NBC airs ‘Schindler’s List’ virtually uncut, commercial free 20 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 23 1997)


Video: '2/23/1997 NBC/WKYC Partial Intershow and Schindler's List Introduction' (film introduced at 6:28)

(Sunday, February 23, 1997, 7:30-11:00 p.m. EST)Schindler’s List, the true story of a Nazi war profiteer who saved the lives of 1,100 Jews during World War II, became the first network program to bear the maximum rating of TV-M — for mature audiences — when it aired tonight on NBC.

An estimated 65 million people tune in to watch all or part of the film, which was shown commercial free with virtually no changes from the R-rated theatrical version, more than double the number who watched it in the theater when it was released in 1993.