Arkansas PBS > Engage > Pressroom > '22 Straight' to air on AETN Jan. 1
Posted 18 Dec 2014
"22 Straight," a 60-minute film exploring the captivating story and meteoric rise of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville Razorbacks to the pinnacle of college football in the mid-1960s, will air on the Arkansas Educational Television Network (AETN) Thursday, Jan. 1, at 8:30 p.m. and Monday, Jan. 5, at 9 p.m.
On Saturday, Nov. 23, 1963 – the day after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas – the Arkansas Razorbacks football team began a winning streak that would last longer than that of any other college team of the decade. The win marked the impetus of a gridiron journey toward the 1964 national championship and initiated a Hogs winning streak that lasted until Jan. 1, 1967, when the University of Arkansas was upset by Louisiana State University (LSU) in the Cotton Bowl.
In addition to detailing these storied seasons, the film explores the lives and contributions of many of the university's legendary players – including Lloyd Phillips, Jerry Jones, Ken Hatfield, Jimmy Johnson, Jim Lindsey, Jon Britten and Harry Jones; their leader, Frank Broyles; and the members – including Johnny Majors, Jim Mackenzie, Barry Switzer and Wilson Mathews – of one of the greatest assistant coaching staffs ever assembled in the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville's program history. The late Charlie Jones of Fort Smith, who provided play-by-play announcements for many Super Bowls and Olympic Games, narrates.
Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker Larry Foley and veteran camera-editor Jim Borden produced "22 Straight." The film is scored by Emmy Award-winning composer Jim Greeson.
"'22 Straight' is a film that I produced about my childhood heroes," producer Larry Foley said. "I was 10 years old when the Razorbacks won the national championship.
"To have the chance to tell this story, and stories that some of the coaches and players didn't know, was a true joy. It's more than a football film. It's a 'coming of age' story about a group of young men who did something that had never been done before in Arkansas and hasn't been accomplished since."
Both broadcasts of "22 Straight" will be immediately preceded by the 30-minute documentary "The Jim Lindsey Story," which describes the athletic and business successes of former Arkansas Razorbacks football player and 1964 team member Jim Lindsey.
AETN is the premier broadcast venue for Arkansas's independent film producers. The network strives to showcase indie films from and about Arkansans, turning the spotlight to a wide range of topics that might otherwise go unnoticed.
The Arkansas Educational Television Network (AETN) is Arkansas's statewide public television network that enhances lives by providing lifelong learning opportunities for people from all walks of life. AETN delivers local, award-winning productions and classic, trusted PBS programs aimed at sharing Arkansas and the world with viewers. AETN depends on the generosity of Arkansans and the State of Arkansas to continue offering quality programming. For more information, visit aetn.org, or follow the AETN blog at aetn.org/engage. AETN is broadcast on KETS (Little Rock), KEMV (Mountain View), KETG (Arkadelphia), KAFT (Fayetteville), KTEJ (Jonesboro), and KETZ (El Dorado).