Profiles in Courage (TV series)

Profiles in Courage is an American historical anthology series that was telecast weekly on NBC from November 8, 1964 to May 9, 1965 (Sundays, 6:30-7:30pm, Eastern). The series was based on the Pulitzer Prize winning 1956 book, Profiles in Courage by U.S. President John F. Kennedy (and Ted Sorensen), who had been assassinated the previous November.

Profiles in Courage
Tom Bosley as George W. Norris, 1965
GenreHistorical anthology
Directed byLamont Johnson
Daniel Petrie
José Quintero
Michael Ritchie (film director)
Alexander Singer
Theme music composerNelson Riddle
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producerRobert Saudek
ProducerGordon Oliver
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time44 mins.
Production companyRobert Saudek Associates
DistributorNBC Films
Release
Original networkNBC
Picture formatBlack-and-white
Audio formatMonaural
Original releaseNovember 8, 1964 (1964-11-08) –
May 9, 1965 (1965-05-09)

Overview

The series lasted for 26 episodes, each of which would feature a figure from American history who took an unpopular stand during a critical moment in the nation's history. Seven of the eight senators from Kennedy's book were profiled, with the exception being Mississippi's Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar. Music for the opening and closing theme was arranged by Nelson Riddle, based on the Irish ballad, The Boys of Wexford, home of Kennedy's ancestors.

Episode list
Episode # Episode era and historical detail behind the individual profile in courage Episode title
(names in bold are subjects of chapters in Kennedy's book)		 Year of birth Year of death Actor portrayal Original airdate
1-11924 Democratic National Convention#Ku Klux Klan presence — Alabama Senator Oscar Underwood opposes the Ku Klux KlanOscar W. Underwood18621929Sidney BlackmerNovember 8, 1964
1-21918 Brooklyn high school teacher Mary Stone McDowell#Her firing as a teacher for refusing to encourage her students' purchase of World War I Liberty bondsMary S. McDowell18761955Rosemary HarrisNovember 15, 1964
1-31850 Compromise — Missouri Senator Thomas Hart Benton#Later Senate career and tensionThomas Hart Benton17821858Brian KeithNovember 29, 1964
1-41894 University of Wisconsin professor Richard T. Ely#Education and career in defense of academic freedomRichard T. Ely18541943Dan O'HerlihyDecember 6, 1964
1-51861 Texas in the American Civil War#Governor Sam Houston refuses to sanction Texas' secession from the UnionSam Houston17931863J. D. CannonDecember 13, 1964
1-61915 Leo Frank#Commutation of sentence by Georgia Governor John SlatonJohn M. Slaton18661955Walter MatthauDecember 20, 1964
1-71770 defense attorney and future President John Adams#Counsel for the British: Boston MassacreJohn Adams17351826David McCallumDecember 27, 1964
1-81946 Ohio Senator Robert A. Taft#Condemnation of Nuremberg TrialsRobert A. Taft18891953Lee TracyJanuary 3, 1965
1-91637 Massachusetts Bay Colony Antinomian Controversy — Boston midwife and Puritan religious reformer Anne HutchinsonAnne Hutchinson15911643Wendy HillerJanuary 10, 1965
1-101838 Missouri Militia Brigadier General Alexander William Doniphan#The 1838 Mormon WarAlexander William Doniphan18081887Peter LawfordJanuary 17, 1965
1-111893 Haymarket affair#Pardon and historical characterization — Illinois Governor John Peter AltgeldJohn Peter Altgeld18471902Burgess MeredithJanuary 24, 1965
1-121843 escaped slave Frederick Douglass#Abolitionist and preacher risks recapture into slaveryFrederick Douglass18171895Robert HooksJanuary 31, 1965
1-131850 Compromise — Massachusetts Senator Daniel Webster#Taylor administration, 1849–1850Daniel Webster17821852Martin GabelFebruary 7, 1965
1-141916 President Woodrow Wilson Supreme Court candidates#Louis Brandeis nominationWoodrow Wilson18561924Whit BissellFebruary 14, 1965
1-151832 Canterbury Female Boarding School#Trials of Prudence Crandall, Connecticut schoolteacher and activist for education of black girlsPrudence Crandall18031890Janice RuleFebruary 21, 1965
1-161860 Tennessee Senator and future President Andrew Johnson#Secession crisisAndrew Johnson18081875Walter MatthauFebruary 28, 1965
1-171869 President Ulysses S. Grant's Secretary of State Hamilton Fish#Cuban belligerency and insurrection 1869–1870Hamilton Fish18081893Henry JonesMarch 7, 1965
1-181920 Socialist Party of America#Expulsion of Socialists from the New York Assembly — Charles Evans Hughes#Presidential candidateCharles Evans Hughes18621948Kent SmithMarch 14, 1965
1-191868 Kansas Senator Edmund G. Ross#Andrew Johnson impeachment deciding voteEdmund G. Ross18261907Bradford DillmanMarch 21, 1965
1-201917 American entry into World War I#Declaration of war — Nebraska Senator George W. Norris#Senator leads filibuster against Armed Ships BillGeorge W. Norris18611944Tom BosleyMarch 28, 1965
1-211887 Grover Cleveland#Vetoes pension bills — Grand Army of the Republic#HistoryGrover Cleveland18371908Carroll O'ConnorApril 4, 1965
1-221807 John Quincy Adams#U.S. Senator from Massachusetts — support for Embargo Act of 1807John Quincy Adams17671848Douglas CampbellApril 11, 1965
1-231807 Burr conspiracy#Trial — Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall#Burr conspiracy trialJohn Marshall17551835Gary MerrillApril 18, 1965
1-241906 Denver judge and social reformer Ben B. Lindsey#Juvenile court advocacyBenjamin Barr Lindsey18691943George GrizzardApril 25, 1965
1-251787 Founding Father from Virginia George Mason#Road to dissent and refusal to sign the Constitution until it contained a Bill of RightsGeorge Mason17251792Laurence NaismithMay 2, 1965
1-261847 Ohio Senator Thomas Corwin#Political career delivers a speech in opposition to the Mexican WarThomas Corwin17941865George RoseMay 9, 1965

Awards

The series won two awards; a Peabody Award for Robert Saudek and a Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Television.[1]

Episodes of Profiles in Courage on the Internet Archive

References
  1. IMDB Awards for "Profiles in Courage" page


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