The Astors: High Society

Overview

The very name conjures up images of the good life black tie affairs and high society balls. Yet their long saga proves that money is no guarantee of happiness or stability. John Jacob Astor built an empire by parlaying a job in the fur business into a real estate empire so vast he became the richest man in the world. Follow the fortunes of five generations of Astors in this special BIOGRAPHY. From John's son William, who doubled the family fortune and earned the nickname "the landlord of New York," to the astounding charitable contributions of the Astor Foundation, the incredible story of the famed family comes to life through interviews with family members, archival footage and period accounts. Trace the feud and reconciliation that led to the creation of the Waldorf-Astoria hotel, and find out how the Titanic disaster forever transformed the Astors and their reputation.

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Cast

John Jacob Astor IV

Self (archive footage)

Brooke Astor

Self

Nancy Astor

Self (archive footage)

Winston Churchill

Self (archive footage)

Brendan Gill

Self — Historian

Adolf Hitler

Self (archive footage)

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Self (archive footage)