The BEST episodes directed by Steve Humphries
#1 - What Did You Do in the Great War, Daddy?
BBC Documentaries - Season 2007 - Episode 15
Documentary telling the tragic story of the greatest loss of fathers in British history. When the nation was called to arms in the patriotic fervour of 1914 it was difficult to imagine that, four years later, half a million children would have lost their fathers in battle. The impact of their deaths was devastating and never forgotten by their sons and daughters. Now in their 90s, they go on an emotional journey to remember their lost fathers, culminating in a visit to their graves in France.
#2 - Pedalling Dreams: The Raleigh Story
BBC Documentaries - Season 2017 - Episode 59
For the last 150 years, Britain has been a nation of bike lovers. And for much of that time, one make has been associated with quality, innovation and Britishness - Raleigh bikes. Born in the back streets of Nottingham in 1888, Raleigh grew to become the biggest bicycle manufacturer in the world. For over a century, the company was known for its simple and practical bikes, built to last a lifetime. For generations, its designs were thought second to none, enjoyed by adults and children alike. Now, with wonderful personal testimony and rare and previously unseen archive film, this documentary tells the extraordinary tale of the ups and downs of Raleigh bikes - a beautifully illustrated story full of remarkable characters, epic adventures and memorable bikes. Meet the people who rode and raced them, the workers who built them and the dealers who sold them. Find out how cycling saved the life of Raleigh's founder, discover the technological advances behind the company's success and join Raleigh bike riders who recall epic adventures far and wide. Along the way, the programme takes viewers on a journey back to cycling's golden age - rediscover the thrill of learning to ride your first bike and find out what went on inside the Raleigh factory, where the company's craftsmen produced some of Britain's most iconic bikes. Finally, the documentary reveals what went wrong at Raleigh - the battles it had with its rivals, the controversy behind the design of the Chopper and the effect the closure of its factories had on its loyal workers. This is the extraordinary untold story of the rise and fall of Raleigh bikes.
#3 - The Miracle of Stairway B
History Channel Documentaries - Season 2006 - Episode 21
It is perhaps the single most amazing story of 9/11--the story of how 12 firefighters, three office workers, and a Port Authority cop lived through the devastating collapse of the North Tower, survived for hours under half-a-million tons of debris and were rescued when all hope seemed lost. We reveal the chain of uncanny coincidences and bizarre events that enabled these individuals to stay alive when so many were dying all around them. We tell their interlocking stories from the time they woke on 9/11, to the moment they were finally reunited with their families. In doing so, we also tell the bigger story of the heroic efforts of the firefighters to save lives--and of the 2,700 men and women who never made it home.
#4 - The Man Who Predicted 9/11
History Channel Documentaries - Season 2002 - Episode 16
The programme is centered on the director of security of Morgan Stanley, Rick Rescorla, who predicted an attack on the World Trade Center and led hundreds out of the South Tower before dying in its collapse.
#5 - The Lost Hero of 9/11
Channel 4 (UK) Documentaries - Season 2013 - Episode 46
When the twin towers collapsed almost everyone underneath them was killed. But two men were trapped, buried alive, 30 feet deep, under the rubble pile. As fires raged around them, the official rescue effort had been suspended, and they thought they were going to die. Until they heard a voice shouting “US Marine Corps – can anybody hear me.” This man then climbed down and saved them. Incredibly he then disappeared without a trace. His identity remained a mystery… Directed by British filmmaker Steve Humphries, for the first time 9/11: Lost Hero reveals the full and extraordinary true story of modest hero, Jason Thomas: a law student and former member of the US Marine Corps who after witnessing the attack on the first tower, put on his old uniform and drove 30 miles to Ground Zero to save lives. Not wanting any notoriety – or his wife finding out that he had risked his life – Jason vanished from the scene quickly after his heroic mission. It was only years later when he was watching TV when he saw a trailer for a Hollywood movie called World Trade Centre, did he realise his story had not gone unnoticed. Except for one crucial detail…the actor playing him was white – and Jason is black. Intersecting remarkable unseen footage of Jason running towards the scene with the personal testimonies of those he saved, Steve Humphries’ latest documentary provides a new and in-depth insight in to one of 9/11’s most extraordinary rescues and the man that made it possible.
#6 - 9/11 - Ground Zero Underworld
Channel 4 (UK) Documentaries - Season 2007 - Episode 28
Television viewers all over the world are familiar with the iconic images of destruction and devastation that followed the collapse of the Twin Towers. What people don’t realise is that underneath the gargantuan mountain of rubble that greeted rescuers was an extraordinary world, hundreds of feet deep, which held even more incredible stories. 9/11: Ground Zero Underworld presents the untold stories of those who searched tirelessly for their loved ones, sifting through tonnes of debris in an attempt to bring them home to rest. In the hours and days following the disaster, relatives and friends of those inside the buildings descended on Ground Zero, vowing to find their loved ones, dead or alive. And so began one of the greatest search operations in history - a story of extraordinary courage, perseverance and humanity. Some worked in the emergency services, some were volunteers, but all were driven to Herculean lengths to keep the promise they’d made to themselves and their families. This film follows some of the people engaged in the search effort, documenting the emotional turmoil with heartrending testimony and harrowing, previously unseen footage of the rescue and recovery effort, including the eerie images of police cars lying perfectly preserved beneath 100 feet of debris.