Controversial History Channel Mini Series Signs Greg Kinnear to play President John F. Kennedy and Katie Holmes as Jackie

[HMG] – Greg Kinnear has signed on to star as President John F. Kennedy, while Katie Holmes will play First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in the History Channel’s upcoming — and controversial — miniseries “The Kennedys.  Barry Pepper (“Saving Private Ryan”) has been tapped to play Robert Kennedy and Tom Wilkinson (“John Adams”) has signed on to appear as family patriarch Joe Kennedy Sr.

As its 35th President and the soul whose unbounded vision put man on the moon, John F. Kennedy holds an untouchable place in this nation’s history. But this new show about him, made by the man behind 24 is getting many people upset. Devised by Joel Surnow, a life-long hardcore conservative, who co-created the Jack Bauer drama, many people who knew JFK want what they’re calling ‘this hatchet job’ stopped.  Among Joel’s many critics is JFK’s former legal aide and senior speechwriter, Theodore Sorensen. Now 81, Theo knew and worked with the President for ten years, and says the new draft scripts are littered with factual errors and unreserved bias. And he’s by no means alone;

“It’s political character assassination,” says filmmaker, Robert Greenwald,who has now launched his own filmed rebuttal online. “It’s sexist titillation and pandering, turning everything into a cheap soap opera.”

As you might expect, the suits at the History Channel [who plan to play the results] are now acting as surprised as they can that this slanted review of an international icon could stir such emotion; Not to mention all this lovely free press!

“Next year, when it’s done and on the air, if people want to criticize it, so be it,” Stephen Kronish, the screenwriter and a self-confessed Democrat, tells the New York Times.

But Mr. Greenwald and his friends say Kronish’s work — even in draft form — is littered with errors and unjust invention — such as the myth that JFK conceived the idea of the Berlin Wall, which divided entire Germany families for 28 years.

“Every single conversation with the President in which I – according to the script – participated, never happened,” says Theo Sorensen.

But script maven, Stephen Kronish is trying to deflect criticism by saying; “This is not a documentary, It’s a dramatization.”  The History Channel confirms that The Kennedys will run as an eight-hour scripted miniseries next year.