FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, June 15th, 2017
TWO-TIME ACADEMY AWARD-WINNER MICHAEL DOUGLAS TO NARRATE NBC SPORTS FILMS “COURAGEOUS” DOCUMENTARY CHRONICLING TED TURNER’S QUEST TO WIN 1977 AMERICA’S CUP
Film Features Interviews with Turner, Crew Members of Courageous, Sailing Historians and Experts
Courageous Debuts Immediately Following Races 1 and 2 of the 2017 America’s Cup Match on NBC
STAMFORD, Conn. – June 15, 2017 – Two-time Academy Award-winning actor and producer Michael Douglas will narrate Courageous, NBC Sports Films’ documentary which chronicles media pioneer and sailing maverick Ted Turner’s quest to win the 1977 America’s Cup. The special will air on Saturday, June 17, at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC, immediately following NBC Sports’ coverage of Races 1 and 2 of the 2017 America’s Cup Match, which will take place on Bermuda’s Great Sound.
Douglas is one of the most accomplished actors and producers in American film in the past 50 years. Douglas won the 1988 Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Gordon Gecko in Wall Street, and co-produced One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, which won the 1976 Academy Award for Best Picture. Douglas lobbied to bring the 2017 America’s Cup to Bermuda, and has family roots in Bermuda that date back to the 1600s.
Courageous, named for the boat that Turner captained, examines his journey to win and defend the America’s Cup, and explores his tireless pursuit throughout the decade to build the iconic Turner media and sports empire which included CNN, TBS, the Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks, and Goodwill Games.
While suspended from running the Braves and working through the infancy and challenges of early cable television with his SuperStation, Turner became fixated with winning the 1977 America’s Cup. The unconventional pioneer bet his reputation and image on the victory, and saw glory in a 4-year-old boat and a crew that others had written off.
Courageous features interviews with Turner, his America’s Cup crew members, and sailing historians. Additionally the film includes archival footage from the 1977 America’s Cup and Turner’s multifaceted career, an interview with Braves legend and current Atlanta Braves Senior Vice President Hank Aaron, as well as never before seen footage and interviews.
Courageous complements NBC Sports Group’s coverage of the 35th America’s Cup. NBC Sports Group will present more than 40 hours of coverage of the 2017 America’s Cup from Bermuda across NBC, NBCSN and the NBC Sports app, which began with the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Qualifiers on May 26.
Courageous is the latest project produced by NBC Sports Films and NBC Olympics. Additional films include More Than Gold: Jesse Owens and the 1936 Berlin Olympics, which aired leading up to the Rio Olympic Games; Center of Attention: The Unreal Life of Derek Sanderson, which aired during the 2015 Stanley Cup Final; Lokomotiv, Space Race, and Nancy & Tonya, which all aired during the 2014 Sochi Olympics; and Their Finest Hour, which aired during the 2012 London Olympics.
Courageous is produced by Mark Levy, Senior Vice President, Original Productions and Creative, NBC Sports Group; David Michaels, Coordinating Producer, NBC Sports Group; Matthew Allen, Senior Features Producer, NBC Sports Group; and Phil Parrish, Senior Producer, NBC Sports Group.
ABOUT NBC SPORTS FILMS
NBC Sports Films, a division of NBC Sports Group, was founded in 2015 and produces sports documentaries that air across NBC, NBCSN, NBC Sports Regional Networks, and NBC Sports Digital’s platforms. Using the story telling abilities of the Emmy Award-winning production units that produce NBC Sport’s coverage of the Olympics, Sunday Night Football, and the Stanley Cup Final, NBC Sports Films shines a spotlight on historical moments and compelling stories that stem from the myriad of signature sports properties in the NBC Sports Group portfolio.
-NBC SPORTS GROUP-
