns collaborator Geoffrey C. Ward, who is an authority on Franklin
Roosevelt. The author of two biographical volumes, A First-Class Temperament and Before the Trumpet, he is
also the editor of Closest Companion, which revealed for the first time Roosevelt’s close friendship with his
distant cousin, Daisy Suckley. Ward’s interest in FDR grew in part from the fact that he, like FDR, is a polio
survivor.
The Roosevelts: An Intimate History is a production of Florentine Films and WETA, Washington, DC. Director:
Ken Burns. Writer: Geoffrey C. Ward. Producers: Ken Burns, Paul Barnes and Pam Tubridy-Baucom. Editors:
Paul Barnes, Tricia Reidy and Erik Ewers. Cinematographers: Buddy Squires and Alan Moore.
Based in Walpole, NH, Burns has been making films for more than 30 years. Since his Academy Awardnominated Brooklyn Bridge in 1981, he has gone on to direct and produce some of the most acclaimed
historical documentaries ever made, including his monumental 1990 series The Civil War and acclaimed films
on baseball, jazz and other rich topics of American culture and history. His innovative and engaging ways of
incorporating archival photos, films and texts gave rise to “the Ken Burns effect” as a popular name for a type
of panning and zooming effect used in video production from still imagery. The late historian Stephen
Ambrose said of his films, "More Americans get their history from Ken Burns than any other source." Burns’
films have won 12 Emmy Awards and two Oscar nominations, and in September of 2008, at the News &
Documentary Emmy Awards, he was honored by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences with a Lifetime
Achievement Award.
Download high-resolution photos and Word version of press release
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Founded in 1962, the Hopkins Center for the Arts is a multi-disciplinary academic, visual and performing
arts center dedicated to uncovering insights, igniting passions, and nurturing talents to help the Dartmouth
community engage imaginatively and contribute creatively to our world. Each year the Hop presents more
than 300 live events and films by visiting artists as well as Dartmouth students and the Dartmouth
community, and reaches more than 22,000 Upper Valley residents and students with outreach and arts
education programs. During the 2012-13 season, the Hop celebrates its 50th anniversary with heightened
programming that emphasizes the Hop’s missions of mentoring young artists, supporting the development
of new work, and providing a laboratory for participation and experimentation in the arts. The Hop’s 50th
celebration is one of the major elements in Dartmouth’s designation of 2012-13 as the college’s Year of the
Arts.
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CALENDAR LISTING:
Ken Burns Film Special: The Roosevelts: An Intimate History
Award-winning filmmaker Ken Burns presents Episode Three of his seven-part series on this illustrious political
family, to be aired on PBS this fall. Discussion with Burns follows the screening.
Sat | Jul 13 | 7 pm
Spaulding Auditorium, Hopkins Center for the Arts, Hanover NH
Tickets $15, Dartmouth ID $10
Information: Hopkins Center Box Office, 603.646.2422 or hop.dartmouth.edu
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CONTACT:
Rebecca Bailey, Publicity Coordinator/Writer
Hopkins Center for the Arts, Dartmouth College
rebecca.a.bailey@dartmouth.edu
693.646.3991