TUCSON, ARIZONA – August 11, 2014 – The Roosevelts: An Intimate History, a new seven-part, 14-hour documentary by Ken Burns, will air seven consecutive nights beginning Sunday, September 14, 2014 at 8 p.m., on_ PBS 6_. The film weaves the stories of Theodore, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, three members of one of the most prominent and influential families in American politics. This series marks the first time their individual stories have been woven into a single narrative.
Ken Burns’ The Roosevelts: An Intimate History 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.
Legendary actress Meryl Streep portrays Eleanor Roosevelt in readings from her personal letters and writings. Joining Streep are Paul Giamatti as the voice of Theodore Roosevelt and Edward Herrmann, two-time Emmy Award nominee for his performance as Franklin Roosevelt, as the voice of FDR. Rounding out the cast 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 the late Eli Wallach.
All episodes air from 8 – 10 p.m.:
Get Action (1858 – 1901) - Sunday, September 14 – Examines the early lives of Theodore Roosevelt and his younger cousin, Franklin.
In the Arena (1901 – 1910) – Monday, September 15 – Theodore’s presidency and FDR and Eleanor’s courtship and marriage.
The Fire of Life (1910 – 1919) – Tuesday, September 16 – The effects of World War I on the lives of the Roosevelts.
The Storm (1920-1933) – Wednesday, September 17 – FDR’s battle with polio and his response to the Great Depression.
The Rising Road (1933 – 1939) – Thursday, September 18 – FDR’s New Deal and Eleanor’s growing political activism.
The Common Cause (1939 – 1944) – Friday, September 19 – FDR’s leadership during World War II, while Eleanor tends to wounded servicemen.
A Strong and Active Faith (1944-1962) – Saturday, September 20 – Eleanor’s role as civil rights and U.N. champion after FDR’s death.
Nina Roosevelt Gibson, Eleanor’s and Franklin’s granddaughter and resident of Vail, Arizona, was invited by Arizona Public Media to come to the studios and tell her stories on what it was like to grow up as a Roosevelt. She shares these family memories with Arizona Spotlight on Friday and Saturday, September 12 and 13, and on the new Arizona Illustrated program on Sunday, September 14 on PBS 6 at 6:30 p.m. prior to the new Ken Burns’ documentary, “The Roosevelts: An Intimate History” at 8 p.m.
About Nina Gibson Roosevelt:
The daughter of Anne and John Roosevelt, youngest son of the former President and First Lady, Nina grew up in Hyde Park, New York on the family farm, Val-Kill. Nina spent time with her grandmother Eleanor at home and on trips to the Middle East, Europe and Canada.
As Nina recalls her ‘growing up a Roosevelt,’ she states, “I hadn’t a clue for the longest time. It was a very long time before I realized. I thought everyone’s name was Roosevelt because I saw Roosevelt Boulevard and Roosevelt-that, so I thought it was everyone’s name. I don’t think that it was until I started traveling with her (Eleanor) that I realized how much of a public figure she was. Certainly people in Hyde Park knew her but I knew everyone else’s grandmother too.”
These trips with her grandmother included private talks with heads of state as well as visits to the homes of refugees, laborers and farmers. Nina was able to see the impact of her grandmother’s interest and efforts for social justice throughout the world.
Nina adds, “Well into her seventies Eleanor Roosevelt was difficult even for me, her teenaged granddaughter, to keep up with. When traveling my grandmother always had a full itinerary which included visiting factories, hospitals, museums, dignitaries, cultural events and most importantly, the people who lived in the towns and villages. Jogging was perhaps the only way most people could match the pace Grandmére kept as her long legs carried her to the most unusual places in search of how people really lived. It was clear to me that Grandmére’s attention to details of her surrounding and compassion for the people she met was as natural as her welcoming smile. It was her focus on solving problems for better health, education and basic human rights that fueled Eleanor Roosevelt’s incredible energy throughout her life.”
Prior to moving to Vail, Arizona, Nina earned her graduate degrees in psychology from the Ohio State University. In 1988 the family moved to Arizona where Nina’s husband joined the University of Arizona neuroscience community and Nina began work in the public sector with ADAPT (the regional behavioral health care organization before CPSA, Community Partnership of Southern Arizona.) Under the leadership of the County Attorney Barbara LaWall, Nina became a founding member and Board Chair of the Southern Arizona Children’s Advocacy Center.
Nina was employed as a psychologist by COPE Behavioral Services but resigned in 1999 to wait for a heart transplant. Since her transplant in 2000, Nina has assisted transplant services at University of Arizona Medical Center facilitating support groups for family members and caregivers of cardiovascular transplant patients. Additionally, Nina serves on the University of Arizona’s Sarver Heart Center’s Advisory Board and the Women’s Heart Heath Education Committee of the Sarver Heart Center. Nina is a member of both the New Life Society and Unity for Life, organizations that raise money to provide financial assistance for pre and post organ transplant patients primarily in Arizona.
Visit azpm.org or pbs.org for more information on The Roosevelts: An Intimate History.
About Arizona Spotlight:
Each week, Arizona Spotlight delivers a diverse range of stories about the subjects that matter in Southern Arizona. From state and local news to in-depth interviews with artists, authors, and people behind the headlines, Arizona Spotlight keeps you informed on what's happening in our community. The program airs on NPR 89.1 on Fridays at 8:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. and again on Saturdays at 5 p.m. If you missed the broadcasts on NPR 89.1, you can catch them online at radio.azpm.org.
Arizona Spotlight is hosted and produced by Mark McLemore, with production engineer Jim Blackwood and original music by the critically-acclaimed Tucson band Calexico.
About Arizona Illustrated:
Premiering Sunday, September 7, 2014 at 6:30 p.m., Arizona Illustrated, a 30-minute weekly television magazine-style series, showcases authentic stories about Arizona. Thought-provoking narratives highlight the best of science, nature, arts, history, education, technology and public affairs with stunning videography and creative storytelling and a special focus on the people that make our world a better place.
Each 30-minute weekly program will premiere on Sundays at 6:30 p.m. with up to six or seven encore broadcasts at various times the following week during afternoons and evenings.
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