An Extraordinary Man: Dr. Dennis Branch of Newport, TN

"An Extraordinary Man" relates the life of a beloved black physician who treated a mostly white clientele in a small Appalachian town and whose life was a model of humanitarianism and civic leadership. The film tells the story of Dr. Branch’s remarkable compassion and his unique skills as a physician while also tracking the arc of segregation during his lifetime (1886-1964). Branch, a native of Raleigh, North Carolina, came to national prominence in 1957 when Ebony magazine featured an article on him and he reached his pinnacle of fame when he appeared as the featured guest on an episode of This is Your Life in 1958.

  • Marc McClure
    Director
  • Marc McClure
    Writer
  • Marc McClure
    Producer
  • Bob Booker, narrator
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 12 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    February 11, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    1,500 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    HD Digital Cameras
  • Film Color:
    Black & White and Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Western North Carolina Historical Association
    Asheville, NC
    United States
    June 16, 2018
    work in progress screening
  • Tennessee Picnic Association
    Newport, TN
    United States
    August 8, 2018
    work in progress screening for African American emancipation day
Director Biography - Marc McClure

Marc McClure completed his doctoral work in modern political and economic history at The George Washington University in 2000. His first scholarly publication, Earnest Endeavors: The Life and Public Work of George Rublee (Praeger/Greenwood, 2003), concerned a progressive era political reformer and international affairs expert. McClure produced other academic writings, but in 2016 turned to historical documentary filmmaking with an emphasis on rescuing inspirational and instructive stories that were fading from public memory, which he produces under the name Illustrious Lives Films. McClure’s first documentary VALOR: The Kiffin Rockwell Story (2017) told the dramatic story of an idealistic World War I aviator whose example of self-sacrifice inspired a generation. Over the past two years McClure has been working on An Extraordinary Man: Dr. Dennis Branch of Newport, Tennessee. The film relates the life of a beloved black physician who treated a mostly white clientele in a small Appalachian town and whose life is a model of humanitarianism and civic leadership. The film also traces the history of segregation during Dennis Branch’s lifetime (1886-1964) .

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