A new PBS American Experience documentary film, "The Boys of '36," based on the book "The Boys in the Boat," which details the story of the Washington crew that won gold at the 1936 Olympics, made its Seattle debut Tuesday at Meany Hall on the UW campus.
 
Along with a number of public preview showings around the country (including at Seattle Center this Friday, July 29), the program, produced by Margaret Grossi and Mary Carillo, will make its over-the-air debut Tuesday, Aug. 2, at 9:00 p.m. PT on KCTS-9 and PBS stations around the country.
 
In 1936, the Husky eight-oared crew, comprised of blue-collar, Depression-era young men from Western Washington, won the Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championship in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., then earned its place to represent the United States at Hitler's Games in Berlin. There, the Huskies beat the odds and strong teams from Germany, Italy and Great Britain to win the gold medal.
 
Tuesday night in Seattle, the Alumni Association hosted a reception at the HUB Ballroom for invited guests, including many of those who contributed their knowledge to the film, including "Boys in the Boat" author Daniel James Brown, UW rowing historian Eric Cohen, and Judy Willman, daughter of '36 rower Joe Rantz. Family members of other members of that crew, Husky head coaches Michael Callahan and Yasmin Farooq and a host of rowing alumni also attended.
 
The keynote of the reception was provided by former Washington governor, U.S. Senator and UW alum Dan Evans, who grew up in Laurelhurst in the 1930s and retains his fond memories of the Husky rowing program.
 
After the reception, the 52-minute film was shown at crowded Meany Hall on the UW campus, Cohen (a former coxswain at the UW, who has long maintained a history of the program) hosted a round table discussion with former UW coach and Olympian Jan Harville, Callahan, Grossi, Carillo and Brown.
 
For more on the program, including bonus clips and photo galleries, make sure to check out the American Experience website.