Hans Bethe

Acting

Hans Bethe

Born 1906-07-02 · Straßburg, Alsace, Germany [now Strasbourg, Bas-Rhin, France]

Hans Albrecht Bethe was a German-American theoretical physicist who made major contributions to nuclear physics, astrophysics, quantum electrodynamics, and solid-state physics, and who won the 1967 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on the theory of stellar nucleosynthesis.

Acting credits

The Day After Trinity poster
7.6

Through interviews with Manhattan Project scientists and newly declassified archival footage, this documentary examines the life of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his leadership of the Manhattan Project. The film traces the development and testing of the first atomic bomb and follows Oppenheimer’s later opposition to nuclear proliferation during the early years of the Cold War.

The Day After Trinity

1980

Hans Bethe꞉ Prophet of Energy poster
NR

A portrait of the eminent Nobel Prize winning physicist who greatly advanced our knowledge of the atom. Bethe discusses the milestones of his career: his student work in Germany, his flight from the Nazis, his work on the Los Alamos Atomic Bomb project under Robert Oppenheimer, and his research on the energy production in stars. In working to help solve the energy crisis of the 1970’s, Bethe established himself as one of the country’s leading spokesmen for a safe way to use nuclear energy. Speaking in support of a sensible use, he represents a side of this controversial issue that deserves more attention. The film provides crucial insight into this complex issue by one of the world’s authorities.

Hans Bethe꞉ Prophet of Energy

1980

Los Alamos: The Beginning poster
NR

A documentary composed of historical footage and contemporary interviews from the men and women of Los Alamos, recalling their experiences of the community and the creation of the atomic bomb from the inception of the program in 1943.

Los Alamos: The Beginning

1982

No artwork available
NR

A rare view from within, as several of the Manhattan Project scientists, including Hans Berthe, Robert Serber, Edward Teller, Robert Wilson, and more, speak of their experiences on the path to a terrible shared destiny. As their lives and work at Los Alamos are revealed, they relate stories of contradictions and jealousies, and how each came to terms with the atomic era's most immediate consequence: the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

I Am Become Death: They Made the Bomb

1995

The Moment in Time: The Manhattan Project poster
NR

The Moment in Time documents the uncertain days of the beginning of World War II when it was feared the Nazis were developing the atomic bomb. The history of the bomb's development is traced through recollections of those who worked on what was known as "the gadget."

The Moment in Time: The Manhattan Project

2000

The Exiles poster
9.0

A chronicle of the rescue of oppressed intellectuals and artists from Europe before the outbreak of World War II. It studies the cultural and intellectual impact of this emigre population on American life.

The Exiles

1989

Too Near the Sun poster
7.0

Documentary, first broadcast in 1966, that tells the history of the superbomb, exploring the race by scientists to imitate the nuclear reactions of the sun and build the first thermonuclear weapon. The film reveals how the careers and reputations of some of the scientists involved were seared in the process.

Too Near the Sun

1966

No Ordinary Genius poster
NR

An intimate, moving, and funny account of the remarkable life and times of Richard Feynman—the most extraordinary scientist of his age.

No Ordinary Genius

1993