HISTORY'S LEADERS AND LEGENDS VIE FOR THE TITLE OF "AMERICA'S MOST BADASS" IN AN ALL-NEW AMERICAN HEROES CHANNEL SERIES
March 12, 2015
(Silver Spring, Md.) - In a nation forged by guts and glory, it takes true courage to stand out from the crowd. History books are brimming with stories of good triumphing over evil, an epic challenge being met, and the most influential and inspirational figures in American history coming into their own. We all know Abraham Lincoln abolished slavery, Amelia Earhart broke aviation records, Elvis Presley stepped out of the spotlight to serve his country, and General George Patton earned the right to be called a military hero, but it's their lesser known exploits of brawn and brains that make them all true American badasses. Stories about our nation's most extraordinary legends, whose mythos extends far beyond their museum exhibits and namesake landmarks, are the focus of the all-new series produced exclusively for American Heroes Channel (AHC) by Leftfield Pictures: AMERICA'S MOST BADASS, premiering Tuesday, March 24 at 10/9c.
In a new format for the network, each hour-long episode examines the lives of four impressive and accomplished historical figures and analyzes their extraordinary feats to determine who is the biggest badass of all time. Through five rounds of competition - fighting skills, survival, toughness, daringness, and cool factor - historians and experts judge each figure and assign points based on how their accomplishments measure up. The legend with the most total points through five rounds earns the title of AMERICA'S MOST BADASS. Bold animation punches up archive footage, photos and recreations of each figure's most defining moments.
"One part historical biography and one part fun trivia competition, AMERICA'S MOST BADASS breaks new ground in how AHC presents the fact-based stories our audience loves with a faster pace and high-energy presentation," said Kevin Bennett, general manager of American Heroes Channel. "These larger-than-life historical figures and their incredible accomplishments on the battlefield, in the arena, and on the front lines of discovery exemplify the timeless true grit spirit of America."
The monumental matchups featured in AMERICA'S MOST BADASS are:
Guts and Glory Premieres Tuesday, March 24 at 10/9c
Legendary figures Benjamin Franklin, Al Capone, Abraham Lincoln and Ernest Hemingway have earned their seat at the tough guy table for their no-nonsense attitudes, courage under fire and action-star antics, but who will reign supreme in this five-round face-off: the "First American" and original storm chaser, the "Great Emancipator" who got his start wrestling the baddest ruffians on the frontier, the tough-guy novelist and two-time plane crash survivor or the "untouchable" gangster and criminal mastermind?
Living on the Edge Premieres Tuesday, March 31 at 10/9c
Neil Armstrong, Teddy Roosevelt, John Dillinger and Harry Houdini all lived life on the edge and have one thing in common: they're badass Americans. These men never backed down from a challenge. One was shot in the chest and still found the strength to deliver a speech, and another "escaped the inescapable" over and over again. Will one of them win all the glory, or will another competitor seize the win?
Risk-Takers and Renegades Premieres Tuesday, April 7 at 10/9c
Evel Knievel, the original daredevil and record holder for "most broken bones" takes on the "People's President" Andrew Jackson, the serial duelist with no fear of death. However, don't rule out billionaire Howard Hughes, who survived three plane crashes, or military hero General George Patton, whose nickname ("Old Blood and Guts") says it all. Let the battle begin.
Players and Playboys Premieres Tuesday, April 14 at 10/9c
The vast American landscape breeds badasses of every stripe, like Elvis Presley, Ulysses S. Grant, Ted Williams and John F. Kennedy. From military mavericks to pop-culture royalty, these four iconic figures carved their own paths, pushed their bodies to the limit and stared down fear in true tough-guy fashion. Will the "King of Rock and Roll" reign supreme over the "King of Camelot"? Will the "Butcher of the Civil War" battlefield slay the "Splendid Splitter"?
Fight or Flight Premieres Tuesday, April 21 at 10/9c
John Glenn, Bruce Lee, Harry Truman and Hunter S. Thompson all lived life without boundaries and, in that sense, were some of the biggest badasses of all time. Whether it's inventing shotgun golf or orbiting the Earth for the first time, these men never backed down from a challenge. This episode pits these men and their greatest exploits against one another to see which badass comes out on top.
Rebels With A Cause Premieres Tuesday, April 28 at 10/9c
The final battle of the season sees George Washington, our first President and the original James Bond taking on notorious General Douglas MacArthur, who takes orders from no one; boxing legend Jack Johnson entering the ring with the prize in his eyes; and Amelia Earhart, the aviator who broke records while shattering stereotypes, going for the gold.
AMERICA'S MOST BADASS is produced by Leftfield Pictures for American Heroes Channel with Brent Montgomery, David George, Shawn Witt and Scott Miller as executive producers, and Sean Moran as co-executive producer. For American Heroes Channel, Max Culhane is executive producer, Sara Kozak is senior vice president of production, Kevin Bennett is general manager and Henry Schleiff is Group President, Investigation Discovery, Destination America, American Heroes Channel, Discovery Fit & Health and Discovery Family Channel.
About American Heroes Channel
American Heroes Channel (AHC) is a network from Discovery Communications that tells timeless stories in which a challenge appears - be it a situation or a villain - and a hero arises. Currently in 60 million homes, AHC provides a rare glimpse into major events that shaped our world, visionary leaders and unexpected heroes who made a difference, and the great defenders of our freedom. For more information, please visit AHCtv.com, facebook.com/AHCtelevision, or Twitter.com/AHC_TV. American Heroes Channel is part of Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the world's #1 nonfiction media company reaching more than 2.7 billion cumulative subscribers in 220 countries and territories.
About Leftfield Pictures
Leftfield Pictures, part of Leftfield Entertainment, an ITV Studios company, is best known for producing the breakout hit Pawn Stars, delivering record ratings for History and spawning the "hidden treasures" genre of programming. Pawn Stars spinoffs include American Restoration, Counting Cars and the new game show Pawnography, as well as international formats in the UK, Australia and South Africa. Leftfield Pictures also produces Blood, Sweat and Heels (Bravo), which in January 2014 was the #1 series premiere in Bravo history; and Wrestling with Death (WGN), as well as the upcoming Lachey's (A&E) and recently announced Cutting It for WE tv. Leftfield Pictures has additional series in production and development with networks including Bravo, National Geographic, History, Lifetime, Discovery, VH1, FYI, E!, Animal Planet, HGTV and more. Other Leftfield Entertainment companies include Sirens Media (Real Housewives of New Jersey), Loud TV (Tiny House Nation) and Outpost Entertainment (Icons).