History Detectives

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History Detectives
Format	Informational Program/History
Created by	Oregon Public Broadcasting/Lion Television
Starring	Wes Cowan (Auctioneer, appraiser) Elyse Luray (Appraiser, art historian) Gwen Wright (Professor of Architecture, author, architectural advisor) Tukufu Zuberi (Professor of Sociology, author)
Country of origin	United States
Production
Running time	1 Hour (per episode)
Broadcast
Original channel	PBS
Picture format	1080i HDTV
Original run	2003 – present

History Detectives is a television program on PBS. A group of researchers (listed on right) help people to seek answers to various historical questions they have, usually centering around a family heirloom, an old house or other historic object or structure. Each investigation is presented as a "mystery" to be solved through consultation with other professionals knowledgeable about the subject and through research in historical archives and libraries.

Each episode features three segments; a different "mystery" is solved in each segment. Between segments, one of the detectives gives additional information, usually about the time period relating to the investigation or about good research techniques.

The show only airs original episodes in the summer months. Reruns air in some areas of the country the rest of the year, as well as the PBS Digital Channel, available in some markets. The sixth season brought some changes including a a new opening sequence, as well as each segment being documented on film rather than on video tape. [1] The seventh season is scheduled to begin airing in June 2009.[2]

[edit] Trivia

Elvis Costello's "Watching the Detectives" (from his 1977 album My Aim Is True) is the show's theme song. Its unique drum sequences also serve as segues between each segment of an episode.

During an online chat with the Washington Post in 2005, Elyse Luray stated that each segment took approximately six weeks to complete. While on the show it appears that each filmed segment is happening spontaneously, the research is generally completed prior to filming, and the investigator will then later return to certain research points for filming so the investigation will appear as a coherent story for the viewer. [3]

[edit] External links

• Official PBS History Detectives website
• Preview of the 7th Season
• Video interview with History Detectives host Gwendolyn Wright on The Alcove with Mark Molaro