2016 Summer Firing Line Series

The Hoover Institution in Washington Hosts A Summer Series Dedicated To Firing Line

Throughout the summer months of 2016, the Hoover Institution in Washington, D.C. will host a series dedicated to Firing Line, one of the most significant and lively broadcasts in television history. Consisting of 1,505 installments filmed over thirty-three years, Firing Line is the longest-running public affairs show to feature a single host: the inimitable William F. Buckley Jr. The Library & Archives at the Hoover Institution house the expansive Firing Line collection, which includes administrative files, program preparation materials, photographs, transcripts, sound recordings, and videotape copies of the programs. The collection, which is open to the public, serves as an invaluable tool for understanding the social, political, and economic changes that marked the end of the twentieth century. The Hoover Institution summer series will celebrate the lasting achievement of Firing Line by screening significant episodes, followed by speakers who will discuss the legacy of the show and the issues discussed by Buckley and his on-air guests. Attendees of the summer series are invited to enjoy dinner and drinks while watching Buckley’s ingenious interviews and discussing the diverse topics they raise.

Firing Line ended its run in 1999, at the end of the millennium, yet its content laid the groundwork for numerous global issues debated today. The episodes screened will include such notable guests as Richard Nixon, Newt Gingrich, Henry Kissinger, Joe Biden, George HW Bush, Jack Kemp, and Ron Paul.

In June, the summer series is dedicated to Firing Line's Golden Anniversary Celebration. The July series looks at presidential debates, episodes spanning from 1981-1996. August will focus on campaigns and candidates, featuring episodes from 1967, 1972, and 1976.

Thursday, June 9, 2016 - Firing Line's Golden Anniversary Celebration