Produced (or acquired) by Thirteen/WNET New York for the Public Broadcasting System, episodes of American Masters are dedicated to documenting and honoring America’s most notable creative artists and the inspiration behind their work. Each year a series of special broadcasts profiles a cross-section of the nation’s finest artistic pioneers from the past and present.
Table of Contents
#1 – Sam Cooke: Crossing Over
Season 24 – Episode 1
Sam Cooke put the spirit of the black church into popular music, creating a new American sound and setting into motion a chain of events that forever altered the course of popular music and race relations in America.
The episode was rated from 1 votes.
#2 – Woody Allen: A Documentary (1)
Season 25 – Episode 7
A film that traces the life and accomplishments of America’s unique and recognized comedian/writer/filmmaker.
The episode was rated from 1 votes.
#3 – Woody Allen: A Documentary (2)
Season 25 – Episode 8
Iconic writer, director, actor, comedian, and musician Woody Allen allowed his life and creative process to be documented on-camera for the first time. With this unprecedented access, Emmy®-winning, Oscar®-nominated filmmaker Robert Weide followed the notoriously private film legend over a year and a half to create the ultimate film biography.
The episode was rated from 1 votes.
#4 – The Day Carl Sandburg Died
Season 26 – Episode 6
For much of the 20th century, Sandburg was synonymous with the American experience, a spokesman on behalf of the people. One of the most successful writers in the English language, Sandburg was a three-time Pulitzer Prize-winner for his poetry as well as part of his six-volume Lincoln biography. Yet, after his death, Sandburg’s literary legacy faded and his poems, once taught in schools across America, were dismissed under the weight of massive critical attack.
The episode was rated from 1 votes.
#5 – Alice Waters and her Delicious Revolution
Season 17 – Episode 4
Follow Alice Waters (b. April 28, 1944) through a year of seasonal shopping and cooking, and discover both the recipes and vision of an artist and an advocate. She and her now-famous restaurant Chez Panisse became a major force behind the way Americans eat and think about food, launching the explosion of local farmers’ markets and redesigned supermarket produce departments. Distressed by the food she saw in public schools, Waters started an organic garden with an integrated curriculum at the Martin Luther King Middle School near her house, an idea inspired by The Garden Project at the San Francisco county jail. The idea of an Edible Schoolyard has now spread across the US – and inspired similar programs worldwide. She is an activist with a flawless palette who has taken her gift for food and turned it into consciousness about the environment and nutrition, and a device for social change.
The episode was rated from 1 votes.
#6 – Judy Garland: By Myself
Season 18 – Episode 5
A detailed examination of the celebrated vocalist’s career, from her amazing successes to her self-doubts and personal problems.
The episode was rated from 1 votes.
#7 – Bob Dylan: No Direction Home
Season 19 – Episode 7
A journey through the poetry and music of Bob Dylan.
The episode was rated from 1 votes.
#8 – A Fierce Green Fire
Season 28 – Episode 3
An exploration of the environmental movement from the 1960s through 2009. Included: the battle in the 1960s to block dams from the Grand Canyon; the Love Canal scandal of the 1970s; Greenpeace’s efforts to save whales and baby harp seals; the global resource crises of the 1980s; and the 25-year effort to address climate change. Narrators include Robert Redford, Meryl Streep, Ashley Judd, Van Jones and Isabel Allende.
The episode was rated from 1 votes.
#9 – American Ballet Theatre: A History
Season 29 – Episode 4
Delving into the rich history of one of the world’s preeminent ballet companies, Ric Burns combines intimate rehearsal footage, virtuoso performances and interviews with American Ballet Theatre’s key figures.
The episode was rated from 2 votes.
#10 – Lennon NYC
Season 24 – Episode 7
A look at the period of time musician John Lennon and his family spent living in New York City during the 1970s.
The episode was rated from 1 votes.