Smithsonian Channel Slates Queen Mary Special

NEW YORK: Smithsonian Channel is airing the hour-long special Mighty Ship at War: The Queen Mary next month to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the ocean liner’s maiden voyage.

The special will air on Sunday, August 21, at 8 p.m. Mighty Ship at War: The Queen Mary uses archival footage and photos to chronicle the life of the ship, which set a new benchmark in transatlantic travel and transported World War II troops, politicians, movie stars and royalty across the North Atlantic for more than three decades between 1936 and 1967. The documentary also features interviews with historians and experts, including a tour by Queen Mary’s Honorary Captain Everette Horde, as well as firsthand accounts by passengers.

The R.M.S. Queen Mary played a critical role during World War II, ferrying troops and Winston Churchill across the Atlantic. The ship helped make D-Day possible and had transported nearly a million men across the ocean by the end of the war. After 31 years at sea, the ship retired to Long Beach, California, where it has attracted more than 50 million visitors since 1970.

Mighty Ship at War: The Queen Mary is produced by STV Productions for Smithsonian Channel and BBC Scotland. Matt Pinder serves as producer and director. Michael McAvoy is executive producer for STV Productions, while David Royle and Charles Poe serve as executive producers for Smithsonian Channel.