Benjamin Franklin

2002 - 2002

Let the Experiment Be Made

19th November 2002

Episode 1

Part 1: “Let the Experiment Be Made,” charts Franklin's first 47 years (he was born in 1706), a period that saw the birth of the Enlightenment. Franklin took it to heart, writing aphorisms based on it in his “Poor Richard's Almanack” and making life easier for his fellow Philadelphians by thinking up such things as public libraries and a volunteer fire department. Then there was electricity. Richard Easton plays Franklin (Dylan Baker plays a younger Franklin).

The Making of a Revolutionary

19th November 2002

Episode 2

Part 2 covers Franklin's years in England, beginning in 1757, when he was sent to London as an emissary for Pennsylvania on a mission to allow the colony to tax the Penn family's lands. Franklin arrived as an ardent admirer of the empire as well as a lover of the American colonies.

The Chess Master

20th November 2002

Episode 3

“The Chess Master” follows “America's native genius,” as historian Keith Arbour calls Franklin, through the final 14 years of his life, nine of which were spent in Paris as the rebellious colonies' ambassador to France. Franklin's first goal (aside from creating the U.S. foreign service on the fly) was to secure financial and military aid. He went about doing it in the same manner as he played chess.

Top Cast

Colm Feore•Richard Easton•Dylan Baker

Director

Ellen Giffard

Writer

Ronald Blumer

An epic yarn spanning most of the 18th century, the series follows Franklin's career from humble beginnings in Boston to international superstardom: first as a scientist and revolutionary, and then as a founding father and America's first diplomat to France.

Watch Providers 🇬🇧

PBS America Amazon Channel

Production Companies

+2 more

Full Cast

Colm Feore Image

Colm Feore

narrator

Richard Easton Image

Richard Easton

Benjamin Franklin

Dylan Baker Image

Dylan Baker

Benjamin Franklin

David Adkins

John Jay

Gerry Bamman Image

Gerry Bamman

Paul Wentworth

Blair Brown Image

Blair Brown

Jane Mecom

Anthony Cochrane Image

Anthony Cochrane

George

Peter Donaldson Image

Peter Donaldson

John Adams

Ronald Guttman Image

Ronald Guttman

Le Comte de Vergennes

Anthony Heald Image

Anthony Heald

Jonathan Austin

Jefferson Mays Image

Jefferson Mays

Elkanah Watson

Brian Murray Image

Brian Murray

Viscount Stormont

Martin Rayner Image

Martin Rayner

Robert Whittington

Natacha Roi Image

Natacha Roi

Mme. Britton de Jouy

Sebastian Roché Image

Sebastian Roché

French Aristocrat

Full Crew

Ronald Blumer

Writer

Ellen Giffard Image

Ellen Giffard

Director

Muffie Meyer Image

Muffie Meyer

Director

Richard Einhorn

Original Music Composer

Joel Shapiro

Director of Photography

Tom Hurwitz

Director of Photography

Eric Davies

Editor

Sharon Sachs

Editor

Donna Marino

Editor

Ellen Giffard Image

Ellen Giffard

Producer

Muffie Meyer Image

Muffie Meyer

Producer

Robertas Urbonas

Producer

showData