The Innovation That Built America
Season 1
No season overview available.
All American Marinara
Food conglomerate Campbell's kickstarts what will become an Italian American food revolution, launching SpaghettiOs and then Prego and along the way, transforming everything from home cooking to casual dining.
Ice Cream Revolution
A cab driver turned ice cream entrepreneur comes up with the idea to mix name brand candy into high-quality ice cream to create new novel flavors; after opening an ice cream shop to share his mix-in creations, his concept skyrockets.
Soda Rising: Birth of Pop
In the late 1800s, two pharmacists 1500 miles apart race to create healthy, non-alcoholic beverage options, kickstarting the entire soda industry with their breakout hits: Hires Root Beer and Dr. Pepper.
Sunshine in a Glass
A scientist and businessman team up to develop a Vitamin C-rich war ration for WWII troopers, leading to orange juice concentrate; a fruit salesman develops a process of flash-pasteurizing fresh orange juice; the two companies soon compete.
Let Them Bake Cake
During the mid-20th century, two unlikely characters find themselves in competition to simplify the lives of homemakers across the country by creating a tasty but easy boxed cake-mix; America's sweetheart and the original foodie go head-to-head.
Penny Candy Craze
In the early 1900s, an underestimated confectioner creates the first wrapped penny candy, the Tootsie Roll; an unemployed salesman transforms medicinal hard candy into a fruit flavored, multipack designed purely for fun with Tropical Charms.
Champions of Breakfast
A decades long war for dominance ensues as Kellogg's and General Mills battle it out with new innovative cereals, resulting in the creation of the number one cereal in the country.
Planet Mars
After being kicked out of the family business, Forrest Mars created a multi-sector global empire, Mars Inc.
End of the Landlines
From the first handheld portable telephone to the smartphone, an examination of how phones have evolved.
The Birth of Mickey
Recounting the birth of Mickey Mouse, how he began as a pencil sketch and rocketed to lasting fame; the story starts with Walt in his early days in Hollywood when he quickly loses his first successful cartoon character to a powerful middleman.
Internet Killed the Video Store
An examination of how the online subscription services brought about the end of video rental stores.
Dawn of the Animated Blockbuster
Walt Disney pushed the limits of technology to create the first full-length animated feature film and gave rise to the billion-dollar business.
Easy Money
In the middle of the 20th century, a piece of plastic revolutionizes the world of commerce as Diners' Club, Bank of America, and American Express race to change how people pay for everything, starting the credit card industry.
Destination Disneyland
Walt Disney overcomes immense obstacles to create the first theme park, where instead of thrill rides, he gives the visitor an immersive journey into a story, like the experience of being inside a movie.
Suite Dreams: Birth of the Modern Hotel
Two visionaries breathe new life into the hotel industry in America and the world, by setting the modern standard for hospitality; despite setbacks, economic downturns, and international conflict, these rivals will stop at nothing to be number one.
Now Available in Stores
Disney hires an ingenious marketing whiz who helps them figure out how to bring their beloved characters off the screen and into the hands of millions.
Sneaker Head-to-Head
Two sneaker companies become industry titans through a decades long battle for global dominance, as they unleash iconic footwear that will bring sneakers mainstream and make them part of the fabric of American culture.
Walt Disney World
Against all odds, Disney turns 27,000 acres of muddy Florida swampland into the world's largest and most visited Theme Park.
Silicon Showdown
In the 1950s, rival electronics companies aim to make music portable for the first time ever; what follows is a decades-long rivalry that prompts the creation of iconic products like the Pocket Radio, Cassette Tape, Walkman and the CD.
The Marvelous World of Disney
For nearly 70 years, Disney has pushed the boundaries of art and science through the work of a team of dreamers, designers, and builders known as the Imagineers; this is the story of how Imagineers have turned the impossible into reality.
Clash of the Computer Titans
A game designer named Steve Jobs starts a personal computer company in his parents' garage on his way to bringing computers mainstream.
Rental Car Wars
America was built with the innovations of some exceptional people, this collection of programs is an examination of how they did it.
Daredevil Duo
In 1965, a struggling motorcycle salesman desperate at his small-town dealership comes up with a dangerous publicity stunt that launches him into a new career, but changes entertainment forever.
Lunchbox Legends
In the 1960's three very different food visionaries created lunch time favorites loved by children everywhere.
The Colonel
In 1935 a Kentucky gas station owner named Harland Sanders develops a new method for making fried chicken.
Action Heroes
A struggling New York actor, brushed aside, bets on himself to write, and star in a movie; by challenging the ideas of what it means to be a leading man at the time, he gives himself a fighting chance in Hollywood.
Citrus Soda Stars
In an early 20th century America two different lemon-lime sodas were introduced.
Shock Jocks
In the 1970s, two maverick broadcasters take a different approach, challenging their bosses, the rules and polite society to help create a new genre: talk radio.
Burger Empire: The Ray Kroc Story
In the 1950s, middle-aged salesman Ray Kroc is drowning in debt when he's inspired by a roadside burger stand he wants to spread nationwide -- McDonald's.
Cast
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