April 10, 2024 - The HISTORY Channel is set to premiere the new six-part nonfiction series "How Disney Built America" on Sunday, April 28th at 10PM ET/PT alongside the return of the eight-part nonfiction series "The Mega-Brands That Built America" on Sunday, April 28th at 9PM ET/PT. "How Disney Built America," produced by A+E Factual Studios(TM) group, explores the history of Walt Disney and how the iconic Disney brand, fueled by the creation of beloved characters, cherished family films, thrilling theme parks, technological innovations, and more, continues to shape generations as a cultural and worldwide phenomenon. Season two of "The Mega-Brands That Built America" delves into the surprising origin stories behind some of the world's biggest brands like Netflix, Sony, Nike, Adidas, Marriott, Apple, Microsoft, and more. Peyton Manning joins this season, both on-screen and as an executive producer, with his company Omaha Productions to produce alongside Lucky 8.

"How Disney Built America" is a nostalgia-filled ride that paints a vivid picture of the world of Walt Disney and the history-making empire he and his brother Roy Disney built. Each hour-long episode focuses on a different example of game-changing brilliance in Disney's history including creating the world's most recognizable characters, establishing the animated features industry, revolutionizing the concept of merchandising, and using groundbreaking design and engineering to construct Disneyland, Walt Disney World Resort, and beyond. Viewers will hear from legendary Disney Imagineer Bob Gurr, a direct hire from Walt who developed over 100 designs for Disney theme park attractions, to gain surprising insights into the unique innovations and struggles involved in realizing the dreams of a visionary. The series utilizes rarely seen historical material, original dramatic recreations, and key interviews from Don Wildman, Margaret Kerrison, Douglas Brinkley, Mindy Johnson, and others to expand on how the brand is forever woven into the fabric of American life.

"How Disney Built America" is the network's latest extension of its popular "That Built" franchise. The April 28th series premiere recounts the creation of Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse - how he began as a pencil sketch and rocketed to lasting fame. The story starts with Walt in his early days in Hollywood when he loses creative control over his first successful cartoon character to a powerful middleman. What happens next is a series of pivotal decisions that spurs Walt, animator Ub Iwerks, and the staff at the Disney studio to create one of the most lucrative cartoon characters in history, along with the first synchronized sound animated short. In the years to come, Mickey Mouse has many imitators who look to compete with his genuine appeal but it's difficult to surpass him as a true American symbol, and the foundation of an iconic media empire.

"The Mega-Brands That Built America" offers a vivid portrayal of different brands across retail, electronics, hospitality, and more and the trailblazing founders whose brilliance, tenacity, and fearlessness cemented cutting-edge products in the hearts and minds of consumers. Weaving together archival footage, original recreations, and expert interviews from Bill Rancic, Adam Richman, Yohuru Williams, Natalia Mehlman Petrzela, and others, each hour-long episode recounts the triumphs, failures, rivalries, and groundbreaking innovations of the colossal brands that revolutionized our nation. The April 28th season two return begins with the introduction of the first handheld portable telephone and the fierce battle that ensues among several international telecommunications companies to produce the most popular cell phone.

For more information, please visit: https://www.history.com/shows/how-disney-built-america and www.history.com/shows/the-mega-brands-that-built-america

"How Disney Built America" is produced for The HISTORY Channel by A+E Factual Studios(TM) group. Sharon Scott, Steve Ascher, Matthew Pearl, Kristy Sabat, and Andy Seestedt serve as executive producers for A+E Factual Studios(TM) group. Mary E. Donahue, Jim Pasquarella, and Alex Hicks serve as executive producers for The HISTORY Channel.

"The Mega-Brands That Built America" is produced for The HISTORY Channel by Lucky 8 and Omaha Productions. Peyton Manning and Jamie Horowitz serve as executive producers for Omaha Productions. Kim Woodard, Greg Henry, Isaac Holub, George Kralovansky, Shari Ortner, Brian Burstein, and Harry Courniotes serve as executive producers for Lucky 8. Jim Pasquarella and Brooke Townsend serve as executive producers for The HISTORY Channel.

A+E Networks holds worldwide distribution rights to "How Disney Built America" and "The Mega-Brands That Built America." Both series will stream the next day on The HISTORY Channel app, history.com, and across major TV providers' VOD platforms. Both series will also be available to own on Amazon Prime Video or wherever you purchase your favorite series.