Radio announcer John Nesbitt narrated a series of Oscar-winning shorts for MGM about unusual historical events. The Passing Parade series is a pseudo-documentary acted out, which covered everything from mail-order marriages to this look at French doctor Philippe Pinel — who fought for the humane treatment of psychiatric patients.

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Director: Sammy Lee
Writers: John Nesbitt (story) Rosemary Foster (screenplay)
Release Date: November 3, 1945
Awards: Oscar for Best Short Subject, One reel in 1946
Narrated by John Nesbitt
This Passing Parade series entry tells the story of Dr. Phillipe Pinel (1745-1826), a French physician. When he was assigned to a government institution for the mentally ill, he was appalled at the conditions he found. People were treated like animals, chained in dark basement cells for decades. Dr. Pinel treated the patients with kindness and understanding. His then-unorthodox methods became the model for treating those with mental illness.