A Beautiful Narration For The People Of Kansas. Their Stories Told.
My team made this film for TV back in the 1980s & although I have posted clips before, this is the complete film (requested by subscribers). It was part of a series for Turner Broadcasting called Portraits Of America. The series style fit my style - not to attack people but to honor the best of who they were. Ted Turner told me that Kansas was “boring” before the job began. My team and I found that people fascinating & I am proud of the script written and the narration read by Hal Holbrook.
Kansas is unique. It has a history of resilience. Whether it's dealing with tornadoes, surviving the Dust Bowl in the 1930s or enduring economic downturns tied to the farming and oil industries, Kansans have repeatedly shown their ability to adapt and thrive.
Kansas is a major agricultural state leading the nation in the production of wheat and other crops. Many Kansans grow up around farming. With the vast plains and beautiful state parks, Kansans enjoy outdoor activities like hunting, fishing, hiking and camping.
Wichita, Kansas, is known as the "Air Capital of the World" due to its history of airplane manufacturing. This has created a culture where many Kansans have a strong interest in aviation.
Kansas was central to the abolitionist movement before and during the Civil War and it played a crucial role in the women's suffrage and civil rights movements.
Kansans are known for their love of sports, particularly college basketball. The University of Kansas has a long-standing successful basketball program.
Many Kansans can trace their ancestry back to Germany whose immigrants came to Kansas in large numbers during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Some were seeking economic opportunities while others like the Mennonites, were seeking religious freedom. They brought with them farming techniques that helped Kansas become a leading agricultural state.
The Irish are another significant group in Kansas. Many Irish immigrants came to the United States during the mid-19th century due to the Great Famine in Ireland.
Kansas also has a substantial Hispanic population, primarily of Mexican descent.
African Americans have also been a part of Kansas history since before it became a state. The town of Nicodemus, Kansas for instance, was a prominent settlement for African Americans moving west after the Civil War. Today African Americans make up a significant portion of the state's population, particularly in urban areas like Wichita and Kansas City.
There were also waves of Scandinavian immigration in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Lindsborg, Kansas is known as "Little Sweden" because of its Swedish heritage. These are also ethnic Germans who migrated to the Volga River region in Russia at the invitation of Catherine the Great in the 18th century, and then later migrated to Kansas in the late 19th century. They maintained their German language and customs while also incorporating elements of Russian culture.
Before European settlement, Kansas was home to numerous Native American tribes including the Kansa (or Kaw), Osage, Pawnee and others. There are four federally recognized tribes in Kansas: the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska, the Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas, the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, and the Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska.
As you may recognize, the narrator of this film is Hal Holbrook, who narrated the entire Portrait of America" series. Holbrook's narration was an essential part of the series. His rich, resonant voice and distinctive delivery greatly contributed to the overall atmosphere and appeal of the series.
Holbrook started performing his famous Mark Twain in 1954 in a one-man show called "Mark Twain Tonight". He performed that show for over six decades, His portrayal of Twain earned him a Tony award in 1966.
While Holbrook is best known for his portrayal of Twain, he also had a long and successful career in film and television. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the film "Into the Wild" (2007).
In addition to his acting roles, Holbrook also worked as a narrator for several television programs. Some of these include:
"Lincoln" (1974-1976): A documentary series about the life of President Abraham Lincoln, where Holbrook provided the voice of Lincoln.
"The Cultivated Life: Thomas Jefferson and Wine" (2005): A documentary where Holbrook served as the narrator.
"Sandburg's Lincoln" (1974-1976): A six-part series about Abraham Lincoln based on Carl Sandburg's biography. Holbrook again voiced Lincoln.
Holbrook was also the voice of several characters in Ken Burns's documentaries, including "The Civil War" (1990) and "Prohibition" (2011).
I would like to thank those's sponsors who advertise on my video. They include Colleges in Kansas. Tin Roof Kansas City. Jazz Museum Kansas City. Wichita. Topeka. Overland Park. Roe Park Overland. Relax Inn Kansas. Kansas Vacation. Cabin getaways Kansas.
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I think I remember this series when I was a kid. I miss the 80s and 90s in middle America. It was a wonderful place to grow up.
That was so meditating. Some great poetry by the narrator.
It’s hard to imagine anything like this on television today. This is a kind of documentary that just isn’t made anymore. Thanks for sharing David!
Greetings from Lawrence kansas. The best part of living in Kansas is that it's people that still act polite to each other. Best wishes
Mother Nature makes the rules sometimes. Beautiful people follow them. ❤
As a proud native Kansan, I really really like this film. I worked at the Kansas Museum of History in the 1980s and 90s and loved getting to travel here and there around the state, picking up donations and hearing people's stories. Lots of familiar stuff in this film--Stan Herd painted a mural in the museum gallery for us, and Arthur Sayler volunteered occasionally, demonstrating how to cut post rock into fence posts. He was the most positive person I have ever met. Lovely to see him in action here.
Fascinating
What a beautiful film. Sadly, America has made so much "progress," this life has been mocked and is now no longer recognizable. Just a fantastic film, David.
Went to school in KS. I still miss it greatly
I could watch an entire show based on Mr. Arthur. This was an excellent film. I grew up in central Kansas and learned a lot. The narration is top notch! ✌️
Mr. Hoffman, I thoroughly enjoyed your film. Funny how I came to find it, I was looking for information on the male accent of Kansas. A nice man in chat caught my interest. He is a farmer, in Kansas. Being from the Piedmont of Georgia ,the landscape could not be more alien to me! Ive been a fan of yours for years! I hope you read my comment. Thanks again.
Thanks! I'm hoping my son will watch this with my grandchildren. No longer the same America.
@DavidHoffmanFilmmaker
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Thank you again for your support Susan. David Hoffman filmmaker
I love this episode..... My great uncle Arthur was one of a kind. I surely miss him.
@DavidHoffmanFilmmaker
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He was a wonderful guy. You are lucky to have known him. Thank you again for your comment. David Hoffman filmmaker
blast from the past for me in alberta, though i also grew up with a few urbanites from kansas online so this was teeming with familiarity (accents and all) 😁👍👍
This was truly beautiful. The people were such down to earth souls. I only wonder where they all are now.
Mound City is where my friend went back to and settled. History of Underground Railroad in her family and in her performance of black/ Cherokee history with the Historical Society. Her husband raised their four kids and opened the coffee and tea shop, after she passed away. ❤🎉
37:30- 39:00 is incredible cinematography!!!!! God bless our American lands and our American farmers. 🇺🇸 🚜
Thank you David. This looks interesting. I'm going to watch this. 👍
I loved that old couple.
@cookingwell
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Me too
So much could be said about this. The narration is great, the people are great and the video is great. I remember when my grandpa died at 92 about 15 years ago, I wish I had filmed him talk about his three tours in WW2, just so I could have a record of it that everyone could see, because I knew the internet was a good place to store memories. I respect these vids so much.
Sometimes I get to thinking, maybe we have too much wind, or maybe we don't have enough wind. That's just me thinking though.
Best channel on KZread for me. Every upload is a blessing.
I really like the soundtrack on this documentary with the trumpet sound near the end, if there's more I would have fully watched it. This reminds me how older documentary in the 80s were. Thanks David for sharing.👍🙏🙂
I have never been to Kansas. Very interesting. Thank you David ❤
Excellent cinematography! I think we’re further along with no family farms. My second husband was a farmboy his father owned a farm nobody’s farming in his family anymore.
Yeah Kansas! Thank you for sharing this!
Wonderful documentary video, thank you do much.
Hal Holbrook voice suit this documentary, this was well done, David Hoffman,😊
it's beautiful.....start a wind farm and keep it simple....GOD provides!!!!!!!
Maybe you could build a small hotel that offer short breaks to people who would like to experience what it is like to live in your part of the world.
These folks acted as true stewards of the land. Planting trees was a way to pay back for all that was received.
Unfortunately the high plains drought is the worst in more than 60 years which is forcing the importing of wheat from Europe this year. I am originally from northeast Kansas. With its hills and trees it is different from western and central Kansas. I learned some things from this video. For example, the equipment and people coming in from other states to help with the harvest. Thank you for posting this video and the article that accompanies it.
I bet just about all the farms shown in this vid are no longer. Agriculture has changed incredibly in North America,it's a fraction,of what it once was.
@Katzzzz
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Same. Farmers having to put mobile phone masts on their land for income instead and where are all the public allotments now? They used to be dotted around everywhere and people got their own plots to grow whatever they liked, lots of fruit and veggies.
Ted Turner was arrogant. Kansas is in the wheat belt, and thank those who make it home
We're not in Kansas anymore, are we.
Gaia.