Helen Keller

Animated Hero Classics poster
Animated Hero Classics
1st June 1996 Season 2 Episode 5

When Helen Keller was a young child, she contracted a high fever that left her sightless and unable to hear. Being the parents of a non-seeing and non-hearing child was a hardship on two loving parents who did all they could but seemed to do it in the wrong way. Out of desperation, they hired a young educator, Anne Sullivan, to teach and train the young Helen. Much to the parent's dismay, Sullivan was a strict and firm disciplinarian with the young, spoiled Keller girl. Sullivan and Helen Keller moved into a house not far down the lane from the main Keller house. There they began to develop a trust and relationship of love and respect for each other. This soon turned into an atmosphere that was ripe for learning without the interference of the Keller parents. Once Helen Keller began to put meaning with the finger spelling that she was doing, she began to learn many words at a rapid rate. Her world began to open and she was able to complete her education and continue advanced training at the university.

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Season 2 · Episode 6

Leonardo da Vinci

A youthful Leonardo da Vinci studies art under his master, Verrochio in Florence, Italy in 1473. While working as an apprentice under Andrea del Verrocchio, Leonardo learns about color, shading, sculpturing, panel painting and painting of altarpieces. Self-discipline is the key to success in Verrochio's opinion. In 1498, Leonardo is under the service of the Duke and Duchess of Milan. He is commissioned to sculpt a statue of the Duke's father and paint " The Last Supper" for the monks in their dining hall. The Duchess of Milan asks Leonardo to produce a play about stars, planets and space. He is obviously not excited about the project because of the time it will take away from his masterpieces. During the play, Leonardo sees a young boy, Salai, steal some money from the stagehands. Salai tells Leonardo that he is homeless and hopes to become an artist like Leonardo some day. Leonardo invites Salai to live with him and tells him that he will teach him how to paint. The city of Milan erupts into fire while at war. Salai and Leonardo escape with all his sketches and return to Milan. Milan is different from what Leonardo remembers. The apprentice school is no longer being used. Leonardo meets a young Michelangelo. It becomes apparent that Michelangelo and Leonardo's thoughts about training in the arts are very different. Passion and creativity versus discipline and rules. Salai becomes reckless and rebellious. Leonardo strives to keep Salai on the path of righteousness. While trying to develop a method to conserve wall paintings, one of Leonardo's paintings begins to melt off the wall. Leonardo is discouraged and decides to return to Milan. Salai decides to stay in Florence with Michelangelo. Leonardo leaves feeling like a failure. Upon his return to Milan, he visits his painting, "The Last Supper," and sees that young apprentices are using his painting as their study. The young apprentices ask to shake the master's hand, Leonardo da Vinci's hand.

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