History plans 'Brothers' doc

Pulitzer winner under contract with cabler

By JOHN DEMPSEY

NEW YORK -- History Channel was the biggest cheerleader when Joseph Ellis' "Founding Brothers" grabbed the Pulitzer Prize for history last week, as the book is under contract to the network.

Susan Werbe, executive producer of "Founding Brothers" for History, said she plans to use the book as the basis for a four-hour documentary that would in effect be a followup to last November's successful four-hour "Founding Fathers" on History Channel.

Like "Founding Fathers," which was based not on one book but on broad research into the period of the late 18th century when Americans won their independence from Great Britain and set up a government, "Founding Brothers" will be narrated by Edward Herrmann and hosted by Roger Mudd.

Many of the actors who did voice-overs of historical personages in "Founding Fathers" -- they included Brian Dennehy, James Woods, Burt Reynolds, Beau Bridges and Hal Holbrook -- will be back for "Founding Brothers."

Werbe declined to discuss the contract, but sources said History paid Ellis mid-five figures for the cable-documentary rights to "Brothers." As part of the deal, Ellis still keeps control of the theatrical-movie rights. History is happy it signed the deal before Ellis won the Pulitzer because the prize would have elevated the license fee.

"Brothers" is concerned with "the machinations and behind-the-scenes maneuverings" of Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Franklin, Hamilton, Burr and John Adams, Werbe said.

In addition to Werbe, the L.A.-based executive producers of "Brothers" are Jim Milio, Melissa Jo Peltier and Mark Hufnail. Supervising producer is Bonnie Peterson, and Kelley McPherson is doing the adaptation of the book.