Band Of Brothers (HBO 2001, Damian Lewis, Donnie Wahlberg)

Band Of Brothers was a mammoth, big budget ($125 million) world war II mini series that followed Easy Company (of the 56th Regiment of the US Army’s 101st Airborne Division) from its formation, training and battling across Europe, having a bash at Hitler’s bavarian fortress and finally going home after the war. Leader of the platoon was Major Richard D Winters.

Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks (who also directed episode 5) began work on this epic almost as soon as Saving Private Ryan (with its similar themes) wrapped up although Band of Brothers is even more epic in its scope but it does share a look and accuracy with Ryan.

Members of the real Easy Company ensured the script was as authentic as possible and after the mini series was broadcast, a special called We Stand Alone Together – The Men of Easy Company was aired, reuniting the surviving veterans.

production details
USA / HBO – Dreamworks – BBC / 10×60 minute episodes / Broadcast 9 September – 4 November 2001

Book: Stephen E. Ambrose / Writers: Erik Jendresen (Parts 1, 5, & 10), John Orloff (Parts 2 & 9), E. Max Frye (Part 3) Graham Yost (Part s 4 and 7), Erik Bork (Part 8), Bruce C. McKenna (parts 1,4,6 and 8) / Theme Music: Robert Elhai, Michael Kamen / Executive Producers: Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks and Stephen E. Ambrose / Directors include Tom Hanks, Richard Loncraine and David Nutter

cast
DAMIAN LEWIS as Major Richard D Winters
DONNIE WAHLBERG as 2nd Lt C Carwood Lipton
RON LIVINGSTON as Captain Lewis Nixon
MATTHEW SETTLE as Captain Ronald Speirs
RICK WARDEN as 1st Lt Harry Welsh
FRANK JOHN HUGHES as Sgt 1st Class Donald Malarkey
DAVID SCHWIMMER as Lt Herbert Sobel
NEAL McDONAGH as 1st Lt Lynn “Buck” Compton
RICK GOMEZ as Sgt George Luz
EION BAILEY as Pte David Kenyon Webster