The Great Adventure Online

I watched this show religiously when I was a fourth grader (1963-1964), and it profoundly affected my life! I have been a fanatical lover of History since then, and I teach US History at the University level. I hated it when the series did not continue, and I have wanted to see it again ever since then. This is not only the best History series ever made, but one of the best TV series of all time. I rank it as one of the greats.

I wish that the series was on video/DVD. I have tried to email CBS about this, with no success; it is doubtful that they even own the series. I hope that someone will get the idea to release it, and do so soon. I also hope that somebody gets the notion to do a new "Great Adventure" someday.

It had a theme song by Richard Rogers, and was narrated by Van Heflin. It told stories with performers of quality: Bob Cummings as "Dr. Benjamin Waterhouse" a pioneer in inoculation for smallpox fighting prejudice in Thomas Jefferson's day; Jackie Cooper as the commander of the Confederate submarine " C.S.S.Hunley" on it's fateful cruise to sink the "U.S.S. Housatonic"; Barry Sullivan as "Holland" the reporter who discovered that President Grover Cleveland (Leif Ericsson) had a secret operation for cancer; Sullivan again, taken in by prospectors John McGiver and John Fiedler, in buying the land of their great diamond field sight unseen - only to have J.D.Cannon (as Clarence King)show that everyone has been fooled by them; Lee Marvin as a California raisin grower fighting the railroads there in 1905. These episodes have not been seen in decades, and deserve to be seen again. Like PROFILES IN COURAGE it has been relegated to the obscurity bin of (ironically enough) history.

It's difficult to believe this was only on for a single season. I remember them as well written drama's that humanized history and count them as a critical factor in nurturing my interest in History so much as to pursue a degree in it. Episodes like "Roger Young", "The Hunley", "The Story of Nathan Hale" and "A Boy at War" were amazing. The talent was there, the story was there, only the audience was missing. I guess folks were too busy watching the Flintstones. I would really love to see these issued on DVD or Video. Appearances by Joseph Cotton, James MacArthur, Peter Graves, Ricardo Montalban, Noah Berry, Claude Akins, Jackie Cooper, Lloyd Nolan, Earl Holliman and George Kennedy to name just a few.

I too enjoyed the Great Adventure series. I can still remember small parts of them after 40 years.

My favorite show was the one about the CSS Hunley. This show inspired me to read more about the various Civil War battles that took place on water.

I also enjoyed the show about Jean LaFitte's contribution to the War of 1812.

I do recall that one of the originals was re-released after the series had ended. It was about Harriet Tubman. It would be good to see the whole series released in a DVD collection, but I have gotten nowhere with this request.

Like "The Americans" which concentrated on the American Civil War, "The Great Adventure" was a quality show which each week presented a dramatization of a person or event in American history. Like "The Americans," "The Great Adventure" was ignored by the American public which, according to the ratings, was far and away more attracted to "Peyton Place," "My Mother the Car," "Car 54 Where Are You?" and other broadcasts which earned television the epithet of "The Vast Wasteland." Van Heflin concluded each episode of "The Great Adventure" by encouraging the American public to read history since, "Learning is the Great Adventure." Not enough of the American public heeded Mr. Heflin's advice.

After reading all the comments of this series I realize this Great Adventure show must have had an impact on the few that did watch as a child. I remember it as being very dramatic. I remember well many of the details of some of the episodes. I can see Lloyd Bridges playing Wild Bill and sitting at a table playing cards and getting shot in the back.I remember seeing the hole through his coat. In another episode, not sure which one,I remember drilling for oil and striking at the conclusion. I was in third grade and remember it being on Friday nights. My sisters and brother all watched. I couldn't remember how the theme song went but I do remember that it was powerful. I searched for a long time and findly found it on the Internet. I would like to see the series return on TV or DVD.

ATTENTION READERS: It has been mentioned several times about the theme song. I want to say I found it at www.wavethemes.net. Click on the online TV theme song catalog and look under the G's

Was this show only on for one season? That amazes me because I still remember many of the episodes so vividly. I was about 10 years old when "The Great Adventure" was on television and I always wondered why my history classes in school couldn't be this engrossing. I still remember the farms on the western plains being attacked by swarms of locusts, a young Andrew Jackson being struck by a British officer's sword, the founding of the Society for the prevention fo Cruelty to Children", and the claustrophobic feeling inside the USS Monitor. Why don't they have programs like this today? Why don't they run this series again on TVLand?

I watched this series as a seven year old on an old black and white rabbit eared TV set, and still remember its great orchestrated theme music. The Civil War episode on the fatal voyage of the Confederate submarine C.S. Hunley haunted me for years as a kid, but this series is responsible for my avid interest in history. The Hunley episode showcased the first use of an ironclad submersible in U.S. waters during wartime, and its assault on a wooden hulled warship. Not quite as good as TNT's 1999 original TV movie of the Hunley, but good enough for its time and just as exciting and informative. Please release the series on DVD, if any prints exist.

I still remember this wonderful series from my youth. LLoyd Bridges portrayed Buffalo Bill Cody. There was an episode about the founding of the SPCA; the first submarine, etc. Does anyone know where DVDs or VHS copies can be obtained? CBS produced it but no of their web pages offer this series for purchase. As a teacher, I am especially interested in showing thee episodes to my students. What a wonderful way to study history. I'm also interested in getting a copy of the opening theme. After much research, I've discovered that Richard Rogers wrote it. It is also on file in Washington DC in the music archives but I can't find where the music was published separately. A little help? Coachgary

This show was well written, well produced and ambitious. It was a touchingly uncynical effort. One of the producers was the great John Houseman, Orson Wells' partner in the Mercury Theater and later the intimidating Professor Kingsfield of "The Paper Chase".

Some of the performances I can remember are Rip Torn as egomaniac John Fremont, Lloyd Bridges as an aging Wild Bill Hickock who is too vain to wear glasses, Peter Graves as Daniel Boone, Jeremy Slate as Nathan Hale, Robert Culp as Sam Houston and James McArthur as doomed World War ll hero Rodger Young. Earl Holliman played a dust bowl farmer fighting locusts. I think Michael Rennie played Jefferson Davis.

Van Heflin was the host/narrator, who was later replaced by Russell Johnson who just served as narrator.

"The Great Adventure" was on during the 1963-64 season. It was on Friday nights from 7:30 to 8:30 pm eastern time. "The Great Adventure" was followed on CBS by "Route 66" at 8:30, "Twilight Zone" at 9:30 and "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" at 10:00. A strong line up.

I can't believe you people remember all the detail about this show. As a child, this was also one of my favorites. I was in the 7th grade when it was on the air. I loved it but don't remember any of the particular episodes. "The Americans" was also one of my favorites. The only episode I can remember of that show was one with Dick York (later in Bewitched) in it. It is a sad commentary on the state of our culture that this show was not well viewed and is considered "obscure". For awhile I wondered whether it was just a dream or this show really existed. This is the first 50s/60s site I have found that has any info. about it.

The theme music is still very clear to me. It had a very patriotic feel to it. Too bad you can't whistle via email.

I could give my opinion about why this show is considered obscure but it would not be considered politically correct today. However, next time you read a High School History text notice the amount of text devoted to the "McCarthy" era and the amount of text devoted to George Washington. McCarthy wins by a landslide. No further comment is necessary.

One of the greatest shows ever on television. It stimulated my interest in history which has continued unabated to this day. Unfortunately the show was cursed with the Friday night "Death Time Slot" of either 7-8 or 8-9, I forget precisely which.

This is a series which should be not only published in DVD format, but brought back with new stories. Today, people seem to favor a "warts and all" realism to their stories and that's OK too because some of those original shows had that realism however subtly it was done. I can't conceive of a commercial network doing such a thing today but perhaps PBS?

I loved this show. Admittedly the only two episodes that I distinctly remember are first; the episode in which Lloyd Bridges was Wild Bill Hickok. I remember him in a shootout at night on the streets I believe of Abilene, Kansas, where he kills the "bad guy", but hears someone coming up behind him and turns and fires and he kills his deputy and one of the town folk yells out in disbelief, "He shot his own deputy." It was because Hickok's eyes were going bad and he was too vain to wear glasses. The other episode is the one about American Revolutionary spy Nathan Hale. I'll never forget as he was about to be hung by the British he said his famous last words. "I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country." I don't remember the actors name, but to this day anytime I see him in anything else I always remember him as Nathan Hale. I too would love to see this show on TVland or on DVD. I think it would still hold up.

Just happened to think of this awesome show that I watched at age 13 which as others have indicated, turned me on to history. Pleased to find reference to it here and see that for many others here have not forgotten either. The theme music has haunted me for years, yes rousing and patriotic. No sound here obviously but for those that remember, how about this.

Da da, da,da,da Da da da, da,da Da-da-da-da-da dauda da-da-da-da, dada with lots of snare drums (marching) in the background. Would make an awesome boxed set. I can remember 3-4 of them quite vividly. Come on CBS, get with it!

This series still carries strong memories. Though only nine years old when it debuted, the storytelling always spoke to the best moments of this country. Indeed, I hear the echo of my own voice in the comments that others have left on this site.

In addition to the Confederate sub, one of my favorite tales was the struggle of the Italian immigrant to get his produce to market in California.

I noted that one of the other readers came across the theme song 'on the Internet.' Finding that instrumental has been my personal holy grail since first hearing it. Time has faded the memory of the tune, but it left a nine year old with a lump in his throat, as he watched the intro and closing credits with the rotating stars (believe they were part of the opening and/or closing credits). Anyway, if anyone has a link to the theme song, would love to see it posted.

Thanks for rekindling some great memories.

I vividly remember "The Great Adventure" but could find out nothing about it until I found this site and the informative emails from other history minded folks who appreciated the quality and inspiring stories of the episodes. Nobody seemed to remember this show when I would mention it. They insinuated I was having some kind of historical hallucinations. My best recollections of episodes were the ones about Wounded Knee, Rodger Young (which I could only remember as being about a WW II hero until perusing this site), and a young Andrew Jackson. I knew it was on in the mid-1960s but was actually a bit early than I thought. I was only 5 and 6 when it was on but I credit it as contributing to my love of history. It would be great if it was released on DVD or video. Hopefully copies survive in a vault somewhere - perhaps the Library of Congress or a film school library? Now, on to search for the recording of that stirring theme!

Although I specifically remember only one episode (Jackie Cooper in "The Hunley"), I can still hum the rousing theme march by Richard Rogers, a real toe-tapper!

The opening titles were a chronological panorama of historical scenes (Washington crossing the Delaware, etc.) ending with a rocket blasting off from Cape Canaveral. Very rousing!

Next to "Hawaii Five-O", probably my favorite main title.

I recall it coming on CBS late Sunday afternoons, after "The Twentieth Century" with Walter Cronkite.

This series deserves to be seen again.

Write CBS, Inc. and make your desires known!

Have you ever had the experience of something floating around in the recesses of your memory,and only fragments being accessible to your immediate consciousness? For years, I had fragmentary memories of a TV show. I remembered it had stirring music and an impressive looking narrator, and that it had something to do with American history. I remembered something about an Italian or Greek immigrant struggling to bring his crops into market, and something about a Quaker woman trying to educate black and white children in a school in the post-civil war south.Now , I finally saw someone mention the title in another context. After looking up these reviews, a lot of old memories came roaring back. I remembered the Hunley, and the operation on Grover Cleveland,and Jeff Davis, and a story about the man who dug the first oil well. I was five at the time, and TV was just what Mr. Newton Minow called it back then, a "vast wasteland". But even in that wasteland one could find an oasis or two. One such oasis was The Great Adventure. I wish I knew who had the rights to this( and Slattery's People and Profiles in Courage and My World and Welcome to It.) I am not a violent man, but I would almost be willing to force them at gunpoint to release these shows on DVD.

AMAZING! After all these years of remembering from my childhood a television series that portrayed historical fissures and episodes in American history, had a very "catchy" theme song (which I have always remembered fondly)it has been discovered for me through this site. I did not remember at all the name of the series which was frustrating for me. I remembered it being on Friday nights, portrayed historical figures and episodes in American history,(some of which I could specifically recall parts of) and had that wonderful, patriotic theme song with a montage of shots and an American flag fluttering along with the pictures. That was it. And then, I wrote to the Internet Film Library, providing them with the little info that I could on it. They wrote back and gave me two series they thought I was looking for: "You Are There" and the "Great Adventure". After following their link to IMDb, "EUREKA"! there it was confirmed for me by the posters and comments that this was indeed the series I had remembered from childhood.

Already being a history "buff" at the age of 10 at the time when it came on the air in fall of 1963, I LOVED this series. Watched it religiously. So very pleased to read the comments previously posted by others about this series. Particularly, the mention by one of a young Andrew Jackson being struck by a British officer's sword (I remembered that episode in particular), the Wounded Knee episode mentioned by another and the very helpful posting of the theme song above (da da da dahhh.....) yes, that's exactly how it went! Thank you all for your comments on this show. Would so enjoy watching these episodes again on DVD or video and being able to hear that theme song. Jim

This show was scheduled Fridays @ 7:30 in th fall of 1963. That meant than one episode was pre-empted on 11/22 after the events surrounding the assassination of John F. Kennedy. I distinctly remember a twinge of disappointment that what was becoming a favorite show for this 7th grader would not air that night. But I was glued, as most of the nation,to TV. Later that night,remember the rifle used by Lee Harvey Oswald parading through hallways as he was processed for his crime. Live on TV. I missed his murder the following Sunday by seconds. Live on TV.These were four days that showed just how effective TV could be in relating timely events. A history story bumped by history. The show would not return until 12/6.

This show only lasted one year, perhaps because it portrayed American historical events in a good light at a time when people were beginning to question it. I found the episodes about Rodger Young (with James MacArthur in the Title role) and the Huntley really good and while I was young still remember a few scenes that impacted me. I would certainly like to see CBS take a chance and put this show on DVD

This show was fantastic. It's hard to add more to what's already been said here. It captivated me as an 8 yr old. For me, one of the most impactful episodes was "Go Down Moses", the story of Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. You can find the whole episode on YouTube. I understand it was restored by TVLand for Black History Month. Unbelievably, it stared Ruby Dee, Ethel Waters and Ossie Davis. And for all of you with fond memories of the theme music, that's on YouTube too!

I hope the whole series becomes available. It's a gem!

Though its been well over 50 years since this wonderful series aired, I still have vivid memories of the many episodes shown. This series had an impact on this 10 year old and fired up my life long fascination with history. I never knew that one day I would play my own part in our country's history. I believe this series, "Profiles in Courage" and the long forgotten "Our American Heritage" are the only historical anthology series ever attempted by the major networks. All three of them only lasted a single season. But for this series, what a season it was.

The series opened each week with scenes from America's history from its founding to the present day space program. These scenes were played out to a stirring and memorable composition by Richard Rogers. The theme of the series was that the United States from its creation has been, "a great adventure", and that we were continuing with that adventure with the exploration of space. At the conclusion of each episode, the show urged Americans to explore their history by visiting their local library.

The very first episode was a memorable one about the CSS Henley. The high production values and excellent acting set the tone for the rest of the series. President Andrew Jackson was a very popular figure with the American public back in the 1950s and 1960s and figures in three episodes of this series to include one that tells the tale of his experience as a boy soldier in the American Revolution. In one of the very last episodes he exacts his revenge on the British for his treatment as a prisoner of war by decisively defeating the British attempt to capture New Orleans in the War of 1812. Michael Rennie, among other actors, plays a memorable role of Jefferson Davis on the run in, "The Treasure Train of Jefferson Davis".

Another memorable episode is the one about WWII hero Rodger Young, played by James MacArthur. Aired only 20 years after his death, this episode is the only one of the entire series that takes place in the 20th Century, and the only one that takes place during WWII. This hero was still very fresh on the minds of many Americans who lived during WWII when this episode aired. Its sad that even today's US Army has forgotten this hero.

This series has not aired on TV since the re-runs in the summer of 1964. But I have never forgotten the stories, the lessons and inspiration we can gain from them. Its too bad the series is not currently available in DVD for the current generation to enjoy.

I echo the sentiments expressed by many of the writers. This show had a profound effect upon me. It fueled my desire to read more history. Eventually I was recognized as one of the top 10 high school history students in the state. I went on to become a lawyer. I never forgot the stirring theme music. It was great to hear it through the links on this blog. I encourage the powers that be to make this series available online. Better still I would love to see it reproduced and expanded so a new generation might enjoy it. It would be a perfect addition to the History Channel. I encourage other members of this blog write to the History Channel and request a reairing of the episodes,

I was 9 years old when this wonderful series aired and I quickly became infatuated with it. Every Friday night I raced home on my bicycle, humming that inspiring theme music, to watch the next episode. I am still playing that music in my mind 45 years later. The shows on Nathan Hale, Harriet Tubman, the Confederate submarine Hunley and the WWII soldier played by James MacArthur still stand out vividly in my memory, although I never saw them more than once. This series was a huge source of my lifelong love of history and I was heartbroken when it ended after only one year. If it could only be brought back in reruns, or at least in DVD format, The Great Adventure would surely prove its timeless quality to more generations.