American Masters

History Series / 13 Seasons

American Masters, committed to producing comprehensive film biographies about the broad cast of characters who comprise our cultural history.

1h 23m / TV-14

"The Left Hand of Darkness" and Gender Fluidity

3m 55s

In 1969, Ursula K. Le Guin published a groundbreaking novel called "The Left Hand of Darkness" that questioned binary concepts of gender. Learn about the backlash from fans that found the book too controversial as well as criticism from feminists who felt that she didn’t go far enough.

Learn About Ursula K. Le Guin's Predecessor to Harry Potter

2m 45s

Watch to learn why Neil Gaiman thinks Harry Potter wouldn't have existed without Ursula K. Le Guin's A Wizard of Earthsea, a fantasy novel she published in 1968 featuring a wizard school.

Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin Preview

2m 17s

Explore the remarkable life and legacy of late feminist author Ursula K. Le Guin whose groundbreaking work, including “The Left Hand of Darkness,” transformed American literature by bringing science fiction into the literary mainstream.

Robert Shaw – Man of Many Voices

2m 43s

Trace the journey of one of the greatest choral music conductors in the world. With no formal training, Robert Shaw achieved early success in popular music and later became legendary for his interpretations of classical music’s choral masterpieces.

Choral Music Conductor Robert Shaw Was Self-Taught

1m 59s

Robert Shaw became popular in an intensely competitive business where musical pedigree is highly valued. And yet, he was not a gifted singer and lacked formal training as a keyboardist and conductor.

Robert Shaw Was an Early Champion of Civil Rights

2m 7s

Robert Shaw's integrated chorales were among the first to break the color barrier in the American South. He took his inspiring music on the road, bringing his ensembles to small towns across America and to several continents.

I.M. Pei In Memoriam

1m 14s

We mourn the loss of renowned architect I.M. Pei, subject of an American Masters documentary in 2010. In this clip from American Masters—Alexander Calder¸ Pei discusses sculpture’s evolving relationship to architecture, and his initial reaction to Michelangelo’s David.

Remembering Tim Conway

1m 3s

The late actor and comedian Tim Conway remembers an extended riff he had about two twin elephants during a rehearsal for "The Carol Burnett Show." This exclusive outtake is from American Masters – Carol Burnett: A Woman of Character (2007), directed by Kyra Thompson.

Garry Winogrand's "Public Relations" Project

1m 33s

With his "Public Relations" project, Winogrand is considered to be among the first to show that the event was of secondary importance to the photograph of the event. "Public Relations" is considered to be at the cusp of postmodernism; with the project he fulfilled the notion that the event existed in order to be photographed.

The Exhibition that Changed Modern Photography

1m 57s

The New Documents exhibition established the three artists as important voices. As curator John Szarkowski noted, they, “redirected the technique and aesthetic of documentary photography to more personal ends. Their aim has been not to reform life but to know it.”

Garry Winogrand: All Things are Photographable Preview

1m 58s

Discover the life and work of Garry Winogrand, the epic storyteller in pictures who harnessed the serendipity of the streets to capture the American 1960s-70s. His “snapshot aesthetic” is now the universal language of contemporary image making.

Joseph Pulitzer's and the Brooklyn Bridge

2m 31s

When the Brooklyn Bridge opened, Pulitzer challenged the one-penny pedestrian toll in his paper with a four-column woodcut of the bridge on the front page of the World, and declared: “Let the Bridge Be Free / A Penny Is a Workman’s Lunch.”

The Spanish-American War and Yellow Journalism

1m 3s

Joseph Pulitzer fought for readership with his nemesis, William Randolph Hearst, in the mid-1890s. Both crossed the line into “yellow journalism” during the Spanish-American War.

Joseph Pulitzer: Voice of the People Preview

2m 14s

Discover the man behind the prizes. A journalist who became a media mogul with an outspoken, cantankerous editorial voice and best-selling newspapers, Joseph Pulitzer championed what he regarded as the sacred role of the free press in a democracy.

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