
20 Sep 1896

Chicago, Grande Roue
A view of the Ferris wheel from the Chicago Exposition of 1893, turning slowly.
Explore the world of 1893 through a cinematic visit to Chicago's Columbian Exposition. Many of the world's greatest achievements in art, architecture, science, technology and culture are unveiled there. The grounds were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, famous for his design of New York City's Central Park, and constructed under the supervision of Daniel Burnham. The Fair was an engineering marvel. On opening day, President Grover Cleveland depressed a golden telegraph key which sent the first courses of electricity throughout the Fair powering fountains, machines, electric railways and thousands of lights. It was the first use of electricity on such a massive scale. Nearly 28 million visit the "White City," which inspires future innovators like Henry Ford, Walt Disney and Frank Lloyd Wright, and debuts the Ferris Wheel and Cracker Jack.
Narrator (voice)
20 Sep 1896
A view of the Ferris wheel from the Chicago Exposition of 1893, turning slowly.
31 Jul 1948
A visit to Chicago, featuring the city's architecture and well-known landmarks.
27 Nov 1948
This short Traveltalk visit to Chicago looks at some hotels known for their evening entertainment and for the rich and famous people who come to their dining rooms. Featured are the Walnut Room of the Bismarck Hotel, the Ambassador Hotel's Pump Room, and the boardwalk at the Edgewater Beach Hotel.
26 Nov 1995
Memories and home movies of numerous Chicagoans bring the 1940s and '50s alive, from early Chicago television to the patriotic spirit of the war years when everyone pulled together.
29 May 2018
How can the masses be controlled? Apparently, the American publicist Edward L. Bernays (1891-1995), a pioneer in the field of propaganda and public relations, knew the answer to such a key question. The amazing story of the master of manipulation and the creation of the engineering of consent; a frightening true story about advertising, lies and charlatans.
06 Dec 2016
This historic official film from Major League Baseball presents the exciting story of the Chicago Cubs 2016 World Series championship run through comprehensive highlights, exclusive access and interviews, and breathtaking footage.
01 Aug 1997
A feature-length documentary on the 1990s Chicago rock scene.
21 Apr 1986
The Mystery of Al Capone's Vaults is a two-hour live American television special that was broadcast in syndication on April 21, 1986, and hosted by Geraldo Rivera. It centered on the live opening of a secret vault in the Lexington Hotel in Chicago once owned by noted crime lord Al Capone.
TMB (The Merry Band of time travelers) made their first appearance in the 2019 book The Mystery of The Patch. In the book, they assisted Captain John White, solve the mystery of the mysterious patch, on his map, which was discovered in 2012 by The First Colony Foundation and The British Museum. This short, animated, stop motion film tells the 5-year history of this charming group of characters. It contains scenes of their first public appearance, at the 2021 Kansas City Renaissance festival, through a combination of live action and animation.
12 Jun 2021
On Chicago's South and West sides, the scourge of guns and gangs is destroying countless lives. Taking matters into their own hands, two men dedicate their lives educating, empowering and healing young Black men at high risk for being victims—or perpetrators—of deadly gun-violence.
12 Sep 1994
Every school day, African-American teenagers William Gates and Arthur Agee travel 90 minutes each way from inner-city Chicago to St. Joseph High School in Westchester, Illinois, a predominately white suburban school well-known for the excellence of its basketball program. Gates and Agee dream of NBA stardom, and with the support of their close-knit families, they battle the social and physical obstacles that stand in their way. This acclaimed documentary was shot over the course of five years.
21 Jan 2008
In this special documentary that inspired a two-season television series, scientists and other experts speculate about what the Earth, animal life, and plant life might be like if, suddenly, humanity no longer existed, as well as the effect humanity's disappearance might have on the artificial aspects of civilization.
09 Jul 1998
Everyone knows that the Chicago Bulls are the team of the 1990s, if not all time. In 1998 they won their unmatched sixth NBA title of the '90s. But this was not the same team that squashed all opponents that stood before them, united and led magnificently by players such as Scottie Pippen and the irresistible Michael Jordan. At the beginning of the 1998 season, this team was anything but united. His Airness was still His Airness, but the rest of the Bulls looked less than a shadow of their selves. Pippen stood injured on the sidelines demanding a trade, Rodman looked more interested in Hollywood and his hair, and the supporting cast were beginning to look extremely vulnerable. But as with all great teams, they dusted themselves off, wiped away the cobwebs (not to mention the odd ego or two), and played out the final two-thirds of the regular season like the Chicago Bulls of old.
16 Apr 2012
Historical photographs and film of the 1962 Seattle World's Fair bring this documentary to life. Seattle's business, civic and cultural leaders and longtime residents tell of the excitement and ambition the Fair ignited.
14 Jun 2020
An examination of the 1998 MLB season and the home run race between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. The two sluggers' race to hit the most home runs, later overshadowed by the steroid scandal, left a permanent mark on baseball history.
10 Jul 2004
An intimate and unique look at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis told in the words of those who were there to experience it firsthand. With a wide range of events and attractions that included the first ever Olympic games on American soil, the first Ferris wheel, and a special appearance by the legendary Geronimo, this remarkable and extravagant fair would mark the beginning to what President Theodore Roosevelt would refer to as "the American century."
29 Feb 2008
Archival footage, animation and music are used to look back at the eight anti-war protesters who were put on trial following the 1968 Democratic National Convention.
17 Apr 2025
A veteran Taxi driver struggles to find passengers in San Francisco and wages a spiritual war against his new self driving competitor, Waymo.
13 Nov 1995
American Experience looks at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago where Vice President Hubert Humphrey won his party's nomination for president amid massive civil unrest and violence perpetrated by Chicago Police and anti-Vietnam War protesters.
11 Jan 2010
Tito del Amo, a passionate 72-year-old researcher, takes the final step to unravel the enigma about the alleged Spanish origin of the American cartoonist Walt Disney, making the same journey that his supposed mother made to give him up for adoption in Chicago. A journey that begins in Mojácar, Almería, Spain, and ends in New York. An exciting adventure, like Alicia's through the looking glass, to discover what is truth and what is not, with an unexpected result.