Videos

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

1 hour and 40 minutes, produced by Cosgrove/Meurer
Productions for The History Channel.

While most of us have a view of Benjamin Franklin as the little chubby, balding man with glasses, this is not the view captured in this documentary. The History Channel has done something that has been sorely needed, a factual, unvarnished account of a spirited man of many talents, one of the most pivotal men in American history. Franklin was a man of genius that transcended the centuries and this profile does a remarkable job of showing us the true man behind the odd haircut and glasses.

Ben Franklin was the tenth of seventeen children, born to a humble candle maker. As he grew he was apprenticed to his older brother in a printing shop. Franklin was unable to abide by such a situation, so he ran off to the city of Philadelphia. It was there he would begin his successful quest to make an indelible mark not only on this new nation but on the world.

Franklin began working as a journeyman printer but by his mid twenties he owned and operated one of the most successful printing shops in the city. Franklin was a man of obvious self promotion, often seen pushing his cart of printer's paper around, letting people know he comes in early to work and stays late. While self promotion is often misused, here Franklin was only stating the facts; he was an industrious young man.

While Franklin is best known as a man of letters and science that was not all he was known for during his life time. Franklin was as much possessed by a lusty nature as he was by a political and entrepreneurial one. He was, without question, a ladies man who felt life was for the taking and grabbed at it with both hands.

Franklin was truly a Renaissance man, author, philosopher, scientist, inventor and statesman. His accomplishments ranged from creating the first fire department, the first lending library, the first secular college and forging peace between the youthful nation and countries in Europe.

This production by The History Channel tells the full story, even the less politically correct aspects of his life. In this documentary, history comes alive, entertaining while educating. We are presented with a mixture of talking head experts laying the foundation of the story with re-enactments that are historically accurate and enjoyable to watch.

Franklin, the exemplification of an American Renaissance man, helped to build a nation and shape the modern world. Here we finally have a documentary film about his life that Franklin himself would have approved of.

Rights: We have public performance and educational rights for this program