Lewis and Clark in TV, Theater, Movies

Television and film adaptations of the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery can be easily categorized into two types: documentary or fictional parodies.

The most notable and probably the most accurate documentary of the Expedition comes from Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan. Their 1997 film, “Lewis and Clark, The Journey of the Corps of Discovery,” is a two-part, 215-minute work that is often recognized as one of Burns’ finest early projects. A similar, yet shorter documentary was released in 2002 from the National Geographic Society titled, “Lewis & Clark: Great Journey West.

Several TV docudramas have included episodes dedicated to Lewis and Clark, including the History Channel’s, “The Men Who Built America: Frontiersmen,” in 2018, and “Into the Wild Frontier,” a 2022 series on the INSP network. The Biography Channel also released one episode on the Captains in 1995.

Nearly 10 years ago, a large-scale HBO mini-series was first discussed, dedicated to the Lewis and Clark story. Hyped as being one of HBO’s most epic productions up to that time, the series was to have been based on Stephen Ambrose’s “Undaunted Courage.” Unfortunately, the production never really got off the ground for a variety of reasons.

On the fictional side, there are a few films or shows to mention – the most recognizable being “The Far Horizons,” a 1955 film starring Fred McMurray, Donna Reed, and Charlton Heston. While the plot follows the Expedition’s, the producers took plenty of fictional liberties along the way. It’s fun to watch just to see how many facts are broken, ignored, or modified. Here’s the original movie trailer: https://youtu.be/WMEwhTOss2c.

In the 1998 comedy, “Almost Heroes,” starring Chris Farley and Matthew Perry, two bumbling explorers hope to beat Lewis and Clark to the Pacific Ocean as they race across America’s western frontier. Watch this for some laughs, not for historical value.

Perhaps even more “creative,” is the online film, “Manifest Destiny, The Lewis and Clark Musical Adventure,” of 2016. This is a farcical musical that you’ll be happy to know is free to watch on YouTube.

And finally, there’s no connection to Meriwether Lewis and William Clark in the 1981-82 NBC comedy show, “Lewis & Clark.” Gabe Kaplan played Stewart Lewis, a country-music club owner in Luckenbach, Texas, and his sidekick Roscoe Clark, played by Guich Koock. The show only lasted one season.

Are there other films or shows you remember that have a Lewis and Clark connection?

Image Description: A movie poster from 1955 for “The Far Horizons.” The illustration shows Lewis, Clark, and Sacagawea in typical, “action movie poses” in front of a wilderness setting. The movie title and the star cast members’ names are across the top and bottom, with the VistaVision logo and “Color by Technicolor” at the bottom.