La grande avventura

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.

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.

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.

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.

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