The Barbra Streisand Music Guide: For All We Know

Barwood's The Living Century Premieres January 19 on KCET
Posted/Updated: 27 July 2003 19:26
Barbra Streisand and Cis Corman are executive producing a new multi-part PBS series called The Living Century: The Extraordinary Lives of Ordinary People. Already running in other markets, the first two programs premiere on L.A.'s KCET on Fri., Jan. 19 at 10:30 p.m. and Fri., Jan. 26 at 10:30 p.m.

The extraordinary life of one unique person aged 100 or older is profiled during each 30-minute episode. Actor-director Jack Lemmon hosts the series of biographies of centenarians, which begins with Rose Freedman ("Three Miracles"). This 107-year-old woman lives on her own, wears a dress and high heels every day, is an avid Lakers fan, and recently began studying Spanish (her sixth language). She is the last survivor of the New York Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in 1911. But there's much more to this remarkable woman's personal story, which spans parts of three centuries. The BSMG was moved and riveted throughout this program, as Mrs. Freedman and her family recount a surprising and always interesting lifetime. I can't recommend this series highly enough.
The second program, "A Teacher and Student for Life,'' profiles Ray Crist, who was born in 1900 and eventually was recruited to be the director of the Manhattan Division of the Manhattan Project where he helped develop the first atomic bomb. His grandfather fought in the Civil War. He was a friend of Albert Einstein. He currently does research at a college every day where his work is focused on protecting the environment. The series is produced and directed by Christopher Carson and Steven Latham’s Reverie Productions in association with Streisand and Corman's Barwood Films and Digital Ranch. The creative team also includes Academy-Award winning cinematographer Shana Hagan, award-winning editor Paul J. Coyne, and graphic designer Todd Dufour.
According to the producers, unique men and women who have lived every day of the 20th century were selected to have their stories recorded and documented. Their memories, their unique perceptions of the world and the radical changes they witnessed during their lifetimes come alive through interviews, family photographs, home movies, archival footage and an original musical score. "We want to find people with the most amazing stories to tell,'' says Steven Latham, the series' creator. "Those over 100 -- our relatives, friends and neighbors -- who have either touched history or made history. We need help finding these special people so we can continue to bring their stories to the public.''
"The Living Century is a unique and original television series which is exactly the type of high-quality family programming that PBS likes to bring to our audience," says Dick Hanratty, Director of PBS Plus and PBS Select. "There has never been anything like The Living Century series on PBS, and we are extremely excited about offering it to our affiliate stations."
Read January 9, 2001 media release.
Series Web site: www.thelivingcentury.com

Barwood's The Living Century Premieres January 19 on KCET