Filling in the holes, debunking the myths and making whole the half-truths of history is the essence of "America: Facts vs. Fiction." Hosted by former naval officer and actor Jamie Kaler, the series digs deep into many myths and legends to explore how and why historical details are sometimes altered to produce a more compelling narrative. Paul Revere, for example, didn't gallop through Middlesex County shouting, "The British are coming!" to warn residents of the impending war, and similarly juicy details tied to other events and people have been lost, distorted, covered up or simply ignored as years passed. Kaler, by the way, is best known as an actor for his role in the TBS comedy "My Boys."

4 seasonsDocumentary, HistoryTV-PG

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Season 412 of 12 Episodes

The war waged by America's greatest generation is obscured by myth. Few remember that an American admiral played a pivotal role in showing Japan how to attack Pearl Harbor or that the German army was not the mechanized wonder it's reputed to be.
Much of what we know about the old west is myth, not fact, drawn from movies and TV. Gunfights never started with a quick draw, cowboys weren't all white, and Native Americans feared enemies more menacing than settlers and soldiers.
Myths obscure the real facts about our favorite vices: smoking, drinking and gambling. Discover which nation had the first anti-smoking campaign, what those three X's on a jug of moonshine mean, or where our first slot machines appeared.
Myths taint our knowledge of the 4th of July, St. Patrick's Day, and our favorite mini-holiday, the weekend. We should celebrate Independence Day on July 2nd, St. Patrick wasn't Irish, and the idea of a fun weekend is a recent creation.
Myths and misconceptions surrounding four pivotal historic moments: the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962; the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C.E.; the Boston Tea Party in 1773 and the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
Myths eclipse the real facts about NASA's dramatic rescue of three astronauts aboard the crippled Apollo 13 spacecraft; Hollywood movies have a hit-and-miss track record of depicting the realties of interstellar exploration.
Revealing the truth about America's infamous secret societies; the Freemasons have no evil agenda; the Mafia took root not in New York, but the South; Harvard's Skull and Bones does not control a sinister shadow government.
Al Capone was a philanthropist as well as a hood; Benedict Arnold was a hero as well as a traitor; Jesse James was no Wild West Robin Hood; Billy the Kid's nickname was wrong.
The real facts of the nuclear age are clouded by myth. Manhattan played a major role in the Manhattan Project; there were closer calls to World War III than the Cuban Missile Crisis; America's nuclear security hinges on a football and a biscuit.
Myths distort the stories of two of America's most renowned rivalries. Before their fateful duel, Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr were law partners; and the conflict between the Hatfields and McCoys didn't end in the backwoods, but a courtroom.
Myths cloud the real facts of America's Civil War. The North's biggest city tried to secede; the Union didn't go to war to end slavery; most deaths weren't caused by battle wounds, and Grant and Lee didn't end the conflict; two other generals did.
America's medical history is infected with myths. George Washington's doctors may have inadvertently killed him; Abraham Lincoln used a toxic remedy that warped his mind; and heroin was once a best-selling cough suppressant.

Bonus Round: Secret Vaults and Final Journeys

Bonus Round: The Truth Will Set You Free

The startling truth of two legendary generals, Dwight Eisenhower and Douglas MacArthur; myths surrounding the landmarks of our nation's capital.
Upcoming
Investigating the nation's most secret vaults to separate fiction from fact.
Upcoming
A reality check on the stories of Pocahontas and America's renowned explorer's, Lewis and Clark; explore the truth behind the Women's Suffrage Movement.
Upcoming
The spotlight is on amusement parks and world's fairs to separate fiction from truth; explore the myths of two of our favorite holidays, Christmas and New Year's Eve.
Upcoming
The truth behind some of America's most powerful men and the birth of the country they governed.
Upcoming
Stories behind history's most famous flying devices and the truth about America's most influential inventors.
Upcoming

Jamie Kaler

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America: Facts vs. Fiction

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