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Contacts: POV Communications: 212-‐989-‐7425. Emergency contact: 646-‐729-‐4748 Cynthia López, [email protected], Cathy Fisher, [email protected] POV online pressroom: www.pbs.org/pov/pressroom
POV Commemorates 40th Anniversary of Release of the Pentagon Papers
With Encore of Award-winning “The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers,” Tuesday, June 7, 2011, on PBS
A Co-‐production of ITVS
“A wily caper flick that just happens to revolve around one of the most crucial chapters in recent American history.” — Ann Hornaday, The Washington Post
In advance of the start of its 24th season on PBS, POV (Point of View) will present a special encore broadcast of Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith’s Oscar®-‐nominated documentary The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers on Tuesday, June 7, 2011, at 10 p.m. (Check local listings.) The rebroadcast honors the 40th anniversary of the release of the Pentagon Papers, an event that changed the course of the Vietnam War and world history.
POV’s 24th season kicks off on Tuesday, June 21 at 10 p.m. with Kings of Pastry by Chris Hegedus and D A Pennebaker. The season continues on Tuesdays through Sept. 27 and concludes with special broadcasts in 2011 and 2012. American television’s longest-‐running independent documentary series, POV has won a Special Emmy for Excellence in Television Documentary Filmmaking, the IDA Award for Best Continuing Series and NALIP’S 2011 Award for Corporate Commitment to Diversity.
Why would a dedicated Cold Warrior throw away his career and his friends and risk life in prison for a chance to help end the Vietnam War? On June 13, 1971, Daniel Ellsberg, a leading military planner, concluded that America’s role in the war was based on decades of lies. He leaked the Pentagon Papers, 7,000 pages of top-‐secret documents, to The New York Times, a daring act of conscience that led to Watergate, President Nixon’s resignation and the end of the Vietnam War.
The Most Dangerous Man in America, winner of a 2011 Peabody Award, is a gripping story told by Ellsberg with a who’s who of Vietnam-‐era figures, including Mort Halperin, who supervised the “Vietnam War Study”; Nobel Laureate Thomas Schelling, an analyst at the RAND Corporation; Egil “Bud” Krogh, the Nixon White House aide who directed the “Plumbers Unit” of Watergate infamy; Anthony Russo, a RAND analyst who encouraged Ellsberg’s leak of the study and later faced charges of conspiracy and espionage; John Dean, Nixon’s White House Counsel; New York Times reporter Hedrick Smith, who wrote some of the first Pentagon Papers stories; the Times’ General Counsel James Goodale, who gave the go-‐ahead for their publication; Leonard Weinglass, Russo’s defense attorney; and Sen. Mike Gravel (D-‐AK), who got every page of the Pentagon Papers into the Congressional Record.
Archival audio and film footage add the voices and images of Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower, John Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon; Henry Kissinger; Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara; news figures including Walter Cronkite and John Chancellor, and talk-‐show host Dick Cavett.
After the Pentagon Papers’ publication, Ellsberg faced 115 years in prison and Russo 35 years. But the government case against the two men was so compromised by questionable or illegal actions that Judge Matthew Byrne threw the indictment out on May 11, 1973.
The Most Dangerous Man in America is an intimate look into the conscience of a man who wrestled personally and professionally with the contradictions between American ideals and American power. The story is illuminated with special insight from Ellsberg’s wife of 41 years, Patricia Marx Ellsberg; his son Robert (from a previous marriage), who as a boy helped with the onerous job of photocopying the voluminous papers; and historian Howard Zinn. And throughout the film are the words of Ellsberg.
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers is a production of Kovno Communications and Insight Productions.
For additional details visit www.pbs.org/pov/pressroom.
Credits: Co-‐directors/Co-‐producers: Judith Ehrlich, Rick Goldsmith Cinematographers: Vicente Franco, Dan Krauss Editors: Michael Chandler, Rick Goldsmith, Lawrence Lerew Writers: Lawrence Lerew, Rick Goldsmith, Judith Ehrlich, Michael Chandler;
Based in part on Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers by Daniel Ellsberg
Original Music: Blake Leyh Running Time: 116:46
POV Series Credits: Executive Producer: Simon Kilmurry Co-‐Executive Producer: Cynthia López Director, Production and Programming: Chris White Series Producer: Yance Ford
Independent Television Service funds and presents award-‐winning documentaries and dramas on public television, innovative new media projects on the Web and the Emmy Award-‐winning weekly series Independent Lens on PBS. ITVS was created by media activists, citizens and politicians seeking to foster plurality and diversity in public television. ITVS was established by a
historic mandate of Congress to champion independently produced programs that take creative risks, spark public dialogue and provide for underserved audiences. Since its inception in 1991, ITVS programs have revitalized the relationship between the public and public television. ITVS is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people. Visit www.itvs.org.
Produced by American Documentary, Inc. and beginning its 24th season on PBS in 2011, the award-‐winning POV is the longest-‐running showcase on American television to feature the work of today’s best independent documentary filmmakers. POV has brought more than 300 documentaries to millions nationwide and has a Webby Award-‐winning online series, POV’s Borders.
Since 1988, POV has pioneered the art of presentation and outreach using independent nonfiction media to build new communities in conversation about today’s most pressing social issues. Visit www.pbs.org/pov.
POV’s award-‐winning website extends the life of our films with interactive features, interviews, video and educational content. The POV Blog is a gathering place for documentary fans and filmmakers. POV films are seen at more than 450 events across the country every year. Working with schools, organizations and PBS stations, POV facilitates free community screenings and produces free resources to accompany our films.
Major funding for POV is provided by PBS, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, The Educational Foundation of America, New York State Council on the Arts, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, FACT and public television viewers. Special support provided by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Funding for POV's Diverse Voices Project is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Project VoiceScape is a partnership of Adobe Youth Voices, PBS and POV. POV is presented by a consortium of public television stations, including WGBH Boston and THIRTEEN in association with WNET.ORG.
American Documentary, Inc. (www.amdoc.org) American Documentary, Inc. (AmDoc) is a multimedia company dedicated to creating, identifying and presenting contemporary stories that express opinions and perspectives rarely featured in mainstream media outlets. AmDoc develops collaborative strategic-‐engagement activities around socially relevant content on television, online and in community settings. These activities are designed to trigger action, from dialogue and feedback to educational opportunities and community participation.
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