''Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip'' is a 2003 documentary film directed by Ken Burns and written by

Dayton Duncan Dayton Duncan (born September 3, 1949) is an American screenwriter, producer and former political aide. He is best known for his collaborations with documentary maker Ken Burns. Early life and education Born and raised in Indianola, Iowa, Du ...

. Its subject is the first cross-country automobile journey in the United States, which occurred during the summer of 1903. The documentary focuses primarily on

Horatio Nelson Jackson Horatio Nelson Jackson (March 25, 1872 – January 14, 1955) was an American physician and automobile pioneer. In 1903, he and driving partner Sewall K. Crocker became the first people to drive an automobile across the United States. Earl ...

and his Winton car, the Vermont; along with his companions Sewall K. Crocker, his pet

pitbull Pit bull is a term used in the United States for a type of dog descended from bulldogs and terriers, while in other countries such as the United Kingdom the term is used as an abbreviation of the American Pit Bull Terrier breed. The term was f ...

Bud and frequent correspondence with Jackson's wife Bertha Richardson Wells (called "Swipes" by Jackson). The journey became a race among three teams, the winners being Jackson and Crocker. The documentary has a companion book and audiobook, ''Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip'', authored by Dayton Duncan and Ken Burns, published by

Knopf Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. () is an American publishing house that was founded by Alfred A. Knopf Sr. and Blanche Knopf in 1915. Blanche and Alfred traveled abroad regularly and were known for publishing European, Asian, and Latin American writers in ...

in 2003.

Actors and historians

Several noted actors read the lines of various historical figures. They include: *

Keith David Keith David Williams (born June 4, 1956) is an American actor. He is known for his signature deep voice and commanding screen presence in over 300 roles across film, stage, television, and interactive media. He has starred in such films as '' T ...

- Narrator *

Tom Hanks Thomas Jeffrey Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is an American actor and filmmaker. Known for both his comedic and dramatic roles, he is one of the most popular and recognizable film stars worldwide, and is regarded as an American cultural icon. Ha ...

- Horatio Nelson Jackson Archival footage of Horatio Nelson Jackson is included. A series of American university professors of history provided background information.

Music

The soundtrack includes a variety of music, including some bluegrass instrumentals and a modern rendition by Bobby Horton of an old song called "

He'd Have to Get Under – Get Out and Get Under (to Fix Up His Automobile) "He'd Have to Get Under – Get Out and Get Under (to Fix Up His Automobile)" is one of the lengthier titles in the history of popular songs. The song was published in 1913, with music by Maurice Abrahams and lyrics by Grant Clarke and Edgar Leslie ...

External links

*
PBS page on the documentary
Films set in the United States Films shot in the United States Documentary films about United States history 2003 television films 2003 films American documentary television films History of the automobile Documentary films about automobiles Films directed by Ken Burns 2000s American films {{documentary-tv-film-stub