David Wolper was interested in producing television documentaries, in 1958 he established Wolper Productions. Working with exclusive Russian space program footage and NASA cinematography of American missile launches, within two years, his first film, The Race for Space, was completed and had attracted a sponsor. Wolper offered the film to all three networks but an unofficial rule of the time dictated that only news programs and documentaries produced by network personnel were allowed on the air. Not to be discouraged, the young producer fell back on his sales experience and syndicated the film to 104 local stations across the United States--the overwhelming majority of these stations network affiliates willing to preempt other programming for the Wolper show. For the first time in television history a non-network documentary special achieved near-national audience coverage. Having been released to theaters prior to television, The Race for Space also received an Academy Award nomination in the best documentary category--another first for a television film.

    Walon Green

    Walon Green on the impact David L. Wolper and Jack Haley, Jr. made with documentary series such as The Race for Space

    02:10

    Mike Wallace

    Mike Wallace on hosting The Race for Space for producer David Wolper

    04:03

    David L. Wolper

    David L. Wolper on the genesis and production of The Race for Space

    05:58

    David L. Wolper on producing The Race for Space and on the network news departments refusing to buy it

    02:39

    David L. Wolper on selling The Race for Space to independent television stations

    04:44

    David L. Wolper on critical reaction to The Race for Space and on the show being a turning point in his career

    06:33

    David L. Wolper on The Race for Space holding up over time

    02:00

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