Profiles in Courage is an American historical anthology television series that was telecast weekly on NBC from November 8, 1964, to May 9, 1965 (Sundays, 6:30–7:30 p.m., Eastern and Pacific Time). The series is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book Profiles in Courage by President John F. Kennedy, who had been assassinated the previous November.

Overview The series lasts for 26 episodes, each of which features a figure from American history who took an unpopular stand during a critical moment in the nation's history. Seven of the eight senators profiled in Kennedy's 1956 book are profiled, with the sole exception being Mississippi's Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar.

Music for the opening and closing theme is arranged by Nelson Riddle, based on the Irish ballad The Boys of Wexford, home of Kennedy's ancestors.

Each episode ends with a recording of Kennedy's voice declaring that, "These stories of past courage can teach... they can offer hope... and they can provide inspiration. But they cannot supply courage itself. For this, each man must look into his own soul."

Among the 26 episodes, three teleplays profile women: Episode 2: high school teacher Mary S. McDowell in 1918; Episode 9: Puritan reformer Anne Hutchinson in 1637 (the earliest time frame depicted in any episode) and Episode 15: schoolteacher Prudence Crandall in 1832.

Hutchinson and Crandall (along with then-living former congresswoman Jeannette Rankin, a pacifist who voted against America's entry into World War I in 1917 and World War II in 1941 and died shortly before her 93rd birthday in 1973) were singled out by Kennedy as "Three Women of Courage", the article he wrote for the January 1958 issue of women's magazine McCall's

Historical background Episode # Episode era and historical detail behind the individual profile in courage Episode title(names in bold are subjects of chapters in Kennedy's book) Year of birth Year of death Actor portrayal Original airdate1-1 1924 Democratic National Convention#Ku Klux Klan presence — Alabama Senator Oscar Underwood opposes the Ku Klux KlanOscar W. Underwood18621929Sidney Blackmer November 8, 19641-2 1918 Brooklyn high school teacher Mary Stone McDowell#Her firing as a teacher for refusing to encourage her students' purchase of World War I Liberty BondsMary S. McDowell18761955Rosemary Harris November 15, 19641-3 1850 Compromise — Missouri Senator Thomas Hart Benton#Later Senate career and tensionThomas Hart Benton17821858Brian Keith November 29, 19641-4 1894 University of Wisconsin professor Richard T. Ely#Education and career in defense of academic freedomRichard T. Ely18541943Dan O'Herlihy December 6, 19641-5 1861 Texas in the American Civil War#Governor Sam Houston refuses to sanction Texas' secession from the UnionSam Houston17931863J. D. Cannon December 13, 19641-6 1915 Leo Frank#Commutation of sentence by Georgia Governor John SlatonJohn M. Slaton18661955Walter Matthau December 20, 19641-7 1770 defense attorney and future President John Adams#Counsel for the British: Boston Massacre John Adams17351826David McCallum December 27, 19641-8 1946 Ohio Senator Robert A. Taft#Condemnation of Nuremberg TrialsRobert A. Taft18891953Lee Tracy January 3, 19651-9 1637 Massachusetts Bay Colony Antinomian Controversy — Boston midwife and Puritan religious reformer Anne HutchinsonAnne Hutchinson15911643Wendy Hiller January 10, 19651-10 1838 Missouri Militia Brigadier General Alexander William Doniphan#The 1838 Mormon WarAlexander William Doniphan18081887Peter Lawford January 17, 19651-11 1893 Haymarket affair#Pardon and historical characterization — Illinois Governor John Peter AltgeldJohn Peter Altgeld18471902Burgess MeredithJanuary 24, 19651-12 1843 escaped slave Frederick Douglass#Abolitionist and preacher risks recapture into slaveryFrederick Douglass18171895Robert Hooks January 31, 19651-13 1850 Compromise — Massachusetts Senator Daniel Webster#Taylor administration, 1849–1850Daniel Webster17821852Martin Gabel February 7, 19651-14 1916 President Woodrow Wilson Supreme Court candidates#Louis Brandeis nominationWoodrow Wilson18561924Whit Bissell February 14, 19651-15 1832 Canterbury Female Boarding School#Trials of Prudence Crandall, Connecticut schoolteacher and activist for education of black girlsPrudence Crandall18031890Janice Rule February 21, 19651-16 1860 Tennessee Senator and future President Andrew Johnson#Secession crisisAndrew Johnson18081875Walter Matthau February 28, 19651-17 1869 President Ulysses S. Grant's Secretary of State Hamilton Fish#Cuban belligerency and insurrection 1869–1870Hamilton Fish18081893Henry Jones March 7, 19651-18 1920 Socialist Party of America#Expulsion of Socialists from the New York Assembly — Charles Evans Hughes#Presidential candidateCharles Evans Hughes18621948Kent Smith March 14, 19651-19 1868 Kansas Senator Edmund G. Ross#Andrew Johnson impeachment deciding voteEdmund G. Ross18261907Bradford Dillman March 21, 19651-20 1917 American entry into World War I#Declaration of war — Nebraska Senator George W. Norris#Senator leads filibuster against Armed Ships BillGeorge W. Norris18611944Tom Bosley March 28, 19651-21 1887 Grover Cleveland#Vetoes pension bills — Grand Army of the Republic#HistoryGrover Cleveland18371908Carroll O'Connor April 4, 19651-22 1807 John Quincy Adams#U.S. Senator from Massachusetts — support for Embargo Act of 1807John Quincy Adams17671848Douglas Campbell April 11, 19651-23 1807 Burr conspiracy#Trial — Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall#Burr conspiracy trialJohn Marshall17551835Gary Merrill April 18, 19651-24 1906 Denver judge and social reformer Ben B. Lindsey#Juvenile court advocacyBenjamin Barr Lindsey18691943George Grizzard April 25, 19651-25 1787 Founding Father from Virginia George Mason#Road to dissent and refusal to sign the Constitution until it contained a Bill of RightsGeorge Mason17251792Laurence Naismith May 2, 19651-26 1847 Ohio Senator Thomas Corwin#Political career delivers a speech in opposition to the Mexican WarThomas Corwin17941865George Rose May 9, 1965

Episodes

Awards The series won two awards; a Peabody Award for Robert Saudek and a Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Television.

References

External links

Profiles in Courage at CTVA with episode list

Episodes of Profiles in Courage on the Internet Archive Episode 6, John Slaton Episode 11, John Peter Altgeld Episode 13, Daniel Webster Episode 21, Grover Cleveland Episode 22, John Quincy Adams Episode 24, Ben B. Lindsay Episode 25, George Mason