American Experience The Polio Crusade (Season 21, Episode 2)
TV-PG
TV Episode | 54 min | Documentary, Biography, History

American Experience

The Polio Crusade (Season 21, Episode 2)

TV-PG

TV Episode | 54 min | Documentary, Biography, History

This film interweaves the personal accounts of polio survivors with the story of an ardent crusader who tirelessly fought on their behalf while scientists raced to eradicate this dreaded disease

Director

Sarah Colt

Writer

Sarah Colt

Producer

Sarah Colt

Composers

John Kusiak | P. Andrew Willis

Cinematographer

Stephen McCarthy

Editor

Randall MacLowry

See all filmmakers & crew (90)

Edit Released

Updated Feb 2, 2009

Release date

Feb 2, 2009 (United States)

Awards

Series awards

Nominated for 1 Oscar Award. Another 84 wins & 124 nominations

Contacts

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Cast	+ Add Cast
22 cast members

Name	Known for
Samuel L. Katz Self - Scientist Self - Scientist See fewer	American Experience (1988)
Kathryn Black Self - Writer Self - Writer See fewer	American Experience (1988)
Julius Youngner Self - Scientist, Salk's Lab Self - Scientist, Salk's Lab See fewer	The Shot Felt 'Round the World (2010)
David Oshinsky Self - Author, Polio: An American Story Self - Author, Polio: An American Story See fewer	By Sidney Lumet (2015)
Larry Becker Self - Polio Survivor Self - Polio Survivor See fewer	American Experience (1988)
John M. Johnson Self Self See fewer	American Experience (1988)
Eugene F. Warren Self Self See fewer	American Experience (1988)
Betty Cook Brown Self Self See fewer	American Experience (1988)
Eleanor Sage Self Self See fewer	American Experience (1988)
John Troan Self - Journalist Self - Journalist See fewer	The Shot Felt 'Round the World (2010)
Peter Salk Self - Son of Jonas Salk (as Peter L. Salk) Self - Son of Jonas Salk (as Peter L. Salk) See fewer	The Shot Felt 'Round the World (2010)
Linda Hunt Self - Narrator Self - Narrator See fewer	The Year of Living Dangerously (1982)
Anne B. Crockett-Stark Self Self See fewer	American Experience (1988)
Jimmy Durante Self - March of Dimes Spokesperson (archive footage) Self - March of Dimes Spokesperson (archive footage) See fewer	It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)
Judy Garland Self - March of Dimes Spokesperson (archive footage) Self - March of Dimes Spokesperson (archive footage) See fewer	The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Randy Kerr Self - First Recipient of Salk's Polio Vaccine (archive footage) Self - First Recipient of Salk's Polio Vaccine (archive footage) See fewer
Basil O'Connor Self - Founder of the March of Dimes (archive footage) Self - Founder of the March of Dimes (archive footage) See fewer	The Colgate Comedy Hour (1950)
Paul Offit Self - Scientist (as Paul A. Offit) Self - Scientist (as Paul A. Offit) See fewer	Hilleman: A Perilous Quest to Save the World's Children (2016)
Mickey Rooney Self - March of Dimes Spokesperson (archive footage) Self - March of Dimes Spokesperson (archive footage) See fewer	It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)
Franklin D. Roosevelt Self - 32nd President of the United States (archive footage) Self - 32nd President of the United States (archive footage) See fewer	The President's Mystery (1936)
Albert Sabin Self - Critic of Jonas Salk (archive footage) (as Dr. Albert Sabin) Self - Critic of Jonas Salk (archive footage) (as Dr. Albert Sabin) See fewer	CBS Special: The New Frontiers of Science (1956)
Jonas Salk Self - Developer of Polio Vaccine (archive footage) Self - Developer of Polio Vaccine (archive footage) See fewer	Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum (2019)